Chapter 272: The ‘Holy Grail’ War Begins! |
The Martial Realm was located in the northern part of the Eastern Realm. It was a land of perpetual winter, and its harsh environment and special restrictions made it sparsely populated.
Upon entering the Martial Realm, cultivators’ powers would be suppressed by a mysterious force. Whether they were at the peak of the Core Formation Realm or the Nascent Soul Realm, their cultivation levels would be reduced to below the fifth-grade Core Formation Realm.
Some speculated that the Primordial Witch might have visited the Martial Realm in the past, leaving behind a formation similar to the one in the World Sea’s port city, suppressing the cultivation levels of those who entered.
However, the truth remained unknown.
“Even Senior Sister is participating. This Ascension Ceremony is going to be much more difficult than I imagined…”
Mu Zhi’an stood on his flying sword, following the group of cultivators, his gaze fixed on the elders leading the way. He couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.
The Sect Master’s letter and the ‘protagonists’’ eagerness to compete were already giving him a headache, and now, with the addition of Lan Mulian, whose cultivation level surpassed all her peers…
Just thinking about it made him despair.
However, it wasn’t entirely hopeless. He had Ye Qian, who cared deeply for him, and Wei Mengrou, his cold yet caring maid, on his side.
It would be a disaster if he was eliminated here…
Mu Zhi’an glanced at the dozens of cultivators around him.
Most of them were unfamiliar faces, some from other parts of the Nine Realms, others disciples of the Two Polarities Sect.
The Martial Realm was vast, and the participants’ starting locations were randomly assigned through a lottery. Mu Zhi’an’s luck seemed to be terrible, as he wasn’t placed with Ye Lingxuan or any of his other allies.
Actually, it wasn’t just bad luck. It was atrocious.
Several hostile gazes were fixed upon him…
Among them were Ye Yu, whom he had ‘scammed’ several times, and a monk from the Western Regions, Jingchen, whom he didn’t even know.
I’m a helpful person. I understand Ye Yu’s hostility, but why is this little monk staring at me…? Mu Zhi’an complained inwardly, then sighed helplessly.
“Could it be that Mengrou’s bad luck is affecting me? Why am I surrounded by troublesome people?”
Fortunately, he had the Southern Wilderness’s secret technique. Once he entered the Martial Realm, he could use it to conceal his aura and Heavenly Secrets, preventing others from recognizing him.
As long as he quickly left this area and met up with his allies, passing the trial and qualifying for the Ascension Ceremony wouldn’t be a problem.
Suddenly, the chatter among the cultivators died down. They sensed something and turned to look.
Mu Zhi’an also turned and saw a beautiful woman in a red dress, her figure alluring, flying towards them on her sword. Although her attire wasn’t revealing, her ample bosom, straining against the fabric, made his heart race.
Whispers erupted among the crowd.
“Feiying? She’s in this area too…”
“Heavenly Secrets Peak sent two inner disciples and over ten ordinary disciples to participate. Feiying is one of them… She hasn’t lost a single spar against her fellow disciples. She’s definitely one of the strongest contenders in this Ascension Ceremony,” a disciple from Heavenly Secrets Peak whispered.
The main peaks were far apart, and since they spent most of their time cultivating, they weren’t very well-informed. Hearing this disciple’s words, many cultivators looked at the alluring woman in the red dress with admiration, envy, and a hint of resignation.
Talented disciples like Lan Feiying were well-known within the sect. They would greet each other when they met, but although she appeared friendly and approachable, getting closer to her was incredibly difficult.
Sensing their gazes, Lan Feiying smiled at them. Before looking away, she paused, her eyes lingering on a certain young man in the crowd.
She gave Mu Zhi’an a meaningful look, then finally withdrew her gaze.
“We should look out for each other in the Martial Realm, Feiying. This is my first time participating in the Ascension Ceremony. I’m a bit nervous,” Mu Zhi’an transmitted his voice immediately.
Lan Feiying gave him a seductive look that could melt bones. Her gentle and melodious voice reached his ears, “Sister said I should be careful of you if we end up in the same area, Mu Zhi’an.”
“Why?” Mu Zhi’an asked, puzzled.
Lan Feiying smiled mischievously, glancing at the group ahead. She leaned closer and whispered in his ear, “Because you’re a little pervert.”
Then, before he could react, she flew away on her sword, preventing others from noticing their interaction.
Mu Zhi’an chuckled and transmitted his voice, “You’re misunderstanding me, Feiying…”
Lan Feiying glanced at him sideways, her eyes seductive. “Oh?”
“I am a pervert, but not a little pervert,” Mu Zhi’an explained seriously.
Lan Feiying’s lips curved into an alluring smile. Her voice, teasing and captivating, whispered in his ear, “We’ll see about that~”
Even a seasoned veteran like Mu Zhi’an couldn’t help but feel his heart skip a beat, cursing her inwardly.
I’ll teach you a lesson sooner or later!
Suddenly, the elder leading the group looked up at the sky. Seeing the cultivators heading towards the Martial Realm, he turned to the group and said, “Is Huang Manting not here yet?”
“She seems to be on the verge of a breakthrough and needs some more time. She said we should proceed without her if she’s not here by the time we depart,” a female cultivator replied.
So Huang Manting is also in this area… Mu Zhi’an’s eyes flickered. Then, he felt a chill run down his spine and instinctively turned around.
“Sorry to keep you waiting. I hope I didn’t delay your departure,” a melodious voice said.
A beautiful woman in a black dress, someone Mu Zhi’an knew well, appeared before them.
It was Huang Manting.
Her aura was much stronger than before. Could it be that she had another encounter…? Mu Zhi’an observed her carefully.
Back in Tianxuan City, Bai Ruoxi had been known as the most beautiful woman, and Huang Manting, the young lady from the Morning Glory Chamber of Commerce, had been the second most beautiful. Their beauty was comparable, but Bai Ruoxi’s aura was slightly more captivating, and she possessed a figure that surpassed all her peers. Therefore, Huang Manting could only be second best.
But now, her aura had changed drastically.
The black dress accentuated her fair skin, and her long, white legs were clad in black boots. She was alluringly beautiful.
Even the female cultivators couldn’t help but look at her with admiration.
Even Mu Zhi’an was momentarily captivated, a strange urge to submit to her washing over him.
Suddenly, the Aurora Necklace on his chest emitted a faint glow, a wave of coldness snapping him out of his daze.
Did this temptress encounter some opportunity…? Why has she become so alluring?
Mu Zhi’an took a deep breath, a hint of apprehension in his eyes as he looked at Huang Manting.
Seemingly sensing his gaze, Huang Manting turned to look at him. Their eyes met, and she smiled at him, her charm overwhelming.
“Young Master Mu, we should look out for each other in the Martial Realm,” she said, her voice soft and seductive.
Mu Zhi’an suppressed his desire and replied through voice transmission, “Your aura is much stronger than before, Miss Huang. It seems I’m the one who needs your protection.”
Huang Manting smiled but didn’t answer.
Mu Zhi’an quickly looked away.
He felt that her aura was different from before, but he couldn’t pinpoint the reason.
It was best to avoid her in the Martial Realm.
As he thought about this, the elder from the sect spoke up, “During the Martial Realm trial, each of you will receive a jade slip. If you suffer a fatal injury, the jade slip will protect you and send you out of the Martial Realm. However, this also means you’ll be disqualified from the Ascension Ceremony. If you wish to forfeit, you can also crush the jade slip, and you’ll be safely transported out.”
“Besides that, each of you will receive a token with three points. The first to obtain ten points will pass the Martial Realm trial.”
Mu Zhi’an already knew the rules, so he wasn’t surprised.
This trial was essentially a screening process for the Ascension Ceremony. Participants had to steal points from other cultivators and, upon reaching ten points, crush their jade slip to pass.
After all, with so many participants, it was impossible for everyone to compete on stage. The simplest and most effective method was the Martial Realm trial.
And this trial had always been popular among cultivators. The reason was that it contained treasures left behind by powerful cultivators from ancient times.
“Since everyone is here, let’s depart,” the elder said, glancing at the group.
…
After half a day of flying, Mu Zhi’an finally arrived at their destination: the Eastern Realm’s Martial Realm.
As far as the eye could see, snowflakes danced in the sky, covering the world in a blanket of white.
“The climate in the Martial Realm is different from the outside world. Even cultivators will feel the cold. Therefore, remember not to underestimate the environment,” the elder warned them.
Then, he formed a hand seal and pointed towards the Martial Realm.
A bone-chilling wind carrying snowflakes swept towards them, causing many cultivators to shiver.
The weather in the Martial Realm clearly wasn’t natural.
Without using their Spiritual Energy to protect themselves, they would be affected by the cold.
“Calm your minds and close your eyes,” the elder’s voice suddenly rang out.
Everyone closed their eyes.
Before closing his, Ye Yu glanced at Mu Zhi’an and sneered inwardly.
Someone might have protected you within the sect, but in the Martial Realm, everyone will be randomly placed in different areas. Let’s see who can protect you now!
As everyone closed their eyes, a massive formation appeared on the ground, emitting a faint white glow. In an instant, it transported them into the Martial Realm.
Whoosh!
Mu Zhi’an opened his eyes and was greeted by a wave of intense cold.
The rumors were true. The perpetual winter in the Martial Realm wasn’t natural, which was why cultivators could feel the chill… Mu Zhi’an channeled his Spiritual Energy, enveloping his body as he looked around at the snow-covered world.
He could faintly see flashes of white light as other cultivators entered the Martial Realm through the formations.
I need to conceal my aura before anyone recognizes me… Mu Zhi’an thought to himself, clapping his hands together.
Southern Wilderness Secret Technique!
Black mist silently enveloped him, concealing his figure.
However, he didn’t notice that the mist was much thicker than usual… deep and mysterious.
As the mist enveloped him, he suddenly heard a mournful and alluring voice, like a ghostly whisper.
It was as enchanting as a siren’s call.
Mu Zhi’an paused, his heart filled with a strange unease as he looked around.
He could hear a soft, melodious female voice amidst the sound of the wind and snow.
But his Innate Spiritual Body couldn’t pinpoint its source.
It seemed to be coming from all directions, impossible to locate!
Is the Martial Realm haunted…? Mu Zhi’an shivered, his heart pounding as he scanned his surroundings.
Everything was white, and snowflakes danced in the air like delicate butterflies.
Suddenly, a warm breeze blew past, and Mu Zhi’an’s vision blurred, the falling snowflakes transforming into pink petals.
No… It wasn’t an illusion. It was real!
The area around him had transformed from winter to spring in the blink of an eye!
“What’s going on…?”
He cautiously observed his surroundings.
Then, he heard the rustling of branches behind him and turned abruptly.
A narrow path appeared at the edge of his vision.
Peach blossom trees, in full bloom, lined the path.
And at the end of the path…
Mu Zhi’an’s eyes narrowed as he saw a woman in a black robe.
The robe hugged her figure, highlighting her alluring curves.
He couldn’t see her face because of the hood, but he could faintly see a strand of silver hair.
“Who are you…?” Mu Zhi’an asked instinctively.
He was completely captivated by the woman’s sudden appearance, not even noticing the eerie silence around him.
It was strange.
This was the peak time for cultivators to enter the Martial Realm. It was impossible for such a large area to be devoid of any other participants.
Yet, there was no one in sight, not even a single sound.
The woman in the black robe slowly raised her head, her pale lips curving into a gentle and sweet smile.
“I told you, I would come back for you.”