Chapter 154 - 153: All are at the Nascent Soul Stage
In a secretive and mysterious area, several Body Integration Realm cultivators and God -transformation stage cultivators were gathered, conspiring on a significant matter.
“According to a reliable source, the Martial Emperor Dynasty is going to host a grand gathering that involves the entire continent. They claim it’s to demonstrate to the public the methods of harnessing a cultivator’s spiritual treasure,” the lead cultivator from the Body Integration Realm explained calmly.
“Humph, it’s nothing more than a move to win people’s hearts.” Another elder from the Body Integration Realm sneered discontentedly at the mention of the Martial Emperor Dynasty.
His words resonated with the others present, as they all seemed to harbor a
long-standing grudge against the Martial Emperor Dynasty.
The assembled cultivators were from different regions, but they had convened for one common goal—to ruin the reputation of the Martial Emperor Dynasty.
They had always casually maltreated and oppressed low-rank cultivators without a second thought, their own disciples adopting a similar attitude. It wasn’t unusual for them to go overboard at times and end up causing deaths. The victims’ families could do nothing but swallow their grief. After all, their respective empires wouldn’t dare to offend cultivators of Body Integration or G0d-transtormat10n stage tor such Incidents.
But attitudes in the dynasties varied, and these cultivators’ disciples continued their arrogant and aggressive ways even in the Martial Emperor Dynasty.
Once, they had killed a mortal and thought nothing of it, dismissing the victim as a mere Qi cultivation third stage mortal. How significant could it be?
However, to their surprise, the audacious families of the deceased mortal had the gall to report them to the authorities.
It was laughable; they thought they were untouchable as they had a
God-transformation stage cultivator as a father, and an elder from Body Integration Realm backing them. Would the Martial Emperor Dynasty dare to convict them?
However, the Martial Emperor Dynasty did dare. Not only were they convicted, but they were also sentenced to death.
The elders backing these individuals stepped forward, pleading the Martial Emperor Dynasty to spare their lives. But the Martial Emperor Dynasty refused to listen to them, executing all the convicts without hesitation.
This enraged the elders; their disciples’ death was not just the issue here, it was the audacity of the Martial Emperor Dynasty to insult them directly.
They were, after all, people who cared deeply about their face and honor.
However, they knew that they couldn’t win by confronting the Martial Emperor Dynasty directly. So, they planned to retaliate covertly and ruin the reputation of the Martial Emperor Dynasty.
This upcoming gathering presented a perfect opportunity.
“This is a golden opportunity bestowed by heaven that we should not miss.”
“Yes, indeed. On an auspicious day, let’s kill a few people, tarnish the reputation of the Martial Emperor Dynasty, or else how can we build our own prestige in the continent?”
“I heard that quite a few powers will be attending this assembly. The Martial Emperor Dynasty must have thought they would steal the spotlight, but they don’t know that we plan to kill a few people right under their noses. I wonder how they’ll react.”
“The very thought of it makes me want to laugh out loud.”
“Since we’re planning to kill few anyway, why not kill those of higher cultivation levels.”
“The competition will be divided into Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, and Nascent Soul categories. Let’s focus on the Nascent Soul category. We will aim for the best ones and kill them!”
“That sounds great.”
“Look over there! Isn’t that Wang Meng from the Wild Blade Sect? I’ve heard his Wild Shark Roaring Blade Technique is on par with the divine, and he’s peerless throughout the Nascent Soul cultivation realm.” Wang Meng stood eight feet tall, possessing an impressive physique. He carried a heavy iron blade on his back, which slightly hummed, as if excited.
“You’ve got to be kidding. Isn’t he from the Martial Emperor Dynasty? It’s thousands of miles away from here. I can’t believe he managed to arrive here.”
“Don’t you remember? The Martial Emperor Dynasty and the Martial Emperor
Dynasty are connected by a spatial passageway. Distance is not an issue.” “Right, I forgot about that new contraption.”
The spatial passageway had only been operational for a few days, and most people in the continent were still unfamiliar with it.
“And him—the Ma Junjun from the Abyss Sect. His Swallow Heaven Technique was terrifying 20 years ago—to fight against him meant to risk losing one’s limbs. He made his generation tremble in fear. People started carrying pills that caused rapid regeneration everywhere they went. I wonder how powerful he is now.”
“Speaking of which, does he have a Spiritual Treasure?”
“Does a Storage Ring count?”
Since when did a Storage Ring become a Spiritual Treasure.”
The citizens of the Martial Emperor Dynasty were gathered around the registration site. Those with vast knowledge recognized the identities of those who were registering. Seeing the cultivators they had only heard of was causing gasps of surprise among the crowd.
Nascent Soul stage cultivators were considered mid-rank cultivators throughout the continent, and it was rare to see more than a few in a city. Their presence here in such large numbers demonstrated the wide impact of this gathering.
“Are you here to register?”
The official, responsible for the registrations, asked seeing the extraordinary momentum and a strange confidence in those who appeared.
“Yes.”
“Name, realm, and affiliated power.”
A beautiful woman stepped forward gracefully, exuding an air of elegant and noble poise. She had a gourd strapped around her waist, sparking attention from the crowd.
Many male cultivators who considered themselves suitable candidates were trying to approach her.
“Yu Ming, Nascent Soul stage, Loose Cultivator.”
“So, it’s Master Yu Ming.” The official greeted, his attitude slightly more respectful. He politely said, “Please place your hand on the compass.”
The compass was divided into six sections, each one representing the realms from Qi cultivation to Body Integration.
The beautiful woman stretched out her slender hand and touched the compass gently. The indicator on the sundial started spinning and pointed to the Nascent Soul stage.
The crowd gasped in surprise. Looking in her late twenties, no one expected her to have such an advanced cultivation level.
The men who were harboring intentions quickly retreated, discarding their unrealistic desires.
An intricate formation was engraved in the compass. Any cultivator who places their hand on it would have their real realm exposed. Even a cultivator at the Body Integration Realm wouldn’t be able to cheat it.
This was to prevent high-rank cultivators impersonating low-rank ones from participating in the competitions and disrupting the order.
The compass was expensive to make, and the Martial Emperor Dynasty would only use it for large-scale events.
When the official confirmed that she was indeed a Nascent Soul stage cultivator, he recorded her identity and handed her a wooden token.
“Here is your identity token, please keep it safe. As long as you possess this token, your food and accommodation expenses within the royal city will be taken care of by the Martial Emperor Dynasty.” Yu Ming nodded without uttering a word.
“Bai Hong, Nascent Soul stage, Loose Cultivator.”
Another in their group stepped forward and declared his identity.
Upon testing, Bai Hong was indeed at the Nascent Soul stage, and the official handed him an identity token as per protocol.
“Your name sure is simple,” Yu Yin commented casually.
“As if you picked a better name than mine,” Bai Hong Tu retorted. Both men were the defeated candidates for the Human Emperor title. They shared a close bond and Bai Hong Tu was the first to congratulate Yu Yin when he ascended to the Transcendance Tribulation Stage.
“Chen Jiannan, Nascent Soul stage, Loose Cultivator.”
Jian Jun gave his real name; his era was too far gone and the current generation only knew his title, not his real name.
Returning to his group, Jian Jun locked eyes with Bai Hong Tu, a fierce desire for battle igniting between them. It was only when Jiang Li coughed twice that they suppressed their intentions.
“Li Er, Nascent Soul stage, Loose Cultivator.”
Li Er, the Sect Master of the Body-incorporating Sect, also used his real name a very common one in the continent – as there was no need to invent a new one.
The crowd gasped in surprise as they found out all four of these people were at the Nascent Soul stage despite being unknown figures. But it was to be expected; cultivators were so scattered across the large continent that it was impossible to recognize every one of them.
“Sir, would you like to participate in the competition?”
The official questioned the group’s leading figure, who seemed to be their strongest member.
Jiang Li shook his head: “It wouldn’t make much sense for me to participate. It would seem like I’m using my superior cultivation level to suppress others.”
The official understood. It seemed the lead figure was at the Divinity Transformation Stage, and hence, was ineligible to participate..