Chapter 73: Breaking Through Again on the Eve of the Grand Assembly
"Returning to the protector, due to the mortgage strategy and the suppression of the monkey-faced eagles, the loose cultivators in Suichuan Immortal City are all full of praise for Yu Qingtan," said Meng Xiyao, the boldly-dressed deacon of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion.
"In that case, I must see this Miss Yu Qingtan for myself. Likely, the development of our sect in Suichuan Immortal City will depend on her," said the young protector.
"I will make arrangements right away."
An inconspicuous courtyard in a certain part of Suichuan Immortal City.
Fu Nian had intended to purchase some items, so he left Suichuan Immortal City to travel around.
Unexpectedly, he heard about Yu Qingtan’s plan to hold a performance gathering.
"Forget it, a few days won’t make a difference!"
Muttering to himself, Fu Nian returned to his cushion and resumed his seated meditation and cultivation.
The Arena in the Immortal City, the spectator seats accommodate twenty thousand.
You Xiantong and his son You Xiwang never expected that on just the first day, over thirty thousand people came to register.
Among them, there were even more than a thousand women.
The second day, the number of registrants reached over one hundred and twenty thousand.
The third day, registration numbers reached two hundred thousand, and all spectator spots were gone.
This was even under the condition that each person could only register once.
However, not everyone was looking forward to Yu Qingtan’s performance gathering.
In a private room of the Drunken Fairy Building.
"Hmph, this Yu Qingtan is really shameless, actually performing for that bunch of lowly loose cultivators. I used to think her dance was quite good."
"Young Master Zhu is right. This Yu Qingtan even proposed a mortgage strategy, allowing a bunch of slum-dwelling loose cultivators to swarm into the city, making Suichuan Immortal City filthy and chaotic."
"Who’s to argue? I’ve felt a decrease in the density of spiritual energy near my home recently, and those loose cultivators’ brats even urinate at my doorstep. Why didn’t this bunch of loose cultivators all die during the beast tide?"
"Let me tell you, I’ve heard some rumors that the monkey-faced eagle tribe of the demonic beasts hates Yu Qingtan to the bone and is planning how to get rid of her."
"Young Master Gou, how did you come by such news?"
"Haha, just hearsay, just hearsay. No need to take it seriously, gentlemen. Now, drink up!"
In a room of Tianxiang Pavilion.
"Alas, this Yu Qingtan really knows how to curry favor. She’ll trample us under her feet sooner or later."
"Hmph, she’s already a core disciple. Hasn’t she already trampled you under her feet?"
"I just can’t accept it. Why should a country bumpkin like her get ahead?"
"Heh, what can you do if you can’t accept it? Do you dare to go against her? You don’t really think Xiao Yan’s disappearance has nothing to do with her, do you?"
"There’s no need to argue. Just watch; the higher she climbs, the harder she’ll fall. With her showing off like this, she’ll soon end up like Shen Wanning, kidnapped and turned into a furnace."
...
No matter how much the people of Suichuan Immortal City were abuzz with discussions about her, Yu Qingtan had paused her performances and business in those days, focusing on cultivating and preparing for the performance gathering.
The night before the performance gathering, Yu Qingtan sat within the Vajra Protective Spirit Array, holding two medium-grade spirit stones in her hands, and with closed eyes, she cycled the Clear Water Technique.
Because her water spirit root had ascended to immortal grade, Yu Qingtan’s cultivation efficiency of the Clear Water Technique had surged exponentially. The remaining 40 drops of Spirit Dew had long been absorbed. The Hundred Herbs Pill, suitable for the latter stages of Qi cultivation, had also been used up.
Considering the issue of elixir toxicity, Yu Qingtan thought to minimize the use of elixirs for cultivation and didn’t purchase any more cultivation elixirs. Instead, she used the Medium Grade Spirit Stones for cultivation directly.
Although using spirit stones was a waste and the efficiency was slightly lower than using elixirs, Yu Qingtan felt it was worth it.
At that moment, Yu Qingtan was once again on the brink of a breakthrough.
With each cycle of her energy circulation, at a certain moment, the last subsidiary meridian recorded in the Clear Water Technique was penetrated, and her dantian quivered slightly, expanding a bit.
In about half a year, Yu Qingtan had cultivated from the first level of Qi cultivation to the ninth level.
After stabilizing her cultivation level, Yu Qingtan ceased her seated meditation.
He opened the system panel.
[Cultivation Level: Qi Cultivation Ninth Layer 5/900, Body Refinement Sixth Layer 420/600]
Recently, he primarily cultivated the Clear Water Technique. He spent less time on the Ice Skin Jade Bone Art. There was still some Wasteland Crystal left from exchanging Merit Points, which should be enough to support him until reaching the Seventh Layer of Body Refinement.
Glancing at the charm points which were over 500, Yu Qingtan decided to congratulate himself.
"Dao Ancestor be eternal!" Yu Qingtan silently recited before clicking the ten-consecutive-draw button five times in a row.
"Thank you for your patronage x10!"
"Thank you for your patronage x10!"
"Thank you for your patronage x10!"
"Thank you for your patronage x10!"
"A permanent makeup kit, thank you for your patronage x9!"
"Nice stuff!" After claiming the permanent makeup kit and checking it out, Yu Qingtan praised.
Female cultivators in the Cultivation World generally do not wear makeup, favoring natural beauty instead.
Previously, Yu Qingtan would apply light makeup to cover her freckles, but after using the Beauty Enhancement Pill, she hardly wore makeup anymore.
The permanent makeup kit primarily included an eyebrow pencil and a mascara wand.
Once drawn on with the brow pencil, eyebrows would grow out in the delineated shape, and similarly, the mascara wand could make the eyelashes reach the desired length with a simple brush.
Yu Qingtan immediately went to the mirror to apply makeup.
After half an hour of adjustments, Yu Qingtan looked at her reflection with satisfaction.
Her willow-shaped eyebrows and long eyelashes highlighted her bright eyes remarkably, making her already fair and smooth face even more charming.
After admiring herself for a while, Yu Qingtan began practicing various spells.
...
The next evening, You Xiwang, the young master of the You family, personally came to the back door of Tianxiang Pavilion in a Bicorn Horse carriage to pick up Yu Qingtan and bring her to the You residence.
"Sister Qingtan, you’re here, and you look even more beautiful today!"
As soon as they entered the gate of the You residence, Jiang Lai, dressed in a pink dress looking like carved jade, came over to greet her, clearly having waited for some time.
"You Xiwang, look, Jiang Lai knows how to compliment better than you. Jiang Lai, how have you been lately?"
You Xiwang felt somewhat embarrassed. When he had picked up Yu Qingtan, he also thought she looked more beautiful and had complimented her, "Qingtan, you look truly beautiful today!"
As a result, he received an eye roll from Yu Qingtan.
"Am I not beautiful on other days?" Yu Qingtan wondered to herself.
"I’ve been doing great recently, every day I have delicious food to eat, beautiful dresses to wear, and brother Xiwang is very kind to me, teaching me how to cultivate. It’s just that he’s too busy."
"Well, he is the Young Master of the You family, of course he’s busy!"
Yu Qingtan said with a smile.
Yu Qingtan then went in to greet the You family head, You Xiantong, before she and You Xiwang headed towards the arena in Suichuan Immortal City.
However, Jiang Lai stayed back at the You residence.
The arena in Suichuan Immortal City was already packed by this time.
Zeng Jie, the captain of the small Enforcement Team, along with a squad of Enforcement officers and You family staff, were working together to maintain order.
Everyone was ordered to enter according to the seat number they drew during registration. The seats for the group registrations were arranged together.
"Fellow Daoist Deng, this miss Qingtan is extraordinary. To have the Enforcement Team maintain order at a personal performance meetup is something else."
"Fellow Daoist Jiang, miss Qingtan must have a deep background too. Look over there, the people from the Ges, then there, the Songs and even the Qis, who have been very low-key lately, have sent people."
"Indeed, now that you mention it, it seems as if most of the major forces in the city are here to support the event. I even spotted people from the Green Wolf Gang, the Xus, the Ten Thousand Laws Pavilion, and the Hundred Treasures Pavilion."
"I’m really looking forward to Miss Qingtan’s performance!"
The crowd in the spectator’s seats was buzzing with conversation, but everyone made an effort to keep their voices down, so the venue didn’t get too noisy.