Months had passed since the Battle Royal Tournament. Ling and Qiqi now had grown into teenagers.
Qiqi has made a number of friends since then, she was popular amongst the male students due to her adorable and friendly manners. And also a role model for all students.
Many male students had laid their eyes on her, hoping that she's willing to become their suitor in the future.
Even so, she didn't care about that matter in the slightest. She's only focused on her training and broadening her knowledge. Qiqi would spend the daylight training relentlessly and drown herself in the sea of words from evening till midnight.
Meanwhile, Ling Zhao received numerous duel invitations since that day. Many students were envious and jealous of him. Picked by the Dean himself as his pupil, and yet, living with the Academy's idol under the same roof.
However, Ling Zhao paid no heed to their thoughts. He didn't want to waste his precious time over trivial things.
After he received the pendant with Celestial Blood Stone in it, Ling Zhao was still occupied with his seclusion in order to break into the Earth Realm. He hasn't come out from his room for almost a half year.
Until on a certain snowy night, when Qiqi was reading a new Battle Skill book, the ground shook violently as if an earthquake had occurred. The shaking was brief, yet causing her room into a complete mess.
"Eep!"
She was startled, taking cover under her desk while covering her vixen ears.
"What just happened?"
A moment later, she came to realize that there was a surge of energy from Ling Zhao's room. She immediately ran there to check Ling Zhao's condition.
"Brother Ling, are you okay?"
Upon peeking through the narrow slit of the door, she saw Ling Zhao levitated in meditating posture.
His hair stood upright while his body emanated a chaotic aura.
Out of curiosity, Qiqi took a closer step. She held out her hand to touch him… but was stopped by Fang Zheng when her finger was an inch apart.
"Don't touch him, yet. Any foreiign energy from the outside source would lead him astray. Right now, Ling is battling the tribulation and finding his path."
"I-I am sorry, Shifu." Qiqi said in guilt. "I don't mean to…"
"I know, just sit and watch him. You might get inspiration from him and breakthrough to the Earth Realm like he's doing at the moment."
"I understand."
Qiqi sat cross legged in front of Ling Zhao. She tried her best to grasp the boundaries between Body Foundation Stage and Earth Realm.
Meanwhile, Fang Zheng supervised the two from the side. Just in case anything goes south.
Before long, Ling Zhao Yang Qi aura sought out the nearest Yin Qi aura which emanated from Qiqi.
The two aura then mingle and intertwine with each other intimately. Soon enough, their Sea of Consciousness merged into one and their mind and soul met to each other in the pseudo dimension.
Shallow lake with mirror-like surface reflected the blue sky above that stretched infinitely, truly a piece of heaven and tranquility. A plain canvas of their story which yet to be painted with joys, tears, blood and tragedy.
Ling opened his eyes when he felt someone's presence had entered the dimension.
"Qiqi? But… how?!"
"Brother Ling!" Qiqi didn't answer that since she herself couldn't fathom what was happening. She hugged him right away.
One thing for sure, Qiqi felt overjoyed when she was finally able to embrace him. She's able to do this since she knew they were not in the real world.
"It's warm…" Qiqi mumbled. "Is your soul always this warm, brother Ling? I hope this moment will last forever."
Likewise, the moment she embraced him, all burdens from the tribulation were lifted from his shoulder.
The resonance of their souls caused a ripple in the Sea of Consciousness. Seeing their romantic and melancholic relationship between the two, the gods and the heavens finally allow them to step up into Earth Realm.
As soon as their mind and soul returned to their body, a surge of energy wreaked havoc once again. A sign of someone had breakthrough to a higher realm.
Thanks to Fang Zheng who was standby beside them to suppress the energy surge. His mansion would be turned into smitheren if he's not present at that moment.
Ling moved his hand back and forth, trying to get used to the new profound power inside of him.
"Unmistakably, this is Earth Realm! I can feel my dantian filled with energy!"
"Me too, brother Ling!" Qiqi said, hugging him without any doubt.
"Congratulations, both of you. Now you two are fully fledged Earth Realm Cultivators right now. Your perilous journeys just yet to begin." Fang Zheng smirked.
Fang Zheng might look so proud and amazed of his disciples and all. However, there's a fear lingering inside the deepest part of his heart. 'Did I just make a pair of monsters by accident? The fate of the Nine Clouds Continent would be shaken to its core once I set them free to the world.'
"We can't even fathom how to thank you, Fang Zheng Shifu. We will be forever indebted." Ling Zhao said, bowing before the dean.
"En…" Fang Zheng nodded. "Now I can rest assured if both of you want to venture the world outside. Just don't forget to send me a letter once in a while."
Qiqi jumped in excitement upon hearing this, "Really?! Which means, I can go back to my homeland and meet my mother?!"
"IF you are really confident to thread your own way through the Northern Wilderness and crossing the World's Boundary, you are free to go." Fang Zheng replied.
"Northern Wilderness? That's the northernmost border which my sect had protected for generations. You said there's a civilization beyond?"
"Of course!" Qiqi exclaimed. "More than just a civilization. But a whole Empire!"
Ling Zhao doesn't have a faintest idea about this since there's no book in the library ever mentioned about the world outside the Nine Clouds Continent. "Do you know about this, Fang Zheng Shifu?"
"Hmm… why don't you find the answer yourself?"
Ling Zhao ridiculed himself. 'In the end of the day, I am but a frog inside the deep well, seeing nothing but just a small portion of the sky.'
"What do you say, Brother Ling? Would you come with me?"
"I would love to, however, my plate is full for the next two years or so."
Qiqi's face sulken upon hearing his answer.
"But… I may be able to accompany you crossing the Northern Wilderness all the way to the World Boundary. I would like to see it myself anyway."
Qiqi smiled nonstop while holding Ling's hand after hearing it. She was so happy just thinking about embarking on the journey with her significant other.