A Mortal's Start in the Spirit Beast Mountain

Chapter 255 Why is it me who let the pillar?

Luo Ming, positioned at one corner of this delicate triangle, was on high alert, pushing his "Gathering Yuan Technique" to its limit, his aura becoming obscure, like a stubborn rock. Yet, he carefully listened to the conversation that was right next to him.

After the Old Ancestor of Extreme Yin sat down, he continued to talk with Layman Qingyi. His voice was not loud, but in the quiet hall, Luo Ming's hearing was enough to hear it clearly.

"Brother Wu, do you know that this time, that scoundrel with the barbarian beard will most likely come to join in the fun?" Qingyi Jushi said in a calm tone, as if he were talking about something ordinary.

The Yin Ancestor's expression changed, and he exclaimed in surprise, "Oh? The Barbarian Beard is also interested in the Void Heaven Palace? His physical body, cultivated through the 'Heaven-Supporting Demonic Art,' is already unparalleled in the human realm. Could it be that he also wants to find a sacred medicine for body refining here to advance further?"

"His lifespan is also running out. He just wants to come here to find a few longevity fruits to refine a few longevity pills," said Qingyi Jushi gently. "A few years ago, I heard that he went to the outer sea and, for some reason, got into a big fight with several transformed demon cultivators, causing quite a commotion. With his domineering nature, if he comes, this entrance hall will probably be hard to keep quiet."

Luo Ming was "concentrating" on meditating and regulating his breathing, but in reality, his mind was racing.

"In my memory, something seemed to have happened after the bearded man arrived... Will this old devil Han be 'forced to give up his seat' again this time? I wonder if he's sitting on that same stone pillar this time."

Thinking of certain interesting fragments from his memory, Luo Ming couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation, like watching a play unfold.

Just as Luo Ming was quietly waiting and secretly observing, the light screen at the entrance rippled continuously, and several figures of varying strengths entered one after another. The number of cultivators in the hall gradually increased, exceeding sixty, each occupying a corner, and the atmosphere became increasingly tense.

Not long after, the light screen rippled again, and two figures stepped in side by side. The one in the lead was dressed in a scholar's robe, with a square face, three long strands of beard flowing down his chest, and flashes of lightning in his eyes. He exuded an imposing aura without being angry; he was none other than Wan Tianming, the sect leader of the Wanfa Sect. Beside him was a kind-faced old Taoist priest holding a whisk, who was his friend Tian Wuzi.

Luo Ming's heart tightened again, and he subconsciously suppressed his breathing even more, thinking that this was different from his original memory. Wasn't it Mu Tengzi and Tian Wuzi who came first?

Wu Zi had encountered him in the Sea Abyss years ago. Although he had now switched to other cultivation methods and his magical power fluctuations were different from before, his spiritual aura was hard to change. It was hard to guarantee that the other party wouldn't remember his aura.

He thought to himself, "Qingyi Jushi already makes me feel like I have thorns in my back, and now Tianwuzi... I hope he didn't take a nobody like me seriously back then."

Luo Ming kept his eyes focused on his nose and his nose on his heart, only glancing at it briefly with his peripheral vision before looking away.

Fortunately, Wan Tianming and Tian Wuzi entered, their eyes flashing like lightning as they quickly scanned the entire area. They paused briefly on several Nascent Soul cultivators, including Madam Wen, Ji Yin, and Qing Yi, before letting out a cold snort. They didn't linger on Luo Ming, this "ordinary" Core Formation cultivator, at all, clearly not recognizing him. Luo Ming secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

What happened next was similar to what Luo Ming had known. It seemed that Wan Tianming and Madam Wen had a long-standing feud, due to old grudges caused by the fighting among their disciples. As soon as they met, they exchanged sharp and sarcastic remarks.

Although Madam Wen was aloof, her words were sharp as swords, showing no sign of yielding. The two Nascent Soul cultivators, one representing a major righteous sect and the other the Daoist partner of the number one demonic cultivator, were engaged in a fierce verbal battle in front of everyone. Although they did not use their magical power, the invisible clash of their auras and the swordplay in their words had already made many mid-to-low-level cultivators in the hall hold their breath and watch intently.

Luo Ming also watched with great interest, secretly marveling to himself that these Nascent Soul cultivators, who were usually high above and regarded as terrestrial immortals, were no different in essence from the squabbles between powerful figures in the mortal world when it came to saving face and settling old scores. Their emotions and desires had not been completely eradicated despite their high level of cultivation.

Just as this somewhat strange "spectator" atmosphere continued, suddenly—

Rumble!

A deep, penetrating tremor emanated from the depths of a passage connecting the main hall. It wasn't the roar of magic, but rather the steady strides of some immense, colossal object, gradually shattering the ground as it approached. The entire hall trembled slightly, and dust settled on the stone pillars.

"They're here!" Luo Ming's spirits lifted, and he instantly understood. Such momentum, such undisguised domineering pressure—who else could it be but that bearded man who had cultivated the Body Refining Demon Art to its peak?

A few breaths later, under the watchful, curious, or solemn gazes of everyone, a tall and imposing figure appeared at the entrance of the passage.

This man wore a dark yellow sleeveless short robe, revealing his muscular, bronze-colored arms. His face was covered with a thick, curly beard, each hair as hard as iron. His eyes flashed with a sharp light as they opened and closed, exuding a powerful aura.

He didn't ride the escape light; he simply took ordinary steps, but with each step,

It was as if a thousand pounds of force had slammed into the ground, making a muffled "thud" that caused the floor of the hall to tremble slightly, and the spiritual light barrier to flicker erratically.

He did not ride the escape light, but simply took ordinary steps. However, each step he took felt as if a thousand pounds of force had struck the ground, producing a muffled "thud" that caused the floor of the hall to tremble slightly, and the spiritual light barrier to flicker.

"The Heaven-Supporting Demonic Art... Someone actually cultivated this art to the mid-Nascent Soul stage?" The astonished voice of the Heavenly Mirror Hermit echoed in Luo Ming's mind, carrying a rare tremor. "This art is extremely difficult to cultivate, demanding the aptitude of one's physical body immensely. It requires expending vast amounts of resources to temper the body; only those with great perseverance and extraordinary opportunities can succeed. When I first entered the Nascent Soul stage, I saw a fellow Daoist who cultivated this art. Even at the very beginning of his Nascent Soul journey, his physical strength was already remarkable enough to draw attention from his peers. This person before me... the vigor of his blood and qi, the solidity of his physique, are probably comparable to, or even surpass, that of a demonic beast of the same level! He is truly a human-shaped ancient treasure!"

Luo Ming was also deeply moved. Seeing it with his own eyes was completely different from hearing about it; the pure, violent, and incredibly powerful physical force was extremely impactful. His mind raced, and he asked, "Senior, in your opinion, how does this so-called strongest defensive technique in the Chaotic Star Sea, the Heavenly Demon Art, compare to the Heavenly Net True Art of the Myriad Laws Sect?"

Tianjing Sanren pondered for a moment and said, "In terms of cultivation techniques themselves, it's difficult to have an absolute superiority or inferiority. The outcome depends first on the depth of the cultivator's understanding of the technique and the subtlety of their application, then on the magic treasures, supernatural powers, timing, environment, and even one's temperament and karmic opportunities. Taking these two techniques as an example, if this bearded man and Wan Tianming were to fight to the death... I estimate that Wan Tianming's chances of winning might be one or two points higher."

"Oh?" Luo Ming was surprised. "The Heaven-Supporting Demon Art's defense is unparalleled, difficult to break even for those of the same level, how could it be..."

"Hmph," Tianjing Sanren sneered, "Body-refining techniques are powerful, but they lack flexibility and adaptability. Moreover, the extremely yang and powerful lightning force of such top-tier demonic arts is one of their nemesis. The 'Heavenly Net True Lightning' cultivated by the Wanfa Sect's Heavenly Net True Art is extremely yang and vast, specifically designed to counter evil and filth. It has a very strong restraining effect on demonic arts and is extremely troublesome. If that bearded man doesn't have any special means to resist or neutralize the lightning force and relies solely on his physical body to withstand it, he will inevitably suffer losses in a prolonged battle."

Upon hearing this, Luo Ming's heart stirred. He recalled a detail mentioned in the original work and thought to himself, "No wonder... this barbarian seemed to have gone to the outer sea later and painstakingly killed a transformed thunder whale, extracting the strange object nurtured within its body to refine a treasure like a 'Thunder Absorbing Pearl,' all to counter Wan Tianming's Heavenly Net True Thunder. These old monsters are indeed not easy to deal with; they have already secretly made up for their weaknesses."

In the short moment that Luo Ming and Tianjing Sanren were exchanging thoughts, the situation in the hall had already changed.

The bearded man stepped into the hall, his eyes blazing. He first glared at Wan Tianming, making no attempt to hide his hostility, and the tension between them instantly escalated. After a few barbed words, the bearded man let out a heavy snort, seemingly suppressing his anger for the moment. He then ignored the gloomy-faced Wan Tianming and strode towards the area where Qingyi Jushi and the Extreme Yin Ancestor were.

Wherever he went, the nearby cultivators would subconsciously avoid his gaze or turn slightly to the side, as if they were being pushed away by an invisible wave of energy.

The bearded man approached, first grinning at Qingyi Jushi and Jiyin Laozu as a greeting, then his gaze swept across the area, seemingly searching for a suitable place to settle. His gaze swept over Jiyin and Qingyi, then over the cultivators further away, and then... landed on the stone pillar where Luo Ming was sitting.

Luo Ming's heart sank, a sense of foreboding washing over him. He had chosen this spot precisely because of its secluded, inconspicuous location, seeking peace and quiet and avoiding potential conflict. He never expected that the bearded man's gaze would sweep around the area, seemingly taking an interest in the stone pillar in this corner?

The bearded man's copper-bell-like eyes lingered on Luo Ming for a moment, his thick eyebrows twitched, and his large, fan-like hand casually pointed to the stone pillar where Luo Ming stood, his voice booming like a bell:

"Hey kid over there. I've got my eye on this seat."

His tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable domineering air, as if he were simply stating something that was perfectly natural.

In an instant, all eyes in the vicinity, including the amused gaze of the Extreme Yin Ancestor, the thoughtful scrutiny of Qingyi Hermit, and the sympathetic or gloating looks of other cultivators, focused on Luo Ming. The pressure pressed down like a mountain in an instant.

When the words, "Hey kid over there, I've got my eye on this seat," exploded in Luo Ming's ears like a thunderclap, his mind went blank for a moment.

No, this isn't right!

In a flash, he suddenly understood and realized the source of this unexpected disaster—it was Qingyi Jushi!

If it weren't for that old ghost approaching him because of that inexplicable feeling, how could the Extreme Yin Ancestor have followed? And as a giant of the demonic path, the Barbarian Beard would naturally tend to gather with the Extreme Yin and Qing Yi, who were closer to him, after entering the hall.

This originally secluded "quiet place" of his had become a "feng shui treasure land" because of the "visit" of these two Nascent Soul stage monsters, and was subsequently spotted by the bearded man!

"The Heaven-Supporting Demonic Art... Someone actually cultivated this art to the mid-Nascent Soul stage?" The astonished voice of the Heavenly Mirror Hermit echoed in Luo Ming's mind, carrying a rare tremor. "This art is extremely difficult to cultivate, demanding the aptitude of one's physical body immensely. It requires expending vast amounts of resources to temper the body; only those with great perseverance and extraordinary opportunities can succeed. When I first entered the Nascent Soul stage, I saw a fellow Daoist who cultivated this art. Even at the very beginning of his Nascent Soul journey, his physical strength was already remarkable enough to draw attention from his peers. This person before me... the vigor of his blood and qi, the solidity of his physique, are probably comparable to, or even surpass, that of a demonic beast of the same level! He is truly a human-shaped ancient treasure!"

Luo Ming was also deeply moved. Seeing it with his own eyes was completely different from hearing about it; the pure, violent, and incredibly powerful physical force was extremely impactful. His mind raced, and he asked, "Senior, in your opinion, how does this so-called strongest defensive technique in the Chaotic Star Sea, the Heavenly Demon Art, compare to the Heavenly Net True Art of the Myriad Laws Sect?"

Tianjing Sanren pondered for a moment and said, "In terms of cultivation techniques themselves, it's difficult to have an absolute superiority or inferiority. The outcome depends first on the depth of the cultivator's understanding of the technique and the subtlety of their application, then on the magic treasures, supernatural powers, timing, environment, and even one's temperament and karmic opportunities. Taking these two techniques as an example, if this bearded man and Wan Tianming were to fight to the death... I estimate that Wan Tianming's chances of winning might be one or two points higher."

"Oh?" Luo Ming was surprised. "The Heaven-Supporting Demon Art's defense is unparalleled, difficult to break even for those of the same level, how could it be..."

"Hmph," Tianjing Sanren sneered, "Body-refining techniques are powerful, but they lack flexibility and adaptability. Moreover, the extremely yang and powerful lightning force of such top-tier demonic arts is one of their nemesis. The 'Heavenly Net True Lightning' cultivated by the Wanfa Sect's Heavenly Net True Art is extremely yang and vast, specifically designed to counter evil and filth. It has a very strong restraining effect on demonic arts and is extremely troublesome. If that bearded man doesn't have any special means to resist or neutralize the lightning force and relies solely on his physical body to withstand it, he will inevitably suffer losses in a prolonged battle."

Upon hearing this, Luo Ming's heart stirred. He recalled a detail mentioned in the original work and thought to himself, "No wonder... this barbarian seemed to have gone to the outer sea later and painstakingly killed a transformed thunder whale, extracting the strange object nurtured within its body to refine a treasure like a 'Thunder Absorbing Pearl,' all to counter Wan Tianming's Heavenly Net True Thunder. These old monsters are indeed not easy to deal with; they have already secretly made up for their weaknesses."

In the short moment that Luo Ming and Tianjing Sanren were exchanging thoughts, the situation in the hall had already changed.

The bearded man stepped into the hall, his eyes blazing. He first glared at Wan Tianming, making no attempt to hide his hostility, and the tension between them instantly escalated. After a few barbed words, the bearded man let out a heavy snort, seemingly suppressing his anger for the moment. He then ignored the gloomy-faced Wan Tianming and strode towards the area where Qingyi Jushi and the Extreme Yin Ancestor were.

Wherever he went, the nearby cultivators would subconsciously avoid his gaze or turn slightly to the side, as if they were being pushed away by an invisible wave of energy.

The bearded man approached, first grinning at Qingyi Jushi and Jiyin Laozu as a greeting, then his gaze swept across the area, seemingly searching for a suitable place to settle. His gaze swept over Jiyin and Qingyi, then over the cultivators further away, and then... landed on the stone pillar where Luo Ming was sitting.

Luo Ming's heart sank, a sense of foreboding washing over him. He had chosen this spot precisely because of its secluded, inconspicuous location, seeking peace and quiet and avoiding potential conflict. He never expected that the bearded man's gaze would sweep around the area, seemingly taking an interest in the stone pillar in this corner?

The bearded man's copper-bell-like eyes lingered on Luo Ming for a moment, his thick eyebrows twitched, and his large, fan-like hand casually pointed to the stone pillar where Luo Ming stood, his voice booming like a bell:

"Hey kid over there. I've got my eye on this seat."

His tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable domineering air, as if he were simply stating something that was perfectly natural.

In an instant, all eyes in the vicinity, including the amused gaze of the Extreme Yin Ancestor, the thoughtful scrutiny of Qingyi Hermit, and the sympathetic or gloating looks of other cultivators, focused on Luo Ming. The pressure pressed down like a mountain in an instant.

When the words, "Hey kid over there, I've got my eye on this seat," exploded in Luo Ming's ears like a thunderclap, his mind went blank for a moment.

No, this isn't right!

In a flash, he suddenly understood and realized the source of this unexpected disaster—it was Qingyi Jushi!

If it weren't for that old ghost approaching him because of that inexplicable feeling, how could the Extreme Yin Ancestor have followed? And as a giant of the demonic path, the Barbarian Beard would naturally tend to gather with the Extreme Yin and Qing Yi, who were closer to him, after entering the hall.

This originally secluded "quiet place" of his had become a "feng shui treasure land" because of the "visit" of these two Nascent Soul stage monsters, and was subsequently spotted by the bearded man!

An indescribable sense of frustration and absurdity welled up in Luo Ming's heart. He felt as if he had been tricked by the seemingly gentle Qingyi Jushi.