Plotting behind one's back

  "Young master, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth is in turmoil, but fortunately, it seems that the tornado has not swept over here," Qing Luan said, this tornado's power was too great, the waves it stirred up were already washing against the sky, even her own cultivation as a treasure-refiner would find it hard to resist.

  Leng Hao nodded slightly and didn't say much, "Alright then, I'll go back to the cabin to rest first. If there's any change, Aunt Qing Luan, you can come call me again."

  Leng Hao knew that with his current cultivation, worrying would not make a difference. He might as well focus on his practice. The tornado was not yet at the level of shocking heaven and earth. If it really came, Qing Luan could also protect him from leaving.

  Leng Hao had cultivated through seven calamities in his past life, and was even engulfed by the annihilating divine flames. Due to his entire foundation being absorbed by Leng Feng, he narrowly passed through the most difficult Dao-annihilation calamity of the seven calamities, thereby reaching the state of great completion and perfection.

  These seven calamities are not a cultivation method, but a state of mind. Only after experiencing the fire disaster, water erosion, wind and sandstorm, thunderbolt, star falling, loneliness and Tao's disappearance can this state of mind be fully realized.

  The first five tribulations, although difficult, can still be overcome with sufficient strength, requiring only the tempering of the five heavenly powers of water, fire, wind, thunder, and stars. However, the last two tribulations, the Lonely Tribulation and the Dao-Extinction Tribulation, are extremely difficult to overcome and have nothing to do with one's strength. The Lonely Tribulation requires being betrayed by all and standing alone before it can be considered a success, then awakening from this lonely madness without blaming heaven or others.

  Although some people have succeeded in the Lonely Calamity, as for the Dao Calamity, except for Leng Hua, no one has ever heard of anyone who can get through it. One must die and their dao be destroyed to meet the standard of calamity, and only then can they gain a new life from this state, which is considered successfully passing the calamity. Who dares to really destroy their foundation and try it out?

  If Leng Hao hadn't been forced to lose everything, he wouldn't have tried and his mental state wouldn't have changed so much.

  The Seventh Tribulation's ultimate achievement is that any violent energy can be absorbed and controlled by Cold Hao, and other people's energies with special properties have no special effect on him.

  For example, the energy absorption of a cold front is like an ordinary energy attack when it comes to attacking, and the absorption effect has no effect on Cold Hao.

  Although the previous life experienced all kinds of hardships, there were still many benefits brought to Leng Hao.

  Leng Hao returned to the cabin, sat on the lotus seat, and began to brew the Seven Calamities of the Absolute Boundary.

  Once the state of mind is formed, no matter how violent the power is, under the influence of this state of mind, it will obediently enter the body.

  Leng Hao only absorbed the innate spiritual energy within, and the tornado wasn't entirely useless either. At least it swept up all the spiritual energy from tens of thousands of meters around into this place. In the center of the tornado, the convergence of heavenly and earthly spiritual energy had taken shape.

  Leng Hao naturally didn't dare to go to the center of the tornado to cultivate, but hundreds of meters away, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth around him was much denser than before when he cultivated.

  Silky innate spiritual energy entered her body, and the cold stars were originally part of her body. A vital force had already begun to spread gradually within her.

  The royal fleet's advance speed was still very fast, but what made the entire fleet extremely nervous was that the tornado had not dissipated at all and was following them as they advanced, seemingly getting closer and closer.

  Leng Hao spent all his time cultivating in the cabin except for three meals a day.

  In a secret room on the Great Yan Island, a thick and urgent voice rang out, "Ling Tian, Tian Peng has sent news that Feng Xiaozi has arrived in Taifeng Prefecture, but Hao Xiaozi encountered a dragon whirlwind and is in some danger. With the imperial fleet's ships, it's likely they won't be able to withstand this dragon whirlwind."

  In this secret room, only two people existed. Cold Ling Tian listened to Xia Peng's words, and his eyes had a few ripples, but after hesitating for a while, he gritted his teeth and said firmly: "Don't worry about it, Huan'er has Qing Luan by her side, her strength is no less than mine, she can protect Huan'er safely. Everything will still go according to plan. With this unexpected change, Huan'er's arrival at Guanhe Island will definitely be delayed, and we have more time to make arrangements."

  "Really want me to rush to Guanhe Island? In fact, a large jade crystal vein will not increase Xiaozi's strength too much. He already has the Feng family as his backing, and he won't lack jade crystals. With a large jade crystal vein, at most, he'll just have more jade crystals, but it won't speed up his cultivation," Xia Peng said with furrowed brows. Because they were brothers, when it was just the two of them, Xia Peng didn't have too many concerns. He did everything for Ling Tian's consideration, saying whatever came to mind.

  Leng Lingtian did not get angry with Xia Peng's words, he had thought about these things too, and he knew that Xia Peng was right.

  "If it were just that, I wouldn't have done so either. But in the large jade crystal mine, after receiving the news, I also went there to experience the aura of the Jade Crystal Xuanwang. You should know how excellent this is as a tempering material. Originally, I intended to leave this for Feng'er. He was cultivating the Imperial Star Technique before the Convergence Realm, which can transform innate spiritual energy into innate star power. Although it's not bad, unfortunately, it's incomplete. The Cold Family's 12-layer technique has been passed down to only seven layers today, far inferior to the Phoenix Family's nine-layer Nirvana Technique. Fundamentally, Feng'er is much weaker than Haoke. Only by obtaining this Jade Crystal Xuanwang can Feng'er surpass Haoke during the tempering period and make up for his deficiencies before the Convergence Realm."

  "Jade Crystal Xuan Wang?" Xia Peng's face changed upon hearing this, "Are you certain? This thing, not to mention large jade crystal veins, even those top-tier jade crystal islands or underwater jade crystal mountains rarely produce a Jade Crystal Xuan Wang."

  "Would I joke about this? If I hadn't really felt the fluctuations of the Yu Jing Xuan Wang, as you said, how could I possibly fall out with Hao Er and the others over a large crystal mine? I sent you to Guan He Island to retrieve the Yu Jing Xuan Wang. As a loose immortal cultivator, if everything goes according to plan, you should be able to take it away without anyone noticing. Later, when Hao Er gets the large crystal mine, she won't have any suspicions," Leng Ling Tian said with a bitter smile.

  "If it's the Jade Crystal Xuanwang, then I understand why you did this. From mortal to immortal, there are six stages in total. The faster one advances, the less potential they have. Only by laying a solid foundation can one reach deeper levels later on. If Hao Xiazi obtained the Jade Crystal Xuanwang and combined it with his pre-ascension cultivation of the Nine Layers of Nirvana Technique, that would be no small thing. Even if the foundations of other realms are ordinary, there is still the potential to break through to the Scattered Immortal realm and reach the Xuanwang's potential later on." Xia Peng nodded in agreement, "The Jade Crystal Xuanwang is a good thing, but unfortunately, only those who have reached the Refining Body realm can use it. For him and Leng Lingtian, it's completely useless."

  "This is what I'm worried about, five years later, those major sects will come here to recruit disciples. If Hao'er gets the Yu Jing Xuan Wang, with his potential, he can definitely join a major sect and even become a direct disciple. At that time, even if I pass the throne to Feng'er, in the future, as long as Hao'er still has some resentment in his heart, relying on his rapidly advancing strength from practicing in the sect, plus the support of the sect behind him, it would be easy to overthrow the emperor of a country. At that time, even I might not be able to protect Qing Ya and the others. This is something I absolutely cannot let happen," Cold Ling Tian said firmly.

  "Onlookers see more than players, Ling Tian, I think you're overthinking this. In my opinion, both Xiao Hao and Xiao Feng are not ordinary people." Xia Peng agreed with Ling Tian's speculation, but he also had his own views.

  "What did you say?"

  "Hao Xiaozi and Feng Xiaozi, both of them have exceptional innate talents. When they were born, we personally tested them, you should know that, right?"

  "Hmm," Cold Lingtian nodded in confusion, unsure what Xia Peng meant by his words.

  "With their talent, according to our estimates, Hao Xiaozi is 10 years old this year and should have completed the practice of Nirvana. Before the selection competition, he should be able to break through to the Knot Boundary, but look at him now, has he broken through?"

  Leng Lingtian's face changed greatly after hearing Xia Peng's words, and indeed, he was troubled by his two sons, and it was actually these obvious things that were overlooked.

  "There's also Xiao Fengzi, he's eight years old, has completed the Seven-Layered Stellar Fist technique, should have already finished his cultivation, and is supposed to break through to the Conjugation Realm, but look at him now, has he broken through?"

  After Xia Peng finished speaking, a lot of cold sweat suddenly appeared on Leng Lingtian's forehead. He found that he was usually busy with government affairs and national events, but he really didn't understand his two sons very well.

  "In my opinion, neither of them is a mediocre person. Your previous measures were somewhat excessive, and you were too good to Feng Xiaozi, which unintentionally made the relationship between the two brothers become like this. If you had treated them fairly, perhaps their brotherly affection wouldn't be so strained. Who knows, maybe one day they would have helped each other and, with their talents, might have even made a name for themselves in this world," Xia Peng said somewhat reproachfully. He had spoken about this issue many times before, but Leng Lingtian had never mustered the humility to communicate with Leng Hao because of Feng Lingyue's presence.

  "This..." Leng Lingtian was speechless, he had to admit that Xia Peng was right, in the past, he did indeed go too far, if he were more fair, at least maintaining a superficially harmonious relationship with Feng Lingyu, then now he wouldn't be so worried about Haotou hurting Qingya and Feng'er in the future.

  "What can we do now? Can it still be salvaged?" Cold Ling Tian said helplessly, his tone subtly tinged with regret. His two sons were not as simple as he had originally thought.

  Xia Peng shook his head, "It's too late now, and we can only follow the original plan, all the way to the end. It's just that Huan Xiaozi will have to make some sacrifices. At least Feng Xiaozi has a good temperament, and when he becomes emperor in the future, Huan Xiaozi won't be in any danger. He can still live a happy life as a prince, which isn't a bad thing for him."