With You to the Top

"How unusual, Luo Xi, you're actually late for class." In the next lecture, An Shiyu, sitting in the large classroom, blinked in surprise as she watched Luo Xi sneak back in through the rear door. It was unexpected for a diligent student like Luo Xi to be late.

After all, Luo Xi had always been punctual before. Though many students tended to be late for this laid-back lecture, this was a first for her.

She had just gone back to return some equipment and taken a shower in the changing room—surely that shouldn’t have taken so long?

An Shiyu rested her chin on her hand, her narrowed eyes suggesting she had figured something out.

[The wise Mudkip has already seen through everything.jpg]

"Ah… the equipment room door was broken, so it took some time, haha…" Luo Xi scratched her cheek with a finger as she explained, though her voice lacked conviction. She really had spent quite a while there.

The shower had taken longer than expected.

"Isn’t it normal for girls to take longer in the shower?" Ye Chuan chimed in, only to have his foot stepped on by Luo Xi.

Seeing the girl puff up her cheeks cutely at him, Ye Chuan smiled.

...

After school in the afternoon, the windows were bathed in a faint golden hue, casting a warm glow on the walls.

As usual, Luo Xi and An Shiyu went off to their respective club activities, while Ye Chuan headed straight home.

He wasn’t particularly interested in clubs, and with plenty of things to do every day, he preferred to dedicate his time to cultivation-related matters. Club activities felt like a waste of time to him.

When he arrived home, the living room was quiet, with no sign of Lan Xiaoke.

Ye Chuan extended his spiritual sense slightly and could feel Lan Xiaoke and Bai Qianshuang in their respective rooms. What they were doing wasn’t his concern.

"Tonight, I’ll head to the Tianxuan Continent to break through to the Crystallization Realm."

Since the dungeon hadn’t reset yet, Ye Chuan wasn’t in a hurry to advance. It would happen at midnight anyway—he just had to wait for the refresh.

Sitting on the sofa, he pulled out his phone and began refining Deer Blood Pills. He had promised Wang Yanran to deliver them for the upcoming Super Martial Assembly, so he needed to prepare in advance.

As for the Revitalizing Pills, those would take a bit more time. Wang Yanran probably hadn’t used them yet, so their effects remained unknown.

For now, he focused on refining the Deer Blood Pills.

Fortunately, Ye Chuan had upgraded his alchemy furnace multiple times, making the refinement of a basic-grade pill as easy as flipping his hand. He didn’t even need to use acceleration—one pill could be produced every minute.

After refining thirty Deer Blood Pills, he was about to take a break when he noticed a bedroom door slowly opening.

A long-haired girl stepped out. Bai Qianshuang was dressed in simple sleepwear, and upon seeing Ye Chuan on the sofa, she spoke softly,

"Ye Chuan, are you still struggling with the Crystallization Realm?"

Hm?

Ye Chuan hadn’t expected Bai Qianshuang to ask about this.

"It’s fine. Maybe I’ll break through any day now?" Seeing her misunderstanding, Ye Chuan simply smiled, choosing not to mention the Crystallization Pill.

If he advanced, he could just claim it was due to his natural talent—no need for external aids.

[I don’t know anything, I just woke up like this.]

[Maybe I’m just gifted at cultivation.]

[What? You became an Immortal Emperor just by sleeping too?]

Bai Qianshuang sat beside him, her hands resting on her lap, her expression calm and unmoving.

Just as Ye Chuan wondered what she was planning, the girl suddenly reached out and pushed him down onto the sofa!

Ye Chuan: "?!"

"I can help you compress your spiritual energy." Bai Qianshuang’s gem-like eyes lowered slightly as she spoke softly.

Her dark hair cascaded over Ye Chuan’s face, tickling him.

Ye Chuan froze for a moment, staring at the delicate face and ample curves so close to him. He swallowed reflexively. "Compressing spiritual energy is good, but… does it require such a strange position?"

For a second, he thought Bai Qianshuang was about to pounce on him.

"Apologies." Bai Qianshuang straightened up, seemingly unaware of what she had just done.

The process of reaching the Crystallization Realm was unique, requiring the fusion of spiritual energies between two individuals—something Bai Qianshuang had been contemplating all day.

"There’s no rush with the Crystallization Realm." Ye Chuan, however, wanted to ask Bai Qianshuang more about the Tianxuan Continent.

Since he would be venturing there tonight, gathering more information beforehand wouldn’t hurt.

"Qianshuang, can you tell me a bit about the Tianxuan Continent?"

"The Tianxuan Continent…" Though unsure why he was asking, Bai Qianshuang nodded gently. "Of course. What would you like to know?"

Ye Chuan decided to start with the basics. "The general situation—like the distribution of factions, for example."

"The Tianxuan Continent is divided into four continents and one forbidden domain—comprising the Eastern, Western, Southern, Northern, and Divine Continents, along with the Forbidden Domain. The power structures are complex, and the population is vast. Beyond ordinary mortals, even rogue cultivators are countless." Bai Qianshuang continued,

"My Jade Void Sect was one of the top three sects of the Donghua Divine Continent. However, after the Qingyun Sect colluded with the demonic race, our sect was annihilated in a massacre. I was hunted down and slandered by those people…"

As she spoke, Bai Qianshuang’s eyes dimmed, and even the stray hair on her head drooped, as if weighed down by painful memories.

"The Jade Void Sect was a righteous sect, yet we were framed. Even my master and the sect leader were besieged and killed."

Her body trembled slightly—whether from sorrow or anger was unclear.

The next moment, she felt her hand being held, warmth spreading through her fingers.

"It’s alright. Once we find a way back, I’ll go with you and tear that Qingyun Sect apart." Ye Chuan’s soothing words seemed to ease Bai Qianshuang’s turmoil, calming her emotions slightly.

"The Qingyun Sect’s leader and their elders are at the Enlightenment Realm, with the leader reaching the peak of that stage." Bai Qianshuang explained.

The cultivation realms of the Tianxuan Continent were divided into ten stages—

[Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, Crystallization, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Spirit Transformation, Enlightenment, Great Ascension, Heavenly Tribulation, Immortal Ascension.]

In short, revenge would be difficult.

Faced with such a blood feud, Bai Qianshuang only wanted to drag a few down with her. She didn’t want Ye Chuan to risk himself for her vengeance.

"I can handle it myself." Bai Qianshuang said.

"No, didn’t we promise to stay together forever?" Ye Chuan held her hand, gently stroking the back of it. "What if I become a cultivation powerhouse one day?"

"I’ll fight by your side."

Bai Qianshuang gazed at him silently, the words on her lips left unspoken.

"Alright…" A thousand thoughts condensed into a single word.

She lowered her head, pressing her forehead against the back of his hand, her voice trembling slightly.

"Thank you…"