https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-762-Sword-Shatters-the-Purple-Sun-Overpowering-the-Crowd/12942805/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-764-Wood-s-Primordial-Source-Waxing-and-Waning-Awakening/12942807/
Chapter 763: A Glimpse of Green
Chapter 763: A Glimpse of Green
Deep within an unnamed mountain, Fu Qinglan sat with her eyes closed, her divine perception fully extended, enveloping the surrounding area.
Any living being that dared to approach was instantly struck down by her.
In front of her, a circular formation disk was quietly embedded in the rock layers.
Suddenly, the disk trembled, and high-grade spirit stones quickly turned to dust, even the top-grade spirit stone began to dim.
A massive amount of spiritual energy was extracted and channeled into the formation disk.
Fu Qinglan's eyes snapped open.
Hum...
A soft hum filled the air, and the light distorted.
The next moment, a figure emerged from within.
"Luo..."
"Puh!"
Before Luo Chen could steady himself, he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, and his entire body cracked open, blood gushing from the exposed areas.
"How could this happen?" Fu Qinglan was shocked and quickly rushed forward to support Luo Chen.
After he regained his balance, Luo Chen wiped the corner of his mouth.
He pushed Fu Qinglan's hand away and pointed at his chest. The cracked skin instantly healed, and the gushing blood returned to his body.
He mustered his remaining spiritual power and cast a cleansing technique, erasing all traces of blood that had fallen around him.
It was as if nothing had happened.
Fu Qinglan swallowed, concern in her voice, "Brother Luo, are you alright?"
Luo Chen tugged at the corner of his mouth, "Aside from my spiritual power being a bit weak, there's no major issue."
"But just now..."
Luo Chen waved his hand, not wanting to explain.
However, as he put away the formation disk covered in cracks, he took a few more glances at it.
He never expected that the Nascent Soul cultivators hadn't posed any threat to him, but instead, the escape route he had prepared himself had backfired.
Indeed, during the teleportation process, numerous restrictions collapsed, and the terrifying spatial pressure had inflicted non-trivial injuries on Luo Chen.
This was quite unexpected.
Luo Chen had sat on countless teleportation arrays before, and he considered himself experienced.
Other cultivators with weaker physiques might fear the pressure during teleportation, but he had never faced any issues.
But this time...
"It seems I'm not proficient enough with this array, and the formation disk was too hastily refined."
Luo Chen quickly identified the cause of the backlash, which lay in the formation disk.
Fortunately, the teleportation distance he had set earlier was only around five thousand li, not too far. Hence, the injuries appeared severe but weren't too serious.
With his formidable recovery ability and the stimulation of source power, he could restore himself to his peak condition in an instant.
If it had been an ultra-long-distance teleportation of tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of li, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
"We've obtained the Illusionary Core, let's go!" Luo Chen said.
Although Fu Qinglan was curious, she nodded in agreement.
In front of Luo Chen, she took out a talisman.
Infusing it with spiritual power, a hazy yellow light enveloped both of them, and in the blink of an eye, they vanished into the mountain rocks.
Not long after they left.
A furious shout echoed outside the mountain.
"Get out here!"
A green bamboo staff transformed into a hundred zhang long and struck the mountainside.
Boom! A cloud of dust rose, but the elder from the Wang family didn't hesitate and charged straight in.
Another figure unfolded a folding fan, and in the howling wind, all the dust was blown away.
Shi Ju's face darkened as he gazed at the shattered mountains.
"He escaped!"
"With such a powerful move, his spiritual power is almost depleted, and he still managed to flee?"
Behind him, Gu Yuan flew over with Gu Chen, laughing as they went.
"Since he dared to provoke us alone, he must have had an escape plan. From start to finish, he never revealed Fu Qinglan, who he was protecting. Shi Ju, don't underestimate these ruffians from the cultivation world."
Shi Ju turned and glared at him.
Suddenly, his expression changed, and he scoffed, "Yes, you're very thorough. But didn't you get humiliated by his sword?"
Gu Yuan's face twitched, but he soon shrugged nonchalantly.
"What humiliation? We obtained two Illusionary Cores on this trip, it wasn't a waste. Unlike some people who lose both their wife and soldiers, truly pitiful!"
"You!"
Shi Ju snapped his fan shut and pointed at Gu Yuan, his face livid.
The golden-robed man stepped forward, blocking Gu Yuan.
Gu Yuan chuckled and, no longer provoking his opponent, called out to Gu Chen and left.
Shi Ju clenched his teeth, watching their departing backs, his hand gripping the fan handle as if he wanted to snap it.
Just then, a furious roar echoed from within the mountain.
He looked down and saw the elder from the Wang family, like a headless fly, hurling huge rocks around but still unable to find Luo Chen.
"Wang Yifu, he's long gone. What are you still searching for?"
The elder from the Wang family lifted his head, his face filled with grief and fury.
"He caused the elimination of our young master. Even if I have to search to the ends of the earth, I will find him!"
Shi Ju scoffed and turned to leave.
But after taking a few steps, he suddenly turned back and threw out a jade slip.
"If you find him, notify me."
The elder from the Wang family was taken aback but quickly nodded.
"I will definitely notify you! I also hope that when you encounter Huang San, you will inform me!"
Shi Ju acknowledged and hurried back to the Three Rainbow Falls.
Qi Xiong Cheng stood there, holding a large gourd with a bulging belly, looking exhausted.
Upon seeing Shi Ju, he gritted his teeth and said, "Young Master, I only managed to retrieve five Illusionary Cores, and this gourd..."
"Useless!"
A fan struck him, and Qi Xiong Cheng struggled, but he didn't dare to dodge.
Pat!
His body, trained in the third level of Body Tempering, split open with a bloody gash.
Shi Ju couldn't be bothered to look at him anymore, just a servant, and not a competent one at that.
If I had known, I wouldn't have brought him in, he's just become a burden.
His gloomy gaze swept across the surroundings, and he remained silent for a long time.
After a while, he finally spoke in a cold voice.
"Leave the Gourd behind! You and Wang Yifu each take a different path to search for Luo Chen and the others. Once you find them, don't startle the snake by disturbing the grass, inform me first."
"Also, if you encounter other fellow disciples on the way, send me a message."
Qi Xiong Cheng asked, "Should we join forces with other true disciples to deal with Huang San?"
"Join forces?"
Shi Ju tugged at the corners of his mouth, "Huang San caught us off guard, but to kill him, there's no need to join forces with everyone. I need Illusionary Cores now, and I believe my fellow disciples have accumulated quite a bit, especially that escaped Gu Daosu!"
As he mentioned Gu Daosu, a hint of cruelty flashed in his eyes.
Without the Dao Guardian, the opponent was not as free to act as he was, and was as weak as a lamb, easily manipulated!
...
At the Peak of Heaven and Earth.
In a grand hall.
It had been over two months since Dan Sheng's ascension and the opening of the Cave Heaven.
The representatives from various factions who had attended the ceremony had gradually departed one after another.
The internal meetings of the Tianyuandao Sect had long since concluded.
At this moment, those who remained were mostly representatives from various families, all keenly interested in the results of the Grand Competition.
They gathered together, chatting about various topics, sharing cultivation insights, and making all sorts of speculations about the competition's outcome.
During their discussions, it was inevitable that some would bring out valuable items as stakes to bet on the results, passing the time in this manner.
Initially, aside from their own juniors, the most favored candidates in everyone's minds were the three scions of the Twelve Great Chambers and the young genius from the Xiang Family.
However, two months ago, the elimination of Wrathful Eyes Vajra changed everything.
The name Huang San once again echoed in their ears.
Speaking of him, his name was not unfamiliar to the family representatives.
The first time was when he entered the Peak of Heaven and Earth as an unaffiliated cultivator and was appointed as an External Affairs Guest Scholar.
The second time was during Dan Sheng's ascension, when Dan Sheng gave him one of the five Heavenly Fate Pills!
It was common knowledge that the recipients of the five Heavenly Fate Pills were either the three powerful cultivators from Mount Wuzhi or the visitors from Dan Sheng's hometown.
But what about Huang San? Was he worthy of receiving the gift for the Xingchen Men? It was a joke! The four late-stage Nascent Soul elders didn't receive this gift! If it weren't for the opening of the Cave Heaven and Huang San being the Dao Guardian's immediate need to enter, these people would have obtained that Heavenly Fate Pill from Huang San's hands.
Not to mention the underhanded methods of snatching it from him, with sufficient compensation, given his experience in the wilderness, he would have been tempted.
Unfortunately, Huang San had entered the Cave Heaven.
Everyone had hoped he wouldn't use the Heavenly Fate Pill so quickly, but the news they received was that he had defeated Wrathful Eyes Vajra and the Heavenly Mountain Immortal in a one-versus-two battle.
This was the third time Huang San's name appeared before everyone.
And this time, it also represented the perilous situation of Xiang Qi, the proud genius of the Xiang Family, who was on the verge of comprehending the Laws.
After all, without the Dao Guardian, whether it was hunting Illusionary Beasts or cultivating alone, everything would become more difficult.
They had already lost faith in Xiang Qi.
The focus of their discussion shifted to Fu Qinglan instead.
Although her foundation was weak and her talent slightly inferior, she had the advantage of a shorter Nascent Soul stage, a closer connection to the heavens, and a powerful Dao Guardian like Huang San, who could provide her with more Illusionary Cores.
As they discussed, a vortex reappeared in the hall.
A true disciple of the Wang Family emerged from the vortex, looking dazed.
Seeing him, everyone was puzzled.
His Dao Guardian hadn't come out, so how did he come out first?
Behind him, the vortex slowly began to close.
Suddenly, a blood-red sword light shot out from the last vortex eye.
"How audacious!"
A large hand swiftly grabbed it, capturing the sword light in an instant.
The true disciple of the Wang Family, upon seeing this, turned pale. The Wang Family's ancestor was both shocked and relieved.
"Thank you, Senior, for protecting my child!"
Above, the Gu Family's ancestor shook his head and then looked down at the sword light in his hand.
"What a sharp sword aura and pure killing intent!"
He tightened his grip, causing the sword aura to dissipate.
Only then did he turn to look at the true disciple of the Wang Family.
"Were you eliminated by the owner of this sword?"
The true disciple of the Wang Family finally reacted and nodded, his face filled with lingering fear.
The Gu Family's ancestor asked again, "Who is he?"
Before the true disciple of the Wang Family could answer, another vortex appeared in the hall.
To everyone's astonishment, a delicate and beautiful lady, Xu Fu, fell into the hall with a thud.
Her face was as pale as gold paper, and her aura was in a state of extreme decline.
Her cultivation level was visibly retreating at a speed perceivable to the naked eye.
"It's Xu'er!"
"She used that secret technique!"
The Gu Family's ancestor's expression changed, and he immediately produced a pill, using his spiritual power to protect Xu Fu.
Finally, under his care, Xu Fu's declining cultivation stabilized, stopping at the first level of the Nascent Soul stage.
"How could this happen?"
Xu Fu slowly opened her eyes and said bitterly, "It was Huang San."
Huang San? Everyone was taken aback.
The true disciple of the Wang Family, whose conversation had been interrupted earlier, spoke up angrily.
"It's Luo Chen!"
...
Xu Fu and the true disciple of the Wang Family were sent out for treatment.
But the discussions about the Grand Competition in the Mirage Dragon Cave Heaven didn't stop; instead, they became more heated.
Among the crowd, Fu Chaosheng hid in a corner, fearing that he would attract attention.
Especially when gazes swept over him, he remained silent, like a cicada in winter, afraid to make a sound.
In his heart, he complained about Luo Chen, wondering how he had managed to offend the three major families in such a short time.
On the other hand, he was also grateful for the other party's significant efforts and keeping their promise.
"It seems he has already discovered the difference in the flow of time, but he still works so hard. I feel guilty towards him."
"After he comes out, I must prepare a grand gift to express my apologies."
As he was thinking this, time slowly passed.
Several days later.
A vortex reappeared in the hall!
The one eliminated was the proud talent of the Xiang family.
This time, Fu Chaosheng was trembling with fear, worried that he would hear Luo Chen's name again.
Someone went to inquire about the situation and learned that it was Shi Ju who made the move, eliminating Xiang Qi.
Fu Chaosheng couldn't help but heave a sigh of relief.
But when he saw the Xiang family ancestor glaring at him with anger, he couldn't help but show a bitter smile.
Obviously, the Xiang family ancestor didn't dare resent the Shi family, one of the Twelve Great Chambers, but instead blamed it on the Fu family and Luo Chen.
After all, if Luo Chen hadn't eliminated the Wrathful Eyes Vajra, Xiang Qi wouldn't have been attacked by Shi Ju during his secluded cultivation.
"Fortunately, he joined the Xingmen early and is also considered a member of the Dao Sect. As long as he doesn't leave the Tian Di Peak, he won't be targeted for retribution by the various families."
"But it's not so easy for my Fu family!"
"Who cares, as long as Qinglan achieves something, offending more people is worth it. At worst, I'll join the Tian Di Peak later, and with this frail body, I'll make another contribution to the sect. The sect will surely protect my Fu family."
...
With the elimination of the two Dao Guardians and the two great Nascent Soul true disciples, it seemed like a signal had been lit.
In the following days, more and more people were eliminated.
Among them, most of the eliminations were attributed to Shi Ju, the main culprit.
He seemed to have completely let go of his reservations and started taking action without restraint, not hunting for illusory beasts but instead targeting the various true disciples to snatch their illusionary cores.
Sometimes, even when the eliminated true disciples didn't have illusionary cores, he would still strike.
This person had numerous treasures and his cultivation base was powerful and robust, easily overpowering weaker Dao Guardians.
In a one-on-one situation, he had the upper hand.
Even in a two-on-one fight, he showed no fear.
Thus, his sharp edge was revealed, and in just a short month, he had stolen the spotlight from Luo Chen.
Fu Chaosheng secretly cheered inside.
"The more arrogant Shi Ju is, the better, as long as he doesn't eliminate Qinglan and Luo Chen!"
The other family representatives, though angry and regretful, dared not offend the Shi family after being eliminated, and could only suppress their anger.
Inside the tightly closed Xingmen on Tian Di Peak.
The Tian Yuan Sect Master, Mo Shouzhuo, who was stuck there, was playing chess with the Chess Saint, Ke Lian Shan.
Although Mo Shouzhuo's cultivation was high, in terms of chess skills, he was no match for Ke Lian Shan.
Therefore, Ke Lian Shan appeared quite leisurely, even having the leisure to chat after making his move.
"Shi Ju is too ostentatious; such extremism is not a good thing."
"Is it because of his Nine Yang Body Constitution and its compatibility with inheriting the sect's fire-based divine ability that you allow him to act so freely?"
Mo Shouzhuo glanced at him but didn't respond, neither confirming nor denying it.
Ke Lian Shan nodded, as if he had expected this.
The Tian Yuan Dao Sect's Seven Great Dharmas were indeed powerful, but the cultivation threshold was extremely high.
Only Huashen ancestors and Nascent Soul cultivators who had comprehended the power of principles could cultivate them.
But there was an exception to one of the fire-based divine abilities!
Not that it was an exception, but Shi Ju was the exception, because his body constitution gave him a high chance of learning that divine ability even without comprehending the power of principles.
Once cultivated, he would undoubtedly possess terrifying combat power!
In these chaotic times, as the Dao Sect aimed to lead the Mountain-Sea Realm, there was no shortage of long-lived cultivators, but what they lacked were these skilled and battle-loving cultivators.
Rumors from the past suggested that the Huashen ancestor favored Shi Ju, and now it seemed there was indeed a reason for it.
Ke Lian Shan shook his head. "You may be trying to forge a sharp sword, but you risk creating a double-edged blade. If he eliminates his fellow disciples like this, and no one comprehends the power of principles during this Grand Competition, it would be a waste of the abundant Spirit Acumen that Chu Daoist Friend brought upon his ascension."
"It won't be wasted."
Mo Shouzhuo finally spoke.
"Among those who remain, there will surely be someone who comprehends it."
After saying this, he slowly made his move.
"Your turn."
Ke Lian Shan looked at the move and smiled wryly.
"Sect Master, your intention is too obvious; are you afraid I won't notice it?"
Mo Shouzhuo stroked his beard, appearing calm.
What does it matter if I notice it? In this world, conspiracies and schemes are ultimately insignificant. As long as one has powerful strength, one should advance with a grand and upright momentum.
He might lose this game due to his insufficient chess skills.
But in the game of the Mountain-Sea Realm, he was destined to win! Because the Tian Yuan Dao Sect was strong!
...
In the northernmost region of the Mirage Dragon Cave.
Snow fell from the sky, and the vegetation withered.
Amidst the silver-clad peaks, birds soared.
Suddenly, a bird landed on a snowman, pecked a few times, and then flew away.
After it left, the snow on the snowman started to fall.
The snowman slowly opened his eyes.
Another twenty years had passed.
This time, Fu Qinglan's seclusion had far exceeded his expectations.
Fortunately, they had fled far enough, and the place they chose for secluded cultivation was an extremely remote area on the outskirts of the Cave.
This was how they managed to have twenty years of peace.
"Calculating the time, the Spirit Acumen in the illusionary core should have been exhausted by now. Why hasn't she awakened yet?"
Luo Chen was puzzled.
Suddenly, he looked down at the ground.
Amidst the snow, there was a captivating green light.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
