Celestial Peak

Cultivators of all ages were there. From young to old, those who wanted to seek treasures and opportunities were there. It was the 15th day on the 2nd month of the year, and the Red Peak Mountain was already bustling.

The Red Peak Mountain was named by the people of the past era. The reasons were unclear, because from the perspective of the people. The said mountain should have been named Snow Peak as the peak was always filled with snow.

However, even though the locals did not know why they named it so. They didn"t change it in honor of their ancestors.

w.a.n.g Ling was just below the Red Peak Mountain. There he saw countless people climbing up, some were at the lower levels of nascent soul stages while some were saints and were flying up the mountain with a breeze.

Cultivators were seekers of opportunities. They will seek what they can get their hands into in the hopes of gaining strength. Those with lower talents and slower cultivation speed but high dreams were the most likely to dive straight into the blazing fire of danger if they can improve.

The dream of standing at the peak was not a dream exclusive to geniuses. Those at the bottom could dream of it, but the only way to achieve that dream was to face the dangers of the cultivation world.

Those who have lower cultivation speed will train and hone their skills to supplement their lack of talent. Hard work betrays no one after all.

It wasn"t just humans present in the raid though. There were a lot of non-human people present. Elven male and females were there in a single ground, beastmen were all over the place, and some spirit beasts who transformed into a human after achieving sainthood were also present.

This just showed that other races also wish to stand at the top.

Climbing up the mountain, w.a.n.g Ling saw more people. But the more he climbed up the more he encountered stronger cultivators. Those at the bottom of the mountain were mostly foundational phase and nascent soul stage cultivators.

But starting from the middle of the mountain. The cultivation of the people present jumped to the saint phase. Thankfully there were no dominion realm or celestial phase cultivators present.

Those who were lower than the saint phase was going to be on a huge disadvantage on the course of the tomb raid. This kind of problem wouldn"t have been a problem for w.a.n.g Ling because he wasn"t going to risk his neck entering the tomb of some celestial.

He would, at the very least wish w.a.n.g Hong luck if he enters. But entering was a different matter. Raiding a tomb for resources was a tough and brutal occurrence.

Where human lives were nothing if profit was to appear.

w.a.n.g Ling trod the path upwards and encountered the judging looks of the people around him. They found it weird why a nascent soul stage brat was coming up to the mountain.

One particular lady who had flowing black hair irritating. She stepped up and questioned him from high above, "What are you doing here kid? Do you not know any manners? How dare a mortal step onto the area of the saints?"

Those around the lady agreed with her words. But w.a.n.g Ling just spared her a look and said with faked words of respect, "I apologize but I did not mean to be disrespectful, I only wish to reach the peak of the mountain. I will not be joining the tomb raid so please grant me access to the top."

The lady snorted as she started pressuring w.a.n.g Ling despite him lowering himself. w.a.n.g Ling felt the pressure from the saint and was forced to stumble as he slightly lost his balance. But soon, he regained his posture.

The lady found him an eyesore or so it seemed, "You brat dare to try and wriggle your way onwards? Don"t give me that c.r.a.p. Go back down or else I will make you regret ever going against my orders."

w.a.n.g Ling was not going to back down, however. For the first time in both lifetimes, he was going to use something he had yet to do, "Let me pa.s.s, my family is going to be one of the core people to open the barrier so please stop making things difficult for me."

"Brat, don"t try and act like you"re one of the Three Great Lineage of the Frost Domain. Shamelessness has a limit, don"t drag your face to the mud on your own or else even I will find you irritating."

"Hmph, brat, go back down or else I will kill you without mercy. Try and act like one of the Three Great Families when you have better clothes on you, acting like a n.o.ble while wearing the clothes of a beggar is not going to work."

"Hahaha, kid, I for one like your jokes. But try again later, you are not that good of an actor to fool us old people here."

"Hey b.a.s.t.a.r.d, don"t treat me old. Unlike you fools, I am much younger than you, don"t put in the same category as you guys."

Those who had been quiet suddenly erupted in a mix of wild laughter and irritation for his words. The lady with the flowing black hair was at the forefront of the ridicules.

"Brat, I have lost my patience in you but I don"t feel like killing an idiot. Go back down or else a slight embarra.s.sment will not be the end of it all." The lady was just about to let w.a.n.g Ling go but the white fox scarf that was on w.a.n.g Ling"s neck caught her attention.

The fur of the white fox was beautiful, so much so that even a saint like her was attracted to it. Women were attracted to beautiful things that can potentially accentuate their attractiveness.

That lady saint felt the need to get that white fox. It was too beautiful to pa.s.s. So, she demanded it from w.a.n.g Ling, "Brat, I change my mind, leave that white fox fur or else I will turn you into a b.l.o.o.d.y pulp and then take that white fox fur."

w.a.n.g Ling did not like the woman from the start. But after seeing and hearing her words, he disliked her even more. It was such a bad thing she was a saint.

[I wish, Qigang was here for this.] w.a.n.g Ling was already feeling irritated about others laughing and mocking him for saying he was a member of a Great Family. But this woman received most of his anger.

w.a.n.g Ling sighed and heard, Bai Xue speaking to him with a hushed voice.

"Just let me go to her, she won"t kill me for a good while. There are many humans here after all. People like that b.i.t.c.h likes to care for her image." Bai Xue knew that they cannot afford to fight a saint.

They were still weak and a long way from reaching sainthood. w.a.n.g Ling was hesitant to do what he was told. But because he could do nothing, the only thing he could do was either run or cave in and meet her demands.

[Should I or should I not?] While contemplating over what he should do, w.a.n.g Ling noticed a familiar movement coming from in between the shadows. w.a.n.g Ling"s spirit sense detected humans hiding in the shadows and this made him smile. With a start, w.a.n.g Ling spoke as he turned to look at the woman.

"I cannot give her to you, she is not an ornament but a partner. I shall take my leave now." w.a.n.g Ling turned around but an even greater pressure stopped him from doing so as his steps came to a halt.

"What are you doing?" Bai Xue also felt the pressure and became worried about the consequences of w.a.n.g Ling"s action. Having a companion with too much pride can be a problem.

However, w.a.n.g Ling didn"t answer her. He only turned around and exchanged gazes with the woman. He showed a piercing look which made the woman all the more angered by his actions.

"So you choose death, brat?" The lady had a smile on her face as she grimly spoke to w.a.n.g Ling. Taking out a dagger, she spoke with a disfigured smile, "I have given you an out, but you"re too stupid to take my grace for contempt."

"What, are you going to kill me?"

"That I will, die, stupid brat!" the woman threw her daggers and Bai Xue was already prepared to get on its way when three figures lurking in the shadows came forward and deflected the dagger while simultaneously grabbing the woman on the back of her neck.

Two figures dressed in black and had their faces covered appeared beside w.a.n.g Ling and another was up the mountain holding the woman on the back of her neck.

Clang!

"Young Master, do you constantly do things like this? If so, then I cannot go step away by your side. Master will kill me for agreeing for leaving your side." Another figure appeared like the shadow and bowed before w.a.n.g Ling.

w.a.n.g Ling smiled at the newcomers and asked complimented them for their timely appearance, "Good to see you Qigang, it would seem the movement technique I have given you is showing good results. Oh, you have my thanks for arriving here before I get stab."

w.a.n.g Ling had already sensed the people hiding in the shadows just before he made his decision. The Shadow Pavilion were experts in lurking silently, but even before, he was already able to sense their presence so with his spirit sense he could detect them without a problem.

One of the reasons why he chose not to hand over his partner and stood his ground because he felt the presence of backup. Which in opinion should have arrived earlier so he could have avoided the embarra.s.sment of being laughed at.

Well, beggars can"t be choosers so he would take what he could get. As to how Qigang happened to be here, it was just a coincidence. Being the one looking after the safety of the First Young Master in the shadows was something of a leisure thing.

After all, w.a.n.g Ling did not like getting followed and he was thorough about that matter. Because of Qigang"s free time and just achieving a breakthrough on his cultivation as he was already a half-step True Saint.

Qigang was only waiting for the right chance to break through the next stage. But the journey to becoming a True Saint was hard and he was currently preparing his breakthrough the next stage.

So, he was trying to roam around trying to see different sights to get enlightened.

"Thank you for your gracious words. First Young Master, what do we do with that?" Qigang accepted his thanks and pointed at the lady cultivator who was screaming and flailing around as she was manhandled by a member of the Shadow Pavilion.

"Arghh, let me go!"

w.a.n.g Ling looked at her with a glare and commanded, "Just cripple her cultivation and lead her to the bottom of the mountain. Not killing her is going be our mercy."

But w.a.n.g Ling did say a few words that Qigang could hear and those words were, "Kill her when no one"s around. Future problems must be exterminated."

"Yes, First Young Master." Qigang signaled the member of the Shadow Pavilion and with one merciless action destroyed both the lady cultivator"s Saint Sol, Nascent Soul, and qi pillars thereby turning her into a cripple.

"No, this can"t be happening." The lady cultivator was in disbelief, and the others who mocked w.a.n.g Ling earlier was looking at him with fear and confusion.

w.a.n.g Ling saw their faces and thought they were priceless, he resumed his trekking and pa.s.sed by the now crippled saint. He looked at the arrogant saint and flashed her a smile before going on his way.

No words was said, but his smile was able to induce the idea of death to the lady.