Chapter 28

Chapter 28: Qi Refining Level Four

The little Red-Maned Horse stomped its front hoof, licked its lips again, and snorted at Wei Zong Hao. It didn’t stop them from coming closer.

Wei Yun Xi’s face lit up. She felt there was hope, so she told the chubby boy, “It probably really likes sugar. We can use sugar as payment. Talk to it.”

Wei Zong Hao immediately covered his storage pouch with his hands. He couldn’t bear it. He didn’t have much left.

Wei Yun Xi rubbed her baby-fat cheeks. “Brother Zong Hao, I’ll pay you back a whole bag of sugar later.”

She tossed out an empty promise first. Everything could wait until they passed the trial.

In the end, Wei Zong Hao couldn’t protect his sugar stash and completed the deal with the little Red-Maned Horse.

Once the two of them sat on its back, they felt every piece of sugar had been worth it.

Even though the foal wasn’t full-grown, it ran no slower than a fine mortal horse. It was strong too. Carrying two little kids didn’t slow it down at all. And it was clearly familiar with the terrain. It carried them straight toward the mountain gate of the Hao Ran Sect at a fast pace.

When the foal slowed down, Wei Yun Xi would nudge Wei Zong Hao to feed it sugar. After eating sugar, the foal would happily sprint again for a stretch, making True Lord Yu Feng, watching in secret, twitch at the corner of his mouth.

By the time the sun set that day, the two finally reached the Hao Ran Sect’s mountain gate. The gate area was empty.

After the little Red-Maned Horse stopped, Wei Yun Xi and Wei Zong Hao jumped down one after the other. Their deal was complete. Wei Zong Hao reluctantly stuffed his last sugar block into the foal’s mouth, chattering as he did. “Horse, I gave you all the sugar in my storage pouch. Thank you for bringing us here early. When I become a disciple of the Hao Ran Sect, I’ll come see you whenever I can.”

Right then, a sect disciple landed before them on a flying sword.

Song Ke, wearing a green robe, looked at the two little kids who barely reached his thigh and said with a smile, “You’re participants in this batch of trials?”

“Yes, Senior. My name is Wei Yun Xi.”

“My name is Wei Zong Hao. We’re both from the Wei Family of Kun Yu City,” the chubby boy added.

“Good. You performed well. I’ve recorded your names and rankings. You may rest in front of the mountain gate. When the three-day limit is up, you can enter the next round of trials.”

Wei Yun Xi and Wei Zong Hao immediately clasped their hands in thanks.

Song Ke walked over and patted the little Red-Maned Horse on the head. “You were lucky this time, meeting disciples willing to help you. Let’s see if you still dare to sneak out and play alone next time.”

Hearing that, the chubby boy stepped forward, clasped his hands, and explained, “Senior, the little horse got trapped by iron thorns. My sister and I heard it calling, so we rescued it. To thank us, it carried us for a stretch.”

Song Ke smiled. “No harm done. That’s your ability, and it was also lucky. I’ll send it back to Spirit Beast Peak. You two cultivate and rest on your own. It’s very safe here.”

“Yes, Senior!”

Song Ke pulled the little Red-Maned Horse onto his flying sword, then turned into a streak of light and vanished before their eyes.

Wei Zong Hao’s eyes were full of envy. “When can we fly on swords?”

Wei Yun Xi looked in the direction Song Ke had left. “I know this. To fly on a sword, you need at least the Foundation Establishment Stage.”

“Sigh, that’ll take so long!”

“Then we start working hard right now. One day, we’ll be able to fly on swords too.”

Wei Yun Xi clenched her fist and encouraged herself.

After that, the two found a sheltered spot and sat down on the ground without fuss. They began meditating.

Once Wei Yun Xi entered her cultivation state, she felt the spiritual energy around her rushing into her body. The spiritual energy here was even richer than the Wei Family’s cultivation hall. She couldn’t help marveling. This really was worthy of being the third-ranked great sect in the western region.

Seeing his little sister begin cultivating, Wei Zong Hao also crossed his legs and closed his eyes to meditate. Even though they had already passed the first round, the next trials still awaited them.

At this time, Wei Yun Ting’s group was struggling through the forest. Because each incident after another was triggered by Wei Yun Qing, everyone discussed it and decided not to let Wei Yun Qing do anything at all. She only needed to stay close to the group.

With that, the group actually moved faster. But Wei Yun Qing wasn’t happy about being “taken care of.” She could clearly feel the others pushing her away, which only made her more upset.

On the final day of the time limit, the scattered groups regrouped. With more people, everyone felt safer. But the total number had shrunk a little.

The Feng Family team didn’t see Wei Yun Xi, so they asked Wei Zong Han about her.

What could Wei Zong Han say? He could only say his younger sister had fallen behind, along with another child from the Wei Family. He even added, “They’re both very clever. Maybe they’ll reach the sect before us. When we arrive, we might see them.”

He meant it as comfort for himself, and as an answer for the Feng Family. Everyone knew the Feng Family was Wei Yun Xi’s maternal family and took good care of their niece. He just hadn’t expected his comforting words to come true.

At this moment, Wei Yun Xi was attempting to break through to Qi Refining Level Four. The spiritual energy here was simply too dense, and she didn’t want to waste this chance.

With an immortal artifact as her foundation, she wasn’t afraid of exposing her spiritual root attributes. Besides, breaking through Qi Refining Level Four wouldn’t absorb that much spiritual energy. She was a nobody right now, so she needed to lie low and grow slowly.

That night, Wei Yun Xi cultivated continuously, absorbing spiritual energy from the outside, circulating it through her body, then returning the purified energy to her dantian. When the sun rose on the third day, she used that strand of purple qi to finally break through to Qi Refining Level Four.

Her meridians were forcibly stretched by the surging spiritual energy, creating a faint swelling pain. Then, guided by Wei Yun Xi’s strong spiritual sense, it circulated through her body once and obediently entered her dantian. At this time, one quarter of her dantian was already filled with spiritual energy.

The Huadian immortal artifact automatically adjusted Wei Yun Xi’s cultivation back to Qi Refining Level One, preventing her from being exposed.

Because of the disturbance from Wei Yun Xi’s breakthrough, Wei Zong Hao beside her was startled awake. When Yun Xi opened her eyes, he asked in delight, “Yun Xi, you broke through?”

“Yes. I’m also at Qi Refining Level One now.”

“Wow, you’re amazing. Your cultivation is the same as mine now.” Wei Zong Hao sighed.

“The spiritual energy here is much richer than at the clan. If you work harder, you should be able to break through to Qi Refining Level Two.”

Wei Zong Hao nodded vigorously. “Definitely, definitely. When I meditated last night, I already felt signs of a breakthrough, but then I fell asleep…”

He smiled awkwardly after saying that.

Wei Yun Xi said in a very good mood, “Brother Zong Hao, I’ll guard you. You’ll definitely break through today.”

“Mm, definitely! Let’s eat something first. I’m hungry.” He rubbed his empty belly.

Wei Yun Xi generously took out fasting pills and gave one to herself and one to the chubby boy.

That afternoon, Wei Yun Ting’s group finally arrived at the square before the sect. Many children had already gathered there. They weren’t the last to arrive, but they weren’t the first either.

“Look, who is that!”