by Translator: BornToBe; Author: Ordinary Magician (平凡魔术师); Licensed From: 17k
She couldn’t help but wonder, had he gone senile? If even she had managed to catch his actions, then how was he thinking of hiding them from the vice sect master? It seemed Shui Yuncong had already lost his calm, and begun acting stupid.
“Shui Yuncong, where is this place?” asked the vice sect master.
“This place… is the trial region.” Shui Yuncong’s expression immediately became ugly.
“Since it’s the trial region, then monastery heads are unable to interfere in the struggle between disciples. Are you unable to even remember this simple rule? Even the sect master wouldn’t dare to break this rule. Even if disciples want to slaughter each other, you can only advise them. Do you really think you can act as the sect master? Then I’d have to congratulate you on advancing a whole realm!” said the vice sect master calmly. But the ridicule in his voice was not at all concealed.
After saying that, he turned to the disciples with their raised weapons. “In the trial region, disciples are permitted to exchange pointers without being held accountable. Please, continue. I’ll cheer for you!”
The vice sect master actually took a few steps back, taking on the attitude of a spectator wanting to watch the fun. The disciples immediately became flabbergasted.
They had only acted like this because of Shui Yuncong’s encouragement, as well as the fact that they had more people on their side.
Furthermore, Zhong Wuyan’s supermonastery’s people were also joining. Although Long Chen had won, they couldn’t allow him to hog all the glory.
But now the vice sect master said that disciples could kill each other here without punishment. Their faces immediately became green.
The Dragonblood warriors weren’t a group of people, but a pack of wolves. If they went over, then without the rules to protect them, would they be able to leave alive?
“Boss, this a good thing. Let’s hurry up and kill these bastards!” said Guo Ran, his eyes shining.
“Let it go. Bullying the weak won’t make you a hero. If you have the energy, go kill Corrupt experts. That’s the best way to gain fame!” Long Chen shook his head. He had long since seen through the essence of the Righteous path’s despicable methods. Their motto was that even if they couldn’t beat you, they would wipe their snot on you. Nauseating you was a good reward too. That was too low grade, and he couldn’t be bothered with it.
“What? You’re not fighting anymore? Then let’s hurry up and leave. In the Xuantian Dao Sect, there will be rules against killing. But if there are any unresolvable enmities, you can go to the life and death stage. There are 380 life and death stages in the Xuantian Dao Sect, and you can go to them at any time. You can pick one with good feng shui, and choose a good day for yourself.
“Of course, the life and death stages aren’t limited to just disciples. Even monastery heads can fight against each other. Recently, I’ve found that your passion has diminished as you fight amongst yourselves. It’d be better to learn from your disciples and fight with your fists!” said the vice sect master. His gaze swept over everyone.
Their hearts shook. The vice sect master was venting his rage. The ridicule in his voice could not be more obvious. Obviously, he was very clear as to what was going on.
If he had used a furious voice, that would have actually been better. Now that he said these words with a calm voice, their significance was a bit different.
The vice sect master was truly infuriated. Shui Yuncong and the Wang family head’s little actions hadn’t been hidden from him.
Normally, the two of them were at least a bit smarter and wouldn’t make such mistakes. But today, the two of them had been infuriated by Long Chen and had used this kind of trash method to smear Long Chen’s glory. Thus, the vice sect master was on the verge of going berserk.
But his many years of training allowed him to control himself. He didn’t explode. Instead, he spoke in such a calm voice.
“Don’t you all like to fight? Rather than fighting amongst disciples, a fight between monastery head experts should be much more interesting. Plus, the death of a monastery head would be able to shake the entire Eastern Wasteland.”
Seeing everyone lower their heads and not responding, the vice sect master couldn’t be bothered to continue. These people’s heads had already been corroded. He wasn’t a god, and he couldn’t change them. He could only give them a proper warning and make them reserve themselves.
Furthermore, if a monastery head really died, he would have a pile of work to do. He would need to report that to the higher-ups.
After all, the deaths of monastery head-level experts all needed to be reported to the head sect. That work was up to him, and he was busy enough.
With a wave of his hand, spatial strength circulated. The light of the sun pierced their eyes as they appeared in the Xuantian Plaza.
There had been no sunlight in the trial region. Now, the warmth of the sun elevated their moods, making them feel more relaxed.
“The trials are over. I trust that you understand just how beneficial they were to you. The next thing is the most significant matter. The Immemorial Path is scheduled to open three months from now. However, this Immemorial Path has no relation to ordinary disciples. Only Celestial-level experts can enter.”
Hearing this, everyone was startled. Just what was the Immemorial Path? Only Celestial-level experts had the qualifications to enter?
“Regarding the Immemorial Path, I will give more information to your monastery heads later, so ask them for explanations.
“Long Chen, according to the rules, the final treasure of the Netherworld Heaven Staircase must be publicly revealed. One reason is for the report to the higher-ups, while the other is to encourage the other disciples,” said the vice sect master.
Encourage? Are you sure it’s not to provoke them? Long Chen was speechless. But since the vice sect master had ordered him, he could only take out the case.
When that case appeared, all the disciples immediately stopped breathing. As the trial’s ultimate reward, this had to be a supreme treasure.
Shui Guanzhi, Zhong Wuyan, Yue Qianshan, and Zhao Wuji were all conscious now. They were being supported by other disciples.
Seeing that case, they let out helpless sighs. They had already done their best. But Long Chen had still taken the final reward. Was this fate?
As for Shui Guanzhi, his eyes were scarlet. He could have accepted anyone else obtaining the final reward, but the fact that Long Chen had obtained it infuriated him. He had an urge to charge over and break it.
The case opened. Long Chen was dumbfounded. Inside was another case.
Opening the smaller case, Long Chen’s expression sank. Inside was yet another case. His heart clenched.
On the Netherworld Heaven Staircase, he had obtained a pair of shabby boots, a belt, and an elegant blouse.
If this reward was also trash, Long Chen didn’t know whether or not he would die from rage. But that wasn’t possible. This was not a problem of luck anymore. The reward had long since been determined. It couldn’t be possible that the treasure would turn into trash the moment he picked it up, right?
On the seventh case, Long Chen’s expression became exceedingly ugly. Now, the case was only the size of a fist. Had they given him a quail egg?
The case opened, revealing an egg-sized pearl. As soon as it appeared, space trembled.
Endless mist surged out of it, and majestic water energy gave off a stifling pressure. Shui Guanzhi’s eyes almost popped out.
“Heavenly Water Pearl!”
The vice sect master couldn’t help being emotional. That was a priceless treasure. It was a natural treasure for water cultivators, one that would be equivalent to an Earth Flame to alchemists.
Shui Guanzhi’s heart pounded. This was the treasure that he needed. If he could refine it, he would be able to advance to become a rank three Celestial.
A rank three Celestial was a supreme genius qualified to enter the Central Plains’ head Xuantian Dao Sect. Sh
ui Yuncong’s heart immediately clenched. He had to obtain it for Shui Guanzhi.
“Long Chen, this Heavenly Water Pearl is useless to you. We would be willing to exchange other priceless treasures for it,” said Shui Yuncong.
“How is it useless? Do you think I’m stupid? The pearl contains endless water energy. Whether it’s for taking a bath or washing my feet, it’s extremely convenient. It’s very useful.” Long Chen coldly smiled.
In truth, Long Chen was filled with rage. He had obtained a priceless treasure, but it was absolutely useless to him. In fact, it was useless to the entire Dragonblood Legion as there was no water attribute expert amongst them.
“You… you’re going to use it to wash your feet?!” raged Shui Guanzhi.
“It’s mine, so I can do whatever I want with it. Even if I wanted to throw it away, it would have nothing to do with you. I definitely wouldn’t let some despicable little person get an advantage like that,” said Long Chen.
“Long Chen, if this pearl is useless to you, you can exchange it with the sect for other treasures free of charge,” reminded the vice sect master.
“Many thanks. This disciple understands!” Long Chen actually had quite the favorable opinion about this impartial vice sect master, so he was extremely respectful to him.
Now everyone had seen the treasure. Everything was over. Shui Wuhen brought everyone back to their camp.
Watching as Long Chen left, Shui Guanzhi was filled with rancor. He was going a bit crazy. This treasure that he urgently needed had actually been taken away by the worst possible person.
“Don’t panic. We’ll definitely obtain the Heavenly Water Pearl. Let’s go for now.” Shui Yuncong brought Shui Guanzhi away.
The others also left. The trials were over, but the atmosphere in the Xuantian Dao Sect was growing more and more tense.
Chapter 749 The Agreement
In a secluded cave in the rear mountains of the Xuantian Dao Sect, the vice sect master was respectfully facing a screen of light. Within the screen was a person, but their figure was extremely indistinct, and it was impossible to tell if they were a man or a woman.
“Oh? A demon-class genius has appeared in our Eastern Wastelands’ branch sect?” A voice came from the screen. The voice sounded extremely strange, and it even seemed similar to a spiritual fluctuation.
“Yes. Sect master, this person’s name is Long Chen…” The vice sect master began to recount everything he knew about Long Chen.
At the same time, he also activated a few photographic jades. Of course, no one had dared to activate photographic jades during the trial, as that was just courting death.
A portion of their memories regarding the 999th stair had been erased. But Long Chen’s triumph over the Four Heavenly Geniuses hadn’t.
“To draw trash three times is truly inconceivable. It is definitely unprecedented!” said the figure on the screen.
“Furthermore, the final treasure was a Heavenly Water Pearl. It’s useless to Long Chen, and useless to any of the people by his side. His luck is heaven-defying, so it makes me think of the legends…” The vice sect master shut his mouth here.
“It’s fine. I’ve already arranged a heaven-deceiving grand formation here. You won’t be noticed by the Heavenly Daos. You wish to say that he is a Divergent!” The strange voice was still completely calm without the slightest shock.
“Yes.” The vice sect master nodded.
“There truly are a kind of inconceivably unlucky figures amongst Divergents. It seems they are called Heaven-Seizers. They can’t rely on luck to live, and have to rely entirely on gambling with their lives on the line to gain opportunities. Because they forcibly snatch those opportunities from the heavens, they are called Heaven-Seizers.
“But the legends say that these people are destined to be bloodthirsty devils who create mountains of corpses and seas of blood. Such figures can’t have any friends or companions. Heaven-Seizers are surrounded by hatred, and any people by their side will fall. They are the bane of other people’s existence, and so they are all solitary figures, which causes them to be so vicious and leave no room for compromise.
“As for Long Chen, he is similar to them, but there are also aspects where he is the opposite of them. It is still too early to say that he is a Heaven-Seizer!” said the strange voice.
“My meaning was… shouldn’t we send Long Chen to the Central Plains? Leaving such a figure in our branch sect is a waste of talent. The Central Plains is the true playing field of geniuses,” probed the vice sect master.
“You should be afraid of being implicated, correct?”
“I… Yes!” said the vice sect master awkwardly. He was thinking about the Xuantian Dao Sect. If Long Chen was a Heaven-Seizer, their branch sect would be completely overturned by him. Most likely, not even one of the Four Heavenly Geniuses would survive.
It would be better to send him to the head sect. There were countless geniuses there who could stand shoulder to shoulder with him. Furthermore, he would obtain the best grooming. That was the best place for Long Chen. Most importantly, this place would be safe.
The Four Heavenly Geniuses might have fought each other and been disharmonious before, but it had always been within a certain limit. However, Long Chen had only just arrived and they directly began a battle to the death. So the vice sect master was truly worried.
“Sigh. As people grow older, their guts shrink!” the figure in the screen sighed.
“Please give me your wisdom, master!”
Hearing him say master, that voice’s tone became slightly more gentle. “To tell the truth, it was your master who let you down!”
“Disciple doesn’t deserve such words!” cried the vice sect master reverently.
“Let me finish. I’ve been focused on cultivating these past few years, so I left the Dao Sect to you to handle. I didn’t tell you many things, which has ended up holding back your cultivation. However, you really are foolish enough. Just because I didn’t tell you about some things, can you not comprehend them yourself?
“The four families have fought against each other for countless years, but I never bothered to discipline them. When I handed the Dao Sect to you, I also never said anything about them. Do you really not understand?” The figure’s voice was clearly a bit disappointed.
“Please forgive disciple’s foolishness,” said the vice sect master.
“Did you think that just because I left the sect to you to handle, that it truly was yours? That the rise and fall of the sect were predicated entirely on you? Do you think you’re a god?
“When the Xuantian Dao Sect is about to prosper, do you think you could stop it? When the Xuantian Dao Sect is about to be destroyed, do you think you could stop it?”
“I…” The vice sect master didn’t know how to respond.
“You couldn’t. Even I couldn’t. Even the patriarch wouldn’t be able to pull against the tide. A large sect has its own destiny, and when that destiny is over, no one can stop its decline. Tell me, what are you so worried about? You are just a housekeeper. Just complete your necessary duties. Because of Long Chen, you are actually worried about the entire Dao Sect. Why don’t you just start worrying about the fate of the entire continent?” said the figure helplessly.
The vice sect master was red, but he didn’t say a word.
“If Long Chen isn’t a Heaven-Seizer, then there’s nothing for you to worry about. If he is a Heaven-Seizer, then there’s even less for you to worry about. His life has been arranged by the heavens. It’s already fated when the heavens will take his life away.”
“Yes. Disciple was foolish.”
“Go. Everything will go according to fate. Don’t interfere in such huge matters, because the gains won’t make up for the losses. Let nature takes its course. Take the position of a spectator and you’ll gain more,” said the figure.
The vice sect master shook slightly. That last sentence was clearly telling him that he had been too strongly attached, to the po
int that he had lost himself in a maze. If he could escape that maze, then his mental realm would immediately leap to a new level.
“Many thanks for master’s pointers!”
“Go.”
After the vice sect master left the cave, the figure on the screen was silent for a moment before muttering, “Long Chen? Heaven-Seizer? Interesting. If I have a chance, I’ll definitely test that little fellow!”
…
Long Chen rested a night, but he only recovered to twenty percent. His injuries were too heavy, and the four types of Heavenly Dao energies’ were wreaking havoc in his body. Even with the primal chaos bead, he couldn’t heal them quickly.
His guess was that it wasn’t that the primal chaos bead had lost its effect, but that the trees he had planted were just not strong enough and were no longer able to keep up with his requirements.
He would need to find some new trees, or when he was injured in a fight, he would no longer possess the ability to heal quickly.
Furthermore, his physical body was growing more and more powerful, and healing pills had almost no effect on him. He would have to rely on the primal chaos bead.
“Girl, let’s go. Accompany this old man for a walk.” Long Chen saw Tang Wan-er waiting for him when he left his room. As for Tang Wan-er, she was delighted to see Long Chen had gotten out of bed.
“Oh, old man, your broken bones have only just healed! Are you sure you’re ready for a walk?” she teased.
“Of course. A person can become old, but that doesn’t mean their heart has become old. An old cow eats young grass[1]; come little girl, give this old man a hug!” laughed Long Chen as he went to wrap his arms around her waist.
Tang Wan-er twisted slightly and avoided Long Chen’s devil claws. She rebuked, “You only just recovered, but you want to mess around!”
“Hey, isn’t it just a joke? If we were like an old married couple, it would be too boring,” laughed Long Chen. He really liked how Tang Wan-er looked when she was angrily rebuking him. He considered that her most beautiful side.
“Who is an old married couple? Shameless.” Tang Wan-er turned red. Although she had been with Long Chen for this long, such frank words still caused her to blush.
