Chapter 2098 - 770: Troops March on the North Sea, Right Now!
"Hidden away, have you?"
Just at this moment.
An ancient voice slowly rose.
"The Cave Heaven closes, return to Rotten Stalemate!"
Everyone swiftly mounted a Glint and left Heaven and Earth Peak without hesitation.
The previously lively Heaven and Earth Peak, bustling for a year, suddenly fell silent.
And countless people’s attention was focused on Qingyun Square in the Rotten Stalemate Mountain Range.
Magnificent radiance, golden threads upon jade stairs.
One by one, disciples who participated in the grand competition began to appear upon the jade stairs.
Everyone looked upwards until Sect Master Mo Shouzhuo appeared.
He waved his hand, and the boy behind him took out a scroll, and slowly unrolled it.
"Ge Ling, tenth place in the Golden Core competition, awarded ten thousand Spirit Stones of Ascendant Grade, one Medium Grade Robe, five bottles of Jade Flower Pill, and fifteen days of study in the Scripture Pavilion."
"Li Zizhuang, ninth place in the Golden Core competition, awarded twenty thousand Spirit Stones of Ascendant Grade, one Medium Grade Robe, ten bottles of Jade Flower Pill, and fifteen days of study in the Scripture Pavilion."
"Liu Changfeng..."
As each name was called, every individual and their family behind them were filled with excitement.
Especially Liu Changfeng, a junior from the Han Gate Liu Family, who managed to break into the top ten, truly bringing glory to his ancestors.
The rewards were one thing, but the half-month period of learning in the Scripture Pavilion was incredibly precious!
Because, once inside, one could not only find suitable Cultivation Techniques but also learn powerful Techniques, things that could even be passed down within the clan!
True Master Longyuan’s failure had already cast a shadow on the Liu family’s future, but Liu Changfeng’s addition managed to dispel some of that gloom.
Standing outside the jade steps, True Master Longyuan’s expression slightly improved.
Subsequently, the ranking rewards for the Golden Core disciples continued to be distributed.
But from the sixth place onwards, the front ranks were essentially filled with disciples from Giant House.
Only the second place brought a surprise.
The person ranked second bore the surname Wang.
Originating from the Bochuan Royal Family, the same family belonging to the True Disciple forced out of Mirage Dragon Cave Heaven by Luo Chen’s single sword.
This person was quite extraordinary, single-handedly wielding a sword across the Cave Heaven’s outskirts, hunting numerous Third-Order Illusion Beasts.
His brilliance was by no means inferior to disciples from Giant House!
But all this no longer concerned True Master Longyuan, whose gaze was set only on the top two rows of the jade steps.
In the second row, stood three people.
With Gu Daosu in the middle, Shi Ju on the right, and the back of the woman on the left capturing his gaze with complex emotions.
Was the century-long grinding in the North Sea meant to achieve her?
Ming Yan seemed to feel the scorching gaze behind her, but she did not move.
To her right, Shi Ju appeared restless, constantly looking around.
That person had not appeared!
Even at this grand occasion, he still had not appeared.
Representatives of other clans and Protectors of Nascent Soul True Inheritance were all present, only Luo Chen was nowhere to be seen.
"Hidden away, have you?"
"You cannot escape; you hurt my Thunder Clone and ruined my Thunder and Fire cultivation plans."
"This enmity, I am determined to have you repay!"
While muttering in his mind, his final, devouring gaze fell upon the graceful figure of the woman ahead.
"Bitch!"
The two words came out in a low voice, not hidden.
Fu Qinglan seemed unaware, just stood there, her posture even more upright.
She had once faced Shi Ju directly!
She had seen how wretched he was under Luo Chen’s hand!
The past timidity had long since dissipated.
Moreover, now she was no longer the Fu Qinglan of the past, but the top of the competition, the first of her generation to enter Zuowang Peak for cultivation!
"Shi Ju, enlightened in the power of the Original Source, awarded the Flame Cloud True Robe, Taihe Pill, entrance to Zuowang Peak, to study the ’Supreme Mysterious Cave Bright Flame Scripture’ and in the Scripture Pavilion, taught the Divine Power Bright Red Cloud Qi!"
The boy’s voice was clear and distant.
As soon as it was announced, everyone was startled.
Even though it was expected, hearing the reward in reality still made countless people envious.
However, Shi Ju himself wore a terribly gloomy expression.
It should not have been this way!
According to the plan, he was supposed to be able to choose both Thunder and Fire Divine Powers for cultivation at the same time.
This was an unprecedented treatment within the Tianyuan Daoist Sect.
All of it was ruined by that man!
Above Qingyun, Mo Shouzhuo glanced at Shi Ju, whose emotions were visible, and sighed.
"Cultivating both thunder and fire, attempting to comprehend supreme laws, even a seedling nurtured from youth, still won’t succeed! Especially with such a disposition..."
This remark was not a monologue but part of a conversation.
Soon, someone responded to him.
"Indeed, his disposition is where we protected Shi Ju too well. But the one who caused him to fail was Fu Qinglan’s protector!"
Another voice joined in.
"Luo Chen? That lad is quite remarkable; not only is he favored by Chu Yan, but he also comprehended the true intent of laws. In the future, he might become a banner for Heaven and Earth Peak."
To this, Mo Shouzhuo was indifferent.
"You are mistaken; Luo Chen’s path has already deviated."
Deviated?
None of the fellow disciples refuted Mo Shouzhuo, as they all could see that the true intent of laws Luo Chen comprehended did not align with his own path.
At least, Luo Chen cannot echo the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi!
Mo Shouzhuo once again said, "The experiment with Shi Ju ends here unless he can himself comprehend the original source of thunder."
After speaking, he no longer participated in the discussion with fellow disciples.
The child beside him recited the reward for the first Nascent Soul true disciple, Fu Qinglan.
"Fu Qinglan, comprehending the power of the original source, is granted the Suo Luo True Robe, Taihe Pill, to enter Zuowang Peak, and study ’Green Wood Supreme Spirit Transformation Scripture’. In the Scripture Pavilion, bestowed the Divine Power Great Heaven Creation Seal!"
"Additionally, can enter under Chun Yuan Ancestor, cultivating for a hundred years!"
At these words, all were astonished!
If the previous rewards were already generous, they were no longer surprising due to the precedent set by the previous three individuals.
But personal teaching by a Divine Transformation Great Power, this reward is excessively bountiful.
The Tianyuan Daoist Sect is different from the Divine Transformation Holy Lands of the other four continents in the Mountain Sea Realm, which focuses on family inheritance rather than master-disciple lineage.
Even if one enters the sect’s mountain gate, cultivation mostly relies on oneself.
The teachings of the sect are more like high-order cultivators lecturing, treating everyone without bias.
And now, for Fu Qinglan, a mere newcomer to the Nascent Soul stage, to receive personal tutelage from a Divine Transformation Great Power for a hundred years!
Given time, he might become a new generation’s Ancestor of God Transformation!
For a moment, everyone enviously stared at Fu Qinglan’s back, longing to take his place.
The woman slightly bowed under the gaze of all, speaking clearly.
"Thank you, Sect Master, thank you, Sect!"
In her heart, however, flashed the image of that white-robed figure, who actually deserved her gratitude more!
Thus, the grand competition concluded entirely.
Mo Shouzhuo waved his hand, and the child closed the scroll and retreated.
The elderly man gazed at the countless cultivators below the mountain, his expression calm.
But the words he spoke were astonishing.
"Our sect has existed in this realm for ten thousand years. Ancestors endured hardships, expanded territories, seizing this prosperous land of Zhongzhou from countless savage beasts and demon clans for us to rest and cultivate."
"After the Ancient Times, for three thousand years, our sect stood at the pinnacle of Mountain Sea, overlooking the four continents."
"But vast Zhongzhou can no longer bear the weight of our continued cultivation. Coinciding with the North Sea demon chaos, when leaderless dragons roam, someone must step up to overcome the turmoil. Now is the best time to inherit our predecessors’ legacy and expand the glory of our sect."
"Therefore, marching on the North Sea, starts now!"
The matter of advancing on the North Sea had already been agreed upon by all major clans in Zhongzhou before the grand competition.
Now, spoken from the mouth of the Sect Master, it solidified the decision.
For a moment, after Mo Shouzhuo finished speaking, beneath Qingyun Mountain, a sound like waves and mountains erupted in response.
"March on the North Sea, starts now!"
"March on the North Sea, starts now!"
"March on the North Sea, starts now!"
...
In the Wangwu Mountain Range.
Unlike the hustle and bustle of the Rotten Stalemate Mountain Range, here was extraordinarily quiet amidst the crisp sound of abacus beads being tapped.
Luo Chen quietly watched Tian Xuan and Fu family cultivators exchange cultivation resources filled in more than ten storage bags.
The quantity of Spirit Stones involved counted in the billions.
After this event, Luo Chen’s savings were spent nearly completely.
However, it was all worth it.
From now on, even leaving Zhongzhou, Luo Chen need not worry about resources for cultivation.
Outside, hurried footsteps sounded.
It was Sang Jinghe.
He hastily walked in, seeing Luo Chen, his haggard face instead showed joy.
"True Master, I found a way to cultivate the Demonheart Tree!"