Chapter220 – Deep cultivation

She’d been so busy she hadn’t even asked. She turned toward White. “White, was that Sword Cultivator killed by your brother?”

White shook her head. “No. My brother has never killed anyone.”

Lauren frowned. “Never?”

White shook her head again, serious and certain. “My brother doesn’t kill living beings.”

Lauren went silent. A dragon powerful enough to crush a Sword Cultivator— And he had never killed a single living being?

Was there really such a thing? A monster that strong… who had never taken a life?

“What about the Sword Cultivator?” Lauren’s heart lurched.

Was he still out there? What if he showed up one day out of nowhere and went straight for a sneak attack? Who the hell could survive that?

“That Sword Cultivator went to heaven,” White said calmly.

“To heaven?”

White nodded. “Yes. He was incredibly wicked. After my brother transformed into a dragon, he actually stole my brother’s ascension ladder.”

Lauren: “…”

Dante frowned. “He could steal something like that?”

White nodded vigorously. “Yes! My brother was almost through—half his body had already entered the gate. That man grabbed his tail and flung him out. Then he rushed in himself and chopped the ascension ladder apart with his sword.”

Dante: “…”

Lauren: “…” That bastard was ruthless. No wonder Silent Fang had gone to such lengths to hitch a ride on someone else’s ascension ladder.

Still… at least that monster of a Sword Cultivator was gone now. If he were still in the Cultivation world, there probably wouldn’t be a single person capable of stopping him.

“White, you can stay here in peace,” Lauren said gently. “If you need anything, ask Tarot or Briar.”

Dante added, “You can ask me too.”

Lauren shot him a look. “…”

White beamed. “Great! Great!”

Honestly, maybe bringing White back hadn’t been the best idea. Maybe she would’ve been better off staying with Dante.

After a moment’s thought, Lauren said, “Why don’t you take White with you?”

White’s weaknesses were exactly where Dante excelled. He was the type who was good at everything—steady, disciplined, reliable. Training under him would be effortless. The perfect teammate.

Dante shook his head. “No. My master forbids it.”

Lauren pursed her lips. So that “you can ask me too” was just polite bullshit?

The sect leader really had nothing better to do than meddle.

“I’m also going into seclusion,” Dante added. “Master wants me to reach Spirit Transformation as soon as possible. When we first started cultivating, I was a whole realm above you. Now you’re one realm above me. I need to work harder.”

Lauren waved dismissively. “Do whatever you want. I’m leaving.”

She couldn’t be bothered with this messy nonsense. All she wanted was to focus on her cultivation and ascend as soon as possible.

It was almost as if her master had foreseen this day. Every pill she needed for her Spirit Transformation breakthrough was already prepared.

After setting up the formation array, Lauren entered deep cultivation almost immediately. Pills dissolved into pure spiritual essence. Ice crystals shattered and melted into streams of power. Even the ice bed beneath her slowly thinned as its energy was absorbed into her body.

She hadn’t known before that the ice bed hadn’t belonged to her master. Now that she knew it had been her big senior brother’s, she made up her mind: once she broke through to Spirit Transformation, she would dive into the deep sea herself and dig up another one to return to him.

The spiritual energy inside her surged and roared. This breakthrough was even more violent than her advance to Spirit Severing. A bone-deep cold spread from her body, freezing everything in its path. Frost crept across the cave walls, crystallizing the air itself.

Briar poked its head in from the entrance, shivered violently, and bolted. It liked warmth. It hated ice.

“Briar! Wayne’s grilling meat! Want some?” White called.

“Grilling meat? Mr. Tarot said he’s not allowed to eat it!”

“He said he won’t eat it. He’s grilling it for us.”

“That’s great!” Briar was becoming more and more human by the day. It skipped after White, practically bouncing as they went to find Wayne.

Tarot had nearly recovered from his injuries. When he sensed the three little brats sneaking off to eat meat behind his back, he was furious.

He headed straight to the small hill where the sect kept its chickens.

Rage flared in his chest. But seeing them happily stuffing their faces, he hesitated.

Wayne was still just a kid. Tarot remembered what he had been like at that age—greedy, unable to resist temptation.

If his own master hadn’t been so strict with him, he probably would’ve indulged too. As for the two Monsters… expecting discipline from them was even more unrealistic.

“Fine,” Tarot muttered to himself. “I’ll wait until they finish eating before I jump out.”

He stayed hidden in the shadows, watching as they finished every last bite and even cleaned up the scene. Only then did he step out.

“Master…” Wayne said guiltily.

Tarot cleared his throat, putting on the air of a stern teacher.

“Didn’t I tell you? Cultivators must abstain from gluttony. If you’re hungry, didn’t Lauren leave you flower dew? One sip lasts ten days. The sect also has fasting pills. You must not indulge in worldly food just because of your appetite."

"We’re not like the people down the mountain. You’ve entered Starfell Summit—you’re destined to stand above the ordinary. How can you achieve that if your body isn’t pure? If you can’t even manage this, you might as well pack up and leave!” He lectured them in one long breath.

Wayne looked aggrieved. “Master… I didn’t eat.”

Briar and White, their mouths still greasy, nodded vigorously. “Yes! We can testify! He didn’t eat any!”

Tarot: “…”

“I didn’t say you ate it,” he snapped. “I’m telling you that you can’t eat it. Understand?”

Wayne nodded obediently. “Yes, Master.”

“Good. Now go cultivate. Strive to—”

He almost said “strive to reach Foundation Establishment as soon as possible.”

But then he remembered they both had Dark Spirit Roots. Cultivating too quickly in the early stages wasn’t a good thing. He changed his words mid-sentence. “Strive to grow up quickly.”

Wayne: “…” What kind of encouragement was that?

.....

Lauren’s seclusion to break into Spirit Transformation wouldn’t take less than three to five years.

The Hidden Mist Secret Realm she had brought back years ago had been placed in a secluded valley. Drake had once suggested that Gerald wait at least ten years before opening it, allowing it to stabilize and mature.

Now more than a decade had passed. Gerald felt it was time. After the last great battle, he had felt real pressure.

If another true crisis came, the sect simply didn’t have anyone strong enough to stand at the front lines. That couldn’t continue.

When Drake had still been around, things had felt secure. Now the responsibility rested squarely on his shoulders. And Gerald knew his limits.

Within the sect, with three thousand disciples behind him, he could stand tall. Outside? He couldn’t even defeat Herbert before that man’s advancement.

That was the cold truth. So he made a decision. He would properly train the younger generation.

Every three years, the sect would hold a grand competition. The champion would earn a single entry token to the Hidden Mist Secret Realm.

Young people were the most competitive. The disciples were fired up, each convinced they were the future pillar of the sect, each acting like they were destined to shake the heavens.

Watching those bright, confident faces, Gerald felt both gratified… and a little envious.