Qi Cultivation Starting from the Repair Panel

Chapter 60: Chapter 56: Confrontation

The hall was silent as the grave.

"May I ask what is wrong, Holy Envoy? Based on the Stepping Stone of Immortality's reaction, Ling Qing indeed possesses a High Quality Immortal Bone beyond doubt."

Gu Chunyang's expression remained unchanged as he slowly descended from the jade stairs:

"That day, many witnesses saw it with their own eyes."

"Gu Chunyang, I will give you one more chance."

Ling Qi turned around, his previously gentle face visibly transformed, with bone-chilling coldness in his eyes as if he intended to pierce Gu Chunyang straight through:

"Tai Xu Holy Land has methods to repair Immortal Bones. If this child's Immortal Bone is restored and it is not High Quality, then your actions would be considered deceitful, and your Phantom Spirit Sect will face annihilation!"

Upon hearing this, Song Lingqing's gaze shifted slightly, an uncontrollable sense of hope welling up within her.

If the Immortal Bone could truly be repaired, her path to immortality was not yet severed.

"The day the Stepping Stone of Immortality resonated was when Ling Qing entered the Sect Gate. If you still do not believe it, Envoy, you are more than welcome to repair Ling Qing's Immortal Bone and verify it yourself."

Gu Chunyang's gaze did not waver, and he spoke calmly:

"However, if I have spoken even a single false word, you may take my head. If you think my Phantom Spirit Sect is weak and aim to bully us with your power, I have nothing to say. You might as well flatten my Phantom Spirit Sect today."

As Gu Chunyang's voice fell, a silence as heavy as death filled the hall, so quiet that not even a breath could be heard, one could hear a pin drop.

Many Elders broke out in cold sweat, their bodies stiff, not daring to make the slightest movement.

Faced with the behemoth that is the Tai Xu Holy Land, one false step could turn the Phantom Spirit Sect into history.

Ling Qi stared at Gu Chunyang for a long while before suddenly smiling:

"Ancient Sect Master jests."

The chill in his eyes dissipated, returning to his initial warmth: "The Tai Xu Holy Land would not bully others with its power, and I do not wish to doubt you. It's just that some things are too coincidental, leading to needless worries."

With that, he turned to look at Song Lingqing, speaking gently, "There's nothing for you here anymore, go back and rest well."

Ling Qi no longer mentioned helping Song Lingqing repair her Immortal Bone, instead, he swiftly changed the subject: "The Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects is still ten years away, does the Phantom Spirit Sect not intend to participate? It's not too late to set off now."

"The reward for the champion of the tournament is a Tongxuan Spiritual Treasure, I myself am quite envious. Furthermore, by participating in the tournament, there's a chance to come into contact with outside domains, to see cultivators who practice ways different from the Immortal Path. This is a rare opportunity indeed."

Hearing this, Gu Chunyang's expression revealed a touch of bitterness:

"This tournament, my Phantom Spirit Sect has already lost a High Quality Immortal Seedling, I really don't wish to take any more risks, I hope the Envoy will understand."

"The Ancient Sect Master cherishes his disciples, I can comprehend, but a Hidden Dragon must eventually face the sea. Going out and experiencing more will benefit their future path."

After a bout of pleasantries, the atmosphere in the hall relaxed considerably, with many Elders breathing a sigh of relief as they slowly wiped away the cold sweat from their foreheads.

Song Lingqing stood still, watching Ling Qi. On her slightly pale face was a look of hesitation, wanting to speak but not knowing how to begin.

This seemed like her only hope, yet it was like a flower in the mirror or the moon in the water, within sight but beyond reach. For some reason, she suddenly felt timid.

Gu Chunyang glanced at her, his expression gentle: "Lingqing, you go back first."

Ling Qi, with his back to Song Lingqing, showed no reaction whatsoever, not even sparing her a glance, ignoring her presence entirely.

In an instant, Song Lingqing felt as if she had fallen into a pit of ice.

The hope that had just risen was once again shattered, a blow beyond description.

"Disciple... shall take her leave."

Song Lingqing bowed respectfully and slowly exited the hall, her figure slightly flustered.

Ling Qi spoke gently: "I still have to visit the Night Light Pavilion and will not linger here. As for the time to negotiate, Ancient Sect Master, wait for my message."

Having said that, he turned around and was ready to leave.

"Holy Envoy, please wait a moment."

Gu Chunyang hurriedly spoke up and bowed, "Regarding Ling Qing's Immortal Bone... could you possibly think of a way to help?"

"We shall discuss it later."

Ling Qi's steps did not halt, and in a blink of an eye, he disappeared within the great hall.

About the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, ripples suddenly began to spread across the void, and Ling Qi returned where he'd been before.

"Does the Holy Envoy have another matter?" Gu Chunyang asked, his expression puzzled.

Ling Qi's face bore a smile as he spoke gently, "This time, the Tai Xu Holy Land has not bestowed upon me the intention to cease hostility, I hope that the Ancient Sect Master makes appropriate mental preparations."

Gu Chunyang's gaze slightly hardened, and he nodded, "Naturally."

"Then that is good."

Ling Qi nodded his head and once again disappeared within the great hall.

After a long while, Gu Chunyang waved his sleeve over the void, and in front of him a phantom screen emerged, sketching out tens of thousands of miles of rivers and mountains.

After staring at the screen for a long time, Gu Chunyang finally spoke, "He is gone."

With the fall of his voice, an invisible barrier rose, covering the entire great hall and carving out an isolated space, severed from heaven and earth.

"Sect Master, this is far too risky!"

"If Ling Qi truly brings Song Lingqing back to the Tai Xu Holy Land, what then shall we do?!"

"And if we truly start a war with the Night Light Pavilion, how shall we manage the consequences?"

The moment the barrier rose, the hall burst into uproar, the elders and Supreme elders all displayed faces full of worry.

"Enough!"

With a stern shout from Gu Chunyang, the restlessness was immediately quelled, "Just now, Ling Qi was merely bluffing us. You are all so unable to keep calm; even if we could deceive him, we would still give ourselves away."

"Sect Master, how did you discern that Ling Qi was deceiving us?" the Punishment Hall Master asked in a deep voice, his black robe and slightly dark complexion, his features stern, having managed the Phantom Spirit Sect's Punishment Hall for more than three hundred years.

"If one could tell the Immortal Bone just by touching, what use would there be for the Stepping Stone of Immortality? To repair the Immortal Bone?"

Gu Chunyang's expression was no longer as gentle as before, showing a hint of severity, "Let that Pseudo-Immortal from the Tai Xu Holy Land come and see if he has the means!"

"Even if there was a way to mend the Immortal Bone, would the Tai Xu Holy Land really be willing to spare it for Song Lingqing? It's just a High Quality Immortal Bone. How many talents of such caliber does the Tai Xu Holy Land possess?!"

"Ling Qi was here merely to see whether Song Lingqing truly was crippled or not."

Even if the Immortal Bone could be mended, the Tai Xu Holy Land would not be willing to spend the resources.

If repaired, and it turned out to be a High Quality Immortal Bone, it would be akin to helping the Phantom Spirit Sect for free, and if it were a Middle Quality Immortal Bone, even destroying the Phantom Spirit Sect might not make up for the cost incurred.

This was a deal that was a loss no matter how one looked at it.

"Just now, what Ling Qi meant was that the Tai Xu Holy Land will not mediate this time, and if war truly breaks out..."

One of the Supreme elders frowned slightly, hesitating.

War between Immortal Sects is not child's play; it involves many and, in terms of strength at this moment, the Night Light Pavilion is decidedly more powerful.

"Then we fight! At worst, we fight for a century or two, until the Tai Xu Holy Land calls a halt," Gu Chunyang said without any hesitation, his expression icy, "It's just a matter of more mortals dying. After a hundred years, they will be replenished."

Many of the elders still looked hesitant. Once a war starts, far more than just mortals will die; it could be that some of them would also fall.