Li Xue did not know how she managed to hold on. She struggled to pull out a healing pill and pressed it into Li Lin’s mouth, but before she could swallow one herself, her strength failed her, and she collapsed.
Bai Fenghua and the other two elders checked each of the juniors and administered medicine. Daring not to linger, they immediately brought everyone back to the Yu Xuan Sect.
The incident sent shockwaves through the cultivation world of Jinming Star. Tie Yi, a Nascent Soul elder of the Tie family, had openly attempted to assassinate a guest elder of the Yu Xuan Sect, leaving six people severely injured—three of whom were members of the Bai family.
The Yu Xuan Sect dispatched three Soul Transformation cultivators to the Tie family to demand an explanation. They were forced to take such a high-profile stance because Bu Gui the Wanderer had already begun wreaking havoc at the Tie family’s doorstep, heedless of the consequences.
Although the Tie family possessed a Tribulation Transcendence cultivator, they only had two Soul Transformation experts. Faced with the combined pressure of the Yu Xuan Sect and an influential cultivator from the outer domains, they had no choice but to handle the matter with cautious humility. Moreover, the conflict had been instigated by a member of their own family for a truly pathetic reason.
Tie Qingyuan had been too cowardly to risk being taken away by an extra-domain cultivator and had fled. Upon learning that Bu Gui the Wanderer was actually a Grandmaster Smith, he was consumed by regret. Not daring to provoke the Yu Xuan Sect directly, he vented his frustrations on Li Xue and Li Lin, who had come from Mangyun Star. He had even incited his grand-uncle, Daoist Tie Yi, to intercept and kill them on their return journey to Jinming Star.
For a junior of the Tie family to be so narrow-minded and malicious was one thing, but for an elder like Daoist Tie Yi to lack all discernment and attack juniors was seen as a disgrace. The various sects and clans of Jinming Star felt a sense of collective shame. Had it been a private vendetta, few would have spoken up, but this senseless provocation had been exposed to the entire cultivation world and involved an extra-domain cultivator, making it a profound humiliation.
Ultimately, the Tie family was forced to cripple Tie Qingyuan’s cultivation and place Tie Yi into solitary confinement as punishment.
Bu Gui the Wanderer and the others were far from satisfied. Six people and two beasts had been gravely wounded, yet Tie Yi was merely confined; the fire of their anger was difficult to extinguish. The Yu Xuan Sect, however, found itself in a difficult position. The Tie family was, after all, a renowned lineage of smiths, providing the majority of the sect’s magical tools and treasures. The sect could not truly go to war with the Tie family over a few cultivators.
Seeing that they could no longer rely on the Yu Xuan Sect, Bu Gui the Wanderer, still fuming, sent a transmission to the Yuan Shi Sect: if the Tie family’s Nascent Soul cultivators were allowed to participate in the upcoming competition, not only would he refuse to attend, but he would also hunt them down on the road.
The Yuan Shi Sect quickly learned the details and agreed that the Tie family had brought shame upon the Hongmeng Star Domain. Bu Gui the Wanderer hailed from a super star domain governed by an Eight-劫 Loose Immortal and was himself a Grandmaster Smith; his status far outweighed that of a Nascent Soul cultivator from the Tie family. They readily granted his request.
Bai Fenghua took even more drastic measures. He announced to the entire Hongmeng Star Domain that the Bai family’s medicinal pills would no longer flow to the Tie family. All pill-related trade with the Tie family was halted, and members of the Bai family were forbidden from intermarrying with the Tie family under threat of expulsion. This decision caused an even greater stir across the star domain.
Li Xue and the others were in secluded meditation to heal their wounds, indifferent to the external fallout. With their elders present, they knew justice would be sought on their behalf.
However, through this ordeal, everyone realized that the gap between the Nascent Soul stage and the Core Formation stage was not merely a difference in realm—it was an ocean of disparity. A Core Formation cultivator was like a child before a Nascent Soul expert, belonging to an entirely different tier of existence. The feeling of being utterly defenseless was truly unbearable.
Since she began her journey in cultivation, Li Xue’s path had been relatively smooth for many years. But the feeling of profound helplessness and heartache she felt when Li Lin collapsed in her arms was something she never wanted to experience again. Strength—everything required strength. It turned out that the Core Formation stage was indeed just the beginning. Without reaching the Nascent Soul or Soul Transformation stages, let alone traveling to outer domains, one would have to live in constant fear even within the Hongmeng Star Domain, potentially endangering their friends.
Li Xue resolved that once her injuries were healed, she would devote herself to intensive cultivation.
She was not the only one with this thought; Li Lin, Ji Rufeng, Yu Ming, and Dongfang Jing felt the same.
The most severely injured were Li Lin, Chi Ze, and Hei Yan. Li Lin had used the Youyin Shield to take the full force of the Golden Light Wheel, resulting in severe damage to his heart's meridians. Fortunately, his Dantian remained intact; otherwise, his foundation would have been destroyed beyond repair.
Chi Ze and Hei Yan had suffered primarily physical trauma, which would recover with time.
Three years passed before everyone’s injuries finally began to show significant improvement.
By the small lake in the Dream Realm, Li Xue, Li Lin, and Yu Ming, along with Chi Ze and Hei Yan, sat together to hold their first "summary meeting" since the incident.
Li Xue had called the meeting. While recovering, she had carefully analyzed her severe shortcomings when facing a Nascent Soul cultivator. For instance, she possessed the Flying Cloud Boat; she could have used it to lead Daoist Tie Yi away with Li Lin. Since Tie Yi was only targeting the two of them, they could have avoided involving their friends.
Furthermore, her spiritual sense was far stronger than others of her rank, and spiritual sense attacks were not strictly limited by cultivation realms. She had yet to master this advantage, which was a regrettable oversight.
Li Lin also reflected on his performance. "I am a pill cultivator, yet I didn't utilize my skills at all. If I had detonated pills earlier and combined them with the talismans while using the Flying Cloud Boat to escape, it shouldn't have been that difficult!"
Hei Yan took the opportunity to suggest, "If the Mistress can upgrade the Five Elements Flying Shuttle to a high-grade treasure, its properties as a piece of Heaven-Extinguishing Wood would allow you to fight above your level without suffering too much. Moreover, if you master some ancient Five Elements techniques, their power would be immense."
Li Xue found herself in total agreement with Hei Yan’s ideas.
Yu Ming added, "The Tie family is a family of smiths. That Golden Light Wheel is said to be a treasure nearing the peak grade. Tie Yi was truly shameless to use it against juniors like us!"
Anger flared among them again. It was baffling how such a petty man had reached the Nascent Soul stage, and the fact that he was only given solitary confinement left them deeply dissatisfied with the Tie family’s handling of the matter. However, they would not hold a grudge against the entire Tie family for the actions of two individuals. They simply etched the debt into their hearts; once Tie Yi emerged, they would ensure he paid what was owed. As for Tie Qingyuan, he was no longer worth mentioning.
A sense of frustration still lingered. Despite their reflections, they realized they lacked a reliable life-saving treasure. The Flying Cloud Boat was primarily for travel; its speed was average, and its offensive and defensive capabilities were only at the early Core Formation level. It wasn't enough to escape across the stars.
One bright spot that cheered everyone was that Ji Rufeng and Bai Xingyu had grown close during this shared calamity. Li Xue even wondered if Bai Fenghua had foreseen this when he arranged for Bai Xingyu to accompany them. If so, his foresight was uncanny.
Once Ji Rufeng and Bai Xingyu had recovered, they returned to Danxia Star. Their Dual Cultivation Ceremony was to be held there, and Dongfang Jing was reluctantly dragged along by Bai Ruihua.
Li Xue and her group naturally intended to go as well, but as their injuries were not yet fully healed, they planned to wait until the ceremony began before heading over to offer their congratulations.
Li Xue felt a lingering guilt toward Ji Rufeng and Bai Xingyu for their injuries, especially Bai Xingyu. Ji Rufeng was like family to her, but Bai Xingyu’s loyalty and bravery had deeply moved her. Fortunately, they were about to become family, which made Li Xue very happy.
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Ascended Without Me: Cultivating with a Genius Son | Chapter 120 | Recovery and Reflection | Novela.app | Novela.app
