Map
Yueling grips her dagger and gets into a stance.
"Wait! You are using a real weapon?" Says Li Xing.
Yueling ignores her. I realise she has always been very quiet and has not made any form of relationship.
I draw Azrim and nod. "Come at me using brute strength."
Yueling returns the nod and charges at me.
!
She disappears and appears behind me. I place Azrim over my shoulder to block her attack.
My hand is trembling.
This is the strength of a peak core formation...
I shift the weight of my body to the right to throw her off and deliver a kick to her abdomen.
She guards against the kick in the nick of time but I leap at her, slashing my sword diagonally. A crescent wave strikes her but she dissipates it with a simple swing.
It is her turn to take the lead. She jumps at me and I stomp on the ground, an explosive pile of dirt engulfs the area to block her vision. I appear behind her and attempt to slash vertically, she saw that coming and positioned her dagger to deflect it.
I change my body momentum at the final move and strike diagonally.
!!
Although she did not expect it, her reaction time saved her and she deflects my sword with a counter-attack to my face.
*CLING*
Her dagger was unable to cut through my skin.
?!
I take that chance and punch her. She puts up her arm to guard but was flung away into the mountain near, crashing through every possible nature.
"Huff huff..."
"The Patriarch is at the peak of Foundation Establishment?! Was he not at the low Foundation Establishment a month ago?!" Dei Lo thought out loud.
Xiang Hou laughs at Dei Lo. "Haha! Are you comparing ordinary cultivators to the Patriarch? Our Patriarch can defeat a peak Core Formation!"
No, Yueling was holding back and using only one-third of her strength. Moreover, she was aiming for non-vital spots that won't affect my future performance.
Still... We were only competing in pure strength and the difference in cultivation is too wide.
But I was able to last against her, my techniques should cover the gap.
For the final preparation, I visited Choi Inyoung at the A.A.
!!
"It's Patriarch Wang! What can I do for you?" The lady at the front desk says in delight.
"I want to see Choi Inyoung."
"Miss Inyoung? She is in today, in her room."
I nod and walk to her room.
*knock knock*
"Wang Ji?!"
Inyoung pulls the door open with a bright smile. "Come in. What brings you here today?"
"Does a disciple need a reason to visit his master?"
"Don't attempt to flatter me, I know a Patriarch doesn't have that luxury."
...
"I need some elixir and Heavenly Tribulation pills. I can make them myself." I say.
Choi Inyoung stiffens and opens her mouth. "You are at the peak foundation? Congratulations! You don't need to make it, it is my honour to serve a Patriarch. I have some spare ingredients here-"
"What? Why are you acting so cheerful?"
...
"I am happy that you are alive." Says Choi Inyoung. "Many people die..."
...
"Master Choi, do you want to become the sect's Alchemist Pavillion master?" I ask.
?!!
I need to know more about Choi Inyoung, it can give me clues about potential reincarnations I have to look out for.
Besides, her personality makes it easy to control her.
"I...need some time to think about it." Says Choi Inyoung.
"I understand."
She makes the pills within 10 minutes and passes them to me. She even added a few Core Formation pills.
"Take care." She says.
I nod and left.
The core disciples are ready and we proceed to set off to the Tomb of Emperor Hua two days later. The Jade emperor will be a guest of honour at the event.
"Please win!" Says an outer disciple.
"Yeah! I want to prove my brothers wrong that I joined a trash sect!" Says an inner disciple.
"We will." Li Xing says with a smile. I won't say she is confident, her body is trembling, but she is charging in nonetheless.
"Uh..." I scratch my head. "What...is this?"
Zhong Han smiles with his nose held up high. "I have special connections and he agreed to take all of you to Lui Ro for free."
"Don't talk nonsense." Says the old man on the large bird. "You owe my daughter a wedding with the patriarch."
"What?"
"H-Hahaha! This senile man is joking..." Says Zhong Han.
Veins appear on the old man's forehead. "We are three realms apart. Are you trying to challenge me?" He says.
"Ah...Ahem! I have some business attend to. Good luck everyone!" And he quickly escapes.
Three realms apart? This old man wearing a straw hat and ragged robe is a nascent soul? I felt power in him but because the old man restricted his Qi flow, he feels like a normal mortal.
The bird he tamed is a white Phoenix that radiates blue flame from its wings.
The old man sighs. "Whatever, get on."
We climb onto the Phoenix and it instantly soars into the sky. I didn't have to do any Qi circulation to negate inertia, the old man is doing it.
"Patriarch! I think it is time to conceal your cultivation!" Li Xing tries to speak among the noisy wind.
"It's okay. I will be participating with you."
The core disciples widen their eyes. There were no rules stating that the Patriarch cannot join, only a requirement of cultivation below Golden Core.
We arrive at a large crater engraved in the middle of rocky terrain.
!!
Below, the sea of humans makes way for the Phoenix that's about to land.
*PSSSST!!*
The Phoenix exerts a hot steam wave when it lands. The disciples and I alight the Phoenix, the old man pets the Phoenix's head.
"What a grand entrance!? How much did he spend for this?"
"The Patriarch from Heavenly Divine Dragon sect! The rumoured one from the upper realms?"
"But I heard he had a meridian illusion technique? I can sense his cultivation...?"
"Peak of Foundation Establishment?"
"Those rubbish rumours. He is so weak."
"Those bastards..." Xiang Hou mumbles. I stop him.
...
The ground starts to tremble as a small part of the tomb peeks out of the rock.
The ones participating jump into the crater. My sect and I follow.
"The Patriarch is participating?"
"This is the first time a sect patriarch is participating!"
Many complain about the fact that I joined.
However, someone shouts "SILENCE!". He is an old man wearing a red fur coat with a yellow robe inside, behind him are disciples dressed similarly.
One of his disciples steps forward and says "Let him join. He fulfils the criteria but is just a Foundation Establishment. My sect, Red Fire God, will nonetheless emerge victoriously."
That disciple has long white hair with red eyes, he is emitting a calm yet cruel facade.
One of the top 2 sects in Tianwu: Red Fire God. They are known for their precise and deadly pyromancy techniques.
"S-Shit that's Tian Long." Says Dei Lo.
"It's alright. We practised until death for a long time, do you remember all that running and climbing we did?" Xiang Hou tries to ease the disciples.
After my suggestion, Gaoming increased the intensity of the core disciple's training by about the folds. From running and climbing around Mount Hua Xi endlessly, they only stopped to cultivate, practise the sword, eat, and sleep.
Amidst the crowd, Xie Mo is panicking.
"What's wrong?" The princess says.
"W-Why is he here?!" Xie Mo mumbles.
"Peak of Foundation Establishment? He doesn't seem like someone strong." Says the man beside the princess.
"Shut up you ignorant fool!"
"What did you call me-"
The princess holds her hand out to calm the man down. He clicks his tongue and folds his arm, looking away.
Xie Mo scratches his head in frustration. He calms himself down as he holds onto his last hope.
"Yes...that's right..." Xie Mo mumbles. "I know this place... I was the one who created it..."
Xie Mo was friends with Emperor Hua in his previous life. He constructed the entire layout of the tomb and implemented the respective arrays upon the emperor's death, it is a final wish from the emperor to Ji Qiang.
"Sorry old friend... I have to take 'that' weapon from your tomb."
There is no way Xie Mo could lose. Is what he thought. How could a creator of a game loss to a participant?
But...
I look around in the crowd. I know Xie Mo is here but I can't find him, that bastard is hiding his aura.
*ding*
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A Map of the tomb can be obtained. (Xie Mo)
Would the host like to extract it for 50,000 points?
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!!!