Senior Sister

Crisp footsteps echoed intermittently through the narrow corridor. With the abilities of a cultivator, such distinct sounds ought not to be made. What was more, the newcomer's cultivation realm was so profound that even Luo Chen's spiritual sense could not detect her. Thus, producing such sounds was a deliberate act—a courteous signal to alert Luo Chen inside that she had arrived. Politeness! Respect! Luo Chen opened his eyes and slipped the jade thumb ring onto his left thumb. Then, he quietly waited for the visitor to appear. Moments later, an elegant silhouette materialized before him. Even though he had seen her no fewer than ten times over these past three years, Luo Chen could not help but marvel inwardly every time he beheld her peerless countenance—to think such a beauty existed in this world. She was like the chill soul of pure ice, an exquisite sight meant only to be admired from afar, not profaned. Yet the faint smile playing at the corners of her lips gave her the aura of a sprite dancing amid the snow, subconsciously drawing people closer. This paradoxical presence was utterly captivating, making it hard not to become entranced by that exquisite face. However! Her authentic late Golden Core cultivation was like a basin of icy water poured over Luo Chen's head, leaving him without the slightest stray thought of disrespect. "Junior Luo Chen greets Master Canglong!" "No need for such formalities. You are an elder of my Ice Fort. Just like Jueqing, Baoshuang, and the others, you may simply call me Senior Sister." Canglong smiled faintly. Beneath her smile, even the bone-chilling cold of the ice prison seemed to warm by several degrees. "This..." Luo Chen hesitated for a moment. The overture of camaraderie in her words was far too direct. Calling him an elder of the Ice Fort while omitting the word "guest" made him one of their own family. And transcending cultivation realms and generational seniority to let him address her directly as "Senior Sister" was an even greater show of intimacy. If he truly addressed her that way, Luo Chen's ties to the Ice Fort would become bound extraordinarily deep—scarcely different from having originated from their lineage himself. Met with that gentle gaze, Luo Chen's momentary hesitation quickly dissolved. "Senior Sister Canglong!" "Good! Very good!" Canglong's smile blossomed even more freely. Before Luo Chen's eyes, she inspected him carefully, lingering for a while on his ashen-gray hair. After a long pause, she gave a slow nod. "Not bad. It seems you have gained immensely from this ordeal." Luo Chen smiled wryly. "Though the gains were great, the losses were heavy as well!" In that battle, the Blazing Fire Miasma he had cultivated diligently for years had been destroyed, his lethal trump card against Golden Core cultivators—the Immortal Thunder Bead—had been expended, and he had even sacrificed a century of his lifespan. Such losses were truly the most severe he had suffered since embarking on the path of cultivation. As for what he had obtained, it was successful vengeance, renown, the Wither-Bloom Fire, and the legacy of a mid Golden Core cultivator. The first two were ethereal and fleeting; he had only just refined the Wither-Bloom Fire and had yet to explore its true capabilities; and as for that legacy, he could only look at it without being able to consume it. However! Canglong said leisurely, "What you lost were mere external possessions, yet you broke through your heart demon and fulfilled your desire for vengeance. In doing so, your thoughts have become clear and unhindered. Before forming your core, you will no longer face any mental barriers. The grand path to the Golden Core has already flung open its gates to you!" Luo Chen was taken aback. Thoughts clear and unhindered? Could it be explained that way? Yet when he reflected on the mental barrier she mentioned, Luo Chen seemed to faintly grasp what she meant. Seeing his bewilderment, Canglong gently explained, "When I treated your injuries before, I examined your aptitude." Luo Chen blurted out, "It is very poor, isn't it?" Yet Canglong immediately shook her head in denial. "It is not poor. In fact, it is exceptionally good!" Luo Chen was stunned and asked instinctively, "Are you referring to the claim from the Five Elements Divine Sect that having Five Elements spiritual roots is also considered a genius aptitude?" Canglong glanced at him in surprise. "I did not expect you to be aware of such secrets. Indeed, it does have something to do with that." Luo Chen remained perplexed. "Cultivation with all five spiritual roots is dreadfully slow—not just three or five times slower than others, but ten or twenty times slower. How could that possibly be considered a genius aptitude?" In truth, this had always been a great puzzle to many rogue cultivators in the cultivation world. Even the Five Elements Divine Sect, which had maintained such rumors, did not seem to have produced any mighty five-element geniuses over the years. Rumor only had it that the founding ancestor who established their sect was a cultivator with five spiritual roots, who possessed a secret art capable of unlocking the potential of that constitution. Amid Luo Chen's confusion, Canglong chuckled and shook her head. "Actually, sometimes slowness can be a blessing in disguise." Seeing that he was still puzzled, Canglong pondered for a moment before saying, "Let me give you an analogy!" "This junior is all ears." Luo Chen focused his mind entirely, determined not to miss the slightest detail of her words. For so many years, he had cultivated in isolation. Even with someone like Wang Yuan, who was both a teacher and a friend, the man could only provide guidance on body refinement. When it came to Qi refinement, Luo Chen had no choice but to grope forward on his own. Such was the dilemma of a rogue cultivator without a sect or clan behind him: a lack of seasoned, far-sighted elders to point the way. Under Luo Chen's gaze, the tall, slender, and peerlessly beautiful Master Canglong spoke with measured grace. "Spiritual roots are the fundamental difference between us cultivators and mortals; only those with spiritual roots may embark upon cultivation." "Those heavenly root possessors, blessed with only a single spiritual root, are like a solitary peak piercing straight into the clouds to touch the firmament. Blessed by the heavens, their cultivation naturally proceeds without a hitch, a smooth road almost devoid of obstacles until the Soul Formation stage." Luo Chen nodded slightly. This matched his typical impression of heavenly root cultivators. Foundation Establishment in ten years, Golden Core in a hundred, Nascent Soul in two hundred, and Soul Formation in five hundred. It was fast, yet seemed not absurdly fast—until one realized that throughout this entire process, heavenly root cultivators required no pills or foreign aids whatsoever. Factoring that in, such cultivation speed was terrifying to the extreme. They truly were the darlings of the heavens, favored by destiny! "Aside from heavenly roots, the most common are those with dual or triple spiritual roots." "Such aptitudes are either like fine timber blessed by rain and dew, or like raging flames burning fiercely. Some resemble rivers, lakes, and seas surging forward... In any case, their cultivation speed will not be too slow." "However, precisely because such aptitudes are so common, they are rarely valued, and their cultivation speeds are mostly unremarkable." "It is like coming across a towering peak that pierces the sky—you would stop and gaze at it. But if a flourishing tree stands before you, would you linger for long?" To this question, Luo Chen shook his head. Climbing high to look far into the distance was human nature. Ordinary flowers, plants, and trees seldom drew much attention. This was likely the bias of the Heavenly Dao. Of course, if ordinary plants continued to evolve and became rare, miraculous herbs, they could naturally stand out as well. The Heavenly Dao was, in fact, balanced. Canglong smiled faintly and continued: "Then there are those outside the standard five elements who possess special aptitudes. For instance, Jueqing, Baoshuang, our junior Martial Niece Ice Soul, and I all have an extreme affinity for ice and snow. These are called variant spiritual roots." "People like us are naturally attuned to elements of the same attribute as our roots. Therefore, with suitable environments and cultivation arts, our progress is quite remarkable as well." Luo Chen pondered this and offered his own interpretation. "Is it equivalent to already having a wooden boat, but gaining the aid of both wind and water, thus advancing at tremendous speed?" "Indeed. A fine wind lends its strength to carry one to the azure clouds. Cultivators with variant roots not only progress swiftly, but often possess formidable combat prowess as well." Canglong nodded in agreement with his thought. Luo Chen asked in confusion, "Then what about someone like me, who possesses all five elements?" At this mention, Canglong's expression grew slightly solemn. "In our eyes, the aptitude of five spiritual roots is like a plot of land." "Land?" Luo Chen was baffled. "What kind of land?" "A land capable of bearing all things!" Luo Chen was stunned. Canglong continued on her own, "It might sound like an exaggeration, but such is the truth. Most things in heaven and earth are composed of the five elements. In reverse, does that not mean an aptitude of five spiritual roots can bear all things under heaven and earth?" Luo Chen listened, half-believing and half-doubting. "At the beginning, this land of yours is crude, barren, and unfit for great use. It pales before anyone else's, unable to bloom with any flowers. But with meticulous tilling and cultivation, it can certainly become a fertile soil. With sustained nurturing, it can even grow into a state, a realm." Luo Chen fell into deep thought. "If managed well, this land is bound to become an entire continent. Consider it: could a foundation as vast as a continent not be called a genius aptitude?" Guided by Canglong's systematic explanation, Luo Chen experienced a sudden flash of enlightenment. How immense and sturdy was a foundation like an entire continent! It could bear fine timber and raging flames; wind and thunder could swirl around it; mountains, rivers, and great lakes could coil across its breadth; and proud, solitary peaks could naturally rise straight from its soil. Breaking it down purely by literal meaning... If the heavenly spiritual root enjoyed the singular grace of heaven, did not the five spiritual roots monopolize the boundless bounty of the earth? Between the favor of heaven and the richness of earth, the five spiritual roots were truly not inferior to the heavenly root. However! Luo Chen furrowed his brows. "Then how should an aptitude like mine be developed to achieve what Senior... what Senior Sister Canglong described as a foundation comparable to a continent?" "Aren't you doing wonderfully right now?" Canglong smiled faintly, her expression carrying unreserved praise. Luo Chen froze, then looked down at his own body. Canglong chuckled beside him and said, "I channeled my cold ice spiritual power multiple times to suppress the backlash of the Wither-Bloom Fire for you. I know the current state of your body like the back of my hand." "A physique powerful enough to rival a Tier-3 beast king." "Meridians crisscrossing and expanding like vast rivers and great waterways." "Acupoints shining bright as a sky full of stars." "Vital essence and blood coursing thick like liquid mercury." "Four elements of spiritual energy held in balance, with wood-attribute spiritual energy nourishing your entire body." "And along your back, a spine like a thunderous dragon!" "Such a foundation has already begun to take shape. Even if it is not yet as vast as a continent, it already bears the momentum of prairie fire and towering sky-trees." "In the future, regardless of which element you choose as your primary path, your foundation will always be firmer than anyone else's, even if your progress is slower. Among those of the same realm, your spiritual power will be several times more boundless." Moving a little slower to build a sturdier foundation was always a good thing. After hearing these words, Luo Chen felt completely enlightened. He bowed respectfully to her. "Thank you for your guidance, Senior Sister!" "It hardly counts as guidance." Canglong shook her head with a light laugh. "What I said is merely common knowledge." Luo Chen, however, held a different view. "What Senior Sister calls common knowledge has allowed me to understand my current state and cleared away much of my confusion regarding the future. That is already a truly extraordinary enlightenment." These words came straight from his heart. Thanks to her pointing the way, from this day forth, he would never belittle himself because of his aptitude. Whether in cultivation or in battle, he would possess far greater confidence. Canglong serenely accepted Luo Chen's gratitude. "My arrival today was, first, to check on your recent condition. Seeing you now, the Wither-Bloom Fire has been thoroughly refined, the injuries across your body have healed completely, and your cultivation realm has even seen slight improvement—you are only a little patient grinding away from the eighth level of Foundation Establishment." "It is all thanks to Senior Sister Canglong and Master Jueqing's help." "Hehe, still so courteous?" Canglong shook her head. "The second matter is that half a year from now, our sect will hold a Core Formation Ceremony. I came to ask if you would like to attend." "A Core Formation Ceremony?" Luo Chen was surprised. Having resided in the ice prison for three years, unable to extend his spiritual sense beyond a hundred paces, he knew nothing of the Ice Fort's affairs. "Whose Core Formation Ceremony?" "My Martial Niece Ice Soul's. She reached the Foundation Establishment perfection over a decade ago and had been in seclusion striving for the Golden Core realm. Fortunately, she succeeded. Afterward, she spent another ten years solidifying her cultivation. Counting the time, she ought to emerge soon. As our sect's Dao Child, a grand celebration is naturally indispensable." *Her?* Fairy Ice Soul! The Ice Fort's Dao Child of this generation, who had suppressed Tantai Jin and their peers to seize the position of Dao Child long ago. Now that she had successfully formed her core, she was not only promoted to a Golden Core master, but would likely take charge of the entire Ice Fort sect. With such a status, her Core Formation Ceremony would be far more than a simple celebration. The multifaceted significance it carried was of paramount importance to the Ice Fort and the other sects of the Jade Cauldron Domain. Recalling some of his past history with her, Luo Chen shook his head. "It would be best if I did not attend." Canglong did not press him, agreeing instead. "Indeed, your title as Lord Fire Spirit is currently far too resounding. Coupled with the false news we spread, it is better for you to lie low for now." With that, she glanced around. Pillars of crystalline ice stood tall on all sides, resembling a cage. "Though this Extreme Cold Ice Prison is a bitter, frigid place with only a Tier-2 spiritual vein, it is genuinely a secluded haven for cultivation. Using this place to temper your unsettled realm is an excellent choice." Luo Chen nodded. "Yes, that was my thought as well." His cultivation speed had simply been too fast! Cultivating twice with the help of pseudo-Tier-3 spiritual lands, he had jumped straight from the fifth level to the sixth level of Foundation Establishment in the Dao Child Palace on Qingyun Peak in Azure Pill Valley. Then, in Haoran Zi's immortal cave on Tianlan Peak, he had pushed through the seventh level of Foundation Establishment with extreme rapidity—completing ninety percent of the work in just over two years when it should have taken two to three decades of patient effort. While his progress had indeed been rapid, the meticulous refinement of his realm had suffered. "Then I shall take my leave. If you need anything, notify the outside, and someone will deliver it to you." "Take care, Senior Sister." Luo Chen saw the woman out of the ice prison. His gaze held a touch of emotion. Over the course of three years, he had interacted with this woman frequently. She had helped him suppress the backlash of the Wither-Bloom Fire multiple times and treated his injuries with her remarkable medical arts. Now, from time to time, she unreservedly imparted precious insights to him. Even knowing she valued his alchemy skills and potential, her gracious demeanor truly felt like a refreshing spring breeze. Compared to figures of authority he had encountered along his journey, such as Mi Shuhua and Fairy Jueqing, Master Canglong's attitude toward him was undoubtedly the kindest. Thus, although addressing her as "Senior Sister" had initially felt awkward, it came more and more naturally once spoken aloud. *A pity I was not born a woman, and a shame I do not specialize in water-attribute arts.* *Otherwise, had I joined the Ice Fort early on and enjoyed the patronage of such a benevolent senior, why would I have endured so many bitter hardships?* With an emotional sigh, Luo Chen returned inside the ice prison. Of course, that sigh was only a fleeting sentiment. Without those harrowing experiences, how could he have attained his current achievements? And without these achievements, why would Supreme Elder Canglong ever look upon him with favor? The Ice Fort possessed countless disciples, yet not everyone could earn such esteem from her.