Cultivation Starting from Full Talent

Chapter 54: Chapter 53 Sects Gather

In the early morning, with clouds and mist entwining, many disciples from both the Inner and Outer Sects had already assembled in the square of the Inner Sect Hall.

Xu Ning arrived side by side with the Big Stupid Deer, keeping a very low profile in a corner.

“Junior Brother Ning!”

Not far away, someone called out—it was Lin Zhuojun.

“It’s Senior Brother Lin Zhuojun!”

Ning Daoran nodded with a smile, “It has been a long time since we last met.”

“Indeed, it has been a while.”

Lin Zhuojun smiled, “So, Junior Brother Ning is also participating in the mission to the Cangnan Secret Realm?”

“Yes, the Sect specifically named me.”

“I see…”

Lin Zhuojun didn’t say anything more. Instead, a group of Qi Refining Ninth Level cultivators, who were on good terms with Lin Zhuojun, all cast strange looks and quietly discussed the matter.

“How could someone at the Qi Refining Seventh Layer also be sent to the Cangnan Secret Realm? Could there be a mistake?”@@novelbin@@

“Hmph, this Ning Daoran is said to be a Second-level Spirit Farmer, but isn’t it suicide for someone at the Qi Refining Seventh Layer to enter the Cangnan Secret Realm? Not to mention the Demon Path, even the Righteous Cultivators might just take the opportunity to finish him off.”

…

Ning Daoran, with his exceptional Divine Sense and hearing, caught every word crystal clear. His mouth twitched, but he pretended not to have heard.

Soon after, Lin Sheng and Liu Ruyan also arrived.

Dressed in a moon-white Inner Sect female disciple’s long gown, Liu Ruyan looked like a fairy stepped out from a painting—unspeakably beautiful, attracting the gazes of many male disciples.

In the end, the fiery gazes naturally focused on Lin Sheng beside her.

What right did a mere Outer Sect Qi Refining Ninth Layer disciple, a waste with an Eighth Grade Spirit Root, have to be together with Fairy Liu?

For a time, the eyes of many disciples were filled with envy.

“Hmm?”

Lin Sheng frowned a little and glanced sideways at the group of disciples with a hostile look.

Although he had an Eighth Grade Five Spirit Roots, the strength of his Perfect Qi Refining was real, and in terms of combat ability, he was one of the standout disciples of the Inner Sect.

He had been through life-and-death missions many times, and if it really came to a fight, there were few disciples from the Chaotic Sect entering the Cangnan Secret Realm who could match Lin Sheng.

“All disciples, be silent!”

An Outer Elder swept his sleeve and said in a deep voice, “Our Chaotic Sect has stood in Qingzhou for thousands of years. Our disciples always strive to be the best on the Great Path. On this trip to the Cangnan Secret Realm, do not tarnish the reputation of our Sect!”

“Yes, Elder!”

The disciples were as if injected with new energy.

The Foundation Establishment Elder continued, “This time, entering the Secret Realm, if you encounter fellow disciples from our Sect, try to unite as one to seize the opportunity!

Moreover, for this trip to the Secret Realm, the Sect will only collect the three main ingredients for the Foundation Establishment Pill, the rest of the opportunities are yours. The ten disciples who collect the most main ingredients for the Foundation Establishment Pill will earn the right to the pill!”

The disciples’ blood boiled with excitement.

Ning Daoran remained silent, thinking that his fellow disciples were being too optimistic.

“Zha~~ Zha~~”

Suddenly, a loud cry echoed in the air.

When the disciples looked up, they saw a huge purple-feathered Kunpeng circling in the sky, its wings fanning. On the back of the Kunpeng, a figure gently descended.

Jiang Yu, the Sect Master of Chaotic Sect, had arrived.

“Greetings to the Sect Master!”

Everyone greeted with utmost respect.

It was said that Jiang Yu was a disciple of the late Fourth Elder, but was so promising that he reached Great Success in the Golden Core stage early, thus he became the Sect Master.

If it weren’t for this prodigiously emerged Mid-stage Golden Core Cultivator, after the disappearance of the previous Sect Master, the Chaotic Sect would have been without a Golden Core, and it would have fallen from a second-class to a third-class or even an obscure sect.

If that were really the case, there would likely be a great many powers eyeing the Chaotic Sect’s Third-tier Middle-grade Spiritual Vein!

“There is no need for such formalities, fellow brothers and sisters.”

Jiang Yu’s voice was soft and pleasant, making it difficult to associate it with a Golden Core Cultivator.

“Please, brothers and sisters, make some space. I am about to display my true form as Lei Peng. In a moment, you will fly directly to the back of the Lei Peng, and I will take you to the Secret Realm.”

“Yes, Sect Master!”

Everyone dispersed, clearing the central area of the square.

“Zha~~ Zha~~”

The bird of prey in the sky cried out again, swooping down with an increasingly large body, landing with a terrifying gust of wind. When it spread its wings, they spanned tens of meters!

Lei Peng, with the cultivation of the Third-tier Early Stage, was Jiang Yu’s Spiritual Beast.

The combat power of this Lei Peng was already comparable to a Golden Core Cultivator, and together with Jiang Yu, it meant the Chaotic Sect’s pinnacle combat power consisted of two Golden Cores. This was also the main reason why many powers did not dare covet the Chaotic Sect.

The crowd flew up onto the back of Lei Peng, and with a few movements, Ning Daoran, carrying the Big Stupid Deer, also arrived on the back of Lei Peng. The feathers beneath his feet were as hard as rocks, which did not give him any discomfort in standing.

“Junior Brother Ning?”

Suddenly, Jiang Yu’s gaze fell on Ning Daoran, “Why are you here too?”

“Ah?”

Ning Daoran truthfully replied, “Reporting to the Great Senior Sister, my name was also on the list…”

“Nonsense!”

Jiang Yu immediately turned around and questioned a group of Foundation Establishment Elders, “Ning Daoran is only at the Qi Refining Seventh Layer, and with his possession of Second-order Spiritual Plant Skill, how could he be on the list?”

“This…”

A group of Elders were left dumbfounded.

Among them, some had received benefits from Xu Ning when the list was being drafted and now didn’t dare say a word.

“Junior Brother Ning, you go back.”

Jiang Yu said, “You are not suitable to participate in the Secret Realm this time.”

“Sister, I’ve already come…”

Ning Daoran said, “If I go back now, others will think I am a deserter, and afterwards, my thoughts won’t be clear, which is detrimental rather than beneficial to my cultivation.”

“Alright.”

Jiang Yu gave a faint smile, “Then be very careful.”

“Thank you for your concern, sister.”

The disciples were all shocked; no one expected this kid to have actually established ties with the Sect Master’s great sister.

Ning Daoran, along with Big Stupid Deer, went to an inconspicuous corner on Lei Peng’s back, sat down, and began to enjoy the beautiful scenery.

The great peng bird soared into the sky, piercing through the clouds, and in the blink of an eye, they were in a world of clear and azure sky.

The disciples sat down cross-legged one after another.

Everyone’s expressions were somewhat unnatural; although participating in the Cangnan Secret Realm might well afford the chance to soar to the heavens and obtain tremendous opportunities.

However, no one could ignore the terrifying death rate of the Cangnan Secret Realm.

It was said that fifty years ago, of the two hundred members from Chaotic Sect who participated in the Cangnan Secret Realm, only over one hundred and twenty returned, a death rate as high as forty percent!

As for the current generation of disciples, whose cultivation was even lower than those fifty years ago, the final outcome was naturally imaginable.

At this moment, many disciples harbored a simple thought, which was not to seek merits but to avoid faults.

If they encountered opportunities in the Secret Realm, they should take them; if not, then forget it. Absolutely do not think about robbing others, since their own lives were the most important.

Of course, there were some disciples with higher cultivation levels, including Lin Sheng inside, who entered the Secret Realm destined to compete with others for opportunities.

With such limited resources, not everyone could return fully laden.

…

Lei Peng flew for a whole day and night, finally landing in a lush and verdant forest. In the distance, a huge cloud of mist hung in the sky, with prohibition mana fluctuations being extremely intense.

The Cangnan Secret Realm was now in sight.

Ning Daoran looked up, feeling the strong fluctuations of the Secret Realm’s prohibitions, his heart couldn’t help but shudder.

In a short while, this Secret Realm would become the burial ground for many Qi Refining Stage disciples; this was not an exaggeration.

Lei Peng landed in an open space and the disciples of Chaotic Sect disembarked one by one.

Not far away was the assembly place for disciples from another Sect, those people dressed in dark blue uniforms, were uniformly at the Qi Refining Ninth Layer or Perfect Qi Refining, outnumbering the disciples of Chaotic Sect by far, at a total of about five hundred.

The number of disciples entering the Secret Realm fluctuated each time, all based on strength.

“It’s people from the Sea Burning Sect.”

Lin Zhuojun looked into the distance, his eyes full of solemnity, “One of the only two first-class sects in Qingzhou; it is said that Sea Burning Sect is home to three Golden Core Ancestors, with considerable strength.”

At once, the pupils of the disciples trembled, not expecting those to be Sea Burning Sect’s disciples.

“Little girl Jiang Yu!”

In the distance, a golden light soared up, turning into a golden tunneling light and approached; an elder with a cane in hand, whose appearance was extremely aged, looked as if he could die of old age at any moment, but paradoxically, exuded a tremendously vibrant vitality.

Old Monster Tian Hai, a Mid-stage Golden Core Cultivator and Supreme Elder of Sea Burning Sect.

“Greetings, Fellow Daoist Tian Hai.”

“Very good~~~”

Old Monster Tian Hai’s eyes swept over the disciples of Chaotic Sect; in an instant, his Divine Sense swept past, and many disciples were unknowingly scrutinized for all their cultivation foundations.

…

At this moment, the clouds in the south fluctuated, and suddenly, blood-colored Flying Boats cut through the mist.

These Flying Boats were gigantic, with blood-colored banners planted on their sides, and even the bows were inlaid with huge Demon Beast skulls, exuding an extremely evil aura, putting immense pressure on all the Qi Refining Stage Practitioners.

“People from Soul Devouring Sect have arrived.”

A Sea Burning Sect disciple frowned and said, “What a big show, hmm…”

The Soul Devouring Sect, also a first-class sect, housed multiple Golden Core strongholds; the difference was that Soul Devouring Sect belonged to the Demon Path, more unscrupulous when seizing opportunities.

Righteous Cultivators still needed to fabricate excuses to appear justifiable and dignified when vying for opportunities; the Demon Path did not have this necessity. They simply robbed, which was more time-efficient.

In the sky, a mass of blood mist rumbled through, transforming into an elder in a long blood-red robe.

The Soul-devouring Demon, a Supreme Elder of Soul Devouring Sect, Mid-stage Golden Core, with a notoriously bad reputation in the Jianghu.

“Old Ghost Tian Hai, you’ve arrived so early!”

The Soul-devouring Demon’s gaze swept over the disciples of Sea Burning Sect and laughed, “Tsk tsk, even several True Inheritors are sent out; it seems that your Sea Burning Sect is determined this time to win back a Spirit stone mine?”

The struggle for the Cangnan Secret Realm wasn’t solely for Foundation Establishment resources, but also for Spirit stone mines.

There were three largest Spirit stone mines in Qingzhou; the Sect that placed first in the Cangnan Secret Realm could choose two, the second-place Sect got the remaining one, and the other Sects could only settle for scraps.

Fifty years ago, Soul Devouring Sect ranked first in the Cangnan Secret Realm, and thus today, they held two of the three large Spirit stone mines, which naturally was a fifty-year shame for Sea Burning Sect, which fancied itself as the number one Sect in Qingzhou.

“Humph!”

Old Monster Tian Hai sneered, “Soul-devouring Old Ghost, do you have the guts to make a wager?”