Cultivation is just so scientific!

When did Nascent Soul Early Stage practitioners, especially those from major sects, fall so casually?

He suddenly recalled something; in his muddled memories, he sensed Zhao Lingyu's presence, as if he also perceived Zhao Lingyu's death aura.

After his memory recovered, he thought the perception of Zhao Lingyu's death aura was just an illusion. Seeing Zhao Lingyu's two subordinates fall before him, he couldn't help but suspect that Zhao Lingyu had already fallen.

Yet Zhong Qiang still couldn't believe it; mainly because Li Shiming, the little junior brother, was the only one present, he simply couldn't believe Li Shiming could kill Zhao Lingyu.

At this time, Li Shiming had already tidied up the battlefield and returned to the 'Blue Crystal Cloud-breaking Boat.'

He controlled the 'Blue Crystal Cloud-breaking Boat' as it flew toward the location of the four Fourth Grade Puppets and used his Divine Sense to collect them.

He did not hide this from Zhong Qiang; while the number of four Fourth Grade Puppets was considerable, it was not a secret. As long as the secret of the electromagnetic cannon wasn't exposed, there was no issue.

It must be said, though Li Shiming drove four Fourth Grade Puppets to launch coordinated volleys killing two Nascent Soul Early Stage practitioners, the battle process was something that Zhong Qiang, who was now only at early-stage Foundation Establishment, couldn't clearly understand.

Zhong Qiang might have seen the battle process, but the speed of the Fourth Grade Cone-shaped Magical Treasure was just too fast, so fast that his early-stage Foundation Establishment eyes couldn't even detect the existence of the Fourth Grade Cone-shaped Magical Treasure.

Two Fourth Grade Puppets first fired a round of electromagnetic cannon; against two Nascent Soul Early Stage practitioners who weren't prepared, even if they were, they couldn't dodge the electromagnetic cannon's attack.

The Fourth Grade Cone-shaped Magical Treasure only destroyed their bodies, leaving their Nascent Soul alive. After their Nascent Soul Emergence, the other two puppets fired the electromagnetic cannon again, annihilating their Nascent Soul completely.

This battle seemed exceedingly easy, but the calculations involved were extremely complex. Without the command of the IBMz15, achieving such a result would have been impossible.

The 'Blue Crystal Cloud-breaking Boat's' speed went full tilt back to the sect, mirroring Zhong Qiang's inner feelings.

Li Shiming didn't take out Spiritual Objects to entertain Zhong Qiang, mainly because Zhong Qiang was currently too weak to endure what he could offer.

"Little junior brother, did you encounter Zhao Lingyu?" After a period of contemplation, Zhong Qiang couldn't help but ask.

Zhao Lingyu was a curse for him; it was sensing Zhao Lingyu's aura that shook him out of his stupor, showing just how indelible Zhao Lingyu was to him.

"Yes, I was the first to find senior brother, then set up a trap waiting for him to fall into it!" Li Shiming replied with a smile.

Zhong Qiang, hearing this, couldn't help but shiver; had Zhao Lingyu found him first, he feared he'd truly endure a fate worse than death.

"What happened to Zhao Lingyu?" Zhong Qiang continued to ask.

"Zhao Lingyu is here!" Li Shiming hesitated slightly, considering Zhong Qiang's grudge with Zhao Lingyu, and decided to take Zhao Lingyu's corpse out, saying.

If he didn't produce Zhao Lingyu's corpse, and didn't state Zhao Lingyu's demise, he feared Zhong Qiang would spend a lifetime searching for Zhao Lingyu, wasting his life in the process.

In Zhong Qiang's current state, if he extended his hatred onward, losing hope of restoring his strength was inevitable.

Watching the corpse before him, complex emotions flickered in Zhong Qiang's eyes.

Hatred, confusion, disbelief, puzzlement, joy, release, relaxation, a burst of laughter; his emotions were myriad, ending the prior hatred in such a state.

He looked towards Li Shiming; regardless of the means Li Shiming used, Li Shiming avenged him.

He fully understood that given his situation, avenging Zhao Lingyu was unimaginable, restoring his original strength a mere difficulty.

If Li Shiming hadn't killed Zhao Lingyu, he feared living a life mired in hatred.

"I never thought it would come to this; we struggled for hundreds of years in life, now it's settled!" Zhong Qiang muttered to Zhao Lingyu's corpse.

He turned to Li Shiming, words forming unspoken, preparing to speak upon returning.

Li Shiming put Zhao Lingyu's corpse away, added Water Spiritual Power to the 'Blue Crystal Cloud-breaking Boat,' making the flying boat even faster.

As they neared Ten Thousand Beast Sect's mountain gate, Zhong Qiang's eyes never left the scenery outside.

When the 'Blue Crystal Cloud-breaking Boat' entered the thousand-mile range, passing through a barrier, tears welled in Zhong Qiang's eyes.

It was only now that he truly felt at home, the sensation of this Cave Heaven so strange yet so familiar.

Arriving outside the mountain gate, Li Shiming put away the 'Blue Crystal Cloud-breaking Boat,' using Divine Sense to support Zhong Qiang as they entered the gate.

With Zhong Qiang, they flew directly to Four Symbols Cave Heaven, aiming to meet mentor Grandmaster Hu.

Before the journey, he had informed mentor Grandmaster Hu.

Outside Grandmaster Hu's cave abode, Grandmaster Hu's spirit incarnation stood awaiting.

"Master, your disciple has returned!" Zhong Qiang, seeing Grandmaster Hu, rushed forward, kneeling at Grandmaster Hu's feet, embracing his legs.

"Good you are back, and your cultivation can always be restored!" Grandmaster Hu gently patted Zhong Qiang's head, soothing him softly.

The mentor-student bond in the Cultivation World would dwarf even mortal father-son relationships.

Zhong Qiang being Grandmaster Hu's chief disciple made this bond all the closer.

Separated for a century, Grandmaster Hu had resigned to celestial separation, so Zhong Qiang's return was a welcome surprise.

Regarding cultivation, though Zhong Qiang's body's talent was poor, it was fused with Zhong Qiang's Nascent Soul, granting some degree of Zhong Qiang's original talent.

While Zhong Qiang's breakthrough to Great Cultivator was impossible, partial recovery was feasible.

"Disciple apologizes for failing to heed master's teachings!" Emotionally stable, Zhong Qiang spoke with lowered head.

He understood Grandmaster Hu's pride; returning disgraced as a senior disciple, he felt he had humiliated Grandmaster Hu.

"Once you have restored your strength, I will prepare some means for you to take revenge!" Grandmaster Hu reassuringly replied.

"Master, little junior brother avenged me!" Zhong Qiang said awkwardly.

Grandmaster Hu glanced unexpectedly at Li Shiming, knowing Zhong Qiang's enemy was Zhao Lingyu, a Nascent Soul Middle Stage practitioner from Sun Concealing Sect, an emerging Great Cultivator prodigy.

Li Shiming's swift advancement didn't evoke belief even from Grandmaster Hu, his mentor, that Li Shiming could kill Zhao Lingyu.

"I set a trap and used some means!" Li Shiming explained vaguely and briefly.

"You, despite my telling you not to take risks, you sought out the mid-stage Zhao Lingyu!" Grandmaster Hu shook his head at Li Shiming, speaking pointedly.

Zhong Qiang exchanged glances between Grandmaster Hu and Li Shiming, perplexed why Grandmaster Hu spoke thus.

Combat was cultivators' quickest path to growth; he recalled Grandmaster Hu's teachings not to fear battle.

Why then was Grandmaster Hu forbidding Li Shiming adventure, was it lowered expectations, or was Li Shiming unique?

"Forgot to mention, your junior brother is an Alchemy Master!" Grandmaster Hu laughingly addressed Zhong Qiang, correcting: "The sect's foremost Alchemy Master."

Zhong Qiang was dumbstruck; his open mouth looked at mentor Grandmaster Hu, considering any non-Grandmaster Hu claim unbelievable.

"Maybe I should say the greatest Alchemy Master on Dongqi Continent!" Grandmaster Hu reevaluated seeing Li Shiming's level in crafting Nascent Soul Late Stage Fourth Grade Spirit Pill, changing his assessment again.

Li Shiming's capabilities in crafting Nascent Soul Late Stage Fourth Grade Spirit Pill were little known outside; only few Great Cultivators from Ten Thousand Beast Sect comprehended, this led to Grandmaster Hu's high praise.