by Tony Tran
“I hope his ascension goes well.” Yue Lang said with a smile.
Besides the saint who resided within the Golden Peak Province and Yue Lang, there was actually three other people located not too far from the Warring States Region who sensed about Zhang’s ascension.
Deep within the valley where the members of the Order of the Blue Moon resided, within a large palace a man that could only be described as skin and bones opened his eyes for the fraction of a second before closing his eyes once again. Not too far from the palace within the order of the blue moon’s experiment hall familiar man who was named Meng Liu looked up toward the sky with rage in his eyes.
“You thieves I'll get you back for what you stole from me when I open the reaper’s coffin and use those saint level undead to hunt you all down and steal your heavenly energy to finish my ascension…” Old man Meng Liu said angrily.
Lastly, there was a strange looking man dressed in blue robes who was walking on the surface of the ocean off the eastern coast of the Warring States Region, but unlike the others, he simply ignored Zhang’s ascension and continued doing what he was doing before.
Despite so, many experts knowing about and heading toward him, Zhang did not have a clue and simply continued absorbing as much heavenly energy as possible.
But simply because Zhang did not know did not mean that his wives did not. Yuying of all people definitely knew what was to come when someone was undergoing their ascension.
“Just absorb as much heavenly energy as you can, dear, I'll make sure to keep those hungry wolves away. These inscriptions should hold out for a few days if no one too strong arrives. Once your heavenly energy stabilizes few will dare to attack us.” Yuying said as she drew a few inscriptions onto the ground.
If someone was looking down from the main Azure Tower they would be able to see a massive ring of inscriptions being laid down by Yuying and the elite guard who she had taken as her apprentices.
Ever since Zhang began absorbing essence from the Dragon Heart Necklace, Yuying, and her apprentices had been working day and mighty laying down protective inscriptions to ensure that no one would interfere with Zhang’s ascension.
By allowing Zhang to absorb as much heavenly energy as he could during his ascension, Yuying was also guaranteeing herself and the other beauties the opportunity to absorb as much heavenly energy as they could when they ascend.
Simply because if Zhang is uninterrupted he would be fairly strong compared to most saints and with Zhang around who would dare to bully his lovely wives.
As Yuying drew the last few inscriptions into the ground, completing the massive array, all of the inscriptions began to glow.
In an instant later the entire fortress was enveloped in a bubble much like the protective barrier that Zhang had activated during their confrontation with the Golden Wing Army.
Drawing essence from the essence cores, Yuying had replicated the Sky Fortress’s protective barrier, since it was impossible to activate the protective barrier without disrupting Zhang.
“Everyone retreat into the sanctuary! The enemy is here!” Yuying’s voice could be heard throughout the fortress as a man stop a black colored hawk came into view.
“Surrender and I, Niao Feng, will spare your lives!” The saint of the Golden Peak Province said.
“We have nothing for you here, leave!” Yuying’s angry voice could be heard.
“Insolent child, you dare to give me orders when I'm offering you a path to salvation?” Niao Feng said angrily as he waved his hand and golden colored flames began to wrap around his body before gathering in his hand and condensing into the shape of a spear.
“A mere saint who has yet to understand the true path of cultivation thinks he can act haughty in front of me because my cultivation is temporary lacking?” Yuying laughed as Niao Fang’s spear of fire shot out from his hand.
Much to Niao Feng’s amazement his spear of fire was actually repelled and sent flying back toward him by Yuying’s force field.
With a yawn, Yuying waved her hand and made a comfy looking chair appear beside her. As if she was attending a theater show, Yuying sat down on her comfy chair and began sipping from a cup of tea.
Seeing what Yuying was doing only served to envoys Niao Feng’s rage causing thousands of spears of fires to condense in the air and shot forward at the force field.
“It seems the taught info has paid off. Thank you for helping me power my force field.” Yuying laughed as she snapped her fingers and in mere seconds the force field changed from a blueish color to an eerie green color.
Unlike before when the force field repealed Niao Feng’s spear of fire, it absorbed the spears of fire and then appear more sturdy than before.
“Damn I need to think of a way to break this force field quickly before those other saints arrive…” Niao Feng said as he continued.
Within the Azure Tower, within Zhang’s chest, the Underworld Heart was sending pulses of its energy throughout Zhang’s body aiding him in stabilizing the heavenly energy that he was absorbing. Although Zhang had no knowledge of this, the Underworld Heart had been helping him and the beauties stabilize the foundation of their cultivation every time they underwent a breakthrough.
“Since Yuying said the more heavenly energy I absorb the better, maybe if I try to store as much as I can away in the Dragon Heart Necklace.” Zhang said as he thought about storing away as much heavenly energy as he could while absorbing as much of it as he could.
However, contrary to what Zhang thought the moment he tried to store away heavenly energy into the Dragon Heart Necklace, the necklace began to glow and float into the air. Rather than storing away the heavenly energy the Dragon Heart Necklace began to absorb it, much to Zhang’s amazement.
“I’ll figure things out later…” Zhang muttered as he confused on absorbing more heavenly energy before the flow ceased. Soon he lost track of time once more and minutes once more turned into hours.
Back outside, Yuying’s force field looked many times more intricate than before as intricate patterns began to appear on it. Despite attempting a few dozen times and many hours passing, Niao Feng was still unable to break through Yuying’s barrier.
“Damn how can such a strange inscription array exist…” Niao Feng complained as he ran out of ideas on how to bypass the barrier.
As time ticked away, more saint level experts began to appear. There were actually some who were not saints but were brought along by their saint level masters. The sky was soon filled with saints from all around the continent.
Along with the saints came countless mysterious looking demonic beasts that are used at mounts and many mystical flying magical contraptions. Although many of these saints arrived atop demonic beasts and flying chariots and carriages, others arrived riding puffy clouds while others say atop small miniature islands.
While most of them simply stood motionless in the air and kept an eye on the situation and waiting for a moment to act, there were a few unruly characters who could not contain themselves.
“Anyone who dares stand in my way will be crushed!” A bald middle-aged man who was dressed in a monk’s robe roared as a fist constructed of essence was formed and sent flying toward Yuying’s barrier.
“Stop!” Niao Feng yelled, but to no avail as the bald middle aged man’s fist of essence crashed into Yuying’s barrier, adding to its power.
“Thank you, Mr. Baldie!” Yuying’s cheerful voice could be heard causing the many experts there to chuckle at the bald man much to his dislike.
“If you’re a man then face me instead of hiding behind this barrier!” The bald man roar!”
“We'll actually I'm a woman!” Yuying laughed as she puffed her chest causing more laughs to fill the air as the other saints and their disciples couldn’t help but hold back their laughter.
“Old Seng, have you secluded yourself from the world so, long that you've forgotten what a woman looks like?” A man in long white robes with a dozen or two level ten mages f
loating behind him in a flying chariot laughed.
“Fuck off you brat! When I became a saint, you were still sucking on your mother's breasts, you have no right to laugh at me.” The bald man roared.
“It doesn't matter if you became a saint before me or not l, the only thing that only matters is that I am stronger than you and will reach my second ascension before you.” The man in long white robes laugh as the wind around him began to swirl and form into thousands of lances, much like Niao Fang’s spears made of fire.
With a flick of his hand and without knowing what Yuying’s barrier did, the man in white robes sent thousands of lances made of the wind toward the Sky Fortress.
“Imbeciles! Your attacks are only serving to strengthen that barrier!” Niao Feng yelled as he was at the ends of his wits.
As the saints began to bicker amongst themselves, Yuying sat back down on her comfy seat and began to drink her tea once again. She even had snacks, atop a small table dozens of different snacks were laid out for her to enjoy.
Actually, she was not alone because not too long before the saints arrived Ai got rather bored hiding out within the tower so, she pulled up a comfy seat beside Yuying. Soon after, Ling and Lingqi joined them also.
“Sis, how will we get away with all of these people around.” Ai asked.
“Should I begin concocting something?” Lingqi asked.
Ling simply stayed silent and enjoyed nibbling on an almond cookie and drank some tea.
“Once brother finishes his ascension I have a way for us to get away. But for now, let's enjoy the show.” Yuying said with a smile as she looked up at the sky where a few saints were up in each other's faces and ready to kill one another.
Ling, Ai and Lingqi watched with intrigue as the saints began to unleash various techniques and attacks at each other. Unlike Yuying, it was the first time these three have ever seen saints and they were ever so, intrigued since they hoped to one day be saints also.
Little White curled up in Ling’s arms as her gentle hand brushed through its cost of silky fur while the sky was filled with a dazzling array of attacks.
Sword aura’s, dragon's constructed of the wind, icy thorns, and an endless amount of other types of attacks were put on full display for the beauties to watch.
“Hmmm, that technique is pretty interesting.” Ling said as she began to take notes while watching a few water saints fighting.
it seemed as if some the saints totally forgot about the reason why they had come to the Warring States Region in the first place as they engaged in battle with one another.
Of course, there were many who did remember their goal and had their eyes locked onto the sky fortress.
Chapter 73: Interruption
“Master why doesn't any intervals the heavenly energy before it razors the person ascending.” A disciple of one of the saints asked as he stood atop a flying demonic beast.
“Only an inexperienced idiot works attempt that… If you do not siphon the heavenly energy directly from the one ascending or be in extremely close proximity stealing the heavenly energy will invoke the wrath of the heavens, then not only will it cease granting heavenly energy but it'll also rain down a sea of lightning that can even turn weak saints into ash.” A saint dressed in red robes said to his disciple.
“Just sit still and enjoy the show, for now, only those lesser tier saints and full saints are fighting, none of the high saints will bother to act until at least the ascension has taken placed for an entire day and is about to finish.” The saint dressed entirely in red also said.
“Junior brother just sit tight, if your lucky master may grant you the heavenly energy and allow you to breakthrough and become a half saint. That way even if your ascension is interrupted midway you'll undoubtedly become a full saint.” A young man who appeared to be a saint but also appeared not to be one said with a smile.
Amongst the thousand or two people present there were actually a number of individuals who were like the young man who appeared to be a saint but was not.
Within the Azure Tower, the Dragon Heart Necklace had ceased absorbing heavenly energy for some time now however it was still levitating in the air and emitting a strange glow while Zhang was still engrossed in cultivating.
A steady amount of heavenly energy continued to flow into the room as Zhang continued to take in as much of it as he could. If other people were allowed in the room and began absorbing heavenly energy also then the amount Zhang could take in would be halved, meaning at best he would be able to become a lesser saint. But if there were two more people in the room then at best he could become a half saint. Thankfully when the Dragon Heart Necklace was absorbing the heavenly energy it had only taken a minuscule amount that wouldn’t have too much effect on Zhang overall.
So as the high saints and their disciples sat patiently and while the rest of the saints bickered with one another outside, the wheels of time continued to spin. Soon enough the first day of Zhang’s ascension ended and the second day began.
Like the previous day, the lesser saints and full saints continued to battle each other without showing any signs of fatigue. Although the lesser saints were lacking when compared to the full saints, many of them had banded together and engaged in two on one or three on one battles. It actually appeared as if some of these saints had arrived solely to kill their peers instead of to interfere with Zhang’s ascension believe it or not.
In the wake of their battle, mountains were cut to pieces, forests were burned to ash, clouds were dispersed and the terrain was changed. Luckily the Sky Fortress was hovering above an area within any inhabitants or else the countless lives would have been needlessly lost.
Once roughly half of the second day of Zhang’s ascension had gone by, a few of the high saints began to move.
“The ascension should be nearing completion, now is the best time to steal that new fellow’s heavenly energy.” A high saint with long flowing white hair and droopy eyebrows said as he waved his hand and a sword appeared in midair.
“When the ascension is, nearing completion is when the most heavenly energy can be extracted from the new saint. Watch closely as these old foxed begin to use their techniques, maybe you’ll be able to learn a thing or two.” A beautiful woman who appeared to be in her twenties that was a full saint who had come solely to watch said to her disciple who was a level ten mage.
“Couldn’t they simply wait until the ascension is finished and then kill that newly ascended saint?” The disciple asked with a curious look on his face.
“If a saint is allowed to finish his or her ascension and give a few days to stabilize their heavenly energy, although you can kill them and attempt to plunder the heavenly energy the amount that can be extracted would only amount to a portion of what you can get while the ascension is taking place. This is because once it is stabilized the heavenly energy melds with the saint’s body allowing him or her to connect directly to the great flow of essence. Also, once a saint’s heavenly energy is stabilized and a fight breaks out, there was a chance that new saint would escape. So, these old foxes tend to disrupt the ascension before it completes.” The woman also explained to her disciple.
“Master if high saints always gather and either plunder the heavenly energy for themselves or help their disciples become half saints then how were you able to become a full saint?” The curious disciple asked.
“Simple, your master’s ascension took place during the time when the continent was being invaded by thousands of enemy saints seeking to expand the scope of their power. During such a time people were too busy fighting for their lives than trying to snatch power from a fledgling. Also, your master received a bit of help from a kind elderly man, who should be on his way right now.” The woman laughed.
While the female saint was talking to her disciple, the high saint with droopy eyebrows began to make his move to interrupt Zhang’s ascension.
“Where is the sacrifice?” The high saint asked one of his disciples who rather than re
plying tossed a middle-aged man who appeared to only be at the third level of cultivation toward his master.
“Ple-please spare me!” The middle-aged man who when compared to all of the saints present was no stronger than an ant plead. But his pleas fell on deaf ears as he was tossed through the sky and into the translucent ray of heavenly energy that was channeling toward Zhang.
In a flash before the man could even utter a single cry he was turned into ash and the flow of heavenly energy began to fluctuate. The black clouds in the air also began to unleash heaven’s wrath and rain down an abundance of lightning from above.
“NOT ON MY WATCH!” Yuying’s voice rang into everyone’s ear as her barrier disappeared and a blinding ray of light shot out from the main Azure Tower.