txolops Chapter 36 A Minor Blessing? Clearly a Terrible Misfortune!
Chapter 36 A Minor Blessing? Clearly a Terrible Misfortune!
Chapter 36 A Minor Blessing? Clearly a Terrible Misfortune!
After making the bet with Fuyunzi and Qiong Laoguai, Li Huayuan turned and slowly walked to the twenty-five Qi Refining disciples of Huangfeng Valley.
His gaze swept over these young faces, which held anticipation, nervousness, excitement, and unease.
He didn't speak immediately, but remained silent for a moment, as if he was considering his words or scrutinizing the situation.
"You all heard the bet we just made."
Li Huayuan's voice was not loud, but it clearly reached the ears of every disciple, carrying the unique majesty and composure of a Core Formation cultivator.
"Perhaps some of you feel resentful and bitter that I'm gambling with your lives and efforts."
He paused, his gaze sharpening as if he could see through people's hearts: "But today, I, Li Huayuan, am here, and I disdain to use any high-sounding words to cover it up. The cultivation world is inherently a dog-eat-dog world, where only the fittest survive! Opportunity and risk have always gone hand in hand!"
"This Crimson Forbidden Zone is both your calamity and your opportunity! It's not only a way for your sect to obtain Foundation Establishment Pills, but also, for me, a chance to test your mettle!"
At this point, Li Huayuan changed the subject, his tone becoming solemn: "I, Li Huayuan, hereby promise! Of the twenty-five of you, regardless of your background, as long as you emerge alive from the forbidden area, and are the one who makes the greatest contribution and brings out the most spiritual herbs—"
'
He surveyed the crowd and said, word by word, "I will accept him as a nominal disciple! Once he successfully establishes his foundation, he will be formally accepted as my disciple and become my inner disciple!"
These words were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake!
The disciples of Huangfeng Valley were stunned at first, then burst into uncontrollable excitement and exhilaration!
"A nominal disciple! After reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, one becomes a true disciple!"
"Become a disciple of Grandmaster Li?!"
"What an incredible opportunity!"
Even the Foundation Establishment stage deacons standing to the side couldn't help but reveal a hint of envy in their eyes.
That's a disciple personally taught by a Core Formation stage cultivator!
This means that from now on you will have a powerful backer, you will have the opportunity to receive careful guidance from a Core Formation cultivator, you will be able to access more profound cultivation techniques and secret arts, and your path of cultivation will be smooth sailing!
Even with a will as firm as Lin Chuan's, his heart couldn't help but beat faster a few times, and a burning desire flashed in his eyes.
After reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, his cultivation of the "Fire Separation Technique" reached its limit, and he needed to switch to a higher-level technique to continue improving.
The profound cultivation techniques, as well as the secret arts, resources, and even the future methods of crafting magic weapons that can only be accessed at the Core Formation stage, are mostly held by cultivators above the Core Formation stage. They regard them as the foundation of their lineage and rarely pass them on to outsiders.
For Foundation Establishment cultivators without a background or powerful backer, obtaining these things is extremely difficult.
If one can become a disciple of Li Huayuan, it not only means having a powerful backer, but more importantly, the path to a higher level will become clearly visible!
This was equally appealing to Lin Chuan, who was single-mindedly pursuing the path to immortality!
"It seems that this trip to the forbidden area requires not only ensuring my own safety, but also finding a way to obtain more spiritual herbs—" Lin Chuan thought to himself, listing this as an important goal.
About an hour later, another strange movement was heard in the sky.
A massive, elegantly designed, pure white flying ship, over thirty zhang long, radiating a soft white light, broke through the clouds and slowly landed on the desolate mountain. The moon wheel emblem of the Hidden Moon Sect was engraved on the side of the ship.
A woman dressed in a moon-white palace gown, who appeared to be around thirty years old, with graceful bearing and stunning beauty, stepped off the flying boat first.
She possessed an elegant and noble air, yet her brows carried a hint of aloofness, and a subtle, moonlit glow emanated from her.
-
It was none other than the Core Formation stage elder, Fairy Ni Chang, who led the team from the Hidden Moon Sect!
As soon as she landed, Zi Guang's gaze immediately fell upon the disheveled Old Monster Qiong. A helpless yet respectful smile appeared on her face as she stepped forward and gave a graceful bow: "Ni Chang greets Martial Uncle Qiong."
Old Monster Qiong holds a very high seniority in the Hidden Moon Sect, and his cultivation level is close to that of the Nascent Soul stage.
Although Fairy Ni Chang was also at the Core Formation stage, she dared not be negligent and addressed herself as a junior.
"Yes, Little Ni Chang is here." Old Monster Qiong nodded casually, as if to say hello.
Then Fairy Ni Chang turned to Li Huayuan and Fu Yunzi, and nodded slightly: "Fellow Daoist Li, Fellow Daoist Fu Yunzi, how have you been?"
""
"You're too kind, Fairy Ni Chang." Li Huayuan and Fu Yunzi returned the greeting with clasped hands, their attitude much more casual than when they were with Old Monster Qiong.
Behind Fairy Ni Chang, several Foundation Establishment stage deacons of the Hidden Moon Sect led twenty-five Qi Refining disciples who were preparing to enter the forbidden area off the flying boat.
The Hidden Moon Sect has always had a large number of female disciples, and its techniques seem to have the effect of preserving youth and beauty.
Of the twenty-five disciples who came this time, nearly twenty were women, each with a beautiful appearance and an extraordinary temperament. Some were aloof, some charming, and some lively, bringing a touch of brightness to this desolate mountain.
"Wow, the senior and junior sisters of the Hidden Moon Sect truly live up to their reputation!"
"So beautiful————"
Many young male disciples from Huangfeng Valley and Qingxu Sect stared wide-eyed, whispering amongst themselves, which livened up the atmosphere considerably.
Lin Chuan's gaze also quietly swept over the ranks of the Hidden Moon Sect disciples. He was not looking for those with the most outstanding appearances, but rather for a seemingly inconspicuous figure.
Soon, at the back of the line, he saw a girl who looked only thirteen or fourteen years old, dressed in the ordinary attire of a disciple of the Hidden Moon Sect.
She was petite, with an exceptionally beautiful face, like a forest sprite. Her skin was as white as snow, and her eyebrows and eyes were like paintings, but her face was expressionless.
Her eyes were clear yet held a calmness beyond her years. She stood there quietly, seemingly out of place among her fellow disciples who were either nervous or excited.
"It's her—Nangong Wan."
Lin Chuan confirmed this in his mind and quickly looked away, not daring to stare any longer.
This is a genuine Core Formation stage cultivator!
Even if he temporarily falls to the Qi Refining stage, his spiritual perception is still far superior to that of an ordinary Qi Refining cultivator.
Paying too much attention can easily arouse the other party's suspicion.
"In this Bloodstained Forbidden Zone, the one who poses the greatest threat to me is probably this person."
Lin Chuan's mind was on high alert: "As long as I don't provoke her and stay away from her areas, with my current preparations and methods, dealing with the Qi Refining elites from other sects shouldn't be a big problem."
Several hours later, the sound of something breaking through the air came one after another.
The remaining four sects of the seven sects of Yue Kingdom—Tianque Fortress, Giant Sword Sect, Spirit Beast Mountain, and Transformation Blade Dock—also arrived one after another.
Each faction was led by a Core Formation stage elder, followed by several Foundation Establishment stage deacons and twenty-five Qi Refining stage disciples with varying expressions.
Thus, the teams from the seven major sects of the Yue Kingdom's cultivation world—comprising seven Core Formation cultivators, dozens of Foundation Establishment deacons, and one hundred and seventy-five Qi Refining disciples preparing to enter the Crimson Forbidden Land—all gathered on this nameless, desolate mountain.
With everyone present, there were no further delays.
Let's go!
After exchanging a few words, the seven Core Formation cultivators shouted in unison.
-
Disciples from each sect immediately boarded their flying magical artifacts or spirit beasts again under the command of their respective Foundation Establishment stewards.
Seven powerful beams of light (or beast shadows) rose into the air simultaneously, forming a loose formation, and sped off in a common direction.
The flight lasted about three or four hours. The scenery below gradually became desolate. Finally, the seven teams landed one after another in front of a vast, boundless loess slope that was barren except for yellow sand and scattered strange rocks.
This place is called "Yellow Sand Ancient Plains", which is the entrance to the Crimson Forbidden Land!
After landing, the seven Core Formation experts gathered again and discussed the matter in hushed tones.
A moment later, the Core Formation cultivator from the Giant Sword Sect, who was exceptionally burly and carried a giant sword as wide as a door panel, stepped out from the crowd and walked forward for about a dozen steps before stopping.
His expression was solemn. He stretched out his left hand, and suddenly a bright yellow light shone from his palm as he grabbed at the void in front of him!
"Boom!"
With a muffled thud, the ground shook violently, and a mudslide as thick as a bucket and several meters long, resembling a yellow dragon turning over, was actually lifted from the ground and suspended in front of his palm!
He pointed his right hand like a sword and sculpted in mid-air across the mudflow. The mudflow surged and coalesced rapidly, transforming in the blink of an eye into a massive, ancient-looking, and incredibly heavy yellow clay sword!
Immediately afterwards, he ran his left hand along the hilt of the sword, and a condensed white light quickly spread along the blade.
Wherever the white light passed, the texture of the giant yellow clay sword changed at a speed visible to the naked eye. Its color turned grayish-white, and its texture became as hard as iron. In the end, it transformed into a giant stone sword that exuded the aura of solidified earth and stone!
"go!"
The Core Formation cultivator from the Giant Sword Sect let out a deep shout and waved his arm. The giant stone sword, which was more than ten feet long, shot out like an arrow, with a muffled sound of air being torn apart, towards the void directly in front of him!
The giant sword only flew a few dozen steps before "whoosh!"
A strange, trembling sound rang out!
The stone sword seemed to have struck an invisible yet substantial barrier, abruptly halting. Then, countless fine cracks appeared on the blade, followed by a loud "bang" as it shattered into countless dust particles that rained down!
Almost simultaneously, large swaths of azure light burst forth from the void touched by the stone sword without warning!
The blue light started as a patch, but it spread like a tide in an instant, covering the entire loess slope and the sky, turning it into a hazy blue color.
The faces and clothes of all the disciples were stained with an eerie blue color.
This sudden change terrified many Qi Refining disciples who were visiting the area for the first time, causing them to instinctively retreat.
However, an even more breathtaking sight was yet to come!
The azure light that filled the sky did not stop; instead, it began to churn and roar violently!
The azure light rapidly condensed and compressed, transforming into countless palm-sized, semi-transparent wind blades with edges shimmering with a chilling light!
These wind blades were densely packed, covering every corner of the field of vision ahead, forming a wall of blue wind blades that was tens of feet high, extended to the left and right for an unknown distance, and impenetrable to wind and rain!
The wind blades spun wildly, cutting and crashing within the wall, emitting a piercing shriek. Anything that dared to approach was instantly shredded into dust!
Even from a distance, one can feel the terrifying aura of destruction and the agonizing torment of all things!
"This is—an ancient restriction!" A disciple's voice trembled.
Everyone was shocked by this magnificent and terrifying sight. It was hard to imagine what kind of earth-shattering supernatural powers the ancient cultivators possessed to set up such a huge and terrifying restriction array!
The Core Formation cultivator from the Giant Sword Sect shook his head and said in a deep voice, "The restriction is not at its weakest yet; we still need to wait."
Next, every hour, he would repeat the action he had just performed, using the giant stone sword to bombard the barrier and test its strength.
After seven consecutive attempts, it had gone from daytime to late at night, with the bright moon hanging high, casting a cool, clear light on the desolate loess slope.
When the eighth stone sword flew out and shattered, the resulting wall of blue-green wind blades became noticeably sparser, and the speed at which the wind blades rotated and cut seemed to slow down slightly. Although it was still terrifying, it was no longer as ferocious as it had been initially.
"Alright! Now's the time! The power of the restriction has reached its lowest point!" The Core Formation cultivator from the Giant Sword Sect exclaimed with renewed vigor.
"Fellow Daoists, let's begin!"
Li Huayuan shouted loudly.
"rise!"
Seven Core Formation cultivators attacked almost simultaneously!
Li Huayuan opened his mouth and spat out a stream of crimson light, which swelled in the wind and transformed into a giant crimson sword magic weapon burning with raging flames!
With a flick of his whisk, Fu Yunzi sent thousands of silver threads surging, each tip condensing into a single, dazzling starlight, its starlight as sharp as a needle!
With a gentle wave of her delicate hand, the fairy in her flowing robes caused a bright crescent moon to rise behind her, its clear light scattering down like a blade!
Old Qiong chuckled strangely, but before he could make any move, a sharp whistling sound came from the air, as if an invisible thorn was piercing through the void!
The Core Formation cultivators from Tianque Fortress, Spirit Beast Mountain, and Huadao Dock also unleashed their respective magic treasures. In an instant, the treasures shone brightly, their oppressive power permeated the sky, and they illuminated half of the night sky with vibrant colors!
Seven magical treasures of different shapes, carrying terrifying power capable of destroying the world, slammed into the wall of cyan wind blades!
"Boom—!!!"
The deafening roar continued without end, and the earth shook violently!
A violent surge of spiritual energy swept in all directions, forcing the disciples behind to retreat repeatedly.
The Foundation Establishment deacons had no choice but to raise their protective spiritual light to defend themselves.
The magical artifacts clashed fiercely with the ancient restrictions! Azure wind blades frantically sliced through the various magical artifacts' spiritual light, emitting ear-piercing friction and explosions. The magical artifacts, in turn, repeatedly tore through the wind walls, attempting to open a passage.
This is a race against time and strength! The seven Core Formation cultivators had solemn expressions and sweat on their foreheads, clearly indicating that maintaining the full power of their magic weapons was a huge burden for them.
The stalemate lasted for a full three hours!
As the first rays of dawn appeared on the horizon, all seven Core Formation cultivators were drenched in sweat and pale-faced, clearly having expended enormous energy.
But by working together, they finally gained the upper hand!
In the center of the raging blue wind blade wall, a circular passage about ten feet in diameter was blasted out, with relatively sparse wind blades at the edges and extending into an unknown depth!
The passage was pitch black, and nothing could be seen, as if it connected to another world.
"Quickly! Now! The passage won't last much longer! All disciples, enter in order immediately!" Master Fuyunzi shouted hoarsely.
The Foundation Establishment deacons of the seven sects, who had been on high alert, immediately directed their respective Qi Refining disciples.
"Disciples of Yellow Maple Valley, enter!"
"Qingxu Sect disciples, follow!"
"The Hidden Moon Sect----"
One hundred and seventy-five Qi Refining stage cultivators, filled with a mix of emotions including tension, excitement, fear, and anticipation, began to file into the dark, unknown passage.
Lin Chuan took a deep breath, and just as he stepped into the passage and his figure was swallowed by darkness, he was taken aback.
The golden light appeared before our eyes as expected.
The divination results for the new day have been updated:
Today's divination result: Minor good fortune.
[The divination reads: You enter the Crimson Forbidden Land. Soon after, you discover two corpses that perished together at the Cliff of Withered Glory. You approach the corpses and, although you do not find their storage bags, you obtain a nearly transparent silk thread artifact.]