txolops Chapter 153 Expectations
Chapter 153 Expectations
Inside the training room.
One by one, precious fire-type spiritual items were taken out of Li Ping's storage bag and placed beside the Wildfire Sparrow lying on the ground.
At this moment, flames occasionally emanated from the Wildfire Sparrow's body, and its tail feathers trembled like a dancing fire sprite, but its eyes remained tightly closed, as if it had fallen into a deep sleep.
"Now we just need to wait." Li Ping nodded slightly.
Once the Wildfire Sparrow advances to the next level, given the power of its bloodline, it will likely possess strength comparable to a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator.
He would then have a capable assistant.
If the man and the bird joined forces, they might possess combat power comparable to Xiao Yunzhi.
Xiao Yunzhi also possessed a Blazing Sun Bird with true spiritual bloodline.
Li Ping sighed inwardly, "It's a pity I gave my Bloodline Fruit to Xiao Yunzhi. Otherwise, when the Wildfire Sparrow advanced, I could have fed it a thousand-year-old Bloodline Fruit and taken the opportunity to stimulate even more of its True Spirit Bloodline!"
When the Wildfire Sparrow advanced, Li Ping sat cross-legged beside it, cultivating and waiting.
……
This wait lasted for a full month.
When the Wildfire Sparrow awoke again, the aura emanating from it was no less than that of Li Ping, and its control over flames had reached a new level.
Its innate spiritual fire is far more terrifying than the innate true fire of a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
"I need to learn how to refine second-tier beast-feeding pills." Feeling the joyful soul fluctuations transmitted by the Wildfire Sparrow, Li Ping couldn't help but smile.
Given the rapid advancement speed of the Wildfire Sparrow, a spiritual bird of heaven and earth.
In the future, he might one day be able to rely on his own spirit beast for support.
……
"Young master, are you alright?"
A soft gasp came from outside; clearly, she had sensed the intense spiritual energy fluctuations caused by the Wildfire Sparrow's breakthrough. Worried that something might have happened to Li Ping, she had come to check on him.
"Come in."
Li Ping commanded the Wildfire Sparrow to fly into the spirit beast pouch before pushing open the door and stepping out.
Seeing the worried look on Bai Lin's face, he felt a warmth in his heart and said with a smile, "Don't worry, I'm fine. The commotion just now was just one of my pet spirit beasts breaking through to the next level."
Upon hearing this, Bai Lin breathed a sigh of relief: "That's great."
……
During Li Ping's intensive training, another year quickly passed.
However, since the vows of the Tongzhou Society have been fulfilled, the annual fixed gathering has been cancelled and replaced by irregular gatherings.
In addition, Bai Qing went to Jixia and is not in Fenglan Immortal City.
Moreover, Li Ping had specifically told them in advance that they didn't need to come to Xiantao Mountain.
Therefore, Zhang Tie, Gu Musheng, and Cheng Yao did not appear in Li Ping's cave as they had in previous years, and Bai Lin returned to Gaojishan as usual.
Therefore, on the last day of this year, Li Ping was left alone in the Immortal Peach Mountain Cave.
Standing in the pavilion, I looked up at the bright moon in the sky.
At that moment, Li Ping smiled nonchalantly and returned to the training room to continue his arduous practice.
He hasn't even achieved immortality yet, so where does he find the time to wallow in self-pity?
……
Meanwhile, in a square in Jixia City, Donghua Mountain.
Several thousand Qi Refining cultivators gathered here.
They were all cultivators from cultivation families and sects in the Western Wilderness cultivation world who had joined the Guardian Alliance.
The previous year, they arrived one after another in the waiting area arranged for them by the Foundation Establishment cultivators of their respective forces, and each chose a space to meditate and cultivate.
Although there were many people in the square, it was orderly and there was no quarrel or noise.
Soon, with only five days left before the opening of the secret realm, the staff of Jixia Immortal City reappeared.
Upon noticing this scene, the Qi Refining cultivators were both excited and apprehensive, for they knew that the secret realm was about to open.
Bai Qing blended in unnoticed among the nearly one hundred Qi Refining cultivators from Fenglan Immortal City.
He touched his storage bag, his eyes brimming with confidence.
With so many items prepared for him by his elder brother, how unlucky must he be if he still can't get the Foundation Establishment Pill?
"It's a pity that Fifth Brother went to Yuan Kingdom, and I was unable to see him when I came to Jixia." Bai Qing couldn't help but sigh softly in his heart.
With a sigh, he looked at the three people around him.
These three were also cultivators of the Bai family, just like him, but they had one thing in common.
Without exception, all three Bai family cultivators were elderly men with full heads of white hair.
Bai Qing knew that these three Bai family cultivators were actually in their eighties or nineties, and they didn't have much time left in their lives.
They should have been enjoying their retirement years.
However, when the family recruited cultivators to go to the Qingyun Secret Realm to collect spiritual herbs, they signed up without hesitation.
Even in his eighties, he still ventured into the Azure Cloud Secret Realm to fight desperately.
Bai Qing wasn't sure whether they were willingly sacrificing everything for the family, or whether they were burdened by the family's reputation and had no choice but to make this trip.
He knew perfectly well what was going on.
These three old cultivators, being members of a family, must have a considerable number of descendants.
As an elder in the family.
If they were to live a life of leisure in their clan while letting the younger cultivators of the clan risk their lives... once such a thing spread throughout the clan, their reputation would be ruined.
They would be considered selfish, disrespectful to their elders, and despised.
Conversely, it's better if they choose to venture into the Azure Cloud Secret Realm and emerge alive. Even if they die in the realm, they will leave behind a reputation for selflessness and dedication to their family, their deeds passed down by later cultivators within the clan.
"Perhaps it's a combination of both; public opinion is a fearsome thing!" Bai Qing pondered silently.
Just like him, he has been hiding in the Immortal City all these years, and he didn't even go back for his biological father's funeral. He also doesn't care about the clansmen his father left behind.
In the eyes of some clansmen who were unaware of the inside story, his actions were probably equated with "unfilial piety" and "ungrateful wretch".
However, Bai Qing didn't care. Anyway, his main activities were in the Immortal City, and he would never go back to Gaoji Mountain. Let the clansmen talk as they pleased.
As Bai Qing pondered, the gazes of three elderly Bai family cultivators fell upon him. One of them, a square-faced elder, solemnly advised him, "Qing'er, you are still young, and you have a long future ahead of you. Once you enter the secret realm, your first priority is to protect yourself. Gathering spiritual herbs is secondary, understand?"
"Yes, Seventh Grandfather, I will be careful," Bai Qing replied repeatedly.
The square-faced old man sighed, "Alas, we old folks can die as we please, but you're so young, why did you have to get involved in this journey to the secret realm?"
Bai Qing remained silent.
If possible, he would be happy to team up with the three elders of the Bai family to protect them and help them get out alive.
Unfortunately, once they enter the Azure Cloud Secret Realm, they will randomly appear anywhere within the realm, and he may never meet the three elders of the Bai family until the realm closes.
"Sigh... I hope everyone can come out alive!" Bai Qing sighed inwardly.
……
As time passed day by day, the opening of the secret realm drew ever closer.
The day before the secret realm was to open, Bai Qing finally made up his mind. He took out three second-tier low-grade spirit talismans from the many supplies his elder brother had prepared for him and gave one to each of the three elders of the Bai family.
The three elders of the Bai family hurriedly declined, but Bai Qing forcefully stuffed the talisman into their hands: "Seventh Grandfather, Ninth Grandfather, Twelfth Grandfather, I hope you will also put your own lives first and put the task of gathering spiritual herbs second!"
After a moment of silence, the three elders of the Bai family accepted the talisman.
However, they did not respond to Bai Qing's suggestion that they prioritize saving their own lives.
They knew how difficult things were for the Bai family. Their ancestor only had about ten more years to live, and if he were to pass away, the family would not be able to produce a second Foundation Establishment cultivator.
What situation will the Bai family face?
The Xue family of Yanxia Mountain serves as a cautionary tale!
Their eyes were filled with determination: "Even if it costs us our lives, we must obtain a Foundation Establishment Pill for our family!"
Seeing this, Bai Qing sighed inwardly and stopped trying to persuade him.
……
The day the Qingyun Secret Realm opened.
A white streak of light flew down from the mountaintop and landed on the plaza.
The light dissipated, revealing one of the male cultivators, dressed in a white robe, with a dignified and handsome appearance.
As soon as he appeared, the spiritual pressure of a Core Formation stage cultivator instantly filled the entire plaza.
His gaze swept over the thousands of Qi Refiners in the square, as well as the Foundation Establishment cultivator leading the group, and the male cultivator smiled and said, "Is everyone here? Get on my flying boat, and I'll take you to the entrance of the secret realm."
After saying that, the male cultivator flicked out a dark-colored flying boat, more than a foot long, from his sleeve.
The flying boat, just over a foot long, expanded against the wind the moment it flew out of the man's sleeve, quickly transforming into a giant nine-story building ship, hundreds of feet long and tens of feet high.
Upon seeing such a magnificent flying ship, the Qi Refining cultivators in the square all showed expressions of shock.
While they were still in shock, the Foundation Establishment cultivators leading the group, already used to this, instructed everyone to board the flying boat: "Line up properly, don't crowd!"
Bai Qing and the three elders of the Bai family quickly caught up with the group, occasionally hearing the discussions of other cultivators.
Only then did he realize that this enormous flying ship was the "Giant Whale Wave-Breaking Shuttle," a renowned magical treasure of Jixia Immortal City, capable of carrying 100,000 cultivators when fully loaded!
Currently, carrying only a few thousand cultivators is extremely easy.
The one who wielded this magical artifact was Song Yushu, a newly promoted Core Formation cultivator!
Song Yushu, a cultivator who has reached the Core Formation stage.
While envious, Bai Qing also remembered the name.
……
After everyone boarded the flying boat, it instantly accelerated, transforming into a streak of white light as it plunged into the clouds surrounding the mountain peaks, heading towards the top of Donghua Mountain.
The Azure Cloud Secret Realm produces the vast majority of the main ingredients for Foundation Establishment Pills in the Western Wilderness, and can be said to be related to the lifeline of the entire Western Wilderness cultivation world.
Its entrance is located in the very heart of the academy, not only shrouded by a third-order grand formation, but also guarded year-round by three Core Formation cultivators to ensure its absolute safety.
Looking at the scenery rushing past outside the flying boat, Bai Qing couldn't help but feel excited: "Entering the secret realm, collecting spiritual herbs to exchange for Foundation Establishment Pills, I'm only a stone's throw away from Foundation Establishment!"