Chapter 263: Chapter 263: Master Qingqing
Dugu!
This term reminded Chen Pingping of the Wasteland, where, in that Ancient City, he had met a powerful predecessor who called himself Dugu.
The predecessor had also spoken erratically and rambled at length.
Among his words, one sentence left a deep impression on Chen Pingping: "I have sensed the presence of the Lord."
At that time, Wen Yuqing had been to the Wasteland.
At this time, Wen Yuqing had also passed through the Spirit Realm.
One Dugu, one Heng Ba.
One guarded the Wasteland, the other guarded the Spirit Realm.
Master! Who are you, really?
Chen Pingping gradually felt a sense of oppression.
Wen Yuqing’s background seemed to be immense.
The Paper Talisman had shattered, and Wen Yuqing had yet to appear. He withdrew from that dark world, standing alone on the Taoist Platform, pondering.
Is there anything you can’t tell me? I am your Disciple, after all.
After a long pause, he took a deep breath, forcibly suppressed the emotions in his heart. He then once again took out a Paper Talisman, only to hear a voice from the Void, "I am very busy right now!"
Chen Pingping: "..."
OHHH!
He had thought something terrible had happened to Master, since she hadn’t appeared when he’d summoned her just now.
"Master?" he called out subconsciously, "Teacher? Qingqing?"
"Scram!"
"..."
That "scram" startled Chen Pingping so much he broke out in a cold sweat.
She hadn’t left.
The Paper Talisman’s power still permeated the space.
It wasn’t long before Chen Pingping walked off the Taoist Platform.
Yet, the onlookers were dumbfounded.
How could he come and go so freely? What had just happened?
"Fellow Daoist!" The man in the green robe took a deep breath and asked, "Were you talking to someone just now?"
"My Teacher!" Chen Pingping did not hide it.
"The owner of this Taoist Platform is your Teacher?" the man in the green robe exclaimed.
"No!" Chen Pingping replied, mentally adding, She serves under my Master.
"Your state just now was very unusual. May I ask, did you achieve Enlightenment?" a voice came from the crowd.
"No!"
"Then how could you come and go so freely? Doesn’t the Tao on the Taoist Platform obstruct you?"
They were curious and shocked.
The Taoist Platform had existed for tens of thousands of years, and no one had ever attained Enlightenment there, nor had anyone come and gone freely.
Chen Pingping was the first.
Lan Xiuzhi’s eyes sparkled with joy. "Stop asking, Pingping is very tired right now. Come on, let’s go have some fun at the Sword Array!" She could tell that this guy was extraordinary.
He’s definitely not as simple as he seems. If he could visit all the cultivation sites in the Academy, he might even reach the Imperial Path and defeat Golden Cicada! Then, she could boast to everyone, "See that? The fellow who defeated Golden Cicada is this princess’s friend!" WOW! That would be amazing!
Lan Xiuzhi pulled him along. "Pingping, you definitely figured out the Tao of the Taoist Platform just now, didn’t you?"
Chen Pingping: "..."
"It’s okay, you don’t have to say anything. I understand that such things must be kept secret, not to let others know, or it will bring trouble," Lan Xiuzhi said cheerily. "Let’s head over to the Sword Array later."
"Can we not go?" Chen Pingping said dejectedly.
Attract trouble? Haven’t I already caused enough?
Looking back, the large crowd of Academy disciples and its higher-ups probably wore grim expressions. After all, he, an outsider, had just attained Enlightenment at their Academy’s cultivation site. He felt a little panicked.
「Deep within the Academy.」
Several high-ranking powerhouses hurried over to report, "That little princess brought someone who unexpectedly comprehended the Tao of the Taoist Platform. Headmaster, you must stop her!"
Initially, they hadn’t taken it seriously. Given Lan Xiuzhi’s background, the teachers at the Academy also didn’t feel it was their place to say anything.
If he wants to seek Enlightenment, then let him!
But no one had expected Chen Pingping to experience sudden Enlightenment, resonating with the Taoist Platform on the spot. Afterward, he moved in and out of the platform at ease, having comprehended the Tao within.
This development stunned the Academy’s high-ranking officials.
It wasn’t that they were stingy and wouldn’t allow Chen Pingping to seek Enlightenment; rather, they couldn’t let him do so with such unbridled ease.
For tens of thousands of years, no one in the Academy had ever caused the Taoist Platform to resonate, nor had they comprehended the Tao within it. Yet Chen Pingping achieved it on his first visit.
Isn’t this a slap in the face to the Academy’s disciples? It’s as if he’s telling the Academy, "Look how easy it is!"
The Headmaster slowly lifted his head and said, "The person that young lady Xiuzhi brought? Who?"
"A guy named Chen Pingping. I heard Golden Cicada had challenged him to a duel in a year," a teacher said.
"Oh? And then? What are your thoughts?" the Headmaster raised an eyebrow.
"Kick him out."
"Then kick him out! Must such a trivial matter be reported to me?" the Headmaster said, displeased.
"The key issue is the little princess!"
"You know about the little princess?" the Headmaster looked at him. "Don’t you know her temperament? She also has a Heaven Tao Divine Weapon within her. If she gets angry and brings out that Heaven Tao Divine Weapon, could you stop it?"
The teachers were left speechless.
The Headmaster then said, "Besides, even if Chen Pingping is exceptionally intelligent and remarkably talented, he couldn’t possibly comprehend all the Tao from our Academy’s cultivation sites, could he? The Tao he comprehended from a single Taoist Platform is insignificant; consider it a gift to him." He paused, then continued, "As high-ranking officials and teachers of the Academy, you should be more magnanimous. Don’t let outsiders think our Academy is petty, understand?"
What he said made perfect sense; each statement was logical.
The teachers below exchanged glances, momentarily at a loss for words, though a sense of unease crept into their hearts.
And, as expected...
Another teacher rushed in, looking troubled and gasping for breath. "This is terrible! Chen Pingping has resonated with the Sword Array!"
Everyone: "..."
No way! It can’t be, can it?
The elderly Headmaster paused, then strode out.
The teachers immediately followed him.
The Sword Array was in a small courtyard. For hundreds of years, no one had deciphered the sword skill within it, so it had long been desolate.
After Chen Pingping arrived, he didn’t ponder at all but directly stepped into it, causing the Sword Array to activate autonomously and resonate with him.
Lan Xiuzhi’s smile was radiant. "HAHAHA! Pingping is really amazing!"
The Academy disciples and high-ranking officials who had followed were all dumbstruck.
Only the Saintess remained calm; she understood this fellow’s capabilities all too well. It was just like him.
When the Headmaster rushed over and saw Chen Pingping in the small courtyard, he couldn’t help but draw a sharp breath.
They had just been discussing the Taoist Platform, and now he has directly entered the Sword Array to seek Enlightenment. Isn’t his method of seeking Enlightenment a bit too direct? Is he not afraid of death? Or is he just overconfident?
Inside the small courtyard.
Chen Pingping slowly opened his eyes, noticing no abnormalities, such as when Dugu had appeared, or the recent situation with Heng Ba.
The predecessor who set up this Sword Array has absolutely no connection to Wen Yuqing.
Thinking this, he lost interest and turned to leave the Sword Array.
But behind him, the Sword Array was still spinning, fierce sword beams intersecting, slashing into the Void from various directions.
"Young man, why are you coming out?" the Headmaster couldn’t restrain himself from asking.
"I was just taking a look," Chen Pingping answered.
Everyone: "..."
Headmaster: "???"