Painting of the Nine Immortals

Chapter 341: The Backbone

Translator: Tatienne Editor: Fish Creek

It was nighttime. The sun had gone into hiding as the moon peeked out.

Soft wind blew across and made the Forest of Purple Bamboos rustle. Leaves of the bamboos drifted with the wind.

Over hundreds of silhouettes appeared in the Forest of the Purple Bamboos. Everyone's expression was highly emotional as they watched the white shadow walk closer. Their faces were ridden with joy and ease.

These two years they had lived tensely and could not find peace. After seeing Ling Xian however, the heavy rock that pressed down on their hearts finally fell to the ground.

To these people, Ling Xian was their savior and also their irreplaceable backbone.

After they heard about all the shocking events Ling Xian had achieved, Ling Xian had left a very deep impression on everyone. It was that he was profound and omnipotent.

After he saved these people from the two forces, everyone had already subconsciously relied on him. Therefore, they naturally felt like Ling Xian was their backbone. Supporting them through thick and thin.

One had to admit that this was blind trust. More than that, many people had begun to treat him as if he was a religion. They believed in him wholeheartedly and were willing to live and die for him!

"This kind of aura… I have felt something similar from father!"

Zi Hua Shang's eyes sparkled with shock. Peering at the youth in white, she mumbled, "Could it be… he broke through to the completion level?"

But very quickly, she denied this guess.

A 20 year old completion levelled cultivator?

How was that possible?!

Even though she had felt that aura, Zi Hua Shang could not imagine that Ling Xian could achieve such attainment at this age.

Feeling the gazes, Ling Xian faintly smiled, "Alright, stop looking at me like that. I am not used to it."

He then marched forward until he was in front of Zi Hua Shang, "It's been two years. How have you been?"

"Thanks to you, the Yun Clan has been looking after us. We have been well." Zi Hua Shang smiled brightly.

As soon as she finished speaking, others began to talk as well, their tone was full of appreciation.

"It is all thanks to Master Ling. Without him, the Yun Clan would not be taking care of us like this."

"Yes, without Master Ling, we would be dead."

"Of course. How can I forget?"

Hearing this, Ling Xian grinned, "There is no need to thank me. Thank the Supreme Headmaster."

The moment he said those words, the entire place silenced. Everyone thought of the dead Zi Dong Lai and their friends. Their faces drowned in sorrow.

"Two years wasn't enough for them to get over this?" Ling Xian whispered to himself. Looking at the grieving girl before him, he said, "Follow me."

He then marched towards the cottage.

Zi Hua Shang nodded and followed Ling Xian in light steps.

Seeing this, everyone dispersed.

After a short while, Ling Xian and Zi Hua Shang arrived at the cottage and was once again, stifled by the dust.

"Ehem."

Ling Xian frowned and waved his sleeve around. He then sat onto a black chair, "Don't stand anymore. Sit."

"Okay."

Zi Hua Shang nodded. After hesitating for a while, she asked carefully, "I wonder if your cultivation has improved in the past few years?"

"You want to know if I am now completion." Ling Xian teased, seeing through Zi Hua Shang's intention.

Realizing that Ling Xian had seen through her, Zi Hua Shang panicked and stood up in a hurry to explain, "Listen to me, I am not trying to exploit your secrets. I am simply curious. I really am just curious."

"I am not blaming you for anything, why are you so afraid." Ling Xian shook his head. He didn't expect Zi Hua Shang's reaction to be so overboard.

He didn't know that his powerfulness had invaded every inch of these people. Whether it was Zi Hua Shang, or those people outside, they all respected him and did not dare to show any rudeness towards him. Especially since they saw him as their backbone.

Now that the backbone of the descendants had seen through her intention, Zi Hua Shang was naturally uncomfortable.

"You don't blame ?"

Zi Hua Shang was startled. Noticing that Ling Xian was grinning, she sighed in relief and awkwardly said, "I thought… I thought you would be mad."

"I am not that tiny of a man." Ling Xian smiled and gestured for Zi Hua Shang to sit, "Relax. Don't treat me like I'm a demon. I won't eat you."

Zi Hua Shang finally calmed down. However, her head was still lowered as she avoided eye contact with Ling Xian.

"You asked me if I had my breakthrough right." Ling Xian smiled and spoke a sentence that shocked Zi Hua Shang.

"I did."

Zi Hua Shang was stunned.

Two simple words crashed down on her like lightening and struck her!

He broke through?

A 20 something year old completion cultivator?!

Zi Hua Shang's face was full of disbelief. But very quickly, her body began to shake as she became highly emotional.

A victor of the foundational level became a completion levelled cultivator! She knew what this meant. This represented a form of powerfulness!

This meant killing Li Jian Yi and Ning Wu Ji would not be hard.

This was why Zi Hua Shang was emotional. Her watery eyes stared at Ling Xian with hope.

Realizing Zi Hua Shang's anticipation, Ling Xian said, "You want me to kill those leaders to avenge the Supreme Headmaster."

"That's right!"

Zi Hua Shang's hands formed into fists as she kneeled onto the ground and pleaded, "Master Ling, you have broken through to the completion level. Killing those two will not be difficult for you. So please, I am begging you, to avenge my father."

Ling Xian remained silent and recalled Zi Dong Lai's last words. He did not help Zi Hua Shang up, instead, asked her, "Why would I avenge him for you?"

"Why?"

Zi Hua Shang froze. To her, avenging Zi Dong Lai was something natural. She never thought too much about it.

But after Ling Xian had inquired her, she realized how unreasonable she was.

Honestly speaking, Ling Xian owed the Zi Yang House nothing. Instead, the Zi Yang House owed him far too much. During critical moments, he had put his own life on the line and saved hundreds of descendants. He had also chased away pursuers and brought back Zi Dong Lai's corpse.

He had done everything there was to do.

It was not a duty of Ling Xian's to avenge Zi Dong Lai.

"Yeah… why? What reason do I have to ask him to fight?" Zi Hua Shang smiled bitterly and all the hope in her eyes darkened.

Ling Xian sighed, "If Zi Dong Lai didn't say what he had said, I would be on my way to the House of Xuan Yin or House of Ling Jian."

Pausing, he then asked, "But the Supreme Headmaster had specifically said that he did not want me to avenge him. Do you know why?"