The conversion to immortal cultivation went rather smoothly for Furina and the others. After all, they had never practiced cultivation before. Now, with access to the Seven Peaks Scriptures, their foundation was quickly transformed.
Ningguang and her group, however, progressed a bit slower.
Although the Circulating Heaven Breathing Method was not as profound as the Seven Lineage Scriptures, Mount Shu had always treated its disciples generously. This technique, too, was of Earth Immortal grade. The quality of true essence it produced could not compare to the immortal scriptures, but it was still true essence nonetheless.
To completely replace it required time—at least a few days. Even so, that speed was already astonishingly fast.
Realizing this, Ningguang and the others decided not to force matters. They set aside the immortal scriptures for now and let the transition run its course.
Before long, with Tartaglia and Hu Tao completing their transformations, everyone present in the sect's grand hall had officially become cultivators.
Jiang Yan nodded slightly, a faint smile on his lips.
"Congratulations to you all."
Furina lowered her gaze to her hands. For a moment, her vision pierced through flesh and skin, seeing the faint but steadily flowing current of true essence in her meridians.
That supreme aura coursed peacefully within her body.
Clenching her fists, she could feel her newfound strength.
This was different from the borrowed power of the Vision.
As someone who had been nothing more than an ordinary human, the contrast hit her with startling clarity.
Even blades and arrows would find it difficult to pierce her now.
This was not external power—it was strength that originated wholly from her body.
It felt as if… an entire world had been contained within her flesh.
Such a description, Furina thought, was not exaggerated at all. That was exactly how it felt.
The others were equally awed, examining themselves in disbelief.
They had not even learned any arts yet—this was only the first step into cultivation. And still, they already felt this powerful.
It was hard to comprehend.
Even Tartaglia, as he tested the force flowing inside him—force that was entirely his own—couldn't help but compare it with the borrowed abilities of his Vision.
His face darkened. Without a word, he plucked both his Vision and Delusion from his body and shoved them into his coat.
No wonder Ningguang and the others never wore theirs.
To cultivators, these trinkets were nothing but dead weight.
Flashy, but useless.
Now, with his true essence fueling his combat skills, Tartaglia felt confident he could seriously injure Scaramouche in a single strike.
As for the Fatui's top three Harbingers… once he mastered some immortal techniques, even they would no longer be beyond reach.
Yes. Cultivation was the only true path.
Then, as he recalled the scripture that had imprinted itself into his mind alongside the immortal canon, his heart skipped a beat—
The Sword Controlling Art.
Keqing had used this very technique to thrash him within an inch of death.
To him, this art carried a unique weight.
No one understood its terror better than him, for he had faced it and lived.
The memory of countless flying swords filling the sky, their killing intent descending upon him—just recalling it still sent chills down his spine.
Fortunately, he had not developed a phobia of swords. Otherwise, he'd hardly be fit to call himself a disciple of Mount Shu.
His gaze drifted, locking onto the sword hanging at Keqing's waist.
That blade…
Yes, it was called Azure Frost Sword, and it was a true magic weapon.
Back when Keqing soared through the skies on her sword, she had been wielding this very one.
Baiwen had once explained that Keqing's greatest trump card wasn't the Sword Controlling Art, but the Heavenly Gang Sword Technique—a formidable Yellow-Grade spell.
But that had been then.
Now… who knew how many techniques Keqing had mastered? She might even have reached the legendary Ten Thousand Swords Become One.
Though he too had reached the mid-stage of Qi Refinement, Tartaglia could feel it—against Keqing, he still wouldn't last a single round.
It was just like the time he had challenged her before. Cultivator or not, it seemed nothing had changed.
But there was one crucial difference—
Back then, he had seen no hope of ever catching up.
Now…
Now he could see a path.
If he worked hard enough, sooner or later he could stand against Keqing as an equal.
That day when she had ended him in a single move—that despair still haunted him. If he could not overcome it, it would fester into his heart demon.
And heart demons were fatal on the path of cultivation.
So his first goal after becoming a cultivator was clear.
To face Keqing openly, fight her fair and square.
Not to win—but at least not to lose in one strike.
He knew she bore the Sword Body constitution, forging an invincible path at her realm.
But he refused to accept it.
If fate had denied him her talent, then he would pay the price in blood and sweat.
Had he not already gambled his life countless times in his training before?
His life was the cheapest currency he had.
Now, with Keqing as a goal, his path forward seemed clearer than ever.
Of course, Keqing noticed his burning gaze. She simply didn't care.
Among her peers, only Klee and Lumine—true divine bodies—or Shenhe could contend with her.
Such was the power of special physiques.
The world was never fair, and cultivation least of all.
Clorinde, meanwhile, looked at Furina's back with mixed emotions.
Having stepped onto the path herself, she could tell instantly:
Though both were only at the early stage of Qi Refinement, Furina was actually weaker than she was.
But Furina…
Her heart twisted with contradictions.
As if sensing her turmoil, Furina trembled slightly but did not turn around.
Clorinde, however, drew in a deep breath and spoke quietly but firmly:
"Lady Furina, no matter what, to me—and to all of Fontaine—you are the most perfect Hydro Archon."
"Of course… now, I should call you fellow disciple."
"I believe in you, Lady Furina. You will one day stand at the pinnacle of cultivation and gaze down upon the world."
"I will remain forever loyal, awaiting the day you lead Fontaine to glory."
"You are, and always will be, Fontaine's greatest god."
Furina's eyes flickered, her shoulders trembling faintly. After a long silence, she murmured:
"…Thank you, Clorinde."
She did not turn back, but Clorinde could already feel it—that rising tide of confidence surging from Furina's very being.
Strength no longer mattered. Titles no longer mattered.
Furina had already proven, through the Heart-Testing Array, how deeply she loved Fontaine. Even if she was no Archon, Clorinde would follow her regardless.
All the more so now—Furina possessed a Heavenly Spiritual Root and had passed the Ninefold Trial.
Her blessings were stacked beyond compare. Her future cultivation path would soar like a rocket.
Power? For Furina, that was merely the journey, not the destination.
Her future would blaze with light.
Clorinde lifted her chin proudly, eyes fixed on Furina's back.
"Qi Refinement early stage, is it? Much weaker than I expected… but cultivation is far stronger than I ever imagined."
Beidou muttered, clenching her fists.
She too was at the early stage, but not far from the mid-stage. It was just the initial gap that felt jarring.
Back in Liyue, aside from the adepti, she had stood among the strongest.
Now…
Her gaze swept around the hall.
Zhongli and the others needed no mention. But even among her fellow cultivators, all of them exuded terrifying strength.
Even the seemingly frail Paimon and Barbara—one gave off the sense she could swat Beidou away with a single motion, while the other, though perhaps lower in realm, carried a restrained aura of spells that made Beidou feel a chilling danger.
Experience counted. They had simply joined the sect earlier and learned more techniques.
And Paimon—
Baiwen had already explained. Paimon was a divine body, comparable only to Lumine and Klee.
"…Fine. So I'm weak. At least the path ahead is limitless. That's something to drive me forward."
Beidou grinned.
Since slaying Haishan, she hadn't felt such a challenge in years.
Cultivation? She would catch up, no matter what.
And she would never call Ningguang senior sister.
The others were equally ecstatic.
That feeling of standing tall between heaven and earth, with their will as the greatest law—it filled them with inexhaustible confidence.
And this was only the beginning. They had much further to go.
They would need magic treasures. Spells. Techniques…
Hu Tao, however, fell silent for a long moment. Then she shot Zhongli a furious glare before turning to Jiang Yan.
"Headmaster, if I—if my cultivation surpasses one of the Peak Elders… can I replace them?"
Her words stunned the hall.
Such blatant heresy had never been uttered in Mount Shu.
Hu Tao was indeed fearless.
Perhaps it was merely her grudge against Zhongli for keeping secrets from her. But such words were reckless nonetheless.
If one could replace an elder for surpassing them in cultivation, then what if someone surpassed the sect head himself? Would they seize the throne too?
At once, Xiao's expression turned ice-cold.
"In Mount Shu, those who show disrespect to their elders—are executed!"
The aura of a peak Qi Refinement cultivator erupted forth.
Though it carefully avoided Jiang Yan and the others, it crashed down on Hu Tao like a falling mountain.
And everyone near her—Furina included—was dragged into it as well.
This was the might of one who stood a single step from Foundation Establishment.
In cultivation, the difference of a realm was absolute. Xiao's aura alone, not even at full force, was enough to make them feel as though they had been cast into hell, death looming with every breath.
Even Tartaglia, battle-maniac that he was, shrank back under that suffocating pressure.
Against such an opponent, there was no fighting back.
Not even a chance.
This was the true terror of the gap between realms.
And yet, within that despair, Tartaglia's fighting spirit only grew more intense.
If he could not fight now, then he would cultivate until he could.
Breakthroughs were also a kind of battle!
"…Enough, Xiao."
Just as Hu Tao's impulsive words began to gnaw at her with regret, Zhongli sighed, shaking his head.
He lifted a hand, and Xiao's pressure vanished like mist.
Turning toward Jiang Yan, he bowed apologetically.
"Forgive her, Headmaster. Hu Tao spoke out of turn. And I too was at fault, for keeping certain matters from her."
Hu Tao exhaled in relief, but promptly turned her head away, refusing to look at him.
Jiang Yan chuckled, waving a hand lightly.
"No harm done. A little outburst from a young girl is no grave matter."
"But… Hu Tao is not entirely wrong either."
His gaze swept the hall, his voice calm yet resolute.
"Mount Shu has always upheld the principle that the capable rise to the top. Should any of you reach the late stage of Foundation Establishment, you will indeed be qualified to serve as Peak Elder or Inner Sect Elder."
"And if one day, your cultivation surpasses mine… then perhaps the position of Sect Head should be yours as well."
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