Plundering Ancient Luck
Plundering Ancient Luck
Qin Wentian's gaze remained fixed on the colossal Vermilion Bird, his heart rattled by successive waves of shock.
Ancient luck. The very purpose of the Heavenly Fate Rankings battle was to seize this elusive fortune, and now, here it was – ancient luck!
The Purgatory Vermilion Bird that had materialized behind him wasn't enormous in size, yet it radiated a terrifying baleful aura reminiscent of Purgatory itself. Swirls of crimson and obsidian wove together, creating a breathtaking but suffocating beauty.
Above them, the Vermilion Bird shifted its attention elsewhere, allowing Qin Wentian to finally take stock of his surroundings. He found himself amidst a mountain range, and on the distant horizon, there stood a city constructed from the very laws of space. He had been transported here through a spatial concept, stepping into a realm forged within a formation.
This world was ancient and barren, evoking a primordial era long past. Perhaps it was a fragment of Ancient Grand Xia, preserved within the confines of this formation. Qin Wentian couldn't help but wonder about the immense power required to accomplish such a feat.
A low cry from the Purgatory Vermilion Bird jolted him, and its lifelike presence seemed to defy its illusory nature.
Qin Wentian employed his formidable heart sense to scan the vicinity as he soared into the air, intent on understanding the lay of the land. However, after only a few moments, he abruptly turned his head and cast his gaze toward a specific direction, his eyes glittering with brilliance.
"That place..." Qin Wentian immediately changed course, hurtling toward it. Within a few breaths, he arrived at a mountain wall pulsating with overwhelming energy. Embedded within was a colossal axe, its history unknown, yet it exuded an ancient aura, appearing astonishingly crude. However, there was no sign of corrosion, and Qin Wentian could sense his heart clenching under the weight of its immense power.
"What an incredibly potent Divine Weapon."
Qin Wentian's figure flickered, and he materialized right before the colossal axe. He firmly gripped its handle, exerting his utmost strength to wrest it free, but the axe remained unmoved, resisting his overwhelming force.
"What lies within this mountain wall?" Qin Wentian's heart raced as he sensed the axe's will, which seemed eager to cleave him in two.
With a step back, his garuda wings unfurled behind him. He decided to return later, opting to explore more of this world within the formation first.
Ascending into the sky, Qin Wentian soon arrived at a vast body of water. He landed on a massive reef, feeling an intense chill emanating from the area ahead. It emanated from a spatial vortex that appeared to plunge deep beneath the ocean's surface. Qin Wentian hesitated, refraining from taking the risk. Danger lurked everywhere in this unfamiliar world.
Nevertheless, he gained a faint understanding of why some individuals, despite reaching the ninth level of Yuanfu and grasping second level Mandates, couldn't advance to the Heavenly Dipper Realm. Although these cases were rare, they existed, and often occupied the top ranks of the Heavenly Fate Rankings. Qin Wentian dimly grasped that in this world, there were rare treasures coveted by such experts, treasures that could only be obtained in the Yuanfu Realm.
Looking upward, Qin Wentian beheld the colossal Vermilion Bird, the sovereign of this realm.
On the coastline, a middle-aged man slowly advanced. He appeared older than most participants in this test, and the fact that he hadn't yet broken through to the Heavenly Dipper Realm suggested his talent was unremarkable. Nevertheless, his Yuanfu Realm strength was formidable, earning him a spot within the top hundred on the Heavenly Fate Rankings.
Behind him materialized an ordinary Vermilion Bird, distinct from the one following Qin Wentian. The man's battle robe was yellow.
This middle-aged man appeared to be tracking someone, advancing cautiously to retain the element of surprise. Qin Wentian followed his gaze to spot a familiar figure in the distance – Li Shiyu from the Unmatched Realm.
Li Shiyu's talent within the Mystic Maiden Palace was noteworthy, possessing a ninth-level Yuanfu cultivation base and yellow battle robes.
The middle-aged man suddenly accelerated, and Li Shiyu, sensing his pursuit, quickened her pace. Their game of cat and mouse escalated, both demonstrating extraordinary speed.
Eventually, the middle-aged man closed the gap. Without hesitation, he unleashed his attacks, and their Astral Souls materialized. His Astral Soul took on a bloody form exuding an eerie malevolence, revealing his mastery of the Mandate of Blood at the Perfection Boundary of the first level insight.
Not only was his Mandate of Blood powerful, but both his Mandate of Gold and Mandate of Wind were also perfected at the first level insight. Despite her strength, Li Shiyu found herself outmatched. She quickly coughed up blood, staining her robes crimson.
Qin Wentian watched impassively. There was no friendship between him and Li Shiyu, especially after her repeated attempts to interfere with Fan Le and Xuan Xin's relationship. He saw no reason to intervene on her behalf.
Upon witnessing Li Shiyu's defeat, Qin Wentian observed her Vermilion Bird being swiftly consumed by the middle-aged man's companion, resulting in a noticeable boost in its aura. It became more tangible and inched closer to reality.
Li Shiyu then vanished from the world within the formation, ousted from the rankings by her defeat. Qin Wentian couldn't help but be amazed by this revelation.
"Is this what they mean by plundering ancient luck?" Qin Wentian wondered aloud. This was the essence of the competition for ancient luck. Defeated participants had their share of ancient luck confiscated, leading to their removal from the Heavenly Fate Rankings.
After dispatching Li Shiyu, the middle-aged man turned his gaze towards Qin Wentian. His eyes flickered with hesitation for a moment before resolving into a cold gleam.
Soaring into the air, he disdainfully stared down at Qin Wentian and spoke, "Though you possess exceptional abilities, your cultivation is still too weak. You should simply hand over the ancient luck of the Purgatory Vermilion Bird to me."
Qin Wentian raised his head, noticing two pinpricks of light gleaming on the forehead of his opponent's Vermilion Bird. This indicated that his current Vermilion Bird was a fusion of two portions of ancient luck.
In response to the middle-aged man's words, his Vermilion Bird let out an excited screech and charged towards Qin Wentian's Purgatory Vermilion Bird.
Qin Wentian's Purgatory Vermilion Bird responded with an angry screech, and the two illusory birds clashed fiercely in the air, neither willing to back down.
"Heart and Intent as one," the middle-aged man explained the method of seizing ancient luck from his previous opponent.
"What other marvelous uses does the accumulated ancient luck possess?" Qin Wentian inquired.
The middle-aged man sneered, "Hmph, hasn't anyone told you? Accumulate enough ancient luck, and a true Vermilion Bird will materialize. But with your current level of strength, revealing this secret is pointless."
As the man spoke, his Astral Soul transformed into a sinister apparition with bloodshot eyes that stirred the blood within Qin Wentian's body restlessly.
Qin Wentian couldn't help but chuckle at the middle-aged man's cautious demeanor. The man might have appeared disdainful, but in truth, he was carefully testing Qin Wentian's strength. He refrained from launching a direct attack, opting to probe Qin Wentian's abilities before committing fully to a battle.
Despite his age, this middle-aged man had not yet grasped any second-level Mandates. It wasn't due to a lack of desire to reach the Heavenly Dipper Realm but rather his inability to break through. Stuck at the Yuanfu Realm for countless years, he had witnessed others surpassing him, a painful experience that fueled his participation in the ranking battle every three years. It had become his sole reason for living, hoping to discover good fortune here or something that could aid his breakthrough. He couldn't afford to be careless now.
Qin Wentian floated in the air and suddenly charged at the middle-aged man, who furrowed his brow and attempted to escape. Qin Wentian, however, wore a wicked grin as he chased him down.
"Bzzz!" The middle-aged man swiftly altered his course, heading straight for Qin Wentian to catch him off guard. His Mandate of Blood surged like a bolt of lightning as he attempted to grab Qin Wentian.
But Qin Wentian had no reason to fear someone who had yet to comprehend a second-level Mandate. He met the middle-aged man's attack with a punch of his own. The collision caused the blood in Qin Wentian's body to churn wildly, as if it were on the verge of bursting out. However, the middle-aged man paid the price for his attack with his life. The shockwaves from the clash surged into his body, obliterating everything within.
"You..." The middle-aged man stared at Qin Wentian in disbelief.
"BOOM!" Another palm strike from Qin Wentian sent the middle-aged man hurtling through the air. His Vermilion Bird let out a shrill cry as it weakened noticeably. Qin Wentian's Purgatory Vermilion Bird swiftly closed the distance and devoured it.
Shortly after, the spatial laws in this formation fluctuated, and the middle-aged man vanished from this world. Qin Wentian gazed at his Purgatory Vermilion Bird with satisfaction as three points of light now shone on its forehead.
"Its aura has significantly strengthened, and its illusory form has become more tangible," Qin Wentian remarked. The process of plundering ancient luck was indeed ruthless.
As time passed, Qin Wentian continued exploring this world and encountered several more individuals, each falling victim to his relentless pursuit. With each victory, the illusory Vermilion Bird above him grew denser, and its baleful aura intensified.
To his surprise, he detected an aura at the first level of Yuanfu emanating from it.
Back in the Ancient Kingdom, spectators watched the condensed, miniature version of the events unfolding within the formation.
"Chen Wang and Shi Potian are incredibly formidable. They've defeated so many opponents that the points of light on their Vermilion Birds' foreheads have formed two vertical lines," the spectators commented.
"Si Qiong and Zhan Chen, they're all on a rampage to seize that ancient luck."
Every glimmer of light signified the elimination of one contender. Each vertical line symbolized the expulsion of ten individuals from the competition.
"Qin Wentian's strength is on par with some Heavenly Fate Rankings' top contenders. It seems only Yuanfu Realm cultivators who've mastered second-level Mandates can truly overpower him."
"Hold on, look at that portly fellow over there. Is he shamelessly hiding under that coral reef to cultivate?"
The onlookers shifted their gaze to the hefty figure mentioned. His attempt to enter the Heavenly Fate Rankings by avoiding confrontations and safeguarding his ancient luck was indeed audacious. People regarded him with contempt for such underhanded tactics.
"Chen Wang and Shi Potian have crossed paths but refrained from clashing. It's clear they're saving their energy for the final showdown."
"Wait, see where Chen Wang is headed? It appears Qin Wentian's luck isn't on his side. At this rate, they're bound to encounter each other soon." A wave of discussion erupted among the spectators.
Hadn't Qin Wentian recently provoked Chen Wang? It seemed he was in for a challenging confrontation.