The Li Mausoleum.
Under Li Shenxiao's tomb sat a white-haired young man, eighty-one saintly heavenly patterns circulating between him and the tombstone. Endless spiritual energy of heaven and earth accumulated in his body. On top of his head was a little chick, and he held a small black cat in his arms.
Between the three of them, a cycle was formed as the spiritual energy of heaven and earth constantly flowed through them, converging in the two infernalsources and thundersources.
His unity field enveloped half the mountaintop. Li Wudi couldn't stay here much longer, so he dashed to the mountainside, foul-mouthed and cursing, then fell asleep on his Void Kunpeng.
With the passage of time, the integration of Tianming’s unity field grew stronger. The eighty-one saintly heavenly patterns resembled living creatures, releasing endless spiritual energy.
During the day, Tianming and Qingyu cultivated the sword on Azure Dragon Sword Mountain. In the evening, Feiling stayed with Qingyu, spending her time reading and exploring all sorts of bizarre things. The library in Azure Dragon Sword Hall perfectly met her needs. Presently, she had no problem serving as Tianming’s personal encyclopedia.
She did her utmost to help Tianming. In fact, he thought of them as partners who supported each later, much like Tianming, Ying Huo, and Meow Meow were partners in battle. Feiling was an indispensable part of the team. With how little time they had, her existence was extremely important!
Aside from Li Shenxiao’s tomb, Tianming spent the bulk of his time at the Grim Reaper’s tomb. During this period of time, at his stage, the Life-Death Whip Art and Heaven Defying Sword Intent went hand in hand.
The second battle of the Grand-Orient Sect’s number one battlefield was here!
"I’ve broken through to third-level Unity."
After his last unsatisfactory confrontation with Li Xuanchen, Tianming had been on a roll; everything had gone smoothly! He had Soul Hook cultivated to perfection and had begun contemplating Death Requisition!
After ten thousand swings of the sword, Tianming had mastered Countercurrent, reaching a level that amazed Ye Shaoqing. Most importantly, after half a month of cultivating before Li Shenxiao's tomb, Tianming had finally broken through to third-level Unity with Ying Huo and Meow Meow. As a result, he had achieved great breakthroughs in both cultivation techniques and battle arts. Coupled with Archfiend and Onyx Dragon, Tianming had risen to the level of a genius.
As a matter of fact, everyone in the Grand-Orient Sect believed Tianming was a rare genius, comparable to the first ancestor of Li Saint Clan. It was a pity he lacked enough cultivation time.
However, death waits for no one.
……
Grand-Orient Sect’s number one battlefield.
All hundred thousand seats were full, the audience packed like sardines. On the battlefield, Elder Su Zhen was in charge with a complete list of matches. Under his arrangement, the thirty-two contenders, aside from Yuwen Zhenxing, walked in one after another, ready to fight for the final sixteen places to enter the Prime Tower.
Without exception, the intense battles would cause a hubbub. At this moment, the audience was boiling!
Tianming stood by the window in Azure Dragon Sword Hall, carefully observing every opponent. He had strengthened his resolve to participate in the Prime Struggle.
Seeking fortune amidst danger, Tianming was hell-bent on visiting the mysterious third floor of the Prime Tower, which was supposedly an incredible space created by the Li Saint Clan ancestors.
Ye Shaoqing's original intention was to give the siblings an opportunity to get a feel for competing in the Prime Struggle, and return three years later. However, upon recognizing Tianming's talent, he decided to throw caution to the wind. After all, there was still a month before the Prime Struggle.
Who knew what height Tianming could cultivate to within that period of time?
"Aside from Yuwen Zhenxing, Master places emphasis on these two opponents,” said Qingyu.
After awakening as a Pentamoon Skybane, her temperament had improved by leaps and bounds, like a beautiful goddess of the moon.
Tianming's eyes fell upon a teenager on the battlefield.
The young man was dressed in heavy indigo armor that covered his entire body. His helmet, chain mail, and metal boots were solid, resembling the cavalry. This set of indigo armor was obviously a grade seven beastial weapon, and as such was worth much more than ordinary weapons.
In his hand was a star pike. His pike resembled that used by Sage Chen—slender and dazzling, its sharp point was bursting with an intense aura.
The most striking thing was the fine, indigo-scaled steed he was riding. It was tall, vigorous and powerful, and had a pair of starry, colored eyes. The horn on its head stretched a meter long and was sharper than a grade seven beastial weapon.
"This young man is Chen Xiaoji, the grandson of the seventh elder, Chen Nantian, and is currently at eighth-level Unity. His lifebound beast is a second-order saint beast called the Indigo-Scaled Unicorn. Elder Chen Nantian is a loyal ally of Yuwen Taiji, and Chen Xiaoji and Yuwen Shendu have a good relationship. If you enter the Prime Tower, he’s one to watch out for. Both Yuwen Zhenxing and he are cut from the same cloth, scoundrels who advance and retreat together.”
During the short time Qingyu was making her introduction, Tianming had seen through Chen Xiaoji’s strength. At Chen Xiaoji’s level and with a second-order saint beast, his fighting capacity far outweighed that of Yuwen Shengcheng. After all, Chen Xiaoji was several years older than the Yuwen Clan scion. From all the direct disciples, he was a genius among geniuses of their generation, second only to the prime disciples.
None of the other pampered grandchildren of the sect elders could compare to Chen Xiaoji; not Su Li, and not even Gongsun Yu.
Chen Xiaoji’s every move had the audience exclaiming in shock. Under their appreciative gazes, he rode his Indigo-Scaled Unicorn and defeated his opponent in one charge.
"Chen Xioaji wins! A month from now, you’ll be able to enter the Prime Tower," declared Elder Su Zhen.
As Chen Xiaoji dismounted and left the battlefield, he glanced in the direction of Azure Dragon Sword Mountain, lips curled in a cold smirk.
Was it merely coincidence? Tianming committed the young man to memory.
A few rounds later, another teenager attracted Tianming’s attention. He was also the focus of Qingyu's introduction. It was a boy with long crimson hair. He was tall, but thin, a bit like a bamboo pole. His fiery eyes made him ferocious. And even more frightening was the huge locust beside him.
It stood as tall as a hill, and its belly made up ninety percent of its body. Tianming was reminded of the Bloodhell Broodmother.
Right now, countless blazing locusts the size of a thumb flew out of the giant locust’s belly. The blazing locusts swarmed into the sky in a dense cloud, ravishing and burning everything they came across.
The young man and his lifebound beast were a terrifying sight to behold!