Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The disturbance created by Huo Kun wasn’t merely noise, and it even included crazy gales that engulfed the plaza, as well as flying stones. The plaza seemed to be engulfed in sand from the outside, and it was almost impossible to get a clear look of Jiang Chen.
Huo Kun and Yang Fan were standing far away and observing from a distance place. With their keen eyesight, they could clearly see Jiang Chen, who was in the plaza. His body was covered in a layer of protective energy. The sandstorm couldn’t reach the three-feet radius around his body. However, their objective wasn’t harming Jiang Chen, just preventing him from cultivating.
“If he’s sensible enough, he’ll leave now,” Yang Fan said.
Once he started his cultivation, he wouldn’t simply use his single cultivation opportunity for the day; his achievements would also be recorded. If he stopped cultivating after only a single second after he started, he would be punished.
“Well?” This was what Yang Fan had assumed, too, but he witnessed the eight pillars in the plaza turn red, and raging flames erupted out of them.
“He’s really an idiot.” Yang Fan was slightly irritated because it didn’t unfold as he had imagined. These signs meant that Jiang Chen already started cultivating.
After a short while, the pair of eyes beneath Huo Kun’s fiery brows couldn’t help but narrow. It was because the raging flames erupting out of the eight fire pillars were becoming more terrifying, and they quickly soared to 30 or 40 feet in the sky.
“How is this possible?” Yang Fan found it inconceivable. The fire pillar’s response and flame intensity described one’s cultivation state level. The most basic one was having all eight pillars form a response. Afterward, it was the height of the pillar’s flames that was measured.
If the three pillars’ flames rose 30 feet, it already demonstrated that one was extremely outstanding, yet the eight pillars now showed a great response after Jiang Chen had just begun. This achievement surpassed Yang Fan and Huo Kun by a great margin.
According to what they had known about him before, Jiang Chen managed to cause four pillars at most to emit flames that rose to only 30 feet. It was normal for him to make such an achievement because he had been personally recruited by the Fire Venerable. Huo Kun had treated this with disdain in the past because he had managed to make the eight pillars emit 55-feet-long flames.
However, after Jiang Chen revealed his whole power without holding anything back, he nearly surpassed Huo Kun’s proudest achievement.
The eight pillars’ flames rose from 30 meters to 40, then 55, and 65 feet. However, it still didn’t seem like it would stop, and it continued advancing toward 100 feet.
“This is impossible!” Huo Kun lost his calm and held the fence tightly.
The sandstorm was still running amok in the plaza, and all kinds of irritating noises were echoing there. However, Jiang Chen wasn’t affected by them at all. After a short while, all of the Cliff Mountain’s departments noticed the disturbance emanating from the Fire Department, and more and more people rushed there.
“You should all quickly throw away those objects!” Huo Kun was worried that someone would see his actions to try to make a disturbance here, thus the sandstorm and the noise both died down.
The crowd could now witness Jiang Chen’s cultivation. His whole body was engulfed in scarlet light. His long hair was fluttering in the wind, and the Celestial Phoenix’s inherited blood pattern appeared between his brows.
The eight fire pillars in the plaza formed a sea of flames, but they still didn’t affect him at all. It seemed like Jiang Chen was doing all of this on purpose to embarrass Huo Kun.
Moreover, the Red Cloud Sword was still beside him, and when it was engulfed in flames, it flew from its sheath and flew around him like a shooting star.
“What a powerful Fire Sword Realm!”
“He’s trying to advance to the second level now.”
“A Spiritual Venerable who managed to reach the second level of the Fire Sword Realm this early; isn’t a bit too abnormal?”
Moreover, it still seemed clear that Jiang Chen wasn’t someone who would stop his realm level advancement on purpose.
At this moment, the eight fire pillars’ flames rose more than 110 feet into the sky, and even the people in Cliff City could clearly see them if they raised their heads. Meanwhile, the Fire Sword Realm’s aura was becoming more stronger.
“He’s obviously not a Spirit…” Huo Linger was also there, and she looked blankly at the plaza. Even if she was in his place now, she still wouldn’t be capable of achieving what he had.
As she looked at the Red Cloud Sword, which danced happily among the flames, she recalled what she had stated to Jiang Chen the day before. She felt her face becoming fiery hot from shame upon recalling it.
It seemed now like the Red Cloud Sword was more suitable for Jiang Chen.
“Wait… He’ll end up consuming all of our lore crystals like this.” The shocked Yang Fan came back to his senses, and he became excited. If they were consumed completely by Jiang Chen, what could they use?
“It’s a good thing for us.” Delight appeared on the face of Huo Kun, whose expression was unsightly. He said, “The Cliff Mountain will expel him, and then we can kill him.” This wasn’t a joke, nor was it an exaggeration. He really wanted to kill Jiang Chen.
On another side, the Fire Venerable rushed over to the plaza hurriedly. His face was filled with delight because he still hadn’t realized the issue with the lore crystals. It was only when Venerable Fengyu came over that he was reminded.
“That’s right, such consumption surpasses our higher bearing limit.” The Fire Venerable learned of this matter and realized the issue.
The plaza had already turned into a sea of flames and was bearing the burden of the operation of the pillars. The Fire Venerable didn’t fear the flames’ might, but if he went there rashly, the cultivation ground would surely explode, so he was left without a choice, and he could only let Jiang Chen continue.
The fire pillar’s raging flames skyrocketed, and unknowingly, it had already reached 330 feet. Even people in the city could witness the flames dancing among the clouds and mist.
After the flames reached a certain height, they started intertwining together in the sky, and the flames in the plaza seemed more like a sea of flames.
Whirl! Whirl! Whirl!
In the end, all the fire pillars’ flames fused together, and they seemed like a giant lid covering the plaza. After two or three more seconds passed, the raging flames in the plaza erupted, and the whole Cliff Mountain quaked several times.
“We’ll get to see a good show.” Huo Kun was surprised by this, but he still couldn’t help but sneer coldly.
More and more of the Cliff Mountain’s higher level members flew to the sky. They were amazed by the disturbance Jiang Chen had created, as well as the damage he had caused the Cliff Mountain.
Jiang Chen’s cultivation had already come to an end, and the raging flames gradually dissipated. Jiang Chen’s black hair wasn’t dancing in the wind any longer, and the pattern between his brows disappeared, too, while the Red Cloud Sword became a level higher.
When Jiang Chen held the sword hilt, a sonorous cry echoed from it.
“The second level of the Fire Sword Realm!”
Many people with keen eyesight were present, and they quickly noticed this matter. Jiang Chen’s former plan had been to cultivate steadily and make progress little by little, but he was forced to change his plan due to Huo Kun, and he made an advancement forward in one go.
However, this matter had a grave price, and it was paid by the eight pillars in the plaza. Their luster became dimmer, and they even had several cracks.
When Jiang Chen saw the Fire Venerable in the sky, he realized what had occurred. He collected the Red Cloud Sword and flew to the sky.
However, before he started speaking, Huo Kun shouted loudly, “Teacher, Jiang Chen consumed all the lore crystals in the cultivation ground. We’re all incapable of accepting such a selfish person who takes everything for himself.”
“We can’t accept him!” Huo Kun’s people in the Fire Department shouted loudly, expressing their discontentment.
The Fire Venerable and Venerable Fengyu both took a glance at each other. They didn’t know what they should do now. It was at this moment that someone descended from the sky, and they realized that they wouldn’t need to fret over this any longer.
“Cliff Master!” All the people there shouted when they witnessed this middle-aged man.
“Huo Kun, what do you feel like we should do?” the Cliff Master asked.
“Cliff Master, Jiang Chen has encroached upon other disciples’ resources, so please expel him,” Huo Kun said loudly.
“Jiang Chen, what do you have to say?” The Cliff Master’s expression was as indifferent as before, and he looked now to Jiang Chen.
“I can help the Cliff Mountain improve its cultivation ground’s design. It will let you all become capable of using lore crystals for a longer period, and they’ll even become more effective.”
Jiang Chen was already prepared for this. He grinned and said, “Moreover, all of this will be free of charge.”
