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"Nine... Xuan... Xuanling, wake up!"
Qing Xuanling's eyes snapped open—but she didn't move. The scenes from before she lost consciousness flooded her mind instantly: Grandma Meipon's words, her body ablaze, and how she'd ultimately transformed into a raging fire inferno.
A strange emotion filled her chest. It wasn't exactly sadness—she truly wasn't that heartbroken. After all, she hadn't known Grandma Meipon for long. Though they belonged to the same clan, she'd been practically a stranger.
And yet, those words from that "stranger" had deeply moved her.
So what she felt went beyond mere sorrow or pain. It was a complex mix of emotions—respect, shame, grief, and many others.
The overwhelming tide of feelings made her close her eyes again. She took a deep breath, feeling cold sweat trickle down her back. She felt awful.
She stayed like that for ten seconds before opening her eyes once more. Her gaze was calmer now. Finally, she took the time to observe and listen to what was happening around her.
To her surprise, a face hovered right in front of her, watching her with concern.
"…Fourth Sister?" Qing Xuanling asked uncertainly, glancing at the others who seemed to be in a dark room with her. "Where are we… and what's going on?"
Qing Tanwei sighed in relief upon seeing Qing Xuanling finally respond. "We're in some abandoned house—who knows whose it is. We decided to rest since you wouldn't wake up… and well, they needed some time too."
Qing Tanwei's eyes drifted toward a corner of the room, where Li Bing clutched her father's corpse, sobbing inconsolably.
Qing Xuanling couldn't help but sigh at the sight. As expected, Li Fenyun hadn't survived. She only hoped he'd at least gotten to properly say goodbye to his daughter. "How long was I unconscious?"
"Five hours, reckless idiot," Qing Muyu said, sitting beside her and handing her a meat bun. "Do you know how worried we were when you showed up surrounded by fire?! And by the way—if you were going to stay behind to fight a Foundation Establishment cultivator, you could've at least called me! How dare you hog all the glory for yourself?!"
Though joking, Qing Muyu's face held a trace of genuine hurt. The escape after breaking the domain had been utterly chaotic—he hadn't even thought to check who'd stayed behind. In his mind, any sane person would use every trick to flee as fast as possible.
So his expression when he heard from others that Qing Xuanling had faced the demonic cultivator alone to buy them time for others had been priceless.
Qing Xuanling shook her head with an awkward smile. "How's the situation? Did the elders defeat the demonic cultivators? And what about the clan? The demonic cultivator I fought mentioned the clan was under attack by multiple Foundation Establishment cultivators."
Qing Tanwei's expression grew complicated.
"I'm not sure about the elders who came with us to the tournament; there has been no news of them, but at least the clan is safe. I'm not entirely clear on the details, but apparently, during the attack, the clan revealed nine hidden Foundation Establishment cultivators they'd kept secret."
"Don't look at me like that—I didn't know the clan had such hidden strength either…" Qing Tanwei smiled bitterly. "And it seems the enemy didn't expect it either. The demonic cultivators who attacked the clan suffered heavy losses. At least, that's what the communication talisman from a friend told me."
Qing Xuanling's expression stiffened. Going from believing her clan was in grave danger to learning they'd dealt the enemy a crushing blow was shocking news.
She spoke briefly with Qing Tanwei and Qing Muyu, but there wasn't much more to add beyond what Qing Tanwei had already shared. Exhausted by everything, she moved slightly away from the group and sat cross-legged.
She began assessing her body's condition. She was slightly worried—she'd burned her vital energy in that final strike against Kuga, shortening her lifespan and leaving her body severely injured. She just hoped the damage wouldn't hinder her future cultivation.
Using her divine sense to inspect her body, she quickly frowned.
'Why am I completely unharmed? No—actually, I'm in better shape than before!'
Even stranger, she realized her cultivation had leapt from the fourth to the five layer of Qi Refinement! And her foundation wasn't unstable—in fact, it felt solid, as if she'd already spent months at this level!
"Plus, my Qi is far purer and more condensed than before…!" She bit her thumbnail, slightly anxious.
Things that seemed too good—or free—were often the most dangerous.
She pondered her situation for several minutes until, fortunately, she found a convincing explanation.
'It must be Grandma Meipon's gift. The fire that enveloped me at the end healed my wounds—so it likely restored the vital energy I burned and purified my Qi.'
Her sudden advancement probably resulted from Grandma Meipon's final gift combined with Qing Xuanling's latent potential unlocking after fighting Kuga. Viewed that way, her silent, abrupt breakthrough made perfect sense.
A sad smile crossed her lips as she murmured, "Grandma Meipon really had high hopes for me. I have to reach Foundation Establishment—or else I'll be too ashamed to face her when I die."
She immediately began consolidating her cultivation. Though stable, this advancement hadn't come through her own efforts. There were meridians and spiritual channels she needed to personally traverse to truly claim this new level as her own.
The Five Rotating Axes Art swiftly circulated through her body for the next hour.
No one disturbed her. Everyone was still shaken by the events within the Spectral Madness Domain.
The room remained silent until a voice from outside made everyone's faces light up.
"Kids, you really know how to hide. I almost couldn't find you." The Young Master's voice came from beyond the door. "Come out already—we need to return to the clan immediately."
His voice—always calm and composed—completely soothed Qing Xuanling's and the others' anxious hearts. Apparently, everything had been resolved!
The three rushed to the door excitedly—but their expressions froze when they finally opened it.
Outside stood the Young Master, but he no longer looked relaxed. His robes were torn, bloodstains covering his body. But worse than that, what truly made Qing Xuanling's blood run cold were the two unconscious figures floating behind him: Qing Huomei and Qing Xuyun.
Qing Huomei was missing an arm, her face deathly pale, while Qing Xuyun resembled a corpse—despite appearing unharmed, the faint fluctuations of his soul betrayed his dire state.
Though most cultivators couldn't sense another's soul, there was a difference between the aura of a living person and an inanimate object. Right now, Qing Xuyun radiated the emptiness of something lifeless.
The Young Master offered a weak smile. "Don't worry—they're still alive. They're just in bad shape after the fight…"
Qing Xuanling sighed. The assault on the three Foundation Establishment forces had been too sudden and lethal.
The Young Master shook his head at everyone's grim faces but said little. "Let's return to the clan. We have much to do and plan from now on." His eyes turned solemn. "The winds of war are about to sweep through Ziyu City."
Everyone nodded and prepared to leave—but froze when they saw the last person in the room: Li Bing.
She was still hunched over her father Li Fenyun's corpse, sobbing quietly.
Even the Young Master's expression grew complicated at the sight. He hesitated briefly, then pointed at her, drawing both Li Bing and her father's body toward him.
Li Bing's wide eyes snapped open as she suddenly floated—but she made no sound, as if indifferent to her fate. The Young Master sighed at her state.
"Girl, I won't say much, but you'd better drop this despairing attitude and snap out of it." His words were harsh but honest. "Your father gave his life for you and the Li family—so from now on, behave yourself and focus on cultivation."
"The Qing clan will reward the Li family for your father's contributions, but that doesn't mean you can wallow forever under our protection. Your father surely wanted you to grow strong and help the Li family prosper."
Li Bing's eyes flickered faintly—but she still said nothing.
The Young Master didn't press further. He simply waved his hand, sending Li Bing floating toward where the Li family members had gathered. He'd already spoken with them earlier.
"You lot, follow me now that this is settled. We can't afford to waste any more time." The Young Master's gaze turned murderous. "There are too many people we must avenge and defend against."
Qing Xuanling's expression grew solemn. She sensed there was far more behind today's attack—and she refused to remain in the dark any longer. She was determined to get answers today.