Chapter 21

When the last bolt of lightning struck, the heart protected by the Ningbi Dan finally took a hit.

Lin Du’s brow furrowed abruptly, her previously calm expression twisting into a pained, crumpled mess, like a steamed bun skin stained with moisture.

She uncontrollably clutched her chest, the excruciating pain was even worse than the shock of the lightning, as if her brain had been smashed with a heavy axe, scattering her thoughts.

If she had known that facing the Heavenly Tribulation would be this painful, she would have skipped the whole cultivation thing and just waited to die.

Lin Du cursed inwardly, but still, like a college student who privately grumbles a hundred times yet maintains a good attitude while completing tasks, she gritted her teeth and endured.

Though she complained with her mouth, her body remained honest.

Using the last bit of her remaining consciousness, she fished out the elixir prepared by Jiang Liang and, despite the blood bubbling up her throat, shoved it into her mouth.

As the medicine took effect, it began repairing her damaged organs and soothing her aching heart.

Gradually, the lightning tribulation dissipated, and the sky began to drizzle with rain infused with restorative and life-giving energy. This was one of the ways cultivators could rejuvenate the land they were on.

The skin, previously burned and scarred by lightning, quickly grew new layers. The cool rain fell on the young person lying sprawled on the ground in a big letter “X” shape. Her clothes were in tatters, her once-green robe reduced to a charred rag. She lay there with her head tilted back, allowing the spiritual rain to mend her tortured body, feeling too lazy to move despite the itching pain of growth.

Jiang Liang and Yan Ye approached. The child’s skin showed a translucent pallor like jade, with rainwater pooling in the bridge of her nose and eye sockets. Her eyes were clearly defined but appeared weary and distant.

After a long while, the child let out a soft laugh. “Before I came, everyone said that cultivating was a respectable job, and that ascending to immortality meant having a secure position. No one told me I’d have to endure lightning strikes.”

“What’s the difference between this and adults lying to children that getting into university will solve everything?”

Yan Ye and Jiang Liang exchanged a glance. “Did my disciple get struck by lightning and lose her mind? Check quickly, where’s my smart disciple?”

Jiang Liang knelt down to examine her. “Not damaged, she’s doing fine. Her spirit is solid, and her body has mostly healed. Her heart veins seem protected by some medicinal power with no signs of decay. Her lungs are almost fully restored, but the rest will need years of nurturing.”

Slowly, the rain stopped.

A particularly radiant rainbow appeared on the horizon, with the sky painted in hues of red.

Lin Du still didn’t move; she was truly numb from the pain. Even now, with her heart healed, she still felt lingering pain and, upon opening her mouth, a blood bubble emerged.

Seeing this, Yan Ye was so alarmed that his heart seemed to stop. He picked her up. “Lin Du? Lin Du? Are you alright? Say something to your master.”

Lin Du’s throat moved again, and another blood bubble came out.

… It wasn’t that she didn’t want to speak; she just couldn’t.

Her cruel master picked her up, and the blood coming out of her throat was stuck, unable to go up or down.

She struggled to pat Yan Ye’s arm, then deftly rolled onto the ground and spat out a mouthful of old blood.

Jiang Liang couldn’t bear to watch and silently turned away.

Having such a master was Lin Du’s misfortune.

This master would eventually play her to death.

Lin Du felt somewhat relieved after spitting out the blood, and a crane cloak appeared on her shoulders, provided by Jiang Liang.

She then noticed that this senior was still shivering despite wearing a fox fur coat.

The formation in Luo Ze caused water to freeze instantly; it combined the extreme cold of the northern regions with the magical damage of southern winters. Even a True Person of the Huiyang Realm would soon become an ice sculpture without spiritual protection.

Lin Du thanked him and straightened up, feeling the abundant spiritual energy within her. What had previously been only faint outlines of her meridians was now fully visible, and her spiritual awareness had greatly expanded.

She stood up. “I’m hungry. Is it time? I want to flaunt my food.”

Jiang Liang nodded. “It’s almost ready, but it should be done soon.”

“Just right. I’ll change my clothes. Even beggars would reject me for my tattered attire.”

Lin Du strolled back to her cave residence with no hint of her recent brush with death.

“Lin Du,” Yan Ye suddenly called out.

Lin Du turned her head and raised an eyebrow at her master. “What is it? Didn’t I tell you not to underestimate me?”

“The day’s task isn’t done yet. Luo Ze is over there. Go in yourself. You’re filthy, like a monkey that’s rolled in mud.”

Lin Du clicked her tongue and drawled, “Got it. Don’t peek.”

Yan Ye lowered his gaze. “I’m blind.”

Lin Du ignored him, walked to the hanging ice waterfall, and stored her cloak in her storage ring. She scratched her head. “My head itches so much. Am I growing a brain?”

The foundation-building tribulation had almost completely renewed her body, leaving her with scabs and new flesh, which was inevitably itchy.

She used her spiritual power to break through the thick ice shell and jumped in.

The water in Luo Ze was among the most precious spiritual waters, second only to the heavenly rain. Yan Ye was concerned that the heavenly rain alone might not be enough, so he added this to thoroughly cleanse her lungs and organs.

Lin Du was well aware and didn’t argue, just like she had playfully joked with Yan Ye before the tribulation to ease his mind.

Both master and disciple understood everything clearly in their hearts but were unwilling to express their clichéd concerns in sentimental words.

Jiang Liang couldn’t comprehend the way the master and disciple interacted and shook his head, sneezing. “I’m leaving.”

“Mm.” Yan Ye nodded. “Do you need me, this blind man, to escort you?”

Jiang Liang scoffed, waved his sleeve, and took a few steps away, leaving the ice and snow-covered land where no living person should tread.

While Lin Du endured the rushing currents beneath the ice and struggled against the flow, a stone pillar on Mount Floating Cloud in Zhong Zhou Continent suddenly burst into golden light. Characters on it, seemingly devoid of human touch, began to move on their own.

The surge of celestial power caused those stationed at the mountain base to hurry down to observe.

A new line of text appeared on the stone pillar: “Lin Du, Age 13, Heart of the Qin Realm.”

An additional note in smaller text read, “Two months into the Dao, Foundation Building, top talent on the Qingyun List.”

“Lin Du… Lin Du.” The Taoist stared at the inscription, “Two months of Foundation Building… top talent on the Qingyun List.”

The Qingyun List, which extended from the heavens to the earth at the base of Mount Floating Cloud, was a creation of the celestial Dao. There was a corresponding pillar on the Yao Tai Island in the sea, named Chongxiao.

The Qingyun List recorded the rising young talents of each generation in the cultivation world. It had witnessed many names fading away, either due to the fall of geniuses or because they became ordinary.

The Chongxiao List, towering high, recorded the strong cultivators emerging in succession. Since cultivation was under the supervision of the celestial Dao, any advancement would be known by the Dao first, unless the heavenly secrets were obscured.

Countless folk rankings existed with varying criteria, but only the Qingyun and Chongxiao Lists were beyond dispute.

In just one day, Lin Du’s name spread across the entire Zhong Zhou Continent.

And with it, the title “Top Talent.”