Chapter 680 - 285: First
Chu Lingguang headed straight for the Triangular Cave Mansion.
From a distance, he saw a man in white robes standing at the entrance to the cave mansion. Assuming the man was part of the assessment, he paid him no mind and continued to lead Guo Wei, intending to reach the man as quickly as possible.
No matter what, the master and disciple had to enter the Profound Celestial Sect to cultivate together.
Suddenly, a pebble shot down toward them, imbued with a surge of Spiritual Power. Chu Lingguang instinctively thrust his spear out.
It was a move from the Flying Leaf Lotus Spear—the simplest one.
A simple, ordinary Thrust.
The immense force of the attack instantly Locked onto the pebble, shattering it in midair. Chu Lingguang paused for a split second.
With the help of the Qi Condensation Technique, Chu Lingguang’s power had already reached the fourth level of Qi Refining. The white-robed youth might have an extraordinary aura, but thinking he could knock Chu Lingguang back with a single, casually flicked pebble was underestimating him.
The white-robed youth frowned.
He hadn’t expected Chu Lingguang to shatter the pebble, much less do so without retreating a single step before continuing his charge with Guo Wei.
"Hmph!"
He snorted, stomped his foot again to shatter the rocks on the ground, and sent the fragments flying toward Chu Lingguang.
HUMMM!
Chu Lingguang thought this was an obstacle in the assessment.
Without a second thought, he thrust his spear again. The force of the attack shattered all three stones at once.
This time, Chu Lingguang felt an urge to retreat. The Spiritual Power within the three pebbles seemed to exceed the limits of his Spear Technique.
But Guo Wei, who was behind him, placed a palm on his back.
Guo Wei’s own Spirit Root Attribute had been awakened by Yan Zhen using Water Spirit Power. Water benefits all things without striving. Although the power behind Guo Wei’s palm was not great, it greatly stimulated Chu Lingguang’s body, making the power of his Spiritual Root feel as though it had been completely awakened.
It was still the Spiritual Power of the fourth level of Qi Refining, yet at that moment, it erupted with extraordinary strength.
Chu Lingguang stopped his retreat and advanced again.
The three pebbles shattered against his Lightning Spear.
"Go!"
Guo Wei shouted.
Both he and Chu Lingguang believed the white-robed youth was part of the assessment team; they even thought they had to get past him to reach the Triangular Cave Mansion.
This simple belief gave the master and disciple the courage to charge forward in the face of this challenge.
"Right."
Chu Lingguang maintained a tight defense, protecting Guo Wei as they charged toward the summit.
Although Guo Wei’s Spirit Root Attribute had been enhanced and he had cultivated the Qi Condensation Technique, his current power was only approaching the second level of Qi Refining.
If he were caught in the barrage of pebbles shot by the white-robed youth, Guo Wei would be unable to resist, no matter how exquisite his Spear Technique.
’How dare they oppose me.’
Chen Liang’s expression was grim.
He had attacked twice without halting Chu Lingguang and Guo Wei’s advance; in fact, it had only made the master and disciple draw closer as they charged toward the summit.
Jiang Ruhong looked anxious, frantically trying to signal Chen Liang with her eyes.
Chen Liang’s expression grew even darker. He had already attacked twice. If he continued to obstruct Chu Lingguang and Guo Wei and the sect held him accountable, he, an Outer Disciple, could face severe punishment.
So he glanced around.
He didn’t see the boy or any of the supervisors in charge of the assessment.
’Why hasn’t Steward Zhou appeared?’
’Does this mean what I’m doing is okay?’
Chen Liang wondered.
The boy was Steward Zhou, a powerful Foundation Establishment Realm expert who had achieved Human Dao Foundation Establishment. He had always been in charge of disciple recruitment.
Chen Liang knew the steward’s power was immense. Even if he wasn’t physically present, his Spiritual Sense would cover the area, and he would know Chen Liang’s every move.
Steward Zhou surely knew about his little tricks against Chu Lingguang.
But Steward Zhou hadn’t stopped him.
In the past, others in the sect had made things difficult for or plotted against those participating in the assessment. When Steward Zhou found out, he would reprimand them, but that was usually the end of it.
Even though he was just an Outer Disciple of the Profound Celestial Sect, that title alone afforded him a unique glory.
As long as the others weren’t disciples of the Profound Celestial Sect, they were nothing compared to him on sect grounds.
At this thought, Chen Liang glanced around again, then kicked a stone into the air.
Kicking a stone was a completely different concept from shattering one and sending the fragments flying.
The stone he kicked was infused with a portion of his Spiritual Power.
And as a cultivator at the seventh level of Qi Refining, this sudden attack could cause immense harm to both Chu Lingguang and Guo Wei.
Chen Liang thought, ’If I kick this stone and get punished by Steward Zhou, I’ll just obediently accept it. But if Steward Zhou turns a blind eye, it means he doesn’t approve of Chu Lingguang. Even if this stone knocks him off the mountain, the steward won’t come looking for trouble with me later.’
Besides, he could bear whatever punishment he might face.
Of course, he didn’t stop to consider whether Chu Lingguang could actually block the stone now hurtling toward his chest.
As someone with a grade-two Spiritual Root who had reached the seventh level of Qi Refining before turning forty, he was one of the Outer Disciples who received special attention and cultivation resources, even if he was only in the Outer Sect.
If he couldn’t even knock a mere Loose Cultivator taking the assessment off the mountain with a kicked stone, then how could he possibly be worthy of that special attention?
’Not good.’
All Chu Lingguang saw was a fiery blur hurtling down.
His expression changed drastically.
He instinctively activated the Qi Condensation Technique, pouring his body’s Spiritual Power into the Flying Leaf Lotus Spear and thrusting his weapon out once more.
BANG!
There was no doubting Chu Lingguang’s Spear Technique.
Although the Flying Leaf Lotus Spear was only a Mortal Martial Art, hitting the high-speed pebble with a thrust of his Long Spear was not at all difficult for someone with Chu Lingguang’s current level of power.