Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension

Chapter 300: Chapter 238 Level 1 Origin_2

“`

Hu!

As a long bell tone sounded, the Sixth-Rank Croc Dragon suddenly sprang from the ground, and large swaths of green and purple demon clouds instantly appeared beneath it.

In the blink of an eye, a ten-mile expanse of demon clouds surged into the sky and then, like a bank of clouds, swiftly drifted away toward the horizon.

Gazing into the distance, one could vaguely make out the Croc Dragon’s massive body oscillating its head and swaying its tail through the cloud mist, with the Jade Palace on its back intermittently visible.

…

A month later, in the eastern part of the Central Continent, near the Yunhuang Mountain Range, there stood a lofty peak thousands of feet tall, with scenery breathtakingly beautiful. This peak was named Heavenly Maiden Peak,

To the northeast of Heavenly Maiden Peak was the fertile expanse of Tianfu Plain, and to the southwest, the Yunhuang Mountain Range radiated with celestial beauty and abundant Spiritual Energy.

The Weaver Dong Family, a name well-known in the Tianzhu Realm, resided deep within the Yunhuang Mountain Range, their family estate built at the heart of a Third-rank Spirit Vein.

Heavenly Maiden Peak was the gateway to the Yunhuang Mountain Range and also the Dong family’s guest-receiving peak.

And thirty miles below Heavenly Maiden Peak was Jinlan City.

This city was a mix of immortals and mortals, with a population of a million, most of whom bore the surname Dong.

On this day, a cloud of demon mist flew from the distant skyline to hover above Jinlan City.

The demon cloud plummeted swiftly, landing in a vast open space outside the city.

In an instant, the demon cloud dispersed, revealing a Croc Dragon as large as a small mountain, its appearance ferocious and terrifying.

Ao!

The moment the Croc Dragon touched the ground, it couldn’t wait to let out a long howl to the heavens, venting the frustration it had accumulated over the past few days.

The dragon’s howl echoed for a hundred miles, and the overwhelming pressure from a Sixth-rank Demon Beast suddenly spread out, frightening countless nearby people and animals into a panic, causing them to lose control of their bladders and bowels.

On the Jade Palace atop the Croc Dragon, Zhao Sheng turned his head to look at his crocodile servant, Zhao Jiu, and with a displeased expression asked, “Uncle Jiu, aren’t we being a bit too ostentatious?”

“Thirteen Young Master, Cultivators and mortals are not so different; they have always feared power but do not appreciate kindness. Moreover, letting the Croc Dragon vent a bit is good as well, we’ve been pushing it quite hard these days.”

“Hmm,”

Zhao Sheng turned his head back towards the city below, nodding thoughtfully as he grudgingly accepted Zhao Jiu’s explanation.

…

Jinlan City, with its open and warm atmosphere, was completely different in style from the solemn and strictly ordered Xinglong City,

First, it was open and welcoming, evidenced by its lack of city walls.

Second, the city’s architecture showcased a variety of styles from the far south and remote barbaric lands to the north, truly a spectacle of splendor and diversity.

The residents of Jinlan City were even warmer than the city itself, and particularly hospitable.

Especially noteworthy was the attractiveness of its residents, all above average in appearance, where beautiful girls and handsome, cheerful young men could be seen everywhere.

Walking on the bustling streets of the city, the flow of people was like a weaving loom, and carriages came and went like a stream of horses and carriages.

The Zhao family formed a procession, with four Qi Refining Guards at the head of the team clearing vehicles and parting the crowd to forge a path.

In the middle of the team, Zhao Sheng, who was being escorted, was clad in white with a ringed belt, donning a Purple Jade Crown and Qingyun Boots, indeed looking like… a gilded monkey.

There was no helping it, for he was slim with a pointed face and monkey cheeks, looking nothing like a good person!

This image was rather jarring.

A classic case of the clothes not making the man!

However, Zhao Sheng walked with his head held high and chest puffed out, confident and self-assured, strutting with a regal gait, completely oblivious to the fact that his appearance had brought down the average beauty of Jinlan City.

“Young Master, shall we first visit the City Lord Mansion to present our visiting card, or should we rest at our lodging first?”

Zhao Sheng paused in his stride, without hesitation replied, “Let’s visit the City Lord Mansion first. Don’t forget the purpose of our visit.”

“Yes, Young Master!”

Shortly after,

The Zhao family procession traversed half of Jinlan City and arrived at the central City Lord Mansion, presented their visiting card, and after a brief conversation with the city lord, they left the mansion.

No sooner had Zhao Sheng and his party left the City Lord Mansion than the news of the Xinglong Zhao family’s intention to attend the upcoming Phoenix Meeting spread like wildfire across Jinlan City.

Information about the Xinglong Zhao family was swiftly delivered into the hands of all the interested parties.

A grand and luxurious estate, spanning nearly ten acres in the western part of Jinlan City, had changed hands a month ago and now bore the sign of Zhao Mansion.

Today, the estate finally welcomed its rightful owner.

No sooner had Zhao Sheng and his entourage arrived than the steward and servants, who had received the news, crowded around to welcome them through the gates.

The steward, named Zhao Jinzhong, was not only a Cultivator at the Qi Refining Late Stage, but his ancestors had also served the Zhao family for generations, making his loyalty unquestionable as a family-born servant.

He was sent half a month in advance to Jinlan City to take charge of the estate and gather intelligence.

The next day, after Zhao Sheng got up, groomed himself, and finished his meal, the steward immediately offered him a Jade Scroll.

“`

Zhao Sheng’s Divine Sense probed into the Jade Scroll, quickly perusing the intelligence contained within.

Indeed, the renown of the Weaver from the Dong family was formidable; a single Phoenix Meeting unexpectedly drew countless outstanding figures and prodigies to Jinlan City.

Among the Ten Great Sects of the Central Continent, apart from the Supreme Sensing Sect which sent no one, other Sects like the Carefree Sect, Future Temple, Lingyun Academy, Purple Sun Sect, Vast Sect, Elixir Cauldron Sect, Beast Taming Sect, Ksitigarbha Sect, Sky-splitting Sword Dao, and Immortal Device Sect, the nine major sects all sent their new generation of prodigies.

Among them, there were not a few “Little Taoists” who had achieved Foundation Establishment before the age of twenty.

Beneath the Ten Great Sects, second-rate Golden Core level Cultivation Forces like the Xinglong Zhao family were plentiful, not to mention the third-rate Foundation Establishment forces that weren’t even worth mentioning.

As for Loose Cultivators, there was no need for them to join the fray.

Unless you were blessed with exceptional talent and superior strength.

For instance, among the genius Loose Cultivators mentioned in the intelligence Jade Scroll was one nicknamed “Flying Spirit Sword,” barely twenty-three years old when he achieved Foundation Establishment Success, barely counted as one of the more renowned contestants beneath the “Little Taoists.”

Zhao Sheng counted once over—there were over a hundred competitors with names and surnames, all with extraordinary backgrounds.

Not to mention, there were even more figures who were low-profile, unwilling to expose their strength prematurely, akin to “dragons and snakes lying in the deep.”

Zhao Sheng was secretly astonished; the Dong family had just released the position of Reserve Weaver and yet had caused such a huge stir.

If the true Weaver were to emerge, wouldn’t it draw Golden Core Daoists and even Nascent Soul Ancestors from the Five Continents and Four Seas to personally attend?

Even before the Phoenix Meeting had begun, beneath the prosperity and clamor of Jinlan City, there were already ripples of undercurrents surging, and intelligence flew high and far.

While Zhao Sheng was gathering information on others, the related intelligence of the Xinglong Zhao family was also being laid out on the tables of other forces.

It was a pity that Zhao Sheng had kept a too low profile before, resulting in scant information about him.

There’s no doubt about it, although the Phoenix Meeting hadn’t started, the “war” had actually already begun from the moment they entered the city.@@novelbin@@

The first challenge of the Phoenix Meeting: Origin!

This challenge directly weeded out the majority of Loose Cultivators and inconsequential Sects and families.

The Dong family rarely married their daughters to anyone less than extremely rare talents.

Don’t blame the world for being so realistic; in fact, the Cultivation World is a hundred times more realistic and cruel than you could imagine.

Why did Zhao Sheng, upon just entering the city, actively present his visiting card? Its purpose goes without saying.

Sure enough, on the third day after entering the city, an invitation scroll for the Phoenix Meeting was delivered into Zhao Sheng’s hands.

He easily passed the challenge of Origin!

…

Seven days later, Zhao Sheng, adorned with a Purple Jade Crown and a red robe, calmly ascended Heavenly Maiden Peak.

Standing among a group of handsome men, the unassuming Zhao Sheng immediately became the epitome of an ugly duckling, which by comparison, made him look even more unfavorably by three parts.

However, Zhao Sheng wasn’t worried at all.

Although the Cultivation World might judge by appearance, it is one’s virtue (strength) that is the most important.

And he just so happened to excel at winning people over with virtue!

At the peak’s side, Zhao Sheng stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze overlooking the competing counterparts opposite him, the Five-Colored Divine Light surging in his eyes.

In an instant, more than two hundred Qi Fortune Light Pillars of varying heights soared into the sky!

“Red, red, blue, blue tinged with purple… Eh, there’s even one red-purple, how curious and strange!”

Zhao Sheng’s gaze turned towards the individual with the red-purple Qi Fortune, a youth with cold brows and an upright figure.

He looked very familiar!

In an instant, information about this person surfaced in Zhao Sheng’s mind: “Li Feixuan, a former Martial World Knight who turned to Cultivation, born with three spirit roots of metal, water, and fire, an Early-stage Foundation Establishment Loose Cultivator. Nicknamed ‘Flowing Light Saber,’ he has fought countless bloody battles in his life, displaying extraordinary strength.”

Zhao Sheng merely glanced at this person, but Li Feixuan’s keen intuition made him suddenly turn his head and look over.

Zhao Sheng smiled at him and naturally shifted his gaze away.

Zhao Sheng was not concerned about Li Feixuan; there were many more formidable than him at the venue.

He had only found it strange to see a few strands of Purple Fortune within the man’s Red Fortune.

Little did he know, Li Feixuan was extremely shocked at that moment because inside his body, the Ancient Exotic Insect, Thousand-Autumn Cicada, was extremely agitated and buzzing continuously.

And, the object of its fear was unmistakably that unremarkable-looking short fellow.

“How is this possible? The Thousand-Autumn Cicada is one of the top ten Ancient Exotic Insects; why is it so frightened?” Li Feixuan wondered in silence.

Having surveyed everyone’s Qi Fortune and cross-referencing the collected data, Zhao Sheng was set in his estimation, hence his demeanor became even more composed.

An hour later, flocks of Cloud Phoenix Birds, donning white plumed crowns, flew from the distant depths of the mountain range, swiftly landing on the top of Heavenly Maiden Peak.

Without needing to go into detail, everyone quickly chose a Cloud Phoenix Bird and mounted it.

In a short while, the Cloud Phoenix Birds took off, flying towards the depths of the Yunhuang Mountain Range.