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4.18% Painting of the Nine Immortals / Chapter 42: The Unveiling

Chương 42: The Unveiling

Biên tập viên: Rainystars

Time is like a river. You cannot touch the same water twice, and if you look away, it disappears.

Seven days were gone in the blink of an eye.

Next to the lake of sparkling cerulean, Ling Xian continued to meditate. He was surrounded by the swirls of magical Qi that became increasingly thicker, cloudier, and gloomier…

"Almost ready to emerge from the other side…"

Suddenly a thought flashed through his mind. Ling Xian turned his palms upside down, and his fingertips formed a unique pattern. Instantaneously, the thick, gloomy cloud that encircled his body morphed into a liquid stream and, through millions of pores, flooded into his body and invaded his muscles, his organs, and his bloodstream. His body was cleansed of impurities. Qi of the purest form now flowed through his veins.

As if the tranquility of the lake was suddenly disturbed by the dribbles of a fallen rock, Ling Xian’s body was on the verge of breaking through. After seven days of fasting, he had surpassed the fifth level. With the last breath of Qi, he would achieve his goal of overtaking the sixth level.

This last drop was essential in igniting the volcanic powers his body has been building until this moment. It was a trigger; releasing a tsunami that would dissolve the gloomy cloud.

Vooooooooon!

The calm surface of the cerulean lake erupted with a force so fierce waves after waves smashed into one another, sweeping up and raining down terrified creatures of the lake.

Ling Xian opened his eyes, and a flash of lightning swept through his field of vision.

A powerful sensation surged throughout his body, a power that was quickly intensifying.

I have reached the sixth level!

During the first phase of a cultivator's training, there is a total of nine levels. The sixth level signifies the point of no return that separates trainees from a true cultivator.

For those who are not particularly gifted, it would take years to reach this stage. Even somewhat gifted cultivators take awhile to achieve this stage.

Ling Jian, the somewhat gifted former Leader of the Ling Clan, reached the sixth level at the age of 16; after six full years of practice.

For Ling Xian, this process took a total of 17 days!

This news, if it were to become public, would send shockwaves throughout the world.

17 days to complete what very few had ever accomplished. How incredibly exceptional must he be?

Natural talent was always the most important.

"But there isn’t enough time left. Even powers of the sixth level fall short of what I need to break into the Hidden Territory," Ling Xian muttered regretfully.

If people knew how unsatisfied he was with his achievement, they’d perhaps kill him.

Swinging his sleeves, Ling Xian fired an angry fireball towards an ancient tree not far ahead.

BAAAAANNNNNNNNNNGGGGG!

A flash of lightning pierced through the tree and sliced it in half.

"Amazing. Much better than before." Ling Xian smiled, satisfied with what he had achieved.

Suddenly, another thought entered his mind. Without hesitation, he disappeared from the Painting of the Nine Immortals, hurrying towards the Forest of Mount Qian.

Due to him gifting the Token of the Hidden Territory, which he had won at the martial arts competition to Ling Hu, Ling Xian could neither enter as a guest from the Ling Clan nor as a guest of honor.

He now has to hide and enter without being detected after everyone else arrived.

...

The Forest of Mount Qian is located near the northern edge of the City of Qing. This labyrinth of mountains, valleys, streams and forecasts is home to countless beasts and hideous creatures. It is also the training and hunting ground for students of various Clans.

On this occasion, the Forest was playing host to the Unveiling of the Hidden Territories, an event that occurred every five years.

As usual, the majority of the visiting crowd were passing cultivators attending the festivities for their own amusement. There are only 50 tokens of the Hidden Territory to be given out. Consequently, only 50 cultivators enjoy having the fortune bestowed upon them.

The hour was drawing near. Cultivators who already possessed their tokens have arrived. Gathered in smaller groups of three and five, each took his turn observing potential rivals scattered around.

Within these bustling groups, three were of particular interest.

They were members of the famed Clans.

Led by their clan leaders, members of the three clans exchanged looks of suspicion, provocation, and spark.

Ling Tian Qing was beginning to worry. He navigated through the crowd, carefully but unsuccessfully seeking the most gifted member to ever come from his clan.

He was searching for Ling Xian.

At first, when all members of the Ling Clan gathered to leave for the Hidden Territory, Ling Tian Qing thought Ling Xian had gone ahead of everyone. However, when the clan arrived at the destination, Ling Tian Qing realized that Ling Xian could not be found.

"What is he thinking? He’s going to miss this!" Ling Tian Qing was growing increasingly anxious. He caught a man’s shadow in the corner of his eye. However, just as he was about to let out a sigh of relief, he recognized that the man was not whom he was seeking.

Ling Hu scratched his head, embarrassed. "Leader Ling, my brother, Ling Xian, he gave me his Token."

"What?!" Ling Tian Qing bellowed. "You mean to say he’s leaving this chance to you?"

"He…" Ling Hu stuttered, frightened by the most powerful man of his Clan. "My brother told me he had another one."

"Oh, then you can go in. Remember, stay together, and don’t stray. You’re not ready to do this on your own." Ling Tian Qing did not pursue this matter.

Ling Xian was the most gifted and most valued member of the clan at this moment. There was no reason to embarrass his brother so publically.

"Thank you, Leader."

Ling Hu’s face lit up with relief and excitement. Getting permission from the Clan Leader to enter the Hidden Territory was his biggest concern. He fully understood why he was granted permission. "He, my brother soared to fame overnight. If it weren't for him, the Clan Leader would have confiscated my Token at once," Ling Hu celebrated quietly under his breath.

The unveiling was due to begin shortly. The Clan Leader from the Fang Clan arrived to greet Ling Tian Qing. Eyeing the line of students behind him, Leader Fang ridiculed, "the Ling Clan is in decline I see. Look at your students, sixth level at best. Aren’t you afraid they’ll die in there?"

"This is not of your concern," Ling Tian Qing responded with a smile. "How does Revitalization Dan taste? 60,000 spiritual stones. Your wealth is truly commendable!"

The salt had hit the wound, and Leader Fang’s face darkened at once.

Throwing a deathly glare towards Ling Tian Qing, he replied, "That is not your concern. The Fang Clan doesn’t have much, only many stones to spare. I like spending. Perhaps you could outbid me next time."

"Oh, I dare not compete," Ling Tian Qing sneered. "Leader Fang, let’s be blunt. You have ordered your students to ambush mine inside the Hidden Territory. Why don’t you try a new strategy this time around?"

"I’ll tell you something else then." Leader Fang let out a mysterious grin. Putting his lips close to Ling Tian Qing’s ear, he whispered, "This time, we have a genius of the seventh level."

Ling Tian Qing had turned ghost white. A seventh Qi level cultivator… he could kill every member of the Ling Clan if he so desired.

Frowning, Ling Tian Qing felt a hint of panic.

"What do you think of that?" Leader Fang laughed out loud. Nothing gave me more satisfaction than watching his longtime rival taken over by fear.

"Seventh level, so what? You must have heard of the genius of the Ling Clan. I cannot wait for him to chop the head off of your so-called genius." Ling Tian Qing fought back.

"Hmm… we shall see." However, he had heard of the genius. The entire community had been discussing nonstop for days.

[This is bad. Ling Xian has only reached Qi level of five and my little sister has only overtaken the sixth, are they good enough to stop the Fang kid?] Ling Tian Qing was becoming increasingly agitated, and unsure of how to proceed. [These cultivators are the best of the Ling Clan. They are the future. If they died here, what will become of the Clan? Though if we turned back now, we would become the laughing stock of the entire community.]

Ling Tian Qing went back and forth for awhile but failed to arrive at a decision. All he could hope for now was for Ling Xian to appear and somehow work another miracle.

The moment arrived at the stroke of noon.

Along the parameters of the Forest of Mount Qian, a faint glow appeared on the horizon. The glow thickened and morphed into a splendid rainbow surrounded by a dazzling spectrum of lights. It floated quietly towards a mesmerized crowd, covering it under a magnificent veil.

A magical aura, a serene sign from heaven and earth, signaling the vicissitude of life.

Streaks of blinding flashes rained down near where the crowd gathered and twirled in the air to form a black hole. The hole continued to expand until a door appeared.

"The Hidden Territory has been unveiled. Anyone with a Token must enter at once. Remember, you may only stay inside for one month. Any longer, you will be killed by the forces inside. You will lie inside for all eternity, and never to come back to this world."

An icy voice rang through the crowd.

The soul of the Hidden Territory is calling!

Every competitor’s gaze fell fixated on the door of the Hidden Territory. Without waiting for a signal from their Clan Leaders, the students dashed for the opening and disappeared behind the darkness.

In there, they will face their fate!

Perhaps worldly riches, perhaps priceless artifacts, or perhaps powerful spells.

Everything they had hoped for was waiting for them inside the Hidden Territory.


Chương 43: The Ambush

Biên tập viên: Rainystars

The Hidden Territory; a wondrous and magical Cosmo.

Perhaps risen from the dust of heaven and earth, or maybe a space where souls of the dead linger, the Hidden Territory contains highly concentrated doses of Qi. It is a favorite amongst the adventurous.

It is where cultivators meet their fate.

Rare plants with unimaginable healing powers are encountered here. Nowhere else could one find more priceless ingredients for medicine.

The Hidden Territory is also home to mythical beasts. Unlike beasts of the outside world, the creatures living here have magical Qi flowing through their veins. An cultivator who succeeds in killing one of these beasts would inherit the Qi of his victim and slowly become invincible.

Perhaps the most precious of all its wonders, within the walls of the Hidden Territory, is powerful and exquisite artifacts that are exclusive to the Hidden Territory and are awaiting discovery. Only a lucky few have ever encountered such treasures.

There exist four types of Hidden Territories: Heaven, Earth, Mystery, and Gold. Gold is the least sophisticated form, which describes the one located in the City of Qing. Only cultivators under the age of 20, who have completed the foundational levels of cultivator training, are allowed to compete here. Anyone else would be denied entry.

Time allowed inside the different types of Hidden Territories differ as well. For an entry level field such as Gold, a month is the maximum length of time. The consequence of overstaying is death. As a result, time is closely observed by all who enter here.

All cultivators who possessed a Token had entered at once. Ling Xian has disguised himself inside the moving crowd without inviting suspicion.

Guided by the force of the shifting crowd, Ling Xian arrived at the glowing gate and, with an overpowering sense of excitement, launched himself through the gate.

Shhhhhooooooooooo!

A force propelled Ling Xian through the path to the other side, separating him from the rest.

When he opened his eyes again, Ling Xian found himself on top of a mountain peak. Before he could regain his footing, he felt an icy gust of wind pierce through his body.

Looking down, there was nothing but layers of cloud and fog floating above what appeared to be a bottomless valley.

Ling Xian felt his sweat turned to ice. [How did I end up so high up? How fortunate to have landed anywhere at all? How fortunate to not have fallen thousands of miles to my death.]

The storm continued to bellow, tossing him from side to side. One misstep and he would be dead.

"How do I get down from here?" Ling Xin cursed. Looking around, he noticed the landscape inside the Hidden Territory didn't mirror the surroundings of the outside in the slightest way.

The Qi here was much richer. Spiked mountains with steep sides extended thousands of miles into the sky. Giant trees, and ancient plants, compared to the outside world, appeared to predate life itself – nature at its finest.

Aaaaauuuuuuuuuugggggg!

The terrifying sound of a beast broke the silence.

One by one, other beasts responded. Deafening cries of unknown creatures filled the air.

Ling Xian trembled. His hair stood up at the back of his freezing neck. He understood. The creatures were defending their territories against this sudden influx of human intruders.

The competition had officially begun!

Not only must one evade the deadly creatures that roam these lands, but they must also escape the murderous intentions of his fellow cultivators.

"Tsssssssssssssssss…"

A screeching roar pierced through the wind.

In the distance, a massive and hideous bird-like creature could be seen pouncing towards Ling Xian. There was no time for a closer look. The beast was coming in for a kill.

"What is…"

Ling Xian could feel fear traveling throughout his body. He could not believe his eyes.

The giant birdlike creature resembled the shape of a crane with bright red feathers and a cold and murderous gaze. Without a doubt, this was the most feared beast in these lands.

The Bare Winged Crane!

This was a beast of a certain maturity. Most likely one of the eighth-realm.

The giant bird arrived within arms reach in the blink of an eye. His arrival forced a fearsome gust of wind, with the powers of a hurricane, nearly knocking Ling Xian over the edge of the mountain peak and sending him towards his death.

"It’s coming for me?"

Ling Xian frowned angrily. Deciding whether to take refuge inside the Painting of the Nine Immortals or calling on Liao Cang Qiong’s powers to assist him in his defense. Unexpectedly, the crane did not launch an attack. Instead, it threw him a casual glance, flapped its magnificent wings, and flew away.

Ling Xian understood clearly what the casual glance insinuated.

Contempt, disdain, pity… as if it was looking down at an ant; an unworthy prey.

Ling Xian was furious. He had to fight the urge to call on his Sword of Extinction and destroy the arrogant creature.

Of course, that was just a thought. Ling Xian could have never won that battle.

"What sort of place is this? This is too dangerous!" Ling Xian shook his head, and muttered to himself, "this damned place, won’t let in anyone with more than foundational training, but lets out such dangerous beasts. Do they expect us to leave here alive?"

But this was unfair of him to say. This encounter was sheer bad luck. Upon entering through the gate, Ling Xian had unfortunately been transported to the most dangerous location inside the Hidden Territory, thus encountering the Territory’s most feared beast.

The Hidden Territory is a universe of average size. Its inhabitants are commonly creatures of the ninth-realm and a few creatures from the eighth-realm. They were all similar to the skills of the cultivators allowed inside. The creatures also rarely step out of their usual habitats. Ling Xian had experienced some rotten luck indeed.

Ling Xian was fortunate to have been deemed unworthy of prey by the Bare Winged Crane. Blood would have been spilled otherwise.

"Should figure out how to get down from here. It’s too dangerous this high up." Ling Xian pondered a moment. Carefully, he circled the peak, searching for a safe way down.

Suddenly, he felt a black, shadowy figure move towards him at the speed of lightning.

"Oh no!" Ling Xian shouted. However, there was nothing to be done except watch as the black lightning pierced through his heart. Leaving behind a blood clot in the shape of a flower suspended next to his chest.

"This is…the Xuan Ming Snake!"

Ling Xian stumbled backward while clutching his chest. Coming face to face with the dark, monstrous snake, his expression froze.

The snake was roughly 30 feet in length, and its skin was a shade of deep charcoal with sparkling blue patterns. It curled up on top of a massive rock and examined this intruder with a deadly gaze.

The Xuan Ming Snake!

Legend has it this creature shares the same blood as the ancient Winged Serpent- a feared and powerful beast of mythical origins.

Commonly a predator of the ninth-realm, a Xuan Ming Snake could evolve to become a predator of the eighth-realm.

The Xuan Ming Snake is known to produce a lethal venom- an instant, irreversible and incurable poison. Death comes swiftly to those who are bitten.

All snakes fear birds. The Xuan Ming Snaked had intended to challenge Ling Xian earlier, but recoiled as it spotted the approaching crane. However now, this human prey was all his.

"You foolish human. You’ve been injected with my venom. I’m going to watch you die!"

The beast let out a strange and chilling laughter. It was close to entering the eighth-realm.

Shockingly, Ling Xian’s face began to relax as the look of worry disappeared. "It’s only venom, what’s to fear?" He smiled, exhaling a sigh of relief.

"Hmm…"

The snake began to feel a panicky sensation creep up on it. "Why are you not afraid? How is this possible? You can’t feel nothing!"

"And yet, I feel nothing," Ling Xian smirked. He was not afraid of a little drop of venom.

His body is protected with the world’s most potent antidote. What did he have to fear?

Ling Xian threw up his sleeves and shaped a fireball in between his palms. Silvery strands of fire slithered toward his chest, extracting the poison and disintegrating it.

"What the…"

The snake’s dilated pupils contracted in an instant. It could not understand what was inside Ling Xian’s body that made him immune to its venom. Terror rained down on the creature.

It had met its nemesis!

"Aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh!

In a moment of panic, the Xuan Ming Snake lifted his tail, swung it around, aimed at Ling Xian’s head and smashed down on it.

Maintaining his composure and without moving an inch, Ling Xian snatched up its tail in his vapory grasp and flung it outwards with all his might.

"Haha, foolish human, you are trapped." The snake let out a devilish laugh. As it was flung into the air, the creature spun around in midair, seized Ling Xian by his waist and began strangling him with its tightening grip.

"What a magnificent snake, it would make a tasty stew." Ling Xian chuckled to himself. This close to the beast, Ling Xian was overwhelmed by a sense of disgust. He collected his thoughts, summoned his powers and generated a protective layer between him and the snake.

"Vile human, I don’t believe you are immune to my venom." The snaked opened his gargantuan mouth and spat out a murky haze that plunged into Ling Xian’s body.

He felt a similar palpitation of the heart and became restless.

"If you insist on death, then let me assist you." Ling Xian’s pupils dilated, simultaneously unleashing the magical Flame of Purity.

Silver flames burst out of his pores, masking his body.

The temperature in the air surged around the pair. In an instant, it melted every last drop of the dark, poisonous cloud.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH…"

The Xuan Ming Snake let out a heart-wrenching scream and recoiled in pain. Retreating behind a large rock, the creature hopelessly eyed the silver flames that have now entrapped it.

"Damn him! What is this?"

The Xuan Ming Snake was now drowning in fear. It had never encountered an opponent of such skills and caliber. It has feared nearly nothing, and no one, until now.

The pride of its existence, its poisonous venom, was powerless against this human.

The snake has indeed met its nemesis. This thought made the beast tremble in terror. Was there a worse way to die?


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