Chapter 0428: The Powerful Sect Master
Ning Cheng spat out a few mouthfuls of blood. However, the fact was, his injuries were not very serious. If not for his Body Forging Cultivation, those few True Essence Awns would have definitely spilt him into several pieces. However, currently, although he suffered a few attacks from those Crucible Transformation Cultivators, after swallowing a few of his Healing Pills, he had mostly recovered from his injuries.
With the Spiritual Vein in his possession, Ning Cheng did not immediately go to the Heavenly Dao Public Square. Tan Yun and he agreed to meet after three months. In this three-month period, he needed to go into seclusion to improve his cultivation. For him, the best place to go into seclusion would be the Rainbow Fall Sword Sect.
However, without Transfer Talismans, it would take Ning Cheng two days to return to the Rainbow Fall Sword Sect from the Shattered Canopy Mountains. Therefore, Ning Cheng decided to temporarily not return to the Rainbow Fall Sword Sect. After he discovered that Wu Mao and the others did not continue to chase him, he found a quiet and remote location within the Shattered Canopy Mountains before entering his Miniature World to cultivate.
Using the Spiritual Vein to cultivate, Ning Cheng could immediately feel the benefits. Although the effect of cultivating using the Spiritual Vein was far inferior to that of the Crystal Stone given to him by Meng Jingxiu; however, it was still countless times better than cultivating using Spirit Stones.
At least he did not encounter the previous situations of Spiritual Qi being insufficient. After more than a year of slowly absorbing Spiritual Qi from the Spirit Stones for his cultivation, Ning Cheng once again started to feel the invigorating feeling of immersing himself in cultivation.
The Spiritual Qi from within the Spiritual Vein, not only turned out to be a lot easier to absorb, it was even a lot easier to trans.m.u.te into True Essence for his cultivation. In just two months, Ning Cheng broke through from the Sea Opening 3rd Level to the Sea Opening 5th Level.
With the promotion in his cultivation, the cultivation method that he operated began to absorb even more Spiritual Qi at a much faster rate. At the same time, the Spiritual Vein was more than capable enough to provide for such a huge demand. It was on a far higher level in even the purity of Spiritual Qi compared to what he absorbed from Spirit Stones.
Only a single level separated the 3rd Level of Sea Opening Realm and the 4th Level of Sea Opening Realm, but in fact, the two were vastly different when it came to strength and power that it provided. It was for this reason that the former ended up cla.s.sified as early-stage and the later as intermediate-stage. The difference simply had no words that could describe it completely.
Initially, when Ning Cheng would cast the Maximal Flame Spiritual Technique, he would not have any other choice but to escape. That was because, once he used the Spiritual Technique, his True Essence and Spiritual Consciousness would almost hit rock bottom. However, Ning Cheng believed that now, even if he used the Maximal Flame Spiritual Technique, he would still have enough energy reserves to escape, if he chose to.
These two scenarios definitely were not the same thing. Formerly, after Ning Cheng used this Spiritual Technique, Ning Cheng could only pray that he could somehow kill his opponent with it. Now, he had the choice to continue attacking or escape, if needed. At this moment, Ning Cheng finally started to view the Maximal Flame Spiritual Technique as his ‘true’ life-saving method.
Three months later, Ning Cheng completely solidified his cultivation at the intermediate-stage of Sea Opening Realm, while the ma.s.sive segment of Spiritual Vein had also shrunken down considerably.
Ning Cheng did not feel too bothered about it. It was not that he did not want to split the promised one-third of the segment with Tan Yun, but because as the Spiritual Vein shrank down in size with continuous use, the cultivation effect over him had also started to degrade.
……
Heavenly Dao Public Square.
Although the enrolment of disciples from across the Yi Xing mainland had ended, the Heavenly Dao Public Square remained quite lively. However, during these past few days, the Heavenly Dao Public Square became incomparably energetic.
All the people were aware that today the newly appointed Rainbow Fall Sword Sect’s Sect Master Ning Cheng would fight against the Yin Yang Dao Sect’s Rong Jin at the Heavenly Dao Public Square’s Sect Surpa.s.sing Censure.
This was a life-and-death showdown, although this showdown might not be comparable to a confrontation between the Tian Continent’s Dao Masters, it was still a showdown between peak experts. After all, one of them was a Crucible Transformation 7th Level Cultivator from the Yin Yang Dao Sect while the other was a rising star and the most famous person among the younger generation, Sect Master Ning Cheng of the Rainbow Fall Sword Sect.
Even if the Rainbow Fall Sword Sect did not invite the other factions during the hosting of Ning Cheng as the new Sect Master, Ning Cheng indeed was coroneted as the Sect Master, a fact that the Rainbow Fall Sword Sect acknowledged wholeheartedly.
Therefore, this showdown also related to the honour of the two major factions. The Rainbow Fall Sword Sect and the Yin Yang Dao Sect. The one who ended up losing, that faction would not just end up losing a Crucible Transformation Elder or a Sect Master; instead, they would also end up losing an extreme amount of face and respect.
Ning Cheng just arrived at the Heavenly Dao Sect’s Public Square, when his Spiritual Consciousness swept towards the crowd of disciples from the Rainbow Fall Sword Sect, containing Xun Hanrui, Fu Shengnan, Que Hongshui, Luo Ziyan, Liang Shi, Zhang Qian and the others. Previously, when Ning Cheng returned to the sect, he only saw Zhang Qian. As for the other disciples, he did not see any of them.
Now that these people came back, presumably they knew that he and a few older elders took the Rainbow Fall Sword Sect back causing them to once more return to the Rainbow Fall Sword Sect.
Although Ning Cheng knew that these people were helpless in this matter, but in Ning Cheng’s heart, the status of Zhang Qian, who remained behind to defend the sect, was still a lot higher compared to those fellows.
Ning Cheng was just about to go look when he found another group of people that stopped in front of the Rainbow Fall Sword Sect’s disciples. The number of people blocking the Rainbow Fall Sword Sect was a lot larger than the disciple group from the Rainbow Fall Sword Sect; moreover, Ning Cheng even knew one of the people from that group, Shen Buqun.
Shen Buqun was the True Inheriting Disciple from the Yin Yang Dao Sect, whom Ning Cheng had initially met during the Great Meet of the Academies. However, Ning Cheng had not fought against this person, as he had gotten off the stage after duelling for seven consecutive rounds one after another before finally stepping down from the stage to rest. Not coming up again. Initially, this fellow possessed the cultivation of Profound Core 9th Level; however, currently he was at the Great Circle of the Soul Essence Realm.
Compared to the lightning-fast progress of Ning Cheng, he did not progress by much. However, Ning Cheng also knew the reason for such a thing. That is, he possessed the Mysterious Yellow Bead, causing his cultivation to leap forwards several times faster compared to others. At the same time, it also showed that this Sheng Buqun was not as simple as he seemed on the surface.
Since he had to fight against Yin Yang Dao Sect’s Rong Jin then the disciples of Yin Yang Dao Sect wanting to cause trouble for the disciples of Rainbow Fall Sword Sect was something normal.
“What’s wrong, do you want to fight in the Heavenly Dao Public Square? Come, let’s compare notes then.”
Quo Hongshui, as one of the pampered pair from the Rainbow Fall Sword Sect, naturally couldn’t back down when the people from Yin Yang Dao Sect voluntarily came to him.
Zhang Qian, just from a single glance, could make out what kind of people were these hosts from the Dao Sect like. Zhang Qian’s status within the Rainbow Fall Sword Sect was now quite high. The primary cause was undoubtedly simple; when others besieged the Rainbow Fall Sword Sect, rather than choosing to escape like most others, Zhang Qian stayed back to fight.
Now that the Sect master was about to fight against a Crucible Transformation Cultivator from the Yin Yang Dao Sect at the Heavenly Dao Public Square, how could he let the prestige of Rainbow Fall Sword Sect drop in front of the disciples from the Yin Yang Dao Sect?
Shen Buqun spoke up with disdain, “You are a cultivator at the Soul Sculpting Realm, yet you want to unexpectedly fight against me, a cultivator at the Soul Essence Realm. Are you really not concerned about face?”
Luo Ziyan couldn’t bear it anymore and spoke out, “It looks like the side who is truly shameless is yours, isn’t it? For someone with high cultivation to challenge others with lower cultivation. From what I heard, isn’t it a Crucible Transformation Cultivator from your side who is challenging someone at the Sea Opening Realm?”
The disciples from the Yin Yang Dao Sect, on hearing those words, immediately turned angry. Luo Ziyan was obviously ridiculing Yin Yang Dao Sect’s Elder Rong Jin, for his challenge to the Rainbow Fall Sword Sect’s Ning Cheng.
Several of their disciples even brought out their magical weapons. It looked like the situation would erupt into a gang war at any moment. Although the Heavenly Dao Public Square strictly forbade any kind of fighting, if the hatred between the two sects grew any more, then this kind of gang war would pose extreme difficulties if one wanted to resolve it.
“f.u.c.k off.” A cold voice arrived, causing the face of more than a dozen disciples from the Yin Yang Dao Sect to go pale immediately before they quickly retreated. Just a single phrase, yet it almost caused more than a dozen disciples from Yin Yang Dao Sect to vomit out blood.
If Ning Cheng wanted, these more than a dozen disciples would have suffered a lot more than just vomiting blood.
“Such awe-inspiring power, a School Master actually stepping into the conflicts of lower levelled disciples. I finally get to see the unexpected bullishness of the Rainbow Fall Sword Sect. It turns out they relish in cowing lower levelled cultivators.”
Hearing those words, Ning Cheng knew that it belonged to Ji Xiu from the Yin Yang Dao Sect, the one possessing the cultivation of Crucible Transformation 4th Level.
“You can also f.u.c.k off; otherwise, I will immediately challenge you. From now on, anyone who has any intention of bringing harm to the disciples of my Rainbow Fall Sword Sect, I, Ning Cheng, will personally kill them.” Ning Cheng’s grand manner suddenly shot up, even his True Essence felt like it coursed through the air forming a sort of an air wall.
Although Ji Xiu’s complexion turned livid, he did not dare to not retreat. He could feel that he currently was not yet a match against Ning Cheng. Ning Cheng could quickly take care of Tang Gongxi, something that he had seen with his own eyes. If he wanted to kill Ning Cheng, he would need to at least advance to the Crucible Transformation 7th Level first.
“Humph, just a last ditch struggle before death. I, Ji Xiu, for good or for evil, am also a Crucible Transformation Elder of my Yin Yang Dao Sect, how could I haggle with a dead person? Alas, after Rainbow Fall Sword Sect’s Sect Master Rui departed, they seem to be going through one Sect Master after another.”
After Ji Xiu flaunted an argument, he could only slip away and leave the area leading the group of disciples from the Yin Yang Dao Sect.
He believed that Ning Cheng couldn’t escape from the hands of his Senior Apprentice Brother Rong Jin. Deep in heart, he honestly felt that Ning Cheng would definitely be the one to die here.
Ning Cheng watched as Ji Xiu led the disciples of Yin Yang Dao Sect away from this location; however, he did not continue with his ridicules. The Rainbow Fall Sword Sect recently suffered a disastrous decline. If it did not have a strong Sect Master to back it up, then the Rainbow Fall Sword Sect’s disciples would no longer be able to come out to mix with others.
The Rainbow Fall Sword Sect’s disciples on hearing Ning Cheng’s words, immediately felt their blood boil. Although this new Sect Master’s cultivation was not in the Crucible Transformation Realm, his speech was genuinely domineering. Moreover, those words contained such a high imposing manner in them that it even caused the Crucible Transformation Elder from the Yin Yang Dao Sect to flee in fear.
As for Que Hongshui and Luo Ziyan, the two pampered disciples of the Rainbow Fall Sword Sect, they couldn’t but feel complex emotions. When Ning Cheng had joined the Rainbow Fall Sword Sect, they were the one who stood in front of Ning Cheng giving him the choice of following them as their junior brother. Although they both possessed the cultivation in the Soul Essence Realm at that time; however, Ning Cheng ended up actually becoming their Sect Master today.
The world of humans was ever changing; n.o.body knew what tomorrow would have in store for them
“Greeting Sect Master…..” The several Rainbow Fall Sword Sect’s disciples happily saluted Ning Cheng. Even Fu Shengnan, who previously held a grudge against Ning Cheng, could not help but give him her most respectful salute. As for what she was thinking in her heart, no one but she knew.
Fu Shengnan had initially plotted against Ning Cheng. If Ning Cheng were currently not a Sect Master, then he most likely would have destroyed this woman. However, now he was the Sect Master and Fu Xiaomei’s friend at the same time. If this were not enough reason, then one would never strike a smiling face. Although he did not know why Fu Shengnan decided to come here, he could only behave as being blind despite having the sight.
Que Hongshui spoke in an apologetic manner, “The sect has changed greatly. The several of us could only choose to escape at that time. And for that, we ask Sect Master for punishment.”
Ning Cheng did not expect Que Hongshui to speak about this matter with a fair and honest voice. In his heart, it caused Ning Cheng to form a sliver of goodwill towards him because of his honesty, “This matter cannot be blamed on you all. Other factions hid around the Rainbow Fall Sword Sect, with your cultivation at the Soul Sculpting Realm, if you did not walk away, then perhaps you might not have been able to enjoy the life that you currently possess. It’s good that you came back, you can continue improving your own cultivation, before making some effort to help out the Rainbow Fall Sword Sect from now on.”
“Yes, Sect Master.” The several disciples of the Rainbow Fall Sword Sect bowed and replied in unison.
Ning Cheng knew that they were all here to cheer for him. However, he did not ask for much. He just watched Xun Hanrui smile and spoke, “Greeting Junior Apprentice Sister Hanrui has Junior Apprentice Sister Kexin not returned? Weren’t you and her together?”
Xun Hanrui’s complexion slightly changed, Ning Cheng suddenly felt a premonition in his heart. He first spoke to the rest of the people, “You all can head to the Sect Surpa.s.sing Censure area to cheer for me. I have something to discuss with Junior Apprentice Sister Hanrui. I will be back soon.”
……
“What happened, did Liang Kexin meet with an accident?” Ning Cheng brought Xun Hanrui to a rest stop and immediately asked.
Xun Hanrui quickly replied, “Sect Master….”
“Junior Apprentice Sister Hanrui, just call me as Senior Apprentice Brother Ning like before. I don’t plan to be the Sect Master for long anyway.” Ning Cheng knew that he wouldn’t be able to stay in the Rainbow Fall Sword Sect for long. Although he ended up appointed as the Sect Master, at that time, he felt quite helpless regarding it.
“Ok, Senior Apprentice Brother, Junior Apprentice Sister Kexin was taken away by the Mirage Gazing Island…..”
The words of Xun Hanrui did not finish when Ning Cheng immediately understood that it must have some connection to the 9-Colored Mirage Tree.