The second round of the competition at White Jade Capital began with Qiu Changtian defeating Guan Shanyue in the opening battle, securing the first victory for Kunlun.
The second match pitted An Zhisu against Luo Yan, and the third was Ling Yunpo against Xu Yinglian... Upon closer inspection, why am I listed in every match?
It’s truly a headache to single-handedly take on all three rounds of the winner’s group; the Three Pure Orthodox Sect really should give a sizable red envelope for this.
Back to the main topic. Qiu Changtian knew both the processes and outcos of these two matches, so there was no need for him to watch them.
Before his duel with An Zhisu, he needed to do one extra thing, which was to make ample preparations for the upcoming Core Condensation Tribulation.
The so-called "Golden Core" has different nas in various sects’ records.
Penglai calls it "True Lead" and "Yang Pill," Kunlun refers to it as "True Unity Essence" and "True Unity Water," and Shushan’s term is the most unique, calling it "Tai Yi Harboring True Qi"; who knows what the story behind that is.
Of course, people are still accustod to calling it "Golden Core" in everyday speech.
The thod of Core Formation is quite straightforward: after constructing the Daoist Foundation in the Purple Mansion, "where the void and the real converge," "solidify it to form a pearl the size of a millet grain."
As for how exactly to "converge the void and the real," that depends on the Core Condensation Technique of each sect.
Lower-ranked techniques are often vague in this area, naturally resulting in lower quality and success rate of the Core Formation. Even if successful, the core is likely to be flawed, bringing a person to tears.
Higher-ranked techniques reveal the secrets of heaven in just a few words, making the process of Core Formation much more efficient... When it cos to rank, what could surpass the Immortal Rank Secret Technique of Kunlun, the "Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra"?
As for the other aspects of my character’s Qi Refining Technique, such as the "Supre Primordial Sun and Moon Scripture" and the "Demon-Dispelling Superior Spirit Distinction Between Clarity and Turbidity Scripture," let’s not ntion them again.
If it’s not an Immortal Sect secret technique, I really don’t care for it!
Within the "Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra," the secret thod of Core Formation is described very clearly, even indicating the corresponding Heavenly Tribulations:
Forming a supre High-Grade Ninth Level Golden Core results in a Third Grade, with one round of Core Condensation Tribulation; achieving Second Grade entails two rounds of tribulation.
Each round of Heavenly Tribulation possesses near world-destroying power, like that of a hydrogen bomb explosion, as experienced by the senior brother, Xu Changqing.
If one achieves First Grade in Pill Formation, one can exclusively endure three rounds of distinguished Heavenly Tribulation, coming with the ’soul-scattering, cycle-of-rebirth avoiding’ package—a truly touching offer.
As Qiu Changtian now practices First Grade Core Formation, he must endure three rounds of Heavenly Tribulation.
The first is the Five Elents Tribulation; the specific kind of Tribulation Lightning will depend on luck.
The second is the Heart Devil Tribulation; it is said that Kunlun has tallied the cultivators who failed Core Formation, and those who unfortunately encountered the Heart Demon Tribulation randomly had a demise rate as high as seventy percent.
For those achieving Core Formation at Second and First Grade, it’s inevitable rather than random to encounter the Heart Demon Tribulation. However, for those with Daoist Heart Clarity, the Heart Demon is rely a delivery, not sothing to fear.
The third is the Yin Yang Tribulation... "Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra" is vague at this point, with only eight imposing characters that reveal the peril within:
Thousands of calamities in parallel, death without life.
Even soone as usually composed as Qiu Changtian couldn’t help but laugh with vexation at this.
You might as well just tell to buy a coffin.
As he was studying the Core Condensing Celestial Tribulation, the battles for the top twelve had already begun to determine winners and losers.
In the winner’s group, An Zhisu narrowly defeated Luo Yan with a slight advantage while Ling Yunpo cunningly hid his moves and defeated Xu Yinglian.
In the loser’s group, since Luo Yan "overdrew his True Essence" and "passed out," Miss Shi clearly wasn’t in the right state of mind. After resisting a few attacks using the very minor Tai Wei Hook Chen Dazzling Star Sand, she found herself in disarray from Guan Zhan’s Sword Qi and chose to simply concede the match, hurrying off the stage to visit her junior brother.
Yan Zhitui struggled hard, attempting to replicate Xu Yinglian’s fighting style by using large-scale Daoist Magic to trap Duan Fenhai. However, the more experienced Duan Fenhai saw through the tactic, opening with an imdiate Man-Sword Unity attack, and killed Yan Zhitui in a few exchanges.
Your swordsmanship isn’t up to the mark, Junior Brother Yan! If you can’t withstand the opening, all the tactics in the world are useless for you.
With the matches concluded, everyone returned to their base at Mount Tianmu. Guan Zhan returned with a cold and indifferent face, showing no joy in victory, and silently went back to his room.
Yan Zhitui was rather helpless; after chatting with Qiu Changtian for a mont, he went back to the training ground to prepare for the next battle.
Xu Yinglian was defeated by Ling Yunpo using the "Triple Sword Control" technique, missing out on the top three. When he returned, there was frost on his face, and he was in an incredibly bad mood. Upon seeing Qiu Changtian, he directly asked:
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"Senior Brother, back in the Great Bright Fire’s sea of flas, visibility was completely obscured. How did you manage to locate my position?"
Ah, this… Qiu Changtian was stunned, unable to answer.
A cold sweat broke out on his back.
Xu Yinglian had not yet noticed his odd behavior and continued angrily,
"I thought the Great Bright Fire could conceal my figure, but I didn’t expect to be firmly tracked by so thod and ambushed the mont an opportunity arose!"
"Furthermore, this Ling Yunpo is clearly capable of controlling three swords simultaneously, but he kept pretending to only use two-handed sword control, catching off guard. Such extre cunning! I never thought Shushan would produce soone so crafty and deep!"
Qiu Changtian had already quickly composed his expression and pondered aloud,
"Using a wide-range Daoist Magic to hide one’s figure is not unsolvable. As far as I know, for instance, Duan Fenhai of Shushan is very skilled at pinpointing positions by sound. Even if sight is impossible, as long as the Flying Sword clashes with you through the air, he could lock onto your position by sound."
"As for how Ling Yunpo managed it, I do not know. But your defeat this ti is mainly due to overconfidence in your own Daoist Magic and underestimating the enemy."
"I am well aware!" Xu Yinglian said, frustrated, "I’m not trying to shift the bla for my defeat onto my opponent! I just hate myself for making such a basic mistake. It’s infuriating!"
She gritted her teeth with frosty anger on her face, becoming more and more incensed as she spoke, finally dragging Qiu Changtian back to her room to vent her frustrations.
Knowing how strong-willed his junior sister was, Qiu Changtian softened his words to comfort her, eventually helping Xu Yinglian move past her fixation on her defeat and improving her mood considerably… of course, these developnts are an aside, not to be ntioned here.
The next day, according to the draw, it was Qiu Changtian’s turn to sit out, while An Zhisu and Ling Yunpo were to duel.
However, Ling Yunpo forfeited on the spot, promoting An Zhisu to compete with Qiu Changtian for first place.
Finally! Today, after juggling three separate storylines, we’re at the finals!
Qiu Changtian was internally raring to go, itching to imdiately beat down Senior Sister An… no, that is, eager to have a full-blown, ferocious discussion and duel with An Zhisu, and decide once and for all who should take the top spot. Wouldn’t that be wonderful?
An Zhisu had already been waiting in the arena, and as Qiu Changtian descended with his sword light, he noticed that An Zhisu’s expression seed sowhat somber.
Oh, he thought more carefully: how could she be happy, having been drawn into a spar with her own junior brother, who then deliberately conceded to give her a chance to fight in the finals, given how protective Senior Sister An is?
Had it not been for Ling Yunpo patiently consoling Senior Sister An the night before, advising her not to fixate too much on victory or defeat, An Zhisu today might not have appeared sad and disheartened but rather, fuming with rage and ready to lash out.
"Daoist An," Qiu Changtian greeted formally, "please enlighten ."
An Zhisu, clearly in a sullen mood, responded with a perfunctory gesture of respect.
Qiu Changtian didn’t mind since he knew that Senior Sister An, having been spoiled by Su Jian since she was young, understood nothing but swords.
But how could the surrounding Kunlun disciples know this? Seeing An Zhisu giving so little respect to Qiu Changtian, with such a cursory greeting, they imdiately beca righteously indignant,
"How can the Chief Disciple of Shushan be so rude?"
"Shushan has always been full of brutes; it’s not surprising they don’t understand dueling etiquette."
"I heard that their Chief Disciple had no master to instruct her since the beginning. Such absurdity would never happen in Kunlun, but considering it’s Shushan, it’s not so strange."
Their words hit Shushan as a whole, and soon, Shushan disciples glared angrily around them, silencing the talking Kunlun disciples with murderous looks.
But it was too late to be quiet now, for An Zhisu on the field possessed extrely sharp hearing and had already caught the surrounding slander.
No... master... brutes...
"Daoist An," Qiu Changtian hesitated to speak, only to see An Zhisu give a serious salute, and said with a clenched fist,
"Daoist Qiu, I hold no grudges against you. But now that your Kunlun disciples have insulted my sect, I have no choice but to defend the honor of Qingluo Peak and fight with all I have!"
After that, she drew out her swords Flying Smoke and Chilly Edge, her entire deanor suddenly as fierce as a drawn sword, filling the air with murderous intent.
Qiu Changtian: ...........
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