Chapter 696: Shaking the Nine Heavens, Coming from All Directions
This was Xiao Chen’s understanding of this sentence based on what he knew from his previous world. However, he did not know if it could be applied completely to this Martial Technique.
As far as he knew, the meaning of this sentence was that the true dragon would hide in the depths of the sea, planning its next move. When an opportunity arrived, it would break out of the sea and soar into the sky.
However, what kind of stance would allow the Azure Dragon to soar into the sky, breaking through the nine heavens after leaving the sea?
Xiao Chen gazed at the large lake in front of the courtyard with abstracted eyes, simulating the scene of the Azure Dragon leaving the sea in his mind.
A storm raged and lightning flashed. The sky turned dark, winds howled, and rain fell. Waves surged on the vast sea, roaring loudly. A true dragon hid in the depths.
The true dragon looked at the sky, not saying anything. It only watched as the winds blew and the clouds scudded by. As the tide rose and fell, it plotted its next move, waiting to soar into the sky.
Xiao Chen shook his head slightly, and the image in his mind vanished. He muttered, “It is still too early to think about the state of the Heaven Ranked Martial Technique. I should familiarize myself with the Quintessence circulatory paths first.”
Actually, when most cultivators obtained a Heaven Ranked Martial Technique, they would find it very hard to comprehend its state within one or two years.
For instance, Chen Xiao’s Seven Stars Surrounding the Moon. This was the Heaven Ranked Martial Technique the sect awarded to him when he became a true inheritor.
However, even until now, Chen Xiao had not fully comprehended Seven Stars Surrounding the Moon. He could direct the seven-star sword Qi as he pleased, but he could not manifest the moon.
As a result, Chen Xiao could only bring out about fifty percent of the Heaven Ranked Martial Technique’s might.
People like Xiao Chen, who could bring out eighty percent of Return of the Azure Dragon’s might, were rare in the younger generation. Most people were already satisfied with obtaining a Heaven Ranked Martial Technique. However, Xiao Chen held himself to higher standards.
After another ten days, Xiao Chen finally memorized all the Quintessence circulation paths for Soaring Dragon. Without any distractions, he could execute the move with some proficiency.
“Xiu!”
Xiao Chen drew his saber in the courtyard. The saber light looked like it was made out of electricity. Then, he quickly circulated his Quintessence for Soaring Dragon.
An Azure Dragon image faintly encompassed Xiao Chen. As he circulated his Quintessence, he felt boundless energy fill his body.
The energy accumulated quickly, but he kept storing it up and not releasing it. Hidden Dragon in the Depths, the gentleman makes his plans first before taking action. When the right moment comes, the dragon soars into the sky.
Xiao Chen took a step forward with his right foot. Instantly, tremendous power exploded forth. Just a casual step opened cracks on the ground that radiated like a spiderweb.
Using this force, Xiao Chen’s body was like a rocket filled with fuel, rushing to the sky as a dragon roared.
Dragon Might spread in the air. Dense clouds surrounded Xiao Chen. Clouds accompanied true dragons, complementing the might to shake the nine heavens in all directions.
Xiao Chen’s momentum immediately soared, reaching its peak in an instant. The acceleration was so fast, he could not react in time.
By the time he recovered his wits, the peak of the momentum had passed, gone and never to come back.
“Bang!”
Xiao Chen hacked down with the saber light, and a horrifying explosion shook the air. The shock waves spread everywhere.
He sheathed his saber and landed on the ground. Then he looked at the trembling space and the lingering ripples. However, there was no joy on his face.
Xiao Chen knew that he had not succeeded. He had only followed the circulation of the Quintessence and executed this move.
There was no state for the Hidden Dragon in the Depths or Soaring Dragon. He had not even grasped the techniques involved in the move.
“The dragon hides in the depths; the gentleman plans before acting. He simply disdains to make a move, but when he does, heaven will shake and earth will crack,” Xiao Chen muttered to himself as he walked.
He had to unleash the attack instantly during that peak state. Otherwise, if he missed the opportunity and executed the attack later, its might would be significantly reduced.
A beautiful girl flew above the mirrorlike lake. Xiao Chen looked up and saw who it was, so he stopped his practice.
The true inheritor Jun Si moved gracefully in the air. After a while, she landed beside Xiao Chen.
“Junior Brother Xiao Chen, it is time to go. First Senior Sister told me to come and get you. If you need to prepare anything, you should do it now.”
Xiao Chen had already guessed why Jun Si was here, so he was not surprised. He had nothing to prepare and could leave anytime.
As the two flew in the air, Jun Si gave Xiao Chen a curious glance. She asked, “Xiao Chen, did you really issue Bai Wuxue a challenge?”
The matter of Xiao Chen challenging Bai Wuxue on Giant Sword Peak had circulated throughout the entire Supreme Sky Sect. There were even some people who purposely disseminated it.
Now, this news had already spread to the entire eighteen southern provinces. The interest generated in this battle reached an incredible level.
Xiao Chen found out all about this through Yue Chenxi and Gong Yangyu. It was easy to figure out that someone in the sect was personally encouraging this fight to take place.
The purpose was probably for Xiao Chen to die at the hands of Bai Wuxue. As for who it was, Xiao Chen did not have the time to worry about it.
“This time, Bai Wuxue will definitely be leading the Extreme Yin Sect’s group into the Savage Battlefield for experiential training. It will be problematic if you meet him.”
Worry appeared on Jun Si’s delicate face.
Xiao Chen did not mind. He smiled and said, “The Savage Battlefield is so vast and boundless with many forbidden lands. It would be hard to just run into each other there. Even if I do run into him, I have the means to protect myself.
Jun Si smiled helplessly and said, “I really do not know where you get your confidence from. However, I believe that you are not lying. The people of the Sky Dome Realm have always been able to create miracles—just like the Thunder Emperor, who was initially looked down on.”
The two engaged in animated conversation, and they quickly flew out of the city gates, heading to the ancient transportation formation outside the city.
The transportation formation was situated in the middle of a vast plaza. Currently, Supreme Sky Sect disciples surrounded the sides of this plaza. Everyone had envious gazes as they looked at Chen Xiao and the others.
They were going to the Savage Battlefield to seek fortuitous encounters along with all the other outstanding talents of the younger generation in the Tianwu Domain. If they were lucky, when they come out, their strength would soar immediately.
“The Savage Battlefield opens once every three years. Every time it closed, it would produce several experts. There are legends of people finding relics and natural treasures that famous predecessors left behind. It would be great if I could go as well,” an inner sect disciple said excitedly.
“You? Even if First Senior Sister were willing to bring you, you would just be a burden. Do you think you are like one of the true inheritors, able to protect yourself?” someone at the side mocked.
That person smiled embarrassedly and replied, “I was just saying it. If I were really given a chance, I would not dare to go, either. Without sufficient strength, even if I were lucky enough to find treasures, the disciples of other sects would snatch them away.
“If I were unlucky, I might run into an unruly loose cultivator. Then, I would even lose my life.”
The person at the side said, “It’s good that you know. As inner sect disciples, we are not able to enjoy such good fortune. There are not many public lands of fortuitous encounters in the Tianwu Domain.”
“Hey, how come Xiao Chen is there as well?”
Someone with sharp eyes noticed the white-robed Xiao Chen standing at the transportation formation and immediately cried out.
“It really is him! That can’t be. He is an inner sect disciple. How could he be qualified to go to the Savage Battlefield?”
“He can’t really have gone crazy. First, he declared he would challenge Bai Wuxue. Now, he actually dares to follow First Senior Sister to the Savage Battlefield.”
“With his little bit of strength, he would just end up dying if he goes, never to come back again.”
Xiao Chen’s appearance caused a commotion among the crowd. All the inner sect disciples were extremely envious.
An Immortal Aura spread around the transportation formation. The First Elder of the Supreme Sky Sect inner sect said to Shui Lingling, “Lingling, please take care of this group of fellows. Do bring all of them back.”
Shui Lingling smiled and said, “First Elder, rest assured. I will do my best to protect them.”
The First Elder said softly, “Well, go on. When you have the chance, do help me get those herbs that I asked for.”
The Savage Battlefield was designated as an experiential training ground. Every big sect had a rule that only the disciples could enter. Experts that were Martial Sage and above were barred.
Hence, the First Elder could only ask Shui Lingling for help in obtaining those Spirit Herbs; he could not do it himself.
The transportation formation flickered with light, and the group of people vanished before everyone’s eyes, sent millions of kilometers away.
When Hua Tianhe, Yun Feiyu, and the others of Hua Tianhe’s group who were among the crowd saw this scene, their faces sank, and they gritted their teeth.
They nearly lost their lives in Savage Beast Forest but did not get anything in the end. It was easy to imagine how they were feeling.
Hua Tianhe said coldly, “Let’s go. There is no point in wasting time here. We can deal with that white-robed brat when he returns.”
The Savage Battlefield lay to the north of the vast Tianwu Domain, sharing borders with Fiend cities. According to legend, it was the center of the Kunlun Realm before the Immortal Epoch fell.
This place contained many mysteries. When the Immortal Epoch ended and the Martial Epoch arrived, this place continued to flourish. Immortal Qi spread everywhere, countless Spirit Herbs grew, and faint celestial music could be heard. Sometimes, there would be illusions of lands in the sky.
However, during the Ancient Era, the hundreds of races had a great war centered on this place. It turned into a battlefield of the various races’ Emperors, reducing this place to rubble.
This was a great battle that had not been surpassed even after fifty thousand years. Since the start of the Martial Epoch, there had never been such a great battle.
During the Ancient Era, the strength of the various races was at its peak. Sages could be seen everywhere, and Emperors were plentiful.
This surge in strength resulted in the various races’ dissatisfaction with their position and resources. They wanted to monopolize the entire Kunlun Realm and rule the three thousand great realms.
Thus the war of the Emperors began. In that battle, countless Emperors died. These people, who could normally summon the wind and rain, shake heaven and earth, and pick the stars and moon from the sky, died in large numbers.
This resulted in the Kunlun Realm’s strength taking an unprecedented great hit.
Then, the Demonic World, which existed since the Immortal Epoch, interfered during this war of the Emperors, turning the Savage Battlefield into a graveyard of Emperors, burying all the Emperors of the Kunlun Realm here.
The remaining Sovereign Martial Emperors came to their senses and worked together, breaking the Demonic World’s evil plot and chasing away the eighteen Demon Sovereigns.
However, the Kunlun Realm could not recover its previous glory after the great battle. Several races even vanished into the long river of time, never to be found again.
As for the Demonic World, they became the eternal nightmare of every race in the Kunlun Realm. They were like a sword hanging over everyone’s heads, preventing them from resting or eating in peace.
Every race drew borders. With a common enemy—the Demonic World—situations where the races fought to the bitter end did not recur, despite intense competitions with each other and occasional conflicts.
High in the blue sky, on the Profound Sun Bird, Shui Lingling told Xiao Chen and the others some stories about the Savage Battlefield that not many knew about.
This broadened the horizons of Xiao Chen and the others. They had not expected the Savage Battlefield to have such a magnificent history. They could not help their excitement, and their hearts thumped loudly.