Chapter 75 - Arc 7: Dragon Ascension Gate | Chapter 75: On the Way
Translator: Lynn
Witnessing Xu Ziqing’s potential, the disciples began to regard him with a hint of scrutiny, their attitudes becoming more restrained. However, despite their reservations, this group had established a preliminary connection and shared the consensus of being allies.
Shortly after, two middle-aged men arrived on the ground from the mountaintop.
The seven members of the Loose Cultivator Alliance bowed their heads respectfully. “Elder Peng, Elder Wu.”
Xu Ziqing wasn’t sure how to address them, but he greeted them with a wave of his hand.
The two elders nodded, their expressionless faces exhibiting a touch of seriousness.
These two individuals had no master-disciple relationship with the members of the Inner Alliance. Known for their strictness and impartiality, they were responsible for safeguarding the talents on the journey.
As everyone prepared, Elder Peng raised his hand and released a purple light.
The light suddenly burst in mid-air, shining brilliantly.
After the light dissipated, a chariot appeared. It was entirely purple, adorned with intricate patterns and concealed spells and shields. The craftsmanship was exquisite, giving it a luxurious appearance.
The chariot was drawn by two peculiar beasts resembling horses with sheep-like heads. They were pure white and emitted a peaceful aura.
Xu Ziqing had never encountered such beasts before, but he sensed their difference from the monsters he had seen. Monsters were typically fierce, even if not cannibalistic, displaying a bloodthirsty and violent nature. In contrast, these two peculiar beasts were docile and lacked any trace of blood, exuding a pure aura. After some thought, he concluded that they must be spirit beasts.
The key distinction between spirit beasts and monsters was that spirit beasts didn’t prey on humans. Many of them were even herbivorous and refrained from consuming blood.
Moreover, the relationship between spirit beasts and monks was generally more harmonious than that between monsters and monks. Throughout history, there were numerous instances of alliances between spirit beasts and monks. Some spirit beasts even volunteered to guard mountain gates for sects and earned the respect of disciples. It served as an example of intergenerational camaraderie for the elders.
From Xu Ziqing’s perspective, the disparity between monsters and spirit beasts resembled the difference between carnivores and herbivores in his previous life. The former often clashed with others, while the latter were cherished. After pondering this, he shifted his attention back to the air carriage.
A radiant light emanated from the carriage, and the door swung open.
Elder Wu’s tone was stern. “It’s time. Get in the carriage.” With that, he flickered and settled on the back of the left spirit beast. After Elder Peng nodded to everyone, he too jumped up and sat on the right spirit beast. The two elders waved at the disciples.
Using their respective methods, everyone swiftly levitated into the air.
Su Xin turned to Xu Ziqing. “Brother Ziqing, we should board as well.”
Xu Ziqing nodded and smiled. “After you, Brother Ah Xin.”
“Please,” Su Xin responded. With those words, a ball of blue flame ignited beneath his feet and instantly transformed into a cloud of fire, supporting him as he chased after the carriage.
Xu Ziqing had a different approach. A large leaf sprouted beneath his feet, acting as support and propelling him upward. The emerald green stem was no thicker than a wrist but appeared incredibly sturdy, propelling him straight into the air.
From below, the purple carriage appeared quite small, seemingly only capable of accommodating a single person. However, as they drew closer, it became apparent that this was not the case.
Less than five feet from the carriage, Xu Ziqing witnessed the door suddenly doubling in size, resembling a colossal mouth that engulfed the seven monks in front. As Xu Ziqing neared, he felt as if he had become a leaf at the mercy of the wind, helplessly drawn into it.
This carriage was truly extraordinary!
In the blink of an eye, Xu Ziqing found himself standing inside the carriage. The interior differed greatly from its exterior, resembling a room. Luxurious wooden chairs were arranged inside, divided into left and right sides, and affixed to the bottom of the carriage without any movement.
On the roof of the carriage, there was a large night pearl emitting a bright light. Between the two rows of wooden chairs, several small tables were placed, adorned with fresh spiritual fruits and fragrant teas, creating a comfortable atmosphere.
People were seated on these chairs, with Su Xin occupying the third seat from the left and leaving the fourth seat vacant for Xu Ziqing.
Xu Ziqing didn’t pay much attention to it and simply walked over, taking a seat on Su Xin’s right side.
Su Xin handed Xu Ziqing a light yellow fruit and said, “We still have a long journey ahead. Let’s eat some fruits to quench our thirst.” Xu Ziqing accepted it with a smile, took a bite, and began conversing with Su Xin. The rest of the monks also engaged in friendly conversations with each other.
The carriage sped along at an astonishing speed. By chance, Xu Ziqing glanced outside and saw white clouds passing by like flowing streams. The scene below appeared minuscule and blurry. Even with his heightened monk’s vision, objects often vanished before he could see them clearly.
After approximately an hour, the carriage gradually slowed down.
Observing this, Su Xin and Xu Ziqing paused their conversation.
Xu Ziqing was slightly taken aback. “What’s happening?”
Su Xin explained, “I heard it takes half a day to reach the Tenglong Mountain Range. We’ve just passed that time, so it shouldn’t come to a halt.”
Xu Ziqing understood. If the carriage wasn’t stopping, it indicated that something had occurred.
Indeed, the carriage abruptly trembled as if struck by a spell, causing a jolt.
The other six individuals also sensed it, their brows furrowing.
One of them jumped up and declared, “Who dares to trouble the Loose Cultivator Alliance!” With those words, he rushed out to confront the intruders.
However, a young man with sword-like eyebrows stopped him. “Junior Brother Jing Hui, don’t act impulsively. If there’s trouble, the two elders won’t simply stand by.”
He Jinghui’s face still flushed, but his momentum dwindled slightly as he said, “Brother Xingjian, can’t we just wait here?”
Min Caizhe chimed in, “The two elders possess formidable cultivation bases. Elder Wu has already reached the Golden Core Transformation Stage. Even if they encounter difficulties, it’s unlikely we can offer assistance by waiting outside.”
The others agreed after Min Caizhe’s statement.
Finally, Zhuo Hanyan tapped lightly on the handrail. “Take care of yourselves and avoid causing trouble. If the elders give orders, it will be the right time to act.” As the woman with the highest cultivation level among the monks, her words carried weight. He Jinghui calmed down upon hearing her and scratched his hair bashfully before sitting back down.
Zhuo Hanyan then glanced at Su Xin and inquired, “Junior Brother Su Xin, do you have any objections?”
Su Xin held a higher position than the rest in terms of potential and status, so even Zhuo Hanyan couldn’t completely disregard him. This had nothing to do with the number of years they had practiced cultivation at this point.
Su Xin casually smiled and replied, “As a junior, I naturally defer to my fellow brothers and sisters.”
Zhuo Hanyan cast another glance at Xu Ziqing but didn’t ask further questions. After all, he was a member of the foreign alliance and hadn’t gained everyone’s complete trust. While they showed him some respect, a matter of such magnitude would keep him on the sidelines. Xu Ziqing didn’t take it to heart and simply smiled, waiting quietly.
The carriage continued to vibrate, occasionally experiencing impacts against its walls.
All the monks wore solemn expressions, particularly those from the Inner Alliance who were deeply concerned about the situation outside.
Fortunately, it didn’t last long. After about half an hour, the effects of the spells dissipated. Soon after, figures flickered, and it was Elder Wu who entered the carriage.
Zhuo Hanyan stood up and inquired, “Elder Wu, what happened outside?”
Elder Wu glanced at everyone slowly, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes. “A few demon cultivators came knocking, but they have already been dealt with. No need to worry.”
Demon cultivators!
All the disciples exchanged astonished glances. Although they had expected the presence of demon cultivators, confirming the fact still left them somewhat shocked.
In truth, this wasn’t surprising. The Ascension to the Dragon Gate Conference took place every ten years, and demon cultivators were never invited. It was common knowledge that the gatekeepers of the Ascension Dragon Gate were all immortal cultivators from the great world. Participating in the conference was merely an opportunity to enter the big world and enjoy third-order spiritual veins. How could demon cultivators not feel resentful when they couldn’t partake in such benefits?
Hence, it had become a common occurrence for demon cultivators to gather an ambush on the road before each Ascension to the Dragon Gate conference. They were unwilling to accept their fate, particularly those who had already established their foundations but had no means of entering the big world. Additionally, those nearing the end of their lifespan, filled with envy towards the proud children who could partake in third-level spiritual cultivation, became even more desperate.
During this particular instance, as the carriage passed through a mountain, it encountered a group of demon cultivators who had been lying in wait for a long time. Surprisingly, all of them were Foundation Establishment cultivators, totaling ten in number. Among them, three were in the early stage of foundation establishment, five in the middle stage, and two in the late stage.
Foundation-building cultivators were highly valued assets in many major sects, but these demon cultivators had gathered to assassinate them out of sheer hatred and envy. It demonstrated the deep resentment and unwillingness harbored by the demon cultivators.
Fortunately, Elder Peng, a master in the late stage of Foundation Establishment, was present, and Elder Wu Changlao’s cultivation in the early stage of Yuanyuan had also stabilized. They were able to completely eliminate their opponents.
However, even so, Elder Peng sustained injuries, leading Elder Wu, who remained unscathed but had depleted a significant amount of real energy, to console the group of talented disciples.
After hearing Elder Wu’s account, the proud sons initially felt relieved, but soon a sense of fear took over. They realized that if not for the presence of an expert in Hua Yuanqi, the situation could have been dire.
Observing the slightly pale faces of the group, Elder Wu assured them, “I’ll handle it. You can rest assured that nothing will happen.”
All of them expressed their gratitude, responding, “Elder Wu, thank you for your efforts.”
Elder Wu waved his hand, and his figure immediately vanished.
Once he departed, the disciples couldn’t help but discuss the situation.
Even Su Xin, known for his boldness, couldn’t help but marvel at the demon cultivators. “Brother Ziqing, these demon cultivators are incredibly audacious.”
Xu Ziqing nodded but sighed, “It’s evident that they possess the outstanding talent to reach such cultivation levels. Why succumb to selfish desires? If they devoted themselves to cultivation, even if they couldn’t enter the big world, they could still achieve something. Yet, they chose to fall into this path…”
Hearing Xu Ziqing’s words, Su Xin forgot his previous fear and anxiety. Shaking his head, he disagreed, saying, “Demon cultivators are extremely ruthless, Brother Ziqing. Don’t sympathize with them. If you encounter them in the future, showing any softness would cost you your life.”
Xu Ziqing smiled and responded, “Rest assured, I won’t.” It was true. If it were in the past, perhaps he would have shared Su Xin’s worry, but now things were different. Today, Xu Ziqing truly lamented how those demon cultivators wasted their talent. However, regrets were nothing more than regrets…
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