Chapter 616: Only Look to the Future
But the trace of regret that had arisen in He Qingling's heart was quickly replaced by joy.
Because she could finally meet Chu Xiyao, the person she had always yearned for and regarded as her goal to strive toward.
She had even deliberately imitated the appearance of Chu Xiyao, as described in the storyteller's scripts, in her daily dress and grooming.
On the eve of her departure with the Xuan Sheng Sect's flagship from the Western Region, He Qingling had heard about the list of delegates from the Kongshan Sect.
Putting aside major figures like True Person Caiyun, Kong Yang, and Supreme Martial Pacification Elder He Zongzhou of Kongshan Sect, almost all of the famous cultivators from the various mountain peaks of Kongshan Sect had come out in force.
For example, Chu Xiyao of Qingchan Peak, or Cheng Ziying of Mingxiao Peak...
There were also some annoying people.
For example, Li Haowen.
He Qingling had always despised Li Haowen. When she was young and heard the storyteller recount the Heavenly Summit Mountain Cataclysm, the character she liked most was the magnificent and righteous Lin Xinyang.
And Lin Xinyang had been killed by Wei Mian, who had orchestrated the Heavenly Summit Mountain Cataclysm.
Although Wei Mian got what he deserved and was executed by Kongshan Sect after the Heavenly Summit Mountain Cataclysm ended, his personal disciple, who had been an accomplice in the Heavenly Summit Mountain Cataclysm, survived.
To this day, Li Haowen was still infamous and despised by all.
"If I can see Li Haowen on Du Cang Mountain, I'll definitely call him Li Dog to his face..."
Murmuring to herself like this, He Qingling felt a hint of secret glee in her heart.
Just thinking about it felt amazing.
"Qingling."
Just then, a somewhat stern and detached voice suddenly came from behind her.
He Qingling's neck went slightly cold, and her face took on an expression that screamed "Oh no." Then she quickly composed herself, put on a well-behaved look as if nothing had happened, and turned around.
"Dad, what's wrong?"
Appearing on the deck of this ferry was a tall man, wearing the daoist robes of Xuan Sheng Sect, with a sect leader's token hanging at his waist. His face was handsome and looked to be only around thirty years old. This man was the current sect leader of Xuan Sheng Sect, and also He Qingling's father, He Chengjie.
"What were you mumbling about just now?"
There was no expression on He Chengjie's face as he spoke in a stern, cold voice.
"I said..."
He Qingling paused for a moment, then quickly said, "I was just talking to myself, saying that if I'm lucky enough to meet Senior Li Haowen on Du Cang Mountain, I'll call him Brother Li to his face."
"Oh?"
He Chengjie narrowed his eyes slightly. "Do you really think that a Myriad Transformations Realm cultivator can't hear clearly what you're saying at this distance?"
With no way to defend herself, He Qingling could only lower her head, looking dejected.
"Dad, I was wrong!"
"You girl, haven't you always taken Elder Chu of Kongshan Sect as your role model? That Elder Chu has always been steady and quiet, not like you, always chattering endlessly. Take a good look at yourself; where's the dignity of an acting elder?"
He Chengjie scolded He Qingling like this.
"I didn't want to be an acting elder in the first place..."
He Qingling muttered under her breath.
Now, He Qingling had also officially stepped into the late stage of Qi Sea Realm.
And she was only twenty-four years old. With her current cultivation progress, it was a foregone conclusion that she would enter the Spirit Connection Realm before thirty.
Although there was still a huge gap between her and Qin Qingyu, who had achieved the Myriad Transformations Realm at thirty-four, He Qingling's performance so far showed that the talent she had displayed among the Five Great Sects absolutely qualified her as a chief disciple.
If everything developed normally, entering the upper three realms was only a matter of time for He Qingling.
"And on top of that, you actually want to call Elder Li a Li... to his face on Du Cang Mountain?"
He Chengjie's tone paused.
"Offending Kongshan Sect, how dare you?"
"What's there to be afraid of? Anyway, on Du Cang Mountain, Realman Du Cang is keeping everything in check. What's that Li Dog going to do, turn the world upside down?"
He Qingling said this.
Although she had no fondness for Realman Du Cang, who shared the same name as the chief disciple of Kongyuan Mountain she had once greatly admired, that didn't stop her from using Realman Du Cang's name to argue with her father right now.
"You still dare to call him Li Dog!"
He Chengjie said angrily.
"Ah!"
Upon hearing this, He Qingling's eyes widened, and she took half a step back, pointing at the handsome man standing before her.
"Dad said it too! Dad also called him Li Dog! How come you're blaming me? You obviously called Li Haowen Li Dog too!"
"You little brat..."
Furious, He Chengjie's handsome face flushed red, a rare sight. His black innate true energy formed a giant hand in the air, reaching toward He Qingling.
"Stop your nonsense."
Just then, a rather aged voice came from the cabin.
He Chengjie's body trembled slightly. The flush on his face quickly faded, and in an instant, his expression also became one that screamed "Oh no." He turned around and bowed respectfully toward the cabin of the ferry.
"Chengjie greets Master Liu!"
Upon hearing that aged voice, He Qingling immediately acted as if she had found a savior, quickly running toward the cabin.
"Grandmaster, save me!"
A tall, elderly figure emerged from the cabin and stood on the deck. With white hair and a white beard, he looked imposing without even trying to be.
This person was the Grand Elder of Xuan Sheng Sect, the master of the current sect leader He Chengjie, and a cultivator at the initial stage of Divine Ability Realm, Liu Puzhong.
"Chengjie, if you want to talk, then talk. Why are you raising your hand against a child? A dignified Myriad Transformations Realm cultivator fighting with a little girl in Qi Sea Realm, aren't you ashamed?"
Liu Puzhong spoke.
"Master Liu, it's not that Chengjie wanted to discipline Ling'er, but this girl has gone too far. She just called Elder Li Haowen of Kongshan Sect a, a..."
He Chengjie seemed to be choking on his words.
"Grandmaster, see? Now Dad is being all hypocritical again. He was perfectly happy calling him Li Dog just a moment ago, wasn't he?"
He Qingling quickly added.
"You... that was just a slip of the tongue!"
He Chengjie retorted.
"How can a Myriad Transformations Realm cultivator have a slip of the tongue? You obviously did it on purpose!"
He Qingling poured fuel on the fire.
"Who said a Myriad Transformations Realm cultivator can't have a slip of the tongue..."
"Stop!"
Liu Puzhong interrupted the quarreling father and daughter with his powerful voice.
"This matter ends here. Chengjie, don't lose your authority as sect leader on this deck."
Upon hearing this, He Chengjie retracted the emotions that had surfaced on his face and returned to his expressionless look. He bowed toward Liu Puzhong and said in a flat tone.
"Yes, Master Liu."
Then, Liu Puzhong slowly turned around. This white-haired, white-bearded elder set his gaze on the girl in a white dress behind him, whom he regarded as the future hope of Xuan Sheng Sect.
"And you too, Qingling."
Liu Puzhong's voice became somewhat gentler.
"You don't want Xuan Sheng Sect to become a second Coiling Dragon Sect, do you?"
Xuan Sheng Sect becoming a second Coiling Dragon Sect?
Hearing this, He Qingling's mind went blank for a moment, and then she shook her head.
"Then don't go around provoking people we can't afford to provoke."
As he said this, Liu Puzhong placed his hand on He Qingling's head and gently ruffled her hair.
Then he slowly turned around and stepped back into the cabin.
This huge ferry from the Western Region of Chenping Continent continued to advance toward Du Cang Mountain.
Yet, in the face of that peak over eight thousand three hundred zhang tall, it seemed so insignificantly small.