A giant river had appeared with a stone pillar standing in the middle like a platform.
Two stone dragons could be seen on the cliffs on both sides of the pillar. The dragons coiled around the cliffs, their giant mouths facing the pillar from the left and right.
Zhou Yuan curiously asked, “What is this?”
He looked towards the two stone dragons upon the cliffs. In their giant mouths, he could just barely make out several faintly glowing runes that gave off peculiar undulations.
Old Xuan also gazed at the two stone dragons as a reminiscent look flitted across his eyes. “This is the Water and Fire Tempering Dragon Stage.”
“Water and Fire Tempering Dragon Stage?” Mumbled Zhou Yuan.
“These two stone dragons represent fire and water. Ancient Genesis Runes have been carved inside them that reach deep into the ground, where they are able to draw on fire and water Qi. Once activated, fire and water Qi will simultaneously pour out from their mouths…” Explained old Xuan.
“The water Qi will be extremely cold, while the fire Qi extremely hot. When the body is placed between them, it will be placed under the most intensive of tempering. Of course, the pain one has to endure will naturally also be extraordinary. As such, someone without sufficient willpower is forbidden from entering the stage.”
Zhou Yuan shivered slightly when he heard this, as if already imagining that dreadful scene.
“If you wish to master the little Mythic Saint Body, this will be the best place.” Old Xuan chuckled. “Moreover, this was also where master trained back then.”
Zhou Yuan was quite surprised. “Patriarch Cang Xuan also trained here?”
Old Xuan nodded. “Do you see the stone scales on the foreheads of the two dragons? There are a total of eighteen of them, and every one that lights up represents an increase in the level of intensity. The highest is naturally level eighteen.”
“Back then, master would place himself at level eighteen all the time. When that happened, half of the Cangxuan Sect would be at the mercy of extreme heat, while the other half would be miserably cold.”
“Of course, that’s still too unimaginable for you. Let alone the eighteenth level, just being able to endure the first level alone should be enough for you to reach the initial stage of the little Mythic Saint Body.”
Zhou Yuan sucked in a mouthful of cold air. Eighteenth level… what kind of inconceivable horror was that? He would surely be instantly vaporized if he were to face it.
Old Xuan grinned as he watched the changing expression on Zhou Yuan’s face, before pointing a gnarly finger at the stone stage.
“So? Do you dare to give it a little try?”
Zhou Yuan licked his lips. Though his eyes were filled with a grave expression, not even the slightest trace of fear could be seen.
Because he understood that he needed to grow stronger if he wanted to put up a fight against Lu Hong’s faction in the upcoming chief disciple selection. Otherwise, Yuan Hong would be a giant mountain that lay in his path, stopping anyone who wished to cross.
Since old Xuan had presented an opportunity to him, there was no naturally no way Zhou Yuan would back down because of some pain.
Hence, he displayed no hesitation in response to old Xuan’s teasing question. The tip of his foot pushed off the ground as his figure agilely leaped forward. He landed on the stone stage and sat down.
He directly used his actions to show his determination.
Old Xuan softly chuckled when he saw this. Without further ado, the broom in his hand made a gentle sweeping motion. The two giant stone dragons on the cliffs immediately began shaking. Zhou Yuan watched as burning steam began to rise from one, while cold Qi spread from the other, rapidly creating a layer of frost around it.
Roar!
The ground shook as the river churned violently.
In the next instant, what seemed to be a deep dragon roar was heard. One could only watch as a hundred foot wide torrent of white burst out from one of the dragon’s mouths along with chillingly cold Qi.
From the other, a scarlet-red magma like flood poured out.
Ch!
The two torrents ultimately met on the stone stage, instantly swallowing Zhou Yuan’s figure.
AHHH!
A miserable shriek rang out in the mountain forest at this moment.
Chapter 444 An Exchange of Words
AHHH!
A miserable shriek echoed in the mountain forest. Fortunately for the group, this location was part of the sealed area that no one was allowed to enter. If not, that cry alone would have drawn numerous busybodies over.
Ch ch!
Zhou Yuan was seated on the stone stage as two torrents of water and fire spouted from the mouths of the stone dragons on his left and right, ruthlessly drowning his body.
Mist could be seen rising from the surface of his body.
In the mist, Zhou Yuan’s face was warped in pain, making it look extremely hideous. It was clear that he was under exceedingly intense pain.
Half of his body was an icy blue, cold mist seemingly pouring from his pores, while the other half was a red hot with rippling burning heat rising from it, as if his blood was boiling inside.
High heat and extreme cold invaded his flesh, causing every inch of it to tremble uncontrollably as fire Qi and water Qi washed over layer after layer of skin, blood and flesh.
The challenges faced by those on the path of external cultivation was unimaginable.
By the edge of the cliff, old Xuan’s murky eyes narrowed slightly as he watched Zhou Yuan being tempered by fire and water. “When are you going to start circulating the little Mythic Saint Body cultivation method to absorb the fire and water Qi to temper your body?”
His voice was transmitted into Zhou Yuan’s ears. The latter tightly gritted his teeth, his mind clearing a little as his hands came together to begin circulating the unique cultivation method of the little Mythic Saint Body.
It was as if the irritable water and fire Qi was being drawn by something. The Qi began flowing on the surface of his skin as it slowly seeped into his body.
Zhou Yuan could feel the water and fire Qi begin to rise within his body, most of their power poured into his skin.
He was not the least bit surprised by this. There were three stages to the little Mythic Saint Body, jade skin, silver bone and golden blood. Jade skin was the first step of slowly transforming the body starting from the outside.
However, it was no easy matter to master the jade skin, and one needed to experience an enormous amount of pain in the process. Just imagining it already made Zhou Yuan shiver uncontrollably.
But since he had already begun, there was naturally no way he would back down. He immediately guarded his mind as he gritted his teeth, tenaciously enduring the pain from the fire and water tempering, while the veins under his skin wiggled continuously.
ARHHH!
After about half an incense stick of time, Zhou Yuan finally reached his limit. His figure quickly dashed into the air, before miserably crashing onto the edge of the cliff.
He felt that if he were to continue, half of his body would be charred to cinders, while the half would be frozen solid.
Zhou Yuan was crumpled on the ground, drenched in sweat as his body trembled unceasingly.
“Half an incense stick of time on your first try. That’s not bad.” Old Xuan eyed the miserable looking Zhou Yuan with a wide grin.
“By this point, an ordinary person will have no choice but to call it a day, but as someone who has the Taiyi Green Wood Mark that enriches you with vigorous vital energy, you only require some rest for your body to slowly recover and continue training.”
The corners of Zhou Yuan’s mouth could not help but twitch.
However, he did not say anything in the end, merely gritting his teeth as he nodded. Next, he seated himself on the ground and closed his eyes.
Faint dark green runes began to appear on the surface of his body as a cooling aura spread within h
im, swiftly recovering the damage and pain.
Strong vital energy rose, as Zhou Yuan’s skin began to return to normal.
After a short span of a few dozen minutes, Zhou Yuan opened his eyes again. There was a rejuvenated look within them, all of the tiredness and pain from before now completely eliminated.
“The Taiyi Green Wood Mark is truly amazing!” Even Zhou Yuan could not help but become a little overwhelmed when he felt the changes in his body. With the astonishing recovery abilities of the mark, he could basically practice external cultivation techniques without restraint. There was no need to worry about injuring the body due to excessive training.
Such effectiveness was several times better than ordinary individuals!
No wonder old Xuan had advised him to select the little Mythic Saint Body.
Now that his body had recovered, Zhou Yuan stood up again. He grinned at the silently watching Yaoyao, before casting his gaze towards the stone stage.
Swish!
Although there was still a little residual pain, there was no longer any hesitation in Zhou Yuan’s eyes. His body leaped forward and landed on the stage, before he seated himself.
Rumble!
The mouths of the two stone dragons rumbled open again, torrents of fire and water flooding out.
……
By the edge of the cliff, old Xuan gave an almost undetectable nod as he gazed upon the twisted face of the bitterly persisting Zhou Yuan.
The willpower of this young man was rather surprising.
Yaoyao was elegantly seated on a run down stone pavilion on the cliff. Her bright eyes looked towards old Xuan’s hunched figure as she asked, “Does elder want to come over and have a seat?”
Old Xuan turned around, looked towards Yaoyao and chuckled. He walked over with his broom, sat down in the stone pavilion, and sighed, “I’ve lived for so many years, and have seen many geniuses in the Cangxuan Sect. But there’s never been someone like you who gives me this heart palpitating feeling.”
“Even in our Cangxuan Sect, the appearance of someone like yourself makes me feel as if a phoenix is perching on a small withered tree.”
Yaoyao retrieved a wine pot and cup as a faint smile rose on her lips. “Elder is quite the comedian. The Cangxuan Sect was once the number sect in Cangxuan Heaven, how can you call it a withered tree?”
Old Xuan sighed again. “I’m not joking. I may have lived for a long time, but I can’t fake this feeling.”
Yaoyao’s eyes turned towards Zhou Yuan as she suddenly asked, “I’ve heard that you’ve never bothered about any matter in the sect, so why have you now chosen to help Zhou Yuan?”
Back in the Saint Remains Domain, Yaoyao and Zhou Yuan had met a spirit fragment of patriarch Cang Xuan, and he had told them of his suspicions that his death may have had something to do with the Cangxuan Sect. Hence, Yaoyao maintained a certain vigilance against anyone who had been alive back then, even this super low-key and nearly unnoticeable old Xuan.
As such, Yaoyao naturally intended to probe old Xuan about the abnormal care he had shown Zhou Yuan.
Old Xuan lifted his wrinkled eyelids, and was silent for a long time, before he slowly said, “I’ve been waiting for many years.”
“What are you waiting for?” Asked Yaoyao.
“Waiting for someone who can break the status quo…” Old Xuan lifted his head and looked at the sealed main peak. “The Cangxuan Sect has been too quiet, like a deep, dead pool. Some ripples are needed to startle the fish.”
“There are many matters to which I too wish for an answer.”
Crystal clear wine flowed from the pot in Yaoyao’s hand, pouring into the cup as she softly said, “Regardless of what you are planning, I only hope that you will not harm Zhou Yuan. Otherwise, these pointers you have given will not be enough.”
She pushed the filled cup towards old Xuan as she spoke.
Old Xuan gave Yaoyao a deep look. He could detect the warning in her words. Normally speaking, he would merely shake his head and laugh at such a warning from a disciple.
However, this impossibly beautiful girl before him made it rather hard for him to laugh.
In the end, he took the cup with a bitter smile. “Little lass, it is really not easy to get a drink from you.”
Yaoyao faintly nodded as she smiled and said, “There are indeed not many who may drink a cup from me.”
Her words were extremely arrogant, but old Xuan chose to believe them. Due to certain reasons, his senses were unparalleled in the Cangxuan Sect, and even sect master Qing Yang the rest could not compare.
Perhaps, even sect master Qing Yang and the rest would be unable to sense that heart palpitating aura hidden so deep within this girl that even she herself was likely unaware of it. However, old Xuan could just barely detect it.
The girl before his eyes was terrifyingly mysterious.
He truly did not know whether it was a blessing or a disaster for her to appear in their Cangxuan Sect.
While his mind churned with various thoughts, old Xuan lifted the cup and downed its contents.
Yaoyao also lifted the cup to her red lips. Just as she was about to drink, a piercing shriek suddenly sounded, causing her hand to shake. Wine spilled from the cup, wetting a corner of her skirt.
Yaoyao’s eyebrows raised slightly as she lifted her beautiful face. A sliver of anger surfaced in her clear eyes as she gazed upon the weeping and howling Zhou Yuan atop the stone stage.
Old Xuan finally laughed when he saw this expression. Compared to the icy indifference from before that emanated from the depths of her soul, the girl felt genuinely alive at this moment.
Like a real person.
He turned his head to look at Zhou Yuan’s figure as he clicked his tongue in amazement.
Perhaps it was indeed true in this world that everything has a weakness.
Chapter 445 Discussions
While Zhou Yuan continued to temper his body on the Water and Fire Tempering Dragon Stage to practice the little Mythic Saint Body, the participants of the chief disciple selections for each peak were finalized and announced.
The peace that had shrouded the Cangxuan Sect for the past few months began to fracture, as slowly brewing excitement took its place.
Everyone knew that the chief disciple selections were the grandest event in the Cangxuan Sect every year, and even the earlier purple sash selection was not on the same level.
The birth of every chief disciple represented the very best of each peak, the ones who could truly be called the number one disciple of their peaks. They were second in status only to the ten great Chosens.
The current chief disciples of each peak had to face numerous challenges from countless talented disciples during the selection each year. To maintain their positions as chief disciple, they naturally had to work hard and continuously improve themselves.
On the other side, disciples that were eyeing the chief disciple seat were constantly preparing themselves to replace the chief disciple.
Hence, the start of the chief disciple selections each year was always a heart pounding time. Several normally low-key disciples may suddenly sprout wings and soar, becoming swift dark horses that quickly left their numerous fellow disciples in the dust.
Such overnight celebrities would often draw gasps of admiration and respect from countless disciples.
Due to these various reasons, the chief disciple selections was the grandest yearly event in the Cangxuan Sect. Powerful disciples were eager to take on the challenge, while those who felt themselves lacking would become audience members that cheered on and encouraged their peers from the sidelines with respect. The onlookers would often gaze upon their amazing senior brother and sister disciples with envious eyes as they looked forward to the day that they too would be able to step on this glorious stage.
Hence, the announcement of the participant list immediately drew the attention of innumerable disciples in the sect, becoming a hot topic for a time.
Every name
on the list caused many fierce debates. The participants were after all the most outstanding disciples of each peak that were naturally rather well known figures.
While numerous disciples were discussing the list, they suddenly caught sight of a certain name.
Saint Genesis Peak, Shen Taiyuan’s faction, Zhou Yuan.
This was quickly followed by an unsurprising uproar.
“Isn’t this Zhou Yuan the one who was recently promoted to purple sash? Is he really going to participate in the chief disciple selection so soon?”
“I’ve heard that he did pretty well in the recent Heaven mission, and was shockingly awarded the chief credit. He even defeated Yang Xuan from the Sacred Palace, meaning he’s clearly quite formidable in battle.”
“Even so, isn’t this a little too premature? All of the other participants have trained hard for several years, and are no ordinary individuals either.”
“It seems to me that Zhou Yuan is a little too arrogant.” Those who made such comments were usually jealous people. After all, Zhou Yuan had progressed far too rapidly in the past year, a fact that would draw out envy in nearly anyone.
“It seems that he believes Saint Genesis Peak to be the same as it had been before… hehe, but this year’s chief disciple selection will not be as remarkable as previous years. Elder Lu Hong’s faction was ranked amongst the top five factions back in Sword Cometh Peak, while Yuan Hong is no simple individual, and has even received personal guidance from peak master Ling Jun before.”
The surrounding disciples nodded in agreement.
“The upcoming chief disciples selection of Saint Genesis Peak will definitely be won by elder Lu Hong’s faction. The other two factions don’t even have the qualifications to compete. As for Zhou Yuan, he’s probably only there to make up the numbers, so there’s no need to pay any attention to him.”
“Hehe, I agree. Elder Lu Hong’s faction alone has a formidable line up of six participants, while the other two factions combined were barely able to gather six, Zhou Yuan included. The quality of both parties are on completely different levels.”
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