Bai Xuanling walked up to Chu Xingchen, looked him over, and said slowly:
"How's the recovery going?"
Chu Xingchen smiled lightly and nodded in response: "Much better than expected."
This wasn't just comforting words—it was the truth.
Although his own cultivation had dropped considerably and he hadn't been cultivating himself, the cultivation feedback from his disciples during this period hadn't diminished in the slightest.
Especially Li Yingling and Li Xingtian, both at the Spirit Transformation realm.
Chen Baiqing had been cultivating less during this time, so the feedback she provided wasn't as significant.
Setting other matters aside for now, just the spiritual energy and dao resonance essence feedback from those two was rapidly filling in his current injuries.
Two Spirit Transformation cultivators fueling a Nascent Soul cultivator's recovery—if not for the need to replenish his depleted essence, he estimated he could have returned to the Spirit Transformation realm at an extremely fast pace.
Especially the newly inherited title of Cultivation Maniac—Yun Li.
The system-recognized disciple, a Golden Core snake cultivator, was cultivating day and night. The quantity might be small, but the quality was excellent.
Injuries that would normally take an unknown amount of time to recover, when calculated carefully, probably wouldn't take much longer now.
The fact that his cultivation had dropped was no secret—there were many Tribulation Transcendence cultivators from major sects present, and it was impossible to hide.
Each sect was likely constantly reassessing his situation.
In the past, although the Xuanqing Heavenly Sect had never explicitly stated that Chu Xingchen was their recognized Child of Heaven's Fortune, their actions had consistently expressed exactly that.
Every sect had their own judgment, with some believing it and others not.
But the events in the Western Niu Continent—Chu Xingchen's ability to coordinate heavenly tribulation—was something no cultivator could judge by ordinary standards.
At the very least, the title of Child of Heaven's Fortune was beyond dispute.
Chu Xingchen also had his own calculations. His disciples were all heaven's favored ones, and Li Yingling and the others were no less talented in cultivation than core disciples like Yanyun and Xu Jin.
The only real difference was unlimited resource supply.
But even with unlimited resources, a cultivator would still be limited by their own bottlenecks.
Chu Xingchen did not have that limitation.
Moreover, his disciples' current resources weren't lacking that much either.
Once his injuries were fully healed and his depleted essence replenished by the system's feedback,
Chu Xingchen's cultivation would then improve at an extremely rapid pace.
Although slower than the direct cultivation boosts of the past, it would still be a speed of advancement incomprehensible to the world.
This time, it was Chu Xingchen's turn to hide in the shadows, stepping out of public view.
When he reappeared, it would surely be a pleasant surprise to the world.
Chu Xingchen looked toward Bai Xuanling and used his system attribute lines to check.
[Target: Bai Xuanling]
[Cultivation: Pseudo True Immortal Realm]
[Orange Attribute: Immortal Physique]
[Purple Attribute: Decisive Slayer]
[Purple Attribute: Combat Instinct]
[Blue Attribute: Exceptionally Keen]
[White Attribute: True Self Returning to Heart]
Pseudo True Immortal Realm?
Chu Xingchen tilted his head slightly in recollection. He had studied heavenly tribulation himself, and there was never any mention of "pseudo" anything. Did one have to first ascend to the Immortal World to become a True Immortal?
Perhaps it was missing a breath of immortal energy from the upper realm?
The heavenly tribulation he had presided over had its back doors wide open—there was naturally no possibility of failing to ascend.
Chu Xingchen pondered briefly, then smiled lightly and asked: "I thought you had Ascended to Immortality by Daylight."
Bai Xuanling raised an eyebrow and countered:
"Are you blaming me for not visiting you all these days?"
"Since you didn't ascend, naturally I have some complaints." Chu Xingchen nodded in agreement, then pressed further, "Has the auspicious day not arrived yet?"
Bai Xuanling looked at Chu Xingchen's probing expression and said calmly:
"The Heavenly Dao is flawed. I ascended, yet there is no path ahead. I suppose the great tribulation hasn't fully settled—we'll have to wait."
Chu Xingchen nodded gently. If the Heavenly Dao had halted even ascension, leaving so many Tribulation Transcendence cultivators in this world, then the strongest combat power—the True Immortals—were likely not numerous either.
To truly and completely ascend, they would probably have to wait until the great tribulation passed.
Another long stretch of time.
Bai Xuanling stood in place for a moment, seeing that Chu Xingchen wasn't pressing further, and relaxed her expression:
"In this world, I'm probably truly invincible now."
"I'll still need the big shot to cover me."
Bai Xuanling's face broke into an easy smile, and she responded quickly:
"Naturally. Who out there doesn't know you're under this Banished Immortal's protection?"
If Chu Xingchen was willing to pay such a heavy price, how could she be someone stingy and ungrateful?
This was a case of genuine heart exchanged for genuine heart.
Qinghe held a cup of juice in her hands, momentarily unable to understand what the two were talking about.
What was Ascending to Immortality by Daylight? And what did Banished Immortal even mean?
Don't tell her Grandma Bai had become a True Immortal and passed her heavenly tribulation.
The idea that Grandma Bai could ascend through heavenly tribulation during the time Qinghe had been in secluded cultivation for Spirit Transformation was simply too absurd.
Moreover, after ascending, one was supposed to go to the Immortal World.
Qinghe sipped her juice, her eyes clear as she looked at Chu Xingchen and Grandma Bai.
She'd just assume they were bragging, or perhaps speaking in some kind of code.
Or she could find someone later to secretly ask what had happened during her seclusion.
Asking here would probably yield nothing useful, and she'd just get called stupid by both of them.
The more Qinghe thought about it, the smarter she felt her own head becoming.
Chu Xingchen propped himself up and smiled lightly:
"When I was unconscious, I thought I wouldn't see you when I opened my eyes. Since we've met again…"
As he spoke, Chu Xingchen took out a small cup of Chunnuan from his space ring, poured two shallow cups, and handed one to Bai Xuanling, then laughed heartily:
"Let it all be said in the wine."
Bai Xuanling held the cup between her fingers, a smile at the corner of her lips, and their glasses clinked lightly.
Xie Lingyu could only watch helplessly as Chu Xingchen drained his cup in one gulp.
Fortunately, Chu Xingchen still had some sense—he only drank that one shallow cup and didn't pour another.
One master, one dao companion.
Neither of them was someone who made things easy.
Bai Xuanling returned the wine cup with spiritual energy and said softly:
"Rest well here. I have no burdens now—leave the extra matters to me."
"I'll be polite about whatever you say." Chu Xingchen lazily lay back down. "I've been busy enough lately. This lazy person is already exhausted—if you asked me to handle things, I wouldn't anyway."
Bai Xuanling didn't say much more, just smiled.
This arrangement was fine too.
The situation outside was extraordinarily chaotic, with every faction gathering intelligence.
After confirming Chu Xingchen was safe, the Xuanqing Heavenly Sect hadn't even sent anyone—they were quietly waiting.
At this moment, doing nothing was the only way to prevent those trying to speculate from getting any information.
Xu Jin was also handling cleanup, while Daoist Yuyang had already returned to the Taidao Sect to break through his realm.
Probably once Daoist Yuyang's breakthrough succeeded, Xu Jin would come to the Tianyan Sect together with him.
Matters had temporarily come to a close.
The remaining pressure would naturally fall on Bai Xuanling to bear some of it.
Nearby,
Chen Baiqing watched Qinghe eyeing the nourishing soup she had brewed with eager anticipation—any more delay and Qinghe would probably start drooling.
She wasn't stingy about it and filled a bowl for Qinghe too.
This earned her a compliment from Qinghe—Little Bai Qing is the best.
Chen Baiqing's gaze also calmly turned toward Bai Xuanling.
Bai Xuanling noticed the look and glanced back.
Then,
both of them smiled.
[
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