Chapter 594 - 247: Foundation (Part 3)

Wang De said no more. After a few more moments of idle chatter, he signaled that the banquet could end.

He then personally saw Chen Qing to the door of the hall, where Wang Qi took over to escort him out of the Prince’s Mansion.

After Chen Qing left, Wang De sat ramrod straight in his grandmaster chair, his face as still and dark as deep water.

Tanglin stood respectfully below.

"Well?"

Wang De did not look up, his voice low.

Tanglin bowed, his tone unequivocal. "Grand Elder, I observed him carefully. I tested him with my words several times during the banquet. Even when I mentioned the details of Miss Wang’s death, his heart and spirit were like a deep, ancient well, showing no signs of disturbance."

"His account is consistent with the information we have. His mention of Liao Chuan was also logical and reasonable. It was, in a word, flawless."

He paused before concluding, "From my perspective, the possibility of Chen Qing being the murderer is... infinitesimal."

The tapping of Wang De’s fingers on the armrest stopped. He slowly raised his head. "Not a single flaw?"

"None."

Tanglin said with certainty, "Either this young man’s mental fortitude is far beyond what is normal for his age, or... he truly has nothing to do with the young miss’s death."

The Quiet Chamber fell into a brief silence.

Wang De leaned back into his chair and closed his eyes, as if weighing his thoughts.

After a long moment, he opened his eyes again.

"It still comes back to that Luo Qianjue! He was also at Luoxing Slope that day, and he even had a conflict with Zhu He. I don’t believe it. Even if he isn’t the murderer, he must recognize the culprit, or at least have seen something!"

He stared at Tanglin. "Assign more men. Keep a close watch on Luo Qianjue! I want to know his every move, who he meets, what Martial Arts he cultivates—everything!"

"Yes!"

Tanglin accepted the order, but a hint of hesitation appeared on his face. "Grand Elder, Luo Qianjue is now a True Successor Candidate. It’s said he’s already caught the eye of an Elder within the Sect. If we watch him too closely, I’m afraid..."

"I know!"

Wang De cut him off. "Before we have conclusive evidence, don’t make any rash moves, and certainly don’t alert our target. Just monitor him secretly and gather any and all suspicious clues. I believe in planning before acting. I won’t make a move unless I’m certain, but when I do... it will be with the force of a thunderbolt!"

Tanglin bowed deeply and said no more.

.....

Chen Qing rode the Golden Feathered Eagle back to the Sect, the biting night wind rushing against his face.

Scene after scene from the banquet replayed clearly in his mind.

The Wang Family, especially their Grand Elder, had not truly given up on investigating Wang Zhifu’s death.

’They have no proof, but they’ve clearly put everyone who was at Luoxing Slope at the time and had sufficient strength, myself included, on their list of suspects.’

’Today’s banquet was a pretense to build ties; its real purpose was observation,’ Chen Qing thought to himself. ’That Tanglin was likely using some special ability to probe my reactions.’

He mentally replayed every answer he had given and every expression he had shown at the banquet, confirming that he had not revealed any flaws.

’Strength... In the end, my strength is still not enough. If I were already a True Disciple, or even possessed True Essence Realm Cultivation, the Wang Family wouldn’t dare touch a hair on my head without ironclad proof, even if they were certain I did it!’

Today’s banquet was a wake-up call, a warning bell tolling in his heart.

The potential threat was like a sword hanging over his head, ready to fall at any moment.

’I must increase my strength faster!’

’I not only need to break through to the Late-stage Astral Force as soon as possible,’ Chen Qing thought, ’but I also must contend for the position of True Disciple!’

Once he ascended to the rank of True Disciple, the Wang Family would have to hesitate even if they held proof in their hands.

Such were the benefits of status.

True Successor Candidate and True Disciple—the difference in title was small.

What it didn’t capture was the vast chasm in actual power, resources, and influence.

As his thoughts churned, the silhouette of Xu Wang Mountain emerged in the night.

The Golden Feathered Eagle let out a clear cry and landed steadily outside his small courtyard.

Chen Qing leaped off the eagle’s back and fed it a Beast Essence Pill as a reward before stepping into his Quiet Chamber to begin his Cultivation.

.....

Atop the main peak, Gong Nansong and He Shuang stood facing each other in a pavilion.

Gong Nansong looked at his disciple, a satisfied expression in his eyes. He asked, "Is your Cultivation fully stabilized now?"

"Replying to Master, it has been fully stabilized at Astral Force Perfection," He Shuang replied.

Gong Nansong nodded, stroking his beard. "Excellent. Your foundation is solid, and your True Astral is powerful, far surpassing your peers. The next step is to begin accumulating power and attempt to break through the shackles of the True Essence Realm."

A hint of emotion entered his tone. "It took me three attempts to break through back then. I prepared for five years for the first one, seven for the second, and another four years for the final one before I dared to try."

Saying this, Gong Nansong let out a reminiscent sigh.

Being in a Major Sect like the Celestial Treasure Upper Sect had its advantages—resources were not scarce. As long as one cultivated step-by-step, it wasn’t difficult for top geniuses of their caliber to reach Astral Force Perfection.

The real difficulty lay in the monumental leap to a higher plane of existence.

The Astral Force Realm could be supplemented with external aids like the Astral Condensing Pill, but the True Essence Realm was completely different. It involved the condensation of one’s Martial Dao Will and the transformation of one’s True Astral into the higher-level True Essence. This process not only caused one’s strength to skyrocket but also increased one’s lifespan. It was a massive, crucial, and extremely difficult chasm to cross on the path of Martial Arts.

"Disciple understands."

He Shuang nodded solemnly. "The True Essence Realm cannot be rushed, nor can one rely on luck. I will guard against arrogance and impatience, accumulate my power diligently, and not fail Master’s trust and high hopes."

"As your master, I have full confidence in your temperament and perseverance."

Gong Nansong said with gratification. After a moment’s thought, he changed the subject. "However, while you focus on accumulating power, you must also contend for the position of True Disciple. That Lu Chenming has an impressive temperament and skill. To have held the position of True Disciple for six years, he must have his own extraordinary qualities. Now that he is stuck at a bottleneck and has been unable to step into the True Essence Realm, this is an opportunity for you."

He looked at He Shuang. "If you can defeat him in the Astral Force Realm before he breaks through and seize his position as a True Disciple, you will be able to enter the Sect’s ’Grotto Heaven’ to cultivate ahead of schedule. The Grotto Heaven is profoundly mysterious, and it will be of great benefit for you to comprehend the Realm, condense your Martial Dao Will, and even transform your True Essence in the future."

A glint flashed in He Shuang’s eyes. "Master’s meaning is... that this matter should be handled sooner rather than later?"

She had already considered this.

Lu Chenming’s strength was indeed impressive. He had been immersed in Astral Force Perfection for many years, and his Nine Heavens True Astral was both pure and profound. However, she had fused Three True Astrals, giving her a foundation so robust she was confident it was no less than that of someone who had built their foundation on a Supreme Heart Method. Now that her own Realm had also risen to Astral Force Perfection, she felt she had a decent chance of winning in a contest of raw power.

Moreover, when it came to the speed of breaking through to the True Essence Realm, Lu Chenming, who had been accumulating power for much longer, certainly had a higher chance than she did.

Once Lu broke through to the True Essence Realm, he would have secured his position completely. Becoming a True Disciple then would be infinitely more difficult.

Gong Nansong said calmly, "If you win the challenge, you will naturally ascend to the heavens in a single step, be ranked among the True Inheritance, and enjoy endless resources and glory. The cultivation in the Grotto Heaven is especially crucial."

"Even if you lose, fighting an expert like him with all your strength would be excellent tempering for you. You can see your own shortcomings, and upon your return, you can settle down, accumulate more, and build a stronger foundation for a later burst of progress. It would not be a bad thing."

These words were both an encouragement and a way to relieve her psychological burden.

"I understand."

He Shuang took a deep breath, a sharp glint flashing in her eyes.

She had long possessed the will to challenge him; she had only been waiting for the most opportune moment and sufficient confidence.

Now that her Cultivation was stable and her master had given his clear support, the last trace of hesitation in her heart vanished like smoke.

Challenging Lu Chenming was now imperative!

.....