Upon hearing those words, Lu Ning was completely dumbfounded.
Stay in the forbidden land?
Re-cultivate until the Great Perfection Stage?
Was this some kind of joke!
With her current talent, even with the assistance of various top-tier spiritual medicines, it would take at least several years to return to the Great Perfection Stage.
Even if this body had a good foundation and no bottlenecks between realms, it would still take about two or three years.
By the time she finished her cultivation and stepped back outside in a year or so, the Tianmo Sect would likely have been razed to the ground by those so-called Righteous Alliances.
They wouldn’t even leave ashes behind.
What would be the point of her going out then?
To be a commander with no troops?
Coming back to her senses, Lu Ning looked at Liu Ningshuang, her face displaying an incredibly “sincere” expression.
“Master, your disciple knows her mistake.”
“I am willing to stay here to reflect and re-cultivate.”
“It is just…”Lu Ning’s tone shifted, and a “difficult” expression appeared on her face.
“It is just that your disciple’s cultivation has plummeted. I fear I can no longer fulfill the duties of the Tianmo Sect Leader.”
“I humbly ask Master to retake the position of Sect Leader and lead our Tianmo Sect through this crisis.”
“When your disciple eventually breaks through to the Great Perfection Stage, I will take back the position from your hands. What do you think?”
Lu Ning’s words sounded heartfelt, but her true intention was merely to take this opportunity to resign from the troublesome position of Sect Leader.
She had been working like a dog outside, bullied by traitorous disciples, imprisoned by a crazed eldest princess, and tortured by a scheming enchantress.
Meanwhile, her master had been hiding in this blessed grotto, comfortably in secluded cultivation for over one hundred years.
Now she wanted Lu Ning to continue working like a beast of burden?
Not a chance!
Whoever wanted this Sect Leader position could have it.
Regardless, she didn’t want it anymore.
However, after hearing her words, Liu Ningshuang frowned slightly.
“Nonsense.”
Liu Ningshuang’s voice carried a hint of displeasure.
“Why would I take back something I have already given away?”
“Since the position of Tianmo Sect Leader has already been passed to you, Ning’er, it is yours.”
“If you feel you cannot do a good job, then pass the position to your own disciple rather than returning it to me, your master.”
Lu Ning: “…”Lu Ning was completely stumped by Liu Ningshuang’s bizarre logic.
“But Master…”
“The righteous forces are currently pressing our borders. My Tianmo Sect is facing an unprecedented crisis of life and death.”
“Only you have the strength to be qualified for this position.”
“Master, if you do not act, our Tianmo Sect will likely…”
“That is your business as the Sect Leader. You are naturally responsible for cleaning up the mess,” Liu Ningshuang interrupted her.
“I am no longer the Sect Leader of the Tianmo Sect. The rise and fall of the sect has nothing to do with me.”
“Furthermore…”Liu Ningshuang paused, a flash of complex emotion crossing her cold eyes.
“With my current level, if I were to forcibly intervene in the sect disputes of the North Region, it would only bring about greater trouble.”
“When that time comes, I fear even you and the entire Tianmo Sect would be dragged into it.”
Hearing this, Lu Ning’s heart stirred.
‘Master, what do you mean by that?’
Liu Ningshuang glanced at Lu Ning, then at A-Lin, who was hiding behind her with a curious expression.
Finally, she spoke slowly.
“Very well. You would have found out about these things sooner or later anyway.”
“Ning’er, do you know why a true Tribulation Transcendence expert has never openly appeared in the North Region for thousands of years?”
Lu Ning shook her head.
“Because every monstrous genius capable of breaking through to the Tribulation Transcendence Stage eventually disappeared from the long river of history.”
“Disappeared?”
“Indeed.”
Liu Ningshuang nodded.
“Once someone reveals a cultivation level at the Tribulation Transcendence Stage within the world of the North Region, messengers from the Central Region will descend.”
“They will forcibly take those newly ascended Tribulation Transcendence experts to that broader and more dangerous world.”
“As for the fate of those who were taken away, no one knows.”
“Because not a single one of them has ever returned.”
Hearing this secret, Lu Ning was utterly shocked.
The Central Region!She remembered the settings from when she played the game.
When a player reached the Tribulation Transcendence Stage in the North Region and cleared the game, they would indeed obtain the qualification to head to the “Central Region.”
So, all of it was true.
“Then, Master, your strength…”Lu Ning looked at Liu Ningshuang, her voice trembling slightly.
A faint smile appeared on Liu Ningshuang’s face.
“My current strength surpassed the Tribulation Transcendence Stage long ago.”
“If I wished, I could wipe out the entire North Region with a wave of my hand.”
*Boom!*
Lu Ning stared blankly at the woman in front of her.
She spoke about annihilating the entire North Region with such indifference, as if it were a trivial matter.
Her mind went blank.
Surpassed Tribulation Transcendence?
What kind of terrifying realm was that?
Lu Ning felt her worldview being completely overturned at this moment.
She had always thought the Tribulation Transcendence Stage was the ceiling for combat power in this world.
But it seemed she had been too naive.
However, amidst the shock, a wave of unprecedented ecstasy surged in Lu Ning’s heart.
She had actually managed to latch onto such a massive “thigh”!
With such a powerhouse who surpassed the Tribulation Transcendence Stage as her master, who would she ever need to fear in the future?
Thinking of this, Lu Ning could no longer suppress her excitement.
She lunged forward and grabbed Liu Ningshuang’s leg.
“Master! My wonderful Master!”
“Your disciple wants to become stronger! Please teach me how to cultivate!”
“As long as I can stay by your side and listen to your teachings, I am confident I can return to my peak very soon!”
Lu Ning’s actions left A-Lin standing to the side in a daze.
She didn’t expect this Sister Lu Ning, who had been so majestic just a moment ago, would do something so “shameless.”
The moment Lu Ning grabbed her leg, Liu Ningshuang’s body visibly stiffened.
A rare look of awkwardness appeared on her cold and beautiful face.
She instinctively wanted to kick Lu Ning away, but seeing the other woman’s “sincere” and “adoring” eyes, her heart, which had been frozen for one hundred years, actually softened again.
“Enough, get up,” Liu Ningshuang said with some helplessness.
“You are the Sect Leader now. What does this look like?”
“If Master doesn’t agree, I won’t get up!”Lu Ning began to act like a rogue.
Looking at her like this, Liu Ningshuang finally gave in.
“Fine.”
Liu Ningshuang sighed.
“With your Heavenly Demon bloodline, returning to the Great Perfection Stage isn’t exactly a difficult task…”
“Really?”Lu Ning’s eyes lit up instantly.
“Then Master, given my talent and your personal guidance, roughly how long will it take for me to recover to the Great Perfection Stage?”
Hearing this, Liu Ningshuang held up one slender, jade-like finger.
“One year?”
Lu Ning asked tentatively.
“One year is actually quite fast, but over at the Tianmo Sect…”
“One month,” Liu Ningshuang interrupted.
“What?”Lu Ning was shocked once again.
One month?
From the mid-stage Nascent Soul to the Great Perfection Stage in just one month?
This… this was simply a fairytale!
“What? You don’t believe me?”
Liu Ningshuang raised an eyebrow.
“I believe you! I believe you! Of course I believe you!”
Lu Ning nodded repeatedly, terrified that Liu Ningshuang might change her mind.
She hugged Liu Ningshuang’s leg even tighter.
“Master! From today onward, you are my only faith!”
“Your disciple will surely follow your teachings well and work hard to improve my cultivation. I will never fail your expectations!”
Looking at her, Liu Ningshuang didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
She thought for a moment before speaking slowly.
“First, consume that Enlightenment Fruit and cultivate here for two days.”
“Your foundation is severely damaged. It’s perfect to use the medicinal power to reshape your Dao foundation.”
“As for the Enlightenment Fruit…”
Liu Ningshuang glanced at the nervous A-Lin hiding behind Lu Ning.
“There are plenty of those things on the Enlightenment Tree on this mountain. If it’s not enough, just have A-Lin go pick more.”
“In two days, I will come to personally guide you for one day.”
“After that, take A-Lin and leave the forbidden land for now. Once you’ve settled the troubles of the Tianmo Sect, come back and find me.”
“Sigh, the Tianmo Sect cannot be destroyed in your hands, after all.”
Hearing this, Lu Ning’s heart burned with passion.
She could already see a beautiful future where she returned to her peak and stepped on all those women who had bullied her.
However, she didn’t notice the fire deep within Liu Ningshuang’s cold eyes when she said the words “personally guide.”
After receiving Master Liu Ningshuang’s promise, Lu Ning’s mood was better than it had ever been.
She felt like her life was finally seeing the dawn.
Lu Ning made a silent vow of ruthlessness in her heart, but her face showed an incredibly well-behaved smile.
“Thank you for your guidance, Master! Your disciple will not fail your high expectations!”Liu Ningshuang looked at her and nodded with satisfaction.
“Good. You cultivate here, then.”
“A-Lin, stay here and watch her for me.”
“If you let her run away or if any accidents happen, I will hold you responsible.”
Liu Ningshuang’s voice was light, but it made A-Lin tremble violently behind Lu Ning.
“Yes… yes…”A-Lin’s voice carried a hint of crying as she nodded repeatedly.
Liu Ningshuang said nothing more.
With a flicker of her silhouette, she vanished from the spot.
Watching Liu Ningshuang leave, both Lu Ning and A-Lin breathed a sigh of relief.
“Whew…”A-Lin patted her small chest, her face full of lingering fear.
“Sister Lu Ning, that bad woman is so scary.”
“The way she looked at me just now, it felt like she was really going to stew me.”
Lu Ning was also feeling some lingering fear.
“All right, don’t be afraid, A-Lin.”
Lu Ning reached out and doted on A-Lin, rubbing her little head.
“With me here, she won’t dare do anything to you.”
“Mhm, mhm!”
A-Lin nodded heavily, her watery black eyes filled with trust and reliance on Lu Ning.
She lunged into Lu Ning’s arms again like a clingy kitten.
“Sister Lu Ning, you are so good.”
Looking at her innocent appearance, Lu Ning felt a wave of emotion.
She would definitely protect this silly girl in the future and never let her suffer even the slightest grievance.
Amidst her sentimentality, Lu Ning did not forget her main business.
After comforting A-Lin, she took out the Enlightenment Fruit that radiated a thick aura of life.
She knew what this fruit meant for her current self.
It wasn’t just an increase in cultivation; it was the hope of reshaping her Dao foundation and getting rid of all past hidden dangers.
Lu Ning took a deep breath, no longer hesitating.
She swallowed the Enlightenment Fruit along with the Top-grade Spirit Severing Pill she had obtained from the system earlier.
Two entirely different, massive energies erupted within her body.
One was the power of enlightenment, filled with the laws of the Dao and shrouded in mystery.
The other was the incredibly pure power of the pill.
*Boom!*
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