152: Chapter 152 Transmitting the Five Elements Technique

In the following days, Li Qing remained by Zhou Yao's side, never leaving her, and took meticulous care of everything for her.

Every day, he fed her the soul-restoring pill on time and meticulously prepared various Spirit Food.

Under Li Qing's care, the speed of Zhou Yao's physical recovery was astonishing.

In just over twenty days, her originally weak and powerless body had regained strength; she no longer needed to lie down, could sit up on her own, and slowly walk around after getting off the bed.

Her speech was no longer hoarse or weak, her voice was clear and steady, and her complexion gradually became rosy, completely devoid of the pale and fragile appearance she had when she first woke up.

In less than a month, Zhou Yao's injuries had completely healed, her Divine Soul was stable, and her spirit and energy were fully restored. She was no different from before she fell into a coma, and because she had spent years in an Immortal Cave filled with abundant Spiritual Qi, her foundation was even better than before.

Watching Zhou Yao finally able to walk around freely without having to carefully rest in bed, the weight that had been hanging in Li Qing's heart for a full six years finally settled completely.

Having been stifled in the Immortal Cave for so long, Zhou Yao also wanted to go out and take a look around.

Yingshui City was a major border city, bustling and lively with numerous marketplaces. Cultivators came and went continuously, the streets were crowded with people, and shops were filled with a dazzling array of goods; Medicinal Pills, Magical Artifacts, Cultivation Techniques, and Yao Beast Materials were all available. It was a place she had never had the chance to properly explore in her entire life within the Zhou Family.

Li Qing naturally did not refuse.

Now that he was a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, he could be considered a top expert in the entire Yingshui City area. Whether it was ordinary Loose Cultivators, Sect Disciples, or the forces of the city's cultivation Family, no one dared to provoke him easily.

With him by her side, not to mention ordinary trouble, even if they encountered blind Rogue Cultivators or fierce Yao Beasts, he could easily resolve them with a wave of his hand, ensuring Zhou Yao's safety with 100% certainty.

The two walked out of the Immortal Cave one after the other, strolling through the streets and alleys of Yingshui City.

Looking at the lively scene on the street and all sorts of novel items she had never seen before, Zhou Yao's eyes were full of curiosity.

Six years had passed in a flash; the outside world had long since changed. To Zhou Yao, the bustling city and everything in it felt both fresh and unfamiliar.

Li Qing patiently accompanied her, visiting Medicinal Pill shops and looking at Magical Artifact stores. Whenever they passed a snack stall, he would buy her Spirit Food pastries specially made for Cultivators, and whenever they encountered interesting trinkets, he would casually buy them and give them to her.

There was no ambiguous tug-of-war, no romantic entanglements; it was just like old friends who had known each other for many years—plain, free, stable, and comfortable.

Even though Zhou Yao knew in her heart that they would only be Fellow Daoists in the future and shouldn't have any extra thoughts, walking side by side with Li Qing in the bustling market, with the sunlight shining on her and someone steadily accompanying her, she still felt incredibly warm.

Yet, occasionally looking at Li Qing's profile, a hint of unspeakable loss would still flash through her heart.

She understood that this gentleness was kindness and responsibility, but it was definitely not love.

After exploring the bustling marketplace, the two returned to the Immortal Cave.

Li Qing thought of Zhou Yao's Spiritual Root Aptitude; like him, she possessed a Five-Element Mixed Spiritual Root.

In the eyes of others, this Spiritual Root was a useless root; cultivation was slow, and it was difficult to achieve the great Dao. She was discriminated against everywhere in the Sect. It was precisely because she had Mixed Spiritual Roots that the Zhou Family had always belittled her, bullied her, and treated her as a sacrifice for marriage.

But only Li Qing knew that the Five-Element Mixed Spiritual Root was precisely the perfect match for the "Five Elements Art."

A single Spiritual Root cultivating a single Cultivation Technique had a limited ceiling, and dual Spiritual Roots were messy and difficult to fuse. Only with all Five Elements could one push the Five Elements Art to the extreme; the further one cultivated, the more terrifying it became, making one almost invincible within the same Realm.

Previously, Zhou Yao had no guidance and no suitable Cultivation Technique, so she was trapped at the bottom for her entire life, achieving nothing.

Now that her life was out of danger and her body had recovered, Li Qing did not want to delay her cultivation.

After careful consideration, Li Qing, without holding anything back, directly passed the complete Five Elements Art that he primarily cultivated to Zhou Yao.

Not only the basic Mind-Cultivation Technique, but also the three powerful Five Elements Secret Techniques he had painstakingly cultivated for many years—the Metal-Wood-Water-Fire-Earth Five Elements Circulation Secret Technique, the Five Elements Protective Barrier, and the Five Elements Explosive Killing Move—were all given to her without reservation.

"Your Spiritual Root happens to be complete with all Five Elements, making this Cultivation Technique perfectly suitable for you. Others may look down on Mixed Spiritual Roots, but to me, this is the best Aptitude."

Li Qing's tone was calm, yet incredibly serious:

"I will teach you both the Cultivation Technique and the Secret Techniques. You can Cultivate with peace of mind. If there is anything you don't understand, ask me anytime. I will prepare all the Spirit Stones and Medicinal Pills for you, so you don't need to worry about any external matters."

Zhou Yao was stunned, her eyes slightly heating up.

The Five Elements Art was a top-tier Cultivation Technique, and the three Five Elements Secret Techniques were even more precious; ordinary Sects would treat them as their Sect Legacy and would never easily pass them on, even if they were beaten to death.

Yet Li Qing, without any guard or selfishness, had given them all to her.

This kindness was already heavier than mountains and seas.

She nodded heavily, clenched her fists, and secretly made up her mind to Cultivate diligently, so as not to fail Li Qing's efforts, not to waste his six years of protection in vain, and even more so, not to betray this trust given without reservation.

From then on, inside the Immortal Cave, the two would Cultivate and meditate day and night.

While stabilizing his own Foundation Establishment cultivation, Li Qing meticulously guided Zhou Yao on the details of her cultivation, correcting her mistakes in breathing and channeling Qi, helping her organize her Five Elements Spiritual Qi meridians, and resolving hidden dangers caused by conflicting or stagnant Spiritual Qi.

Mixed Spiritual Roots were most prone to Spiritual Qi disorder and Qi Deviation, but relying on Li Qing's experienced guidance, he helped her harmonize and smooth it out bit by bit.

Zhou Yao was also exceptionally hardworking and determined.

Having experienced a life-and-death slumber, she cherished the opportunity to live more than anyone else, and she also understood that only by cultivating and becoming stronger could she avoid being at the mercy of others.

She cultivated bitterly day and night, never slacking off. The circulation of her Spiritual Qi became increasingly proficient, and the Fusion of the Five Elements power became smoother and smoother.

Days passed one by one, spring, summer, autumn, and winter rotated, and in the blink of an eye, a year had gone by.

Under Li Qing's constant protection, endless supply of Medicinal Pills, sufficient Spirit Stones, and meticulous guidance, Zhou Yao's cultivation skyrocketed.

The Five-Element Mixed Spiritual Root, which was originally weak and looked down upon by everyone, relied on the Five Elements Art to advance by leaps and bounds, steadily reaching Qi Refining Stage 7.

This speed was several times faster than that of ordinary Genius Cultivators.

Back in the old Zhou Family, Qi Refining Stage 7 was already one of the top experts in the Family, enough to be respected, and she would never again be treated as trash or a pawn for marriage to be bullied at will.

Zhou Yao's own state of mind had also become much more stable.

She thought about it very carefully for a long time and finally made her decision.

Although Yingshui City was stable and had enough Spiritual Qi, it was ultimately just a small border city. Without the guidance of high-level Cultivators, without vast cultivation resources, and without top-tier Cultivation Technique Legacies, being trapped here for a lifetime meant a very low ceiling for cultivation, making it difficult to have any major Breakthroughs.

The Luoshui Sect was a major Sect within a radius of a thousand miles, with a deep foundation, fair rules, countless resources, and many elder masters who had attained the Dao; it was very suitable for her long-term cultivation.

After thinking it over, Zhou Yao finally whispered to Li Qing:

"I have thought it over; I will join the Luoshui Sect."

Li Qing was not surprised at all after hearing this; on the contrary, he strongly agreed.

He had originally hoped that Zhou Yao could go to a stable and powerful Sect to Cultivate with peace of mind, far away from disputes and the dangerous grudges around him. The Luoshui Sect happened to be the best choice.

"Good, I respect your decision."

Li Qing nodded gently.

"When you have finished packing, I will personally take you there."

He did not ask further, nor did he try to make her stay, and he certainly did not show any reluctance to part.

In his heart, Zhou Yao's stable future was far more important than their brief time together.

Zhou Yao looked at his calm and indifferent appearance, a slight ache in her heart, but she did not say much.

She had long understood that Li Qing had long been prepared for them to drift apart.

Over the next few days, Li Qing counted out a large amount of Spirit Stones, soul-restoring pills, protective Magical Artifacts, cultivation necessities, and even five foundation establishment pills, packing them all up properly and gifting them all to Zhou Yao.

These resources were enough for Zhou Yao to reach Foundation Establishment.

After everything was prepared, the two left the Intermediate Immortal Cave where they had lived for more than a year.

They arrived at the teleportation array in Yingshui City and teleported directly to Luoshui City!

Luoshui City was truly worthy of being the only main city of the Luoshui Sect.

The city soared into the clouds, its walls covered in the Sect's spiritual light, surrounded by Immortal Qi. Within the city, pavilions stretched on continuously, Cultivators flew all over the sky, and the Spiritual Qi was far richer than in Yingshui City. Everywhere was the grandeur of a major Sect, majestic and magnificent.

Looking from afar, one could feel the strong foundation of the Luoshui Sect.

Cultivators in the city came and went in an endless stream. Foundation Establishment Cultivators could be seen everywhere, and there were countless experts at the Qi Refining stage. The bustling level of the streets was more than ten times that of Yingshui City.

Sect Disciples could be seen coming and going everywhere, exchanging Cultivation Techniques, trading in the marketplace, and cultivating and seeking the Dao; everywhere was the atmosphere of a major cultivation Sect.

Zhou Yao looked at everything grand and magnificent before her, her heart filled with both nervousness and anticipation.

This would be the place for her long-term cultivation in the future, the brand-new starting point for her to cast off her humble past life and re-establish herself in the cultivation world.

And Li Qing was the person who brought her to the door of this new life.

The two stepped into Luoshui City and did not stay long in the bustling market. Li Qing hired a carriage and stated their destination.

The coachman drove the Spirit Horse, taking Li Qing directly to the place where the Luoshui Sect recruited new Disciples.

As a top major Sect within a radius of a thousand miles, the Luoshui Sect recruited Disciples regularly every ten days. At this moment, the recruitment point was already packed, surrounded by a dark mass of Cultivators who had come to sign up. Most were young faces in their teens or twenties, including Loose Cultivators who had come alone and children from various large and small cultivation Families. Everyone was eager and ready, all wanting to squeeze their way into the Luoshui Sect to become Sect Disciples, thereby having backing and resources, and embarking on a proper cultivation path.

The crowd was noisy and clamorous. Some were nervous and anxious, some were full of confidence, and others were inquiring about each other's cultivation levels. The uproar was almost enough to overturn the sky above.

Li Qing held Zhou Yao's hand, subconsciously shielding her by his side, pushing through the crowded crowd, and slowly moving closer to the front of the line.

Zhou Yao felt a bit awkward being squeezed by the crowd. She followed closely behind Li Qing, looking at the high-spirited young Cultivators around her, and could not help but feel a bit tight in her heart.

She had been looked down upon in the Zhou Family since she was a child, and years of inferiority were hidden deep in her bones. Even though her cultivation had reached Qi Refining Stage 7 and she had been meticulously cared for by Li Qing for a year, facing such a recruitment scene of a major Sect, she still could not help but feel nervous.

"Don't panic, I am here."

Li Qing noticed her nervousness, turned his head, and whispered a word of comfort. His tone was calm yet exceptionally powerful, instantly settling Zhou Yao's uneasy heart quite a bit.

In the gap while waiting in line, many gazes around fell upon the two. Most were curious, and many were also sizing up Li Qing. After all, although the aura of Li Qing as a Foundation Establishment Cultivator was not deliberately released, discerning people could still vaguely perceive it. Being accompanied by a Foundation Establishment Cultivator to sign up, one would assume their cultivation should not be weak.