“Ji He, Ji He…..” Qi Shisanxing finally squeezed out of the encirclement and kept waving at Ning Cheng.
“Thirteen[1], is this Pill Emperor Ji He? The one who trapped with you for over 60,000 years?” A phoenix-eyed woman followed Qi Shisanxing to Ning Cheng and asked. Even though this female cultivator didn’t release her aura, Ning Cheng could feel an overwhelming pressure coming from her. This female cultivator most likely wasn’t a Dao Sculpting Holy Emperor. She probably was an expert far beyond a Dao Sculpting Holy Emperor.
Qi Shisanxing patted Ning Cheng’s shoulder and replied to the phoenix-eyes female cultivator’s question, “Yes. He is Ji He. We went through quite a few life and death experiences together.”
After speaking, he then said to Ning Cheng, “Ji He, this is my big sister, Qi Yuling. My sister made it a point to come here every time the Grand Essence Mystic Realm opened, to find any information about me. This time, I finally managed to live up to her expectations and came out.”
After hearing Qi Shisanxing’s words, Ning Cheng understood that Qi Yuling truly cared about Qi Shisanxing.
“Ji He greets sister Yuling.” Ning Cheng gave her a quick bow and a respectful greeting.
Qi Yuling had a sincere smile on her face, “Ji He, thank you for staying with my Thirteen in the mystic realm for so many years. From now on, you’re also my brother.”
“Yuling, who is this person?” A man’s thick voice emerged.
Ning Cheng had his guard up at all times, and he became even more cautious when he saw the man walking over to them. This man didn’t seem to be too old. He also had long hair, which he tied up into a simple cultivator’s bun and wore a purple robe. The skin on his face looked coarse and rough and sported a pair of thick eyebrows. However, the feeling of strength from this person felt much more substantial than Qi Yuling. Most likely, this person’s cultivation had far exceeded that of Qi Yuling.
“Brother He, he is Ji He, a Rank 8 Pill Emperor from the Pill Union. He’s also good friends with my brother Thirteen. They had entered the mystic realm together and also came out together.” When Qi Yuling saw the purple-robed man walking over, an expression of joy immediately appeared on her face.
The purple-robed man smiled at Ning Cheng and said, “It turned out to be Pill Emperor Ji He. My name is Wei He. I’m from the Battlefront Cliff’s Wei Clan of the Grand Essence Domain. Both you and Thirteen are welcome at my Battlefront Cliff.”
Wei He had an excellent demeanour. Ning Cheng didn’t feel any trace of disdain one would usually find when someone from a big family spoke to rogue cultivators. Although Ji He’s current identity was a Rank 8 Pill Emperor from the Pill Union, he was still a rogue cultivator in the final analysis.
At this time, no cultivators were coming out of the mystic realm, indicating that except the dead, everyone had already come out.
Qi Yuling then said to Ning Cheng, “Thirteen said that you wanted to gain more experience from the mystic realm….”
Ning Cheng nodded and said, “Yes, I want to see if I can get a spot for the Grand Essence Great Meet.”
Wei He interjected from the side, “I’m afraid it might be difficult. This time, thousands of people have come out of the Grand Essence Mystic Realm. It wouldn’t be easy to make it to the top ten.”
He had entered the Grand Essence Mystic Realm before. So naturally, he had a good understanding of what happened within the Grand Essence Mystic Realm. Near its closing time, the Grand Essence Mystic Realm brought down too much pressure on the cultivators inside it. Regardless of Ning Cheng and Qi Shisanxing being trapped in the mystic realm for over 60,000 years, he felt sure that they wouldn’t have managed to look for divine grasses for 60,000. Rather, they must have struggled unbearably just to survive for 60,000 years. Therefore, when it came to harvesting divine grasses, they might not have fared much better than other ordinary cultivators.
“I’m just trying my luck.” Ning Cheng replied with a smile.
“Then, go over there. I wish you good luck.” Qi Yuling spoke up with a warm smile.
Ning Cheng signalled Qi Shisanxing to not come with him and walked to the middle of the public square alone. After talking with Qi Shisanxing, Qi Yuling and Wei He, Ning Cheng could feel that the spiritual consciousnesses scanning him had entirely disappeared. Most likely, they had taken the meeting as a confirmation for his identity as Ji He.
Reaching the Divine Grass Counting Platforms, Ning Cheng saw thousands of cultivators crowding around them. They all gathered here to brag about the divine grasses they had obtained. They also talked about how they wanted to exchange them for spirit pills, dao fruits, sect mission points, spirit techniques and other things. Some of them even exchanged them for Grand Essence Ruins’ points. There didn’t seem to be many cultivators who wanted to reach the top ten, like Ning Cheng.
Most cultivators had a good understanding of their abilities. As such, even if the number of divine grasses they obtained could push them into the top ten, they wouldn’t achieve even a decent result in the great meet.
Usually, cultivators like Ning Cheng wouldn’t stand in front of everyone. Rather, they would stand on the side and keep observing the divine grass numbers that appeared on the platform’s back. That way, they could get at least a good idea about winning.
Many cultivators had the same idea as Ning Cheng and didn’t want to show all the divine grasses they had obtained. Once they took out all the divine grasses, they would immediately lose one-fifth of it. Therefore, the more they brought out, the more would disappear.
A red-faced but ordinary-looking old man suddenly appeared in front of the three platforms. He cupped his fists before speaking, “Dao friends coming out of the Grand Essence Mystic Realm must have all worked hard. I believe everyone must have learned something from this experience.”
“It’s time to turn in your divine grasses as announced before you entered. After we finish counting, we will collect one-fifth of it as the sect’s respective representatives. You can then exchange the rest for items you need from the sects you represent or other sects. But remember, you can only exchange items with the divine grasses you took out.”
Although this old man had no dao charm fluctuation around him, when Ning Cheng gazed at this old man, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of fear. He had a vague feeling that this old man’s cultivation exceeded Man Huishan.
The first person who turned in the divine grasses was a middle-aged female cultivator. She chose the first counting platform. Ning Cheng noticed that once the cultivator counting the divine grasses checked the woman’s ring, a line appeared on the screen behind the podium.
“First Place, Wu Xuanjing of Great Bear Seven Peaks. 160 low-level divine grasses, 70 intermediate-level divine grasses, and 11 high-level divine grasses.”
Ning Cheng’s spiritual consciousness fell on Wu Xuanjing’s ring. Her ring didn’t contain any restriction allowing Ning Cheng to notice a few other things. He saw that when the cultivator finished counting her divine grasses after taking the ring, he returned it after taking out exactly one-fifth of the divine grasses.
Ning Cheng guessed that sects might not require all of this one-fifth. Rather, most of it went to an organisation or alliance that looked over the Grand Essence Mystic Realm. Sects mainly benefitted from the fact that Wu Xuanjing would swap the remaining four-fifths of the divine grasses for items from the sects.
As more and more cultivators came for the divine grass counting, the person ranked first on display also continuously changed. At present, the one at rank one had obtained 300 low-level divine grasses, 160 mid-level divine grasses, and 30 high-level divine grass.
Ning Cheng watched the show for a long time but didn’t see any person handing over anything more precious than a high-level divine grass. For example, dao fruits, or even other treasures like Divine Chalcedony that Ning Cheng obtained. Since so many cultivators turned up for counting the obtained divine grasses, it should be impossible that at least one or two didn’t get something more precious. It’s just that even if one managed to collect such a thing in the mystic realm, no one would take it out. Besides, the cultivators counting the divine grasses also didn’t care for it and defaulted to their side.
Most of the cultivators, who turned up for the counting, took the rest of their divine grasses to their respective sects to exchange for items. Only a very few rogue cultivators chose to trade things with other sects.
Half a day later, only a very few cultivators remained on the public square who didn’t go in for the counting. Only then did the cultivators who wanted to grab the top ten spots stepped up.
At this time, Ning Cheng again glanced at the huge screen behind the platform and found that the first place had changed. It now belonged to someone who collected 870 low-level, 200 mid-level and 70 high-level divine grasses along with a million-year-old Gold Flame Hive.
Ning Cheng noted the cultivator’s name who took out the Gold Flame Hive and internally made plans to exchange it from this person later. The growth rate of his Void Exploding Golden Bees was still too slow. Even now, they were only equivalent to Starry Sky Grade 2 demonic beasts, a pitiful level of strength around these parts.
Suppose he could obtain this hive and couple it with his medicinal pills. In that case, he could help evolve the Exploding Golden Bees to Starry Sky Grade 7 quickly.
Ning Cheng didn’t wait any longer. He took out 940 low-levelled, 300 mid-level and 93 high-grade divine grasses. As for Divine Chalcedony and dao fruits, Ning Cheng didn’t take out any. Moreover, the high-level divine grasses he took out were all ordinary. He purposefully didn’t take out the high-value ones that were comparable to dao fruits.
Ji He’s name quickly appeared in the first place on the mystic realm’s harvest screen, and the cultivator with the Gold Flame Hive got pushed to second. Although the Gold Flame Hive had a high value, it had a very restrictive use. Besides, Ning Cheng had taken out many more high-level and mid-level divine grasses, which meant that he would naturally take up the first place without exception.
As soon a Ji He’s name appeared, many people immediately noticed it. Soon the story of Ji He’s staying in the Grand Essence Mystic Realm for 60,000 years spread out.
……
“Caixuan. Not only did Ji He not die, but he also got first place….” A green-robed woman whispered in surprise at the edge of the public square.
Standing next to the green-robed woman was a female cultivator in a light red robe. She had a fair complexion, and her long hair draped down like a soft shawl. This woman also had a melon seed-shaped face with willow leaf eyebrows. All in all, she looked stunning.
But even without this green-robed woman’s reminder, this red-robed female cultivator called Caixuan had already noticed Ning Cheng. However, she kept frowning. She didn’t know how to deal with this matter.
“Caixuan….” Seeing that the red-robed female cultivator didn’t answer her words, the green-robed woman reminder her softly once again. One couldn’t just run away from some things.
The red-robed female cultivator finally returned to senses and said slowly, “He’s only number one temporarily. Besides, it doesn’t mean anything.”
A low voice sounded out from behind her. “Caixuan, Ji He might temporarily be number one. He wouldn’t have any problems securing a spot in the top ten with what he obtained inside. Even my Cen Clan has never had anyone awarded a spot for entering the Grand Essence Great Meet for so many years. Besides, since he can come up with so many divine grasses, he must have a lot more….”
This red-robed female cultivator was none other than Ji He’s fiancée, Cen Caixuan. Just as Ning Cheng guessed, the Cen Clan only took fancy to Ji He’s talent in alchemy and even promised her to Ji He as his fiancée. Later, news emerged that Ji He fell in the mystic realm, and the Cen Clan put aside the previous promise. One could even say that they had already forgotten about it.
“Uncle, I know. It’s just that if I go with him, what would that Haoge think? He would feel uncomfortable in his heart.” Cen Caixuan bit her lip and looked at a middle-aged man who walked up to her.
The middle-aged man looked at Ning Cheng and spoke up with an even lower tone. “Ji He has potential. Although he had remained trapped in the mystic realm for tens of thousands of years, he still managed to come out. Moreover, his friendship with Profound Moon Spirit Gate’s Qi Shisanxing can also benefit us. Guo Haoge is one of the twelve sacred children, but he most likely looks down on our Cen Clan. It’s hard to tell how sincere he would be with you.”
“But….” Cen Caixuan hesitated. In reality, Guo Haoge not only had an ugly appearance but also had a petty personality. However, if she had to choose, she would still choose Gao Haoge without hesitation.
Dao Companions of the twelve sacred children enjoyed both respect and status. Besides, Guo Haoge was also born and raised in the River Luo Sacred River. On the contrary, despite having a talent for alchemy, Ji He wouldn’t go far and would just be a dead-end for her. In other words, she would never remain happy with Ji He.
[1] It can mean both ‘Sanxing’ or ‘Thirteen’.
