Chapter 227: Chapter 224: The Major Young Giants
With the Qing Province Convention drawing near, the entire younger generation of Qing Province grew excited and frantically began to improve their cultivation.
At its core, this convention was a grand event for the younger generation.
It was an occasion where the younger generation would duel to determine their rankings—the perfect opportunity to make a name for themselves.
What young person didn’t harbor the ambition to become famous?
What young person didn’t want their name to resound throughout Qing Province, to become a prominent figure among their peers?
Moreover, this convention also determined the allocation of spots for a Secret Realm, making it critically important.
"In the past, the Five Great Sects would win over eighty percent of the Secret Realm spots. Only about twenty percent were left, with a chance of falling into the hands of us minor sects."
"The chances should be better this year. After all, the Yanyue Sect has fallen, so they should free up a good number of spots."
The numerous minor sects were also eager to try their luck. Although the Qing Province Convention was hosted by the Five Great Sects, they were allowed to participate as well.
War Elephant Sect.
The back mountain.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM—
The ground trembled. The disciples of the War Elephant Sect felt as if an earthquake had struck. A rebounding force shot up from the earth, making their bodies bounce into the air.
"Senior Brother Li Kuangba’s physique is getting stronger and stronger."
The War Elephant Sect didn’t have many disciples, but each one was sturdy and powerfully built, overflowing with vigorous lifeblood. Any one of their disciples, chosen at random, was at the Body Refining Grandmaster Level.
At this moment, these disciples were staring in astonishment at what appeared to be a moving hill.
Beneath the mountain was a figure who was not particularly tall. His skin was bronze, and his muscles rippled like hills. His tendons and bones twanged like drawn bowstrings, as if dozens of people were firing arrows at once.
The ground cracked beneath his feet. Li Kuangba held the great mountain aloft with both hands. With every step, the ground shook violently with a resounding BOOM.
"Our War Elephant Sect cultivates the War Elephant Body Refining Technique. Once mastered, one’s physical body can rival that of an ancient War Elephant. But the way I see it, even if a real War Elephant appeared before Senior Brother Li now, he could suppress it with a single lift of his hand."
"Go!"
Suddenly, Li Kuangba let out a wild roar that sounded like the trumpeting of a War Elephant, shaking the heavens and the earth.
He bent his arms, then threw with all his might.
SWOOSH!
The air seemed to explode with a deafening sound as Li Kuangba actually threw the mountain, sending it flying dozens of miles away.
This terrifying sight left the onlookers completely dumbstruck.
"This year, I’m afraid Senior Brother Li will be able to compete for the top three spots."
Fire Cloud Sect.
Inside a massive volcano.
Terrifyingly high temperatures filled the air as magma roiled and surged, blazing hot.
From time to time, rocks would break off from the volcano walls and fall into the bright red magma, melting instantly.
Around the pool of magma, numerous Fire Cloud Sect experts were cultivating.
BOOM!
Just then, a powerful aura erupted from within the magma, startling everyone.
A figure was seated cross-legged within the magma, frantically absorbing the power of the scalding liquid rock.
"Senior Brother Yuwen’s cultivation must be at a critical juncture."
Feeling this terrifying aura, the disciples’ expressions shifted drastically.
"This is Magma from the Earth’s Core. Its temperature is more than ten times higher than ordinary magma. Even first-tier experts can only last a few hours at most when submerged in it, but Senior Brother Yuwen has been inside for two whole months this time."
"I heard that last time, Senior Brother Yuwen’s Furious Fire Lotus was defeated by someone from the Yanyue Sect named Ning Jiang. That incident must have spurred him on, which is why he’s pushing himself so hard."
"That Ning Jiang seems to be dead already. Even if he were alive, he’d be no match for Senior Brother Yuwen."
The disciples whispered amongst themselves, full of confidence in Yuwen Chi.
Floating Snow Hall.
Unlike Yuwen Chi’s location, this place was covered in icebergs. The land was frozen solid, and the cold was bone-chilling.
An icy lake here had always been a forbidden area of Floating Snow Hall, off-limits to disciples.
In the center of the lake was an ice pillar, hundreds of feet tall, from which an incomparably cold qi radiated unceasingly.
High in the sky, an eagle soared past, its wings outstretched.
As it passed over the icy lake, it instantly froze solid, turning into an ice sculpture before plummeting from the sky and shattering into a thousand pieces.
The intensity of the cold here was horrifying.
And yet, atop the ice pillar, a beautiful woman sat cross-legged. Her features were delicate and elegant, and her figure was graceful.
This was Floating Snow Hall’s Liu Bingxue, one of the foremost young experts.
"Sect Leader, will that child Bingxue be alright? The cold from the Floating Snow Pillar is too terrifying. If anything goes wrong, she could be consumed by the cold qi, and her life would be in danger."
The Floating Snow Pillar was the name of that ice pillar.
Every night, the Floating Snow Pillar would release swirling ice and snow that enveloped the land for a hundred li in every direction.
In fact, the icebergs covering this hundred-li radius were all the handiwork of the Floating Snow Pillar.
"Rest assured. That child Bingxue will not disappoint us," the Hall Master of Floating Snow Hall, a beautiful woman, said calmly.
Star Sword Sect.
"SHING! SHING! SHING! SHING..."
Terrifying Sword Qi crisscrossed the area, incomparably sharp. The entire valley was densely packed with it. Anyone who entered would be diced into a bloody pulp by this Sword Array, leaving not even a corpse to be buried.
Outside the valley, a crowd of disciples and Sect Elders had gathered.
"In the past, only Senior Brother Jian Xinghe has ever successfully passed through this Sword Array. I wonder if the Twin Sword Sons can be the second to do it?"
"Just watch. An incense stick’s worth of time has already passed. We’ll have a result soon."
The people outside buzzed with discussion.
"CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG..."
Inside the Sword Array, the ceaseless, dense clang of clashing Sword Qi rang out, making it easy to imagine how incredibly intense and brutal the situation inside must be.
"They’ve passed through four layers of the Sword Array! They’re about to enter the Fifth Layer!"
The Fifth Layer was also when the Sword Array was at its most powerful.
The Sword Auras within the valley grew even more brilliant, more numerous, and faster. The sharp aura they emitted made even the disciples outside feel their skin prickle.
"Be ready to rescue them at a moment’s notice!"
The Star Sword Sect had over a dozen Elders at the Primordial Spirit Fourth Tribulation Realm in total, and five of them were present today.
The five Elders’ Primordial Spirit Power was focused on the situation inside the Sword Array at all times. The moment the Twin Sword Sons’ lives were in danger, they would immediately intervene.
"Break! Break! Break! Break! Break!"
Just then, a long cry echoed from within the Sword Array.
Two beams of sword light shot into the sky, transforming into bolts of white silk. With unstoppable momentum, they tore through everything and burst out from within.
"They succeeded!"
The disciples were awestruck. Following in Jian Xinghe’s footsteps, the Twin Sword Sons had also done it.
"The Twin Sword Sons’ strength now can be compared to Senior Brother Jian Xinghe’s back when he did it, right?"
"Don’t forget, Senior Brother Jian Xinghe’s strength is also constantly improving. Who knows what Realm he has reached by now?"
Jian Xinghe, the monstrous prodigy of the Star Sword Sect. Whenever his name was mentioned, everyone, without exception, spoke it with a measure of respect.
Several hundred li away stood a small sect called the Kui Water Sect.
This sect’s Sect Leader had a Cultivation at the Spirit Realm Peak. If he were in the Yanyue Sect, he would be on par with Grand Elder Meng Nanfeng.
"BOOM—"
At that moment, a terrifying beam of sword light slashed down, leveling several of the Kui Water Sect’s mountain peaks with a single strike.
"Who dares cause trouble at my Kui Water Sect?"
The Sect Leader of the Kui Water Sect immediately shot into the sky, glaring at the newcomer in a rage.
The newcomer had golden hair and a towering figure. His eyes were deep, and with his hands clasped behind his back, he exuded a terrifying, intangible might.
"It’s Jian Xinghe! What is he doing here?"
Within the Kui Water Sect, many disciples were shocked. The visitor was none other than Jian Xinghe, the number one expert of Qing Province’s younger generation.
"Sect Leader of the Kui Water Sect, I heard that a few days ago you spoke ill of my Star Sword Sect behind our backs. You called us domineering?"
Jian Xinghe’s sleeves fluttered in the wind. His voice was calm, yet it carried an authority that needed no anger to be felt.
"So what if I did?" the Kui Water Sect’s Sect Leader snorted coldly. "Your Star Sword Sect killed two of my disciples over a mere verbal dispute. Is it not a fact that you’re domineering?"
"Hahahaha, the Star Sword Sect is just that domineering. What can you do about it? In this world, strength has always reigned supreme."
"Jian Xinghe, what do you want?"
The Kui Water Sect Leader’s face turned ashen. He never imagined that a few bad words spoken in private about the Star Sword Sect would actually reach their ears.
"I won’t bully you. If you can withstand three of my attacks, I will spare your life," Jian Xinghe said.
"Three attacks? Jian Xinghe, you are too arrogant! Don’t think you can look down on me just because you’re the number one expert of Qing Province’s younger generation," the Kui Water Sect Leader said, laughing in fury.
"First move." Jian Xinghe slashed out, and the battle erupted.
One was the number one expert of Qing Province’s younger generation; the other was the leader of a sect whose Cultivation had reached the Spirit Realm Peak.
Just three breaths later, Jian Xinghe’s expression was calm as he turned to leave. "How utterly boring."
"Sect Leader!"
After he left, the grievous cries of the Kui Water Sect disciples filled the air. Their proud Sect Leader had been sliced in two by the third attack.
A terrifying fissure, carved by the sword strike, tore the entire Kui Water Sect asunder.
"This Jian Xinghe is getting more and more terrifying. Among the younger generation of Qing Province, there’s no one left who can handle him. Give the Sect Leader a proper burial, and don’t even think of seeking revenge against Jian Xinghe," the Grand Elder of the Kui Water Sect sighed.
While turmoil was brewing throughout Qing Province, the Death Mountain Range remained as dark and silent as ever.
In the valley.
The Celestial Thunder Banner floated overhead, its lightning intertwining as it entered Ning Jiang’s body strand by strand. The aura around him grew increasingly tyrannical and terrifying.
