In the center of the Heavenly Stairs spell formation, instead of the figures of ten JieDan experts, there were merely ten old and gray haired men, whose chests were all covered with blood, as if they had been in a slaughter chamber. All of these ten people were unconscious and on the ground, their breath extremely feeble, as if they would stop breathing at any moment now.
Everyone at the scene turned pale with fright upon seeing this, not daring to be neglectful, they hurriedly carried all of these JieDan experts and came out. After that, magic potions of every sect were stuffed into their mouths and immediately someone began to put spirit power into their body, to assist with dissolving the medicine at the same time, so that they could replenish their bodily functions.
Looking at the appearances of Cheng Wen Cai and the other experts, it seemed that their cultivation realm had fallen by a lot. Those few cultivators at the back had already sensed that most of the meridians of the victims in front of them had already snapped, exhausting the spirit power in their bodies.
Too much of their life essence had been extracted and this had caused their bodies to age in this way. Even if they were cured, let alone JieDan stage, just to be able to preserve at the middle of the foundation stage could already be considered as being blessed by their ancestors.
After the great upheaval, finally the ten JieDan experts were rescued at their last breath, only then did someone among them remember to seek responsibility from Yang Chen, who was sitting on the peak. All of the ten JieDan experts became like this, but Yang Chen had escaped without taking any responsibility.
“Fellow Daoists, what is the matter?”
Xu Cheng Xin stopped in front of the ten JieDan experts, headed by Cheng Wen Cai, and leisurely asked, using the tone which Cheng Wen Cai had used when he had accused Yang Chen.
Even if Xu Cheng Xin was no good, he was still a JieDan expert and everyone who wanted to make a move on Yang Chen would have to cross the mountain named Xu Cheng Xin. However Xu Cheng Xin, without giving them any chances, asked with Schadenfreude:
“Could it be that everyone wanted to violate the commandment of the Heavenly Stairs?”
All of the people present turned expressionless and only after a good moment did everyone manage to respond. After the Heavenly Stairs spell formation had been discovered, there really was one such strange commandment, it was said that if someone violated it, the consequences would be grave.
That one commandment, was precisely that the people who were managing the Heavenly Stairs spell formation were absolutely not allowed to exploit the spell formation to attack the people on the Heavenly Stairs, otherwise, not only would it cause their spirit power to be devoured instead, but it was also very possible that their cultivation would fall down by a few realms and even their life force could be seriously damaged. The appearance of the ten JieDan experts in front of them, wasn’t that the exact outcome stated in the commandment of dropping the cultivation and damaging the life force?
“Nobody should be blamed for this, even I, who had managed the Heavenly Stairs for more than ten years, also only remembered just a moment ago, that the Heavenly Stairs still had this kind of commandment.”
Xu Cheng Xin had only just a moment ago remembered this and this made him immediately realize why the cultivation of the nine JieDan experts who had sat with him had fallen. As it turned out, it was due to this. But the tone was such that Cheng Wen Cai and the others wanted to weep but could not find any tears.
“On top of that, this commandment has not also been concealed from anyone, therefore nobody should neglect it!”
“It seems that this is not my Pure Yang Palace’s disciple’s fraud, but rather a violation of the rules by the group of experts claiming to be JieDan stage elders, who were controlling the spell formation and acting together to take care of a second qi layer disciple.”
Xu Cheng Xin shook his head like a rattle. Clicking his tongue, he started speaking again:
“They should just grow up! At last the eyes of an old man like me have opened, I have seen shamelessness, but never this much! Ten JieDan experts, in addition to the previous nine JieDan experts, a total of nineteen experts, all joining hands to deal with my Pure Yang Palace’s second qi layer disciple… All of their sects have indeed……….indeed…..brought light to my humble dwelling! What a splendor!”
For a while Xu Cheng Xin did not find any suitable words to say, so he had used this kind of expression to display his opinions. No one could blame Xu Cheng Xin for mocking and ridiculing, because when Yang Chen had first climbed the Heavenly Stairs, Xu Cheng Xin was also one of those who were managing the spell, he had just recovered and barely restored some spirit power, when Cheng Wen Cai and others had already hurried over and begun to accuse Yang Chen of cheating.
The other party at that time had precisely used this kind of intonation to ridicule, bullying Xu Cheng Xin without having any evidence, forcing him to take the big oath on his Heart’s Devil and even forcing Yang Chen to climb the Heavenly Stairs again to prove his innocence. Now, after finding the truth about this affair at last, how could he not return those disgusting taunts, to which he had been subjected to at that time.
Cheng Wen Cai and the others were so ashamed and resentful, that they started to spit blood on the spot again. Although there was this commandment, but who would take it seriously? There had been one or two JieDan experts who had secretly used some methods to torment some disciples and forced them out of the Heavenly Stairs, but these JieDan experts had remained unscathed. This kind of affair had happened many times, so who would still care about the commandment, which had never been enforced.
But when it was time for Yang Chen, this commandment had surprisingly turned out to be true twice in a row. The first group of nine JieDan experts had merely fallen by a level and were seriously hurt, but they had still maintained the cultivation of the JieDan stage. But the second time, for the group of experts led by Cheng Wen Cai, the losses were disastrous. Not only had they received serious injuries, but they also had their cultivation fall by an entire realm, descending to the foundation stage. Even their life force had been damaged by an unknown amount. Paying the price of ten JieDan experts just in order to make things difficult for a second qi layer disciple, the words: ‘The losses don’t make up for the gains’ perfectly describe the situation.
Apart from these immediate losses, the reputation of the sects of these JieDan experts, would also suffer from serious damage. This was not an affair which could be smoothed out overnight. Even when these cultivators would return to their home sects, they would have to suffer from serious punishments.
Of the two groups of JieDan experts who controlled the spell formation, only Xu Cheng Xin strictly complied with the commandment and was thus able to escape with just an exhaustion of his spirit power, which needed only three to five days to recover.
This time the losses of the Greatest Sky Sect were the largest. Even if it was a big sect, still, losing three JieDan experts in a single day was something it was not able to support. But right now, not only were the losses this big already, but they still had to make an apology.
Not to mention that, at that time, Cheng Wen Cai had also promised good benefits to the seven other JieDan experts of the other sects and he still had to honor his commitments one by one and furthermore he even had to double the compensation. Once he thought of this point, Cheng Wen Cai was unable to remain calm. His eyes rolled up into his head and he again lost consciousness.
“My Pure Yang Palace’s disciple Yang Chen, has climbed to the peak of the Heavenly Stairs for a second time.”
Xu Cheng Xin however, regardless of the recent accusations, directly asked all of the people present on the scene:
“If anyone still has doubts, I invite you to come out!”
Who among the cultivators would be so foolish? After this kind of situation had come to pass, who would be willing to offend Pure Yang Palace? Still wanting to taunt like that batch of sects headed by Greatest Sky Sect? Even if someone had thought about this within their head, they did not dare to say anything.
Yang Chen had climbed to the peak two times, while receiving attacks both times. This was not at all the usual level of difficulty for the Heavenly Stairs. When this thought flashed through someone’s mind, they immediately pushed it down. If he was able to climb to the peak under such circumstances, then wouldn’t it be no problem at all under normal circumstances?
Only after Xu Cheng Xin asked this three times and there was nobody who had any objections, did he declare, with a proud voice that Pure Yang Palace’s disciple Yang Chen, had climbed to the peak again and once again nobody voiced any objections.
“Fellow Daoist Cheng, do you remember at that time when you had blamed my Pure Yang Palace’s disciple of fraud, Fellow Daoist Cheng had judged that he should be killed.”
Xu Cheng Xin looked at Cheng Wen Cai who had managed to sober up again, and took a few steps towards him, one after another.
“My Pure Yang Palace’s fraud disciple should be killed, but then, I wonder, how should a fraud JieDan expert of the Greatest Sky Sect be treated. I think, the Greatest Sky Sect should clean the sect!”
After he said those words, thoroughly venting his hate, Xu Cheng Xin, without paying any more attention to anyone else, disappeared and within a moment reappeared at the peak of the Heavenly Stairs, opposite of Yang Chen.
The most dazzling person at this moment on the Floating Mountain was none other than Yang Chen. He was a second qi layer disciple, but setting foot on the peak of the Heavenly Stairs was already a pioneering achievement, which had never been accomplished since ancient times, but adding onto that, he by himself, facing against nineteen JieDan experts, and this so called ‘outcome’ had already surpassed all of the others of its kind, before that and ever since.
At this moment Yang Chen had already slowly opened his eyes. This time, by climbing to the peak he had not received a great amount of spirit power again, nor did he receive the spirit power of the ten different attributes he had received last time, which was already purified as if it were circulating within the Heavenly Stairs itself and so this time was not in the least helpful towards his cultivation. The Heavenly Stairs, were only effective for the first time.
But the spirit power of the ten JieDan experts still allowed the spirit power in Yang Chen’s body to become even stronger and more solid to some degree, so this time had at least saved Yang Chen one month of hard work. He had already obtained enough benefits and he has also got the chance to teach a lesson to people who had wanted to harm him, like killing two birds with one stone, so Yang Chen was very happy within his heart.
Although he had achieved an overwhelming victory, he was also very frightened at every step, as facing against the thousands and millions of questions to his innermost being for most of the first time, if Yang Chen had hesitated even a little bit, it would have wasted all of his previous efforts and would have had his his future prospects destroyed. That was a very ruthless attack, no less than a life and death battle. The second time was even more difficult, as he was faced with battles over victory and defeat at all times. Even the spectators such as Gongsun Ling, when seeing Yang Chen in this situation, she had also broken out in cold sweat.
The victorious person was Yang Chen, and the most victorious sect was naturally Pure Yang Palace without any competitor. Two disciples, one who had stepped onto the peak and other one had climbed to the sixty second step of the Heavenly Stairs. Whichever one you chose, both of them were talented disciples worth fighting over. This class of talent would only come out once in a century, the Pure Yang Palace should be grateful to their ancestors for these two talented disciples. Their flourishing luck made people drool with desire.
The farce led by the Greatest Sky Sect had finally come to an end. So far, this year’s Floating Mountain Assembly had been the most perfect one.
Apart from the Pure Yang Palace, which had returned from a rewarding journey, those who had participated in the assembly were also not without any gains. The Heavenly Stairs, no matter how many steps one climbs, one would still have some benefits. Even those who were just watching had seen a marvelous show, which had satisfied their craving.
When the news was sent back to Pure Yang Palace, it caused a sensation from top to bottom. For the last several hundred years, not even a single talented disciple had appeared in the Pure Yang Palace, but this year there were two geniuses within the outer disciples, how could this not make the Palace Master of the Pure Yang Palace elated.
When the Palace Master thought about Yang Chen researching the xun qi pill, which would increase the amount of outer disciples and cut down the time to become a outer disciple, the Palace Master shouted in rejoice. At the time when Yang Chen was entering the sect, because of his identity of an executioner, he had faced difficulty from some people within the sect, thinking about this even now it still gave the Palace Master a chill. If at that time Yang Chen had been repelled from outside the door, then where would Pure Yang Palace’s current glory be? How could he desire the hope to revive the sect again?
“Reward! A great reward!”
The Palace Master was extremely happy within his heart and as soon as Yang Chen had returned to the Nine Earth Manor, he had already made a promise to reward him.
“Gongsun Ling and Yang Chen, when they are at the peak of the qi layer, they will receive as many foundation stage pills as they need, until they are at the foundation stage. In addition to that, as long as they successfully build their foundation, they will immediately receive magic weapon flying swords in accordance with their respective attributes and within the MeiQing Mountain they may construct their immortal cave anywhere.”
After promising these benefits, the Palace Master suddenly realized that these were all just benefits which could be given in future but not now. For a moment, he deeply pondered about things which could give them immediate assistance and after thinking about it for a good moment, he added:
“Gongsun Ling will receive two thousand contribution points and Yang Chen will receive three thousand. In addition to that, in the future within the Nine Earth Manor, the Hidden Pavilion will be open to them free of cost and if they have any questions, they should be guided with great care!”
The rewards had been recorded one by one, but just as those two had turned around, the Palace Master stated, as if he recalled something:
“This year at the outer disciples’ sect’s great martial arts contest, I will personally come to look how outstanding these two are!”
In any case, Yang Chen and Gongsun Ling, were still mere outer disciples, still unworthy of the Palace Master to personally carry out the reward. However, this was already an unprecedented reward, most of all the foundation stage pills. Receiving as many as they wanted, this had already ensured that they would successfully reach the foundation stage.
Pure Yang Palace was filled with joy from top to bottom, only Chu Heng and Sun Hai Jing were upset within their hearts. Most of all Sun Hai Jing, because Yang Chen had indeed invited him to a life and death duel. Others may not dare to accept it, but Yang Chen killing Han Jiande at the sixth qi layer under so many eyes had already been established as a fact, and he currently was only at the fourth qi layer, so basically it was only a matter of time until he would have to walk the road of death.
“Master, save me!”
The more Sun Hai Jing thought, the more frightened he became.
Bang!
He kneeled in front of Chu Heng. At the moment the only chance he had, was that Che Heng would take care of it, else he did not have any way out. He did not have the confidence to betray the Pure Yang Palace but he also did not have the confidence to face Yang Chen.
“In the last half year, you have received another first rate talisman tool, but you are still not his opponent.”
Finally at this moment, Chu Heng and Sun Hai Jing were like a grasshopper on a rope, killing him to silence him was very troublesome, so to calm down Sun Hai Jing he said:
“Only if……..”
Chu Heng’s hesitation however gave Sun Hai Jing a hope to live, so he hastily kowtowed and asked:
“Please save me, Master!”
“Okay, okay!”
To Sun Hai Jing he offered the choice, that within half a year he would certainly die if he could not reach the peak of the qi layer realm, although if he used a secret method, he could reach the peak of qi realm, but then it would take him between two to three hundred years to reach the foundation stage. Between these two choices, Sun Hai Jing did not even need to consider which option he would to pick.
“If you choose this, then within the Hidden Pavilion read the jade slip in the final row of the fourth layer cultivation methods!”
Chu Heng said in a single breath, providing directions to Sun Hai Jing.