Chapter 26: Spirit Condensation Powerhouse
Chapter 26: Spirit Condensation Powerhouse
“Why did Elder Mo Li suddenly leave seclusion and temporarily change the rules of the Sect Grand Competition? The Sect Master actually agreed to it—isn’t that a bit too rash?”
Just as the Outer Sect Disciples entered the Illusory Real World, on the high platform, many True Disciples and Elders complained bitterly, very dissatisfied with the uncontrollable nature of the competition.
This included Hu Bugui.
This time, he had Hu Wang aiming for the top spot among the Outer Sect Disciples. However, with Elder Mo Li’s sudden interference, it added many uncertainties.
Facing the questioning from the disciples and Elders, the Deputy Sect Leader smiled kindly and explained, “Everyone knows Elder Mo Li is one of the few remaining Elders of our Xuanxin Sect. Now that he has broken through the Insight stage and entered the Spirit Condensation Stage, becoming a Venerable One, he sees further than we do. Although this arrangement is sudden, there is some reasoning behind it. Everyone need not say more; just watch quietly.”
“…Spirit Condensation Stage?”
“Oh my heavens!”
“Our Xuanxin Sect finally has a Spirit Condensation Stage powerhouse—this is a sign of the sect’s prosperity.”
A group of True Yuan disciples and Elders were instantly stunned. They no longer mentioned Elder Mo Li changing the Sect Grand Competition rules, instead becoming extremely excited.
“That’s right.”
“Senior Brother the Sect Master is also preparing to honor Elder Mo Li as the Supreme Elder of Xuanxin Sect. The formal ceremony should begin after this Sect Grand Competition.”
Another shocking piece of news.
So hard to digest…
…
At this moment, inside the Trial Space of the Illusory Real World, all three hundred Outer Sect Disciples had been deployed.
Hit!
The Flying Sword pierced through the air, easily penetrating the body of a Second Grade Spirit Beast. The latter’s body quickly became illusory and disappeared. The Flying Sword circled around and flew back into Hu Wang’s hand. He then noticed the number “ten” appearing on his wrist, which was the points he gained from slaying the Spirit Beast.
“Pretty lucky!”
“With the Flying Sword in hand, let’s see who can gather more points than me.”
Hu Wang chose a direction and began his hunting journey.
…
Some were lucky, others were unlucky.
Huang Tie belonged to the particularly unlucky type.
In the first round of the Sect Grand Competition, he ran into Lu Hangzhi. As a seeded contestant, he lost his very first match. If Elder Mu hadn’t given him another chance, he would already be doing farm work on Daoshan Peak.
Unfortunately…
Bad luck kept coming.
After being teleported into the Illusory Real trial grounds, as ill-luck would have it, he landed right in front of two Monster Beasts—one Second Grade, one Third Grade…
In his panic, he didn’t even have a chance to use a Talisman before he was killed and teleported out, becoming the first eliminated disciple with zero points.
…
Daoshan Peak disciple Qin Yue was rather lucky. Although she was attacked upon being teleported, she had already activated her Ice Cold Soul Body before being transported and wasn’t harmed. She turned around and sliced the attacking First Grade man-eating flower with her sword, gaining 1 point.
But before she could feel relieved, a Sharp Gold Sword Qi shot through the air and pierced her directly, causing her body to become illusory.
Lu Hangzhi walked out from behind a tree, expressionlessly looked at the number that appeared on the back of his hand, then glanced at the vanished man-eating flower. He began to grasp some understanding of the Illusory Real World Trial Space.
“So that’s how it is.”
“The spellcasting is real, the Magic Power consumption is real, all the data are replicated according to the actual situation. However, the body is clearly fictional, so it absolutely guarantees the disciples’ personal safety… Really interesting indeed.” Lu Hangzhi silently analyzed his recent discovery.
“Since the body data is exactly the same as in reality, then the difficulty of this competition is truly not small. Not only do we have to deal with Demonic Beasts and Monsters, but we also must guard against attacks from rival Cultivators. Additionally, we have to be mindful of the Magic Power consumption rate, ensuring we maintain a certain level of combat capability at all times.”
“Interesting!”
Lu Hangzhi increasingly felt that this Sect Grand Competition was an extremely realistic and excellent training opportunity.
Firstly, it could train combat against Demonic Beasts and Monsters; secondly, it taught vigilance against fellow Human Race Evil Cultivators; and lastly, it tested one’s own control abilities.
Thinking of this, Lu Hangzhi smiled slightly.
“Only in such an environment can the results of my recent arduous training be truly tested.”
As he spoke, a black vine silently coiled up from the spot where the man-eating flower had been, making no sound at all. Like a sentient venomous snake, it ghostly thickened and lengthened, then extended dense thorny spikes, winding from behind toward the back of Lu Hangzhi’s neck.
Just as the black vine was about to tighten,
Whoosh!
Lu Hangzhi vanished from his spot.
The black vine grabbed at empty air.
Floating Fire Art!
Lu Hangzhi ghostly shifted to the other side of the black vine and, at close range, unleashed a fiery serpent that directly set the black vine ablaze.
The Floating Fire Art, possessing Second Rank Peak lethality, instantly burned the black vine to ashes.
His points increased to twenty.
Lu Hangzhi walked over to the cracked earthen hole and murmured to himself, “Under a First Grade man-eating flower, there was actually a symbiotic Second Grade Abyss Vine. If I hadn’t already mastered the Mind’s Eye observation, I would have suffered a great loss.”
After pausing briefly, Lu Hangzhi frowned and said,
“No good.”
“This match is based on a points system. The more points I gain, the better chance I have to compete for a higher ranking. I can’t waste any more time.”
Remembering the promise he still owed Senior Brother Leng, he immediately and without hesitation cast the Activation Art on himself.
A Spiritual Energy Vortex formed.
Spiritual Energy began converging into his body from all directions.
The Revitalization Technique, performed at Early Third Grade cultivation, could already produce a noticeable recovery effect, almost offsetting the consumption of the Swift Movement Art by about seventy to eighty percent. It could sustain him for over ten minutes without issue.
Lu Hangzhi licked his lips.
Fierce Gaze Golden Aura!
Defensive Art Technique activated!
He also took out the Wood Spirit Sword and a Talisman from his Qiankun Pouch. With a whoosh, he vanished from his spot.
Just as his figure disappeared, a Cultivator with Second Rank Peak aura arrived at the spot where Lu Hangzhi had just been, having rushed over with a defensive spell active. Frowning, he looked left and right, his vigilance not diminishing in the slightest.
“Huh?”
“There was clearly a very strong Magic Power fluctuation here just now. How did it disappear?”
His foot sank. The Cultivator looked down and saw the ground beneath his feet had somehow become muddy. His face instantly turned pale: “This is… Not good!!” Lifting his head, he saw a blazing red fiery serpent menacingly lunging at his face…
Boom!
Crack!
Floating Fire Art!
Sharp Gold Sword Qi!
Tongue Sword Technique!
The set of Art Techniques Lu Hangzhi had painstakingly cultivated erupted simultaneously upon the Cultivator’s Mysterious Armor, directly shattering the latter’s Second Grade defensive spell and netting him another ten points in the process.
As the Cultivator vanished, Lu Hangzhi finally reappeared, sitting cross-legged on the spot. He swiftly cast the Revitalization Technique to recover his consumed Magic Power, somewhat speechlessly grumbling,
“Knowing there was a strong Magic Power fluctuation here and still charging right in—a mere Second Rank Cultivator, truly wonder where he got such confidence.”
The perpetrator completely failed to realize that a Second Rank Peak Cultivator was already quite formidable among Outer Sect Disciples, even capable of competing for a spot in the top ten as a seeded contestant.
In short!
This Second-rank Cultivator died unjustly.
Whether the Spiritual Energy Vortex had its own taunting function or not, within a short time, several cultivators in a row approached this area, all of them at Second Rank Peak. The points quickly rose to eighty.
However…
Lu Hangzhi was not satisfied.
Killing one Third Grade Monster Beast or cultivator was 100 points. Just killing Second-rank Cultivators was a bit slow.
He did not know.
After killing seven Second-rank Cultivators in a row, he actually already had 80 points and was listed in the top ten, standing at fifth place, successfully attracting the attention of many Elders from the Xuanxin Sect.
“Not bad.”
“His combat awareness is very strong. He already has his own tactical thinking, and his control over Art Techniques surpasses many Outer Sect Disciples. Even if placed among Inner Sect Disciples, he wouldn’t be at the bottom.”
“Hmm, he has a chance to enter the Inner Sect.”
On the high platform of the Xuanxin Sect, a group of Elders and True Disciples continuously projected their Spiritual Sense into different areas of the Trial Space to observe the movements of the disciples—although the illusory real world was vast, it was easy for them.
Many Elders had no impression of this unfamiliar face!
Lu Hangzhi even drove several of their favored seed candidates out of the Trial Space.
Keen insight, decisiveness in battle, and nearly lightning-fast offensives during combat—although the seven Second-rank Cultivators were slightly inferior in cultivation, being easily defeated by Second-rank Art Techniques still indicated one thing: the gap between them was too large.
“Hehe, he entered that guy’s territory.”
With a comment from True Disciple Hu Bugui, many Elders’ eyes lit up, and their Spiritual Sense shifted to another side.
Hu Wang!
He was fighting a Third Grade Monster Beast.
A few minutes later, a Third Grade wood spirit was slain by Hu Wang’s sword. Hu Wang received one hundred points, bringing his total to one hundred seventy points, giving a sense of him riding far ahead.
However…
Just as this battle ended, Hu Wang grunted, hit by a sharp Sword Qi. His Fierce Gaze Golden Aura shattered on the spot.
Suffering from Art Technique backlash, Hu Wang’s mouth bled. He angrily looked up at a man and a woman who walked out from behind a tree, his expression turning extremely grave.
Behind them followed a Spirit Beast dog the size of a calf.
“It’s you!”
“Wang Yu from the Spirit Beast Peak pays respects to Senior Brother Hu Wang.”
Wang Yu cupped his hands smugly, beaming with joy.
“Villain! Taking advantage of someone in trouble!”
Hu Wang was deeply frustrated.
Wang Yu shrugged, without a hint of guilt, and said, “I can only say, Senior Brother, you were too focused on fighting the wood spirit and didn’t notice our arrival.”
“Senior Brother, why say so much to him! While he’s suffering from Art Technique backlash, kill him. Delaying may bring changes.” The female cultivator beside him had some good looks, but her heart was very cold and hard.
“Well, your discreet attempt to recover Magic Power is something even my Junior Sister can’t stand to watch. My apologies, Senior Brother Hu Wang!”
Wang Yu made his move.
Hu Wang…
Stopped at 170 points, current rank, temporarily second place.
The top spot was taken by Wang Yu from the Spirit Beast Peak with 210 points.
“Congratulations, Senior Brother!”
“Haha, originally, the outcome between me and Hu Wang was fifty-fifty. I didn’t expect Elder Mo Li to change the rules, giving our Spirit Beast Peak a better chance.”
Having eliminated a major threat, Wang Yu was in a very good mood. He laughed and said, “What surprises me even more is that my Junior Sister and I actually ended up together. With the two of us united, who in the Trial Space can be our match?”
“Right!”
“Don’t worry. Once I reach five hundred points and secure the top spot in points, I will immediately help you, Junior Sister, strive for second place.”
“Thank you, Senior Brother.”
…
Watching his younger brother stop at 180 points, Hu Bugui’s face turned ashen. He angrily withdrew his Spiritual Sense and disappeared from the high platform.
“Ah!”
“Brother, I was wrong!”
“Wrong about what? You fool, use your brain more often in situations, understand? Use your brain!”
“Ah…”
Hu Wang had just come out of the illusory real Trial Space when Hu Bugui gave him a harsh lesson.
Fortunately.
180 points was already a very high achievement.
The Sect Grand Competition had continued until now. Over half of the three hundred participants had been eliminated, with only fifty-plus still fighting inside. The tenth place had only fifty points, and most disciples were in poor condition after intense battles, with depleted Magic Power. Only…
Lu Hangzhi was an exception.
Along the way, he encountered two pale-faced Second-rank Cultivators. Approaching them with lightning speed, he easily harvested twenty points, pushing his rank from fifth to fourth.
“Good.”
“After battles, cultivators are often in poor condition, either without defensive Art Techniques activated or with exhausted Magic Power. Striking at this time, gaining points requires little effort.”
Two Tongue Sword attacks hardly consumed any Magic Power, so Lu Hangzhi naturally pressed on without stopping, maintaining Swift Movement Art to move swiftly through the Trial Space.
Then…
He finally encountered a tough opponent.