Chapter 599: Chapter 73: Divine Mystery: Returning to Nothingness
As the words fell, except the cultivators from the Western Domain, most of the other observing cultivators breathed a sigh of relief.
There was also a hint of schadenfreude in their glances towards the Western Domain’s observing cultivators.
Look, there’s the unfortunate one.
And in the Nurturing Heart Platform, from the group of Western Domain cultivators, a man dressed in a grey snug outfit stepped out.
His expression was serene and his eyes were resolute, showing no dissatisfaction or discouragement at being the first to enter the battle.
“This is ‘Blood Slaughter Knife’ Ye Mo, ranked twenty-seventh on the Yellow List, a disciple of the Dragon Elephant Bodhi Institute, and the third strongest after Yan Fei and Sha Manzi.
He has taken the purest path of Martial Technique Body Cultivation, mastered the Wood Burning Sword Technique, wields a Middle Grade Heavenly Artifact—the Blood Slaughter Knife—and hence the name.”
Within the group of Central Spirit Domain cultivators, a man in blue Taoist robes quietly introduced Ye Mo to the handsome cultivator by his side.
The man then curled his lip, “He’s just a brute. If it was me in a magical combat against him, I have plenty of ways to play him to death.”
The handsome cultivator was ‘Ghost Gate Gu’ Zhu Cong, the top Nascent Soul Cultivator of the Rinsing Spirit Sect.
Zhu Cong had been ranked fourth on the Yellow List fifteen years ago and had remained in seclusion within his sect ever since, yet his ranking never changed.
It was only after Lu Qingshan made his remarkable appearance that Zhu Cong fell to fifth place.
Having not fought for fifteen years, no one could predict the current extent of Zhu Cong’s strength.
Zhu Cong cast a glance at the calm Ye Mo and slowly said, “Do not underestimate others.”
The man in the blue Taoist robe was ‘Three-Headed Snake’ Hu Jiao, ranked fifty-sixth on the Yellow List.
He did not argue with Zhu Cong, but his expression clearly showed his disregard for Zhu Cong’s admonition.
“Ji Chuan from the Eastern Domain and Lu Qingshan haven’t arrived… Is there some special circumstance?” Zhu Cong asked.
Being in seclusion within his sect for such a long time, he was not well-informed about these matters and instead needed his junior to explain.
“I’ve met Ji Chuan before, and indeed he is powerful. As for Lu Qingshan, I hadn’t even heard of him before my seclusion,” Zhu Cong said softly.
“Lu Qingshan has risen to fame in just the past two years, so it’s normal that elder brother hasn’t heard of him.
As for why the two of them didn’t come, I’m also unsure what’s going on.
But come to think of it, Ji Chuan has not appeared in public for two years, and Lu Qingshan also vanished without a trace a year ago; there were early signs of this.
However, given the importance of this grand contest at the Taoist Arena, even elder brother was called out of his closed-door cultivation by the Sect Leader—it must be some special circumstance that prevents them from participating in this competition,” Hu Jiao continued.
Pausing, Hu Jiao then added, “Aside from these two, the Sword Sect, as one of the Taoist Sects, only has one Yellow List cultivator remaining—the one ranked tenth, ‘Frost Sword’ Xue Hanfeng. The Sword Sect really is ‘brimming with talent’ indeed.”
“There’s no need to fixate on that for scorn,” Zhu Cong replied, his tone cold and objective, “The Sword Sect has always adopted an elite strategy. With just over two hundred Nascent Soul Cultivators, they’ve managed to put three on the Yellow List, all within the top ten. Which of the other Taoist Sects, including our Rinsing Spirit Sect, can claim such an achievement?”
In another corner, among the group of Western Domain cultivators.
“Brother Yan Fei, it’s such a pity that Ji Chuan from the Sword Sect didn’t come. I really wanted to see you defeat him and win the top honor of the Yellow List for our Dragon Elephant,” someone said.
“Titles are but empty fame, and besides, I’m about to break through to Void Refining; the Yellow List is no place for me,” Yan Fei glanced at the departing Ye Mo and replied casually, “This time is just right, before my promotion to Void Refining, to leave this Daoist Arena in the hands of our Western Domain.”
The Six Domains had long established communication, so Ye Mo, who was the first to enter the field, waited quietly for a long time without anyone stepping forward to challenge him.
Xi Xiang saw this scene, and a shadow crossed his eyes.
He was keenly aware that they were waiting to make an example out of someone from the Eastern Domain.
Sure enough, after a moment, King Qing Mei announced, “Since no cultivator has stepped forward to challenge, Ye Mo may now choose someone to engage in magical combat.”
Ye Mo’s gaze swept across the assembly, and, not unexpectedly, it finally rested on the Eastern Domain’s cultivator camp.
He bowed his hands toward the Eastern Domain cultivators and spoke loudly, “I’ve long admired ‘Seven Stars Hand’ Hou Tonghai’s great reputation. Ye Mo seeks guidance.”
‘Seven Stars Hand’ Hou Tonghai was not a disciple of the Sword Sect but the top Nascent Soul Cultivator of the Eastern Domain’s premier Sect, the Constellation Sect.
He was a tall and lean cultivator.
Having anticipated that he would be called out, Hou Tonghai’s eyelids twitched, and without a word, he stepped forward.
The two of them stood before the thirty-six Mountain and Sea pillars, with King Qing Mei standing with his hands behind his back, observing them.
“Once you two enter the realm, give it your all, and leave the rest to me,” King Qing Mei said slowly.
This showed the confidence of an Eighth Realm cultivator like King Qing Mei; to someone of his cultivation and realm, if even a fight between two Nascent Soul Cultivators couldn’t be-kept under control, that would be a joke.
Hou Tonghai and Ye Mo bowed and thanked King Qing Mei.
King Qing Mei nodded slightly, then with a flick of his finger, a spot of Spiritual Light shot out and landed in the center of the thirty-six Mountain and Sea pillars.
The next moment, Taoist Patterns on one of the pillars lit up.
“The small realm for this battle will be the Yellow Sand Realm. Prepare yourselves,” King Qing Mei announced.
No sooner had the words been spoken than the Taoist Patterns on the pillar turned into a beam of Spiritual Light that swept up both ‘Blood Slaughter Knife’ Ye Mo and ‘Seven Stars Hand’ Hou Tonghai, whisking them away from sight.