"That guy can cultivate now?!"
The deacons and disciples of the Heavenly Cold Sect in the courtyard perked up their ears and crowded over upon hearing those words.
"Yes." Liu Qingqing, unlike her earlier exchange with Gu Changge, simply nodded in acknowledgment when speaking to those from the sect.
"Did the Gu Family go all out? That boy's aura seemed to have already reached the fifth level of the Qi Condensation Realm just now—and it's only been a single day since I last saw him!" The Sixth Elder furrowed his brows in confusion as he spoke.
"What!?"
"The fifth level of the Qi Condensation Realm!"
"How's that possible?! That guy couldn't even step into the Qi Condensation Realm for eighteen years. He was completely a waste body! How could he break through to the fifth level of the Qi Condensation Realm in just one day?!"
"Sixth Elder, could you have made a mistake?"
Upon hearing that someone's realm could leap to the fifth level of the Qi Condensation Realm after just one day, the disciples erupted in an uproar.
They would rather believe that the Sixth Elder, despite being a Great Power in the Heavenly Gate Realm, had misjudged the situation than accept this as reality!
This was simply beyond comprehension—an utterly impossible feat!
"Hmm?"
"This old man is far from senile."
The Sixth Elder gave the crowd a displeased glance. For someone of his standing—a noble Eight-grade Heavenly Gate Realm Great Power—it was laughable to suggest he could misidentify a mere first-level Qi Condensation cultivator. If he did, he wouldn't deserve to live!
"But this..."
"Could it be that boy was faking it all along?"
"Deliberately pretending to be weak?"
"No, that doesn't make sense. As a direct lineage member of the Gu Family, pretending to be a waste would bring him no benefit. On the contrary, showcasing cultivation talent would win him more resources."
"It's strange...far too strange."
The deacons stared at one another, baffled to no end, unable to unravel how this impossibility had occurred.
What method had the Gu Family employed to transform a waste into a Qi Condensation Realm fifth-level cultivator in a single night?!
Hearing them repeatedly refer to Gu Changge, whom she was set to marry in one month, as a "waste" and a "waste body," Liu Qingqing's brows furrowed ever so slightly.
Finally, she decided to reveal the answer directly: "A Soul-Shaping Pill, combined with the medicinal energy he'd accumulated over time—his initial cultivation simply progressed that way."
"Ah, I see. No wonder..."
"Wait, no!"
"A Soul-Shaping Pill?!"
"You gave him your Soul-Shaping Pill?!"
Upon hearing the answer, the Sixth Elder initially nodded, feeling reassured. This explanation made sense. A Soul-Shaping Pill, a Heavenly Rank Elixir, was capable of granting a waste body the ability to cultivate. Combined with accumulated medicinal energy, such rapid progress was indeed plausible.
But...
He soon realized something was off. A Heavenly Rank Elixir like the Soul-Shaping Pill wouldn't be something the Gu Family couldn't afford, but they certainly wouldn't waste it on such a "useless person."
If they had intended to use one, why wait eighteen long years?
Moreover, hadn't Liu Qingqing recently obtained a Soul-Shaping Pill herself? That pill was procured using substantial resources from the Liu Family, along with the endorsement of several elders, as part of her preparation to compete for the position of Saintess!
That elixir was a crucial resource for her bid to secure the Saintess title. Without the Soul-Shaping Pill's support, Liu Qingqing might no longer be the most favored candidate for Saintess!
The Sixth Elder's words caused the Eighth Elder and the other deacons to immediately gape at Liu Qingqing in astonishment.
Their support for Liu Qingqing stemmed from her promising likelihood of becoming Saintess. And now, she had handed over the Soul-Shaping Pill, sacrificing her chance at the title?!
Liu Qingqing did not offer further explanation, merely nodding slightly. Since she had already given away the Soul-Shaping Pill, there was no hiding it—they would find out sooner or later.
"Foolish!"
"You're being utterly foolish!"
"The matter of marriage is something the sect can tolerate."
"We can even support your choice!"
"But the Soul-Shaping Pill is crucial for your bid to become Saintess. How could you give it to that useless man?!"
"Moreover, do you realize that one of the reasons the sect turned a blind eye to your decision was precisely because that individual couldn't cultivate and was merely a mortal with a lifespan of only a few decades?"
"But now that he has begun cultivation, even if he stops at the Qi Sea Realm, his lifespan could exceed two hundred years without illness or calamity!"
"Do you think the sect will still agree?!"
"You—you have truly...!"
The two elders' faces turned green upon hearing her answer.
Her decision left them questioning whether they should reconsider backing another candidate for Saintess!
"Senior Sister, are you insane?!"
"You gave him the Soul-Shaping Pill?!"
"A Heavenly Rank Elixir—for a mortal waste body? Who does he think he is?!"
"Outside the Gu Family, that pill could fetch a price exorbitant enough to buy his life on the black market!"
"What makes him worthy? Aside from his somewhat pleasing looks, how does he compare to you, Senior Sister?!"
The Heavenly Cold Sect disciples pounded their chests in frustration.
Their revered goddess, Senior Sister Liu, whom they dared not desecrate or even approach lightly, was treating this so-called "waste" far too kindly!
Was there not a single disciple in the Heavenly Cold Sect who could capture her favor?
Their Direct Senior Brothers—were they not better than this "waste" from the Gu Family?
"The matter is already settled."
"If any elders or deacons wish to leave, Qingqing will not stop you."
"I simply seek a clear conscience so that I may pursue the pinnacle of the Dao—the summit of immortality!"
Liu Qingqing sighed softly. Her gaze swept calmly across everyone present as she spoke lightly.
With that, she turned and retreated into her room, closed the door firmly, and activated the Isolation Array, unwilling to hear the voices outside.
"Everyone has a say in how my life should be..."
"It's exhausting. Being with him is actually much simpler."
Recalling the words of her sect members earlier, Liu Qingqing sighed inwardly.
She often feigned cold indifference toward others solely to avoid their bothersome demands. Many of them had ulterior motives, seeking to elevate their own status within the sect by pushing her to become the Saintess.
As for her own aspirations to become Saintess, they were primarily driven by her desire to pursue a higher realm and resolve the flaws in her cultivation technique.
"However..."
"Things might indeed become troublesome for him now."
"I hope the Gu Family can handle the fallout."
Thinking of the elders' earlier remarks, Liu Qingqing felt a twinge of worry.
It wasn't until much later that she calmed her mind, sat cross-legged, and began circulating her cultivation technique once more.
Since embarking on the path of cultivation, she had never stopped—not for a moment, not even a breath of reprieve!
Meanwhile, outside in the courtyard, the Heavenly Cold Sect members simply could not settle their hearts.
Never in their wildest dreams had they anticipated that the Soul-Shaping Pill would be handed over to this "waste"!
"No, this matter must be reported to the Sect Master!"
"We can't let Qingqing continue acting so willfully. If this keeps up, will she remain in the Gu Family and never return to the sect?!"
"Sigh...what kind of spell has that scoundrel cast on Qingqing?!"
"I just can't comprehend it!"
The Sixth Elder heaved a long sigh. At this point, the notion of supporting another Saintess contender seemed far too costly. After years of enmity and conflict, switching sides now might provoke retaliation in the future.
But they would not let this matter rest. Ideally, they would force the Gu Family to provide an explanation—or better yet, reclaim the Soul-Shaping Pill!
A Heavenly Rank Elixir wasn't something one casually handed over—it wasn't a cabbage in the marketplace!
Had they immediately consumed it that very night out of fear the Heavenly Cold Sect would come asking for it back?!
Without delay, the Sixth Elder sent word of these events back to the sect. How furious and disappointed the Sect Master might become upon discovering the news remained to be seen!