Jiang Zuo was a bit stunned to receive a call from Jian Shisan.
He thought for a moment before saying, "She probably wants you to cook for her personally. I’ve cooked before, too. That’s when I cemented my status as the one who doesn’t have to cook at home."
Jian Shisan was confused. "But my Junior Sister and I are both powerful Cultivators. We don’t need to eat, do we?"
"Just cook for her yourself and serve it to her personally. She’ll definitely be happy," Jiang Zuo said.
Jian Shisan said awkwardly, "I don’t know how."
"Learn. You’re a Tier Eight Inquiry, a rarity in this world. Are you telling me you’re afraid you can’t learn?" Jiang Zuo said plainly.
’Of course, he didn’t mention that it was possible to fail, because he himself had never managed to learn.’
In the end, Jian Shisan could only say, "I’ll do my best, then. By the way, do you have any more of that meat?"
"Go find the Tofu Boss. He still has plenty."
After exchanging a few more words, Jiang Zuo hung up. He needed to focus on his Cultivation and didn’t want any interruptions from Jian Shisan.
Once his preparations were complete, Jiang Zuo closed his eyes and began his Cultivation.
The Spiritual Liquid from the Support Array began to surge into Jiang Zuo’s body. He only had a single strand of Innate Qi remaining, but with the Battle Spirit Stele replenishing it, his Cultivation progress wasn’t too slow.
Furthermore, it was highly likely his Innate Qi would be fully restored by morning. Then, it would be time for him to make an all-out push.
If time permitted, he intended to break through to Tier Three in one fell swoop.
’I have to cast aside all distracting thoughts and focus solely on advancing. I need to pour everything I have into this.’
Meanwhile, the Fire Elemental Minions also went on high alert. They knew it wouldn’t be long before the Fire Elemental Army launched its assault.
’This time can’t be like the last. We have to make a real contribution for our big brother!’
The Water Elemental Sister was also on high alert.
「That night」
By chance, a full moon hung over the valley where Jiang Zuo was cultivating. The moonlight shone down, lending an extra boost to his Array.
A white light also began to glow from the valley floor—it was the Essence of Sun and Moon that had been accumulating there.
After the white light appeared, the Flame Power and a dense Earthy Aura from even deeper below also burst out.
Jiang Zuo’s eyes snapped open in surprise, his brow furrowing.
’The Essence of Sun and Moon is appearing now? Does this mean I’m going to recover the Innate Two Qi ahead of schedule?’
However, before Jiang Zuo could even finish the thought, his Innate Two Qi had already begun to regenerate.
This time, the recovery wasn’t from absorbing the Essence of Sun and Moon or the Five Elements Power; it was regenerating on its own.
That meant there were no side effects.
But Jiang Zuo’s brow furrowed even deeper. ’Including what I already have on me, I’m now just one short: the Metal Attribute.’
Just as he was thinking this, a rock tumbled down from the valley wall.
It then split open, revealing an Essence Stone before his very eyes—a Golden Radiance Stone of absurdly high quality.
It was more than enough to serve as the Power of Gold.
Jiang Zuo was certain that no external force had acted upon the stone.
It had simply fallen and cracked open on its own.
’What’s going on? Why this sudden explosion of good luck?’ Jiang Zuo was baffled. All he’d wanted was to put everything else aside and focus on advancing, and suddenly all this happened.
’Well, since it’s a gift horse, I’m not about to look it in the mouth.’ He immediately took out the items he had with him. He would advance his Cultivation and condense the Innate Three Qi simultaneously.
******
While Jiang Zuo was experiencing his explosion of good luck, Su Qi felt as though she had just broken through some sort of barrier.
It was as if she could perceive the heavens and the earth. All the confusing aspects of her Cultivation were resolved in an instant, and she immediately entered a state of sudden enlightenment.
Beside her, Jingyue watched Su Qi in shock. She saw Su Qi suddenly close her eyes and begin to cultivate.
A deeply discordant feeling emanated from Su Qi.
It was as if Su Qi was resonating with heaven and earth.
However, just as Jingyue was about to take a closer look, a vast wave of comprehension washed over her.
In an instant, she too found herself entering a state of sudden enlightenment.
’This feeling is too unnatural,’ she thought. ’It’s almost frightening.’
Without a moment’s hesitation, Jingyue bit down hard on the tip of her tongue, forcing herself back to her senses.
Opportunities for enlightenment were incredibly rare, but she didn’t care. She had a gut feeling that she had to wake Su Qi.
The thought had sprung into her mind instantly.
And while many absurd ideas had popped into her head before, this was one she chose to trust.
The moment she snapped out of it, Jingyue’s first instinct was to wake Su Qi. The simplest and most direct way to do that, of course, was with a bit of force.
Without any hesitation, she aimed to rouse Su Qi with a punch.
However, just as her fist was about to land, a sudden burst of insight filled Su Qi, allowing her to instinctively block the attack.
Jingyue froze.
’How bizarre. Of all the coincidences, she gains a new insight at this exact moment?’
Jingyue immediately contacted her master.
Su Qi’s state might have looked like a blessing, but Jingyue had a strong feeling that it was anything but.
******
Back in the valley, Jiang Zuo, who had laid out all his materials and was on the verge of forming the Innate Three Qi, snapped his eyes open. He paid no mind to the Cultivation Technique still circulating through his body.
He had a very bad feeling.
It was the same feeling he’d had when he first met Su Qi—the fear that she might change her seat or move to a different class.
The feeling was absolutely dreadful.
PFFFT—
Jiang Zuo spat out a mouthful of blood. He had forcibly stopped his Cultivation, completely disregarding the risk of injury.
’I need to call Su Qi.’
’I need to hear her voice. I need to confirm that feeling was just my imagination.’
And so, Jiang Zuo left the valley, ignoring all the gifts his good luck had brought him.
None of it was as important to him as Su Qi. Compared to her, these things were worthless.
Even a grievous injury to himself was nothing in comparison.
Jiang Zuo quickly found a quiet spot and took out his phone to call Su Qi.
But before he could even dial, he was shocked to find he had no signal.
He glanced back at the valley and realized the abnormal energy there was distorting the signal—a very rare phenomenon.
Without hesitation, Jiang Zuo hurried away from the valley.
He continuously tried to call Su Qi, desperate for the call to go through, for her to pick up.
Meanwhile, back with Jingyue, both Jian Shisan and Yue Xi had arrived.
The moment he saw Su Qi, Jian Shisan exclaimed in surprise, "A Heaven and Earth Enlightenment?"
"What does that mean?" Yue Xi asked.
"It’s... It’s..." Jian Shisan stammered.
"Oh, Master, just step aside," Jingyue said, pushing Yue Xi away.
Then she turned to Jian Shisan. "Senior Uncle, just tell me. You can ignore my master."
Jian Shisan nodded. "A Heaven and Earth Enlightenment, simply put, is when one begins to perceive heaven and earth and then attempts to Enter Dao."
"But this usually happens to those at Tier Seven or Tier Six. For someone like Jiu Xi to experience it is truly rare."
"If everything goes smoothly, she could Enter Dao in less than a hundred years and become a true Daoist expert."
A Tier Seven Daoist in a hundred years... That was the mark of a true prodigy.
Even someone as formidable as Jian Shisan had taken far longer than a century to Enter Dao.
To say nothing of Yue Xi and the others. Yue Xi herself had been in Cultivation for several hundred years and still hadn’t reached Tier Seven.
Even Swordsman Beitian, a genius over thirteen hundred years old, had yet to reach Tier Seven.
So, the prospect of Entering Dao in a mere century was terrifyingly fast.
Jingyue said worriedly, "It might sound like a good thing, but it’s just too strange. My Junior Sister never cultivates, and then she suddenly has this enlightenment out of nowhere."
"Do you think something might be wrong?"