Having read almost all the books in the storage bags over the past half-month, Xu Ning had gained a general understanding of the ancient era.
The books described the ancient era as a ti of unimaginably abundant spiritual energy, where even the greatest rivers and oceans were said to be composed of concentrated spiritual fluid. The very air was saturated with power.
This terrifying level of spiritual energy fostered an extrely powerful cultivation ecosystem unlike anything seen today.
At that ti, the world naturally nurtured innate species, including both humans and animals, born directly from the world's essence.
These innate species were born at the Nascent Soul stage, possessing extraordinary power from the mont of their birth. They were the original rulers of the world.
Later, as civilization developed, sect culture flourished, and countless terrifying sects erged. The most powerful were the Seventy-Two Immortal Sects, which eventually ca to control the entire world, forming an extrely rigid hierarchical system that dominated all cultivation.
Tens of thousands of years later, the oppressive control of the Seventy-Two Immortal Sects finally beca unbearable for the countless smaller sects and rogue cultivators. An unprecedented war erupted that shattered the world.
In that war, the heavens and earth collapsed. Rivers flowed backward. The great landmasses were shattered, forming the various scattered continents that exist today.
This war was known as the Ancient War of Heaven and Earth.
After that apocalyptic war, the Seventy-Two Immortal Sects disappeared from history. From their ruins, various new sects rose to prominence across the broken lands.
The Heavenly Inheritance Sect, once rely an insignificant small sect in the shadows of giants, now had its story to tell.
As the ages passed, more and more cultivators successfully ascended to immortality. With each ascension, the spiritual energy they took with them increased, leading to the gradual decline of the cultivation world. Thus ended the recorded history of that glorious age.
To be honest, Xu Ning felt a twinge of longing for that ancient era. It sounded magnificent, if terrifying.
With a wave of his hand, Xu Ning pulled several books from the storage bag. Their covers bore an intriguing inscription: "The Art of Sky-Gazing."
Xu Ning found these books particularly interesting. They were inherited from ancient tis, but they weren't cultivation techniques or spells. Instead, they described a unique and independent art.
He opened the first book and began to read.
"The Art of Sky-Gazing: Peep into the secrets of heaven, but never reveal them."
The first twelve characters alone gave Xu Ning a sense of profound awe. This was no ordinary divination.
However, as he read on, Xu Ning began to feel a headache forming.
The text was obscure and difficult to understand. He recognized the individual characters, but when they were combined into sentences, their aning beca slippery. The grammar was ancient and arcane.
Moreover, there were many characters that Xu Ning didn't recognize at all, forcing him to cross-reference other texts to guess their aning.
Regardless of the difficulty, Xu Ning deduced that this thing was definitely not simple!
It took Xu Ning a full half-month of dedicated study to roughly understand the basics.
This Art of Sky-Gazing, simply put, was about seeing the future. In plainer terms, it allowed the practitioner to glimpse the future of an object or a person.
However, this technique could only be used for observation, not for altering what was seen. The future, once glimpsed, was fixed and unchangeable.
Furthermore, it was not a cultivation thod or a magic formula in the traditional sense, so it could not be directly practiced like one. It could only be developed through continuous use and deepening understanding, growing more powerful with experience and insight.
Having more skills is never a burden, Xu Ning reasoned. Learning this would allow him to foresee danger in the future, a valuable tool for survival.
Imdiately, Xu Ning began to try it out.
If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
He went outside and picked three leaves from a bush, then softly whispered, "Ask about the future of the Tiancheng Sect."
With that, Xu Ning waved his hand, and the three leaves he was holding flew out and landed on the ground in a specific pattern.
Looking at the front and back of the three leaves, noting their positions, Xu Ning began to calculate according to the thod he had learned.
As he calculated, an image began to form in Xu Ning's mind.
On a mountain peak, a group of people were cutting down trees to build wooden houses.
This is? Xu Ning realized. This is the Tiancheng Sect as it will be one minute from now.
Next, Xu Ning picked up the three leaves and softly said, "Ask about Master Qi Ruifeng's future."
With that, he threw the three leaves out again, then began calculating. Another image appeared.
This ti, it was Qi Ruifeng standing right next to Xu Ning, about to speak.
Xu Ning was surprised. It was still one minute from now. His master was coming to see him imdiately.
"My good disciple!"
Just then, Qi Ruifeng's voice ca from outside the hut, and he walked in.
This confird the results of the Sky-Gazing Art. It worked. Xu Ning turned around and asked, "Master, is sothing wrong?"
Qi Ruifeng's expression was worried. "Disciple, those people from the Sect Managent Office are here! The sa ones as before. What should we do?"
Xu Ning frowned upon hearing this. "What are they doing here? We already registered properly. They have no business with us now."
Qi Ruifeng shrugged helplessly. "They're here to demand the three thousand spirit stones they wanted last ti. They say we owe them."
Xu Ning's eyes narrowed. "But they have no claim now. The registration is complete."
Qi Ruifeng said, "They said they'll smash our sect to the ground if we don't give them what I promised last ti. They're not taking no for an answer."
Xu Ning's eyes narrowed dangerously as he looked at Qi Ruifeng. He asked calmly, "Master, are there any Golden Core cultivators actively involved in the affairs of the sects in the Ancient Chen Mountain Range?"
Qi Ruifeng replied, "Of course there are so, but most of them are in seclusion and rarely make a move in public matters. They consider such things beneath them."
Xu Ning nodded slowly. "That makes things easier. Let's go out together and see them."
The master and disciple then went out together.
Qian Yang, Peng Yang, and the other captured cultivators saw Xu Ning and Qi Ruifeng co out and quickly approached, their faces filled with worry about what would happen next.
The cultivators from the Managent Office outside couldn't help but laugh when they saw Xu Ning erge. "Hahaha, what a lousy sect this is! A re mortal without any cultivation dares to call himself a Holy Son? What a joke!"
Another person also laughed mockingly. "Senior Brother, have you forgotten? When we saw them before, it was that useless Foundation Establishnt cultivator leading that little good-for-nothing mortal. Nothing's changed."
"These are the two pathetic characters running this 'sect.' And they still dare to play gas with us! Listen up, you two. Hand over the promised three thousand spirit stones imdiately, or we'll raze your little hut and everything with it to the ground!"
Xu Ning listened to their insults calmly. Then he asked, in a deceptively mild tone, "Are you planning to rob us by force, then? Is that your intention?"
The leading cultivator nodded imdiately, a smug grin on his face. "We're going to rob you by force! That's exactly right. If you know what's good for you, hand it over now, and maybe we'll leave you with sothing to rebuild with."
Xu Ning nodded and beckoned them forward with a casual wave. "Alright, then co in and take it. The spirit stones are inside."
Qi Ruifeng imdiately beca anxious upon hearing this and turned to look at Xu Ning with wide, worried eyes.
Xu Ning gave him a reassuring look, a small smile on his face.
The cultivators outside exchanged uncertain glances, then shrugged. The leader gritted his teeth and gestured for his n to follow. They flew in over the gate, arrogant and unconcerned.
"The Spirit-Trapping Array is closing! Let's go!" Qian Yang suddenly shouted and quickly flew towards the exit, having seen this all before.
Peng Yang remained unmoved, standing still with a grim smile.
The scene changed rapidly. The cultivators from the Managent Office had barely flown in when Qian Yang reached the array's boundary.
Bang—
Qian Yang crashed directly into a suddenly visible, transparent light barrier that shimred into existence. He bounced back, stunned.
This caught the attention of the cultivators who had entered, who imdiately realized the danger.
"Damn it, it's a Spirit Trapping Array! Run!" one shouted.
"Damn it, we've walked into a trap!" another cried.
They all turned simultaneously, trying to flee back the way they had co.
Bang bang bang bang—
The result was that they all crashed into the sa transparent light barrier, now fully activated and blocking their escape.
Seeing this, Xu Ning couldn't help but smile. "Trying to run now? Too late. The door is closed."
The cultivators from the Managent Office turned to look at Xu Ning simultaneously, their arrogance replaced by fear and anger. The leader frowned deeply. "What are you trying to do? We are cultivators from various established sects, appointed to the Managent Office. If anything happens to us, can you bear the consequences? You'll have every sect in the mountains against you!"
Xu Ning looked at them calmly and said softly, "The Sect Managent Office cos to my Tiancheng Sect to collect spirit stones without cause or justification. I really want to ask the various sects you represent—what right do you have to demand paynt from a registered sect?"
The leader's frown deepened. "What right? Because your so-called 'sect' is nothing but a joke! Two people in a hut. You're not respectable, and you have no standing!"
Xu Ning's eyes narrowed. He spoke coldly. "Contact your sects. Have them produce compensation—three thousand spirit stones per person—or you can stay here forever as our permanent guests."
The leader imdiately objected, his voice rising. "Three thousand spirit stones per person? What right do you have to make such demands? Who do you think you are?"
Xu Ning smiled coldly. "Fine. Since you ask, I'll show you today what true qualification looks like."
With that, Xu Ning suddenly raised his hand.
Instantly, the array formation in the sky erupted with spiritual energy fluctuations. Light gathered and pulsed.
Imdiately afterward, beams of crimson red light shot down from the attack formation, heading directly towards the trapped group of cultivators.
The leading cultivator laughed, his confidence returning. "A spirit-level attack formation? That's nothing! It can't possibly harm us. Our protective talismans will easily block—"
Reviews
All reviews (0)