Chapter 75: Gathering Of The Strong
Snowflakes danced wildly within True Martial City, but they could not extinguish the enthusiasm of the martial artists. Inns were packed everywhere, with the congregation warming wine as they waited, engaging in animated discussions. There were even dedicated people shuttling between the mountain and its base to ensure that news from the mountain reached them at the first moment.
This was also the reason why the congregation rushed here even if they could not ascend the mountain—they could obtain firsthand information.
At this moment, atop True Martial Mountain.
The sky was clear.
The mountaintop and its base were like two different worlds. From afar at the horizon, there was an extremely clear dividing line.
Above the True Martial Training Ground.
Tables were arranged according to a special pattern. The guests who had arrived in the past three days had already been guided by True Martial Disciples to take their seats among them. At the very center was a high platform, currently empty.
But everyone’s gaze toward that high platform carried reverence. They knew what kind of figure would take a seat there shortly, and anticipation rose in their hearts.
One after another, guests arrived.
“Cangzhou Misty Rain Pavilion comes to offer congratulations!”
Luo Wentian’s voice rang out, drawing many gazes.
Luo Wentian gestured invitingly with his hand. Several graceful women in white dresses ascended from the base of the mountain, their figures light and ethereal, their steps like lotus blooms, exuding an otherworldly elegance. Even though they were all veiled in white gauze, it was clear that these women before them were peerless beauties.
Some young people brought by their elders to gain knowledge stared wide-eyed, bashfully lowering their heads.
Ning Qi curiously sized up the leading woman. She too wore a white dress, embroidered with a bright moon.
He was not struck by her beauty, but by her unmasked aura—it was actually that of a Core Elixir Realm expert, no less inferior to the Divine Sword Elder.
Ye Qinghe grinned and sidled over, saying:
“That is the Second Pavilion Master of Misty Rain Pavilion, Liu Mingyue. Don’t let her youthful appearance fool you; her actual age is comparable to our master’s. Last time, when master pursued the Iron Ridge Three Fiends to Cangzhou, Misty Rain Pavilion provided considerable assistance.”
Ning Qi came to a realization and smiled back:
“Pavilion Master Liu is impressive, but she is not even one-tenth as good as senior sister.”
Zhuang Chen nearby wiped the corner of his mouth and nodded repeatedly. Ye Qinghe was in high spirits, playfully scolding them as “two little rascals,” then ran off to greet the guests as well.
The factions arriving today outnumbered those from the previous three days, especially those coming from distant places.
“Yunzhou Ascetic Sect comes to offer congratulations!”
…
“Chuzhou Sleepless Blade Sect comes to offer congratulations!”
…
“Cangzhou Sea Overturning Gang comes to offer congratulations!”
…
“Three-eyed Divine Fist Gu Buyi comes to offer congratulations!”
…
“Swift Wind Fast Sword Ye Chen comes to offer congratulations!”
…
Powerful factions or renowned experts arrived one after another, many from first-rate factions, even top-tier ones. The Heavenly Human Realm experts among them had not come personally, but they had sent sufficiently prominent representatives to observe the ceremony.
As for those itinerant experts, the lowest were Jade Liquid Realm, and many were Core Elixir Realm experts.
Each time a famous expert arrived, it elicited waves of exclamations.
Ning Qi noticed that those coming to observe the ceremony were basically from the four states of Qingzhou, Yunzhou, Cangzhou, and Chuzhou. True Martial Sect was located at the border between Qingzhou and Yunzhou, so people from these two states were the most numerous. As for Chuzhou and Cangzhou, they were places where Dragon Mountain Daoist had traveled extensively in the past, where he had forged many connections.
The sun gradually rose in the east.
True Martial Mountain grew increasingly lively.
Ning Qi was in a good mood, not only because today was master’s Heavenly Human Ceremony, but also because many of the guests observing the ceremony had brought gifts, including quite a few classics of martial arts. Those that could be presented as congratulatory gifts at today’s Heavenly Human Ceremony were naturally no ordinary items.
Ning Qi had long since read through all the classics in the Scripture Depository over these years. Now supplemented with a fresh wave, he was naturally delighted.
He and Zhuang Chen stood to one side, with the White Ape following along, occasionally drawing some gazes.
But he remained composed.
Suddenly.
His brows twitched as he looked toward the horizon.
The originally bustling True Martial Training Ground also fell silent. An inexplicable fluctuation came from the distant horizon, drawing gazes involuntarily, not even excepting the various Core Elixir Realm experts.
Amid the attention of the masses.
A figure approached through the air—no, correctly speaking, three figures.
The middle-aged man in white robes had an utterly ordinary appearance, but he had an exquisite beauty embraced on each side. The two women looked strikingly similar, with no low cultivation—they were a pair of charming twins.
At this moment, the three acted utterly carefree. The two beauties held spirit fruits and fine wine, tenderly attending to him. Their fingers delicately plucked, and they occasionally offered fragrant kisses, a light fragrant breeze wafting.
This scene filled many young people with envy, but their elders wore expressions of reverence.
Only a Heavenly Human Realm expert could act so leisurely.
Some with broad knowledge had already recognized the visitor’s identity, their eyes showing realization.
At first sight, the three were still far off, but in the blink of an eye, they had arrived before True Martial Mountain.
Dragon Mountain Daoist’s figure soared upward, likewise appearing in everyone’s view. He proactively went to greet the middle-aged man, laughing heartily:
“Carefree Brother, your personal arrival fills this poor Daoist with gratitude!”
His words revealed the visitor’s identity.
The one called Carefree Lord, Ren Xiaoyao, was carefree and amorous in character, yet possessed a touch of chivalrous spirit. His experiences had a legendary flavor. Born an itinerant, he had constant fortuitous encounters, ultimately reaching the Heavenly Human Realm, becoming the goal of countless itinerant martial artists.
Carefree Lord also laughed heartily:
“Brother Dragon Mountain, for your Heavenly Human Ceremony, I naturally had to come. I thought I’d be late after grabbing a jug of fine wine from Yunzhou’s Moon-Gazing Tower, but unexpectedly, I’m the first to arrive?”
The congregation was full of admiration. The “first to arrive” that Carefree Lord mentioned naturally referred to being the first among Heavenly Human Realm experts. In the eyes of Heavenly Human Realm experts, only fellow realm experts could catch their eye.
There was a saying: Beneath Heavenly Human, all are ants.
Even Core Elixir Realm martial artists could only earn slight regard from Heavenly Human Realm experts, unless they were those with hope of stepping into the Heavenly Human Realm—only then would they be viewed differently.
Without beholding the power of heaven and earth, one could hardly be considered a true expert.
Dragon Mountain Daoist gestured invitingly:
“Carefree Brother, please!”
The two took seats on the central high platform, chatting and laughing freely, their Heavenly Human demeanor even more captivating to the congregation.
From afar, Ning Qi curiously observed. This Carefree Lord’s aura was unmasked, appearing somewhat stronger than Dragon Mountain Daoist’s, but not by much.
Dragon Mountain Daoist had once told Ning Qi that cultivation in the Heavenly Human Realm was even more arduous, with decades of stagnation being commonplace. Even many who barely stepped into the Heavenly Human Realm had their potential exhausted thereafter, advancing no further.
“It seems this Carefree Lord’s early fortuitous encounters had their limits, or perhaps his own aptitude reached its ceiling. It probably won’t be long before master surpasses him.”
“I wonder if my Heavenly Sword Technique could injure him?”
This thought involuntarily rose in Ning Qi’s mind. This was the second Heavenly Human Realm expert he had seen besides Dragon Mountain Daoist.
