Chapter 0856: Seeing the Bridge of Coping once again
Ning Cheng came to the Defying Ice Mound to help Nalan Ruxue find a suitable spirit technique. Now, Nalan Ruxue found a spirit technique and decided to leave by herself after obtaining the inheritance. Ning Cheng naturally wouldn’t stay in this place.
The mutant law was a mighty one. But unfortunately, the mutant law aura within the Defying Ice Mound had also disappeared after Nalan Ruxue accepted the inheritance. Therefore, even if Ning Cheng wanted, he couldn’t continue comprehending it based on the remnant aura.
But just as Ning Cheng walked out of the Defying Ice Mound, he received Kong Ning’s message. He immediately sent back a message. After waiting for an incense stick worth of time, Kong Ning’s group eventually appeared in front of Ning Cheng. Among the four, the star on Jing Xingwen’s forehead looked a bit dim, and Ning Cheng even saw faint bloodstains on his exposed body. From this, Ning Cheng gathered that he suffered some severe injuries.
“It’s always a happy event to see Senior Apprentice Brother Ning again….” Kong Ning paused a bit before finishing her words.
She didn’t see Nalan Ruxue with him, and Ning Cheng didn’t seem too interested in speaking. In her opinion, Nalan Ruxue, Ning Cheng’s companion, should have fallen to the Defying Ice Beast Horde. As such, it wasn’t appropriate to continue speaking about happy events.
“Junior Apprentice Sister Kong Ning, can you tell me why you were looking for me?” Ning Cheng wanted to go to the Grand Essence Seven Bridges to explore and didn’t want to waste too much time with this group of four.
Kong Ning quickly replied, “Well, I’m in admiration of Senior Apprentice Brother Ning’s cultivation. What does Senior Apprentice Brother Ning think about my River Luo Sacred Sect?”
Ning Cheng spoke with an apologetical tone, “I’m truly sorry. It’s only my second time hearing about the River Luo Sacred Sect. You mentioning it before was the first time, so I can’t express an opinion about it. But since River Luo Sacred Sect can train someone like Junior Apprentice Sister Kong Ning, I can at least say that it’s got a strong foundation. Presumably, it’s a big sect.”
Hearing Ning Cheng’s words, Kong Ning’s group of four could only look at each other. Only after some time, Kong Ning spoke up with a dry voice, “Senior Apprentice Brother Ning, have you truly never heard of the River Luo Sacred Sect?”
Ning Cheng showed a slight frown. His previous words were only out of politeness. What did this River Luo Sacred Sect have anything to do with him? Why was it necessary to repeatedly ask him if he had heard of River Luo Sacred Sect?
Seeing the change in Ning Cheng’s expression, Kong Ning quickly spoke up. “Well, I want to invite Senior Apprentice Brother Ning to join my River Luo Sacred Sect. With Senior Apprentice Brother Ning’s cultivation, even within the River Luo Sacred Sect, you could obtain a separate sacred peak for yourself.”
Ning Cheng only showed a smile and said, “Many thanks for Junior Apprentice Sister Kong Ning’s invitation, but I’m used to being alone. I’m afraid I can’t stand the constraints of joining a big sect. In case I accidentally violate the sect rules, I wouldn’t be able to answer Junior Apprentice Sister Kong Ning’s kindness. If Junior Apprentice Sister Kong Ning has nothing else to talk about, then I will take my leave.”
Ning Cheng initially wanted to ask Kong Ning if she could tell him about the Grand Essence Seven Bridges. But, in the end, he dismissed the idea believing that he wasn’t the only one who wanted to explore the Grand Essence Seven Bridges. After arriving at Grand Essence Seven Bridges, he could just look for other cultivators to purchase information.
Seeing Ning Cheng walk away, Kong Ning couldn’t speak for a while.
“How could there be a person who doesn’t know about the River Luo Sacred Sect? Moreover, reject a direct invitation from Senior Apprentice Sister Kong. If someone heard of being invited to join the River Luo Sacred Sect, I’m afraid they would immediately try to wake themselves up thinking it’s a dream.”
Xi Zhilan spoke with an incredulous tone.
Jing Xingwen, the one with a star on his forehead, spoke up with a calm voice, “It’s why you’re still a minor disciple. This person could not only venture into the Defying Ice Beast Zone, but he could also come out safe and sound without a single scratch.”
“What’s so great about that? Isn’t his Dao Companion dead? A person who can’t even protect his Dao Companion is nothing but a piece of trash.” Xie Zhilan gave a defiant reb.u.t.tal.
Kong Ning waved her hand, “Enough. Stop fighting and let’s move. Such experts have their secrets. It’s not surprising that he doesn’t want to join the River Luo Sacred Sect. What a pity….”
“Sister Ning, did you want to recruit him for the Grand Essence Great Meet?” Xie Zhilan asked.
Kong Ning nodded, “Yes. If someone like Ning Cheng could join our River Luo Sacred Sect, our River Luo Sacred Sect would get more attention in the next great meet. That’s why I pity it.”
……
Without Nalan Ruxue, Ning Cheng could fly much faster by himself. Moreover, after his Twin Wings of the Heavenly Cloud underwent nirvana, its speed had also risen to a whole new level. Even in the Grand Essence Ruins, the environment didn’t affect it at all.
Grand Essence Seven Bridges. It was one of the most famous places in the Grand Essence Ruins. However, it wasn’t what Ning Cheng expected. Not many cultivators came to the Grand Essence Seven Bridges.
The spirit techniques in Grand Essence Seven Bridges indeed had high value, and countless people desired to obtain it. But the Grand Essence Seven Bridges was also one of the most dangerous places in the Grand Essence Ruins. Of the cultivators entering the Grand Essence Seven Bridges’ depths, out of ten, only two or three would manage to return alive, which was already the best-case scenario. As for whether those two or three who managed to return alive obtained any spirit techniques from the Grand Essence Seven Bridges, no one could say for sure.
The Grand Essence Seven Bridges contained a lot of danger. Yet, there were still a few cultivators who would occasionally make the trip here. In addition to the quest for greater power, another reason was that the spirit techniques in Grand Essence Seven Bridges’ spirit techniques weren’t limited to just the Seven Bridges Spirit Technique. Cultivators would occasionally find some other spirit techniques in this place. Moreover, these spirit techniques were also quite powerful and worth a bunch of points.
In the Grand Essence’s Quest Hall, most cultivators would usually take up tasks related to spirit techniques. That way, they could not only have the chance to learn those spirit techniques, but they could also rake in a lot of points. Except for some spirit techniques that they couldn’t reproduce, everyone would try to search for a way to learn the spirit techniques after completing the spirit technique-related tasks. Or at the very least, make an engraving of the spirit technique before going to hand it over at the Quest Hall.
But when Ning Cheng came to the Grand Essence Seven Bridges, he saw no one.
The Grand Essence Seven Bridges entrance was shrouded in a white mist cloud, which isolated one’s spiritual consciousness and carried a highly toxic aura. This kind of aura could not only strangle spiritual consciousness, but it also contained a violent power. People would feel as if someone was choking them the moment they entered the mist.
This kind of aura was somewhat similar to the one outside the Ancient Shadow Temple. When Ning Cheng had explored the Ancient Shadow Temple, he had also encountered a similar toxic mist near the Ancient Shadow Temple entrance. But the fog outside the Ancient Shadow Temple wasn’t even a fraction as potent as the one here.
Ning Cheng’s first feeling wasn’t for the mist here, but rather, he felt amazed at that man named Zhong Wuchen.
The Ancient Shadow Temple and the First Bridge of Coping were both built by Zhong Wuchen. Moreover, this fellow had built the Ancient Shadow Temple to learn the Seven Bridges Spirit Technique. Now that Ning Cheng saw this place, he immediately understood that Zhong Wuchen must have come to this place in the past. Otherwise, he couldn’t have simulated this environment along with the First Coping Bridge.
But even though Zhong Wuchen paid a great price, he couldn’t learn the Seven Bridges Spirit Technique. He couldn’t even complete the First Coping Bridge.
Ning Cheng took a deep breath. He decided to go into the white mist and look for the Seven Bridges Spirit Technique. It wasn’t due to Ning Cheng’s arrogance, but Ning Cheng’s belief in the Everlasting Blue Thunder Fort and his formidable body-forging cultivation method. With these two, he felt confident enough to cope up with any crises.
More importantly, Ning Cheng had a lingering suspicion that his Seven Bridges Realm Book and the Seven Bridges Spirit Technique had a connection. Now that he came to the Grand Essence Seven Bridges, he wouldn’t be able to sleep without going in and taking a look.
Ning Cheng brought out the Everlasting Blue Thunder Fort and without hesitation, stepped into the white mist.
The white mist isolated one’s spiritual consciousness. Even if Ning Cheng’s spiritual consciousness seeped into the white fog, he could only observe a few feet around him. Zhong Wuchen had arranged the Ancient Shadow Temple to simulate the Grand Essence Seven Bridges. Therefore, once he stepped into the white mist, he should eventually reach a door.
But what Ning Cheng didn’t expect was that his feet would step on empty air, instead of solid ground. After he stepped into the white mist, he found nothing, everything around him felt utterly devoid of anything.
While Ning Cheng stepped on air, a powerful suction force washed over him. But with the Twin Wings of the Heavenly Cloud already activated, and combined with Ning Cheng’s spiritual consciousness, he didn’t immediately fall. Instead, he descended into the depths at a slow speed.
After a full hour, Ning Cheng’s feet finally touched the ground. During this hour, his spiritual consciousness also slowly adapted to the surrounding violent and toxic mist. Initially, he could only extend it out to about three feet. But after adjusting to the pressure, he could now observe up to ten feet around him.
However, within the range of Ning Cheng’s spiritual consciousness, except for a few white bones, there were only black bones without even a remotely intact piece. These black bones lay scattered on the grey-black gravel, and if one didn’t look closely at them, one wouldn’t be able to notice it.
The violent and toxic mist repeatedly scoured around the Everlasting Blue Thunder Fort. But it couldn’t break past the Everlasting Blue Thunder Fort’s protective perimeter.
Ning Cheng actively stretched out his spiritual consciousness while walking on the grey-black gravel-covered ground. He used this opportunity to temper his spiritual consciousness further.
With an already mighty Starry Sky Sea of Consciousness, Ning Cheng’s spiritual consciousness slowly increased its range under the continuous tempering. Fifteen feet, twenty feet, thirty feet…..
A day later, Ning Cheng’s spiritual consciousness could already observe dozens of miles around him. Later, he even took the initiative to bring in some of the toxic mist. However, when this mist fell on him, apart from corroding his clothes, the impact on his body wasn’t as terrible as he imagined.
Ning Cheng secretly sighed that his body-forging cultivation method could not take him beyond the Starry Sky Body. Otherwise, refining one’s body in this place could have produced some significant progress.
Moreover, despite the many bones at his feet, Ning Cheng didn’t see a single ring.
After a few more days, Ning Cheng’s spiritual consciousness finally reached a limit and could no longer stretch any further. But at this time, he could also see a bridge-shaped silhouette about a hundred miles away from him.
After seeing this bridge silhouette, Ning Cheng quickened his pace without thinking and rushed towards it.
As soon as Ning Cheng reached the bridge’s head, he saw five scribbled characters right on the bridgehead, ‘First Bridge of Coping’. He could even see the faint dao charm circulating on these five characters’ surface, which could penetrate through one’s heart and soul. It was countless times stronger than the bridge he saw in the Ancient Shadow Temple.
But what puzzled Ning Cheng was that he didn’t encounter the same gloomy winds like when he reached the bridgehead in the Ancient Shadow Temple.
“Do you want to cross the bridge too?” A sudden voice appeared beside Ning Cheng. Only then did Ning Cheng discover that another person had appeared beside him. He immediately took a few steps back and looked at the cultivator who had suddenly appeared beside him with wariness. But Ning Cheng had a strange feeling that this cultivator’s cultivation wasn’t as strong as him.
This cultivator wore a grey robe and had very long hair. It draped behind him and matched his slightly pale face. However, this fellow would give anyone who glanced at him a very uncomfortable feeling.
He immediately noticed Ning Cheng’s wariness and waved his hand and said, “This dao friend, you don’t have to worry about me. You can already walk to the bridgehead of the Coping Bridge, that itself is an extraordinary feat. My name is Zhong Wuchen, and just like you, I want to cross that bridge. But I feel that I can’t do it on my own, so I wanted to find someone to form a team.”
If this cultivator hadn’t said that his name was Zhong Wuchen, Ning Cheng would have truly believed that this person wanted to look for others to form a team. But at the same time, when Ning Cheng heard ‘Zhong Wuchen’, his scalp immediately started tingling with numbness.