Chapter 35: The Seventh

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    Liu Jin thought he had grown used to the weight of everyones stares, yet the walk to the Xiao Sect shows him how naive those thoughts had been. The looks are there. The whispers are there. It is nothing he has not seen or heard before.

    Is that him?

    Havent you heard?

    Doctor Lius son

    At least, that is how it should have been.

    An engagement? Truly?

    Wasnt it just was a rumor?

    ...Xiao Zhengs daughter, they say. I didnt even know he had a daughter.

    However, the content is undeniably different.

    The looks are no longer full of pity or disdain. The whispers do not just carry a hint of mockery. All those things are still present. That much is true, but there is something new as well. The people of Eastern Port City are curious. They are interested in him.

    What is so good about this person? They all seem to be asking themselves that question.

    It is similar yet different from the type of attention Liu Jin received in New Moon Town, and he is similarly at a loss as to how to deal with it. The only thing Liu Jin can do is ignore it. At least, he pretends to ignore it. He walks through the streets of Eastern Port City with his head held high and his back straight as if his ears werent burning.

    One thing is certain. Xiao Zheng has no intention of keeping the wedding a secret.

    If Xiao Zheng wanted the wedding to be a secret, the rumors wouldnt even exist. Not a single careless word would have left the Xiao Sect. Instead, it seems like the entirety of Eastern Port City has learned of his engagement in a matter of days. That can only mean Xiao Zheng wants this to be known, something that makes very little sense to Liu Jin.

    Wasnt his daughters Body of Extreme Yin a very sensitive condition that had to be kept a secret? Wasnt that the reason he kept his daughters existence hidden for so long?

    Why be so careless now?

    No. Liu Jin shakes his head. That is not the right question. In fact, it is most definitely the worst question he could ask. Xiao Zheng is not a man who can be called careless, not even in jest. His father has spoken well of him quite a few times. For Xiao Zheng to be acting this way means he must have a good reason.

    One week.

    No. Not even one week. It is only a few more days now. Liu Jin just needs to wait a few more days until he learns the reasoning behind the actions of the Xiao Sects Patriarch.

    Welcome back, brother, one of the guards greets Liu Jin as he reaches the gates to the Xiao Sects compound.

    Greetings to you as well, Liu Jin says before walking in, a new thought running through his mind.

    Is he imagining things or were the guards nods a little deeper than usual just now?

    For a moment, the young child wants to dismiss it as a figment of his imagination, but it is a fruitless endeavor. The moment he crosses the gates, he suddenly becomes the target of a lot more stares.

    For most of his time in the Xiao Sect, Liu Jin has been just another Outer Disciple. Liu Jin knows some people look down on him due to his father, Xiao Fang chief among them. However, Xiao Nans influence has prevented anyone from trying to take advantage of him. For the most part, his experience in the Xiao Sect has been rather peaceful, if a little isolated.

    The past year saw a small change to that. His inability to progress past the first level of the Inner Realm earned him a few mocking jeers. Still, it never went beyond that.

    Now though

    Most of the Outer Disciples and a few of the Inner ones have unfortunately been gathered in the main courtyard, which means they all see him coming in. There is wariness in their eyes as they look at him now.

    Most of all, there is envy.

    It only makes sense. Seemingly overnight, an Outer Disciple like them has become engaged to the daughter of the Sect Master. Even a small child can understand what such a union will do to Liu Jins standing within the Sect. No, not just what it would do, but what it has already done.

    That is what it means to be a Cultivator who stands at the peak of the Earth Realm, the sixth of all cultivation realms.

    However, for all the control this person boasts, there is an unmistakable heaviness to his Qi. It is something Liu Jin has noticed in Xiao Nan once or twice, but the characteristic is far more pronounced in this person.

    It is close now, Xiao Nan says after much time has passed. You might want to open your eyes, Little Brother.

    Liu Jin instantly does as instructed. The moment he does, he feels the Qi violently spike. It is as if the waters of a calm river suddenly raged and broke every dam in their way. Liu Jin instantly understands what is happening.

    A breakthrough.

    As if invoked by the person''s Qi, the skies turn dark. Dark clouds appear on the horizon. Day turns to night in an instant.

    Lightning strikes.

    A colossal bolt of blinding light slams into the ground. Even though the place it hits is over a mile away, the disciples still find themselves covering their eyes. Liu Jins hair stands on end due to the static in the air.

    The light lasts for a mere instant, yet it burns itself into the memory of all who are present.

    It is not every day you can see someone enter the Heaven Realm. Xiao Nan says. There is a big smile on his face, and his eyes are staring straight ahead. It seems even the lightning could not make him turn his gaze away. You are quite lucky one of the Elders was on the precipice. Amazing, isnt it?

    Indeed.

    The Heaven Realm.

    For most people, it is nothing but a pipe dream. Even in a place like the Xiao Sect, not many have the talent to step into the Heaven Realm. Then there are those who have the talent but lack the courage.

    To step into the Heaven Realm is to invite retaliation from the Heavens.

    Once you leave the Earth Realm, you will be struck by Tribulation Lightning, Xiao Nan says. If you arent prepared for it, you might even end up dead.

    It is why someone who wishes to enter the Heaven Realm needs to thoroughly prepare for it. Half-hearted attempts will only lead to death.

    It gets worse from there, Xiao Nan adds. Youll be struck once when you enter the Heaven Realm, but youll be struck ten times when you reach the second level of the Heaven Realm. Then a hundred times for the third level, a thousand for the fourth, and so on. It is why Heaven Realm cultivators cannot possibly experience a breakthrough within a city. The damage it would cause would be catastrophic.

    Liu Jin shivers. The Heaven Realm sounds terrifying. To think his master and Xiao Zheng are above even that.

    Something has changed in his Qi. Liu Jin binks as he notices it. It feels lighter.

    It goes without saying its potency has grown, yet the heavy quality to it Liu Jin detected before is nowhere to be found now. Xiao Nan nods approvingly.

    Good. You noticed that. It is his reward for leaving the Earth Realm. Xiao Nan shrugs. The Heaven Realm tries to strike you down. Meanwhile, the Earth Realm pulls you down. Cultivation is quite merciless that way.

    Pulls you down?

    Liu Jin blinks. Does that mean Xiao Nan is?

    Ah, he is here already. I might as well introduce you, Little Brother, XIao Nan says as the Elder finally reaches them.

    Unlike the other Elders he has seen walking around the Xiao Sect a few times, this one is not wearing elegant robes. Of course, that is likely due to just having been struck by lightning. His clothes are burned and singed, and his upper body is exposed. The mans face looks quite old, but his body seems to be in good shape.

    As Liu Jin gets closer to him, he recognizes him. This Elder is the one in charge of the Outer Disciples, although Liu Jin cannot say he has seen him interact with them much.

    When the Elder sees Xiao Nan, he smiles a grandfatherly smile.

    Ah, Little Nan, I see you came to witness my ascension.

    I wouldnt miss it, Xiao Nan replies with a smile. He motions to Liu Jin, who is next to him. There is someone I would like you to meet. Elder Hui, this is Liu Jin, my Little Brother. Little Brother, this is Elder Hui. With all this wedding business, you might be seeing him more often.

    Ah, yes, young Liu Jin. Elder Hui nods in his direction with a smile. I have seen your father a few times. It is my hope we can get along well.

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