Chapter 419: Golden Rain |
Almost at the same moment.
Throughout the Spirit Ruins, all the experts who were seeking opportunities or secretly confronting each other felt this heaven and earth anomaly!
In a certain secluded valley, Jiang Tuo suddenly raised his head, looking toward the terrifying vortex in the northwest sky that connected heaven and earth. For the first time, his usually composed face showed gravity and incomprehension.
Beside him, two nine-refinement elders from Taiyi Upper Sect had faces even paler.
"This... this Spirit Eye Storm's scale far exceeds the records!" the black-robed elder said in a heavy voice.
Jiang Tuo's brows furrowed tightly, as if rapidly calculating. After a moment, he said in a deep voice, "The storm is devouring all free-floating spirit liquid and residual elemental qi... the Spirit Ruins' origin is being forcibly disturbed! Go, head to a safe area first!"
Atop a stone forest not far away, Lin Haiqing stood alone in black robes upon a sharp stone.
He gazed at that world-destroying scene, his expression also incomparably grave.
"Haiqing, we shouldn't stay here long!" Cui Lin said urgently.
"Go!"
Lin Haiqing took a deep breath and swiftly departed with the two of them.
On a low peak even farther away, Xin Nichang's robes fluttered as she stared at the storm.
Beside her, a Mystic Heaven Upper Sect disciple had already raised protective True Origin to resist the increasingly strong suction force.
"The storm is plundering all the spirit liquid?!"
That disciple said in shock, "What... what on earth is happening?"
"Perhaps some mechanism we don't know about was triggered." Xin Nichang sighed lightly, "Let's avoid its edge for now. A storm of this scale, once caught in it, anyone below the Grandmaster realm absolutely has no chance of survival."
The two hesitated no more, transforming into two clear lights and swiftly fleeing far away.
Panic spread like a plague among the experts surviving in the Spirit Ruins.
Everyone began to flee madly, distancing themselves from the storm's center.
Those who had originally been entangled in battle over scattered spirit liquid now couldn't care about grudges and each fled for their lives.
The storm continued to expand.
As the spirit liquid surged into Chen Qing's body, it was immediately like sweet rain after a long drought. Both his qi-blood and True Origin received unprecedented nourishment and growth.
Time quietly flowed. Around the moment all the spirit liquid on his body was completely consumed, the Taiyi Wheel's radiance enveloping his entire body suddenly intensified.
Under the radiance's washing, Chen Qing's consciousness seemed to float up to some mysterious and ineffable realm.
Vague dialogue sounds faintly reached his ears, as if transmitted across eternal ages, intermittent and difficult to distinguish completely:
"Pure Yang... is the foundation... immortal... for..."
"...wheel turns ceaselessly... reflects... spirit..."
He only managed to barely catch the four words 'Pure Yang' and 'immortal.' That voice was ancient and ethereal, like two ancient wills whispering in exchange, then completely dissipated.
Just at this moment, the familiar golden light in Chen Qing's mind suddenly blazed brilliantly!
[Heaven rewards diligence, success is certain!]
[Taiyi Pure Yang True Scripture: Seventh Layer (1/70000)]
A vast and profound information stream thunderously poured into his consciousness sea.
After a moment, a complete mental formula emerged in his mind.
"This is... Taiyi Upper Sect's Supreme Spirit Refinement Chapter?!" Chen Qing's spirit shook violently.
He quickly comprehended its intricacies and discovered that this Taiyi Pure Yang True Scripture was actually also a supreme technique capable of refining True Origin thirteen times and establishing a supreme Dao foundation, not inferior in the slightest to the Supreme Void True Scripture he primarily cultivated!
"Taiyi Upper Sect truly deserves to be the current leader of the six sects? This chapter and the 'Supreme Void True Scripture' can both be cultivated to the realm of thirteen refinements!"
Chen Qing forcibly suppressed his inner shock and continued to deeply comprehend.
Suddenly, he gained understanding.
That purple spirit liquid could actually be taken out of the Spirit Ruins!
This purple spirit liquid was actually born from the combination of the Taiyi Wheel's origin aura and the Spirit Ruins' essence. Its nature had already transcended the scope of ordinary spirit liquid.
Only by cultivating the Taiyi Pure Yang True Scripture and having its unique 'Pure Yang Seal' in one's mind and consciousness sea could one store and nurture this liquid. Even after leaving the Taiyi Spirit Ruins, it would not collapse or dissipate.
"Excellent!"
Chen Qing was overjoyed, "This way, I don't need to rush to hastily refine these five drops of purple spirit liquid within the Spirit Ruins. After leaving, I can find a safe opportunity and gradually work on it."
He knew well that if he forcibly absorbed too much Purple Marrow Spirit Liquid within the Spirit Ruins, with his aura surging, it would be hard to guarantee those old monsters from Taiyi Upper Sect wouldn't notice something amiss. At that time, fortune or disaster would be unpredictable.
Now being able to quietly profit was the most stable path.
After a long while, Chen Qing's inner heart finally returned to calm.
He further comprehended the two supreme scriptures and faintly perceived that although the Supreme Void True Scripture and Taiyi Pure Yang True Scripture had different approaches, in refining True Origin, they actually had many aspects that could mutually verify and benefit each other.
"Comparing the two scriptures will certainly have unimaginable benefits for my future assault on higher levels of refinement."
Chen Qing thought to himself, "However, this matter is not urgent. I need to wait until my cultivation is deeper in the future to carefully ponder it."
What made Chen Qing even more delighted was that along with the inheritance of the Taiyi Pure Yang True Scripture, there was also a great offensive divine ability paired with it that was branded in his heart.
"Five Sacred Mountains World-Suppressing Seal"!
This seal technique had five forms, each palm a different heaven. Its momentum was domineering and unparalleled, its offensive continuous and unending, like the five sacred mountains successively descending to suppress, crushing cities and splitting earth, sweeping away demons and punishing evil!
First Seal: Mount Dai Faces the Abyss.
Second Seal: Mount Hua Supports the Heavens.
Third Seal: Mount Heng Suppresses Fire.
Fourth Seal: Mount Heng Locks the River.
Fifth Seal: Mount Song Stabilizes the Tripod!
The five seals linked together, their power layering and stacking. By the fifth seal, it had the might to move mountains and fill seas, absolutely belonging to great divine ability level killing methods!
"Good stuff!" Chen Qing's heart surged with excitement.
With such a seal technique at hand, his close-combat killing power would rise another level.
Then he immersed his mind in the panel.
[Dragon-Elephant Prajna Vajra Body: Seventh Layer (25247/80000)]
[Supreme Void True Scripture: Seventh Layer (23548/70000)]
With the spirit liquid absorbed, his True Origin became even more abundant, and his physical body also felt unprecedentedly solid.
"This trip has truly been exceptionally fruitful!"
Chen Qing looked at the Taiyi Wheel before him, slowly rotating and emanating a vast aura, his heart filled with myriad emotions.
Not only had he gained five drops of incomparably precious Pure Yang Purple Marrow for nothing, but he had also obtained the Taiyi Pure Yang True Scripture and "Five Sacred Mountains World-Suppressing Seal," one scripture and one technique, of immeasurable value.
"The purple light was so active, guiding me here, and I just happened to obtain this 'Taiyi Pure Yang True Scripture'..."
Chen Qing's thoughts turned, a notion emerging, "Could it be that the purple light inheritance in the Tianbao Tower has some deep connection I don't know about with this Taiyi Wheel? Or do they share the same origin? Or could it be... that obtaining this Spirit Refinement Chapter means I have a thread of opportunity to truly control this wheel in the future?"
He recalled the thought Li Qingyu had left in the Tianbao Tower.
"I perhaps... can also follow suit."
Chen Qing thought to himself, then reined in his stray thoughts and carefully extended an extremely minute strand of divine consciousness thought toward that enormous wheel.
The process was exceptionally slow and mentally taxing. Several hours later, beads of sweat appeared on Chen Qing's forehead, but that strand of thought finally merged into the Taiyi Wheel's surface.
"Success!"
Chen Qing let out a long breath, only feeling his spirit and mind somewhat exhausted.
"With this strand of thought left behind, when my cultivation is sufficient in the future, or I comprehend more mysteries, I may not be unable to use this as an anchor to glimpse a thread of this treasure's true appearance, or even..."
"Even make the Taiyi Wheel my own."
After carefully searching the stone cave several more times and confirming there were no omissions, Chen Qing took one last look at the Taiyi Wheel and cautiously returned along the original route.
On the road, he silently contemplated.
Now he had five drops of purple spirit liquid, plus the eighty-year precious medicine Earth Vein Purple Pattern Ginseng obtained from Xin Nichang's hands, plus the three Profound Yang Spirit Fusion Pills in his own hands. These resources stacked together were all laying the foundation for future thirteen times True Origin refinement.
"Perhaps it's still not enough, but at least I have some foundation now." He silently recited in his heart.
People like Nan Zhuoran and Jiang Tuo were the number one of their generation within their sects, with resources supplied as priority. How deep were their accumulations?
Even with their talent and background, refining ten times or eleven times took this long, and they might even still be lingering before the threshold today.
How long had he himself been accumulating?
All told, no more than a few years.
Moreover, his own goal was thirteen refinements!
The road ahead was long, resources like mountains.
"According to the time, the seven days are almost over."
Chen Qing took a deep breath, suppressed his thoughts, and quietly emerged from the stone crevice where he had been hiding.
The moment his foot stepped out of the concealed area, suddenly, an indescribable sense of oppression came rushing forth!
At the same time, a dull thunderous roaring sound came from the distance.
Chen Qing looked up sharply and saw in the sky not far away a gray-white enormous vortex connecting heaven and earth, slowly but irreversibly coming to a halt in its rotation!
That was an even more massive Spirit Eye Storm!
However, at this moment, this storm that had devoured the Spirit Ruins' massive amount of elemental qi seemed to have exhausted all its power. Its rotation grew slower and slower, the enormous wind body became thin, revealing the faint glimmers of pale golden radiance flickering within.
"What's happening?"
Chen Qing's heart jumped in alarm. He had been completely immersed in the opportunity at the Taiyi Wheel stone cave and knew nothing of the great changes that had occurred in the outside world these two days.
He didn't know even more that this super storm that had swept through the entire Spirit Ruins likely originated from him touching the Taiyi Wheel and triggering violent fluctuations in the Spirit Ruins' origin!
At this moment, around that gradually stalling storm core, dozens of human figures were actually faintly floating!
They were spaced dozens of zhang apart, distributed in a ring formation. Each had a powerful aura, their gazes burning as they stared at the storm's center. The air was so heavy it seemed about to drip water, presenting an appearance of swords drawn and arrows nocked, ready to strike.
Chen Qing's body leaped, quietly approaching and hiding behind a fallen massive ancient tree, gazing intently.
Sure enough, he saw several familiar figures.
On the Tianbao Upper Sect side, Nan Zhuoran in blue robes stood alone atop a protruding black giant rock, his posture upright, his aura calm as a deep pool. He seemed out of place with the tense surrounding atmosphere, yet no one dared ignore his existence.
Luo Ping stood at a slightly farther location, together with Zhou Xiang of Lingxiao Upper Sect and another Lingxiao Upper Sect elder with a condensed aura carrying a long blade on his back. The three had grave expressions, discussing something in low voices.
Chen Qing no longer hid. His form flickered and in several leaps he arrived near the Tianbao Upper Sect people.
"Elder Luo, Senior Brother Nan!" Chen Qing cupped his fists.
Luo Ping and Zhou Xiang heard the voice and turned to look. Nan Zhuoran's gaze swept over Chen Qing and remained indifferent.
Luo Ping nodded at Chen Qing, squeezing out a smile on his face, transmitting his voice, "True Disciple Chen, you finally appeared. We haven't seen you these two days and thought you encountered some trouble."
Zhou Xiang also cupped his fists in acknowledgment.
Chen Qing looked toward Luo Ping, transmitting his voice to inquire, "Elder Luo, what's happening? This storm..."
Luo Ping quickly transmitted his voice to explain, "About two days ago, for unknown reasons, the Spirit Ruins core region suddenly erupted with this unprecedented massive Spirit Eye Storm. Its scale far exceeded records, its power terrifying. Even more strange, it madly devoured and swept up the dispersed heaven and earth essence from various parts of the Spirit Ruins, as well as... all the spirit liquid!"
He paused, pointing toward that slowly stalling storm core, "Wherever the storm passed, all spirit liquid was swept away. Just now, the storm's rotational force seems to have finally been exhausted and is about to completely dissipate."
"The instant the storm subsides, the spirit liquid it devoured and gathered will be released and scatter in an eruption!"
As Luo Ping spoke, his gaze swept over the dozens of covetous figures around, "Look, sensing the storm is about to cease, the experts within the Spirit Ruins who can still move have almost all gathered here."
Chen Qing's heart turned solemn as his gaze swept across the entire scene.
Indeed, in the Taiyi Upper Sect direction, Jiang Tuo stood at the head of everyone, followed by Tang Qinghe and two elders. His expression was calm, his gaze tightly locked on the storm's center.
Cloudwater Upper Sect's Lin Haiqing, Jia Haiyue, and Cui Lin gathered together, their expressions vigilant.
Mystic Heaven Upper Sect's Xin Nichang stood alone in one corner.
Purple Sun Upper Sect's Wang Jing, Li He, and that red-faced Elder Zhao Lieyang stood together.
Black Water Giant City, Tianbo City, the Fei family, and other top figures from aristocratic families and rogue cultivators also each occupied one side, mutually on guard.
Everyone was waiting, waiting for the moment when the storm completely stopped and the spirit liquid gushed forth!
This would be the last, and possibly most intense, resource struggle before the Taiyi Spirit Ruins closed!
Zhou Xiang looked toward Chen Qing, his eyes carrying a trace of doubt, transmitting his voice to ask, "Senior Brother Chen, three days ago Purple Marrow Spirit Liquid appeared at the northwest spirit eye, triggering enormous upheaval. Experts from all sides almost all rushed there. Even I wanted to go try my luck. Why didn't you come?"
Nearby, Nan Zhuoran's eyes stirred slightly. Luo Ping also looked over.
Purple Marrow Spirit Liquid, for heaven's favorites like them who aspired to assault the Grandmaster realm or even higher, had too great a temptation.
Although the competition that day was fierce and ultimately only a few people gained anything, even the periphery could divide up quite a lot of ordinary spirit liquid, the harvest far greater than usual searching.
Though Chen Qing's strength hadn't reached the first tier, his potential was astonishing and he possessed the spear formation. If he had been present then, he might not have been unable to get a share of the benefits, yet he was absent.
Chen Qing's face showed a trace of surprise and regret, "Purple Marrow Spirit Liquid? Such a thing actually happened?"
He shook his head and sighed, "A few days ago I found a hidden spirit spring, harvested some spirit liquid, and found a place to quietly cultivate and absorb it, hoping to break through, so I didn't notice such a great commotion in the outside world."
His explanation was reasonable.
Within the Spirit Ruins, divine consciousness was suppressed and communication was inconvenient. Missing outside drastic changes while concentrating on cultivation was very normal.
Hearing this, Zhou Xiang frowned and said in a low voice out of goodwill, "Actually... entering the Spirit Ruins, the first few days are most suitable for searching everywhere for spirit liquid and accumulating resources. The last two days, after collecting spirit liquid almost completely, then finding a place to enter seclusion and absorb it is the superior strategy."
"Look at us, we've basically absorbed seventy to eighty percent of the spirit liquid we obtained previously these past few days."
The implication was that he felt Chen Qing's strategy was mistaken. Using time in the early stages for absorption rather than collection meant missing the best opportunity to accumulate resources. This trip's harvest from entering Taiyi Spirit Ruins would probably be greatly reduced.
Luo Ping on the side also shook his head slightly, saying, "No matter. In matters of fortune, one cannot force it. In a moment when the storm completely dissipates, the spirit liquid condensed within will certainly gush forth. The quantity will probably be extremely considerable. At that time, try to strive as much as possible to make up for the regrets of the previous days."
Chen Qing nodded, his face showing a trace of complex expression as he cupped his fists, "Thank you for Junior Brother Zhou's reminder, thank you Elder Luo."
In his heart, however, there were no ripples.
Purple spirit liquid, Taiyi Pure Yang True Scripture, Five Sacred Mountains World-Suppressing Seal, and possibly even the Taiyi Wheel... how could these harvests compare to some mere ordinary spirit liquid?
However, at this moment, he had to appear like someone who had missed a great opportunity.
On the other side.
Where the Cloudwater Upper Sect people were located.
Lin Haiqing's gaze swept across the entire scene and naturally also saw Chen Qing who had just appeared. His eyes condensed slightly as he said in a low voice to Cui Lin and Jia Haiyue beside him, "Chen Qing has appeared."
Wang Jing also noticed Chen Qing's figure, his brows furrowing beneath the mask, "This fellow, after entering he practically disappeared, never seen him take action or compete again. At the last moment he actually shows up. In the northwest Purple Marrow Spirit Liquid competition a few days ago, he wasn't seen either."
Purple Sun Upper Sect's Li He speculated, "He probably knew he couldn't compete with Jiang Tuo, Nan Zhuoran, Senior Brother and others, so simply retreated to the next best thing and hid in some corner to collect leftover spirit liquid scraps."
Jia Haiyue, however, didn't respond. Her eyes fell on Chen Qing's back, her brows furrowing slightly. The more she looked, the more she felt a kind of inexplicable familiarity.
"Elder Cui,"
Jia Haiyue spoke softly, her tone carrying uncertainty, "Don't you feel... Chen Qing gives off a somewhat familiar feeling?"
Hearing this, Cui Lin carefully examined Chen Qing several times and shook his head, "Familiar? Didn't we see him compete with Tang Qinghe previously at the Tianbao Upper Sect and Taiyi Upper Sect wager? He was indeed impressive."
"I don't mean that..."
Jia Haiyue wanted to speak but hesitated, ultimately still shaking her head, "Forget it, perhaps I'm overthinking."
The storm's rotational momentum had visibly slowed. The original vortex was contracting inward, and pale golden light points emerged at the center. That was the massive amount of spirit liquid forcibly gathered by the storm.
A heart-palpitating wave of pure elemental qi, even from far away, surged forth like tides, causing the True Origin within everyone present to faintly resonate and generate longing.
The surrounding atmosphere quietly tensed.
Luo Ping stood beside Chen Qing, transmitting his voice to warn, " The moment the storm completely subsides and the spirit liquid splashes forth will be when the struggle begins. At that time the scene will certainly be chaotic. You and I need not force it, act according to our ability, safety first."
He paused, then added, "Be careful, don't end up with more loss than gain."
Chen Qing nodded, saying in a low voice, "Thank you for Elder Luo's reminder."
The atmosphere around the Spirit Eye Storm was tense.
"Buzz...!"
The last dull vortex roaring sound came to an abrupt halt.
That massive Spirit Eye Storm completely stopped rotating.
Time seemed to freeze for an instant.
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
The next moment, it was like the Heavenly River bursting its banks, or like ten thousand arrows firing in unison!
The majestic elemental qi compressed to the extreme, along with the countless pale golden spirit liquid within, like a bursting dam or exploding fireworks, suddenly shot outward in all directions from the storm's center!
Several pale golden streams of light cut through the milky-white sky curtain, carrying sharp air-breaking sounds as they scattered toward various parts of the Spirit Ruins!
"Move!"
Someone was first to issue a fierce shout, and the frozen atmosphere thunderously shattered!
"Swish! Swish! Swish!"
The dozens of figures who had long been ready to strike shot up into the sky like arrows released from bowstrings, each displaying their methods, lunging toward those densest, largest spirit liquid streams!
Comments 1