What made Ning Cheng a little relieved was that the Star Stepping Tower’s black-robed woman seemed to have not noticed him.
“Elder Brother Ji……” As soon as Ning Cheng walked to his room’s door, Xin Xiu opened her room’s restrictions and spoke up with a cheery voice after walking out.
“Many thanks for Senior Apprentice Brother Ji’s help.” Standing behind Xin Xiu was Wu Qihong, the same person who couldn’t even open his eyes a few hours ago.
Although Wu Qihong’s life force still felt weak, Ning Cheng could feel his slowly gathering life force. Even his essence spirit had started to show signs of coalescing once again.
Ning Cheng knew that the Consciousness Transmutation Pill had no way of coalescing one’s essence spirit. Yet, Wu Qihong’s essence spirit indeed showed such signs. From this, Ning Cheng understood that Wu Qihong’s essence spirit had started to crumble apart after his Sea of Consciousness started to break down. Therefore, once Wu Qihong’s Sea of Consciousness began to repair itself, his essence spirit also started to coalesce.
In any case, Wu Qihong’s recovery speed still made Ning Cheng very satisfied. The newly-developed Empyrean Consciousness Transmutation Pill did not let him down. In fact, its effects far exceeded his expectations.
Seeing the look in Xin Xiu’s eyes, Ning Cheng also understood that Xin Xiu hadn’t said anything about him being a fake Ji He.
With this, he felt pretty satisfied with Xin Xiu’s caution and discretion. After all, Wu Qihong was still far from recovering fully, which also meant that he could easily leak it out under pressure or external influence. He smiled and spoke to Wu Qihong, “Let yourself rest. Don’t worry about anything else for now.”
Wu Qihong gave a polite reply, “Qihong will follow the instructions of Senior Apprentice Brother Ji closely.”
After speaking, he took the initiative to enter his room to continue healing.
After Wu Qihong left, Xin Xiu said, “I didn’t tell Qihong about you. In fact, Qihong comforted me after Elder Brother Ji left. He told me that Elder Brother Ji had taken the divine grasses to fulfil our master’s last wish. That is, to become a Pill Emperor as quickly as possible. Truthfully, he never hated Elder Brother Ji.”
Ning Cheng sighed. The characters of these two were much better than Ji He or even him, for that matter.
……
After returning to his room, Ning Cheng didn’t go out again. He immediately took out the flame hive and gave it to the Exploding Golden Wasp King in the True Spirit World. After sensing the flame hive, the few idle Exploding Golden Wasps in the True Spirit World immediately rushed over and quickly disappeared into the flame hive.
Ning Cheng didn’t continue observing the Exploding Golden Wasps and came out of the True Spirit World to refine pills. He promised to send some Empyrean Consciousness Transmutation Pills to Qi Shisanxing. Although Qi Shisanxing hadn’t come here yet, he still planned to refine some for him.
On the third day, Wu Qihong’s cultivation seemed to have recovered by more than half. Seeing this, Ning Cheng gave some medicinal pills and spirit crystals to Xin Xiu and Wu Qihong. At the same time, he also informed Xin Xiu that he would be leaving and wouldn’t return to the Star Stepping Tower.
Xin Xiu vaguely understood that Ning Cheng wanted to participate in the Grand Essence Great Meet. Now that Ning Cheng mentioned that he wouldn’t be returning, she didn’t ask much. Instead, she just said that once Wu Qihong recovers physically, they would also leave the Heaven Essence Sacred City.
……
By the time Ning Cheng arrived at the Heaven Essence Sacred City’s public square, the public square already looked crowded. The Grand Essence Great Meet represented the highest combat level under Dao Confirming within the entire Grand Essence Domain. As long as one could come here to watch the fights, one would still gain a lot.
There was only a single battle stage in the middle of the public square. At the same time, several influential experts sat on the primary platform, responsible for judging the fights. It’s just that Ning Cheng couldn’t see the extent of their cultivation.
Ning Cheng’s gaze swept over and quickly found a disciple from the Profound Moon Spirit Gate. He hurriedly walked to this disciple and spoke with cupped fists, “This Senior Apprentice Brother, may I ask if Shisanxing is here?”
This disciple had also recognised Ning Cheng. Since Ning Cheng asked about Qi Shisanxing, he also quickly spoke up, “It turned out to be Pill Emperor Ji. Senior Apprentice Brother Shisanxing should still be in close door cultivation. As to the specific situation, I’m not very clear about it.”
Ning Cheng didn’t continue to ask about it. Qi Shisanxing had remained trapped in the mystic realm for many years. It was only expected that he would have to go into secluded cultivation for some time to fully recover. As for the Empyrean Consciousness Transmutation Pill, Ning Cheng didn’t want others to bring them to Qi Shisanxing. This kind of item was just too precious. As such, he had decided to give it to Qi Shisanxing personally.
A red-faced old man flew out from the main judging stage, the same old man who had presided over the Grand Essence Mystic Realm’s divine grass counting.
He stood in the air right over the centre of the battle stage on the public square.
“To all the disciples participating in the Grand Essence Great Meet. The Grand Essence Great Meet is about to start. We will be using it to decide the top ten in the shortest time. Reaching the top ten will also mean getting a spot for the Extraterritorial Spirit Spring. Deciding the eleventh rank and onwards will also involve Grand Essence Mystic Realm’s performance. Sect resource allocations will also be decided based on the combined performances. However, we will decide on it slowly after the top ten enters the Extraterritorial Spirit Spring.”
“All the contestants should take note of their entry cards, which will display your entry numbers and your opponents at the required time. I, with this, declare the rules of the Grand Essence Great Meet. Simply put, the battles have no restrictions; you can fight till one of you concedes or dies. Once you or your opponent concede, the other party must stop fighting immediately, or you will face the consequences, which might even include death. If a disciple does die on the battle stage during the fight. In that case, no sect or individual can seek out revenge or retaliate against the fallen disciple’s opponent.”
After the red-faced old man spoke out the few rules, he turned back and returned to his seat.
Ning Cheng shook his head internally. The second part of the so-called rules was nothing but farts blowing in the air. He had simply stated that no one can take revenge because of the results on the battle stage. Not just that, he didn’t mention even a light punishment if someone tried to do it. From this, anyone could see that if someone wanted revenge, they could still get it.
Most likely, it was a reminder to the disciples from small sects to not dare make any moves against the core disciples of the big sects. But at the same time, Ning Cheng also learned a new thing from this old man. From its looks, the Grand Essence Great Meet seemed to be a lot more than just the spot for the Extraterritorial Spirit Spring.
After the red-faced old man announced the start of the great meet, the public square immediately turned silent. A moment later, Ning Cheng’s entry card vibrated. Sensing the vibration, Ning Cheng’s spiritual consciousness swept into the entry card and saw a row of characters appearing in it, “Ji He, 95, Opponent 41, Round 16.”
Ning Cheng had just seen the message when a purple-robed man fell on the battle stage.
Ning Cheng had never met or seen this purple-robed man. But when this purple-robed man appeared on the stage, he could feel the aura coming from the purple-robed man. From it, Ning Cheng understood that this person was an expert. In terms of strength, this fellow didn’t seem too much weaker than Ji Pingzhong.
“So the first match is of Kekei Luoxi, huh. It would be interesting to watch. Kekei Luoxi is ranked seventh among the 12 Grand Essence Sacred Children. I wonder who’s the unlucky fellow fighting against Kekei Luoxi.”
Some cultivator not far from Ning Cheng whispered, and Ning Cheng heard it. Ning Cheng only then learned that this purple-robed fellow on the stage was Kekei Luoxi. One of the twelve Grand Essence Sacred Children and ranked seventh among the twelve. By now, he had seen five of the twelve Grand Essence Sacred Children. Qu Baiyi, Huo Erqi, Guo Haoge, Ji Pingzhong and Kekei Luoxi.
Kekei Luoxi spoke with a rough tone, but he still clasped his fists on the fighting stage and said, “Heaven Extreme Island’s Kekei Luoxi, here to learn.”
As Kekei Luoxi’s voice fell, another man of medium build descended on the battle stage. After the man came up, he didn’t speak; instead, he directly brought out his weapon and attacked Kekei Luoxi.
Unfortunately, this fellow’s strength couldn’t compare to Kekei Luoxi. In just a few moments since the fight started, Kekei Luoxi quickly suppressed his opponent.
In less than half an incense stick worth of time, the man got hit by several blue lights on his chest. Sprays of bloody mists erupted from his chest’s wounds, and the man also spat out several mouthfuls of blood. In such a condition, even if he wanted to admit defeat, he couldn’t say it.
Fortunately, Kekei Luoxi didn’t seem to be a cruel person. When he saw that his opponent couldn’t even speak after taking his attack, he immediately stopped.
It wasn’t until Keke Luoxi stopped attacking did his opponent finally manage to utter a few words to admit defeat. If Kekei Luoxi hadn’t taken the initiative to stop, this cultivator would have died under Kekei Luoxi’s hands.
After the two went down, two more came up to the stage.
Ning Cheng understood that this great meet followed the knockout rules. A hundred people competed against each other, but only fifty could advance to the next round.
The fights proceeded very quickly, and Ning Cheng took the chance to learn about the history of some of the people participating through the crowd’s whisperings. In general, the cultivators from the big sects won more fights and hardly suffered any losses.
The people who came to participate in this Grand Essence Great Meet had higher strength than ordinary cultivators. But in Ning Cheng’s view, if they were only at this level, he wouldn’t have any problems reaching the top ten.
When it reached the fourteenth round, a female cultivator appeared on the stage. Ning Cheng heard from the surrounding crowd that this female cultivator was Ye Luoping, another of the twelve Grand Essence Sacred Children, ranked tenth.
But this female cultivator faced Aiden, the same person from whom Ning Cheng had traded the flame hive.
Ye Luoping didn’t say anything after stepping onto the battle stage. Instead, she took out a lotus flower-shaped sword platform. From previous experience, Ning Cheng understood that a lotus-flower-shaped sword platform was a considerably powerful weapon. It usually was a lotus seat composed of many sword formations. Once trapped within the lotus flower sword enclosure, even if the opponent had strength one level higher than you, they would still find it challenging to get out. The swords would eventually pierce through any defences you put up before ultimately stabbing through your heart.
Aiden gave Ning Cheng a very ordinary feeling. But Ning Cheng didn’t think that Aiden would lose against an opponent like Ye Luoping.
But when Aiden and Ye Luoping finally started fighting, Ning Cheng understood that he had grossly underestimated him. Aiden turned out far more powerful than he showed on the surface. Moreover, Aiden also used a bizarre weapon, just a plume of black smoke.
This black smoke didn’t look like it had any defensive or offensive properties. But after Aiden brought it out, it turned into a powerful smoke shield that shot out plums of black smoke, filled with killing lights.
Even though the intangible smoke clashed with Ye Luoping’s sword arrays, they did not suffer even the slightest damage. However, the powerful celestial essence in the attacks exploded with copious amounts of smoke that quickly covered the two fighting figures. The battle stage already had restrictions to shield against spiritual consciousness. Therefore, as the fight between the two grew intense, Ning Cheng and the others could no longer see who had the upper hand.
A whimpering sound suddenly emerged from the battle stage. It was as clear as daylight, but this kind of sound gave people a cold feeling.
“Boom-Boom-Boom-Boom….” Celestial essence kept exploding. Since the two people stepped onto the stage to fight each other, these explosions hadn’t stopped.
After a whole incense stick worth of time, a beautiful figure flew out from the centre of the explosions and hit the restrictions on the battle stage. She spat out a few mouthfuls of blood before sliding down to the ground. Ning Cheng and others finally realised that this person was Ye Luoping.
“I lost.” Ye Luoping, who slipped to the ground, immediately conceded without waiting for Aiden to continue. Ning Cheng understood that Ye Luoping had suffered severe injuries. She couldn’t get up from the ground even after a long time.
The public square immediately erupted with exclamations. A rogue cultivator had defeated Ye Luoping, tenth among the twelve Grand Essence Sacred Children. Didn’t this mean that this rogue cultivator also had the strength to contend against the twelve Grand Essence Sacred Children?
Aiden showed a calm smile, cupped his fists towards the audience, and calmly walked off the stage.
