When Yue Qingshan heard these words, he mistook Yue Ming's cynical rejection for true concern and his heart swelled with emotion.
"Yue Ming, hold on a little bit longer! I will definitely find a way to set you free!"
With that promise hanging in the air, Yue Qingshan turned and left, his figure vanishing into the silvery moonlight.
He knew that even if he stayed, he wouldn't be able to persuade Yue Ming to leave. If reasoning failed, he would find another path.
Leaning against the door, Yue Ming paid little heed to Yue Qingshan's words.
How could a mere brat, whose strength fell far short of mine, possibly help me?
That's the Ye Clan—the mightiest power in the Immortal Realm.
What could a young boy with no background accomplish against them?
After this brief exchange, Yue Ming sank into despair and stopped seeking aid. Her mind had stilled, the frantic hope replaced by resignation.
She understood all too well that even if she continued to cry out for help, no one would listen. Every member of the Yue Family knew the stakes: if she wasn't delivered to Ye Qian within three days, the entire clan would face annihilation.
Shouting until her voice cracked was futile. Even her father, Yue Bo, who once doted on her, could do nothing now.
Slumping to the ground, Yue Ming's spirit crumbled, her gaze distant and unfocused.
"Alas! If I had known it would come to this, I never would have spoken those words to Ye Qian."
Regret flooded her heart, but there was no remedy for regret in this world. No matter how much she wished to turn back time, nothing could change what had already been set in motion.
…
After leaving Yue Ming's courtyard, Yue Qingshan immediately returned to his room and began a conversation with his master.
He wanted to become stronger, then challenge Ye Qian and propose a condition: if he won, the Ye Family must let Yue Ming go.
"Master, is there any way for me to become stronger during this time? At least to break through my current bottleneck and reach the Enlightenment Realm?
Ye Qian is a genius in the Enlightenment Realm. With my current strength, I am no match for him."
Yue Qingshan's tone was urgent. He had to reach the Enlightenment Realm within one or two days.
For a normal cultivator, this was simply an impossible feat—unless he resorted to some Evil Path.
A wisp of black smoke slowly drifted from the ring on his hand. An ancient remnant soul with a long white beard appeared before Yue Qingshan.
Looking at Yue Qingshan, whose brows were filled with urgency, the remnant soul did not refuse but instead offered a reminder.
"Qingshan, there is a certain method, but... you might have to endure inhuman levels of torment. Are you sure you want to do this?"
Yue Qingshan's face lit up with joy, and he nodded repeatedly.
"Of course! Master, no matter how much pain I have to endure, I will definitely bear it! For Yue Ming, I must become stronger!"
At this moment, Yue Qingshan's bright eyes were filled with determination. Having made up his mind, he was prepared to go all the way.
"Good! Since you've decided, I'll give you this."
With that, the ancient remnant soul gently waved his sleeve. A medicinal pill emitting a faint crimson glow appeared before Yue Qingshan.
For some reason, when Yue Qingshan saw this pill, his spirit Qi became somewhat uncontrollable, surging and churning within his body.
"Qingshan, this is an Exploding Pill once refined by the Medicine King Pavilion. As long as one's strength is below the Enlightenment Realm, using this pill can lead to a breakthrough.
However, this pill has unstable side effects, and few people can withstand them. But once successful, it will not affect your future cultivation.
You must consider carefully. If severe side effects occur and you cannot endure them, it's possible... you will become a cripple."
The ancient remnant soul did not immediately hand the Exploding Pill to Yue Qingshan but reminded him again.
If this pill is used improperly, it could very likely turn him into a cripple. Compared to the reward, the cost of such a risk is too great.
Upon hearing that failure would turn him into a cripple, Yue Qingshan was momentarily lost in thought.
He had only with great difficulty cultivated to his current state, becoming a genius admired by everyone in the family. But if he became a cripple, what would he do in the future?
With his current strength and talent, achieving the Great Saint Realm in the future would be effortless. Perhaps he could even contend for the elusive Supreme Realm.
Now I have to stake my future on this one-way gamble. What will happen is still unknown.
He hesitated for a moment.
But as soon as he thought of Yue Ming's innocent smile, Yue Qingshan's heart burned with fervor again.
Yue Ming is still waiting for me. If I can successfully rescue her this time, our marriage should be settled.
Looking at the crimson pill, Yue Qingshan's eyes grew firm. He had already made up his mind.
The Medicine King Pavilion was another major power in the Immortal Realm, occupying thousands of valleys on the southern side. The legendary ability to revive the dead and regrow flesh was merely an easy task for them.
Since this Exploding Pill came from the Medicine King Pavilion, its credibility was very high.
"Master! I want to try! Please be my protector!"
Seeing that Yue Qingshan was so persistent, the remnant soul no longer tried to dissuade him.
"Take it. I will be your protector here, Qingshan. No matter what happens to you, you must remember to persevere. Once you can't hold on, you might become a cripple. You must never forget this!"
Before Yue Qingshan began to take the Exploding Pill, the remnant soul repeatedly admonished him. He was afraid his disciple would become a cripple, and then he would truly have no successor.
Sitting cross-legged in the room, Yue Qingshan looked at the crimson Exploding Pill in his hand and swallowed it directly.
Gulp~!
After swallowing the pill, Yue Qingshan suddenly felt an extremely violent power surging within his body. This power erupted all at once, even penetrating his body and continuously spreading in all directions.
His clothes moved without wind, and Yue Qingshan was now enveloped in an extremely dense blood-red aura.
Yue Qingshan, who had only just reached the bottleneck, felt it slowly begin to give way.
His heart immediately filled with joy. I didn't expect this Exploding Pill to be so effective right after taking it. It's simply heaven-sent!
After two or three days, I'll definitely be able to advance further. A breakthrough to the Enlightenment Realm will not be impossible.
Seeing Yue Qingshan's aura rapidly rising, the remnant soul stroked his grizzled beard and secretly nodded.