386 They Won’t Get What We Can’t Get
However, they knew this approach was correct, holding the promise to unravel the bronze realm’s mystery further. But, it required decades of exploration, and their dwindling lifespans could not accommodate such a lengthy endeavor.
From that day forward, their cooperation shifted from deciphering the secrets of the bronze realm to eliminating hopeful prodigies.
“They won’t get what we can’t get,” the old man from the Ghost Ox sect declared, the madness in his eyes intensifying.
Decades of harsh confinement had led many geniuses, once renowned in their respective sects, to lose all recognition, leaving behind only twisted resentment. They could not bear the thought of their juniors possibly unlocking the mysteries of the bronze realm.
“Ugh…” Guo Ze, whose limbs were broken, lay on the ground, his eyes wide with shock. His body was covered with wounds, his blood and qi pulsating wildly.
Such an injury, while severe, was not fatal to a future king. Given some time, his broken limbs would heal. He wouldn’t die due to excessive blood loss. However, he would be left crippled, a fate worse than death.
“What should we do with this Lion Spirit Mountain brat?” the elder from Wuji Mountain asked, glancing at the tall elder from Lion Spirit Mountain.
“Hehe… Let him exist in this state. He can live until the next great slaughter, serving as a spectacle for those young ones.”
The old men sneered, looking both savage and unhinged.
Not far away, a naked young woman from the Blue Sea Pavilion lay in a pool of blood, her clothes disheveled. Her tendons were shattered, and her dantian was destroyed. However, she felt no pain at that moment. She just gazed listlessly at the sky. Or perhaps, she was looking at something else.
“Senior Brother… I’m sorry…” Liu Fang whispered, but no one paid heed.
…
“Ding! You have collected [Ancient Azure Illusion Scripture Essence], [Ancient Azure Illusion Scripture] has been upgraded!”
“Ding! You have collected [Ancient Azure Illusion Scripture Essence], [Ancient Azure Illusion Scripture] has been upgraded!”
“Ding! You have collected [Ancient Azure Illusion Scripture Essence], [Ancient Azure Illusion Scripture] has been upgraded!”
Two months passed quietly.
Qin Huai moved among the dozen or so kings, collecting the experience points they dropped. Despite being future kings, their mastery in cultivation techniques was profound.
However, their understanding of the ancient azure illusion scripture still fell short compared to Qin Huai’s. Even so, Qin Huai’s comprehension of the ancient azure illusion scripture had improved to sixty percent in two months, marking a significant leap in progress.
Qin Huai had also gleaned substantial insights from other cultivation techniques. When the others practiced their respective sects’ techniques, Qin Huai would collect relevant experience orbs. Then, he would use the divine power book of a thousand creations to refine the blood heart technique.
In two months, Qin Huai’s blood heart technique not only successfully broke through the fourth-level bone pattern realm, but also made fifty percent progress toward the fifth level. He only needed to wait another month or two to reach the third full pattern.
Whenever their negotiations heated up, Qin Huai would often spot the trio engaged in fervent debates in the forest. As for the reason for the intense discussions, Xiang Mingfeng’s candid nature likely played a significant role.
For instance, a prodigy might dismiss Xiang Mingfeng’s proposal, believing that they could accomplish what others couldn’t. Yet, in the next second, Xiang Mingfeng would mercilessly ridicule them: “You can’t even beat me, so how can you talk about being extraordinary? Where does your confidence to understand the ancient scripture come from?”
Such confrontations typically led to intense, often dramatic, exchanges. In just two short months, Xiang Mingfeng was either in the middle of a debate or en route to one.
Meanwhile, Qin Huai dutifully trailed behind the two, soaking up their knowledge. After two months of camaraderie, Qin Huai and She Wanshan had grown significantly closer. The latter’s age was similar to his, but he was only in his prime. He was the youngest of the three kings.
…
The wind rustled, and the sun ascended.
Qin Huai sat cross-legged on a massive rock, engrossed in his cultivation. His ancient azure illusion scripture had already shattered the barrier of the bone pattern realm, and his cultivation speed was no slower than the process of collecting everyone’s dropped experience points.
In his dantian’s bronze world, Qin Huai had been striving to conjure a living, flesh-and-blood creature. Despite battling the blood wolf and the dragon, all attempts had ended in failure. Currently, he could only muster an embryonic form that could neither move nor attack.
Not far away, She Wanshan approached, his face streaked with dust. “Brother Zhou, pause your training,” he said, patting Qin Huai’s shoulder.
“What’s the matter…” Qin Huai opened his eyes, taking in She Wanshan’s disheveled state. “Have you been trying to convince yourself?”
“Ah, that stubborn fellow from Lion Spirit Mountain is nothing like the friendly and humble Senior Guo Ze…” She Wanshan’s tone was one of resignation. “Senior Brother has been attempting to persuade him for two months, but it’s still a stalemate.”
“I tried to sway him today, but to no avail.” Qin Huai knew that this was the result of ‘persuasion.’
The ‘stubborn’ one from Lion Spirit Mountain was indeed the strongest among them, walking a path similar to Qin Huai’s own physical journey. In close combat, no one could match him.
“If all goes well, the great slaughter will happen tomorrow morning,” She Wanshan mentioned, sitting beside Qin Huai and striking up a conversation while resting.
“Brother Zhou, do you know why we’re so obsessed with the bronze realm?” She Wanshan, recalling that Brother Zhou was a rogue cultivator, felt compelled to share some secrets about the visceral prefecture realm.
“Isn’t it because of the power of the ancient scripture?” Qin Huai replied.
He surmised that She Wanshan might want to discuss spiritual items. Although he knew that a spiritual item was necessary to advance to the visceral prefecture realm, he was unfamiliar with the finer details.
“Whether it’s to break through or to leave the bronze realm, it all ties back to the manor-guarding spirit item!” She Wanshan’s eyes sparkled as he spoke.
This content is taken from fr(e)ewebn(o)vel.𝓬𝓸𝓶