The Young Lady Only Wants to Cultivate Immortality Chapter 109

A’Ling, Shi Qingqian, and Gu Jingyang flew away from Winter Snow Peak on their swords, heading towards Qiongdian Peak.
Less than thirty feet from Qiongdian Peak, A’Ling stopped first. Shi Qingqian and Gu Jingyang also hovered in mid-air, following her.
Gu Jingyang, with a plan forming in her mind, looked at A’Ling, who was clearly leading this endeavor. She had questions about what happened to A’Ling in the demon realm.
She felt there had been some subtle changes between A’Ling and Shi Qingqian. She recalled that in the Gu family’s secret chamber, it was Shi Qingqian who suggested going to Qiongdian Peak.
Shi Qingqian had been the one driving the matter forward, but now, A’Ling cared about it far more than Shi Qingqian did.
And Shi Qingqian, if she went to Qiongdian Peak like this, the person above would definitely not let her go. Knowing she would die as part of the ‘monsters and demons,’ did she still want to go to Qiongdian Peak with A’Ling?
Or perhaps these two already had a solution?
Gu Jingyang wanted to grab A’Ling and get these questions answered, but A’Ling clearly didn’t want to discuss them.
Just as she was about to speak, A’Ling interrupted her.
“I’ll go first to test the current power of this barrier,” A’Ling proposed again to scout ahead. She had been observing for a long time, unable to discern any special power from the barrier. If anything, it looked particularly ordinary.
No, that wasn’t quite right. It was more like she couldn’t see any barrier on Qiongdian Peak at all.
Normally, even a transparent barrier would have some trace, like transparent glass having a certain texture.
Even an invisible barrier could be discerned upon close inspection.
But just now, no matter how A’Ling looked from left, right, up, or down, she could see no sign of a barrier.
This meant either there was no barrier here, or the barrier was so powerful it was truly invisible.
A’Ling leaned towards the latter. She had seen how pitiful Shi Qingqian looked after being injured by this barrier, and she didn’t want Shi Qingqian to go through that again. She decided she would go first to see if there was a way to break it.
However, her decision was immediately vetoed.
Shi Qingqian tightly grasped her hand, stopping her from moving forward.
“I’ll do it,” Shi Qingqian said, her two simple words leaving no room for A’Ling to question or refuse.
A’Ling was displeased. She knew Shi Qingqian wanted to take the risk herself out of concern for her, but if that were the case, Shi Qingqian should also understand that her own decision stemmed from concern for Shi Qingqian.
Furthermore, if something happened to her, at least there was Shi Qingqian, who might be able to turn the tide. But if something happened to Shi Qingqian, due to Shi Qingqian’s special nature, A’Ling feared that the person above might take advantage of the situation to do something.
The two stood in a stalemate, neither willing to back down.
Gu Jingyang, observing from the side, took in Qiongdian Peak and listened to their argument about who should go first. She spoke up, “I’ll go. I’ll test it first.”
As soon as she spoke, A’Ling flatly refused: “Don’t move. Just wait for us below.”
Gu Jingyang raised her eyebrows, confusion flickering in her eyes. “You want me not to go to Qiongdian Peak?” A’Ling didn’t want her to go to Qiongdian Peak? What did that mean? Was she only going with Shi Qingqian?
A’Ling confirmed her suspicion: “Yes. The abnormalities below are your responsibility. And between Mystic Crane Mountain and the demon race, if there are any further disputes, you’ll need to mediate.”
These seemed like excuses. A’Ling just didn’t want her to go. Why?
Gu Jingyang had felt for a long time that A’Ling was holding something back. She seemed completely different after returning from the demon realm this time, even speaking to her with an almost irrefutable tone when arranging things.
She knew there had to be a problem. A’Ling’s demeanor made her feel that this matter was extremely dangerous, as if she were prepared to sacrifice her life.
Shi Qingqian also looked at A’Ling, puzzled that A’Ling didn’t want Gu Jingyang to go to Qiongdian Peak. They had always seemed inseparable.
Where A’Ling was, Gu Jingyang was usually there too.
This time, she had refused to let Gu Jingyang accompany them. Did she think it was a suicide mission?
But A’Ling hadn’t refused her. A strange emotion surged within Shi Qingqian, a single thought repeating in her mind: A’Ling had chosen her to go with her, not Gu Jingyang.
Thinking of this fact, Shi Qingqian’s heart felt like a lake brushed by a spring breeze, rippling with waves.
If Gu Jingyang knew her thoughts, she would probably laugh and cry.
Seeing A’Ling’s insistence, Gu Jingyang relented. It felt like several huge stones had pressed down on her heart, and her neck stiffened. She nodded with difficulty, “Alright, I’ll wait for you below.”
After she said this, A’Ling smiled slightly, a smile tinged with gratitude. She knew Gu Jingyang had noticed her unusual behavior but was still willing to trust and support her decision.
A’Ling didn’t want Gu Jingyang to go to Qiongdian Peak because she had made up her mind. If all else failed, she would sacrifice her life to take Dao Rong with her.
She also feared that even if she died, Dao Rong might not.
In any case, this time, she swore to risk her life to kill that beast-like, worse-than-dogs human scum who would pollute the rotting Corrupted Corpse Forest.
After Gu Jingyang agreed, A’Ling returned to the original topic: she wanted to test the barrier’s power first.
But as she started to fly up on her sword, Shi Qingqian went ahead of her, channeling demonic energy towards Qiongdian Peak.
With a low rumble of thunder, A’Ling saw that if Shi Qingqian hadn’t been protected by that demonic energy, she would have been skinned by the sudden flash of scarlet lightning.
Shi Qingqian quickly retreated to A’Ling’s side. The last time she went to Qiongdian Peak, it wasn’t her true body but her Nascent Soul, and she was still badly injured. This time, even in her demonic form, it was the same. If she hadn’t been prepared and dodged quickly, she might have ended up in an unrecognizable state again.
Seeing that Shi Qingqian was unharmed, with only superficial injuries, A’Ling was relieved. Without waiting for Shi Qingqian to say anything, she channeled her spiritual energy to form a protective shield and rushed upwards.
Shi Qingqian and Gu Jingyang’s hearts tightened at her actions. They held their breath and, without hesitation, rushed upwards with A’Ling.
As A’Ling was knocked down by the barrier, Shi Qingqian flew up to catch her. Gu Jingyang immediately channeled spiritual energy to A’Ling.
After recovering from the palpitation, A’Ling stopped Gu Jingyang’s actions: “I’m fine now. That barrier is indeed powerful.”
If she hadn’t tested it herself, she wouldn’t have known such a powerful barrier existed. Just by getting close, she felt an oppressive force on her heart. With a dull ache in her chest, her protective shield shattered into air the moment it touched the barrier.
If she hadn’t retreated in time, she feared she would have shattered into air as well.
It seemed that directly reaching Qiongdian Peak was a hundred times more difficult than she had imagined.
But Qiongdian Peak had to be ascended. Only by taking advantage of Dao Rong’s weakened cultivation due to the backlash from the puppet technique could they have a chance to win. No matter how difficult, she had to try.
A’Ling’s brow furrowed. Leaning against Shi Qingqian, she tilted her head back to look at Qiongdian Peak, calming her shaken breathing.
Shi Qingqian looked at the person leaning against her without a word. She knew the power of Qiongdian Peak’s barrier. If it were that easy to ascend, she would have done so long ago.
Feeling the person in her arms calm down, Shi Qingqian’s heart became restless and flustered.
Perhaps it didn’t need to be this troublesome. Perhaps with that divine power, A’Ling could easily ascend Qiongdian Peak and completely eliminate that scourge.
What was she hesitating for? Did she not want to sacrifice her life? Did she want to be with A’Ling for longer? But if A’Ling were injured or killed because of it, could she bear the consequences? She would definitely regret it…
While she was struggling, she didn’t notice that A’Ling had recovered her energy and moved away from her embrace, just as she looked up at her.
A’Ling saw the struggle and indecision in Shi Qingqian’s eyes and immediately guessed her thoughts. This person was truly something. She was risking her life precisely so that Shi Qingqian wouldn’t consider sacrificing herself.
She hadn’t expected that she would have this thought here.
A’Ling felt a surge of annoyance, not sure what she was angry about. Was she angry that Shi Qingqian didn’t value her life? But Shi Qingqian was willing to sacrifice her life to save everyone.
She knew she shouldn’t be angry, but emotions weren’t something one could control at will. She could only try her best to suppress this inexplicable anger.
A’Ling resentfully looked up at Qiongdian Peak. She refused to believe that anything was absolutely impossible in this world.
Since the barrier could injure the body and the protective shield couldn’t withstand it, perhaps she could try barrier against barrier.
A’Ling thought so, and tried it. Before Shi Qingqian could even react, she surrounded herself with a barrier and charged upwards.
Repulsed, and once again held in Shi Qingqian’s embrace, A’Ling took deep breaths to stabilize the surging spiritual energy within her.
She still had Shi Qingqian’s Golden Core within her. Now that the two energies were surging together, it would take some effort.
Seeing the determination in A’Ling’s eyes, Gu Jingyang knew she wouldn’t give up easily. She stopped trying to persuade her and calmly watched to see how they would break through the barrier.
After dismissing several methods herself, she heard A’Ling’s surprised voice and felt her lean closer.
After hearing A’Ling’s method, Gu Jingyang hesitated but felt it was worth a try.
Glancing at A’Ling, Gu Jingyang formed a hand seal, and a blank talisman shot towards Qiongdian Peak like a sword light, stopping abruptly before the barrier.
Gu Jingyang channeled all the spiritual energy within her towards the blank talisman, and with a hand seal, a golden light that tore through the void appeared, startling everyone below into covering their eyes.
The Mutated Beasts also roared in unison at the sudden golden light.
A’Ling, prepared, immediately covered Shi Qingqian’s eyes and then closed her own.
A dragon’s roar that shook the heavens and the earth resounded from Qiongdian Peak with an imposing aura, more shocking than a sudden divine thunderclap on a silent night.
Even A’Ling, who had suggested Gu Jingyang use the Dragon Manifestation technique, was stunned.
This dragon’s roar was more fierce and imposing than any before. Just hearing it, one would believe an ancient divine beast had reappeared in the human world.
When the earth-shattering dragon’s roar subsided, A’Ling slowly opened her eyes and looked at the golden, sky-filling Dragon Manifestation technique. It was indeed larger than any before, and its power made one sincerely want to prostrate themselves beneath its wind-cutting golden claws.
Gu Jingyang had likely advanced again, at least in this technique, her abilities were even greater than before!
A surge of pride rose within A’Ling. She had watched Gu Jingyang’s abilities grow step by step, and it truly felt like watching her own child mature.
Her expression was the same as Gu Jiangxue, who had just arrived.
Gu Jiangxue didn’t know what Gu Jingyang was doing with the Dragon Manifestation technique at this moment, but looking at the majestic Dragon Manifestation technique circling in the wind, her pride made her want to shout, “That’s my daughter!”
Lan Fushang, who had just arrived, stopped her sword in mid-air. Looking at the person bathed in golden light, her solemn expression, her fluttering skirt, and her trembling fingers supporting spiritual energy all made her heart race, completely oblivious to anything else.
She couldn’t even see the golden light Dragon Manifestation technique that shocked everyone. Her eyes were only on Gu Jingyang, who shone brighter than the golden light.
She heard Gu Jingyang declare with an imposing aura: “A’Ling, now!”
A’Ling, who was ready, immediately summoned Little Wandering, wrapping it around the surging body of the Dragon Manifestation technique. She and Shi Qingqian concealed themselves within it, letting Gu Jingyang’s Dragon Manifestation technique circle them loosely.
A’Ling also formed a cylindrical protective shield to facilitate the Dragon Manifestation technique’s circling.
Those below, seeing this scene, couldn’t help but stop what they were doing and stare at the three people and one dragon in the sky.
A dragon’s roar swept through the sky above Mystic Crane Mountain. Gu Jingyang channeled spiritual energy and shouted, “Rise!”
Golden light rose like the sun, spreading upwards. The accompanying wind caused the trees and flowers on the three peaks to move in unison.
Those below had to squint their eyes to see anything in the strong wind.
Lan Fushang quickly formed a protective shield and, against the wind, flew her sword towards Gu Jingyang.
Gu Jingyang watched as the Dragon Manifestation technique, carrying A’Ling and Shi Qingqian, reached the edge of the barrier. The dragon’s prominent horns touched Qiongdian Peak’s barrier, and a sharp dragon’s roar pierced her eardrums.
Lan Fushang was startled by this piercing cry and paused her sword flight, only then realizing it wasn’t real.
Gu Jingyang’s Dragon Manifestation technique was so lifelike and realistic that even its pained cries seemed genuine. The more so, the more spiritual energy it consumed.
Lan Fushang’s concern was justified. After the dragon’s horns were ground to dust by Qiongdian Peak’s barrier, blood appeared on Gu Jingyang’s palm. She bit her lip tightly, preventing the blood in her chest from surging.
The Dragon Manifestation technique was fake, but the spiritual energy was real. Any damage the Dragon Manifestation technique suffered would ultimately fall upon Gu Jingyang.
Although it wouldn’t be life-threatening, it was a considerable drain.
A’Ling’s grip on Shi Qingqian’s hand tightened within the piercing dragon’s roar. She watched as the Dragon Manifestation technique’s golden light was slowly stripped away by the barrier’s restrictions, and they, too, were slowly pushed into Qiongdian Peak’s barrier.
She knew Gu Jingyang couldn’t hold on much longer. If the Dragon Manifestation technique was broken by the barrier, they would be instantly flayed alive.
Shi Qingqian released dense demonic energy, forming a layer around their protective shields. If the Dragon Manifestation technique were broken, she would protect A’Ling with her life, ensuring she wasn’t fundamentally harmed.
The higher they went, the stronger the tearing sensation. A’Ling felt her scalp tingle and ache as if something were tearing at her flesh, peeling her skin off alive and grinding her flesh to pulp.
Besides the piercing, unbearable pain, A’Ling’s vision grew darker. A swirling sensation engulfed her entire body. She felt like throwing up, and waves of nausea made tears stream down her eyes.
She couldn’t even see how dire their situation was.
The dragon roared and wailed. Its once majestic golden claws struggled violently in the air. Under Gu Jingyang’s control, the Dragon Manifestation technique resisted the barrier’s damage, crying out in pain as it moved upwards, trying to send the people inside into the barrier.
The broken dragon’s head no longer resembled a divine beast. Even though Gu Jingyang had channeled all her spiritual energy, the Dragon Manifestation technique’s body couldn’t withstand the barrier’s damage. Gradually, one side of its body was torn into fragments in the air. The golden light that exploded instantly vanished without a trace.
Through the broken body, half of A’Ling’s body was revealed. Almost instantly, as the golden light split open, the demonic energy Shi Qingqian used to protect them also had a rift opened by the barrier.
“Ah—” A’Ling let out a piercing scream, more shocking than the dragon’s earlier wail.
A crimson light flashed in Gu Jingyang’s eyes – it was A’Ling’s blood splattering from her torn skin.
The blood in her chest that she had been holding back surged out at the same time. She ignored it, took out another blank talisman, and with trembling hands, tried to channel spiritual energy to reshape the Dragon Manifestation technique’s golden body.
But with her spiritual energy almost depleted, she couldn’t muster enough to compensate.
At this moment, a warm hand grasped her wrist. Lan Fushang looked at Gu Jingyang with distress before channeling all her spiritual energy to Gu Jingyang.
Feeling her stamina and spiritual energy replenished, Gu Jingyang immediately formed a hand seal and used her spiritual energy to propel the talisman upwards, repairing the Dragon Manifestation technique’s golden body.
Shi Qingqian, sensing the absence of the Dragon Manifestation technique beside A’Ling, grabbed A’Ling and forcefully swapped positions, taking the brunt of the barrier’s restrictions.
“No, Shi Qingqian, switch back!”
A’Ling, who had almost fainted from the pain, had just recovered, and she didn’t want Shi Qingqian to swap places with her.
She wanted to bear the barrier’s restrictions. No, this couldn’t happen!
A’Ling channeled her spiritual energy, disregarding her own bleeding, and first protected Shi Qingqian’s vital points.
In her demonic form, Shi Qingqian didn’t bleed, and the damage wasn’t physical pain. She tightly embraced A’Ling, feeling her demon soul about to be torn apart. The intense pain made her unable to respond to A’Ling.
Hearing A’Ling’s pained muffled groans, a thought of giving up flashed through her mind. Just as despair arose in her heart, the tearing sensation suddenly lessened.
The Dragon Manifestation technique protecting them began to roar and growl again. A’Ling looked down through the gaps in the Dragon Manifestation technique’s circling golden body.
Lan Fushang, Ye Bingfeng, and Jiang Qiu Chun… no, not just them, she also saw Heng Qingyi, Shan Lei… and many others whose names she couldn’t recall.
They flew towards Gu Jingyang one by one. Various magical lights ignited, and everyone was supporting Gu Jingyang’s spiritual energy.
A’Ling’s nose suddenly felt sore. They…
She sniffled forcefully. She couldn’t give up. This was no longer just about her and Shi Qingqian’s lives; it was also about the people below. If they didn’t destroy Dao Rong while he was injured, and he recovered and left Qiongdian Peak, then all their lives would be in danger.
A’Ling gritted her teeth and focused her vision, which had been blurred by pain, upwards.
Halfway there. Under the Dragon Manifestation technique’s protection, they had entered the barrier halfway. Just a little further, and they would reach Qiongdian Peak.
“Ah!”
A’Ling’s vision suddenly went black. The focus she had just regained was completely lost. The pain of her flesh and blood tearing apart came too fiercely.
What was happening? Weren’t they just one step away?
Gu Jingyang’s crimson eyes trembled, as if she couldn’t believe what she was seeing.
Lan Fushang and the others were the same. What was happening? With ample spiritual energy, why did the Dragon Manifestation technique shatter in the air without warning?
The shattering golden light seemed to have substance, falling like snowflakes, landing on everyone’s hearts like huge stones.
“A’Ling!” Gu Jingyang’s hoarse voice seemed to be torn from her throat. The dry, broken heartache in this cry made everyone tremble.
Everyone stared fixedly at the pale Qiongdian Peak, afraid but unable to look away. Amidst the dense snowflakes, streaks of blood mist mingled with piercing cries.
Just as everyone’s hearts leaped, prepared for A’Ling and the others to fall, there was no one within the dissipating snowflakes.
Only a small, stone-like object was falling.
A’Ling’s joy at their near success instantly turned to ice. It was over. The Dragon Manifestation technique couldn’t withstand the barrier’s damage. She feared she was going to die.
As she felt her flesh and blood tearing, she felt her life had been too short. Just as she wanted to say her unspoken love for Shi Qingqian one last time, she suddenly felt the tearing pain on her body stop.
It was as if a pair of hands were touching her wounds, and a warmth enveloped her.
What was happening? Was she hallucinating from the pain?
A swirling wind, carrying a familiar scent of decaying corpses, tightly enveloped them.
Instead of falling as expected, A’Ling felt a powerful force pushing them upwards.
“A’Ling, be careful.”
As a familiar voice sounded in her ear, she smelled a strong, pungent, and nauseatingly bloody scent.
Ignoring her physical discomfort, A’Ling felt her feet land on something solid. She didn’t have time to be surprised, as a great fear seized her heart. Her heart ached so much that she couldn’t stand upright and couldn’t breathe at all.
That voice… was it Jin Siliu?
She felt an odd sensation in her palm. Opening it, she saw a scarlet butterfly stone earring. Her grip had been too strong, and the silver hook had already pierced her flesh.
Perhaps it had pierced too deeply, as no blood seeped out.
A’Ling understood everything in an instant and lunged forward. If Shi Qingqian hadn’t grabbed her in time, she would have fallen back from Qiongdian Peak she had just managed to reach.
Seeing the other scarlet butterfly stone earring fluttering downwards in the wind, A’Ling cried out in pain: “No, don’t die!”
Unfortunately, Jin Siliu could no longer hear A’Ling’s cry. She was fortunate that she had arrived in time. The moment she saw A’Ling bleeding profusely, Jin Siliu’s heart was truly panicked and about to shatter.
Fortunately, she had finally protected A’Ling, but she could only protect her this far.
As Jin Siliu’s consciousness gradually blurred, all that appeared in her mind were memories of A’Ling sweetly calling her “Mother.”
“Mother, you’re back an hour early today.”
“Mother, are we moving again?”
“Mother, the sugar figurine is so sweet, you should try it.”
…
Looking at these scenes, it was as if she could hear little A’Ling’s childish calls of “Mother.” As Jin Siliu dissipated with the wind, she murmured, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, A’Ling, I’m sorry.”
Shi Qingqian knew it was her when Jin Siliu used her own body to shield them. The situation happened so suddenly that she didn’t have time to stop it.
She also hadn’t expected Jin Siliu to use her flesh and blood as a shield. Not only that, but she could even withstand the pain of the barrier tearing flesh and blood, successfully sending them into Qiongdian Peak.
What kind of belief could make her unleash power far beyond her current capabilities?
Shi Qingqian looked at A’Ling, whose body was trembling violently, as if she couldn’t believe any of this. She forcefully pried open A’Ling’s tightly clenched palm and pulled out the scarlet butterfly stone earring that had pierced her palm.
The other one fell in the air, already out of sight.
“You killed her.”
A cold, mocking voice came from behind them. Shi Qingqian quickly leaped to the side with A’Ling, warily looking at the person with a sneer on their lips.
Neither of them had ever seen Saint Venerable Dao Rong with their own eyes, but on Qiongdian Peak, who else could it be but Dao Rong?
Tears streamed uncontrollably from A’Ling’s eyes. His words were directed at her.
Dao Rong said she had killed Jin Siliu.