Chapter 71: Ascension Platform, The Final Step

Chapter 71: Ascension Platform, The Final Step

Qi Yuan effortlessly dispatched the two Foundation Establishment Cultivators as if he were chopping vegetables.

The sudden turn of events left Jiang Ling Su stunned and bewildered.

Hearing Qi Yuan's shout, she blinked her large eyes, revealing a pitiful expression.

"Senior Brother, I didn't see anything, and I don't know anything!"

Could it be that Senior Brother is an old demon possessing another's body?

This was the first thought that crossed Jiang Ling Su's mind.

To kill two Foundation Establishment Cultivators with a mere kitchen knife—wasn't that too fierce? No wonder the killing intent on his body was so thick; it didn't seem fake.

She had naively thought that Senior Brother's excessive gaming had caused him to develop such intense killing intent.

Surely, while she cultivated, he must have been hunting and killing in the four directions.

Just now, if a Core Formation Cultivator had been unprepared, they might have even been injured by Senior Brother's surprise attack.

Jiang Ling Su looked at Senior Brother, her heart filled with unease.

Qi Yuan also stood there, his face anxious, "Junior Sister, how can you do such a thing to Senior Brother and not take responsibility?"

Jiang Ling Su observed Senior Brother's expression; it didn't seem like an act.

It was hard to imagine that this was the same person who had just suddenly killed two Foundation Establishment Cultivators.

Could her judgment be wrong, or was this old demon too skilled at disguise?

She secretly activated the Kun Qian Mirror.

The result showed that Senior Brother had reached the peak of Qi Condensation Cultivation, his divine soul was intact, and there were no signs of soul possession.

This both surprised and delighted her.

She was surprised by Senior Brother's ferocity and delighted that he wasn't possessed by an old demon.

Jiang Ling Su was perplexed, trying to recall Senior Brother's actions from earlier.

There didn't seem to be anything special about it; it was just a kitchen knife that had killed two Foundation Establishment Cultivators.

"Senior Brother, why are you so fierce? If you don't want to reveal it, that's fine."

"If you promise to take responsibility for me, I'll tell you." Qi Yuan held onto this point firmly.

Jiang Ling Su touched her forehead; indeed, this was the unadulterated Senior Brother.

"I... will take responsibility." After saying this, Jiang Ling Su felt a strange sensation, as if she had slept with Senior Brother and then forgotten about it.

"Because in the game, I experienced endless slaughter.

Every day, it's kill, kill, kill!

I've been killing and killing, and I don't even know how long it's been." Qi Yuan spoke earnestly, his tone carrying a hint of fatigue.

Was it really in the game jade slip? Jiang Ling Su looked at Qi Yuan, not sure why she suddenly felt a twinge of heartache.

Thinking of the person on Seven-Color Peak, her stepfather, she suddenly realized something.

Senior Brother had just killed two Foundation Establishment Cultivators, and while the displayed techniques weren't particularly exquisite, his combat skills were seamlessly integrated.

Without endless battles and slaughter, it would be impossible to hone such combat skills.

Senior Brother's game jade slip must be an extremely precious one, allowing him to fight and refine himself daily.

Such a precious jade slip must have been bestowed by the mysterious Master on Seven-Color Peak.

However, Jiang Ling Su was puzzled as to why a Qi Condensation Cultivator would need to learn so many combat techniques.

"Senior Brother, you're truly formidable. In regions where the Immortal Path is flourishing, you would be considered a true Celestial Prodigy!"

Of course, she didn't voice the second half of her thought.

Senior Brother could only be considered a youthful prodigy, far from those true Celestial Prodigies who had already grown and matured.

Senior Brother's combat power far surpassed that of an ordinary Qi Condensation Cultivator at the peak of their cultivation.

Fighting across cultivation levels was rare, but Jiang Ling Su had witnessed it on numerous occasions.

If it were one of the Celestial Prodigies she knew suddenly fighting across levels, she might have found it easier to accept.

In her original understanding, Senior Brother was just a small genius, and his sudden display of a Celestial Prodigy's combat power had momentarily overwhelmed her imagination.

At this thought, Jiang Ling Su felt as if the clouds had parted, and everything became clear.

Senior Brother was the disciple of the mysterious Master on Seven-Color Peak, so it was only natural that he could match a Celestial Prodigy.

Senior Brother possessed the strength of a Celestial Prodigy and was exceptionally handsome, making him quite an impressive man.

As these thoughts crossed her mind, a ripple of emotion stirred within her heart.

Hearing Jiang Ling Su compare him to a Celestial Prodigy, Qi Yuan said, "Junior Sister, there's no need for flattery. You promised to take responsibility!"

Jiang Ling Su felt like the fantasy she had just imagined was shattered. "Senior Brother, it would be better if you didn't have a mouth."

"Whether I have a mouth or not, you still have to take responsibility!

This time, you instigated me to come here. You're the mastermind, and I'm just an accomplice!" Qi Yuan declared loudly.

Jiang Ling Su gave Qi Yuan a sidelong glance, her eyes conveying a myriad of emotions.

"I killed these two." Jiang Ling Su spoke softly.

Before coming here, she had already planned how to handle the aftermath of the killings.

Naturally, she wouldn't shift the blame to the Divine Light Sect but would take full responsibility herself.

Hearing this, Qi Yuan's heart sank. "I just happened to pass by, and I can be a witness. These two attacked you first, and you had no choice but to counterattack!"

Jiang Ling Su had almost become immune to Senior Brother's twisted logic.

Was this even human speech? He had transformed from a murderer into a witness.

Jiang Ling Su and Qi Yuan approached the corpses, and Jiang Ling Su bent down to retrieve Zhu Lian Hua's storage bag.

With a flick of her slender hand, a jade slip fell into her palm.

Jiang Ling Su understood, "As expected, the Palace of Light sent this person to the Great Shang Dynasty to control and annex it."

"What do you mean?" Qi Yuan asked, moving closer.

"The Eastern Earth has thirteen states, and the Palace of Light is located in the Green Cloud Immortal State. From there, it takes half a day by Immortal Vessel to reach the Hundred Kingdoms.

In the Hundred Kingdoms, there are no sects as grand as the Palace of Light, and they are constantly at war with each other.

One of these kingdoms is the Great Shang Dynasty.

The Hundred Kingdoms are roughly the size of one of the thirteen states of the Eastern Earth."

"This map is quite large, so does that mean I'm a country bumpkin from the sticks?" Qi Yuan had initially felt proud after joining Seven-Color Peak and becoming Senior Brother, thinking he was a rare talent.

But now, hearing about the vastness of this world, he felt his pride deflate.

He was like a deputy group leader of the seventh study group in the sixth class of the first grade in a small-town primary school.

How could he possibly destroy the Black Mountain Sect?

At most, he could hold a grudge against the fat kid next door and sneak into his chicken coop at night to give his chickens a good beating.

"Senior Brother, don't be too modest. The Hundred Kingdoms is not to be underestimated, but it's a pity that there are no Purple Mansion Realm Cultivators," Jiang Ling Su consoled.

The Jiang Clan was indeed considered a prominent clan in the Eastern Earth's Thirteen States.

However, in the eyes of true experts, they could be annihilated with a snap of a finger.

Jiang Ling Su even felt that the future calamity of Canglan might have been foreseen by some peerless experts.

But even if those experts knew, they might not necessarily reveal it to "weaklings" like them.

"I'm not being modest, I feel pretty good about it," Qi Yuan said, feeling a sense of security after his initial disappointment.

The larger the world, the more inconspicuous he became.

And the less likely he was to encounter those terrifyingly powerful beings.

He decided to keep a low profile and focus on his development.

"The Palace of Light intends to support some countries in the Hundred Kingdoms, and Zhu Lian Hua was sent here for that purpose."

"Interfering in a country's internal affairs, he deserves to die!" Qi Yuan felt justified in his actions, "Trying to be the boss above me, this Palace of Light is truly despicable!"

"As for me, I'm actually a member of the Divine Flower Society, which has always been opposed to the Palace of Light."

"Whatever they plan to do, I will naturally disrupt it," Jiang Ling Su said with a cunning smile.

She pushed her hand, and a unique petal fell from her palm, piercing Zhu Lian Hua's chest.

"This is the symbol of the Divine Flower Society. When their bodies are sent back to the Palace of Light, and they see this petal, they will know who killed him," Jiang Ling Su explained, "Now, what we need to do is ensure their bodies are discovered and sent to Ling Tian Pavilion."

The latter part wasn't crucial; it was a simple matter to handle.

Qi Yuan's attention was on the first part: "Divine Flower Society, what's that?"

"The Divine Flower Society is a cultivation alliance formed by like-minded cultivators.

Unlike the Palace of Light, the Divine Flower Society is very loose and doesn't have complicated rules.

Members of the Divine Flower Society interact and exchange resources while keeping their identities hidden," Jiang Ling Su explained.

Qi Yuan was intrigued.

It sounded quite appealing.

"Can I join, Senior Sister? I'm in dire need of cultivation techniques," Qi Yuan said, lacking cultivation techniques the most.

He wanted to join and obtain some techniques.

"Your talent is decent, Senior Brother, but your background is a bit..." Jiang Ling Su hesitated.

Qi Yuan was taken aback, "Cultivation has to do with background? 'Kings and generals, are you born with it? This Divine Flower Society lacks vision, not knowing how to unite the majority, and won't go far."

Not accepting him? Slander! Slander! Jiang Ling Su smiled, "Of course, this world lacks nothing but geniuses, and what's lacking is resources.

But don't worry, after you, Senior Brother, reach Foundation Establishment, I can recommend you to join the Divine Flower Society."

"Wow, the Divine Flower Society is quite interesting, thank you, Senior Sister," Qi Yuan said, feeling like a dragon slayer turned into an evil dragon.

"Okay, Senior Brother, let's go," Jiang Ling Su said.

Qi Yuan paused, feeling a bit embarrassed, "Senior Sister, should we loot the bodies?"

Senior Sister was a rich lady and might not bother with looting.

But he was just a poor boy, and he couldn't afford to miss out on looting.

"His storage bag doesn't have anything valuable, just a cultivation technique jade slip that's a bit precious.

The other one is a poor guy; his storage bag is full of junk." Jiang Ling Su explained.

She rummaged through the bags, and a pile of messy items spilled out, along with a bunch of odd-shaped spirit stones, mostly from Wang Shuang's storage bag.

Qi Yuan's eyes lit up.

This was called junk?

But remembering his own knife and how he had to rummage through Senior Sister's trash pile outside her thatched cottage every night, he fell silent.

Indeed, these items were even less valuable than trash to Senior Sister.

Being from a poor family, Qi Yuan quietly picked up the spirit stones.

"Senior Brother, this is the Palace of Light's basic cultivation technique, Profound Heaven Brightness Art, which is a lower-grade Profound-level technique, and it's just average.

But it's what ordinary disciples cultivate, and there's nothing special about it."

6◇9◇Book◇Bar

However, among them is a secret technique called Radiant Blade, which is quite interesting," Jiang Ling Su threw the jade slip to Qi Yuan.

Qi Yuan felt increasingly like a country bumpkin, feeling inferior.

The best technique in Shen Guang Sect was only Jade-grade, and that was middle-grade.

Yet, this ordinary technique in Senior Sister's mouth turned out to be Profound-grade.

Qi Yuan took the technique and studied it carefully.

The more he read, the more astonished he became.

As expected of a Profound-grade technique, it encompassed everything within a single technique, and Qi Yuan had a premonition that the insights gained from comprehending this technique would surpass what he could gain from studying a thousand, or even ten thousand, lower-grade techniques.

He suddenly felt that spending time on the pile of lower-grade techniques from the Black Mountain Sect was a waste.

Studying over ten thousand lower-grade techniques for a few months wouldn't yield as much as a single Profound-grade technique.

If a Profound-grade technique was already so terrifying, how much more so would a Heaven-grade technique be?

If he could obtain a Heaven-grade technique, would Qi Yuan be able to comprehend the "Qi Yuan Scripture" to the Core Formation or even Divine Infant Realm by reading it daily? As for the techniques obtained from the game, they weren't from the same origin as the path of cultivation and couldn't be used as a reference for advancing the "Qi Yuan Scripture."

Of course, this might also be because Qi Yuan's current strength was too weak, unable to see through the essence of techniques.

"Thank you, Senior Sister, this technique will be of great use to me," Qi Yuan held onto the technique jade slip, but then he thought of something and said, "Senior Sister, you're the mastermind, you should also take something."

Jiang Ling Su glared at Qi Yuan.

Still talking about masterminds and accomplices? She picked up some junk and said, "Let's go."

Qi Yuan glanced at the two bodies again, "Senior Sister, that flower looks pretty valuable."

That flower was the symbol of the Divine Flower Society.

Jiang Ling Su was speechless, "Senior Brother, I think their bodies are also quite valuable. Why don't you bring them back to Seven-Color Peak to use as fertilizer for flowers, or maybe practice with them?"

"No way, I'm afraid the Palace of Light will misunderstand!" Qi Yuan quickly refused.

Returning to the Divine Light Sect, Jiang Ling Su secretly infiltrated the outside of the Golden Light Hall, leaving behind a letter.

The two left the Golden Light Hall and returned to their respective rooms.

Jiang Ling Su stood outside the thatched hut, gazing at Qi Yuan's back, a strange expression flashing in her eyes.

She had killed alongside the Master of the Sect, and she also knew his secret.

Now, their relationship should be closer than before, right?

"Master..." She called out softly, intending to invite him for dinner that night.

Qi Yuan stopped in his tracks and abruptly turned around. "Junior Sister, you've misunderstood. The Black Mountain Sect wasn't destroyed by me! Although I killed a Foundation Establishment Peak cultivator today, the Black Mountain Sect has numerous Core Formation Elders, each incredibly powerful."

"I didn't misunderstand," Jiang Ling Su said, not wanting to bring up the dinner invitation again.

The Master of the Sect wasn't an evil cultivator who possessed others' bodies. As a Qi Condensation Peak cultivator, how could he possibly destroy the Black Mountain Sect?

It was impossible.

...

Time passed.

Qi Yuan sat in the thatched hut, his entire focus on the Profound Heaven Brightness Art, or more specifically, the secret technique within it—the Radiant Blade.

This secret technique was the most powerful spell Qi Yuan had ever seen.

It allowed him to condense his Essence Power into a radiant blade, capable of slaying enemies!

The condensed radiant blade shone with righteous light, resembling a sword of light, and emitted a dazzling brilliance that could capture one's soul, causing demons and heretics to fear and briefly lose their senses, before being vanquished.

In a sense, the Radiant Blade also possessed a soul-striking effect.

This was the ultimate secret technique of the Palace of Light, and all disciples of the Palace of Light could cultivate this technique.

Moreover, the Palace of Light intentionally spread this technique outside their sect.

To cultivate the advanced version of this technique, one had to make a significant contribution to the Palace of Light.

Knowing this, Qi Yuan had been modifying this cultivation method for some time.

This secret technique transformed his righteous energy into dazzling light.

Qi Yuan took a different approach, turning his killing intent into the Radiant Blade.

Finally, his efforts bore fruit.

At this moment, Qi Yuan was filled with blood-red energy.

He left the thatched hut and arrived at his usual practice area.

"Radiant Blade!"

With a single swing, the blade sliced through the air, as if a winter wind tearing through flesh.

A blood-red sword appeared, hovering in the air, its appearance terrifying.

With one strike, Qi Yuan felt he could easily slay a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

This was incredibly frightening, as without the power of the sword itself, Qi Yuan could kill a Foundation Establishment cultivator, even when they were prepared, it wouldn't be so easy.

Qi Yuan examined the sword, nodding in satisfaction, "The adaptation is successful, but... it's so blood-red, unlike the Radiant Blade. Instead, it resembles an evil cultivator's sword."

"This won't do. During this time, I must find an opportunity to transform this blood sword into a sword of light!"

Qi Yuan felt that his primary task was to disguise the blood sword that appeared when he used this cultivation method, making it appear like a sword of light.

Then, in future battles, he could use it openly, even imitating the Palace of Light's technique to oppress his opponents with righteousness!

Look, I've transformed my righteous energy into a sword of light. How could I possibly be an evil cultivator?

Qi Yuan returned to his room.

He glanced at the cold moon atop the Seven-Color Peak, sighing, "It's time for more killing. Today... I'll overcome the final hurdle. As long as I defeat the Golden Armor Divine General, I'll completely control the Heavenly Forbidden Zone."

In truth, he felt a hint of trepidation within.

In the outside world, perhaps less than a month had passed.

But within the Heavenly Forbidden Zone, he had been slaughtering for several hundred years, nearly a thousand years.

In the Heavenly Forbidden Zone, every day was filled with killing.

The opponents he encountered grew stronger and stronger.

His combat skills had reached an astonishing level.

Now, facing Burial Flower, he only needed to exert his Ninety-Seventh Level strength, and with a single move, he could kill Burial Flower.

Burial Flower was a Level 97 Divine Realm tycoon.

On the Ascension Platform within the Heavenly Forbidden Zone, he fought every day, learning from his opponents, imitating their techniques, and then defeating them.

He didn't know how many Divine Realm cultivators he had slain.

His combat experience against the Divine Realm cultivators had reached an unparalleled level; even with his eyes closed, he could kill them.

Moreover, his experience pool had accumulated to a terrifying extent.

Unfortunately, his level remained stuck at Level 99, unable to progress further.

The endless slaughter left Qi Yuan somewhat weary.

However, thinking of Xiao Jia, who had always fought by his side, he shook off his fatigue.

"I am a man who wears armor and slays all enemies!"

Qi Yuan entered the game, holding Xiao Jia's hand as they crawled out of a pit.

Qi Yuan climbed the final step of the staircase.

As long as he passed this last step, he only needed to defeat the Golden Armor Divine General to gain complete control of the Heavenly Forbidden Zone.

The last two battles would be fierce.

Qi Yuan, holding Xiao Jia's cold hand, stepped onto the final staircase.

Their vision shifted.

Qi Yuan's gaze fell upon numerous peaks surrounding them.

The peaks gathered around, towering over them.

On each peak sat a Divine Realm powerhouse.

These powerhouses exuded auras more powerful than those of Long Pan, Yu, and Tong.

For some reason, Qi Yuan even felt that their levels might be higher than Level 99, but for some unknown reason, they were suppressed to that level.

As Qi Yuan stood there, all the Divine Realm powerhouses on the peaks opened their eyes.

Thousands of eyes, filled with sharpness, turned towards Qi Yuan, making him feel like he was being pierced by a thousand blades.

It was as if he had entered the Journey to the West, standing amidst countless gods, Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Arhats.

"Three thousand Divine Realm powerhouses," Qi Yuan said, his figure exceptionally tall and straight, a faint blood-red aura surrounding him, making him appear both charming and handsome.

Facing the Divine Realm powerhouses of the final stage, his gaze remained calm, but upon closer inspection, one could see endless blood-red determination.

However, when he looked down at Xiao Jia, his eyes softened with a hint of gentleness.

"Xiao Jia, my comrade!"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end