Chapter 542 - 445: An Old Friend This Master Has Missed for a Long, Long Time
Chapter 542: Chapter 445: An Old Friend This Master Has Missed for a Long, Long Time
Jiang Qingyi returned to the National Preceptor’s Mansion.
Just as she entered the courtyard, Jiang Qingyi spotted two brocade boxes on the stone table.
"Someone, attend me," Jiang Qingyi called toward the entrance.
"Lord State Preceptor."
A Maid quickly emerged, bowing respectfully to Jiang Qingyi.
"Who sent these two gift boxes?" Jiang Qingyi asked.
"Reporting to the Lord State Preceptor,"
the Maid replied.
"These two gift boxes were sent by Lady Xue of Ningxue Hall and Lady Mu of Hanjiu Hall."
"The two ladies also asked me to pass on a message. They said that they have seen what the Lord State Preceptor has done for His Majesty, and these two items are meant as compensation for you."
"They also said that they can refine that Elixir themselves in the future, so there will be no need to trouble the Lord State Preceptor anymore."
Hearing the Maid’s reply, Jiang Qingyi’s brow furrowed. Finally, she waved a hand. "I understand. You may leave."
"Yes, Lord State Preceptor."
After the Maid withdrew, Jiang Qingyi opened the gift boxes from Consort Xue and Consort Mu.
The item from Bai Ruxue was a ten-thousand-year-old sea lingzhi, which had miraculous effects in replenishing qi and blood.
And the item from Qin Siyao was a bottle of ten-thousand-year-old Hundred Flowers Brew, with an effect similar to the sea lingzhi.
"Hmph!"
Jiang Qingyi snorted coldly and closed the boxes.
’How could I not know what Bai Ruxue and Qin Siyao are thinking?’
’They already know I refined the Heaven-Stealing Pill for Xiao Mo.’
’And the Heaven-Stealing Pill consumes Essence Blood.’
’The only reason they’re sending these things to replenish qi and blood now is because they don’t want Xiao Mo to owe me a favor.’
’But what does anything I do for Xiao Mo have to do with them?’
"Do they really think they’re my master’s wives?"
Jiang Qingyi closed the boxes, snorted again, and turned to walk into her room.
「The next morning.」
Xiao Mo rose early.
Today, Xiao Mo was going to attempt Foundation Establishment!
Xiao Mo boarded a carriage and headed for a remote plain he had chosen long ago.
Wei Xun wanted to accompany him, but Xiao Mo refused.
Of course, Xiao Mo didn’t even bring Si Li with him.
It wasn’t that Xiao Mo didn’t trust Wei Xun or Si Li.
Rather, it was because Bai Ruxue and Qin Siyao would be accompanying him to help set up the altar and the Array.
Bai Ruxue and Qin Siyao were Cultivators of the Middle Three Realms, a fact they didn’t want others to know.
Before long, Xiao Mo, dressed in green robes, stood upon the desolate, uninhabited land.
This first time Crossing the Tribulation was indeed making Xiao Mo a little nervous.
Although Xiao Mo had faced Celestial Tribulations many times in the Hundred Generations Book, those were, in the end, just life simulations.
Dying in the Hundred Generations Book wasn’t true death.
If he died in reality, he would truly be gone for good.
And so, on this small plain, Xiao Mo meticulously arranged the altar.
He planned to first worship heaven and earth before Crossing the Tribulation, hoping the Thunder Tribulation would be a little gentler when it struck.
At this sight, Jiang Qingyi snorted, turned her head away, and muttered, "What’s the point of worshiping? Must we cultivators still depend on the whims of the Celestial Dao?"
Xiao Mo acted as if he hadn’t heard her.
It wasn’t that Xiao Mo couldn’t understand her way of thinking.
Previously, when Xiao Mo had asked Jiang Qingyi what to watch out for while Crossing the Tribulation,
Jiang Qingyi had said there was nothing to watch out for. When she crossed her tribulations, she would always start by cursing the heavens, treating them as insignificant as an ant.
Xiao Mo could only say that this method was suitable for a genius, but not for him...
After all, cursing the heavens while Crossing the Tribulation was an easy way to invite retribution.
Unless one was a genius of astonishing talent, an ordinary person—especially a mere Emperor of the Mortal World like himself—should just obediently follow the proper procedures.
In contrast to Jiang Qingyi, who felt Xiao Mo’s preparations were unnecessary,
Bai Ruxue was helping Xiao Mo build the altar with a smile, personally arranging the offerings.
Xiao Mo felt that Bai Ruxue’s attitude toward Crossing the Tribulation was quite right.
’Look at her,’ he thought. ’She respects the Celestial Dao. This is what a normal Cultivator should be doing.’
But after Bai Ruxue finished setting up the altar, she reached out to straighten Xiao Mo’s collar and said with a smile,
"When you’re Crossing the Tribulation, Husband, don’t be anxious. Just focus. We’ve already given the Celestial Dao enough face. If that dog-damned Celestial Dao doesn’t know what’s good for it and dares to make things difficult for you, I’ll just tear a piece of it down!"
"..." Hearing Bai Ruxue’s words, Xiao Mo was momentarily at a loss for what to say.
It seemed that for Ruxue, her respect for the Celestial Dao was entirely conditional on whether the Celestial Dao "knew what was good for it."
"Brother Your Majesty, the auspicious time has come! It’s about ready." After setting up the Array for Xiao Mo, Qin Siyao happily ran up to him and said cheerfully, "Don’t worry, Brother Your Majesty. The Foundation Establishment Realm is very simple. It’ll be over in the blink of an eye."
"Thank you, all three of you."
Xiao Mo said with a cupped-fist salute.
Even though the identities of Ruxue and Mujiu were a mystery, with them here, Crossing the Tribulation didn’t seem like such a difficult task.
Half an incense stick’s time later, Bai Ruxue and the other two moved to a distance of one li from Xiao Mo.
Xiao Mo took a deep breath, released the seal on his Realm, and attempted Foundation Establishment!
Thunderclouds gathered ceaselessly above Xiao Mo.
The land in a five-li radius around Xiao Mo grew dim, as if a torrential downpour was about to begin at any moment.
"BOOM!"
A flash of lightning streaked across the sky, followed by a dull rumble of thunder.
Xiao Mo took another deep breath, swallowed the Heaven-Stealing Pill, and prepared to face the Thunder Tribulation.
These past few days, Xiao Mo had read many books about Foundation Establishment.
Under normal circumstances, the Foundation Establishment Thunder Tribulation was only two bolts.
Pass, and you achieve Foundation Establishment.
Fail, and at best you would be severely injured; at worst, your body would perish, your Dao would crumble, and your soul would be utterly obliterated.