After gathering enough strength, Kong Shishuang led their team and finally reached the fourth height.
By this time, two months had passed since Zhao Shuning's disappearance.
In the past, they still harbored fantasies, wondering if a miracle might happen and Zhao Shuning would suddenly return at some moment.
But fantasies are just daydreams after all.
During these two months, the group had suffered a great deal. They also understood how difficult it was to live without Zhao Shuning's protection.
Previously, Zhao Shuning had shouldered all the pressures. Now, they had to learn to face things on their own.
The group was united as one. Every night, they would mention Zhao Shuning a few times.
Every time her name was brought up, their faces would always be clouded with sorrow.
"Leader, we'll finish the path you didn't get to complete."
"We've said that whether it's in the Misty Rain Tower or anywhere in the Eastern Marsh Wilderness, we'll only be people of the Water Cloud Sect for the rest of our lives. We only recognize you, Zhao Shuning, as our leader."
"Xiaoning'er, we hope you're doing well in the afterlife."
"Leader Ning, I'll climb to the fifth height with them."
"Zhao Shuning, wait. I won't let your death be in vain. No matter the cost, I'll make Zhang Tianyuan pay with his life."
These people hated the people of the Heavenly Yuan Sparrow to the core.
However, what they didn't know was that the Zhao Shuning they missed so much and thought had perished was living a carefree life on the small island at this moment.
Every morning when Zhao Shuning woke up, she would go to the kitchen to find something to eat. If there was nothing left, she would quickly start practicing spiritual arts. In the evening, she would go to the medicine garden to pick a few precious medicinal herbs to refine pills. Her days were extremely fulfilling.
Occasionally, Zhao Shuning would also wonder if Kong Shishuang and the others would be bullied without her.
But even though she thought about it, she knew that she couldn't protect them for a lifetime. Some things they had to face on their own.
It had to be said that the precious medicinal herbs in the Lin Family Courtyard had brought Zhao Shuning more than just a little benefit.
It was also here that Zhao Shuning could use these precious spiritual herbs so extravagantly. You know, if she left this island and went outside, just one of these spiritual herbs would cause duels and struggles among small families.
Zhao Shuning was also an alchemist. When she was Ye Ling, she had seen many good things. Now, when faced with these spiritual herbs, she would pick the best ones.
Anyway, if Ye Xingchen came back and saw that it was her who took them, he definitely wouldn't blame her.
Moreover, looking at the medicinal herbs planted by Ye Xingchen, the decorations in the courtyard, and the special places for practicing spiritual power, one could tell that Ye Xingchen's spiritual power and mental strength were very high now. These medicinal herbs should be like weeds to Ye Xingchen.
Zhao Shuning focused on practicing hard without any distractions.
Because there were so many precious medicinal herbs here, she refined them all into pills to boost spiritual power and took them day after day. In such a highly nourishing situation, breaking through to the third rank was just a matter of time.
But Zhao Shuning had great ambitions. Because she had suddenly been promoted to the late stage of the second rank before, she was already in a panic. She didn't want to have that kind of vain spiritual power. In a battle, she still wouldn't be a match for those battle - hardened late - stage second - rankers. So in the first month, even though Zhao Shuning had noticed that the spiritual power in her body was constantly surging and there was already a trend of breaking through to the third rank, she forcibly suppressed that spiritual power.
She thought it wasn't the right time yet.
What Zhao Shuning needed was a rich foundation, not just spiritual power boosted by pills.
In the following month, she constantly tempered her physical will and kept struggling with herself.
Finally, in a late night, Zhao Shuning's spiritual power directly broke through to the third rank.
At that time, purple light was radiating from her entire body.
Watching the abundant spiritual power flow through her limbs, Zhao Shuning thought that the decision she had made before was really extremely correct.
Now, as long as she made a fist, the weak grass and branches around her would unconsciously bend a lot.
This was the pressure of a third - rank spiritual pharmacist. Zhao Shuning could feel it, just like the spiritual power suppression Zhang Tianyuan had exerted on other second - rank spiritual pharmacists on the cliff at the second height two months ago.
"Great. I've finally found this familiar feeling."
Zhao Shuning had been away from home for almost half a year.
It had taken her half a year to be promoted by one rank. Zhao Shuning was very dissatisfied with this speed. But if ordinary people knew what she was thinking at this moment, they would probably vomit a mouthful of blood in anger.
You know, being promoted by one rank within half a year was such an incredible feat that so far, only the genius boy Lin Lang from the An Family could achieve it.
And at this moment, Zhao Shuning was actually so dissatisfied.
Looking at the abundant spiritual power in her hand, she even showed a look of disdain.
"Finally, ah, my mental strength and spiritual power are at the same rank."
Zhao Shuning smiled and leaped lightly. This time, relying only on her spiritual power, she directly leaped onto the highest rooftop of the Lin Family Courtyard.
Sitting on the rooftop and overlooking the beautiful scenery below, Zhao Shuning thought that everything was worth it. There seemed to be an arrangement in the dark. Heaven knew that she shouldn't die, so she didn't die in the bone - eating Undercurrent River.
Her master had protected her body with a wisp of his white - glowing primordial spirit.
Before that wisp of primordial spirit was exhausted, it had also brought her to this small island.
"I'll wait for you for seven more days."
Ye Xingchen, I'll wait for you for seven more days. If you don't come back, then I'll leave. I still have many things to do.
But little brother, you believe me. In this life, I won't let anyone take you away from me again.
The seven - day period passed in a blink of an eye.
Zhao Shuning saw that the trees were starting to turn yellow.
She sighed and leaped down from the high place.
Then, with another leap, her body jumped into the bamboo forest.
Now that she was only at the third rank, it was naturally impossible for her to fly with a sword like those high - rank spiritual pharmacists and cross the Undercurrent River.
All Zhao Shuning could do now was to tie a bamboo raft, then use ropes to tie it tightly in a knot to prevent it from being overturned by the waves.
Staying here any longer would just be a waste of life. There was no such thing as fear in Zhao Shuning's mind.
When the bamboo raft was built and placed in the lake, there was no trace of fear of the unknown Undercurrent River in her eyes. All she had was excitement and curiosity.
However, Zhao Shuning never expected that she would drift on the bamboo raft for nearly a month.
If she hadn't brought a lot of food and fresh water when she got on the boat, there might be a dried - up corpse floating on the bamboo raft now.