"Master!" A clear and sweet voice rang out behind her.
Luo Cong'an turned her head and saw her disciple, Lin Jingqiu, standing prettily not far off.
Her lips curled into a smile instinctively—but the moment she truly laid eyes on the girl, that smile froze on her face.
And for an instant, it felt as though even the air around her had frozen solid.
Lin Jingqiu shivered inexplicably.
When did it get this cold on the mountaintop?
she wondered.
Still, she put on a bright smile and ran over cheerfully, looping her arm naturally around Luo Cong'an's.
"Master, I have good news!" she said excitedly.
Luo Cong'an forcibly suppressed the churning emotions in her heart and managed a strained smile.
"What is it?"
But Lin Jingqiu had already noticed something off. Her cheerful expression faltered, and she asked cautiously, "Master, are you in a bad mood today?"
Luo Cong'an shook her head. "Just… remembering a few things from the past."
"The past?" Lin Jingqiu repeated, tilting her head. A stray lock of hair curled upward in a faint cowlick.
She had the distinct feeling she'd just stumbled upon some long-buried secret her master had kept hidden. Her curiosity bloomed.
Could it be… a long-lost ex-lover? Or perhaps her long-dormant heart has finally started to beat again?
After all, for a woman who had long passed the age of marriage, what else could shake her to this degree?
Besides, throughout the years on Qingcheng Mountain, the rumors surrounding the beautiful Peak Master of the Fourth Peak had never ceased.
Countless elders and peak masters admired her.
Not only did she possess unparalleled beauty and grace, she was also known for her kindness and gentleness toward all. No matter whom she interacted with, her demeanor was always soft and warm.
Even disciples from other peaks would involuntarily show admiration whenever her name was mentioned.
But kindness did not mean weakness. The few times Luo Cong'an had acted, it had always been with decisive force—never once showing mercy.
The girl's instincts lit up with warning lights.
She shook Luo Cong'an's arm playfully, eyes gleaming with curiosity.
"What kind of past? Can't you tell your disciple? I can help take some worries off your shoulders, right?"
But Lin Jingqiu would soon be disappointed.
Luo Cong'an merely shook her head again, unwilling to say more.
Instead, she changed the topic. "Weren't you about to share some good news? What is it?"
The shift in subject was a little abrupt, but Lin Jingqiu's attention was quickly drawn away. Her eyes lit up, unable to hide her excitement.
"Master, I've entered Qi Condensation!"
The moment the words fell, Luo Cong'an's body trembled ever so slightly.
She was all too familiar with Lin Jingqiu's situation.
To others, even to the so-called Old Patriarch of Qingcheng Mountain, Lin Jingqiu might appear to be an extraordinary talent with the potential for Foundation Establishment.
But only Luo Cong'an knew the truth: Jingqiu's body was far from ordinary. The amount of spiritual energy it could hold far exceeded that of normal cultivators.
That was why her path to Qi Condensation and Foundation Establishment would be much harder than others.
If this were a world where spiritual energy was abundant, it would just take more time and effort—but the gains would be tremendous.
But this was Blue Star, a planet where spiritual energy had only just begun to recover. The aura in the air was still sparse and thin!
Setting aside the fact that the official version of Qi Condensation methods hadn't even been publicly released, even with help, it should have been absolutely impossible for Lin Jingqiu to succeed so quickly.
This had nothing to do with talent.
It was simply because the outside environment lacked what was needed to support her cultivation.
Unless someone had gathered ambient spiritual energy and gone to great lengths to create a domain saturated with aura…
Otherwise, in this current climate, Lin Jingqiu wouldn't even get close to Qi Condensation in three or four years.
As those thoughts ran through her mind, Luo Cong'an once again recalled that faint tremor in her soul the moment she saw Jingqiu earlier.
It had been a calling—from deep within her soul.
Frowning, she grasped Lin Jingqiu's hand and extended her spiritual sense, carefully examining the girl's body.
Her spirit platform had formed. Spiritual energy flowed clearly through her meridians.
There was no doubt about it—she had stepped into the first stage of Qi Condensation.
Luo Cong'an did her best to suppress the turbulence in her heart and asked gently,
"Amazing, Xiaoqiu. Can you tell Master how you broke through into Qi Condensation?"
She followed up with a seemingly noble explanation: "You see, the officials and sects are still struggling to finalize the Qi Condensation manuals. Although we've made significant progress, it's not perfect yet."
"But if we can gather more data and references, perhaps the sect could further refine and improve the method."
"This would benefit all cultivators in the world—it's a righteous cause."
She laid down a heavy burden with just a few words, and Lin Jingqiu blinked, stunned.
Her fingers fidgeted at the edge of her sleeve, face clearly hesitant.
She had expected this kind of questioning. It was one of the reasons she had come to her master voluntarily.
Her breakthrough was something she couldn't keep secret for long—so it was better to confess early.
But once the questions started, there was no way around one critical person.
Chen An.
And she didn't want to sell him out.
Not without his permission. Otherwise, she knew it would only bring trouble to him. At the very least, he would definitely be dragged in for official questioning.
So after fidgeting for a while, she finally pouted and said,
"Master~ I can only say that someone helped me. But as for who, and how—it's not something I can reveal yet. I need to ask him first. Is that okay?"
There was another reason she came to confess. She knew she couldn't hide this on her own. But if her Master stepped in, it would be different.
With Luo Cong'an's protection—as the Peak Master of the Fourth Peak, as the number one cultivator under Foundation Establishment—she could ensure that Chen An wouldn't be disturbed by either the officials or any opportunists.
Especially now that things were no longer as desperate as they were a year ago, when every method of Qi Condensation was in high demand.
The officials had already made major breakthroughs in their own internal research and were now using methods better suited to Blue Star's environment.
Unlike the ancient cultivation techniques handed down by the great sects—those might be usable, but they all shared one fatal flaw:
They weren't compatible with Blue Star. That was why cultivators remained so rare.
Only those hermit Taoists who had stayed in seclusion atop Qingcheng Mountain had made any real progress. Some, like the Old Patriarch, had even managed to break into Foundation Establishment immediately.
Luo Cong'an, of course, saw through her little ploy—but said nothing. Instead, she simply stroked the girl's smooth, silky hair.
"This is your fortune. If you don't wish to say, then don't. No one can force you." Her voice was soft, but it carried an unmistakable weight of authority.
Lin Jingqiu's smile returned.
"Thank you, Master! Then I'll go see what Senior Sister's up to." Luo Cong'an nodded slightly.
She remained standing there, watching as the girl's figure slowly disappeared from view.
"…Kill her."
"Kill her. Kill her!"
A surge of murderous intent flooded her mind, uncontrollable.
The hand hidden inside her sleeve clenched tightly, her knuckles white.
"She's my disciple!"
"But she carries his scent. She must die. She must die!"
"Shut up!"
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