Meeting Su Qing Again
"That woman in the red dress… that's Su Qing!"
At that moment, Gu Yue Ningbing's voice sounded beside him.
"Her? Why does she feel so different… even her cultivation is completely concealed?"
Zhang Lingxiao frowned slightly, surprised.
The elegant woman in red before him was none other than Su Qing—the woman who had appeared at a turning point in his life.
It had been nearly a month since that bold, forceful kiss—before she was driven away by Gu Yue Ningbing. He had no idea where she had gone since then.
Yet now, they met again under such circumstances.
As for the male cultivator beside her, Zhang Lingxiao barely spared him a glance. In his eyes, the man was utterly unremarkable—there was simply no comparison between them.
"Heh, don't overthink it," Gu Yue Ningbing said lightly, as if reading his thoughts. "Su Qing is quite conservative. You're probably the only man she's ever been close to. She's likely just wandering the world now—teaching scumbags a lesson or two."
Zhang Lingxiao gave a slight nod but said nothing.
Soon, the two cultivators at the center of the arena began their duel.
At that moment, Su Qing—who had been standing behind the male cultivator—suddenly turned her head. Her gaze swept across the crowd before landing precisely on Zhang Lingxiao.
A charming smile curved her lips.
Then, without hesitation, she stepped back and withdrew from the center.
"Brother Zhang… that fairy just smiled at me! She's stunning! Do you think she's taken a liking to me?"
Beside him, the Little Fatty, Zhan Wuji, grinned foolishly, his eyes practically glued to her figure.
Zhang Lingxiao let out a dry chuckle. "Maybe."
Before his words had even settled, a fragrant breeze drifted past.
In the next instant, Su Qing appeared right beside him—her aura restrained, her appearance reverting to its familiar, breathtaking form.
"So, you've finally decided to leave that small town?" she asked, smiling sweetly.
That smile instantly captivated Zhan Wuji, leaving him looking utterly dazed.
Su Qing glanced at him with faint disdain. A trace of her aura leaked out—
Boom.
An invisible pressure descended.
Zhan Wuji was forced back several steps, his face filled with shock.
He was already at the Second Heaven of the Lingwu Realm, yet he couldn't withstand even a sliver of this woman's aura.
Just how terrifying was her cultivation?
Zhang Lingxiao, however, remained calm.
"Mhm." He smiled faintly. "I plan to head to Qingyun Mountain and gain some experience."
"Qingyun Mountain…" Su Qing murmured thoughtfully, her eyes flickering with amusement. "Alright. I'll wait for you there."
Her words sounded casual—but carried a deeper meaning.
Before Zhang Lingxiao could respond, her gaze fell on the Life Ring on his finger. Her beautiful eyes blinked mischievously as she leaned closer.
Smack~
A crisp sound rang out.
She kissed him lightly on the cheek.
Zhan Wuji froze completely.
Even the surrounding Zhang Family disciples couldn't help but snicker quietly.
They all knew who Su Qing was—an expert of the Tianwu Realm, someone far beyond their reach.
Yet from the looks of it, their young master had somehow captured the heart of this powerful beauty.
After the kiss, Su Qing made a playful face at the Life Ring before leaning in close to Zhang Lingxiao's ear.
She whispered something softly.
Then—
With a flicker of her figure, she vanished without a trace.
Zhang Lingxiao's lips curved into a faint smile.
Zhan Wuji immediately rushed over, eyes burning with curiosity.
"Brother Zhang! That immortal fairy actually kissed you! What exactly is your relationship?"
Zhang Lingxiao casually touched his cheek, still warm from the kiss, and replied indifferently:
"What do you think it is? That's probably it."
Zhan Wuji's expression instantly turned into one of exaggerated admiration.
"As expected of Brother Zhang! Even such a stunning and powerful woman has fallen for you! I truly admire you! If you ever get the chance, teach me a move or two—I haven't even held a woman's hand yet!"
Zhang Lingxiao ignored him.
This fatty was hopeless—far more lustful than himself. Whenever he saw a beautiful woman, he completely lost his composure.
Turning his attention back to the arena, Zhang Lingxiao quietly pondered Su Qing's parting words.
Wait for me at Qingyun Mountain? What is she planning…?
Then he glanced at the Life Ring on his finger, recalling her whisper.
"Wash up and wait for me… she really said that."
A faint, wicked smile appeared on his face.
"With Gu Yue Ningbing around, does she really dare? If she does… I won't mind playing along."
He shook his head and refocused on the battle.
At that moment—
The female cultivator wielding a longsword suddenly moved.
With a single, clean strike, she defeated her opponent.
But she didn't stop there.
Her sword flashed once more—
And directly severed the man's… manhood.
A collective chill ran down the spines of every male cultivator present.
Zhan Wuji, in particular, turned pale and instinctively covered his crotch, as if he had been the one struck.
---
Time passed quickly, and soon it was the day of the Qingyun Mountain Entrance Selection.
Zhang Lingxiao's cultivation had already broken through—from the Fourth Heaven Peak of the Lingwu Realm to the Fifth Heaven.
At the foot of Qingyun Mountain—
Countless young men and women gathered, forming a vast, dense crowd.
All of them had come for one purpose: to join Qingyun Mountain.
For martial artists in this region, becoming an Outer Sect disciple meant gaining stable cultivation resources.
Advancing to the Inner Sect would elevate one's status and grant access to even better opportunities.
And if one could become a Core Disciple—
Then it was truly a meteoric rise. Their entire family would benefit, and wherever they went, they would be treated with the utmost respect.
"So many people this year…" Zhan Wuji muttered in awe.
Zhang Lingxiao nodded.
There were indeed too many people—tens of thousands, perhaps even over a hundred thousand young cultivators, all gathered here from afar.
But how many would truly pass?
And how many would return home in disappointment?
At this time, Zhang Yuyang and Zhang Li—already disciples of the sect—had long since returned to the mountain, as it was no longer appropriate for them to remain here.
Just then—
A massive Xuan leaf descended from the sky.
It was nearly ten times larger than the one Zhan Wuji owned.
Standing atop it were several young men and women dressed in Qingyun Mountain robes, along with an elderly man.
On the chests of some disciples was the word "Inner"—clearly Inner Sect disciples.
Two among them bore the word "Core", marking them as Core Disciples.
As for the old man at the front, his robe bore the mark "Inner Elder"—signifying his status as an Inner Sect Elder and, evidently, the chief examiner.
He stepped forward, his gaze sweeping across the crowd.
"Future disciples of Qingyun Mountain," he said calmly. "I am the chief examiner for this year's Entrance Selection. You may address me as Elder Han."
His voice wasn't loud, yet it carried clearly into every ear—infused with profound Spiritual Qi.
"The Entrance Selection consists of three stages."
"First: Bone age and cultivation testing."
"Those above eighteen years of age do not qualify."
"For those aged fourteen, a minimum of the First Heaven of the Qiwu Realm is required. At fifteen, the Second Heaven, and so on."
"This concludes the first stage."
"The details of the second and third stages will be announced afterward."
He paused briefly, then waved his hand.
"The test begins now."
---