Chapter 613

Chapter 613: Advancing to the Ancient Heavenly Ladder

The Ren Water Continent is not closely connected to the Nine-Mystic Continent. The Gui Shui Continent serves as a paradise for Nine Maangs Practitioners. However, there are cross-continental teleportation arrays, albeit only three in total.

Longpan City possesses one of these arrays, which should be bustling, yet Nine Maangs Practitioners are so self-important that they impose strict controls on its use—allowing only one trip per month, with a limit on the number of people. Thus, the level of vitality here remains limited.

Around the hour of Chen, a light pillar descended upon the fortress of Longpan City, and many practitioners flew over.

Even though the exchanges between the two sides are infrequent, some business still takes place. Many Nine Maangs merchants take it upon themselves to engage in trade, often relishing the sale of rare treasures, believing they can still squeeze out profits in poorer places.

After a loud rumble, over thirty Nine Maangs Practitioners emerged from the teleportation array. Those of lesser cultivation swayed unsteadily, taking a while to adjust.

“What a robust man…” One practitioner caught sight of the heavily tattooed barbarian and felt an overwhelming sense of pressure, involuntarily taking a step back.

“Tch! Never seen the world,” another Nine Maangs Practitioner scoffed, looking down on the Ren Water Practitioners and dismissing their surprise at the sight of a mere barbarian.

Suddenly, a brilliant golden light shone and drums and music rang out as a grand procession approached. A luxuriously ancient carriage stopped in front of the barbarian, and as a hundred golden-clad guards formed a line, several hundred Myriad Forms Practitioners stood guard outside. Thirteen Hongfa Stage Practitioners knelt and said in unison, “We respectfully welcome your lord’s arrival in Ren Water.”

“Mm!” The barbarian nodded and elegantly stepped into the carriage, inquiring seriously, “Are only you thirteen here? I said to keep things simple, yet the fat guy has really stripped it down to this.”

The old man with white hair bowed and replied, “Reporting to your lord, Chief Tie received orders and did not dare to delay, tirelessly finding twenty-three Hongfa Practitioners and spending hefty prices to procure two heavenly maidens from the Qingfu tribe, equivalent to Traveling Realm Practitioners. We are utterly loyal to you, lord, and have issued multiple oaths and placed heavy Slave Seals, willing to fight to the death for you.”

“Qingfu tribe heavenly maidens?”

The barbarian, who was actually Li Hui, was taken aback upon hearing the old man mention that Tie Yixin bought two heavenly maidens from the Qingfu tribe.

Few know about the Qingfu tribe as they dwell in the Azure Sky layer. Women from the Qingfu tribe hold significant positions and can command formidable winds and calamity fire from birth. Upon reaching adulthood, they possess Hongfa cultivation, with some outstanding heavenly maidens even able to battle against Traveling Realm Practitioners.

“Good, old Tie, you’ve worked hard.” Li Hui nodded, recognizing that he had already provided Tie Yixin with many benefits. If he dared to cut corners on something Li Hui valued dearly, he would not be able to continue.

Once the carriage departed from Longpan City, the merchants finally dared to breathe easily, reflecting on how they had underestimated such a figure, truly thinking they were pushing their luck!

Ten Hongfa Stage Practitioners led the way, and the group traveled smoothly, arriving without incident at a remote small town nestled among distant mountains, where the Ancient Heavenly Ladder was located.

The two Qingfu tribe heavenly maidens arrived late.

They appeared frail, with cicada-like wings on their backs, their features exquisitely delicate, long green hair fluttering in the wind, and their skin adorned with a network of scaled markings.

“I am the servant Tianyi, and this is the servant Tianzhu, we bow to our lord.”

“Why do you two look so weak?” Li Hui observed the two maidens and noticed their unstable energy and disheveled attire, along with injuries on their wings, indicating they had just endured a fierce battle.

Tianyi replied, “Reporting to our lord, we were overly ambitious and ventured to the Ancient Heavenly Ladder early, hoping to ascend against the current. Unfortunately, we encountered the cultivators guarding the ladder, and after a few exchanges, we felt utterly powerless and had to escape in a disheveled manner.”

Tianzhu added, “Please punish us, my lord.”

“Punishment is indeed in order!” Li Hui scrutinized the two maidens and shook his head, saying, “Your hearts are filled with resentment as servants; relying on your cultivation, you took liberties, underestimating the dangers on the ground. Little did you know that such a mindset can be fatal. Besides, in terms of life-and-death struggles, many Hongfa Stage Practitioners in the group could take you down together and self-destruct. Do you understand?”

“We implore our lord’s mercy,” Tianyi and Tianzhu quickly knelt down, recognizing their status as an alien race, lacking the pride of Human Race Traveling Realm Practitioners.

“As far as I know, the primary abilities of Qingfu tribe maidens lie in support during combat. Go to the back and each take fifty Thorn Divine Whips, rest for three days, and prepare to advance to the Ancient Heavenly Ladder.”

“Yes!” The two women trembled. Receiving fifty lashes could cost them half their lives; their lord was remarkably harsh and showed no care for their well-being.

Li Hui continued, “All my subordinates must be forewarned. Many will lose their lives during this advance to the Ancient Heavenly Ladder. Signs indicate that ominous events are occurring in the Heavenly Realm, and we’re heading to a distant place, so we must remain vigilant.”

“Understood!” All the practitioners complied without objection.

In the blink of an eye, three days passed. Tianyi and Tianzhu applied top-grade healing medicine, and the lash marks gradually faded away. The five-hundred-strong team set forth toward the mountains.

This journey to the Heavenly Realm was fraught with uncertainty. Li Hui felt that relying solely on his own strength was insufficient, so he turned to the power of the Hao Family to assemble a team. Most of the selected candidates came from the city lord’s residence’s worshippers; were it not for High Offering and Second Offering swearing oaths to remain at the city lord’s residence, they might have been preferred choices.

Everyone believed this barbarian was the manifestation of their lord, yet he was much more important than a mere manifestation, having separated from the Human Path Legal Form within the Six Paths.

Even the weakest practitioner in the team possessed mid-stage Myriad Forms cultivation, and they had rehearsed joint attack techniques. Li Hui also brought along all the assets available from the city lord’s residence, which he had distributed in the last three days, equipping everyone to the teeth and reinforcing their formidable abilities.

As long as it wasn’t a single lethal strike, no one in the team would die easily. However, how far they could get into the Heavenly Realm remained uncertain for Li Hui, as their trip was ahead of schedule by six hundred years. According to Prime Minister Turtle, navigating through the tribulations would be easier in six hundred years.

“Stop!”

With a commanding tone, the team halted as a majestic waterfall appeared ahead, with a corner of the sky above the waterfall collapsed, revealing a faint gray-black mist falling down.

“This is the place, my lord.”

As Li Hui’s Bi Lan form suddenly sprouted numerous symbols around its eye sockets, two talisman formations spun and converged in the air, sharp gleams shooting out from the center of the formations to survey the Ancient Heavenly Ladder.

“Chaotic airflow? No, it’s the dark energy mixed with a hint of chaotic essence; it’s not neutral, but slightly tilted towards the dark side. Are those villagers living at the base of the waterfall part of the guarding tribe? Perhaps they know what has happened in the Heavenly Realm.”

After observing for some time, Li Hui made no rash moves. He sat in the carriage, took out his talisman brush and talisman ink, and began to contemplate seriously, continuously deducing through the Dragon Spring Purple Talisman Classic, seeking a talisman method that could resolve this issue.

“The Mixed Yuan Yin Absorption Talismans are a single talisman developed by the Wanfu Gate to address the Yin cloudy energy of the Kunlong Great Marsh, where the dark energy entangles with dragon energy and various rare spiritual energies, thus needing to be distinguished.”

“Yes, this talisman is the one; let’s give it a try.”