Chapter 352: Gifted Talisman, Xiao Yan Breaks Through

"Head of the Wei Family, given our close ties, I should have accompanied you when Zi Hao was in danger. But these past few days, Xiao Yan's cultivation has reached a critical juncture, and I must remain by her side. I’m afraid I can’t leave just yet. If you’re willing to wait a few more days, I may be able to join you on your journey to Zhou Fu."

It had been half a year since Lu Qing taught Xiao Yan the Breathing Technique. Though the little girl was mischievous and playful, her dedication to cultivation was genuine. She completed every daily practice with seriousness and sincerity—never cutting corners.

Xiao Yan possessed exceptional talent. Born with the innate gift of Ice Skin and Jade Bones, and bearing a trace of Primordial Dao Body essence, the infusion of that Benyuan Qi had fully awakened her latent potential. At this moment, she was, without question, a true prodigy. Even Hu Ze Zhi, a renowned genius blessed with great Qi Yun, couldn’t match her.

And yet, despite not being particularly diligent, after half a year of training, Xiao Yan had already perfected her Breathing Technique. With just one more breakthrough, she would enter the Xian Tian Realm—where qi flows throughout the body, unsoiled and unblemished, and all meridians are fully unblocked.

Based on Lu Qing’s calculations, the breakthrough was imminent—perhaps even within these next few days.

To Lu Qing, no one in the world held greater importance than Master and Xiao Li. The moment of breaking through the Xian Tian Jing was not without risk. So at this crucial juncture, even if the heavens themselves were falling, he would not leave.

"Lu Xiao Langjun’s kindness is deeply appreciated," Wei Xinghe said, "but Zi Hao may be in grave danger. As a father, I cannot wait so long. I shall go alone. Besides, I’m only there to scout the situation—not to reveal myself. Zhou Fu is no ordinary place. Even that mysterious force, bold as it may be, would hesitate to cause open chaos within its walls. Otherwise, Zi Hao and the others wouldn’t have fled there in the first place."

Wei Xinghe could clearly sense Xiao Yan’s current cultivation energy—full and stable, on the verge of breaking through. After a brief pause, he decided to go to Zhou Fu himself.

Lu Qing nodded. This choice was exactly what he expected.

He handed over a jade Jian Fu. "Head of the Wei Family, this is a talisman I crafted in my spare time. Inside, I’ve sealed a miniature sword array and three layers of Sword Qi. Should you face an enemy you cannot handle, you may activate it—perhaps it will give you a chance to survive."

Then he produced two more talismans. "This one is the Qing Ling Fu. When activated in a life-or-death moment, it will triple your speed for one full quarter-hour. Use it in a crisis—there may be a miracle. And this one, the Lian Xi Fu, can mask your Xian Tian Realm essence. As long as you’re not within arm’s reach, even another Xian Tian cultivator won’t be able to sense your presence."

"Thank you, Lu Xiao Langjun," Wei Xinghe said, taking the three treasures with solemn respect. He knew Lu Qing was now a true immortal cultivator. The gifts he offered were undoubtedly extraordinary.

"I regret the time is so short," Lu Qing said with a hint of disappointment. "The jade stones you sent last time were almost entirely used up. I’ve already turned most into Hui Ling Bei. There’s barely any left to craft more talismans."

"That’s enough," Wei Xinghe quickly replied. "With my current cultivation level, even more treasures would be useless. I couldn’t possibly activate them."

He had a clear understanding of his limits. At present, he was only at the early stage of the Xian Tian Realm. His Spirit Soul Power was still weak. The moment he’d sensed the three items, he knew each required significant Spirit Soul Power to activate. So even if Lu Qing gave him more talismans, he couldn’t use them.

"Xinghe," Wei Shanhai warned, "be extremely careful on this journey. The world has changed. It’s no longer as peaceful as before. Remember—Zi Hao’s safety is paramount, but your life also holds the fate of the entire Wei Family."

"I understand, Ancestor," Wei Xinghe replied solemnly.

Wei Shanhai would not accompany him. Though Wei Zihao was a direct descendant, he wasn’t yet worthy of having two Xian Tian cultivators risk their lives for him. If both were lost in Zhou Fu, the Wei Family would collapse.

As Head of the Family, Wei Shanhai knew the difference between priorities.

After the banquet ended, Wei Xinghe departed immediately for Zhou Fu. Yet with the Jian Fu and talismans from Lu Qing in his possession, his confidence had grown considerably—especially the Jian Fu. When he probed it with his mind, he sensed an overwhelming, razor-sharp sword intent within. If unleashed, its power would be unimaginable. Even he, at his current Xian Tian stage, knew he could not survive a direct hit.

Zhou Fu wasn’t far from Cang County, but it still took him until the afternoon of the next day to arrive. As he stood before the imposing city walls, he took a moment to steady himself before entering.

Inside, everything appeared normal. No signs of danger. Wei Xinghe felt a measure of relief.

He strolled slowly through the streets, his presence masked by the Lian Xi Fu. No one in Zhou Fu realized that a Xian Tian cultivator had silently entered.

After wandering for a while, he found the perfect moment and slipped into a small tavern.

"Guest, we’re about to close. Please come back tomorrow," the Zhang Gui said without looking up.

Wei Xinghe coughed deeply.

The tavern keeper glanced up—and his face paled.

"Family Head! You... you’re here?"

"Silence," Wei Xinghe said sharply. "Inside, now."

The man recovered quickly. "Of course, of course! Please come in. We still have a little food left. I’ll prepare something right away."

He led Wei Xinghe into a hidden chamber behind the counter.

"Family Head, this stone room is specially built. No sound can escape."

"Good," Wei Xinghe said, inspecting the thick, tightly sealed walls with satisfaction.

But his expression soon turned serious.

"I came here because you reported finding Hao Er’s whereabouts?"

"Yes, Family Head," the man replied. "Two days ago, we spotted the eldest master in the city. At first, we thought we were mistaken. But after repeated checks, we confirmed it—this was truly the master."

"Repeated checks?" Wei Xinghe frowned. "Hao Er’s face should be familiar to your spies. Why did you need to confirm so many times?"

The man hesitated. "That’s… why we haven’t reported it yet, Family Head. You must brace yourself. The eldest master… he seems different. He’s changed—nothing like he used to be."

"What do you mean? Speak plainly!" Wei Xinghe’s heart sank. He could sense something was terribly wrong.

...

Meanwhile, in Jiuli Village, at the Lu residence, Lu Qing stood with a solemn expression.

Xiao Yan sat before him, small face tight with focus, her body radiating a surging aura—on the verge of breaking through her inner barriers.

"A Qing," Xiao Li said anxiously, perched on Lu Qing’s shoulder, "is she about to break through?"

"Yes," Lu Qing replied, his entire attention fixed on Xiao Yan. His mind was fully absorbed, watching every shift in her energy.

At this moment, he was just as tense as Xiao Li.

One human, one little beast—both watched intently, fearing any misstep in her breakthrough.

Even the "Yan" inside the Lihuo Ding felt a bit exasperated. To him, this was overkill.

The Breathing Technique Lu Qing had taught Xiao Yan was orthodox, pure Daoist cultivation—safe and reliable. As long as practiced step by step, there was virtually no risk of spiritual deviation.

With her solid foundation and unparalleled talent, this breakthrough was inevitable. There was no chance of failure.

Lu Qing and Xiao Li were simply overwrought—unnecessarily anxious.

And as "Yan" had predicted, the breakthrough went flawlessly.

With barely any effort, Xiao Yan shattered the barriers, unblocked all her meridians, and achieved the Lianqi Realm. Her qi now flowed freely through her body.

Of course, her actual power was still far below Lu Qing’s—vastly different in strength. But the realm itself was real.

And that meant one thing: Xiao Yan could now begin learning the Qi Ingestion Method, transforming external qi into her own, becoming a true cultivator.

As the Heaven and Earth Rules appeared, descending energy to forge her Xian Tian Zhi Qu, Lu Qing and Xiao Li finally exhaled in relief.

The process was complete. The danger had passed.

The forging of her Xian Tian Zhi Qu took time—after all, her talent was extraordinary. She was far stronger than an average Xian Tian cultivator.

After about two quarters of an hour, the Heaven and Earth Rules faded, revealing Xiao Yan’s small form.

She opened her eyes, sparkling with wonder.

"Brother, I think I broke through!"

"You’re right," Lu Qing said with a smile. "You did it. Xiao Yan, you’re amazing."

Xiao Li leaped forward, hugging her.

Watching the two little ones play, "Yan" felt a deep emotion.

He had expected her breakthrough to be smooth—but when it actually happened, when she truly shattered the barriers and stepped into the Xian Tian Qi Cultivation Realm, he couldn’t help but be awed.

She was still so young. In their time together, he’d learned she was barely nine years old.

A Xian Tian cultivator under nine? In the Ancient Cultivation Era, such a prodigy would have been nearly unheard of. A true seed of immortality.

Once discovered, she would have been fought over by every major immortal sect—cherished as their most precious disciple.

And yet here she was—this playful little girl—possessing such staggering talent.

Then he thought of Lu Qing.

A doubt crept in.

Was there something extraordinary in their family bloodline?

How else could such a pair—prodigies beyond imagining—be born in a tiny mountain village?

"Ah Qing," Old Doctor’s voice echoed in Lu Qing’s mind. "I sensed a disturbance in the Heaven and Earth Rules. Did Xiao Yan break through?"

"Yes, Master," Lu Qing replied mentally. "She succeeded. Her Xian Tian Zhi Qu is now formed."

"I’m coming right away!" Old Doctor’s voice brimmed with delight.

Moments later, two sets of footsteps approached the house—the unmistakable pace of Old Doctor and Wei Shanhai.

"Chen Ye Ye, Wei Ye Ye!" Xiao Yan ran toward them, beaming. "I broke through! Isn’t that cool?"

"Excellent, Xiao Yan," Old Doctor said.

"Outstanding! Xiao Yan is truly remarkable!" Wei Shanhai added, his eyes wide with awe.

He couldn’t believe it. Xiao Yan was still under nine, and already she had entered the Xian Tian Realm.

Granted, her power was still minimal—but the realm itself was real.

Stepping into Xian Tian, unblocking her meridians, breaking through the barriers—her very essence had changed. Even if she never advanced further, as long as nothing untoward happened, she could live a full two hundred years in perfect health.

And with Lu Qing by her side, who would let her stagnate?

Her future path would be smooth, her potential limitless.

"Yay!" Xiao Yan laughed, glowing with pride.

Old Doctor sighed inwardly. The child had no ambition for cultivation—no ulterior motives. At first, it was curiosity about flying. Later, she found it enjoyable—how good it felt to sit in meditation, practice Lianqi, and wake up feeling refreshed and energized.

She was playful, yes—but she never skipped her morning or evening practices. Not once.

Perhaps that pure, carefree mindset was why her progress had been so astonishing.

"Brother," Xiao Yan suddenly asked, "you promised me that once I mastered the Breathing Technique, you’d teach me to fly. Can I learn now?"

She hadn’t forgotten her original reason for training.

"Of course you can learn," Lu Qing said, grinning. "But when you actually fly? That depends entirely on how hard you work."

"Xiao Yan will work super hard!" she declared seriously.

Lu Qing smiled, about to say more—when his expression suddenly changed.

"A Qing? What’s wrong?" Old Doctor and Wei Shanhai noticed the shift.

"I felt it," Lu Qing said, his voice grave. "The talisman I gave to the Wei Family Head… he just activated it."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end