Chapter 75 – Day of the Gambling Match
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Lin Ming was simultaneously controlling his arm strength and also revolving his true essence to resist the bone-chilling cold of the waterfall. Even if he had the ‘True Primal Chaos Formula’ supporting him, it was not something he could support!
His arms began to shiver and blue veins started to clearly stick on out his forearms. After half an incense stick of time, there was a dull thumping sound as Penetrating Rainbow’s spear point struck the rock, it was finally pushed down by the endless waterfall. Lin Ming half knelt on the rock, gasping for breath in big gulps. He felt as if both of his lifeless arms weren’t his anymore. He tried to stand, but found that the true essence in his body had been mostly consumed.
“Splash!” The waterfall was rushing down the rock and swept him off. He raised his spear and stabbed the rock, steadying his body in the water.
“About a quarter hour. It seems that’s my limit. What a pity, if I had true essence stones I would be good. I could quickly restore my true essence and continue practice. My gambling match with Zhang Cang is approaching. Even if I win his true essence stones, I can only use them for a while until they’re gone. Afterwards I have to try to find a solution to this.”
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Time passed day-by-day. Lin Ming practiced his spear for two hours every day in the Icy Pond Waterfall. While practicing the spear, he also tempered his body at the same time. The efficacy of the Golden Snake Scarlet Pill had been completely absorbed by him at last. Although Lin Ming’s cultivation had paused at the early Third Stage of Body Transformation, he had thoroughly consolidated this stage.
After eight days passed, Lin Ming had used up all 16 hours of practice time that he had saved up. On the last day, Lin Ming was already able to carry the Penetrating Rainbow and stand under the waterfall with one breath for one hour. From the beginning, his long spear would be nearly motionless, but only half an hour later would there be a small vibration.
After, two days passed. It was exactly one month since Lin Ming had arrived at the Seven Profound Martial House. Lin Ming rose from bed early like he usually did. He stood before the wooden door of his residence under the canopy shade of the century-old trees. He grasped the spear, Penetrating Rainbow, in his hand and stretched out both hands in front of himself while holding it. Like this, he held 820 jins completely and evenly perpendicular to his body.
At the spear point of Penetrating Rainbow, he had placed a small porcelain bowl. This bowl was filled to the brim with water. Under Lin Ming’s deep and steady strength, this bowl of water hadn’t even lost the tiniest amount of water. It was as if it were placed on a flat tabletop.
Since he had exhausted the remaining hours he could use the seven major killing arrays for, and could not go to the Icy Pond Waterfall, Lin Ming had practiced with these self-created methods.
Lin Ming practiced until it was almost noon. He ate a very simple meal and took a small rest, then he carried Penetrating Rainbow and went straight to the Seven Profound Martial House’s martial stage. Today was the day he had his gambling match with Zhang Cang…
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Although it was already the fall season, the high noon sun was blazing intensely hot. This was the time of day at which Yang energy was thickest in the air. The most sinister baking sunlight was at three quarters to noon. The average person would usually opt to not go out at this time, and instead stay at home and take a nap. However, right now at the Seven Profound Martial House’s martial stage was actually gathered a large crowd of people.
Most of these people were disciples from the Seven Profound Martial House’s Earth Hall and Human Hall. There were also some disciples of the Heavenly Abode that had arrived. Although at this time the sunlight was smolderingly hot, these people’s faces didn’t have the slightest hint of sweat. It was as if the skies were clear and they were leisurely looking around with an unflustered appearance. Obviously none of these disciples were mediocre.
Today was the day that the four people, Lin Ming, Zhang Cang, Wang Yanfeng, and Liu Mingxiang, had their gambling match. In this group of four, two of them were the first and second place of the new disciples that had taken the entrance exam, and the other two were strong old disciples. This stunt was enough to arouse the attention and interest of many disciples in the Seven Profound Martial House.
The disciples of the Human Hall had come to take a look at the liveliness and have some fun, but the disciples of the Earth Hall and Heavenly Abode had come to take a look at their future rivals. Whether it was Lin Ming or Wang Yanfeng, their later rankings would certainly rise. Even a disciple of the Heavenly Abode would not look down upon them. Of course, that was a matter for later. Right now, their strength was still in its infancy.
“There isn’t much suspense in the outcome of these matches. In the past battles that the new disciples participated in, the newbies almost never won against the old disciples, much less this time; they are up against Liu Mingxiang and Zhang Cang who are both experts. Lin Ming and Wang Yanfeng really do not have any hope at all.” A disciple of the Heavenly Abode slowly said as he looked at the sundial near the martial stage.
“Indeed. But don’t underestimate this Lin Ming. When he first entered the Martial House, I didn’t care about him at all, but in the last Ten Thousand Killing Array assessment he was able to reach rank 126. This is an extraordinary result. This time he is up against Zhang Cang. If he were matched against Liu Mingxiang, then that Liu Mingxiang would not do well and might possibly fail miserably.”
“You think that Liu Mingxiang would lose to Lin Ming? Come on, Lin Ming’s talent is limited. Although he managed to get a high ranking in the Ten Thousand Killing Array, he is still far from Liu Mingxiang. He may have taken the two top-quality pills that were rewarded from the entrance examination and absorbed some of the effects, but do you think that in a month he would be able to overtake Liu Mingxiang?”
“Talent? You are only staring at Lin Ming’s talent? No matter what sort of fortuitous encounter Lin Ming had, or what sort of precious pills or herbs or medicines he had, the strife that he was able to manifest so far has completely disregarded his talent. Those who look down on him just because of his talent will suffer a loss!” A disciple of the Heavenly Abode firmly said.
“Hehe, you sure think highly of that Lin Ming. Last time I went to the depository, I specifically paid attention to the cultivation method that Lin Ming chose…” The Earth Hall disciples deliberately dragged out his tone as he saw how much attention he had attracted, “This Lin Ming chose the cultivation methods for ‘Foundation Spear Technique’ and ‘Foundation Movement Technique’. He also had some incomplete ‘Body Tearing Bone Shattering Fist’ martial skill that he picked up. With just these, how much progress could he have with just one month? Before this, he was able to obtain rank 126 because he took the rare and precious Crimson Gold Dragon Marrow Pill and Golden Snake Scarlet Pill at the same time. Even a pig would find its cultivation increased. This Lin Ming’s talent is limited. He cannot practice higher-grade cultivation methods and martial skills. Depending on these two foundation manuals, on what basis would he be able to surpass Liu Mingxiang?”
Lin Ming had raised a ruckus at the Ten Thousand Killing Array, so it was very easy for him to arouse the interest of the other Martial House disciples. Many people had taken a look at the cultivation method that Lin Ming had selected. This matter was very easy; his name was the only one on the jade slip note, and those who wanted to see could see it.
“What? ‘Foundation Spear Technique’ and ‘Foundation Movement Technique’? Lin Ming chose those two? How could that sort of cultivation method have any sort of formidable might? I thought for sure that he would choose something like the ‘Shadowless Art’ or the ‘Absolute Nine Yang’ and so on…”
“Ha, ‘Shadowless Art’? ‘Absolute Nine Yang’? Those cultivation methods are certainly good but do you think an average person can cultivate them? Have you forgotten Lin Ming’s talent? I think that fellow’s perception is also limited; all he knows is his own self-knowledge, therefore he chose these two sets of simple skills to learn. Wait and see, this Lin Ming’s rising halo will be put down!” The disciple’s tone and smirking expression indicated that he took pleasure in Lin Ming’s misfortune. Lin Ming had only been at the Seven Profound Martial House for a short time, and yet his ranking was already ahead of this man. This really made him feel sick in his heart.
At this time, there was a commotion in the ground. A distant group of people parted to make way. Two men, both about 20 years old, walked up side by side.
One of the two was a gaunt and pale looking man. His facial expression was cold and resolute. A black, heavy sword was strapped to his back. Although he was just walking, his entire manner seemed as if it were a razor. He was like a cold treasure sword that had been drawn out. It really gave those around him a huge feeling of pressure as he walked past them.
The other man was robust and tall, with a vigorous expression. His whole body was thickly corded with muscles, and he carried an eight foot long dark purple staff on his back. Each step this person took was steady and silent. If each footprint was measured, it would be discovered that the spacing between every two steps was completely consistent. It was six feet every time, no more and no less! This was the result from cultivating the top movement technique from the Seven Profound Martial House’s depositories, the ‘Six Foot Step’!
“Ling Sen!”
“Ta Ku!”
“These two people also came to watch the match!”
Among those who came to watch the gambling match, most were disciples of the Earth Hall. Disciples of the Heavenly Abode had come, but most of them were around rank 50 and 60. This was around the very end of the Heavenly Abode rankings. They had come out of fear that they would be pushed out by those in the match today, so they came to take a look at the situation.
But Ling Sen and Ta Ku were the top two unshakable existences on the Ranking Stone. They also came to see an internal gambling match of the Earth Hall?