Junior Disciple

Chapter Seventeen

Yu Qingwei was completely unaware of the outside world. The spiritual energy within his body surged toward his dantian, thoroughly filling it. He closed his eyes and began circulating the Da Zhou Tian technique, bit by bit breaking through the barrier.

He felt as if something in his dantian was stirring, about to condense into a golden core. The turbulent spiritual energy continuously coalesced, emptying more than half of his dantian in an instant. He immediately began absorbing spiritual energy from the outside world to replenish it. However, the damage to his meridians became evident— the more he circulated spiritual energy, the more obstructed his meridians felt, and the pain caused his body to tremble.

Yu Qingwei suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood, interrupting the circulation of his dantian.

Xie Wuhán, who had been watching the situation within the barrier, immediately narrowed his eyes, his fingers gradually clenching into a fist.

Even without considering the effect of shattering the barrier, which would undoubtedly disturb the other party, even if he could enter silently, he could only help sort out the chaotic spiritual veins. However, judging by Yu Qingwei's condition, it didn't seem like a case of chaotic spiritual veins...

Xie Wuhán's gaze deepened.

After a moment, Yu Qingwei suddenly sensed a familiar presence. Xie Wuhán had released his demonic energy to dissolve the barrier quietly. The Zhan Yun Sword tilted its blade slightly in confusion, as if recognizing the familiar presence of the person who had appeared with a new face.

It did not attack but emitted a warning hum, cautioning him not to approach.

Xie Wuhán chuckled softly, raised his hand, and remotely summoned Yu Qingwei's storage pouch. He poured out a pile of small porcelain bottles, picked up a Rejuvenation Pill, and, seeing Yu Qingwei's condition, realized he couldn't take the pill mid-insight despite having taken one beforehand.

He stuffed the pill into the other's mouth.

So lacking in spiritual energy? he thought with a frown, observing the faint spiritual glow around Yu Qingwei.

With that thought, he shoved another pill into the youth's mouth. Watching Yu Qingwei unconsciously choke a little, the faint confusion on his usually serene and detached face softened his demeanor. Xie Wuhán's lips curved slightly.

Yu Qingwei soon felt his dantian brimming with spiritual energy again. He immediately refocused, sensing the breakthrough.

When the golden core within his dantian began to take shape, a deafening thunderclap echoed above his head.

His eyes snapped open, meeting a youthful and cold face. In the next moment, he pushed the person in front of him away and leaped into the air, shouting urgently, "Stay away from me! Don't step into the range of the tribulation's energy!"

Why is Xie Wuhán here? Yu Qingwei thought, summoning the Zhan Yun Sword into his hand, his mind still occupied by the youth below.

Could it be... he followed me into the secret realm while I was distracted?

His heart filled with worry. Why didn't my uncle stop him?

How could he even enter here?!

Despite his thoughts, Yu Qingwei focused on guiding the violet lightning upwards as much as possible. Xie Wuhán was too close, and there was no avoiding the residual lightning strikes.

The violet lightning split the tribulation clouds with immense force and struck directly toward him. Yu Qingwei raised his sword to meet it, his body's spiritual light instantly dimming by half. He glanced downward at the spot where he had been meditating, but the youth was no longer there.

He let out a sigh of relief.

Raising his head, his gaze grew more resolute.

The violet lightning crashed down again.

Hours later.

The figure in the air finally descended. His entire body was battered, with no unscathed flesh remaining. Yet the golden core within him spun rapidly, and Yu Qingwei felt an unprecedented gentle spiritual flow coursing through his meridians. His lightning-scorched skin rapidly regenerated.

He reached into his storage pouch, retrieved a fresh set of robes, and changed into them. Just as he finished donning the shark silk garment, his movements froze.

A thought crossed his mind, and he stiffly turned his head. Hundreds of meters away, Xie Wuhán was leaning against a tree, watching him. He didn't know how long he'd been standing there.

Xie Wuhán rubbed his nose, the plum tree beside him charred black by lightning strikes.

Yu Qingwei's expression stiffened. After a long pause, he managed to squeeze out a sentence: "Did you see everything earlier?"

Thankfully, the youth seemed to have been too far away to see clearly or hear anything. With a puzzled expression, he walked over.

"Senior Brother, congratulations on successfully forming your core," Xie Wuhán said.

Forcing himself to ignore the embarrassment that made his cheeks faintly warm, Yu Qingwei didn't forget to question why the youth was here. His expression hardened. "Xie Wuhán, do you realize that this secret realm is not something you can handle with your current cultivation level?"

Xie Wuhán raised an eyebrow.

Yu Qingwei suddenly remembered that he himself had entered at the Foundation Establishment stage. His frown deepened. Did Xie Wuhán think this secret realm was accessible to just any Foundation Establishment disciple?

Although the realm's minimum entry requirement was indeed Foundation Establishment, those who entered were at least at the peak of Foundation Establishment, aiming for core formation, and many were at the Core Formation or Nascent Soul stage.

The fact that Xie Wuhán had survived until now was sheer luck.

Yu Qingwei felt a pang of lingering fear.

He decided not to blame him for now.

Raising his hand, he formed a seal. A red thread briefly appeared, tying itself around both of their waists. Yu Qingwei's tone turned cold. "This spiritual tether sets a ten-meter limit. From this moment on, you are not allowed to stray farther than ten meters from me!"