Chapter 175: Quzhou Chen Qiu, greets everyone. (Part 1)

Chapter 175: Quzhou Chen Qiu, greets everyone. (Part 1)



The terrifying aura emanating from the thunder dragons within the dark clouds covering the entire chessboard was so intense that many Nascent Soul cultivators hiding elsewhere were startled.

Almost as soon as these thunder dragons appeared!

Four or five beams of white light flashed again, indicating that another four or five people had left the secret realm.

Chen Qiu was slightly surprised. He had only made the opening move, and before he could take action, four or five people had been scared away? After all, they were all Nascent Soul cultivators; at least they should have made a move. Why were they so hesitant? He shook his head and didn't think further.

"Boom!!!"

The next moment, the sky was filled with thunder dragons, enveloping the entire giant chessboard. Intense explosions reverberated continuously.

Chen Qiu took the opportunity to activate the 'Golden Aura Defense,' and under the effects of double and tenfold casting, over ten layers of golden aura overlapped, still appearing as one layer, but with a much denser glow. He then shot into the air, quickly teleporting to restore his spiritual energy.

The most bizarre aspect of double and tenfold casting was the absence of any additional cost for the extra spells.

"Tenfold Casting" was the first purple entry he obtained, though it would be more accurate to say it was the first entry suitable for him. The first purple entry he acquired was "Celestial Destiny Dual Cultivation," which was useless to him, so he gave it to the Fat Dragon.

At the same time!

His divine sense rapidly spread out, covering the entire chessboard. Except for the two Nascent Soul peak cultivators he couldn't locate, the auras of other cultivators, exposed in the chaos, were quickly locked onto by his divine sense.

After breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage, his divine sense range expanded significantly, ten times that of the Golden Core stage.

This was a qualitative change.

In this wave of lightning summoning, he only consumed one-tenth of his spiritual energy, which should have been relatively weak, at least in his opinion. This lightning summoning was not intended to kill but to create chaos and expose those in hiding!

After locking onto all the cultivators with his divine sense, except for the two Nascent Soul peak cultivators, he took a deep breath.

He opened the umbrella, standing in mid-air amidst the raging storm, and a more vigorous spiritual energy surged out from his Dantian, intensifying the already deafening thunder.

Seventeen small thunderballs slowly materialized around him.

He divided the hundreds of thousands of thunder dragons among these seventeen small thunderballs.

The next moment, they shot towards the seventeen cultivators locked onto by his divine sense!

-

"Entry Name": Umbrella Over the World.

"Entry Level": Yellow.

"Entry Effect": When you open the umbrella, you cannot be locked onto by divine sense, except for those one major realm above your cultivation level.

With this entry, which he had obtained before, even though he was standing in the air, the two Nascent Soul peak cultivators still couldn't lock onto him with their divine sense. Additionally, one of the effects of the Heavenly Clue Umbrella, a Heavenly Dao Spirit Treasure, was that when held, both spiritual energy consumption and power would be significantly enhanced.

Combined with the entry "Galestorm," which increases the power of the Lightning Summoning Technique in specific environments, and other means, even when he divided his full-power lightning summoning into seventeen small thunderballs, each one still carried enough power to rival the full force of a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, even approaching the Nascent Soul peak.

Be aware! Chen Qiu was only at the fifth level of the Nascent Soul stage, and for someone at this cultivation level to unleash such a powerful move was quite impressive! However—

".

Chen Qiu stood expressionlessly in the air, gazing at the chessboard shrouded in the raging storm. This was one of the rare occasions when his Lightning Summoning Technique missed, even though he had locked onto his enemies with his divine sense.

Not a single hit.

The seventeen Nascent Soul cultivators turned into white light and left the secret realm just as the thunderballs were about to hit them.

"Sigh."

He couldn't help but let out a soft sigh, feeling a bit dissatisfied. The feeling of throwing a punch and missing his target made him very uncomfortable.

If you want to retreat, do it sooner. Why wait until I make my move?

Moreover, you are all elite combatants in your respective sects, and even if you don't dominate a region, you should at least have some face wherever you go, especially since you are all winners of the first round.

At least make a move?

He had reached the fifth level of the Nascent Soul stage some time ago, but until now, he hadn't experienced a proper battle—a back-and-forth exchange.

At least let him see the methods of other Nascent Soul cultivators.

Were there any impressive ones?

He wanted to learn from them so that he could make targeted improvements when he returned.

Chen Qiu shook his head and didn't say more. During the previous chaos caused by the Lightning Summoning Technique, he had already teleported multiple times in the air to restore his spiritual energy. As the vigorous spiritual energy surged out of his body again, countless thunder dragons reappeared above his head.

He turned his head and looked down at a square on the chessboard, smiling lightly.

"You two are quite good at hiding."

Even Nascent Soul peak cultivators might be able to conceal their auras and hide their forms during the first wave of his Lightning Summoning Technique, but it would be challenging to remain undetected during the second wave, which was almost his full-power attack.

At this moment, his divine sense had firmly locked onto these two Nascent Soul peak cultivators.

The two Nascent Soul peak cultivators stood together, appearing familiar with each other.

Just as he finished speaking,

In the area Chen Qiu was looking at, which had been empty a moment ago, an elder and a middle-aged man slowly materialized in the air, glancing at each other before the elder quickly retreated, continuously forming hand seals.

After retreating three zhang, he quickly knelt down, closing his eyes tightly as his lips quivered rapidly.

Hundreds of golden array talismans slowly floated out of the elder's body and hovered in mid-air, not attacking Chen Qiu but instead spreading out in all directions. Each talisman attracted the others, and after settling in a position, they trembled slightly, forming a response with the other talismans.

This elder was indeed an Array Formation Cultivator!

A Peak Nascent Soul Array Formation Cultivator!

Array Formation Cultivators of this cultivation level weren't limited to slowly setting up arrays on the spot or using array plates. They used spiritual energy as their source, controlling their Nascent Soul with their divine sense to continuously inscribe array talismans within their dantian. Once all the golden array talismans were inscribed and formed a grand array, it was time for their power to be revealed!

And when the array was complete, it would be the day of their enemy's demise!

Array Formation Cultivators were capable of fighting beyond their level, or rather, even the most mediocre Array Formation Cultivator could fight above their level. Of course, there was a prerequisite—they needed to give their enemies time to set up their arrays.

Array formation was often an extremely time-consuming task, taking anywhere from several hours to three to five months, and even setting up arrays for three to five decades was not uncommon.

Using spiritual energy as the source and controlling the Nascent Soul with the divine sense to inscribe array talismans within the dantian was a highly delicate technique.

One had to have reached the Nascent Soul stage and possess exceptional talent in array formation to be able to perform such a precise technique within the dantian, and then to combine these talismans into a grand array was a challenging step in itself.

Due to the many drawbacks of array formation, most Array Formation Cultivators had little combat power before their arrays were complete, so they often had someone by their side. Some were followers, while others were collaborators, and their sole responsibility was to stall the enemy until the array was ready!

These two Nascent Soul Cultivators were clearly such a combination, and they were evidently unwilling to leave the secret realm without testing Chen Qiu of Quzhou's reputation to see if it was as bright and renowned as they had heard.

"That's more like it."

Chen Qiu stood on the Heavenly Clue Umbrella, allowing his clothes to flutter in the galestorm as he hovered high in the air, his divine sense locking onto the Nascent Soul Cultivator who was shooting towards him. He smiled lightly without saying a word.

He could sense the intense killing intent emanating from each array talisman.

Once the array was complete, it would likely be capable of slaying three Peak Nascent Soul Cultivators without breaking a sweat!

Perfect.

This was what he wanted; it couldn't just be his performance; they also needed to bring out their hidden trump cards.

At that moment—

An intense killing intent suddenly pierced his mind, causing his heart to skip a beat. When he quickly regained his composure, a cold glint had already shot straight towards his dantian. The Nascent Soul Cultivator he had locked onto with his divine sense had already rushed right in front of him!

"Clang!"

The next moment!

A twelfth-stage Nascent Soul, kneeling in mid-air and looking incredibly docile, suddenly appeared in front of Chen Qiu's abdomen, blocking the sword. The Nascent Soul's surface remained completely unharmed.

But the sword couldn't advance any further.

"Impressive, seeing this for the first time."

Chen Qiu smiled at the Peak Nascent Soul Cultivator before him. His divine sense ocean had a grand array sitting within, so even if the array was broken, he wouldn't be caught off guard for even a moment. In such a battle, a moment of distraction could lead to dire consequences.

However, the Peak Nascent Soul Cultivator hadn't used a divine sense attack just now.

Instead, he had gathered the killing intent accumulated over the years into a needle and pierced Chen Qiu's mind, using the killing intent to influence his mental state, unrelated to divine sense. Naturally, the divine sense grand array wouldn't have any effect.

This was a rather unorthodox technique.

Generally speaking, few people cultivated such techniques, as they were rarely seen, difficult to cultivate, and not suitable for everyone.

"Then it's time for you to witness my technique as well."

The next moment!

A small thunderball, fused with hundreds of thousands of thunder dragons, suddenly appeared beside Chen Qiu. Immediately, amidst the deafening thunder, the middle-aged man holding a short sword went completely dark, and his entire body fell heavily to the ground, gasping for breath.

Then, without paying any further attention to the Array Formation Cultivator, he turned into a white light and left the secret realm without hesitation. In the very next instant, hundreds of thunder dragons struck the spot where the middle-aged man had been lying.

"Didn't manage to finish him instantly."

Chen Qiu pursed his lips and leaned on the Heavenly Clue Umbrella, slowly walking through the galestorm towards the elder who was still sitting cross-legged on the ground not far away, frantically pinching his fingers and his lips quivering. He glanced at the golden array talismans constantly floating out of the elder's head.

He then squatted down, raised his Nascent Soul, and patted the elder's head gently, sighing with a warm smile.

"Old sir, wake up, it's time to go."

"Don't bother."

"Your array won't be completed."

He could clearly sense that the grand array formed by countless golden array talismans had only been one-fifth complete. To complete the array, it would take at least a hundred breaths, which was the drawback of Array Formation Cultivators.

A hundred breaths was more than enough time for an enemy to tear them to pieces countless times.

Array Formation Cultivators weren't suitable for life-or-death battles; they could only display their true strength in formation battles.

The elder, who was still sitting cross-legged in the same spot, suddenly stiffened as if he had just realized something, slowly opening his eyes to see Chen Qiu's kind face in front of him. He scanned the surroundings, and indeed, only the two of them remained there.

He instantly understood what had happened.

The golden array talismans stopped floating out of his body, and he trembled slightly, saying in a weak voice, "Thank you, fellow cultivator, for sparing my life."

Then, without daring to waste any time, he turned into a white light and disappeared from the spot, clearly having already left the secret realm.

Chen Qiu just watched the elder leave without taking any action, a gentle smile on his face.

"Void View Monastery."

He spotted the name of a sect embroidered on the old man's clothing.

Good, this Void View Monastery is worth a visit.

Although this Peak Nascent Soul Array Cultivator wasn't much of a fighter, it was normal for Array Cultivators to be ill-suited for such situations.

He decided to visit the Void View Monastery another day to see if they could recruit a talented Array Cultivator. This old man seemed promising, and the Mock Heaven Sect also needed an exceptional Array Cultivator.

He had also promised to bring back a Heaven's Pride Array Cultivator to Daxia, to one of the nine great legacies in the Extreme Cold Lands and the Boundless Icy Plains, to claim the inheritance of the Old Master Cao and then set him free, although he didn't quite understand what Cao meant by 'liberation'.

Those who were skilled in setting up arrays often excelled at chess.

This was a common understanding in the cultivation world.

Perfect timing.

When he first arrived in Xuantian Continent, during the great event of "Long Night Approaching", he managed to obtain a chessboard.

"Treasure Name": Heavenly Chess

"Source of Acquisition": Bestowed by the Heavenly Dao

"Usage Effect":

1. Play chess against heaven. In the event of a draw or winning by one stone, you will receive a random spiritual treasure. The more stones you win by, the higher the grade of the treasure. Only one chance.

He hadn't used it yet, and now he had the perfect opportunity to take this chessboard to the Void View Monastery and find someone to break it.

When he was in Daxia, not all of the Mock Heaven Sect's arrays had been fully repaired, and many of the Nascent Soul arrays were beyond the capabilities of Daxia's Array Cultivators.

This Peak Nascent Soul Array Cultivator seemed quite capable.

He could also take the opportunity to repair the remaining arrays of the Mock Heaven Sect.

With so many benefits, a visit to the Void View Monastery was a must.

Chen Qiu, standing in the same spot, glanced around. At this moment, he was the only one left on the chessboard square. All he needed now was for the others on different chessboards to finish, and he could proceed to the final stage, the Ultimate Victory Arena.

".

Chen Qiu, who had been meditating on the chessboard for three days, slowly opened his eyes. His entire body was expressionless, silent, and unmoving.

He had been waiting here for three whole days!

Yet, he still couldn't enter the third stage.

This meant that at least one of the second-stage chessboard battles hadn't ended, a sheer waste of time. He hoped to catch the person responsible for delaying him.

Taking a deep breath,

Chen Qiu calmed himself down and continued to wait patiently. He was determined to wait it out, believing that he could endure until the "World Turmoil" version arrived.

Meanwhile, on another chessboard,

A Nascent Soul at the peak, with bloodshot eyes, was on the verge of a breakdown. He screamed hysterically, "Come out! Get out here, you bastard! What's the point of hiding all the time?"

For three whole days, no one knew how he had endured.

Two days ago, their chessboard battle had almost ended, leaving only him and another Peak Nascent Soul cultivator. He was the stronger one and should have won easily.

But the Peak Nascent Soul cultivator smiled at him and then concealed himself, disappearing from sight.

This hiding lasted for nearly three days!

No matter how he bombarded every area of the chessboard, he couldn't force the Peak Nascent Soul cultivator to reveal even a hint of his aura, not even a trace. His divine sense couldn't detect the other person at all.

This person's concealment technique was the best he had ever seen!

Alright, if his spells weren't enough, they would compete in wits.

During this time, he tried various methods. For instance, he deliberately exhausted his spiritual energy and then, panting heavily, pretended to sit cross-legged to recover, hoping to lure the other person into a trap. But the man didn't take the bait.

He watched helplessly as the man fully recovered his spiritual energy, showing no signs of making a move.

Fine, he acknowledged the man's strong willpower.

So, he tried another approach. He pretended to be nonchalant and muttered to himself, "I'm not in a hurry anyway. I'll just wait it out. If you're not in a rush, why should I be? It's been a while since I last secluded myself for cultivation, so I might as well do it now."

After a day of talking to himself, he felt he was on the verge of a breakdown.

He had tried all kinds of methods but couldn't find the other person.

He felt like a clown in the eyes of the other person, and the idea of secluded cultivation was ridiculous. How could anyone focus on cultivation with a hidden hungry wolf nearby, ready to strike at any moment?

After a long while,

The man took a deep breath and slowly closed his eyes, whispering, "Fine, I give up. I'll remember you. After leaving here, I swear I will use all the connections and resources I've accumulated in my life to do one thing: hunt you down."

"In the latter half of my life, I'll play with you slowly."

"One of us will surely die."

This incident had greatly affected his cultivation path. The man had to die; otherwise, he wouldn't be able to calm down and break through to the Divine Transformation stage. The Nascent Soul stage required passing the Thunder Tribulation, which included the Heart Demon Tribulation.

This man's death was necessary for him to overcome his heart demon.

The next moment,

The man turned into a white light and disappeared from the spot, choosing to leave the secret realm.

After the Peak Nascent Soul cultivator left, a young man slowly emerged beside him. The young man smiled lightly, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes.

As the Peak Nascent Soul cultivator, who had already left the secret realm, screamed hysterically, the young man had been hiding behind him all along, their bodies almost touching.

In such a situation,

The Peak Nascent Soul cultivator hadn't noticed a thing.

This meant that if the young man hadn't enjoyed toying with his prey, the Peak Nascent Soul cultivator would likely have succumbed to an assassination of this caliber.

Top-notch concealment was often followed by top-notch assassination techniques.

Except for Qu Gui.

As the Peak Nascent Soul cultivator chose to leave the secret realm, the winner who had been waiting for a long time in another chessboard secret realm finally got his wish and entered the third stage.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end