Chapter 1688 — Still No Way
The Blossom Guardian · Page 1 of 2
This was precisely what worried Wei Zhao most. If he had four Earth-rank fighters at his command—Qiu Lingcan, Chen Yuxuan, Wu Chentian, and Uncle Qing—they would constitute a considerable deterrent to the Hidden Yu Family. At the very least, the Hidden Yu Family would have to weigh the consequences before making a move against him. Unless one of their Heaven-rank experts came forward, Wei Zhao and the others would have the strength to put up a fight.
Once Wei Zhao had repaired Uncle Qing's meridians, Uncle Qing let out a long breath and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. "I didn't break through? I failed? How about we try again? I can endure it. Even if I fail, it won't matter. You can repair me again..."
Uncle Qing noticed the disappointment in Wei Zhao's eyes and asked about it.
"There's no need to try again. This method won't work." Wei Zhao shook his head with a bitter smile. "I once used this method to try to break through myself, but I failed then, too. It seems the meridians of a Profound-rank expert have a limit to how much they can withstand. They simply can't bear such a tremendous compression of energy..."
"Late Profound-rank peak is more than enough for me!" Uncle Qing said, stretching his arms. "To tell you the truth, from the moment my cultivation was crippled all those years ago, and later when I began training in external martial arts, I never once imagined that I would one day become a late Profound-rank peak expert!"
"Heh... Uncle Qing, you don't need to comfort me. I'm merely a little disappointed." Wei Zhao sighed. "Besides, it's not a big deal. Late Profound rank is late Profound rank. It's good enough for now. Get some rest. I'll go back and think of another way."
"All right. You should get some rest early, too..." Uncle Qing could see that Wei Zhao was unwilling to give up so easily, and said no more.
After returning to his room, Wei Zhao immediately entered the jade pendant's space and began discussing with Jiao Ya Zi how to break through from late Profound-rank peak to Earth rank.
"You've already tried so many things yourself, and I watched from the side the whole time. If there were a way, do you think I wouldn't have told you?" Jiao Ya Zi rolled his eyes. "I have no solution left, at any rate. Unless you become an alchemist and refine a Qi-Gathering Pill for each of them!"
"Isn't that the same as saying nothing? I haven't even crossed the threshold of an alchemist yet, and you're already talking about refining pills!" Wei Zhao said with a bitter smile. "Ever since advancing to Earth rank, I've felt the difference between myself and the others more and more clearly. People from sects and families really are different. I've had to feel my way forward entirely on my own, whereas the people from those families have already been tempered and prepared through countless trials."
"But you have the jade pendant, and they don't," Jiao Ya Zi said.
"That much is true." Wei Zhao nodded. It was the one thing he took pride in above all else, and also his ultimate trump card—a secret that could never be revealed.
"Don't agonize over it too much. The full moon of the five-year deadline is almost here. Once you open the second level of the stone gate, you may gain something entirely beyond your expectations!" Jiao Ya Zi said.
"I suppose I can only place my hopes on that," Wei Zhao said.
Since even Jiao Ya Zi had no solution, Wei Zhao could only search for one himself. He cultivated in the jade pendant's space while racking his brains, but no matter how long he thought, he could not come up with any workable plan. Indeed, when he had been poisoned back then, he had already considered nearly every feasible method. Any idea he might think of now would merely be one he had considered and rejected at the time. What new solution could there possibly be?
If there had truly been another way, Wei Zhao would never have needed to take a Qi-Gathering Pill in the first place.