Chapter 0278: Angrily Cursing at Crucible Transformation
Ning Cheng’s sound transmission had just finished, when all the cultivators present in the huge hall felt a burst of emptiness, before everyone fell down like a pack of dumplings.
The icehouse was gone, even the huge cauldron and the exquisite huge hall had also vanished. The surroundings once again turned completely desolate, filled with potholes and fragments of broken magical weapons as far as the eyes could see. However looking at this scene, all the people were clear that they had finally come out from that terrible icehouse.
Some of the cultivators even knelt on the ground with happy tears pouring down their faces, many of them were clear on this point that if there was a delay of even a few days then they might not have been able to come out.
Many of the cultivators came forward one after another to offer their sincerest thanks towards Ning Cheng, some of them even wanted to come up with spirit stones and pills to give to Ning Cheng as thanks. However, thinking back to the scene of Ning Cheng using the Spiritual Enhancement True Nectar to wash his hands and feet, as well as the sight of him casually tossing out a nine-coloured Mirage Stone, all of them could not help but hold back on that thought.
Xun Hanrui suddenly sent a sound transmission to Ning Cheng, “Senior Apprentice Brother Ning, you using the Spiritual Enhancement True Nectar to wash your hands and feet was seen by everyone here, you should start paying a little more attention from now on.”
Ning Cheng was badly surprised in his heart; he obviously had not seen or even felt the others when he had taken it out. That old fogey might consider the Spiritual Enhancement True Nectar to be something trivial, but to the other cultivators it was actually something precious.
Thinking until here, Ning Cheng could not help but think in his heart that this old fogey was truly quite cheap with its methods. That old b.a.s.t.a.r.d had actually put him out on live broadcast, that son-of-a-b.i.t.c.h.
“Elder Brother Ning, many thanks for your life saving grace. I am Heavenly Dao Sect’s Disciple Li Lingfan, in the future if Elder Brother Ning wishes to visit my Heavenly Dao Sect, then this Li Lingfan will definitely leave everything and come have a drink with you as a welcome.” A young looking man with the cultivation at the great circle of Soul Essence Realm made his way to the front of Ning Cheng and gave a deep bow as he clasped his fist as a form of respect. When he was still trapped in the icehouse, Xun Hanrui had whispered a few things to Ning Cheng, allowing him to hear a part of it, because which he called out to him as Elder Brother Ning.
Liang Kexin already was aware that Ning Cheng was poorly informed about the academies, as such quickly sent out a sound transmission to Ning Cheng, “Heavenly Dao Sect is counted among the ten most powerful and influential sects and academies, and is even ranked above our Rainbow Fall Sword Sect.”
Ning Cheng on hearing those words also quickly cupped his fists and spoke in a polite voice, “I was just lucky to be able to save Senior Apprentice Brother Li, how could someone like me naively come to the Heavenly Dao Sect only to bother you.”
“Haha, I did not expect that I would one day be saved by a Profound Core Cultivator. Many thanks, Elder Brother Ning; although your cultivation is lower than me, but you still saved this Kong Cheng’s life, it means that you are now my lifelong friend.” A man with a st.u.r.dy yet wild appearance took a few steps forward, as he cupped his hands and thanked Ning Cheng.
Xin Hai quickly spoke up, “Elder Brother Ning, Senior Apprentice Brother Kong Cheng is my Star Gathering Mansion’s True Inheriting Disciple, this time you not only saved Senior Apprentice Brother Kong Cheng, but have also saved me. I really am grateful for it. Please do forgive me about my ravings of helping you earlier; I truly did not know my place……”
Ning Cheng and Kong Cheng exchanged a few more polite words, before Ning Cheng patted Xin Hai’s shoulder and said, “Elder Brother Xin, you really don’t have to be so polite, I am already aware that you really wanted to help me in full sincerity previously. It’s only by luck that I was able to save you…”
“Senior Apprentice Brother Ning. Floating Snow Palace’s Zhong Nianyun thanks you for the life-saving grace that you bestowed on me. In the future if Elder Brother Ning finds the time to visit my Floating Snow Palace, then this Nianyun will certainly treat you as an honoured guest.” A thankful voice arrived followed by a young and slightly shy looking beautiful female cultivator, with the cultivation of Soul Essence 6th Level.
Liang Kexin’s voice also came in a timely manner, “Senior Apprentice Brother Ning, Floating Snow Palace is also one of the ten top influential and long standing academies of the Tian Continent.”
Ning Cheng also quickly returned the salute. He felt that even if he did not receive even the smallest of benefits from saving these people, and regardless of if their thanks were sincere or false, at least he might just be able to make a few friends.
For the time being, there were more and more cultivators coming forward to thank Ning Cheng, but at this time, seven or eight shadows suddenly arrived at the crowd’s periphery, “Why did all of you suddenly appear here? What exactly happened?”
The speaker was a red-faced old man; Ning Cheng only took a single look at this old man to know that he was a Crucible Transformation Cultivator. At the same time, Ning Cheng also saw the original five cultivators that he had met before, they also had the same puzzled face as they looked at them. However, there were also faint traces of being pleasantly surprised on them.
Although because of the sudden appearance of the ancient immortal cave, which was a cause of the deaths of more than a thousand cultivators, but at least more than half of the elites of the academies who had undertaken the a.s.signment had survived.
The first to come forward was also the first to come forward to thank Ning Cheng, Li Lingfan, as he gave a bow before speaking, “Reporting to Elder Yong, that ancient immortal cave contained the Life Essence of a Magical Weapon; it was that Life Essence of the magical weapon which had trapped us in there. It was in order to catch the cultivators at the Soul Essence Realm and below to devour their souls, all in order to restore its cultivation. This time, it was fortunate that Rainbow Fall Sword Sect’s Junior Apprentice Brother Ning was able to save us all, and even scaring the Life Essence away……”
Although Li Lingfan had called Ning Cheng as ‘Elder Brother Ning’ previously, but referring him as ‘Junior Apprentice Brother Ning’ in front of this old man was also not contradictory. The reason he had called Ning Cheng as ‘Elder Brother Ning’ was to thank him for his life-saving grace, in other words it was to be polite to him. Calling him as ‘Junior Apprentice Brother Ning’ at this moment, was because Ning Cheng’s cultivation was lower than his was, moreover he and Ning Cheng were also not from the same the same academy.
The few elders on hearing Li Lingfan’s words in front of them, already had many questions that they wanted to ask, but hearing the last sentence, all the people present immediately focussed their gazes on Ning Cheng’s body.
“Were the cultivators here truly saved by you?” The Crucible Transformation Elders stared at Ning Cheng and asked in unison.
Ning Cheng was aware that he would have to find a suitable reason to get out of this predicament.
Now seeing all the Crucible Transformation Elders asking him the same question at the same time, he did not dare to show half a moment of neglect. He quickly stepped forward and spoke, “Yes, it was because this immortal cave had an ancient Life Essence left behind, this Life Essence could only rely on a huge cauldron to keep itself from dissipating. The rest was as Senior Apprentice Brother Li had just said; currently this Life Essence is currently far from recovering, and as such can only devour the souls of some of the cultivators with weaker cultivation to help itself heal…..”
“Even if that was the case, this Life Essence could easily swallow the souls of all of you, so how could you save everyone?” This time that beautiful woman from the Star Gazing Mansion was staring at Ning Cheng before she asked her question.
Ning Cheng quickly recounted the things that happened from inside the immortal cave, including the icehouse, along with the variety of real yet unreal magical weapons and pills, including a few bits about the Karma House and other things.
“So that Life Essence was forced by Karma, and only when the cultivators tried to get their hands on the magical weapons, would it begin?” Another Crucible Transformation Cultivator asked. This Crucible Transformation Cultivator had a very pale face, and looked as if he was eternally sick. Combined with his questioning tone, it really made Ning Cheng feel uncomfortable.
“It is just my guess; I am not very clear about the specifics myself.” Ning Cheng cautiously replied.
The sick looking Crucible Transformation Cultivators was still staring at Ning Cheng and asked, “All the other cultivators were caught and captured, so why did you not get captured by it? Instead, how were you even able to force that Life Essence back?”
“Because I have a 9-coloured Mirage Stone, because of which it did not make a move on me, as for that Life Essence being forced back from me, I guess that it was because it was not able to reap any Karma from me……” Ning Cheng was truly dissatisfied with the questioning tone of the other party, although he was answering carefully, but he still was feeling very uncomfortable in his heart. He had obviously rescued his people, so why would he show such an att.i.tude against their lifesaving benefactor?
The sick looking man gave a sneer, “A 9-coloured Mirage Stone still has such an effect? How come I didn’t know about it?”
Ning Cheng at this time was simply too lazy to answer, just who did this guy think he was, did he think that he could pull a 2-5-8 on him, and make him look like a criminal.
[TL Note – ‘Pulling a 2-5-8’ in a Mah-jong Rule Reference.]
“Can you explain the process of you using the Mirage Stone in detail, or is it that you do not want to reveal the rest of the secret?” The sick looking Crucible Transformation Cultivator was clearly not satisfied with Ning Cheng’s answer, causing his tone to turn even more severe.
Ning Cheng finally could not hold back his temper anymore, as he immediately gave a sneer and spoke, “Just who in the h.e.l.l are you? Why do you want to hover over my head so much? I am from the Rainbow Fall Sword Sect, and had come here to rescue my fellow sect members; I did not expect that there would be a few supercilious white wolves that would be so ungrateful with it. What does it matter as to what method I used, it is none of your business, if I am not willing to say it to you then what will you be able to do?”
He did not know which academy did this sick looking man belonged to, but he was sure that from the people that he had ended up saving; a few were definitely disciples from his academy. It was fine if this person had not thanked him for it, but relying on his own high cultivation to question him in such a manner. Wanting to ask him about his secret? Stop dreaming.
“Little b.a.s.t.a.r.d, it seems you have a death wish…..” The sick looking man was now completely overflowing with a murderous aura, as he raised his hand to catch Ning Cheng.
At this moment, Ning Cheng immediately felt the s.p.a.ce around him seal up, even if he wanted to move he would not even be able to twitch his finger. Ning Cheng could not help but give out a dark sigh in his heart, the gap between their cultivations was simply too huge.
“Bang” At the same time, another hand stretched out, blocking the hand of the sick looking man from grabbing Ning Cheng. The surging true essence had even blasted open a huge crater at a distance.
“Since when did the disciples from my Rainbow Fall Sword Sect need disciplining from your Red Star Sword Faction? Did your Red Star Sword Faction think that it had unified the entire Tian Continent under its name?” A disdainful and contemptuous voice arrived, allowing Ning Cheng to guess it right, that it was the voice belonging to Rainbow Fall Sword Sect’s Elder Bei who had made a move to save him.
“So, for this kind of impudent little Profound Core beast, what’s wrong in me trying to teach him some manners? Bei Youfa, don’t you think that you are just trying to protect your shortcomings a bit too much?” The sick looking man was still quite indignant.
Ning Cheng gave a sneer, “Old beast, you are just too young to be posturing in front of this young grandpa; you really should not take yourself too seriously. I might not know what kind of academy is this Red Star Sword Faction, but with such ungrateful garbage like you in it, I simply do not need to think about it. Not to say that even if this grandpa had no secret, even if I did have a secret, did you really think that I would spill it out to an old b.a.s.t.a.r.d like you? Why don’t you tell me your secrets then? Idiot, doesn’t this mean that you are just a dog living in an old man’s body…”
This sick looking man had an extremely strong cultivation, although it was countless times stronger than Ning Cheng’s, he could still not escape his cursing and reb.u.t.tals, even if he was a thousand times stronger than what he already was, he would still not be Ning Cheng’s opponent in this field. Being scolded in such a manner by Ning Cheng, he simply could not help but suddenly break out in anger, while at the same time his face also turned even paler.
However, he also knew that with Bei Youfa here, he absolutely would not be able to do anything to Ning Cheng.
Although Bei Youfa was a bit happy and also melancholic in his heart at the same time, he still showed a calm face on the surface as he spoke to Ning Cheng, “Ning Cheng, although some people are in need of scolding, but not only is your cultivation a bit too low, but you also have a bit of an etiquette problem. In the future, if you have a chance, then be sure to visit the Red Star Sword Faction to explain to them clearly. Ok.”
“Yes, I understand.” Ning Cheng also knew about when to quit when ahead. The reason why he was cursing aloud in such a manner was not just for shutting up a single person, but rather shutting the mouths of the rest of the Crucible Transformation Cultivators too, it was also to prevent these Crucible Transformation Cultivators to question him one by one.
In addition, once he got back to the Rainbow Fall Sword Sect, and received his reward, he would then be able to once again enter the Small Spiritual Domain to cultivate. As to what happened on the outside, it did not matter to him.
“Fellow Dao friends, you can judge for yourself, for a little Profound Core ant to be so uncultured and uneducated…..” The sick looking man from the Red Star Sword Faction was obviously someone who would not be able to calm down easily.
“Okay, okay, everyone let’s just take a step back. This is not a great matter to be pondered upon by all of us, it is obvious that Rainbow Fall Sword Sect’s Ning Cheng has expended great efforts, and was able to save so many elite disciples of our academies, as such we should really not interrogate him like a prisoner.” A slightly lean looking cultivator came forward and spoke.
The rest of the few Crucible Transformation Cultivators also came forward and helped Ning Cheng with a few words, Ning Cheng had truly saved many of the elite disciples, and as such how could the elders be not happy with it?
Although these elders had a few suspicions about Ning Cheng’s words, but none of them continued to ask Ning Cheng about how he was able to withstand the temptations. Not only that, they even came forward to invite Ning Cheng to visit their respective academies as an esteemed guest.
Whether it was a bona fide invitation with good intentions, or invitations with bad intentions, Ning Cheng still refused them one by one with politeness. His strength was already very lacking, but now that he had acc.u.mulated enough contributions, it gave him exactly what he needed, and that was cultivation time. So why would he waste his time to visit other academies or even go out looking for danger?