Chapter 90: We Are Heaven-piercing Substitutes
Senior Sister Sun Qianshan and her sister chose to end. With their strength, reaching the second trial and obtaining a Nine-Orifice Lotus Seed Heart was already their limit.
If they continued, aside from not getting other rewards, they might even perish in this secret realm.
As for Ming Zhaoshuang and her group, Ji Qi was the first to choose to withdraw.
He gave a wry smile: “Although it was great following Junior Sister Ming to pick up equipment, the injuries on my back can’t withstand it anymore. I am already satisfied with obtaining the Nine-Orifice Lotus Seed Heart, and I don’t need to explore further.”
Even though Ji Qi didn’t suffer much hardship by following Qin Feilong, and instead ate many spirit fruits, the wound on his back couldn’t stop the erosion of the poison mist, becoming more and more severe.
This was precisely why he didn’t go digging for lotus roots with Qin Feilong and the others at the beginning.
His back hurt terribly with even a slight movement.
Although Ji Qi understood that with Ming Zhaoshuang here, he could smoothly achieve a “carry” win, he also didn’t want to be a burden to the team.
So he chose to withdraw.
To everyone’s surprise, He Jiusi also chose to withdraw.
Compared to Ji Qi’s hesitation, he was much more straightforward:
“The sect is about to go to war with Lingxiao Sect, and there’s no use for me to stay here anyway. I want to break through to the late Golden Core stage quickly and contribute to the sect.”
Upon hearing this, Qin Yunxi knitted her brows and hesitated.
To say they were of no use was untrue; the previous two people were far more useful than them. They had truly won by a “carry” in the first two trials, obtaining a Summoning Talisman and a Nine-Orifice Lotus Seed Heart for free.
If Ji Qi and He Jiusi hadn’t said this, the two of them would have truly chosen to continue challenging the trials and breaking formations with Ming Zhaoshuang and the others.
But… if the core disciples all go to challenge the trials, what will happen to the sect?
Ming Zhaoshuang and the others nearby had already chosen to continue in the Talisman Saint’s Secret Realm. Seeing Qin Yunxi’s hesitation, Ming Zhaoshuang blinked and said to them:
“Senior Brother Duan, Senior Sister Qin, you can follow your own hearts’ choices. We are the Heaven-Piercing Substitutes.”
After all, they had broken through formations together. Although the two hadn’t contributed much, they hadn’t caused any trouble either. Ming Zhaoshuang was not narrow-minded and was willing to bring them along for a while.
In the end, both Duan Hua and Qin Yunxi shook their heads coincidentally and said, “Junior Brother He is right. As disciples of the sect, we should choose to fight alongside the sect.”
Senior Brother Fei asked in confusion, “We are also disciples of the Ao Tian Sect. Wouldn’t it be better to contribute to the sect after we obtain greater opportunities?”
Qin Yunxi sighed and smiled, “Senior Brother Fei, the two of us are not the same as you.”
They were true geniuses, and they were merely the whetstones for geniuses, the steps laid beneath their feet to help them ascend.
Taking the first two formations as an example, for the Gu Diao, Qin Yunxi and Duan Hua didn’t even have the courage to fight it. For the Five Poisons Formation, as Talisman Masters, they didn’t even have a clue on how to break it.
But Ming Zhaoshuang and the others not only dared to fight the Gu Diao but also dared to go against the current and break the Five Poisons Formation.
They were the true Heaven’s Chosen, the real future of the cultivation world.
As for them, while they were considered one in ten thousand geniuses by ordinary people, in front of these true geniuses, they became part of the mediocre “ten thousand.”
Their true role was to help these geniuses expand their development space, preparing them for the day they would soar to the heavens.
Duan Hua and Qin Yunxi ultimately chose to leave.
Thus, of the ten people from the Ao Tian Sect, only six remained.
The voice of Alchemy Saint Yixu rang out last:
“In view of everyone’s excellent performance, you are specially permitted to stay in the Five Poisons Formation for three full days until the lotus seed and lotus petal are refined. We hope everyone will continue to strive and achieve even greater success in the subsequent trials.”
Hearing Yixu’s words, the tense expressions of everyone instantly relaxed.
If they had to break through this formation and then proceed to the next, they truly wouldn’t be able to handle it. Fortunately, they could stay here for three full days to rest temporarily.
What surprised everyone, however, was that Ming Zhaoshuang chose neither to refine the lotus seed heart nor the lotus platform petal. Instead, she silently meditated, slowly recovering from her injuries.
Upon inquiry, it was discovered that Ming Zhaoshuang had returned her chosen lotus seed heart to Sun Qianzhu the moment she left.
Facing everyone’s surprised gazes, Ming Zhaoshuang said faintly, “As I said, she saved herself. I do not wish to take what she obtained through hardship.”
Ming Zhaoshuang did not feel indebted to the Sun Qianshan sisters.
Shen Liqian said softly, “Then what about your lotus petal? While there is still time, it would be best to refine it quickly.”
Ming Zhaoshuang smiled lightly, “I have other uses for that. Three days are enough for me to recover my state. You don’t need to worry; just focus on breaking through.”
The System said that although her injuries appeared severe, Alchemy Saint Yixu didn’t actually attack with lethal force. The flesh and blood, the moment it was bitten off, was already prepared for regeneration.
This was likely why Yixu only ranked second in the trial. Although breaking formations was difficult, the difficulty of passing the trial was not much different from Feng He’s. As for the losses incurred during formation breaking, they would all be converted into cultivation and would eventually grow back.
Life conceives death, and death yearns for life. The Life and Death Dao fruit of Alchemy Saint Yixu truly lived up to its name.
With such injuries, the System would be mostly healed in just three days. At that time, even if she chose to break formations, she wouldn’t be too much of a burden.
Therefore, there was no need to waste a treasure like the lotus petal.
Ming Zhaoshuang said, “Alright, everyone, Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters, you still have the leisure to care about me. Have you all finished refining your lotus seed hearts? Don’t let three days pass and still be cultivating.”
Seeing Ming Zhaoshuang like this, everyone no longer needed to say more and began to meditate and refine.
After three days, the first person to wake up was Qin Feilong.
He only took half a day to refine the lotus seed heart and broke through to the mid Golden Core stage, making people sigh with admiration, as expected of the Dragon-like Arrogant Protagonist male lead.
The next to wake up was Shen Liqian. She took two days to completely refine the lotus seed heart and broke through to the mid Nascent Soul stage, earning a sigh of admiration, as expected of the novel’s female protagonist.
Following them, Ming Chenxing and Fei Changxiu broke through the lightning tribulation of the Nascent Soul stage. The two, one after another, didn’t yield to each other, perfectly mirroring their usual competitive spirit during spars.
Next, He Jiusi broke through to the late Golden Core stage.
Before Ming Chenxing and Fei Changxiu had finished their lightning tribulations, they saw dense thunderclouds gathering above He Qingqing’s head, clearly indicating she had also broken through to the early Nascent Soul stage.
However, she seemed unable to withstand the lightning tribulation. Even though she summoned Zhu Yan and Dijiang, her own strength was too insufficient, making it impossible for these two spiritual beasts to help her resist the heavenly thunder.
Shen Liqian raised her hand and, amidst a shower of rain and lightning, played a melody for the three of them.
The thunder did not diminish, but the melodious music seemed to calm their restless hearts, and it also made the surging thunder appear exceptionally gentle and slow, without the previous heavy pressure.
