Chapter 1689 (Raw 1701): Increasingly Closer
Three days later, the matter of Xiao Chen defeating the Little Thunder Saber at Thunder Controlling Peak and easily departing from Shangguan Lei"s presence spread throughout the three blessed lands.
All the large sects of the blessed lands learned of a white-clad bladesman who dared to trample on the Little Thunder Saber before Shangguan Lei, not giving Shangguan Lei any face at all.
More importantly, Shangguan Lei actually let Xiao Chen leave, only daring to get angry but not to take action.
Who was Shangguan Lei? He was the strongest true inheritor of the Black Cave Mountain. He was a late-stage Major Primal Core cultivator, only one step shy of breaking through to the peak Major Primal Core Realm.
Even if an ordinary Star Venerate wanted to kill Shangguan Lei, he might not succeed.
Shangguan Lei was tyrannical and arrogant, a vengeful person. However, such a ruthless person, one famed in the Grave Sea for his ruthlessness, just watched as the white-clad bladesman left, not daring to say anything. This thought was simply incredible.
It made everyone curious about who this white-clad bladesman was.
In the Purple Flame Sect, Xiao Chen did not know that he had already kicked up a huge wave in the three blessed lands.
Right now, he was making his final preparations for entering the Fiendish Demon Battlefield.
After Yang Qing and her fellow disciples said goodbye, Xiao Chen formally sealed up the Lunar Shadow Saber. From then on, he would no longer think about any of his past glory.
Xiao Chen would only deeply bury his pride in his heart.
The tribulation lightning that Xiao Chen absorbed in the Thunder Controlling Peak not only loosened his bottleneck lightly but also raised his Thunder Dao cultivation by another level to the peak of the Thunder Domain.
The next step would be to break through and grasp the Thunder Dao.
More importantly, his Divine Lightning Eye was on the verge of breaking past the third layer and reaching the fourth layer.
That was an unexpected joyous matter. The cultivation of the Divine Lightning Eye was exceptionally slow. However, every increase in layer resulted in a tremendous change.
This was especially so after the third layer. The Divine Lightning Eye"s third layer only applied three lightning tribulations. However, the fourth layer would utilize six lightning tribulations, its might undergoing an earthshaking change.
For the next three days, Xiao Chen anxiously worked on breaking through. If he succeeded, he would be able to show his capabilities when he entered the Fiendish Demon Battlefield; it would be like adding wings to a tiger.
Xiao Chen would no longer fear the top ten true inheritors of the three blessed lands, able to clash head-on with them.
---
Above the clouds around the two main peaks of the Heavenly Shaking Mountain blessed land, there was a gleaming signboard with the words "Confucian Inst.i.tution." It appeared indistinct in a courtyard that looked like a paradise.
The memorial tablets of many predecessors of the Confucian sect were erected in the Confucian Inst.i.tution"s temple. The portraits of the masters of the Martial Epoch"s Confucian Dao hung on the wall.
"Yueming, when you go to the Fiendish Demon Battlefield this time, you should have a great chance of obtaining a fortuitous encounter from that Divine Vein expert. However, if you clash with Shangguan Lei, your odds of victory are even. As for that Zhen Yuan from the Profound Light Temple, we have to admit that this little monk is the strongest among the three of you."
An indistinct voice containing righteous Qi rang out outside the study of this temple.
In the study was a youth dressed like a Confucian scholar with his hair tied up with a strip of cloth. He appeared righteous and gave the impression of being quick-witted and unfettered. He held a book and calmly read it. When he heard the voice from outside the study, he slowly placed the book down.
This person was the strongest true inheritor of the Heavenly Shaking Mountain, w.a.n.g Yueming.
The righteous Qi that w.a.n.g Yueming exuded turned into an unyielding, sharp light that spread out. "Teacher, although that Shangguan Lei is without a doubt the strongest true inheritor of the Black Cave Mountain, he is bold but not very astute, arrogant and prideful. I am more concerned about the Purple Flame Sect"s Hua Yunfeng. That person truly keeps his strength hidden. Also, there is the Cloud Mountain Academy"s Bai Yu; her righteous Qi is no inferior to mine.
"However, the most difficult ones are the bunch of people from the Potala Mountain. Buddhist sect Cultivation Techniques are even more of a threat to the Fiendish Demons than our Confucian sect techniques."
"Haha! You are really taking this easy. Recently, there is a newcomer in the Purple Flame Sect who defeated the Little Thunder Saber in one move and left Shangguan Lei"s presence with no rush. You have to pay some attention to him."
w.a.n.g Yueming entered deep thought. "There certainly are many newcomers recently. Not too long ago, I heard that a Yan-generation disciple from the Potala Mountain"s Profound Light Temple defeated a Xuan-generation esteemed monk in a Buddhist principle debate."
"Although these people are not strong, they might still end up being variables. You have to be cautious."
As the old man outside spoke, he silently walked in.
"Whoos.h.!.+"
The old man thrust out his hand, and a folding fan silently landed on w.a.n.g Yueming"s palm.
"This is…"
This startled w.a.n.g Yueming. The instant the folding fan entered his hand, it felt incredibly heavy. The ribs of the folding fan clearly were not made from ordinary wood. It even contained a profound aura. However, it was not a Dao Tool type of weapon.
When w.a.n.g Yueming gently opened the fan, he saw two simple lines of a poem written on it. "A loyal heart for all eternity like the moon of tomorrow; a body full of righteous Qi throughout the seasons."
"Teacher used twenty years before I finished writing these two lines. Using this, you will definitely be able to gain a lot in the Fiendish Demon Battlefield."
w.a.n.g Yueming"s expression turned serious once he learned how precious this folding fan was. His teacher spent twenty years on this; every word condensed his teacher"s spirit, Qi, and energy, containing the purest righteous Qi of the Confucian sect.
---
At the Thunder Flame Plaza of the Divine Firmament Sect"s Thunder Controlling Peak, Shangguan Lei peeked at a majestic figure whose back faced him. He did not dare to raise his head and look directly at this person.
"The people of the world say that the disciples of my line are bold but not very astute, wildly arrogant and proud. No matter how strong we are, we are just boorish people. However, they do not understand. If one cultivates the Thunder Dao like they are bystanders, weighing everything and being very cautious, they can"t comprehend the true meaning of thunder. One should be arrogant and proud in order to bring out the true meaning of thunder"s tyranny to the fullest.
"Three days ago, the Lightning Guiding Formation was destroyed, the tribulation lightning"s lightning core was damaged, and your junior brother gained a heart demon. I do not blame you for this. Shangguan Lei, I only blame you for why you did not have the courage to charge forward at the final moment."
The Thunder Saber Xiang Tian"s words were spoken with great emphasis. Every word struck Shangguan Lei"s soul unbearably.
"Master, Shangguan Lei knows his mistakes…"
"Where is the mistake?!"
"Fearing death," Shangguan Lei whispered with a lowered head despite feeling wronged.
At that moment, when Shangguan Lei faced Xiao Chen"s questioning and the power of the lightning that Xiao Chen drove, he had indeed felt death approaching. If he forcefully attacked, it would definitely have resulted in mutual destruction—an unacceptable outcome.
"Then, you can go die now."
"Bang!"
The Thunder Saber Xiang Tian turned around and struck Shangguan Lei"s body without any warning at all, sending him flying, then cras.h.i.+ng heavily into the ground.
The startled Shangguan Lei felt a horrifying and terrifying lightning restriction planted in his body.
"For the disciples of others, their masters give them all sorts of tools when they go to the Fiendish Demon Battlefield. I give you only a restriction. It will activate in the Fiendish Demon Battlefield. If you cannot break through to the peak Major Primal Core Realm in half a month, you will explode and die. If your cultivation does not improve every day, you will be tortured by electricity when night falls."
Xiang Tian continued, "If you are not willing to do this, I can remove the restriction now."
Without hesitation, Shangguan Lei knelt on one knee. "Disciple understands Master"s intent. I will definitely live up to your great expectations."
The Thunder Saber Xiang Tian nodded and said, "Before you go, check on your junior brother. It is just a heart demon. If he can resolve it, he will end up accomplis.h.i.+ng even more. He possesses a bloodline of the Great Desolate Eon"s ten thousand races and is naturally compatible with the Thunder Dao. It would be too unfortunate if he were crippled just like that."
"Yes!"
The opening of the Fiendish Demon Battlefield approached. The top ten true inheritors of the three blessed lands all received instructions from their masters.
However, Xiang Tian was the only one who placed a fatal restriction on his disciple.
---
Time flew by. The date of the Fiendish Demon Battlefield"s opening drew closer.
Xiao Chen finally broke through to the fourth layer of the Divine Lightning Eye. With a thought, four purple flowers appeared in his right eye, spinning rapidly.
"I succeeded!"
Xiao Chen revealed a pleased expression. Now, he was far more confident about the trip to the Fiendish Demon Battlefield, even feeling exceptional antic.i.p.ation.
When the Fiendish Demon Battlefield opened, the elites, core disciples, and true inheritors of the sects from the three blessed lands—a total of one hundred peak Rank 3 sects and several Rank 4 sects—would pour in.
Any one of the inner sect disciples of a Rank 3 sect from the blessed lands could stand out anywhere outside, equal to the Elders of sects outside the blessed lands.
However, the Fiendish Demon Battlefield would welcome thousands of such elites, who would kill each other to obtain fortuitous encounters.
Just imagining the intensity of the compet.i.tion could make one"s blood surge. Who did not desire to be one of the elite outstanding talents, standing out and obtaining a fortuitous encounter to rise in one go?