https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-114-A-Hero-in-the-World-How-Can-He-Be-Content-to-Serve-Under-Others-/12831614/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-116-Demon-Wolves-Civil-War-Blood-Igniting-Pill-Formula/12899967/
Chapter 115: The First Battle on the Dao Discussion Platform
Chapter 115: The First Battle on the Dao Discussion Platform
In the Slanted Moon Valley, a light snow fell.
In the Elixir Hall, the air was filled with the fragrance of tea. Lucas Chen held a book, reading it with great interest.
Footsteps approached, followed by a weary sigh.
Without looking up, Lucas Chen said, "Failed again?"
"Yep."
Tanner Quan's voice was dull, and he looked utterly dejected.
The reason for his lack of energy was twofold: first, the failure in refining the Marvels Elixir, and second, his low cultivation level, which caused him to expend a lot of mental energy during the process.
"Failure is normal. The birth of any low-grade elixir is accompanied by countless failures."
Hearing Lucas Chen's calm, unflappable tone, Tanner Quan sighed.
He had thought that being chosen by Lucas Chen to lead the refinement of the Marvels Elixir was proof of his talent.
But over the past month, despite a daily attempt, he had failed every time.
His closest attempt had only produced a half-finished product.
Seeing Lucas Chen's serene expression, Tanner Quan couldn't help but wonder if the gap between people could be so vast.
Lucas Chen was once just a wandering cultivator, without a master to guide him or a sect to support him.
He had to gather all the materials for elixir refinement on his own.
Yet, despite these challenges, Lucas Chen had managed to refine the Marvels Elixir, a high-quality elixir.
Compared to him, Tanner Quan felt like a failure.
He even began to doubt whether he had any talent for elixir refinement at all.
"Perhaps the Hall Master is truly a rare genius in elixir refinement, otherwise, he wouldn't have refined the mid-grade Jade Marrow Elixir so quickly."
Just as he was about to leave, his eyes fell on the title of the book Lucas Chen was reading.
"The Great River Celestial Records"
"?"
Tanner Quan's interest was piqued. "Hall Master, are you interested in the Dao Discussion Platform battles?"
Lucas Chen nodded. "A bit."
He had bought the book from a wandering cultivator at White Stone Square, who called himself the "Great River Hundred Wise Ones."
The book contained records of many cultivators' battle achievements and their specialties, as listed on the Great River Celestial Rankings.
"But these books, written based on hearsay, don't show the real thing."
This time, Lucas Chen looked up.
Tanner Quan chuckled. "For that, you should talk to my uncle, Zeng Wen."
Lucas Chen's eyes lit up!
Yes, these books were often exaggerated. According to their descriptions, middle-stage Qi Condensation cultivators were invincible, and late-stage Qi Condensation cultivators could destroy heaven and earth.
But Zeng Wen was a regular on the Dao Discussion Platform!
Why not just ask him?
...
Five days later!
At the base of Phoenix Landing Mountain, Lucas Chen and Zeng Wen arrived together.
Or rather, they were accompanied by a woman.
She clung to Zeng Wen, looking like a gentle, loving bird. Her almond-shaped eyes were quite charming when she smiled.
This was Zeng Wen's new girlfriend, said to come from a fallen cultivation family with a clean reputation.
Now, due to the scarcity of the Marvels Elixir and the issues with the Battle Hall, Zeng Wen visited the Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion less often.
Perhaps he had reformed and was considering settling down.
His Ninth Layer Qi Condensation realm was enough to make many unaffiliated female cultivators look at him differently.
Her family also welcomed Zeng Wen.
So, the two were currently very close, with a strong possibility of becoming formal Dao companions.
Seeing Lucas Chen looking up at the information on the jade wall, Zeng Wen laughed heartily.
"Don't worry, I've seen this guy on the platform several times. Although he's at the Eighth Layer Qi Condensation realm, he lacks magical weapons. The only one he has is a high-grade flying sword."
"With your strength, if you handle it properly, defeating him will be no problem!"
Lucas Chen looked eager to start.
Two days after signing up, today was his turn to compete.
Before this, Zeng Wen and Duan Feng had carefully selected his opponent and planned how to defeat them.
Considering Lucas Chen had offered a low-grade magical artifact as a wager, and his realm was only Seventh Layer Qi Condensation.
His opponent, Huang Bin, had readily accepted the challenge.
Under the arrangement of the Jade Tripod Sword Pavilion cultivators, the match was set for today's first round.
"Let's go in!"
Lucas Chen gestured grandly, preparing to enter the passageway.
However, Zeng Wen made him wait.
Then, he began walking around the area.
He first went to the Dusty Moon Snack Stall to buy a bag of popcorn, a bag of Celestial Beans, and a bottle of Yellow Pear Wine. Then, he went to Honey Snow Ice City to buy a cup of milk tea.
Handing the snacks and milk tea to the woman with almond-shaped eyes, Zeng Wen smiled at Lucas Chen and entered a nearby Betting Pavilion.
"Boss, I'll wager 10 Spirit Stones, on..."
He paused, looking back at Lucas Chen.
Lucas Chen was exasperated, "Now I'm a betting dog, right?"
Zeng Wen chuckled, "10 Spirit Stones, I bet on Murong Yuan to win. By the way, what are the odds for this match against Huang Bin?"
The Betting Pavilion cultivator smirked, "You don't even know that, and you're still betting?"
"Just supporting my friend, you know!"
The cultivator glanced at Lucas Chen behind him and smirked, "Huang Bin is an old-timer on the Dao Discussion Platform, having participated in many battles, although he's lost more than he's won, but he's experienced.
This newcomer, Murong Yuan, can’t compare to me in terms of realm or reputation.”
“So the odds are high, currently at five to one.”
“Are you sure you want to bet on him?”
Of course, Zeng Wen placed his bet without hesitation.
Together, they bought tickets and entered the passage, while Luo Chen didn’t need one.
Once inside, Luo Chen curiously asked, “Why did you choose the alias Murong Yuan?”
“I need to keep a low profile, in case I end up ranking first in the Qi Refinement stage someday.”
“I didn’t mean that. I meant the origin of the alias, Murong…”
“Right, it’s my sister-in-law Murong Qinglian’s surname. A compound surname, I think it sounds great and has a high level of sophistication! Besides, she usually treats me like a younger brother and even tries to introduce me to potential partners.”
Luo Chen casually explained the origin of his alias.
As for the name "Yuan" in the alias, it was also inspired by someone he knew, Wang Yuan.
They exchanged a few words before parting ways as they approached the Lecture Platform.
Luo Chen headed to the “Contestant Lounge.”
Following the long corridor, he used his contestant jade token to enter the lounge.
It was essentially a series of quiet chambers, specifically designed for contestants to rest and wait before their matches.
Just as he stepped into his assigned chamber, Luo Chen let out a light hum.
The spiritual energy in this small room was surprisingly dense, far surpassing the inner city residences and only slightly weaker than his own spirit vein cave.
“No wonder so many cultivators are enthusiastic about participating in these contests. I didn’t expect this chamber to be such an excellent place for cultivation.”
Luo Chen muttered to himself, then recalled an old rumor.
The first-grade spirit vein in the Great River Market was said to originate from the Phoenix Fall Mountain, which was once sealed off.
Now, it seemed the rumor was likely true.
With the Phoenix Fall Mountain developed into the Lecture Platform, the Jade Cauldron Sword Pavilion also provided some benefits to attract numerous cultivators to participate enthusiastically.
“If I didn’t have a spirit vein cave or alchemy skills, and my realm was sufficient, I might also be keen on the Lecture Platform contests.”
After resting in the chamber for about two incense sticks' time, the jade token in his hand emitted a brilliant light.
A calm voice emanated from it.
“First match of the afternoon, Eighth Qi Refinement Rank Huang Bin versus Seventh Qi Refinement Rank Murong Yuan!”
“Please, both contestants, step onto the platform!”
Luo Chen’s heart skipped a beat, and he straightened his robes.
He walked out of the chamber and followed the corridor, step by step.
As he emerged from the underground chamber, a deafening roar of cheers filled his ears.
The cheers reached a crescendo as he floated up to the high platform.
“Is this how Wang Yuan and Qin Liangchen felt when they battled on this platform?”
Luo Chen looked around, and for a moment, he felt a surge of excitement.
But as his opponent, Huang Bin, arrived, his restless heart instantly calmed like a deep pool.
In fact, Luo Chen seemed to have a natural talent for combat, unlike his alchemy skills, which were granted by the system.
In battle, he had always performed well.
Since his arrival in this world, he had experienced three battles.
The first time, he lacked experience but managed to turn the tables and kill his opponent by feigning death.
The second time, he exploited his enemy Gao Tingge’s underestimation, launching a sudden attack and achieving success.
The most recent third battle, he maximized his speed advantage, setting up various strategies and defeating three opponents with ease, even more smoothly than the previous two times.
Luo Chen gradually became aware of this talent.
So, before and after signing up for the contest, he had deliberately familiarized himself with the state of mind needed for combat.
“Huang Bin, greetings to my fellow Daoist.”
“Murong Yuan, please make your move.”
“Sure thing, let’s just stop at a point where no one gets hurt, alright?”
Seeing the amiable smile of the middle-aged man, Luo Chen raised an eyebrow. What did he mean?
Was he showing weakness?
Or was he setting up a coordinated match?
As his thoughts raced, Luo Chen didn’t hesitate when the referee gave the command.
First, he retreated, flying into the sky.
Then, the fire-tipped spear appeared in his hand, the tip pointing downward.
Spiritual energy surged out, and the dull spear shaft began to glow red, until the tip shone like a white-hot flame.
“Not good!”
Huang Bin’s face changed slightly, realizing that his words had no effect on his opponent.
A pre-prepared flying sword shot out.
Indeed, he had feigned weakness and was well-prepared. Fortunately, he had a slight edge.
Facing this attack, Luo Chen’s expression remained grim.
“Go!”
He whispered, and a rain of sparks fell from the sky.
Not only that, Luo Chen flicked his finger, and a jade marrow bead flew out, hidden among the sparks.
The incoming flying sword was struck by the jade marrow bead.
As the bead exploded, the flying sword paused.
Just as it was about to continue, a series of jade marrow beads followed in quick succession.
Below, Huang Bin was desperately fending off the rain of fire.
“What kind of magical tool is this?”
“So bizarre!”
He gritted his teeth, using his wooden shield to hold off the attack while manipulating the flying sword with a traction technique, trying to hit Luo Chen.
Seeing his opponent struggle, Luo Chen pondered thoughtfully.
Here is the rewritten chapter with non-English characters replaced with their English equivalents or transliterations, following the provided guidelines:
Chapter Rewrite
An opponent at the eighth level of Ki Refining didn't seem particularly formidable.
I merely used my Flame Spear, and he was thoroughly suppressed.
However, his spiritual energy was substantial, allowing him to persist for so long without showing any signs of fatigue, even managing to control his Flying Sword of the Jade Cauldron.
But that was all he had!
He shook his head slightly and pushed his hand forward.
Amidst the rain of fire, the Flame Spear transformed into a dragon, roaring towards the opponent.
Faced with this fierce attack, Huang Bin's face changed drastically.
"I concede!"
As he spoke the words of concession, the ninth-level Ki Refining Jade Cauldron Sword Cultivator pursed his lips and cast a spirit seal.
The formation on the Tao Discussion Platform hummed and vibrated.
A light barrier then expanded, barely managing to envelop Huang Bin before his medium-grade defensive wooden shield shattered.
Huang Bin, looking at the spinning spear tip in front of him, turned pale.
He had lost.
He had lost so easily.
"Sir, what a fine magical tool, and what skillful techniques!"
The fine magical tool referred to the Flame Spear.
The skillful techniques referred to Luo Chen's constant disruption of his superior-grade Flying Sword using the Jade Marrow Bead.
Luo Chen bowed slightly, smiled, and gracefully flew down from the Tao Discussion Platform.
However, as he stepped out of the formation, he was met not with thunderous applause but with a barrage of curses.
"Fake match!"
"How can a seventh-level Ki Refining cultivator win against an eighth-level one?"
"Fake match, give me my spirit stones back!"
"Why did it end so quickly? It wasn't even exciting."
"This match didn't even draw blood, and Huang Bin conceded too fast."
"Isn't this Murong Yuan arranged by the Sword Pavilion? Winning so easily, it's hard not to suspect a fake match."
Luo Chen's face stiffened.
Such a beautiful start—shouldn't they be cheering for me?
Back in the underground palace, a Sword Pavilion cultivator delivered his prize.
Ten spirit stones for his appearance fee and a low-grade magical tool.
"Any elixirs?"
The cultivator shook his head. "That magical tool is the bet you both placed before the match. The elixir rewards are only given to the top few at the end of the month."
Seeing Luo Chen's disappointment, he smiled. "Actually, after the match, you can continue to cultivate in the underground palace's meditation rooms until we close for the night."
This was probably an additional perk.
Luo Chen didn't care and turned to leave the Tao Discussion Platform.
Outside, Zeng Wen and his female companion were already waiting for him.
"Indeed, you didn't disappoint! Your first time on the platform, and you defeated your opponent just like I did, with such style."
The female companion, her eyes squinting with admiration, looked at Zeng Wen with great adoration.
Luo Chen took a deep breath and decided not to reveal how Zeng Wen had been beaten to a pale, almost spirit-depleted state in his first match.
Knowing that Zeng Wen was going to collect the bets, Luo Chen didn't stick around and went straight home.
Closing the door, he began to circulate the Eternal Spring Technique, constantly monitoring his condition.
"I never noticed before, but now I see that each battle indeed has the effect of purifying my spiritual energy."
He could sense that as his spiritual energy gradually replenished, it seemed to become slightly purer than before.
This purification wasn't due to the technique but rather to the internal environment of his body.
Each time a Ki Refining cultivator breaks through a minor realm, their dantian expands, allowing them to store more spiritual energy.
However, as they reach the later stages of Ki Refining, the physical constraints have not been broken, and the dantian's capacity has almost solidified. Only after reaching the Foundation Establishment stage will it expand again.
Given the solidified dantian, the spiritual energy that should continue to grow cannot be accommodated.
Thus, the body begins to passively compress and purify the spiritual energy, eventually making it more refined.
"But this purification effect is too weak?"
Luo Chen furrowed his brow.
If he continued to fight like this, when would he be able to purify his spiritual energy to the point where he could perfectly attempt the Foundation Establishment?
Luo Chen understood why itinerant cultivators never went through this process at the seventh level of Ki Refining.
The reason was simple: at the seventh level, the spiritual energy capacity still had a lot of room for improvement.
The passive compression and purification were too weak.
Even during battles, the spiritual energy output and recovery were often insufficient, affecting cultivation.
Only at the ninth level of Ki Refining, or even at the peak, would the efficiency of purifying spiritual energy be maximized.
"It seems I can't rely on battles alone."
Luo Chen's gaze fell on the attribute panel.
The proficiency of the Eternal Spring Technique was gradually approaching perfection.
At the Master level, the Eternal Spring Technique had the effect of automatically replenishing spiritual energy and unblocking meridians.
Once it reached perfection, it might supplement the shortcomings in purifying spiritual energy.
Luo Chen's reasoning was simple.
Because Uncle Mi Hua had said that the Eternal Spring Technique was derived from the Medicine King Sect's Eternal Spring Canon, which had related functions.
However, major sects had simplified low-tier techniques multiple times.
Apart from Ki Refining, many special effects had been removed.
And Luo Chen had a backup plan.
Even if the perfected Eternal Spring Technique lacked similar functions, he didn't mind spending a lot of time refining himself after reaching the peak of Ki Refining.
(End of Chapter)
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