Heavenly Jewel Change

Hua Feng frowned in thought and said: “Little Wei… just bringing five hundred men, isn’t that a bit too little?”

Zhou Weiqing laughed heartily as he replied: “It isn’t that few, after all the First Main Company are the strongest amongst all our soldiers. How about this, I’ll have Crow and Ma Qun join me as well, with each of them bringing fifty of their elite Heavy Cavalry soldiers. In such a case, though we might only number six hundred, I am confident of facing even an entire Regiment and still be able to break their ranks. Furthermore, our main purpose of visiting is to establish a diplomatic relationship, not to fight with them. A sufficient show of strength is all we need, and to bring too many might actually have the reverse effect.”

Hua Feng nodded and said: “Very well, we’ll go according to your ideas. The combat prowess of the First Main Company should be sufficient to protect you all, or at least bring you both back alive no matter what. Hmmm… in fact, let’s have them be your elite personal guards in the future. Oh right, regarding Princess Difuya, you better go personally. She is after all your official fiancee.”

Hearing the word fiancee, Zhou Weiqing’s expression grew strange, and he couldn’t help but glance at Shangguan Xue’er guiltily. Luckily, this time, she remained calm and impassive, as if she did not hear it.

Zhou Weiqing quickly changed the topic and asked: “Chief Instructor, how long do you think it will take you to send the letter and get a reply?”

Shangguan Xue’er replied: “Ten days would be the fastest, slowest half a month or so.”

Zhou Weiqing’s eyes lit up and he said: “That is very fast already. Alright, so including all the preparations for the visit, let us set our official departure date to head to the Fei Li Empire to be one month from now. Master Hua Feng, I’ll have to trouble you to help make the arrangements.”

Hua Feng said: “That is no trouble at all. I have never thought that you would let us see the hope of restoring our Empire so quickly.”

…

After a few more discussions about details, the meeting ended, and they all headed back to their own personal tents, leaving Zhou Weiqing and Shangguan Xue’er alone in the main tent. By now, Zhou Weiqing’s wounds were fully healed, but he dared not make it too obvious. He stood up slowly, about to walk to the exit when he was stopped by Shangguan Xue’er.

He lifted his head to look at her, and her eyes were still as cold as ever. However, in that moment, they were reddening, as two lines of tears slowly dropped down, causing Zhou Weiqing’s heart to grip and twist.

“I’m sorry, it’s all my fault. I really did not mean to…” Zhou Weiqing was at a loss, and he could only offer such a line. At this point, he dared not act shamelessly; it was clear that currently Shangguan Xue’er was in a very fragile state.

Shangguan Xue’er said sobbingly: “You… you are really a bastard! If you really died, how could I possibly account to Bing’er and Fei’er? How could I ever face them again? Why did you do that? Why? Why did you just take my sword like that?” Zhou Weiqing subconsciously opened his arms, wanting to embrace her, but in the end he did not dare to. She was after all not Shangguan Bing’er or Shangguan Fei’er! Although he had already ‘taken advantage’ of her previously, that was in an unknowing state, and now his courage suddenly failed him.

Shangguan Xue’er looked at him with tears still in her eyes, her chest rising and falling with ragged breathing. Lifting her hand to wipe the tears away, she grit her teeth and asked: “You… you really want to marry me?” Such a question caused Zhou Weiqing to start and stare dazedly. Of course he was willing! Triplets! However, at that moment, he discovered that looking at that beautiful face that was so similar to Bing’er and Fei’er, he could not bear to bully Shangguan Xue’er anymore.

However, he dared not nod his head, instead scratching it sheepishly as he said: “I… At that time, I was only trying to anger you. I never really thought I would win. This…”

Shangguan Xue’er’s eyes flashed with a complicated look. “But you still won. Do you think that I am a person who would break her oath? I hate you, hate you, hate you!” After saying that, she turned and ran, charging out of the tent.

Zhou Weiqing stared at the tent flap with his jaw agape. Although he had always thought of himself as intelligent, alas the heart and mind of a woman was on a level of its own, and he was unable to even begin to fathom it. He did not know what Shangguan Xue’er was thinking at all. Was she willing or unwilling? Perhaps, more on the unwilling side? Wha… what could he do now?!

Headache. Zhou Weiqing truly felt his head aching terribly. For the first time, he felt that having so many girls at once was truly not a good thing. However, things were already in motion, and he would never bear to give any up!

Just as he was still trying to think of what to do, Shangguan Xue’er’s voice came from outside. “No matter what you do, you’re not allowed to stay with that Tian’er. At least until my sisters come back. Otherwise…. Otherwise… Hmph Hmph!”

Hearing Shangguan Xue’er’s domineering words, Zhou Weiqing’s headache grew stronger. Not allowing him to stay with Tian’er, that… that was… not possible! If it were any ordinary circumstance, he would have replied with ‘Not allowing me to stay with Tian’er, how about you stay with me then?’ Of course, at this current moment, he dared not say so.

“Xue’er, wait, don’t go! Listen to me! The reason I’m staying with Tian’er, uhh, is because we need to cultivate together!”

Outside, Shangguan Xue’er had already been prepared to run off as she did not want to face Zhou Weiqing directly. However, upon hearing his words, she started. The tent flap lifted, and she went back in, glaring at Zhou Weiqing with her tear-streaked cheeks.

Zhou Weiqing gave a helpless look and said: “It really is for cultivation! Both Tian’er and myself have two Saint Attributes of different types. When the four Saint Attributes come together, our cultivation speed is much faster than when we are alone. Furthermore, it is also the only way to have the possibility of breaking past the limit of twelve Heavenly Jewels, through to the Heavenly Jewel Change!”

Shangguan Xue’er was momentarily stunned. Twelve Jewel Limit? Although her emotions were currently unstable, as the heir of the Heaven’s Expanse Palace she naturally knew what that signified. Despite her previous hatred for Zhou Weiqing, she had personally seen how insane the speeds at which his cultivation level had risen. He was not even twenty years old yet, and already at the six-Jeweled stage. More importantly, his cultivation speed was just so quick, and his combat prowess was even higher than his cultivation! Even if she wanted to defeat him, it was not any easy task. Still… breaking past the twelve Jeweled limit, was that really possible?

Zhou Weiqing continued explaining hastily: “We have tested it before, as you know, my cultivation level has reached the six-Jeweled stage in such a short period of time, and the main factor in that is because of the four Saint Attributes. Previously, I went up the Heavenly Snow Mountain to get Tian’er, and regarding the four Saint Attributes, even the Heavenly Snow Mountain Lord approved of it, and he hoped that we can achieve a breakthrough in the future past that legendary stage. Of course, you need not worry, I will not interfere between any of the Great Saint Lands, no matter what my cultivation level reaches in the future. Ok?”

Shangguan Xue’er’s mind was currently in a turmoil, and she could not easily calm down to think clearly. Biting her lip lightly, she glared at him and said huffily: “Whatever you say, I’m leaving.” As she said that, she disappeared in a flash once more.

Seeing that she had left once again, Zhou Weiqing rubbed his face and temple wearily before heaving a sigh of relief. At least he had passed this barrier, if only barely. However, there was only Xue’er and Tian’er here right now, if Bing’er and Fei’er, or even Little Witch, were all here, how would he spend his days in the future! Thinking up to that point, he felt a conflicted feeling of pride and worry. It was truly not going to be an easy thing to handle.

Never mind, I shall not care about all that now. The cart will eventually find its way round the hill when it gets there, things will eventually sort itself out!

This was one of the advantages of Zhou Weiqing; once he met something that he couldn’t figure out, he would not spend too much time dwelling on the matter. Sometimes, overthinking was useless, and it would be better to spend limited time on doing more important things. As for any of the dilemmas, there would eventually be ways to solve them.

Returning to his tent, perhaps due to Shangguan Xue’er’s warning, or because he was still not fully recovered, Zhou Weiqing did not have intimate relations with Tian’er, instead starting to cultivate immediately.

This was actually Zhou Weiqing and Tian’er’s first time cultivating together with the four Saint Attributes. Previously, they had been flying back and did not cultivate, but now they were able to actually focus on it.

Zhou Weiqing’s mother-in-law, the Entropic Nether Tiger Phelia – besides gifting him with the ‘Nether State’ Skill, she had also taught him the cultivation method of joining the four Saint Attributes. Of course, this cultivation method was conceptualized by Phelia with her own experiences, and for the actual specifics, Zhou Weiqing and Tian’er still had to fumble about themselves.

Both of them sat cross-legged on the bed, facing each other, holding hands as they circulated their Heavenly Energy. A thick Heavenly Energy reverberation soon enveloped their bodies. According to Phelia’s teachings, they unleashed their Saint Attribute auras to the forefront. As expected, they did not need to control it too much, and the four Saint Attributes were quickly drawn to each other. All they needed to do was to ensure the Heavenly Energy they were circulating was in proper rhythm and with the fluctuations in tune. In this way, the four Saint Attributes would be stabilized, without any being stronger than the other.

As the two of them circulated their energies carefully, the four Saint Attributes began to spin in a clockwise manner, forming a whirlpool. Instantly, a strange sensation spread to both Zhou Weiqing and Tian’er.

However, the sensations they felt were actually very different. Tian’er felt the icy cold sensation of the Demonic Attribute and the strange warping sensation of the Time Attribute. As for Zhou Weiqing, he sensed the light-filled Divine Attribute and the strong Spirit Attribute reverberations.

The four Saint Attributes crisscrossed in the whirlpool, and soon both youths were fully immersed in the cultivation experience, forgetting themselves.

Not long after they began cultivating, at the center of the Peerless Battalion, Long Shiya walked out of his own tent, looking in their direction. A delighted and gratified look flashed across his face. The presence and fluctuations of the Four Saint Attributes were just too obvious; let alone for Long Shiya, any Jewel Master above the three-Jeweled stage would sense something. If anyone observed closely, they would be able to see a faint light forming above Zhou Weiqing’s tent, reaching almost a hundred metres tall, vaguely appearing and disappearing in the bright sunlight.

As Zhou Weiqing and Tian’er continued cultivating, this circle of light grew stronger and more obvious, filled with the four – White, Gold, Purple and Grey colours, forming a faint whirlpool of colours after a time.