Chapter 69

Many cultivators could be seen gathering at the entrance of the Yuanzhao Sect’s mountain gate. Some were flying through the air, some were using magical artifacts, and others could only rely on their own feet. These were likely all participants in the upcoming Ascension Conference.

However, not all of them were independent cultivators.

Uncle Yue had warned them that once they entered the Eight Trigrams Forbidden Ground, they must not take any opponent lightly. The Yuanzhao Sect was a righteous sect with considerable fame in the nearby cultivation world. Many disciples from prestigious cultivation families would attend the Ascension Conference, and they were not the struggling independent cultivators. Each of them had deep backgrounds and was likely to possess family-inherited magical artifacts for protection.

While Qin Sang was standing at the foot of the mountain, two cultivators flew past him.

Everyone was a potential opponent, and they might encounter each other again inside the Eight Trigrams Forbidden Ground. At that time, it would be a matter of life and death, so there was no need for pleasantries.

...

“What is your name?”

“Disciple’s name is Qin Sang.”

“Where are you from?”

“I am from the State of Ning and once served as a general in the secular world of the State of Dasi.”

...

In response to the inquiries of the Yuanzhao Sect’s Foundation Establishment cultivator, Qin Sang answered truthfully as Uncle Yue had instructed. If he passed the Ascension Conference and joined the Yuanzhao Sect, the sect would send people to investigate.

“State of Ning... State of Dasi...”

The Yuanzhao Sect cultivator thought for a moment and said with some surprise, “The participants in the Ascension Conference are coming from increasingly distant places these days.”

Qin Sang respectfully replied, “Since childhood, I have always admired the path of cultivation, but unfortunately, I could not find a way to enter it. I heard that the Yuanzhao Sect is willing to guide us independent cultivators on the path of immortality, so I came here with great effort, traveling a thousand miles.”

The Yuanzhao Sect cultivator stroked his beard and smiled, “As an independent cultivator, to reach the sixth level of the Qi Condensation stage at your age is no easy feat. There’s no need to belittle yourself. Take this jade token and go to the pavilion at the back of the mountain to rest and recover your energy. The cultivators of the sect will take you to the Eight Trigrams Forbidden Ground at dawn tomorrow. Don’t miss it.”

“Yes!”

Qin Sang took the jade token and followed a junior cultivator of the Yuanzhao Sect to the back of the mountain. On the way, he encountered a senior sister from the Kuiyin Sect. They exchanged glances but pretended not to know each other.

After settling into the pavilion, Qin Sang took out the jade token and recalled the rules of the Ascension Conference that Uncle Yue had explained to them.

Unlike other cultivation sects, the Ascension Conference of the Yuanzhao Sect was not a martial arts competition.

The Eight Trigrams Forbidden Ground had nine areas. All participants would be randomly sent to one of the eight outer areas, which were separated by restrictions but connected to the central area.

Among all the participants, the first twelve to reach the central area would be the winners of the Ascension Conference.

Due to the restrictions in the Eight Trigrams Forbidden Ground, even cultivators could not determine their direction. Each independent cultivator participating in the Ascension Conference had a jade token. After being sent into the Eight Trigrams Forbidden Ground, they had to seize others’ jade tokens. Only after collecting ten jade tokens would the direction to the central area be revealed on the jade token.

If they did not have enough jade tokens, even if they found the central area by chance, they could not enter.

In the Eight Trigrams Forbidden Ground, encounters with others were inevitable. If they were lucky and met weaker opponents, they could quickly collect the jade tokens. If they were unlucky and met stronger opponents, they might not only fail to seize the jade tokens but also lose their lives.

In addition, there were many demonic beasts growing in the forbidden ground, making it a place of constant danger.

...

On the morning of the third day.

Qin Sang hurried to the pavilion for the assembly and found that about four to five hundred people had already gathered, with more people continuously arriving. When the time came, the Yuanzhao Sect cultivators explained the rules of the Ascension Conference, which were not much different from what Uncle Yue had said.

Finally, a Yuanzhao Sect cultivator summoned an unremarkable wooden raft. From the discussions of the people around him, Qin Sang learned that this raft was called the Moon Crossing Raft, a well-known magical artifact of the Yuanzhao Sect.

The Moon Crossing Raft, though small in appearance, grew larger with each person who boarded it, eventually carrying everyone and rising into the air.

The raft soared through the clouds, and the cold gale winds were blocked by the green light emitted by the raft. Despite carrying so many people, it still moved at an incredible speed, with mountains and lakes passing by in a blur, causing everyone to marvel.

The mountain range where the Yuanzhao Sect was located was as vast as the You Mountain Range. The Moon Crossing Raft flew through the mountains for two hours before landing on a stone platform at the peak of a desolate mountain.

Standing on the stone platform and looking around, all he saw were desolate mountains and wilderness, with no unusually dense spiritual energy as he had imagined. He wondered where the so-called Eight Trigrams Forbidden Ground was.

Qin Sang looked left and right, feeling puzzled, when he noticed a cave entrance next to the stone platform. As soon as the Moon Crossing Raft landed, the cave entrance opened, and four Yuanzhao Sect cultivators, all at the tenth level of the Qi Condensation stage, walked out. Seeing the Moon Crossing Raft, they hurriedly walked over and bowed.

“Disciples greet Uncle!”

The Yuanzhao Sect cultivator who controlled the Moon Crossing Raft nodded and said, “The Ascension Conference begins today. Go and open the restrictions.”

“Yes!”

The four Yuanzhao Sect cultivators walked to the edge of the stone platform, each occupying a position, and sat cross-legged, muttering incantations.

Spiritual patterns appeared on the stone platform, forming a mysterious array. Then, each of them summoned a short sword, each different and glowing with green, red, yellow, and white light, respectively, making it impossible to determine their materials.

The four cultivators’ faces turned serious as they tapped their fingers on the short swords several times. The short swords immediately emitted intense light, forming four fluctuating light spheres that swirled around their fingertips.

In the next moment, the light spheres stretched and transformed into four giant swords, each several dozen feet tall.

The four cultivators suddenly raised their hands, pointing diagonally at the sky, and then shouted in unison.

“Quick!”

The light swords shot out abruptly.

*Whoosh!*

Unexpectedly, the light swords did not fly into the sky but seemed to hit an invisible barrier, stopping abruptly. Then, the space above the light swords began to ripple, and huge waves appeared out of nowhere. The wind and clouds surged, and the outline of the ancient restriction was fully revealed to everyone.

The sky seemed to be torn open by a massive gash, with endless gale winds howling from the large hole. Even the naked eye could see the wind blades, ready to tear everything apart. The colorful divine light collided and dissolved, and the aftereffects emitted a terrifying pressure, making everyone’s scalp tingle.

Seeing this apocalyptic scene, everyone on the Moon Crossing Raft turned pale. They had no doubt that if they were accidentally sucked into the restriction, they would be torn to pieces immediately.

At this moment, the four cultivators shouted lightly, and the four light swords instantly plunged into the hole, shattering completely.

As the four light swords dissipated, the light fragments sprinkled into the black hole, and the chaotic restriction calmed for a moment. The Yuanzhao Sect cultivators seized the opportunity, and the Moon Crossing Raft trembled slightly, suddenly rising and shooting towards the restriction.

Amidst a chorus of gasps, just as the Moon Crossing Raft entered the hole, it was suddenly retracted by the Yuanzhao Sect cultivators, and everyone fell in like dumplings.

Qin Sang felt a dizzying sensation as he fell into darkness, and all the people around him disappeared.