The Good-For-Nothing Cultivator

The heaven gate of the Clear Sky Pavilion was on top of an impressive three thousand flight of steps and there were sentries at every five hundred steps.

To any third realm cultivators and above, walking up the steps to the top of the heaven gate was not a big issue.

So when Qiuxiang Huan had led Qin Keqin and her group to the top, she was quite startled to see that Lu Qingyun and Lie Xingyuan were still at ease and they were not in the least tired.

"Isn"t he just a lowly good-for-nothing first realm cultivator?" She thought. "And his personal attendant is also not tired too?"

She knew who Ouyang Xue and Leng Qiuyue were. After all, the two of them were in the top twenty beauties ranking and were her rivals. So naturally she would keep tabs on their gossips and keep track of their cultivation strength.

She did not know that Ouyang Xue and Leng Qiuyue had just a breakthrough to the fourth cultivation realm and in her eyes they were just third realm experts. But even if she had known, it did not matter to her because she was a secret fifth realm expert and there was no way for Ouyang Xue or Leng Qiuyue to overtake her anytime soon.

Only Qin Keqin mattered to her because they were on the same cultivation realm and she was a potential rival.

It was not only Qiuxiang Huan who was quietly observing Qin Keqin and her entourage. All the protégés of the Clear Sky Pavilion was all stunned by the beautiful sight of Qin Keqin, Ouyang Xue, Leng Qiuyue and Lie Xingyuan.

"They are the two alluring flowers of the Heavens Ridge Villa, Ouyang Xue and Leng Qiuyue…"

"But the other two beautiful maidens, I have no idea at all…"

"This one is like a peerless G.o.ddess. I wonder who she is…"

And of course, the female protégés were also secretly looking at Lu Qingyun and was wondering who he was.

"That tall young man looks like a fine person indeed," several of the female protégés was smiling shyly when they saw Lu Qingyun.

Qiuxiang Huan said to the protégés standing at the heaven gate, "Please inform the Pavilion Mistress that the sect leader of the Heavens Ridge Villa is here."

The protégés at the heaven gate were clearly started. The sect leader of the Heavens Ridge Villa was here? This had never happened before in the history of the Clear Sky Pavilion.

This had never happened before because the Heavens Ridge Villa had no real sect leader for a long time. Even Qin Keqin was an "acting" sect leader on behalf of Fairy Jade Light, a role that she had doubled up herself since she had no real interest in managing the Heavens Ridge Villa.

Qiuxiang Huan turned to smile at Qin Keqin and the rest, "The Pavilion Mistress who is my mother consort will be seeing you shortly. Please allow me to lead the way."

Qin Keqin nodded as she turned around to wink at the rest, "Aren"t all of you glad that we will be the meeting the Pavilion Mistress of the Clear Sky Pavilion today?"

Lu Qingyun smiled awkwardly. Although this place seemed to be stately and several notches more beautiful than the Heavens Ridge Villa, he did not feel at ease here.

The Flying Armament Sect and the Clear Sky Pavilion had a longer history than any of the celestial clans in New Empyrean City and these two celestial clans had occupied two of the highest peaks in New Empyrean City.

The beautiful peaks of the Clear Sky Pavilion were renowned throughout New Empyrean City but it was strictly off limited to most of the celestial clans. It was because the Pavilion Mistress had rarely stepped into the heartlands of the New Empyrean nor did they entertain any guests.

Therefore there was a certain mystifying feel about the Clear Sky Pavilion.

But Qin Keqin knew that beneath this lofty and reclusive place, the Pavilion Mistress and Qiuxiang Huan were ambitious people that wished to dominate over the three other celestial powerhouses and become the dominant power in New Empyrean City.

As a matter of fact, Qin Keqin had already known that Qiuxiang Huan was a peaked fifth realm golden celestial expert as she had the Primordial Heaven Chart, an ancient immortal artefact that could reveal the cultivation level of any cultivation experts.

She knew that Qiuxiang Huan was hiding her cultivation level by concealing herself as a fourth realm cultivation expert.

As Qiuxiang Huan led them in an unhurried stroll to the inner palaces, they soon reached a place where they could view a large terrace and there were hundreds of protégés who were practicing with their swords and moves.

And these hundreds of protégés who were practicing below them were all startled by the entourage of the Heavens Ridge Villa and had all ceased their practices.

"Who are they?"

"Several G.o.ddesses have just come…"

"Who is that fine young man?"

Qiuxiang Huan was smiling, "It seems that the protégés are curious about you."

Then she took a curious look at Lu Qingyun, "I"ve heard that the senior brother of the Heavens Ridge Villa is a most outstanding man of talent and he is also the direct disciple of Sect Leader Qin. Do you think that it will be alright for him to spar with some of the protégés below?"

Lu Qingyun was growling secretly, "You mean I"ve a reputation of a good-for-nothing cultivator, right?"

But he returned a smile, "I am still fresh from joining the Heavens Ridge Villa and unable to even grasp a hundredth of the profound arts of my clan. I am afraid that-"

"My Disciple Yun"Er here will spar with your protégés," Qin Keqin chuckled.

Lu Qingyun: …

Leng Qingyue, Ouyang Xue and Lie Xingyuan: …

"This…" Lu Qingyun stammered.

Qiuxiang Huan knew that Lu Qingyun was hesitating so she quickly interrupted softly, "This is most excellent. We will be extremely honored to have a core disciple of the Heavens Ridge Villa to give my protégés a pointer or two."

Leng Qiuyue said all of a sudden, "I"m also a core disciple of the Heavens Ridge Villa. Let me take the place of senior brother to spar with them."

Qiuxiang Huan chuckled softly, "You are a senior core protégé while these protégés are too junior. Most of them are just on the first and second realm level. This won"t be fair at all."

Qin Keqin smiled, "That is true. Why not let Yun"Er spar with them first."

Lu Qingyun replied with a slight shake of his head, "I"ll obey my master"s commands."

Qiuxiang Huan was delightful as she whispered to the female protégé next to her before she stepped forward to slap her hand aloud to garner the attention of the protégés below, "Today we are honored to have the senior brother of the Heavens Ridge Villa to be here with us to give us a pointer or two. Therefore I will like everyone to pay close attention to the duel."

There were incessant mutterings among the hundreds of protégés below.

Most of it was negative.

"This senior brother of the Heavens Ridge Villa is Lu Qingyun?"

"I"ve heard that he is a good-for-nothing first realm cultivator…"

"And he wants to give us a pointer or two? What a joke!"

"The Heavens Ridge Villa seems to be quite insolent lately…"

"Why don"t we teach him a lesson and gives him a pointer or two instead?"

The same female protégé that Qiuxiang Huan had whispered to earlier was now at the terrace below and she was seen whispering to a pet.i.te female protégé.

This pet.i.te female protégé was soon nodding and smiling as she listened.

In the next instant she had unsheathed her long sword and was bowing with her sword to the terrace above as she said with clarity, "Qiuxiang Hanyu pays respect to Sect Leader Qin and to all the dignitaries from the Heavens Ridge Villa."

Qin Keqin chuckled as she turned to look at Qiuxiang Huan, "This little maiden here, she seems a little young? She is also a Qiuxiang?"

Qiuxiang Huan returned a wryly smile, "She is my youngest sister. Therefore she is the most suitable person to spar with Senior Brother Lu here."

Lu Qingyun had an ugly expression on him now. It was not because he was afraid of losing this duel but this Qiuxiang Hanyu was really a little too young and she looked like she was only thirteen or fourteen.

With a soft sigh, he jumped down from the pavilion above to the terrace below and he was soon looking at Qiuxiang Hanyu eye to eye. The problem was this eye to eye was not on the same level and he was two heads taller than her.

Qiuxiang Hanyu was gasping softly to herself when she had a clear look at Lu Qingyun, "This big brother here is so charismatic. There is no other man as good looking as him in the Clear Sky Pavilion. Moreover, he has jumped from such a high place and there is not a single sound. This means that his lightness skill is at a high level. Is he only a good-for-nothing first realm cultivator?"

It was not only the protégés that were startled when Lu Qingyun had jumped down from the pavilion instead of taking the stairs, even Qiuxiang Huan was a little startled as she said silently. "This feat alone is impossible for someone who is only a first realm cultivator. He has to be at least a third realm cultivator in order to accomplish such a feat. Maybe even higher."

Lu Qingyun smiled awkwardly to the little maiden in front of him, "Lu Qingyun here. Erm, do we really need to have a duel?"

Qiuxiang Hanyu chuckled, "Big brother, you are looking down on me because I am only thirteen? Let me tell you this. I"m a third realm cultivation expert now."

Lu Qingyun was startled and it showed on his countenance. This little maiden was a third realm expert at a tender age of thirteen?! What a monstrous genius…

He really did not know whether to laugh or cry when he saw the long sword that was almost as long as her height.

"This little maiden seems to know what I am thinking?"

Qiuxiang Hanyu suddenly said, "Big brother, I think you are wearing your one of your socks opposite. It is the one to your left."

Lu Qingyun: …

Indeed she was right. He had been in a rush this morning and was dazed from consuming the Seven Hearts Hollow Pill so he had recklessly worn his socks.

It was not until she had mentioned it that Lu Qingyun had suddenly realized that he had worn one of his socks in the opposite way.

There was a weird expression that was on Qin Keqin as she thought anxiously, "This little maiden has extremely sharp eyes…"

Qiuxiang Hanyu was smiling again, "Big Brother, where is your sword?"

Lu Qingyun smiled awkwardly, "We can spar with our hands. It is the same."

Qiuxiang Hanyu laughed softly, "This won"t do at all. This is a golden opportunity for us to know the strengths of each other"s clans. After all, there may not be a next time. If we only use our fists then we can"t learn much. Therefore we need to use real swords."

Lu Qingyun: …

"Big brother, you won"t hurt me right? As long as you are careful, this duel will be a good experience for the two of us." She giggled between her words.

Lu Qingyun: …

"I"m not going to fight against a thirteen little maiden…" he was thinking.

But Qin Keqin was saying behind him, "Yun"Er, what are you waiting for? We"re all waiting."

Lu Qingyun: …

He had promised Qin Keqin that in the public, she would always be his master while in private, she would be his beloved. And now, she was his master and he had to heed the commands of his master…

But his opponent was only a little maiden!…

How could he lift his sword against a little maiden?!