Chapter 321: Chapter 306: Fire God Little Thousand World
"Wait a moment. Are there any exceptions?" Wang Meng suddenly remembered his Star Ring. Power unused was power wasted, and besides, he and Old Demon Lv were still in their honeymoon period.
The Hundred Battles Pavilion Steward stopped and looked at Wang Meng. "Special cases receive special treatment."
The Hundred Battles Pavilion Steward apparently recognized Wang Meng. Though not widely famous, his several life-and-death battles proved he had some skill. The Steward’s voice even gained a hint of human warmth.
"See if this works."
Wang Meng channeled his Elemental Power into the Star Ring, revealing an identification array. His Star Ring was different from the others—it had an extra star within the array.
The Hundred Battles Pavilion Steward stared blankly for a moment. "Five thousand."
He offered no explanation. It was crisp and direct, and there was even a trace of envy in his eyes.
Fan Hong promptly paid the five thousand Spirit Stones, lest the Steward change his mind.
The Hundred Battles Pavilion Steward took out a token. "Faction name?"
"Holy Hall!"
The Hundred Battles Pavilion Steward extended his index finger. It turned gold as he waved it over the token with the flourish of a dancing dragon and soaring phoenix. Two large words appeared on the token—Holy Hall.
"It’s registered. You now need to fulfill two other conditions to be formally established. If you fail, the attempt is voided, and the Spirit Stones will not be refunded," said the Hundred Battles Pavilion Steward.
The other two conditions were hardly surprising: a mission and a minimum number of members.
After accepting the mission Talisman, the three of them were still in high spirits. The membership requirement, however, was a problem. With Wang Meng, Fan Hong, Hex Zui, Ning Zhiquan, Ma Tian’Er, Li Tianyi, and Mingren, they were still three members short and would have to recruit.
Most Cultivators at the academy chose to join a faction. Even an average one was better than nothing, as belonging to a team made survival much easier.
But would anyone want to join a fledgling faction that couldn’t even meet the minimum member requirement?
Regardless, the trio posted a recruitment notice for their new faction. Next up was completing the mission.
When they learned the details of the mission from the Talisman, the three were once again dumbfounded.
"That crook! That stone-faced bastard is definitely a crook!" Fan Hong raged.
"This is insane! Completely insane! It’s impossible!" Fan Hong looked as if he’d just seen a ghost.
Wang Meng and Ma Tian’Er exchanged a look. "Fan Niao, don’t be so dramatic. What is it?"
Fan Hong had been around for a while and was so hyperactive that he’d earned himself the nickname "Fan Niao."
Fan Hong, for his part, was quite proud of the nickname.
"The array on this Talisman leads to the Flame Divine Realm! We have to get the Thousand Tempered Divine Stone. Damn it, that’s a suicide mission!"
Seeing the blank looks on Wang Meng and Ma Tian’Er’s faces, Fan Hong couldn’t help but sigh. ’Wang Meng is powerful, sure, but... it’s terrifying how uncultured he is.’
"Ahem, let me explain. Small Thousand Realms are divided into four levels: Earth, Celestial, Profound, and Divine. We Cultivators can generally only survive in Earth and Celestial Level realms. The Profound and Divine Level realms either have incredibly harsh environments, are filled with the potent Power of Laws, or are ruled by tyrannical Demon Beasts. Basically, only the top-tier factions ever dare to go to places like that."
"This Flame Divine Realm isn’t just a Divine Level Small Thousand Realm; it’s also a realm dominated by the Five Elements Master Flame. For anyone of the other elements, going in is a one-way trip to the grave. The Thousand Tempered Fire Spirit Stone is a treasure for Five Elements Master Flame cultivators. It can be used to forge Magic Treasure Swords and is incredibly beneficial for them. But the risk isn’t worth the reward! Going there is suicide."
Fan Hong looked completely crestfallen. After all the trouble they’d gone through to get this far, it was all about to fall apart at the last second.
"Damn it, five thousand Spirit Stones! I’m going to get our money back!" Fan Hong wailed, his face a mask of despair.
Wang Meng grabbed Fan Hong and took the mission Talisman from him. Ma Tian’Er felt even more hopeless; according to Fan Hong, as a Five Elements Wood Master, she’d be walking to her death.
’Flame Divine Realm?’ Wang Meng thought, Lv Yuantian’s cunning, smiling face involuntarily appearing in his mind. ’Somehow, I feel like he’s behind this.’
’I have no idea what that Old Demon Dean is planning.’
When the others heard the news, they were stunned too. This was especially true for Hex Zui, a veteran of the Cultivation Academy. "Our luck is just the worst," he said. "It’s extremely rare to draw a mission like this just for establishing a faction."
"Leave it to me and Wang Meng," Li Tianyi declared. "Who cares if it’s a Divine Realm or a Profound Realm? We’ll find out when we get there!"
Li Tianyi was rubbing his hands together, itching for a fight. Ever since Wang Meng had dealt with Qi Feiyu, Li Tianyi had been bored with nothing to do.
Mingren smiled. "Count me in."
Hex Zui nodded. "I suppose that’s our only option. If it’s too dangerous, forget it. As the saying goes, where there’s life, there’s hope. As long as you can get the Thousand Tempered Fire Spirit Stone, the other requirements won’t be a problem."
"Brother Hex, is there anything we should be aware of in the Flame Divine Realm?" Mingren asked.
Hex Zui shook his head. "Earth, Celestial, Profound, and Divine. Generally, people like us only ever deal with the first two levels. Profound and Divine are both extremely dangerous, and you’d normally only go with a full team. But since you’re just trying to retrieve the Thousand Tempered Fire Spirit Stone this time, it’ll come down to luck. Avoid fighting Demon Beasts at all costs. As for what it’s actually like in there... very few people truly know."
Fan Hong nodded and pointed to his Star Ring. "I’ve asked around. Information on Divine Level Small Thousand Realms is scarce and extremely valuable. They say all sorts of heavenly materials and earthly treasures can be found in those places. Remember, the Empress, the Dragon King, and the Celestial King all rose to their current status by conquering a Divine Level Small Thousand Realm."
Hex Zui smiled. "In the entire Cultivation Academy, only those three possess that kind of power, and even they had to rely on the strength of their entire factions. Among Divine Level Small Thousand Realms, single-elemental ones like this are the most troublesome. So, Wang Meng, Junior Brother Li, you can try your luck, but don’t force a fight."
Wang Meng and Li Tianyi exchanged a glance, each seeing the intense curiosity in the other’s eyes. Mingren’s smile remained as placid as ever. ’The Flame Divine Realm, huh?’
「Three days later.」
With all preparations complete, Wang Meng, Li Tianyi, and Mingren stood ready to depart.
Every faction needed its own headquarters, and Holy Hall was no exception. Hex Zui and Fan Hong had rented a house. Though it was in a somewhat remote part of the academy, it was finally a place they could call their own.
The teleportation array was open, and the others were tasked with standing guard.
"With the Fire-Extinguishing Pills and the Qiankun Fireproof Shield, you can last for three hours. Remember, whether you succeed or not, you absolutely must get out before then!"
"Don’t worry, Brother Hex!"
Wang Meng, Li Tianyi, and Mingren swallowed the Fire-Extinguishing Pills and activated their Qiankun Fireproof Shields. A layer of red light enveloped each of them.
The array activated. After a flash of light, the three of them vanished.
BOOM...
A world of fire unfolded before them. They could feel an intense, scorching heat wash over them, yet this world was vibrant and teeming with life, home to many bizarre creatures.
"Be careful, everyone. Basically every living thing here is highly aggressive."
Wang Meng began to circulate his Fire Jade Technique, lessening the scorching heat considerably. Li Tianyi and Mingren activated their own Cultivation Techniques as well, and their expressions eased.
