Chapter 88

A fierce bolt of lightning suddenly tore through the thick night sky and struck the defensive formation!

Su Lingyu noticed the changes around them, and she quickly looked up. Both she and Wu Yi reacted swiftly, raising their hands. Two streams of red and blue spiritual power shot directly towards the formation, colliding with the menacing heavenly thunder. A deafening explosion erupted, causing the earth to shake and the mountains to tremble.

The defensive formation stood firm as a rock, completely unscathed.

The vicious heavenly thunder stopped its attack when it failed to break the defensive formation, and it did not immediately launch a second strike. The silver-white lightning flickered among the dark clouds, as if observing and preparing to break through the damn defensive formation with another strike.

Su Lingyu and Wu Yi both understood what this thunder tribulation signified. Su Lingyu glanced down at the person in her arms. Qu Panyan’s breathing was long and calm, and her face was as peaceful as if she were sleeping.

It seemed like she didn’t faint…

At that moment, Qu Panyan suddenly moved, her lips twitched, and she muttered softly, “I won’t drink anymore, so sleepy…”

Su Lingyu suddenly felt fortunate that she had prepared in advance. Afraid that Qu Panyan would be disturbed by outside noise, she had added a soundproof barrier within the formation, so she couldn’t hear the thunder at all.

“Just a while longer… just a while…” She nestled in Su Lingyu’s arms, her eyelids heavy and unable to open. “I’ll just sleep for a while…”

It turned out that the alcohol was hitting her, and drowsiness was overwhelming her. Even when half-drunk, she could barely keep her eyes open. Su Lingyu felt that her alcohol tolerance seemed even more unpredictable.

But Su Lingyu didn’t choose to wake her up; instead, she raised her finger and cast a sleep spell on her forehead, making her sleep deeper and more stable, and then she left the formation.

As soon as Su Lingyu stepped out of the formation, a thunderous sound erupted from the dark clouds, like a wild beast’s roar, accompanied by an inexplicable excitement.

Su Lingyu ignored it and focused on reinforcing the defensive formation with a wave of her fingertips, making it even more sturdy and impregnable. Then, she turned to Wu Yi and said, “Wu Yi, you can go rest for now.”

Wu Yi glanced at the person sleeping soundly inside the formation and couldn’t help but furrow his brow. “Aren’t we supposed to let the Saintess handle the tribulation herself?”

Su Lingyu’s five fingers moved slightly, and the imposing Thousand Frost Sword appeared out of thin air. The slender hilt was tightly gripped by her delicate fingers. “Let her sleep well if she’s tired; there’s no need to disturb her.”

Moreover, she didn’t want to startle her unnecessarily by calling her when there was thunder.

A cold layer appeared in Su Lingyu’s eyes, but she remained composed and indifferent, as if she didn’t care about this near-god tribulation.

Seeing that Su Lingyu had made up her mind, Wu Yi realized that saying more would be futile, so she concealed her figure and stepped back, not disturbing her as she took the tribulation on behalf of Qu Panyan.

As Wu Yi hadn’t gone far, the heavenly thunder struck again, still hitting the defensive formation. However, with Su Lingyu casting spells to oppose it, the thunder couldn’t immediately break through the formation. It could only agitatedly churn within the dark clouds, occasionally emitting a terrifying rumble.

Suddenly, the air filled with the furious roar of a violent wind, and several thunderous roars tore through the dark sky together, angrily descending upon the vast and boundless earth. The malicious force then targeted Su Lingyu alone.

Su Lingyu’s gaze sharpened, and she swiftly wielded the Thousand Frost Sword. A blue light emerged, and numerous sharp and cold ice spikes erupted consecutively, unstoppable. They fiercely collided with the thunderbolts, producing earth-shattering explosions.

The heavenly thunder seemed to have found its target instantly—if it couldn’t strike Qu Panyan, then it would target her Dao Companion!

The thunderbolts illuminated the entire night sky with their grand and formidable force, showing no mercy. Wrapped in boundless rage and fury, they descended upon the stone forest, intent on reducing Su Lingyu, her Dao Companion, to ashes!

Would Su Lingyu, who had always fought back, sit idly by? Besides, she had never taken the tribulation seriously when she entered this realm. Now, after many years, would she fear such a minor tribulation?

Her eyes turned ice-cold, and her gaze was like icy thorns. Calmly and coldly, she raised her palm and slammed it down. A powerful spiritual energy surged forth, instantly turning the area of a hundred miles into a land of ice and snow. Sturdy and glistening ice pillars rose one after another, valiantly confronting each raging and furious thunderbolt.

The cold gleam of the ice intertwined with the ferocious electric light, both refusing to yield an inch. In an instant, they dispelled the gloomy darkness, illuminating the sky as bright as day, with dazzling brilliance.

This battle of ice and thunder lasted throughout the night, startling the disciples of Xianmeng Sect. They got up one after another to witness this magnificent and grand battle. In this night, they were surrounded by splendor and brilliance, unable to see the darkness. The ice and thunder entangled, neither giving in, and in a blink of an eye, they dispersed the gloomy darkness, making the sky as bright as day with dazzling light.

From a distance, Wu Yi watched calmly as lightning flashed across the sky. Her eyes reflected a bright light.

This battle had no suspense.

Far away at the Wuyun Peak, Elder Changxing sat in his room with a content smile, watching the thunder roaring above the Tailing Peak. He leisurely sipped the wine brought back by Su Lingyu.

“Another quasi-god cultivator will be added to this world.”

He saw a familiar ice-blue light shooting into the sky and then looked at 《Theories of Fate Marriage》 placed beside him, smiling.

Perhaps, this was human love, but it could be described in only two words.

Willingly devoted.

---

The dense darkness gradually faded, and a faint morning light spread across the horizon.

Su Lingyu stood on the ice, holding the Thousand Frost Sword. Her posture was tall and straight, unyielding and proud. Her gaze was resolute as she kept her eyes fixed on the sky, watching the raging thunder gradually extinguishing its fury, until it unwillingly dissipated within the layers of clouds.

Peace returned to the world.

She had won, once again.

Her expression unchanged, she walked towards her sleeping beloved. Her breath was calm and undisturbed. A cold light flashed in her palm as the Thousand Frost Sword disappeared into the void.

She lifted the layers of strict defenses with a wave of her hand, quietly approaching her beloved’s side. She then leaned down and embraced her, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. “Rest well, my little tail.”

—I will always be by your side, shielding you from all storms, making sure you live carefree for eternity.

---

Qu Panyan slowly opened her eyes and found herself sinking, surrounded by transparent bubbles floating around.

It was water.

After she regained her senses, her body immediately stopped its descent and floated back to the water’s surface. The sound of water gurgled in her ears, and in the blink of an eye, she found herself standing lightly and steadily on the water.

Ripples gently swayed beneath her, serene and silent.

She looked up and saw everything around her covered in frosty white, except for the water beneath her feet.

The water surface was crystal clear, reflecting light and vastness, stretching endlessly, unfathomable in the distance.

Suddenly, a gust of wind swept past her ears, making a whooshing sound, causing her clothes to flutter in response.

A white flower appeared out of nowhere in front of her, blooming quietly on the water’s surface, vibrant like a ball of fire burning on the surface of the Huangyuan Pool.

The same sanctity, the same flawlessness.

Beautiful, she thought.

And strangely familiar.

Not only resembling the Heavenly Fire in the Huangyuan Mountain but also…

—Resembling her Spirit Awareness Flower.

Exactly the same branches, exactly the same petals—this was her Spirit Awareness Flower!

Qu Panyan’s eyes widened suddenly.

Her Spirit Awareness Flower had blossomed!

She woke up from the dream, realizing she was lying alone on a familiar bed, surrounded by familiar furnishings and scents. Feeling relieved, she quickly closed her eyes and probed into her sea of consciousness. As expected, she saw a proudly blooming Spirit Awareness Flower.

Did this mean she had successfully crossed the tribulation and officially become a quasi-god cultivator?!

Qu Panyan was stunned.

After having a bit of alcohol yesterday, her cultivation had indeed gone smoothly, suddenly devoid of the irritating stagnation. Her Spirit Awareness Flower seemed to have let down its guard and decided to fully open its petals to her.

Then, the effects of the alcohol hit her, bringing along drowsiness as well. She felt annoyed, even a momentary surge of killing intent, but the combination of alcohol and drowsiness was overwhelming, forcing her to compromise and sleep for a while before continuing her cultivation. She also decided not to touch alcohol when half-drunk in the future.

She remembered that before falling asleep, her Spirit Awareness Flower had almost fully bloomed. It would be in full bloom, eternal and radiant, once she crossed the Heavenly Tribulation. However, she had heard that the tribulation for crossing over to a quasi-god realm wouldn’t come very quickly; it usually took some time to prepare. That’s why she decided to compromise with her drowsiness.

Never in her wildest dreams did she expect the damn Heavenly Tribulation to arrive last night. She had fallen asleep in a daze and woke up as a quasi-god cultivator!

No.

Suddenly, she recalled something and immediately opened her eyes, sitting up on the bed, and rushed to find Su Lingyu.

A Dao companion could help each other through the tribulation.

It must be her Sister Lingyu who silently endured the tribulation for her!

Qu Panyan was full of anxiety, her footsteps hurried and chaotic, making Su Lingyu, who had just entered the room, inevitably nervous. She asked urgently, “What happened, Yan’er?”

Could it be that the Heavenly Tribulation came too suddenly, causing her discomfort now?

As soon as Qu Panyan saw her, she stopped in her tracks and scrutinized her from head to toe.

Unharmed, everything was normal.

But Qu Panyan was still worried. She hurriedly went up to Su Lingyu and hugged her, anxiously asking, “Did you endure the Heavenly Tribulation for me?”

Su Lingyu gently stroked her long hair and honestly admitted, “Yes.”

Unable to help herself, Qu Panyan hugged her even tighter. “Did you get struck by the lightning? Are you feeling uncomfortable anywhere?”

Seeing her anxious and caring expression, Su Lingyu also felt warm inside and patiently answered each of her questions, “I wasn’t struck, and I feel fine, Yan’er, don’t worry, Sister Lingyu is perfectly fine.”

Holding her close, Su Lingyu gently whispered in her ear, “Congratulations, my Yan’er, for successfully crossing the tribulation.”

Qu Panyan asked somewhat skeptically, “Really, nothing happened at all?”

Su Lingyu replied, “Yes.”

Qu Panyan fell silent. She had never experienced the Heavenly Tribulation, so she didn’t know if Su Lingyu was telling the truth or not, even though Su Lingyu had told her before that she didn’t care much about the tribulation for crossing over.

What if Su Lingyu was lying because she pitied her fear of thunder and was determined to endure the tribulation for her?

She had planned to take the opportunity of the approaching tribulation to undergo intense training to face the thunder directly, so as not to trouble Su Lingyu to endure it for her. But unexpectedly, before she could do that, the tribulation came and struck her first…

Su Lingyu naturally understood her thoughts and comforted her, “Silly girl, really, nothing happened. If you don’t believe me, later, Sister Lingyu will accompany you to the medical pavilion to let the Chief Physician diagnose and decide, alright?”

Qu Panyan replied, “Okay.”

The Chief Physician had extraordinary medical skills, and he would definitely be able to diagnose anything wrong with Su Lingyu.

Then Qu Panyan asked, “But… why did my Heavenly Tribulation come so soon? Wasn’t it supposed to wait for some time?”

Su Lingyu immediately explained, “It’s not that everyone has to wait for some time; that’s just the case for most people.”

“The Heavenly Tribulation is also determined by fate, and fate has always been unpredictable.”

Qu Panyan furrowed her brows, vaguely detecting a hint of misfortune.

First, there was an Minor Heavenly Punishment, and now there’s a Heavenly Tribulation. While she might not be all that fortunate, did things really have to be so unfortunate?

She decided not to dwell on this anymore and instead went to freshen up and get ready, then headed to the medical pavilion with Su Lingyu.

When things become non-everything, what else can you do but smile and keep living?

---

At the medical pavilion, under Qu Panyan’s eager gaze, the Chief Physician examined Su Lingyu’s pulse and carefully inspected her from head to toe. He found no external or internal injuries, and her body was in excellent health. He then reassured Qu Panyan, “Sect Master’s Wife, please rest assured, the Sect Master is perfectly fine.”

Qu Panyan’s eyes brightened, and the silver fire pattern on her eyebrows glimmered. “Really?”

The Chief Physician nodded confidently.

Qu Panyan asked again, “You’re not lying to me, right?” What if you and my Wife conspired against me?

The Chief Physician waved his hand, “I wouldn’t dare.”

Looking around, who in Xianmeng Sect would dare to deceive the Sect Master’s Wife? Not to mention facing her wrath, even the Sect Master would be unable to protect them.

Qu Panyan gazed at him and said, “Then I’ll believe you?”

She was a bit hesitant.

The Chief Physician nodded, “Sect Master’s Wife, please trust me. If anything happens, you can come find me for answers, I promise.”

The Chief Physician’s earnest assurance finally eased Qu Panyan’s worries, and she smiled, “Thank you for your hard work, Chief Physician.”

Seeing Qu Panyan’s cautious and adorable demeanor, Su Lingyu’s eyes also lit up with a hint of a smile. Holding her hand, she stood up and said, “Thank you. We’ll take our leave now.”

The Chief Physician had nothing more to say and watched them leave, then returned to attend to other matters.

Having survived the lightning tribulation, Qu Panyan’s temperament returned to normal. She was no longer as irritable and quick-tempered as before, so she dared to roam around the sect freely on Tailing Peak.

Su Lingyu remembered that she had some important matters to attend to and couldn’t accompany Qu Panyan. Before leaving, she pinched her cheek and said, “Xiaomeng has been wanting to see you for a while. If you miss her, you should go visit her. Today happens to be their rest day, so they won’t be practicing.”

The disciples of Xianmeng Sect had one day of rest every six days, where they didn’t need to wake up early for lessons or push themselves in training. Today happened to be one of those days.

Qu Panyan naturally didn’t insist on having Su Lingyu stay with her and readily accepted her suggestion to go and chat with her little disciple.

---

When Qu Panyan went to find Yue Xiaomeng, she was in her own room practicing cultivation. The other female disciple who lived with her had gone out to relax, leaving Yue Xiaomeng alone. But her practice was interrupted midway by a knocking sound, so she had to stop and get up to answer the door.

As soon as she opened the door, she saw the Sect Master’s Wife standing there. Her beauty was even more stunning, like a celestial maiden fallen from the heavens, instantly captivating anyone’s gaze.

Yue Xiaomeng’s eyes sparkled with admiration, and she sincerely exclaimed, “Qu, no, Sect Master’s Wife, you look beautiful! No, you look extremely beautiful!”

Qu Panyan smiled and replied, “You look beautiful too.”

Yue Xiaomeng quickly waved her hand, “No, no, I’m not as beautiful as you.”

Then, she hesitated for a moment, looking cautious as she gazed at Qu Panyan, her tone becoming careful, “Are you feeling alright? Are you still easily angered? Master told me not to disturb you, fearing I might make you angry… If there’s anything that’s bothering you, you can tell me. I will do my best to help find a solution!”

Recently, everyone in Xianmeng Sect, from the elders to the spirit slaves, had been informed that the Sect Master’s Wife’s situation was a bit special, and they were warned not to provoke her without cause, to avoid any irreparable mistakes.

At that time, Yue Xiaomeng didn’t know what had happened or why someone as amiable as Qu Panyan would one day be guarded against by the whole sect.

Elder Changxing had warned her, “The Sect Master’s Wife has encountered some unpleasant things lately and is in a bad mood. Be obedient and don’t provoke her. If not, you might get hurt, or even worse.”

Yue Xiaomeng was scared and worried when she heard that. What kind of unpleasant things could turn Qu Panyan into this?

Qu Panyan smiled gently and said, “Don’t worry, I’m fine. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have come down from Tailing Peak.”

After careful consideration, Yue Xiaomeng realized that it was true! During those days when everyone was on guard, Qu Panyan hadn’t come down from Tailing Peak even once. They couldn’t even see her, let alone provoke her.

She grabbed Qu Panyan’s hand, pulled her into the room, and served her tea, asking, “What happened to make you feel this way? Can you tell me?”

“Because I’ve integrated with the Heavenly Fire,” Qu Panyan spoke frankly, “so before crossing the tribulation, I became very irritable and even thought about killing people. I was indeed dangerous to you all.”

Yue Xiaomeng widened her eyes in astonishment, “How could this happen? Then if A Yiduo had integrated with the Heavenly Fire, wouldn’t it be…”

Suddenly, she breathed a sigh of relief, comforting herself as she patted her chest, “Luckily, luckily, it’s you who became the Saintess.”

If that indifferent A Yiduo had become the Saintess, the consequences would be unimaginable!

Then, with excitement in her expression, she asked, “Did you cross the tribulation yesterday?”

Qu Panyan nodded.

Yue Xiaomeng looked expectant and continued, “What was it like? How did it feel?”

Qu Panyan: “… I can’t answer that question.”

She had simply slept and relied on the Su Clan’s Grand Master to play in her place.

Climbing ranks effortlessly, feeling nothing at all.

Qu Panyan was very straightforward, “I don’t know. Yesterday, I had a little accident and couldn’t cross the tribulation myself. It was Sister Lingyu who helped me with it.”

Yue Xiaomeng blinked innocently and asked, “Why can the Sect Master take the tribulation for you?”

Was there such a method?

Looking at her, full of innocence and purity, Qu Panyan said frankly, “Because we are Dao Companions. Dao Companions can help each other with tribulation.”

Qu Panyan raised an eyebrow and smiled, asking, “Will our Sixth Miss Yue consider finding a Dao Companion to help?”

She didn’t know if Yue Xiaomeng would have such a thought or how she would view this kind of relationship. So she wanted to test the waters first, and if there were any innocent and naive thoughts, she would advise her earnestly.

Of course, if Yue Xiaomeng held the same thought as her past self, “Find someone who can help take the tribulation, just live casually with her for a lifetime,” then she would act as if she hadn’t asked.

Yue Xiaomeng immediately shook her head without hesitation, “No! I want to do it myself!”

She declared with great ambition, “My older brothers and sisters all handled it on their own, so I definitely can too. I won’t let them down!”

Qu Panyan was taken aback for a moment, then smiled gently, looking at her with a hint of affection in her eyes, “I have to admire our Sixth Miss Yue for that. I’m timid and never even thought about handling it on my own.”

Just being inherently afraid of thunder, she was utterly defeated.

Yue Xiaomeng didn’t know that Qu Panyan was afraid of thunder. She thought Qu Panyan was simply downplaying herself and praising her, so she immediately said, “But you’re amazing!”

Qu Panyan looked at her with confusion, “Huh?”

Yue Xiaomeng excitedly explained, “I heard from Ling’er that you dared to risk your life, faced intense flames, and refused to yield. In the end, you even tamed the Heavenly Fire. That’s really impressive! I mean it!”

Qu Panyan was once again poked in a sore spot and raised her hand to pinch her brow.

It was all because of that unfilial child. She couldn’t even be close to Su Lingyu now and had to rely on dreams to ease her feelings. Such things were truly a mix of pros and cons.

She calculated that there were… three more days until the punishment would end.

How was she going to endure these three days?

Seeing Qu Panyan looking a bit troubled, Yue Xiaomeng thought she was feeling unwell and asked, “Sect Master’s Wife, are you feeling unwell? Should we go to the medical pavilion?”

“I’m fine,” Qu Panyan put her hand down, and continued, “Do you have any ideas to pass the time?”

“Practice cultivation?” Yue Xiaomeng suggested.

Qu Panyan suddenly realized, “You’re right!”

How could she not have thought of that?

Although she had reached the Quasi-God realm now, it was only a step closer to Su Lingyu. They still couldn’t practice side by side. If the two of them were to begin genuine dual cultivation, she would probably be punished with a sore waist due to the difference in their strengths.

So she still needed to continue her cultivation, harness the power of the Heavenly Fire, and join Su Lingyu’s side as soon as possible.

Moreover, during cultivation, one needed a calm and focused mind, emptying all distractions from the spirit platform. It was perfect for helping her endure this damn punishment!

Qu Panyan smiled knowingly, pinched Yue Xiaomeng’s chubby cheeks, and sincerely praised her, “Xiaomeng, you’re really clever!”

Whenever someone she acknowledged praised her, Yue Xiaomeng would be delighted. Even if her face was squished and deformed, she would force a smile, giggling with a touch of silliness, making her even more adorable.

Qu Panyan couldn’t help but sigh with affection and rubbed her little chubby cheeks.

So soft and plump. Qu Panyan thought to herself.

---

In these few days, Qu Panyan ran to the Stone Forest very diligently.

Su Lingyu knew the reason and didn’t stop her. Every morning, she would first help Qu Panyan change her medicine, then focus on her own matters, and pick her up in the evening.

The two of them spent the remaining time together, and it felt like the punishment had passed in the blink of an eye.

The night was serene, the moon bright overhead, and all was silent.

It was the last night of the punishment.

Qu Panyan stood alone by the window, gazing at the moon, holding the Qianbao pouch in her hand, counting the time.

The slightly cool night breeze blew by, and slowly, the time drew nearer.

And when Su Lingyu walked in after taking a refreshing bath, time was just right, the beginning of a new day.

A hint of joy appeared at the corner of Qu Panyan’s eyebrows, and her heart burst with happiness as if fireworks and firecrackers were celebrating the return of a happy life—this damn punishment was finally over!

A great celebration, Comrade Xiao Qu has come alive again!!!

Su Lingyu quietly approached from behind, seemingly infected by her ecstatic joy. Her lips couldn’t help but lift into a gentle smile, and her eyes were tender as water, “Yan’er?”

Qu Panyan turned around suddenly, tilting her head slightly to look at her. Excitedly, she pointed at herself, “Quick, come here!”

“Sister Lingyu, come here and kiss me!”

As she watched Qu Panyan’s eager appearance, Su Lingyu suddenly remembered the night when she got drunk in the Skyfire Tribe. She slowly approached Qu Panyan, leaned against the window, and gently held her waist, whispering in her ear with tenderness and temptation.

“Is this what Yan’er wants?”

Prev / ToC / Next

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Translator: Glariosa
Editor: iToon

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