Chapter 292: Chapter 293: Barbarian King City
The Ancient Spirit Sect was divided into three teams for this occasion. One team was led by Ye Wushuang. Perhaps by special arrangement from Sect Master Nangong Liuyun, Qianling, Ye Rou, and Yang Qing’er were all assigned to his team.
In addition, members such as Meng Fanx and Chengg Tao also joined. All of them possessed the strength of the True Essence Ninth Layer.
As for Qiu Mo, he was assigned to Jian Bufan’s team, as was Ye Cheng.
The courtyard was filled with many pavilions. To help the team members familiarize themselves with one another, each team’s living quarters were clustered together. Ye Wushuang’s team was located in the pavilions in the west corner of the courtyard.
With the arrangements settled, everyone headed toward their respective residences.
"This is for you. Take these next few days to practice it." Star Elder approached Ye Wushuang and handed him a scroll.
Ye Wushuang took the scroll. It recorded a secret technique called the Concealing Breath Technique.
"This is a secret technique for concealing your aura and hiding your cultivation level. It should be of some help to you... COUGH COUGH COUGH." Star Elder said, coughing several times.
"Master, are you alright?" Ye Wushuang rushed forward to support him, a worried expression on his face.
"I’m fine. I can still hold on for a while. With me overseeing things this time, you don’t need to worry about anything else," Star Elder instructed. The main reason he had come to the Barbarian God Battle Platform was to help Ye Wushuang overcome this fated tribulation.
Ye Wushuang understood this. Thinking of the Holy Medicine needed for his master’s treatment, he immediately asked, "Master, is there any Holy Medicine to be found at the Barbarian God Battle Platform?"
"Holy Medicine? You kid!" Star Elder was stunned for a moment, then a smile bloomed on his face. Of course, he knew what Ye Wushuang was planning. ’He’s doing this for me.’ He couldn’t help but be touched.
Before Star Elder could speak, Nangong Liuyun stepped forward. "Ye the Kid, if you want to obtain a Holy Medicine, you’ll need to secure a spot in the top five during the finals. Only then will you have a chance."
"Only in the top five?" A glint flashed in Ye Wushuang’s eyes.
"The top ten finishers in the Barbarian God Battle Platform all receive special rewards. In the last few tournaments, a Holy Medicine was among the prizes for the top five. If you want to obtain one, you must at least place in the top five. That’s the only way you’ll have a chance."
A smile touched Nangong Liuyun’s lips. He didn’t know that Ye Wushuang needed the Holy Medicine to save Star Elder.
However, he knew that for Ye Wushuang to inquire about it, he must need it desperately. His reminder was, without a doubt, a way to motivate him.
’Top five!’
Ye Wushuang murmured to himself, locking his sights on that goal.
Star Elder said, "Just do your best. That you have the heart to do this is enough for me."
Nangong Liuyun added, "Go get some rest and prepare yourself. Your master and I have some matters to discuss with the others."
At these words, Ye Wushuang nodded and then walked over to his teammates.
"Xiaoshuang, what’s wrong?" Ye Rou asked, stepping forward when she saw his heavy expression. The rest of the group turned to look as well.
Ye Wushuang shook off his somber mood and smiled. "It’s nothing. Let’s go check out the rooms first."
"My grandfather forged this Dragon Blood Battle Saber and asked me to give it to you." Qianling took out a blood-colored battle saber and handed it to Ye Wushuang.
The Dragon Blood Battle Saber looked the same as before, but the inscriptions were far more complex and the blade itself seemed more alive, emanating a vicious aura.
As this aura spread, the very air seemed to freeze. Everyone felt as if they were being targeted by a ferocious beast, and a cold shiver ran down their spines.
Qianling explained, "Grandfather originally planned to forge a Top-Grade Spirit-Connected Treasure. However, during the Spiritual Infusion, he didn’t have a Flood Dragon Soul and had to substitute it with that of a Fierce Python. As a result, it’s one tier weaker, reaching only the Middle-Grade Level."
Ye Wushuang accepted the Dragon Blood Battle Saber and gave it a few swings, overjoyed. "This is more than good enough. It will serve me well for some time."
"’For some time?’"
Hearing Ye Wushuang’s words, Meng Fanx, Chengg Tao, and the others wore strange expressions. A Middle-Grade Spirit-Connected Treasure was an incredibly rare artifact to them, yet Ye Wushuang said it would only serve him "for some time"?
After putting away the Dragon Blood Battle Saber, Ye Wushuang led the group toward the pavilions to choose their rooms.
Ye Wushuang also picked a room. The window looked out directly toward the distant Barbarian God Battle Platform. Gazing at the massive platform suspended in the sky, he felt a surge of excitement.
Sometime in the early afternoon, the ten of them gathered in Ye Wushuang’s room.
"This year’s Barbarian God Battle Platform will be unlike any before. To fight for the Barbarian God’s Blessing, the major influences have poured all their resources into training their disciples. The competition will be far more brutal than in the past."
"Indeed. It will be incredibly difficult to make it into the top ten. Plus, we currently have no idea about the strength of the other major influences."
The ten of them sat around a table and began their discussion.
"’Know your enemy and know yourself, and you can fight a hundred battles without defeat.’ If we can get some advance knowledge of our opponents’ strength, it would be a huge help to us," Meng Fanx said.
He then turned to Ye Wushuang and asked, "Law Enforcement Elder, what are your thoughts?"
Ye Wushuang fell into thought for a moment before replying, "Alright. You all stay here and focus on your cultivation. I’ll go out and gather some information."
Barbarian King City was currently teeming with various powers, making it the perfect place to gather intelligence.
He also wanted to ask around about his newly established Lingxiao Pavilion.
"Xiaoshuang, I’ll go with you," Ye Rou said at once, the moment she heard he was going out.
"I want to go too!" Yang Qing’er added, raising her hand.
"Captain, let us come with you," Meng Fanx and the others chimed in.
Ye Wushuang looked at them and thought for a moment. "Qing’er and Meng Fanx will come with me. Ye Rou, the rest of you will stay here. Take the opportunity to consolidate your cultivation."
"Alright. The three of you, be careful," Ye Rou nodded.
Dii Qingxue and Qianling also nodded but said nothing.
While the other seven remained, Ye Wushuang, Yang Qing’er, and Meng Fanx left the room and headed outside.
「Barbarian King City.」
Inside the Youkelai Tavern, the air was thick with the clamor of voices.
Disciples from numerous major influences had gathered here, along with some powerful Loose Cultivators. It was a motley crowd, all engaged in loud and lively conversation.
"Have you heard? Not long ago, Beize Yunzhuo, the Illusion Spirit King of the Illusion Race, broke through to the Spiritual Spring Fifth Layer!"
"What?! The Spiritual Spring Fifth Layer? That’s terrifying! First place on the Barbarian God Battle Platform is probably his for the taking."
"Not necessarily. I heard a Demon Fiend recently emerged from the Feather Race, someone even stronger than their number one genius, Yuh Yuzhen. His name is Yuh Huatian, and he’s also at the Spiritual Spring Fifth Layer—absolutely terrifying!"
"Yes, yes, I’ve heard about that too! According to the grapevine, Yuh Huatian is the eldest son of the Feather Race’s Clan Leader. Apparently, he was trained in secret. Almost no one in the Feather Race knew about him until he recently emerged."
"Speaking of which, I also heard that the God of Slaughter, Ye Wushuang, killed Yuh Huatian’s younger brother. Now that Yuh Huatian has appeared, he’s probably going to seek revenge against the God of Slaughter."
...
The topics of conversation all revolved around the Barbarian God Battle Platform and the various geniuses from the major influences.
The figures of Ye Wushuang, Yang Qing’er, and Meng Fanx appeared outside the tavern. Before they had even stepped inside, they had already managed to overhear a great deal of important information.
