Chapter 442 - 383: Chu Huaixu Will Never Awaken

Daoist Sect, Junzi Temple.

Chu Huaixu lay on the bed, while Han Shuangjiang sat beside him, looking at his face with a touch of distraction.

In the blink of an eye, more than half a year had passed.

During this period, Chu Huaixu remained trapped in a nightmare, completely unable to wake up.

If this were on Earth, it would be like she had been caring for a husband who had become a vegetative state for this long...

But fortunately, here in the Profound Yellow Realm, she only needed to regularly feed Chu Huaixu a Grain Avoidance Pill.

Yet, as time went on, the Big Ice Cube felt somewhat sorrowful.

She used to think that the Dead Fox was annoyingly cheeky, joking around all day and constantly teasing her.

But over these months, she only felt that the house had become cold and desolate.

Han Shuangjiang was naturally a person of few words, and since Xiaoxu took on his senior brother’s burden, he too became like before, rarely returning home and undergoing special training with Jiang Zhi.

Even when he occasionally returned, he seemed even more silent than before.

The Big Ice Cube looked at Chu Huaixu and softly said:

"Junior Brother Xu seems more mature now than before."

But the cost of this maturity was the sudden toppling of the family’s backbone.

"Miss Lin also set off back to the Moon Country a few days ago," Han Shuangjiang continued to recount recent events.

Lin Zixuan’s return this time was to meet her master.

Ming Xuanji had mentioned to her to report back every six months or so.

With Chu Huaixu still asleep, she took the opportunity to ask her master if there was any solution.

Han Shuangjiang bore deep resentment and even hatred towards the Ninth Realm cat demon.

She secretly vowed in her heart that if he remained in this deep sleep, she would train hard to one day personally slay that cat demon!

She cared not for how high-ranking or special this black cat’s status was.

She only knew that Chu Huaixu ended up like this and it was the culprit!

During this time, apart from taking care of Chu Huaixu, she focused primarily on diligent cultivation.

The wonders of the Profound Yin Body became increasingly evident as time went on.

Two months ago, she had already entered the Fifth Realm, becoming a Great Cultivator!

Xu Ziqing recently, who knows what spirit pills and elixirs he consumed, was just a step away from the Fifth Realm.

"In another half month, Junior Brother Xu will enter the Origin Spirit Realm," Han Shuangjiang said quietly, with a trace of worry in her tone.

Chu Huaixu, still trapped in his nightmare, was naturally unable to respond to her.

In fact, everyone had started confronting reality.

The fact was, with time passing, Xu Ziqing had become the sole candidate.

Even if Chu Huaixu awoke at this point, he certainly wouldn’t have enough time to break through the Fifth Realm!

Without reaching the Fifth Realm, he wouldn’t even qualify to enter the Origin Spirit Realm.

In the end, the burden of saving the world once again fell on the fated person mentioned in the Daoist Ancestor’s Proverbs.

....

....

Hidden Spirit Mountain, at the summit.

The Evil Sword floated in the air, and Xu Ziqing sat quietly beneath it.

Jiang Zhi stood aside, observing the aura emanating from him.

"Is this... the Sword Heart about to break through again?" He was somewhat surprised.

After avenging his enemies, the young man was enlightened and gathered his own Sword Heart.

A month later, he had achieved a Minor Success of Sword Heart.

Now, a mere six months later, he was already pushing further to achieve Great Success of Sword Heart!

A genius in Sword Dao, truly terrifying!

Even Jiang Zhi, one of the Four Great Divine Swords of the previous generation, couldn’t help but feel amazed and shocked.

However, recalling how the young man completed the remnants of the "Six Out of Seven" through his instinct in Sword Dao when he first entered cultivation, he couldn’t help but be relieved.

"I suppose he was previously entangled by a heart demon, which is why he made no progress," Jiang Zhi thought.

With this breakthrough, entering the Origin Spirit Realm would afford him a slightly better chance.

With this in mind, he looked up at the Evil Sword floating in the air.

Jiang Zhi actually knew that it would still require the Evil Sword’s possession when the time came.

But he understood the intricacies involved.

"The stronger Xu Ziqing himself becomes, the more seals he can forcibly break after paying the price."

Back on Spring and Autumn Mountain, forcibly breaking the fifth seal had already been his limit.

"After entering the Fifth Realm, whether he can break the sixth seal depends on his own abilities," Jiang Zhi thought.

During this period, whenever he had free time, he would take Xiaoxu down the mountain to hunt demons and incidentally search for the cat demon’s whereabouts.

During these demon-hunting escapades, Xu Ziqing relied on the Evil Sword’s devouring ability to share in the benefits each time.

This was the secret to his recent rapid increase in strength!

It was purely due to the Absorption Technique!

"Thankfully his foundation is solid."

"And having been led onto the path of Body Refining by Chu Huaixu, he can withstand the chaotic power surging within his body before refinement."

Jiang Zhi couldn’t help but feel that Chu Huaixu’s role as a variable was indeed mostly guiding everyone towards a better direction.

Time passed, and almost a stick of incense later, the little old man in a white robe suddenly brightened his eyes.

"It’s happening!" he couldn’t help but exclaim.

Jiang Zhi seriously suspected that Xu Ziqing was the fastest in the history of the Profound Yellow Realm to progress from gathering a Sword Heart to achieving Great Success of Sword Heart!

"But that was also due to Chu Huaixu’s coma."

"After all, going from gathering a Sword Heart to achieving Minor Success of Sword Heart hadn’t taken much time."

As Xu Ziqing’s aura continued to rise, he appeared like a peerless sword unsheathed!

In the next instant, many Spirit Swords placed on Hidden Spirit Mountain seemed to react in some manner.

These Spirit Swords emitted low hums.

Though not as exaggerated and fervent as when Chu Huaixu broke through, there was still a subtle resonance.

This was originally a shocking scene.

Unfortunately, people in the Daoist Sect had witnessed the grand spectacle Chu Huaixu caused too many times.

As a result, this seemed somewhat trivial in comparison.

After a few breaths, Xu Ziqing suddenly opened his eyes.

This young man with delicate features had a glint of sharp light in his eyes at this moment.

As a result, the gentle aura around him diminished significantly.

"Very well, you have achieved Great Success of Sword Heart so quickly." Jiang Zhi couldn’t help but praise him.

In the past, he was like a pressure monster, only putting pressure on Chu Huaixu.

Now, after being frequently humbled, he seemed to have been reformed, starting to praise others.

Upon hearing this, Xu Ziqing immediately stood up.

"Disciple thanks Master Ancestor for guarding!"

Jiang Zhi waved his hand and said, "Ah! This is as it should be!"

He looked at the young man before him and continued, "Now, you are only half a step away from the Fifth Realm."

"At this time, don’t rely on going down the mountain to eliminate demons and absorb spiritual power."

"When facing a Realm Breakthrough, don’t ruin your foundation."

"Later, I will ask Tai Tingbai for a Spirit Pill. After taking it, go into seclusion." He instructed.

Upon hearing this, Xu Ziqing immediately bowed and said, "Disciple thanks Master Ancestor and Second Martial Uncle."

Jiang Zhi raised his eyes to look at him; if it were the young man from before, he might have declined several times.

"He has become much more composed." He thought to himself.

....

....

Western Continent, Moon Country.

Inside the Imperial Palace, the National Guardian Xiahou Yue stands before the Moon Emperor, reporting.

"Your Majesty, this subject went out in search of that cat demon, but still found nothing."

The Moon Emperor nodded, then frowned and asked:

"Did you return alone? Where is the State Preceptor?"

Recently, it has always been the Female State Preceptor accompanying the National Guardian and others in the Western Continent to search for that cat demon.

In Xiahou Yue’s eyes, Lin Qingci has always seemed like a woman indifferent to worldly affairs.

She seeks neither fame nor profit, not even the Great Dao.

Her dealings with people are light and indifferent, giving a sense of living without spirit.

As the National Guardian, he is privileged to know the reason.

——She is doing all this only for the Ancestor Emperor.

But over time, imperceptibly, she has gradually become such a person of indifference.

This is the first time Xiahou Yue has seen her so anxious.

"She seems more invested in finding the cat demon than I am?" He repeatedly thought in his heart.

Even after he returned to the Imperial Capital to report, Lin Qingci insisted on searching on her own.

Xiahou Yue had told her, "Even if you find it, it’s useless, you’re no match for that cat demon."

In fact, even if they teamed up, it would still be uncertain; they would have to call for Blade Holders and others.

But Lin Qingci still had her own persistence.

Therefore, at this moment, when hearing His Majesty’s inquiry, he could only say, "Your Majesty, the State Preceptor insisted on searching again."

Hearing this, the Moon Emperor couldn’t help but frown.

"Time-wise, even if the cat demon is found now, it’s already useless."

"Chu Huaixu can’t break through to the Fifth Realm in time."

"This time, the person entering the Spirit Realm will definitely be that Xu Ziqing!"

"The deadline I set for you guys back then was for this reason, how could the State Preceptor not know?"

Saying this, he paused.

He only assumed Lin Qingci did this to destroy the Emperor’s Divine Thought in her Sea of Consciousness.

Beyond this, he couldn’t think of any other reason.

"Is there anything else?" The Moon Emperor asked.

"There is indeed one more thing." Xiahou Yue said, "Lin Zixuan has returned."

"At the Old State Preceptor?" The Moon Emperor asked.

"Yes."

"Have her come to see me tomorrow." The Moon Emperor ordered.

...

...

Moon Country, Cultivation Hall.

The Old State Preceptor Ming Xuanji sat on a stone bench, this old blind man looked even older than before.

He really seemed too old, as if holding on with his last breath.

Lin Zixuan looked at her mentor, only feeling that her master was already a person with one foot in the grave.

This made her a little reluctant to leave the Cultivation Hall, wanting to serve by her master’s side.

But for some reason, having not seen him for a long time, she always felt that her master seemed a bit more gentle than before.

On his face, she seemed to see a hint of.... relief?

Yes, it seemed to be relief!

At this moment, the Old State Preceptor listened to his beloved disciple’s incessant chatter, recounting all her recent experiences.

Eventually, the topic inevitably fell on the never-awakening Chu Huaixu.

"Master, do you have any way to break the cat demon’s Nightmare?" the petite girl asked naively.

"Even the Sword Venerable and others couldn’t do it, how could this old man?" Ming Xuanji replied confidently, sounding as if it was natural.

"So no one can find that cat demon or break the Nightmare?" Lin Zixuan was puzzled.

"From the current situation, indeed it is so." Ming Xuanji replied.

Having said this, he stood up, extended his withered right hand, and gently patted his disciple’s shoulder, saying, "No worries, no need to overthink, this matter is not severe."

Lin Zixuan looked up in shock at the elder upon hearing this.

"You only need to know that in such a vast world, many capable individuals arise, but since no one can break that Nightmare, and the cat demon is nowhere to be found, then...."

"All of this is likely the work of the Dao Ancestor!"

....

(ps: Stopping the medication again, resuming updates!)

```