Chapter 11: Successful Advancement

Successful advancement...

Rou'er's words were quite correct; this kind of matter was simply not something they could interfere with. But clearly, Zhu Tingxu did not think so.

It was perhaps not surprising. Zhu Tingxu was already at the eleventh rank, only one step away from being called a Martial Venerable—a mere single step, so to speak. Having enjoyed high and mighty prestige in Yayu City for too long, Zhu Tingxu simply refused to listen to Rou'er. It was unknown what news he had gathered, but that very afternoon, he departed in a hurry all by himself...

After Zhu Tingxu left, Rou'er lost her appetite day after day. Aside from taking care of her children, she spent her entire day inquiring about various pieces of news. Madam Wu's cousin visited almost every day, and Yi'er lived directly in the Golden Bamboo Courtyard, only returning to the small courtyard during mealtimes.

She was deeply grateful to that Martial Venerable for drawing everyone's attention away, allowing her the freedom to focus on her breakthrough in peace.

On this day, she sat cross-legged in her usual spot, eyes slightly closed and her mind clear. Following what she had learned, she used her spiritual power to control the drifting spiritual energy around her, making it circulate through her body... time and time again... Such a breakthrough was not unfamiliar to her at all. She only needed to exhaust her spiritual power completely, overdrawing it as much as possible, so that once she reached that critical threshold, she could break through...

In her previous life, when she first began learning, it had only taken her two months. Having come to this world, it had taken three years...

"Buzz!!" A familiar sound echoed in her mind, followed by darkness before her eyes. She immediately reined in her consciousness, forcing her final shred of awareness to prevent herself from falling into a coma.

That sliver of her consciousness entered a gray space. It was a space formed entirely by spiritual power, a characteristic unique to breaking through the first layer...

Looking at that narrow gray space, Yi smiled.

Although she had always practiced alongside her sisters, what she had learned later was different from theirs—or rather, her cultivation method was higher than theirs.

Her master said that her aptitude was the best, and more importantly, her heart was ruthless enough. Things many of her sisters could not do, she could. Furthermore, just like her master, she was protective enough; by becoming stronger, she could protect her sisters from being bullied... However, this also required opportunity, and her opportunity was sufficient.

Recalling the scenes of the past, where the sisters would chatter incessantly together once they achieved a breakthrough, she couldn't help but feel a wave of loss. Now, there was no one left to share it with...

…………

"Yi'er, you really are here."

Hearing the voice, Yi immediately withdrew from her mental world. She opened her eyes and looked toward the newcomer... It was Madam Rou!!