Chapter 0341: Shi Qionghua’s Childhood
As Ning Cheng followed behind Shi Qionghua, he felt increasingly puzzled as the time pa.s.sed, “Qionghua, there are raging winds everywhere wreaking havoc all along, even the light from the sun is insignificant, how are you able to tell the direction?”
“I lived in this place till I was ten years old since my birth.” Shi Qionghua’s tone was somewhat low as if she was thinking about something from the past.
“WHAT?” Ning Cheng stopped in shock; he had never thought that Shi Qionghua was born on the Sifting Orchid Star. If Shi Qionghua was indeed from the Sifting Orchid Star, does it not mean that Shi Qionghua’s parents were also here?
Seeing Ning Cheng stop, Shi Qionghua also stopped. She and Ning Cheng were standing side by side. However, she had a faraway look in her eyes as she spoke, “From what I can remember, I lived in this place with Uncle Yu. Afterwards, Uncle Yu went out but never came back. Since that time I lived here by myself……”
Ning Cheng had a look of disbelief on his face as he looked at Shi Qionghua, although he had just arrived at the Sifting Orchid Star, he had yet to encounter any particularly dangerous place. However, there were raging winds everywhere here, and one never knew when the ground beneath the feet would turn into an abyss, making others understand that this place was not suitable for living. Shi Qionghua was only ten years old, and was even living alone here, how was she able to live here independently? Moreover, almost through her entire childhood, she was cultivating in this kind of terrifying place, it was genuinely inconceivable for him.
As if knowing what Ning Cheng was thinking, Shi Qionghua helped Ning Cheng brush off some dust on his face and spoke, “The place that I lived in was in a safe area, moreover when Uncle Yu had walked out, I was already in the Soul Sculpting Realm.”
This time Ning Cheng was stunned speechless, he was well aware of the difficulties of cultivation. His own cultivation speed was extremely fast, mainly since he was already at the Soul Essence 3rd Level. However, Shi Qionghua was already at the Soul Sculpting Realm at ten years of age, just what kind of speed was this? Yin Kongchan and Xu Yingdei were also genius cultivators, yet even they could only enter the Soul Sculpting Realm after twenty or thirty years if not more. This was even after the academy pooled their resources into them. Otherwise, their progress would only be lower.
Ning Cheng knew that although he had cultivated to the Soul Essence Realm currently, the fact was that he had spent only a few years to reach that level. Nevertheless, he still felt puzzled about Shi Qionghua’s cultivation speed. Ning Cheng was aware that it was because of certain unique conditions, which allowed him to advance to the Soul Essence Realm. If he did not possess the Mysterious Yellow Bead, then let alone the Soul Essence Realm, he would not even be able to arrive at the intermediate stages of the Qi Gathering Realm at this moment.
Things like the Mysterious Yellow Bead, there were probably not many in existence. Moreover, Ning Cheng had full faith in Shi Qionghua, that if she possessed such a thing, she would certainly tell him. Just like him, when he said about the origins of the Mysterious Yellow Origin to Shi Qionghua.
“I am a reincarnated person. As such, my life essence is inherently powerful. In addition to the cultivation method inheritance, there was also Uncle Yu who would try to find countless treasures every day for me. Therefore, it is only right for me to enter the Soul Sculpting Realm by ten years old. Moreover, Uncle Yu always used to say that the situation here was simply too bad, which was causing my cultivation speed to slow down drastically……”
Listening to Shi Qionghua’s words, Ning Cheng did not know as to what he should say. How was this kind of speed too slow?
Shi Qionghua continued, “I do not know whether this speed is fast or slow, but after Uncle Yu did not return, I cultivated in this place by myself. Once, I went out to look for spiritual gra.s.ses, but I ended up meeting Xu Anzhen. Because the life essence of my soul was potent, Xu Anzhen directly decided to take me away from the Sifting Orchid Star and suppressed a wisp of my life essence. If it weren’t for you, then at this moment, I perhaps would not have been able to come here again.”
“That dead old hag, I should have burnt down her kennel.” Ning Cheng spoke bitterly.
But then he immediately remembered something, Shi Qionghua was already 33 years old at this moment, if she said that she was already at the Soul Sculpting Realm at ten years of age, then Shi Qionghua’s cultivation progress in the past 22 years compared to her first decade was merely nothing at all.
Shi Qionghua gave a slight smile, as she grasped Ning Cheng’s hand and spoke, “The truth is, I do not hate her, if not for her, I would not have met you. Not knowing you would have become my biggest regret then. This time I am able to come to the Sifting Orchid Star because of you, it was also because I wanted to find the whereabouts of Uncle Yu.”
Shi Qionghua was not one to speak about words of love, but even so, what she spoke were the words from her heart. Was there any need to talk about anything else?
“Me too.” Ning Cheng also tightened his grip on Shi Qionghua’s hands and spoke, “Can you take me to the place where you lived…”
“Ok…..” Shi Qionghua had just replied when she suddenly embraced Ning Cheng and rapidly moved away from her position.
Ning Cheng had incomparable trust in Shi Qionghua, even when Shi Qionghua suddenly embraced him and jumped away, he did not choose to resist it. Moreover, the thought of opposing did not emerge in him.
“Boom……” A terrifying blast exploded behind Ning Cheng. Ning Cheng’s spiritual consciousness swept past, he found that the place where he and Shi Qionghua were just standing had erupted with flames dozens of feet high. Moreover, as this flame continued to rise, at the same time it was also unceasingly proliferating around at a seemingly constant speed.
Ning Cheng sucked in a cold breathe of air. He realised that if he ended up getting caught in just the outskirts of this volcanic-like eruption, then even with his Soul Essence Cultivation, turning into ash was the only conclusion, without even any bones left behind.
“These are the Sifting Orchid Star’s scattered volcanoes. This kind of volcano can erupt anytime and anywhere on this star. Once you feel that the surrounding s.p.a.ce has turned somewhat unstable, along with a change in temperature, it would become necessary for you to pay close attention as it would lead to a volcanic eruption.”
Ning Cheng nodded, if there were no Shi Qionghua around, even if he were careful, in this kind of place, he would end up meeting the creator sooner or later.
“Then let’s leave this place now.” As Ning Cheng spoke the words, his spiritual consciousness had also dispersed out thoroughly. In this place, one needed to show utmost attention. It was as a test for one’s spiritual consciousness.
Shi Qionghua did not leave immediately, instead spoke up, “These kinds of volcanoes emerge without any warnings but also calm down quickly. Moreover, after the volcanic eruptions, there would definitely be a unique kind of crafting material emerging. This crafting material is called the Scarlet Brilliance Crystal, and is a Level 7 Crafting Material.”
Ning Cheng did not have the time to sigh, as he knew that dangers would always accompany opportunity. It was at this moment when he immediately felt two s.p.a.cial fluctuations.
“Someone is coming; it seems they are aware that there was a volcanic eruption here, which means that they would be looking for the Scarlet Brilliance Crystal.” Shi Qionghua’s words had just ended, when two Taoist shadows descended not too far away from them.
Ning Cheng was also able to feel the wild and a kind of powerful aura from these two people, like a volcano about to erupt, but at the same time like a hurricane that was about to sweep past them. He did not ask Shi Qionghua, but in his heart, he already understood what was going on. These two people were like this because of their long-term cultivation in the Sifting Orchid Star. Having to live between random volcanic eruptions, hurricanes and s.p.a.cial turbulence, it had ended up fostering this kind of wild and violent aura in them.
The two people who had arrived were a cultivator in the intermediate stages of Soul Sculpting Realm, and another a late stage Crucible Transformation Cultivator. The late-stage Crucible Transformation Cultivator was a middle-aged man with dark red hair, which was akin to raging fire. While the Soul Sculpting Cultivator looked delicate and wore a cultivators hat over his head.
Shi Qionghua had the cultivation of Crucible Transformation 3rd Level, while Ning Cheng possessed the cultivation of Soul Essence 3rd Level. Compared to the two people who had just arrived, Shi Qionghua and Ning Cheng were apparently at a disadvantage.
“Oh, did you just arrive?” That middle-aged late stage Crucible Transformation Cultivator looked at Ning Cheng and Shi Qionghua and spoke. Shi Qionghua and Ning Cheng did not possess the kind of wild and violent aura synonymous to the Sifting Orchid Star. From this, it was evident that they had just arrived.
After he finished talking to himself, he looked at the Soul Sculpting Realm cultivator beside him and asked, “Yan Di, didn’t you say that Sifting Orchid Star did not allow Crucible Transformation Cultivators to come? How come there is a new Crucible Transformation Cultivator here?”
The man in the Soul Sculpting Realm spoke with a smile, “Elder Brother Le, it can only be explained if they had something similar to a miniature world on them. Moreover…..”
This Yan De spoke without any concealment, as his eyes wantonly swept across Shi Qionghua. As for Ning Cheng, he had already completely disregarded him. Just an early stage Soul Essence Cultivator, someone that he would not even put in his eyes.
“Hahaha….” This late-stage Crucible Transformation Cultivator addressed as Elder Brother Le gave a loud laugh. After finishing his laugh, he spoke out without any regrets, “It really is a pity…..”
Yan De seemed to be like a worm that latched onto the belly of this late stage Crucible Transformation Cultivator, as he immediately narrowed his eyes and spoke, “Elder Brother Le, in fact, it really is not pitiful. Where could we obtain such a pure yin woman? On this Sifting Orchid Star, to find such a stunning woman, especially one that suitable as a furnace, is already something scarce. Moreover, her cultivation is also quite high…..”
Ning Cheng’s eyes immediately burst with an unconcealable killing intent, however, at the same time, he was also worried that Shi Qionghua might not be able to deal with this late stage Crucible Transformation Cultivator.
“Oh, this insect dares to reveal such killing intent? Although I, Qi Le, have not returned to the Tian Continent in the past hundred years, did it cause the temperament of the ants in the Tian Continent to grow so big?” The red-haired late stage Crucible Transformation Cultivator on seeing Ning Cheng’s eyes showing an intense killing desire, spoke out as if he was puzzled about something.
“Elder Brother Le, why lower yourself to the same level as those ants. Let me just kill this ant first and be done with it.” This Soul Sculpting Cultivator spoke while already heading towards Ning Cheng.
Shi Qionghua was just about to begin, but Ning Cheng immediately sent a sound transmission to her and spoke, “Qionghua, just pay attention to that red-haired ghost. He will definitely not let you interfere, once I kill this guy, we can then team up to kill that red-haired ghost.”
Shi Qionghua had always followed Ning Cheng’s words to the letter, but she did not know if Ning Cheng understood her own ways. If Ning Cheng knew that her life essence, after becoming complete, had only become even more robust, he would never be much worried about her as he was now.
That red-haired late stage Crucible Transformation Cultivator on seeing that Shi Qionghua was not going to help Ning Cheng found it to be unexpected. Since Shi Qionghua chose not to make a move, then he naturally would also not move. In his opinion, Yan De was at the intermediate stages of Soul Sculpting Realm, as such if he wanted to kill Ning Cheng who was only at the Soul Essence 3rd Level; it would be akin to pinching an ant.
As Yan De plunged towards Ning Cheng, he simultaneously brought out his own magical weapon.
It was a pair of black and white hundred-edged wheels. As the two wheels thundered out, they immediately brought out many black and white wheel shadows, each shadow with thousands of blade edges. These countless wheel blades made hissing like sounds as they tore through s.p.a.ce as if they were myriad snakes in general.
These thousands of wheel blades wholly sealed off all escape routes of Ning Cheng. In his opinion, not to say Ning Cheng who was just at the Soul Essence 3rd Level, even if Ning Cheng was in the late stages of Soul Sculpting Realm, under these many black and white wheel shadows, would still feel his life threatened.
Although Shi Qionghua was nervously paying attention to Ning Cheng, she still held herself back from making a move. Although she had not personally witnessed Ning Cheng’s combat effectiveness, she had some understanding regarding it. Initially, when she had rushed into the Severing Emotions Dao Sect to rescue Ning Cheng, Ning Cheng had not killed just one or two disciples of the Severing Emotions Dao Sect. Moreover, among the people whom Ning Cheng had ma.s.sacred, there were even cultivators in the Soul Sculpting Realm.
Now that it was only a single Yan De attacking Ning Cheng, Shi Qionghua believed that Ning Cheng would be able to deal with it.
If there were no Everlasting Blue Thunder City, even then, Ning Cheng would be able to deal with Yan De, but at most, he would only reach the state of deadlock. Nevertheless, with the Everlasting Blue Thunder City, even if Yan De was an intermediate stage Soul Sculpting Cultivator, Ning Cheng did not fear him.
Yan De, with just the cultivation of intermediate stage Soul Sculpting Realm, wanting to use his imposing aura and spiritual consciousness to lock in Ning Cheng would indeed be just a dream.
Ning Cheng’s body just flashed a few times, before he ultimately shook off the spiritual consciousness fretters from Yan De. However, Ning Cheng chose not to avoid these black-and-white wheel edges, as he directly brought out the Everlasting Blue Thunder City.
He had already exposed the Everlasting Blue Thunder City in the Severing Emotions Dao Sect, so for him to reveal it once again on the Sifting Orchid Star would not mean much anyway. Moreover, Ning Cheng also thought that as long as Shi Qionghua was able to hold away that red-haired man, he would definitely be able to finish off this person.