Chapter 76 - Arc 7: Dragon Ascension Gate | Chapter 76: The Front of Tenglong Peak
Translator: Lynn
Afterward, the journey proceeded smoothly, and approximately an hour later, the carriage floated steadily in mid-air and came to a stop.
Xu Ziqing gazed out of the car window and beheld a towering mountain range before him, stretching endlessly and disappearing into the billowing clouds. The mountains were enveloped in spiritual mist, creating an elusive sight as if a colossal dragon was riding the clouds and fog.
Elder Wu’s voice sounded, “We have arrived.”
All the disciples stood up and straightened their clothes, ensuring they displayed proper etiquette in front of the gatekeepers.
Xu Ziqing followed the crowd, and Su Xin, who was usually straightforward, appeared slightly nervous.
Before long, the carriage door opened.
Everyone gathered at the carriage door, yet it didn’t feel crowded.
In an instant, Elder Peng and Elder Wu appeared before them.
The auras of the two elders were restrained as if they were standing in the void, which was truly astonishing. Based on their cultivation levels, they shouldn’t possess such power unless they possessed special skills. However, the next moment, everyone realized that the two elders weren’t standing aimlessly. Beneath their feet, they stepped on a swirling cloud.
Elder Peng stated, “Step down.”
Elder Wu added, “Step onto the clouds.”
Everyone comprehended and calmly jumped down.
Xu Ziqing felt that the ground beneath his feet wasn’t soft and yielding; instead, it was exceptionally solid, like flat ground. He couldn’t help but be amazed.
The cloud beneath them appeared small, seemingly only accommodating two people standing. However, as the monks stood up, they didn’t feel crowded at all. The cloud continuously extended outward to accommodate everyone. Such spirituality was truly remarkable. Xu Ziqing wasn’t the only one amazed by this phenomenon; the other individuals also wore curious expressions. Nevertheless, they restrained themselves since they had arrived at the Tenglong Mountain Range.
Having observed that all the disciples had disembarked from the carriage, Elder Wu turned around and uttered an incantation.
A beam of purple light shot directly onto the luxurious carriage, causing it to emit a colorful glow before rapidly shrinking. With a “swish,” it vanished into Elder Wu’s palm. It appeared to have been put away.
The disciples stood still and surveyed their surroundings.
Only then did they realize that not only were there clouds floating beneath their feet but there were also several clouds nearby, upon which many monks stood, accompanied by their masters. The favored ones observed others, and others observed them, yet no conversations took place.
Elder Wu spoke, “Be patient and remain safe. There are still more people to come.”
Upon hearing this, the disciples understood.
Although a gatekeeper was present to welcome them, the gatekeeper’s status surpa.s.sed that of everyone else. With everyone arriving one after another, could the gatekeeper personally welcome each individual? Naturally, the gatekeeper would emerge only after everyone had arrived and guide them into the mountains together. However, any genius who could reach this point wasn’t foolish. Even those who had arrived early and felt impatient maintained a stoic expression and refrained from complaining.
After waiting for a while, several horse-drawn carriages thundered in, accompanied by more spirit birds and magic weapons carrying people. It took nearly half an hour before the crowd gradually dissipated. It was now dusk, and this was the final time limit. There was no need to wait any longer, and simultaneously, the Tenglong Mountain Range underwent an instantaneous transformation. Vast white mist swiftly converged on the towering mountains, forming a long path of clouds that stretched forward.
A figure strolled leisurely on the cloud road. Despite the monks’ keen eyesight, they could only discern his tall stature and ethereal temperament. His handsome features appeared shrouded in a layer of clouds, making it difficult to see him clearly.
Originally distant, the man suddenly drew near in the blink of an eye.
He stood at the forefront of the cloud road.
Now, everyone could clearly see his face.
It was none other than a remarkably handsome young man, with deep eyes resembling cold stars and a smile on his lips that conveyed an air of aloofness. Upon seeing him, everyone couldn’t help but feel a sense of shame.
“Everyone arrived early,” the young man spoke, his voice carrying a peculiar rhythm. With a flick of his sleeves, the clouds beneath everyone’s feet stirred.
As if responding to an unseen command, the clouds surged up instantly, swiftly converging and connecting with the cloud road—or rather, becoming an integral part of it.
The young man donned a snow-white brocade garment adorned with patterns resembling flowing clouds, intricately lifelike. He didn’t look at each individual, yet everyone felt as if something had swept over them, sending a shiver down their spines.
But this sensation pa.s.sed in an instant, and the young man nodded slightly. “Welcome, everyone. Follow me,” he said, turning around and proceeding along the cloud road.
This demeanor wasn’t rude or intentional on the part of the youth. It simply seemed to be taken for granted.
At least in the perception of everyone present, they didn’t feel that the young man’s actions were amiss. It seemed natural and expected.
Xu Ziqing’s heart trembled suddenly.
This man had the ability to influence their sanity! He rendered them incapable of resisting! Recognizing this, he halted in his tracks and surveyed his surroundings. To his surprise, everyone was walking forward in a daze—even Elder Wu of the Golden Core Transformation Stage was no exception, appearing oblivious to anything out of the ordinary.
Xu Ziqing couldn’t help but feel astonished.
How profound was this young man’s cultivation? He pondered further and realized that this man was a powerhouse from the big world!
Taking a slow, deep breath, Xu Ziqing outwardly displayed no signs of abnormality. Instead, he silently employed the “Ten Thousand Woods Great Heart Planting Technique,” and indeed, his clarity of mind grew more p.r.o.nounced.
At that moment, he also somewhat grasped the fact that the young man must possess a technique capable of bewitching people’s minds. Moreover, his cultivation level far surpa.s.sed that of all the monks present, enabling him to bewitch so many individuals simultaneously. Xu Ziqing was able to awaken due to the extraordinary nature of his own martial arts.
The “Ten Thousand Woods Great Heart Planting Technique” had been cultivated to a profound level, granting Xu Ziqing the ability to command all trees in the world and tap into their consciousness.
Although Xu Ziqing hadn’t reached that level yet, he already had numerous natural trees within him, including an incredibly powerful Bloodthirsty Demon Vine serving as a main tree. Hence, despite the young man’s strong consciousness, Xu Ziqing could only be momentarily bewildered.
After gaining clarity, Xu Ziqing resumed walking slowly alongside the crowd.
The young man appeared oblivious to Xu Ziqing’s different state. He led the monks deeper into the mountains, while the cloud road behind them gradually shortened… Finally, after the time it took to burn two sticks of incense, the young man came to a stop and lightly clapped his hands.
Suddenly, all the monks awoke, feeling as though they had only taken a few steps and arrived. They had no recollection of what they had seen along the way or the specific route. They remained unaware that it was the young man who had confused them, instead marveling at the extraordinary abilities of the big world. A mere mountain range possessed such skills.
Xu Ziqing let out a sigh of relief. Judging from the situation, this individual from the big world didn’t harbor any ill intentions toward them. His goal was simply to prevent them from clearly seeing the path into the mountain range.
Fortunately, incredibly auspicious.
At this moment, only a layer of clouds remained on the cloud road. The young man leaped up, his robe billowing like a big bird, before descending to the bottom of the cloud.
The monks didn’t understand the young man’s intentions, but they gritted their teeth and followed suit, jumping down like him.
Several blades of gra.s.s, as long as a person, sprouted around Xu Ziqing’s body, swaying back and forth on either side. When he descended, he did so slowly, aided by these gra.s.s blades. He noticed monks all around him, their auras shielding their bodies. After a while, they were near the ground.
Xu Ziqing retracted the gra.s.s blades and landed gracefully.
The other monks also descended without much difficulty. Those teachers accompanying them possessed profound cultivation, maintaining calm and composed movements.
The young man stood before them like a refined gentleman, exuding an exquisite elegance. “My surname is Tang, and my name is Wenfei. This is the front peak of Tenglong Peak, known as Crouching Dragon Peak.” Everyone extended their clasped hands and respectfully addressed him, “Senior Tang.” Then, they took in their surroundings.
At the summit of the peak, clouds enveloped the surroundings, infusing the air with refreshing coolness and a sense of clarity that brought joy and comfort to the depths of one’s heart.
There was nothing else atop the peak except for an abundance of rocks, each peculiar and ever-changing. No flowers or plants adorned the area; it was utterly bare.
Tang Wenfei smiled and gracefully waved his robe sleeves. “Please, everyone, take a seat,” he said. As he spoke, the rocks rumbled and rolled, soon forming neat rows in front of him. In a flash of white light, they transformed into hundreds of futons.
None of the monks dared to refuse. They sat down, adhering to their respective sects and affiliations, choosing to sit near their companions.
Tang Wenfei was pleased to see everyone taking their seats. With another wave of his sleeves, a small table appeared before the monks. Fragrant tea was placed on the table, enticingly aromatic. He spoke, “You all must be weary. Please take a brief rest. I hope you won’t mind this humble tea.”
The gatekeeper’s politeness flattered all the monks. They observed his every movement, picked up their teacups, and took a sip. Immediately, praises overflowed.
“This is truly remarkable tea from the Immortal Sect!”
“Such wonderful tea, truly exceptional!”
Xu Ziqing remained silent, stealing a quick glance at Tang Wenfei while sipping his tea. At that moment, he detected a trace of disdain in the young man’s eyes.
Sighing inwardly, Xu Ziqing lowered his eyelids.
People from the big world truly aren’t as approachable as they may appear…
As the monks enjoyed their tea and lauded its flavor, a sense of calm settled over the gathering.
Tang Wenfei smiled lightly and, sensing the calm, spoke up. “Since you all seem to appreciate it, let us continue.” Once again, he waved his sleeves, and the fragrance of tea wafted from the cups.
At this point, the monks were notably more composed.
With a smile, Tang Wenfei addressed the gathering. “This grand a.s.sembly takes place on Tenglong Peak. However, before proceeding, I kindly request that each of you present your respective certificates.”
The monks responded, saying, “Of course, of course, that is only fitting.” They promptly produced their certificates.
Tang Wenfei surveyed each person and gently tapped his finger. The gathering was then divided into two groups.
Su Xin’s seat swiftly shifted to the right, while Xu Ziqing slid to the left. He didn’t need to examine the situation too closely to realize that the larger group on the left was chosen based on their cultivation, while the smaller group on the right was selected based on their spiritual roots.
Tang Wenfei smiled once more. “Furthermore, there is one more matter that requires your cooperation.”
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