Cannon Fodder Cultivation Guide

Chapter 29 - The Opportunity Arises

As soon as Jiang Heng heard this, he understood that his junior brother's lingering frustration had dissipated. He then provided further explanation.

"Master believed that whether you took on a disciple or not was of little consequence to you, as your fated disciple would only truly come after the ascension. Therefore, it didn't matter whether you were told or not. But for me, things are different. Yi Yi's fate is unique and difficult to discern, and she is highly likely to meet an early demise. She first needs to preserve her life and change her destiny before she can establish our master-disciple bond. Only then can she possibly become the variable that could alter the millennium calamity!"

Back then, Master had gone to great lengths to divine that crucial piece of information and had discovered this significant clue, which naturally had to be conveyed to him with care.

"A variable... first change oneself... a variable... oneself..." Qiao Chu suddenly murmured, his eyes becoming unusually clear as his spiritual energy surged dramatically.

More importantly, it was evident that Qiao Chu had realized something profound at this moment. He not only fell into an incredibly mysterious state but also had a faint and hazy glow of Dao light surrounding him.

Seeing this, Jiang Heng immediately sat down beside him to guard him without hesitation, feeling overjoyed in his heart.

For several centuries, Qiao Chu had never broken through the Nascent Soul stage, not because his cultivation wasn't adequate, but because he had chosen a completely unprecedented Dao path to establish in his ascension. Despite its difficulties, Qiao Chu had managed to explore this unique and astonishing path within just a few hundred years, with only one final step remaining to manifest this never-before-seen Dao in the world.

Now it seemed that he had finally captured the opportunity for that last step.
While relieved, Jiang Heng also felt a sense of satisfaction.

With his junior brother's pursuit of absolute perfection, Jiang Heng had worried that if Qiao Chu couldn't perfect that final crucial step, he might choose to die and reenter reincarnation rather than compromise in his last few decades of life and change his Dao path to ascend.

But now, thanks to Zhang Yiyi, who had inadvertently become the trigger for Qiao Chu's breakthrough despite not being his disciple, things were looking up. The so-called variable truly lived up to its name!

After half an hour, Qiao Chu finally emerged from his profound enlightenment, and the faint Dao light that had previously enveloped him disappeared back into his body.

"Are you finally ready to prepare for your ascension?" Jiang Heng asked directly.

Qiao Chu nodded and said to his senior brother, "I am ready. I plan to enter seclusion immediately to ascend and establish my Dao."

Receiving this affirmation, Jiang Heng could no longer hide his joy, repeatedly agreeing, "Good, good. But don't return to the outer Nine Peaks. Just use your original cave here to go into seclusion. Until you emerge, I won't enter seclusion or leave the sect. I'll personally protect you."
The Nascent Soul tribulation was no ordinary challenge, and with Qiao Chu establishing an entirely new Dao, no one knew what kind of tribulation would arise. With Jiang Heng personally guarding him, they could be somewhat at ease.

Qiao Chu, understanding the uniqueness of his situation, did not refuse his senior brother's kindness. "Thank you, Senior Brother. It may take as little as two or three months or as long as half a year. I apologize for the trouble."

"No need for such courtesy between us. Just go into seclusion with peace of mind; I will handle everything else!"

As he spoke, Jiang Heng took out a storage bag he had long prepared for his junior brother and handed it over. "Take this. It contains everything you'll need for the tribulation. I've been preparing it for you for centuries."

At this moment, Jiang Heng felt almost like a father to his junior brother, even though he was only a few months older. Ever since their Master had ascended, Jiang Heng had naturally taken on the role of both teacher and father to Qiao Chu. He, more than anyone, wished for his junior brother to smoothly ascend and establish his Dao.

Once he passed this critical hurdle of establishing his Dao, with Qiao Chu's unparalleled talent, he would face no more bottlenecks in his future cultivation.

Seeing this, Qiao Chu didn't stand on ceremony. Good items were never unwelcome, and it was rare for his senior brother to be so generous and straightforward.
...
By the time Zhang Yiyi had chosen a separate residence and settled everything, she returned with her senior brother to find their Master, only to discover that Qiao Chu, their direct Martial Uncle, was already gone.

However, seeing the joyful expression on their Master's face, it seemed that the two senior brothers had reconciled.

"You've come? Sit down, both of you."

Jiang Heng noticed that his little disciple instinctively glanced at the seat where his junior brother had been sitting earlier, naturally understanding what the girl was thinking.

This disciple of his was truly sentimental and didn't care for false titles. Even now, she still felt guilty about changing her mind midway and was ashamed before his junior brother. No wonder Qiao Chu had taken such a liking to her.

"Rest your mind at ease. Your Martial Uncle is not the petty type. He won't hold a grudge against you or remember this simply because he didn't become your Master."

In a good mood, Jiang Heng was even more kindly toward his favored disciple and explained, "Your Martial Uncle just had a sudden enlightenment and resolved the last difficulty in establishing his Dao. He's gone into seclusion to prepare for his Nascent Soul ascension."

Hearing this, Zhang Yiyi and Wuji's expressions immediately brightened, both genuinely happy for their Martial Uncle.

"When Wuji left, he swore he would find the best longevity-extending item for Martial Uncle, but it seems that won't be necessary now," Wuji said, without any regret but with obvious relief.

For them, Martial Uncle Qiao was the closest person aside from their Master. Naturally, they didn't want to see him halted at the Nascent Soul stage.

"I always knew Martial Uncle Qiao wouldn't have any problems!"

In her excitement, Zhang Yiyi almost called him "Master" again, but she quickly corrected herself.

Jiang Heng chuckled and nodded, giving further instructions to his two disciples, "Your uncle-master's ascension and establishment of his Dao will take anywhere from two or three months to over half a year. During this time, I will not enter seclusion or leave the sect. Instead, I'll take the opportunity to personally instruct you both."

"Wuji, you are already in the late stage of Golden Core, so it's time for you to prepare to establish your own Dao. I won't interfere with what kind of Dao you choose to establish, but remember one thing: your Martial Uncle's Dao cannot be copied! When the time comes for you to witness his tribulation, be careful not to be influenced by his Dao. Remember this well!"

"Yes! I will keep it in mind!" Wuji solemnly accepted the command after being repeatedly warned by his Master.

Although he had no idea what kind of Dao his Martial Uncle was going to establish, the fact that it caused his exceptionally talented Master such concern made it hard to imagine.

"As for you, Yi Yi, you have great talent in the way of the sword. I will focus on teaching you swordsmanship."

Jiang Heng turned to Zhang Yiyi. "As for the rest of your cultivation, I won't interfere or ask about it. You can continue to arrange your training as before. Of course, if you encounter any problems, you can always come to me to discuss and solve them."