Seeing that Nalan Ruxue hadn’t spoken in a long time, Ning Cheng couldn’t help but ask again. “Junior Apprentice Sister Ruxue, what is the third step in Dao Confirming?”
Nalan Ruxue tried to calm him down and even eased her tone before speaking, “I have heard of two sayings. First, there is no third step. Second, the laws of Grand Essence Realm are incomplete. As such, the highest level of cultivation here is Dao Perfection, which also means that no one knows about the specific level within the third step of Dao Confirming Realm.”
Ning Cheng stood up, “I see, thank you for telling me all this. It looks like we truly are ants.”
Ning Cheng didn’t know what step of Dao Confirming’s three steps that red-haired cultivator had reached. However, Ning Cheng felt sure that he couldn’t survive a single move from that guy even if he went all out.
“Senior Apprentice Brother Ning those Dao Confirming powerhouses wouldn’t usually come out. Moreover, they all live in the most stable parts of Grand Essence Realm, where the laws are more complete. In a remote corner like Boundary Essence Spirit Sea City, you would rarely, if ever, find such people. Moreover, the Boundary Essence Spirit Sea City prohibits fighting within its borders. Therefore, as long as we stay here in seclusion, we would remain safe. Even Tao Xing wouldn’t dare find trouble with us inside the city.” Nalan Ruxue saw Ning Cheng standing up and immediately thought that Ning Cheng wanted to leave. Therefore, she quickly explained a few more things.
Stay here in seclusion? Even if Tao Xing didn’t come, the Spiritual Qi in this place was just too thin. What would be the point of it?
“How long have you been in Heaven’s Mandate Realm?” Ning Cheng suddenly asked.
Hearing Ning Cheng asking about her cultivation, Nalan Ruxue’s face turned a bit red. But thinking about how she was just a hair away from the Heaven Seated Realm, it immediately made her more excited. “It’s been more than a year. But I’ve been saving up spirit crystals. As long as I accumulate roughly 100,000 spirit crystals, I can then purchase medicinal pills to advance to the Heaven Seated Realm. Once I advance to the Heaven Seated Realm, I would then have access to more places to explore in the sea, and would be able to gather 100,000 spirit crystals even faster.”
“Is it so easy to advance to Heaven Seated Realm here?” Ning Cheng asked suspiciously. One had to know that in Culmination Grand Starry Sky, an Accordance Heavenly Pill wasn’t something cheap. However, it was also not something impossible to buy.
Nalan Ruxue gave an ‘en’ sound, “This place is a lot better than where we come from, you can buy any type of medicinal pills, as long as you have enough spirit crystals. Last time, Senior Apprentice Sister Yan Ji and I found an Asura Heavenly Ginseng and sold it for 160,000 spirit crystals. It allowed us to purchase an Accordance Heavenly Pill for Senior Apprentice Sister Yan Ji.”
“I see. You’re coming with me now.” Ning Cheng decided to help Nalan Ruxue advance to the Heaven Seated Realm out of gratitude.
“Where are we going?” Nalan Ruxue, for some reason, held absolute trust in Ning Cheng. However, she also knew that Ning Cheng should have just arrived here, and wasn’t too familiar with the place yet.
“To find a place for you to advance to the Heaven Seated Realm.”
“Ah….”
……
After Ning Cheng left Boundary Essence Spirit Sea City with Nalan Ruxue, they immediately headed deep into the Grand Essence Sea. It wasn’t before they were at least ten thousand miles away from the Boundary Essence Spirit Sea City that they finally stopped on a reef.
“Senior Apprentice Brother Ning, is this place suitable to advance to the Heaven Seated Realm?” Nalan Ruxue looked at Ning Cheng in doubt. She still felt a bit dazed from the time Ning Cheng spoke about her advancement to the Heaven Seated Realm.
Ning Cheng took out a jade bottle and handed it to Nalan Ruxue. “That’s right. There are two Accordance Heavenly Pills in it. I will arrange a Spiritual Gathering Array for you now, and then you can attempt to advance to the Heaven Seated Realm.”
Just in case, Ning Cheng had specifically given two Accordance Heavenly Pills to Nalan Ruxue. To him, things like Accordance Heavenly Pills simply had no use at all. Meaning, even if Nalan Ruxue didn’t need it, he would have still taken out the bottles with Accordance Heavenly Pills to sell. That way, he could raise enough spirit crystals required to go to the Grand Essence Ruins and then go to the Grand Essence Ruins.
Nalan Ruxue took the jade bottle with trembling hands. As her spiritual consciousness swept into it, she saw two Accordance Heavenly Pills. Not only were they Accordance Heavenly Pills, but both of those pills were of top-quality.
Seeing Ning Cheng starting to set up the Spiritual Gathering Array, Nalan Ruxue didn’t question Ning Cheng. She now began to have a better understanding of Ning Cheng. Regardless of the place or time, Ning Cheng seemed to be an expert in every field.
When she and a group of geniuses first arrived at Tian Continent, they had heard of how Ning Cheng had already set up his prestige in the Tian Continent. Moreover, he later even became the Sect Master of Rainbowfall Sword Sect, one of the top ten forces of the Tian Continent. Now Ning Cheng had given her two top-quality Accordance Heavenly Pills. Feats that appeared incredible and extraordinary for the general populace now felt quite ordinary when it came to Ning Cheng.
Nalan Ruxue had already reached the full-circle of Heaven’s Mandate Realm a long time ago. It’s just that the lack of resources had held her back. Now, with the help of Ning Cheng’s Spiritual Gathering Array and the Permanent Essence Pills and Accordance Heavenly Pills, she quickly attracted the thunder tribulation.
Ning Cheng noticed that Nalan Ruxue’s Heaven Seated Thunder Tribulation was a lot weaker than his Heaven Seated Thunder Tribulation. But even so, after facing five waves of thunder tribulation arcs, Nalan Ruxue’s robes had already disintegrated.
Ning Cheng didn’t continue to watch Nalan Ruxue surmount her tribulation. In any case, Nalan Ruxue should be able to pass the Heaven Seated Thunder Tribulation safely.
……
Nalan Ruxue had never had such fun during cultivation. Even when she was at Thoughtless Academy, she had never experienced such joy. Endless Essence Qi from the Permanent Essence Pills in front gathered around her continuously before pouring into her.
She suddenly felt the crazy influx of celestial essence in her body and also the near-infinite expansion of her spiritual consciousness. From this, Nalan Ruxue understood that she had successfully advanced to the Heaven Seated Realm.
When the thunder tribulation finally dissipated, Nalan Ruxue quickly washed her body and put on a set of clean clothes. Only then did she have the chance to see what Ning Cheng was doing.
Seeing that Ning Cheng had gone into a secluded retreat in a temporary cave at one side, Nalan Ruxue didn’t bother him and continued to stabilise her cultivation. She still had too many Permanent Essence Pills here, which meant that stabilising her cultivation was the most suitable choice right now.
Ning Cheng already knew about Nalan Ruxue successfully surmounting the thunder tribulation and reaching the Heaven Seated Realm. However, Ning Cheng didn’t come out. Before coming here, he already was at the full-circle of the early-stage Eternal Realm. But after eating that meal in Essence Sea Restaurant, Ning Cheng had reached the tipping point of a breakthrough to the middle-stage Eternal Realm. Plus, he also had 10,000 spirit crystals with him, along with the Spiritual Gathering Array he arranged along with a vast stash of Permanent Essence Pills. Therefore, advancing to the middle-stage Eternal Realm was just a matter of time.
Feeling the surging celestial essence and his Sea of Consciousness expanding to another level, Ning Cheng felt delighted. The higher his cultivation rose, even a minor advancement would make a big difference to him. Moreover, his celestial essence has not yet transformed into spirit essence. Once converted, his cultivation would become twice as powerful as now.
However, Ning Cheng didn’t intend to force the transformation right now. He currently had only a few thousand spirit crystals, which most likely weren’t enough. Moreover, his cultivation required an insane amount of resources. Therefore, if he wanted to transform his celestial essence into spirit essence fully, he would need a large supply of spirit crystals. Moreover, it would best if he prepared all the resources beforehand, then initiate and complete the transformation in one go.
Seeing Ning Cheng coming out and putting away the temporary came, Nalan Ruxue also quickly stood up.
“Congratulations on your successful promotion to the Heaven Seated Realm.” Ning Cheng saw Nalan Ruxue coming over and said with a smile.
Nalan Ruxue didn’t inquire about Ning Cheng’s cultivation. She felt sure that Ning Cheng’s cultivation had already exceeded hers by a large margin.
“Many thanks, Senior Apprentice Brother Ning. Otherwise, even if I wanted to advance to the Heaven Seated Realm, it would have taken some time.” Nalan Ruxue understood that the only reason she could advance to the Heaven Seated Realm was due to Ning Cheng’s blessing.
“Take the Permanent Essence Pills here and keep it for future cultivation. We’ve been here for almost three days. I think Tao Xing and his group might be turning a little impatient.” Ning Cheng nodded and said. Nalan Ruxue’s talents and qualifications were indeed quite high. Although he was faster at cultivation compared to Nalan, it was only because the Mysterious Yellow Bead continuously scoured his spiritual roots. As for Nalan Ruxue, she was born with a strong aptitude to cultivation and innate talents.
Nalan Ruxue also didn’t act in politeness. She had just advanced to the Heaven Seated Realm, and Permanent Essence Pills were currently the best-suited cultivation resource for her. Ning Cheng had arranged the Spiritual Gathering Array with the help of Permanent Essence Pills. But she had only managed to use a portion of them, while most of it remained untouched, adding up to nearly ten million. So many Permanent Essence Pills were more than enough for her for the time being.
“Oh, one more thing. Do the cultivators here all cultivate using spirit essence?” Ning Cheng had pondered over transforming his celestial essence into spirit essence during the retreat and decided to ask about it.
Nalan Ruxue froze for a moment before shaking her head. “No, I heard that only cultivators who reached Dao Confirming Realm could slowly start converting celestial essence and transform it into spirit essence.”
Can only convert it after reaching Dao Confirming? Ning Cheng felt puzzled. If he had enough spirit crystals, he felt sure that he could finish the transformation to spirit essence right now. But he was still far from reaching Dao Confirming.
“Let’s go. It’s time to head back to Boundary Essence Spirit Sea City.” Ning Cheng realised that his problem wasn’t something that Nalan Ruxue could solve. He can try to find out about it later.
……
Ning Cheng and Nalan Ruxue had just arrived at Boundary Essence Spirit Sea City when they met Tao Xing’s anxious group of three.
When Tao Xing saw Ning Cheng and Nalan Ruxue, the anxiety on his face disappeared instantly. He even greeted them with an eager smile, “Junior Apprentice Sister Ruxue, Junior Apprentice Brother Ning, I was looking for you two.”
“Is it time to head to Scarlet Branch Island?” Ning Cheng asked with a smile.
“Yes, we’re leaving immediately. A lot of cultivators have gone to Scarlet Branch Island these days, so we can’t fall behind.” Tao Xing rubbed his hands. It seems that as long as he went there, he would find a Scarlet Branch Island full of Wood Origin Crystals.
Ning Cheng nodded and said, “Then, let’s go.”
Seeing that Ning Cheng showed no objection, Tao Xing naturally felt happier. He took the initiative and brought out an airship. After inviting everyone on board the airship, he quickly rushed out of the Boundary Essence Spirit Sea City.
Boundary Essence Spirit Sea City was, in truth, built over an island that looked somewhat similar to the Mirage Gazing Island. However, compared to the Mirage Gazing Island, the Boundary Essence Spirit Sea City was akin to a continent.
Since meeting Tao Xing and the others again, Nalan Ruxue hadn’t said anything. Moreover, after she advanced to the Heaven Seated Realm, she saw that Tao Xing’s trio truly were cultivators in the Heaven Seated Realm.
“Huh, Junior Apprentice Sister Ruxue, did you advance to the Heaven Seated Realm?” After the airship flew out of the Boundary Essence Spirit Sea City, You Cheng finally realised that Nalan Ruxue’s cultivation had improved. It had reached the early-stage Heaven Seated Realm.
Nalan Ruxue showed a reluctant smile. “Yes, I also didn’t expect Senior Apprentice Brother You Cheng, Senior Apprentice Brother Tao Xing and Senior Apprentice Sister Siyan were all in the Heaven Seated Realm.”
Tao Xing spoke with an awkward tone. “Yes, we were afraid that it would put undue pressure on you, so we didn’t talk about our specific cultivation levels. But it’s good now, everyone here is in the Heaven Seated Realm…..”
Reaching this point, Tao Xing seemed to have thought of something and subconsciously shifted his gaze to Ning Cheng. Nalan Ruxue had always been at the late-stage Heaven’s Mandate Realm since the moment they met her, how come she advanced to Heaven Seated Realm just after meeting Ning Cheng? Could it be that Ning Cheng’s cultivation had exceeded all of them, but they couldn’t see?
Thinking that Ning Cheng’s cultivation had exceeded theirs, Tao Xing’s heart immediately started to beat faster. He now wasn’t too sure about Ning Cheng’s cultivation.
“Senior Apprentice Brother Ning must also be at the Heaven Seated Realm, right?” Li Siyan also had the same thoughts as Tao Xing, and immediately changed the form of address she used for Ning Cheng to ‘Senior Apprentice Brother’.
Ning Cheng chuckled, “I’m not in the Heaven Seated Realm.”
When Ning Cheng said that he wasn’t in the Heaven Seated Realm, Tao Xing’s trio immediately felt relieved. Even if Ning Cheng were a Heaven Seated cultivator, they wouldn’t feel afraid of him. However, it would truly complicate matters for them.
