Cultivation: Start From Simplifying Martial Arts Techniques

Chapter 392: Annihilation

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

Indeed, Chen Fei’s clone had been shattered, and in the face of the power of a late-stage Aperture tempering realm cultivator, the clone conjured by Soaring Heaven Technique’s illusions was undoubtedly weaker.

What appeared behind Ji Ruiqing at this moment was Chen Fei’s true self. Fortunately, Chen Fei’s true self arrived in time; otherwise, the people here might not have been completely wiped out, but those at the early stage of the Aperture tempering realm would probably not have survived for long.

The difference in strength between the late-stage and early-stage Aperture tempering realm was vast, and even though Ji Ruiqing couldn’t fully unleash her power due to the struggle for control over her body, it was still far beyond what an early-stage Aperture tempering realm cultivator could withstand.

In battles among cultivators, sometimes a slight difference could mean the difference between life and death. When the gap was two realms apart, they weren’t even in the same league.

With the expulsion of the ghastly puppet, Ji Ruiqing’s body swayed slightly, but she quickly steadied herself. She looked towards the ghastly puppet, and in its panicked state, the ghastly puppet lunged towards the nearest elder of the Sunken Water Pavilion.

Without a host, the ghastly puppet’s power significantly diminished.

Whoosh!

A streak of sword energy soared through the air, catching up to the ghastly puppet in an instant. The ghastly puppet attempted to dodge, but found its body frozen, and it could only watch as the sword energy cleaved it in two.

This sword energy was unleashed by Ji Ruiqing herself. At this moment, her true power as a late-stage Aperture tempering realm cultivator was fully displayed. Unlike Qiu Yuexiu and Chen Xiangyu, who would faint immediately, Ji Ruiqing not only remained conscious but also directly slew the ghastly puppet on the spot.

For cultivators in the Aperture tempering realm’s late stage, this was the norm under normal circumstances; foreign ghastly puppets couldn’t control their minds. It was only due to carelessness, failing to recognize that their disciples had been tainted, that led to them being possessed together.

However, Master Xi Lian’s ghastly puppet was indeed much more formidable than the average ghastly puppet. It had never appeared before, just like how there had never been an eerie being among those in the combined aperture tempering realm. It was too easily overlooked.

When they saw the ghastly puppet being slain, a collective sigh of relief swept through everyone in the Sunken Water Pavilion. What was more crucial was that their core figure, the Sect Master of the Sunken Water Pavilion, Ji Ruiqing, finally regained consciousness.

“It’s been hard on everyone,” Ji Ruiqing said softly as she looked at the others.

Ji Ruiqing then turned to Chen Fei, who cupped his hands in respect. This was a basic show of respect for a late-stage Aperture tempering realm cultivator, especially the Sect Master.

“Master Chen, we owe you a great debt this time. Otherwise, the Sunken Water Pavihon would probably have become history,” Ji Ruiqing said in a hushed tone.

Although Ji Ruiqing had been contaminated and possessed by the ghastly puppet, she remembered everything that had happened in the outside world clearly.

If it hadn’t been for Chen Fei’s arrival this time, not only would most of the Aperture tempering realm cultivators in the Sunken Water Pavilion have perished, but even all the ordinary Body Refining Realm disciples would not have been spared.

The frigid pool within this Bitter Water Peak was actually connected to the earth’s veins of the entire Sunken Water Pavilion. The Sunken Water Pavilion was established here precisely because of this earth’s vein.

The true core of the earth’s vein, only a few of the Sunken Water Pavilion’ elders knew its location, and it was also protected by formations. As for this frigid pool, only Ji Ruiqing and one other late-stage Aperture tempering realm cultivator were aware of it.

Normally, this frigid pool wouldn’t have any impact on the earth’s veins, and it was also protected by formations. Any disturbance would be immediately known by Ji Ruiqing.

However, no one had expected that Ji Ruiqing would be possessed by a ghastly puppet, leading to the current situation.

The ghastly puppet had intended to sacrifice the entire earth’s vein. In that case, the first to suffer would be the Sunken Water Pavilion’ Body Refining Realm disciples, and by the time the other Aperture tempering realm elders realized something was amiss, it would have been too late.

As Ji Ruiqing had mentioned, if Chen Fei hadn’t arrived in time and if they had delayed a bit longer, no matter how desperately they fought, it would have been impossible to turn the tide.

Furthermore, Ji Ruiqing would have been completely controlled by the ghastly puppet, and the remaining elders of the Sunken Water Pavilion, when facing Ji Ruiqing in her Aperture tempering realm late stage, would have had no chance to escape.

Thank you, Sect Master Ji,” Chen Fei replied with a respectful gesture.

The others in the Sunken Water Pavilion looked at Chen Fei, still very puzzled about his resurrection. They had clearly sensed Chen Fei’s aura disappearing just a moment ago.

However, now he had reappeared full of life and energy. Some of them even suspected that the one who had died just now might have been Chen Fei’s clone. After all, the Primordial Sword Sect’s Soaring Heaven Technique allowed for the creation of clones, which was quite famous.

However, the strength of the clones created by the Soaring Heaven Technique was relatively weak, likely only at the Body Refining Realm level, while Chen Fei had just subdued both Qu Yueshu and Chen Xiangyu in succession. This displayed power far beyond what a clone should possess.

Standing in the background, Chi Shuqing watched as everyone’s attention was on Chen Fei. A proud smile appeared on her face.

This was the man she had chosen, and now he had saved her sect from dire straits. Chen Fei’s demonstrated strength was just the tip of the iceberg. When the others within the sect truly grasped Chen Fei’s capabilities in the future, the look on their faces would be even more satisfying to Chi Shuqing.

This favor is etched in the Sunken Water Pavilion’ memory,” Ji Ruiqing said softly.

“Sect Master Ji, there’s no need for this,” Chen Fei waved his hand, addressing Ji Ruiqing directly. With Ji Ruiqing’s status, saying these words in person meant that any request Chen Fei might make in the future, as long as it didn’t jeopardize the Sunken Water Pavilion’ survival, Ji Ruiqing would likely readily agree.

With the crisis at the Sunken Water Pavilion resolved, Ji Ruiqing insisted on hosting and entertaining Chen Fei, but he politely declined.

The Sunken Water Pavilion would undoubtedly need to address and rectify any remaining issues and potential threats following the recent events. Chen Fei’s continued presence might be ill-timed, and he needed to return promptly to the Primordial Sword Sect to ensure no other dangers threatened the sect.

Chen Fei headed toward his sect, while another Aperture tempering realm late-stage cultivator from the Primordial Sword Sect, Zhou Zixun, had just arrived at the entrance of the Big Dipper Tower.

The Big Dipper Tower was quite distant from the Primordial Sword Sect, over a hundred miles away. Among martial sects, maintaining sufficient distance between them helped avoid suspicion and allowed for enough resource allocation.

Zhou Zixun stood before the Big Dipper Tower’s entrance, gazing up at the peaks inside. His brows furrowed slightly. Zhou Zixun didn’t possess Star Gazing Art, so he couldn’t sense aura as keenly as Chen Fei, but as a Aperture tempering realm late-stage cultivator with over a hundred years of cultivation experience, even slight abnormalities couldn’t escape his notice.

Considering the recent encounter with their adversaries, Zhou Zixun’s expression darkened slightly. Something felt amiss, and while he couldn’t put his finger on it, he knew he had arrived too late.

“Hoo!”

A sudden gust of wind swept across the flat ground, causing the fabric of Zhou Zixun’s cyan robe to rustle continuously. A figure appeared silently at the entrance of the Big Dipper Tower, observing Zhou Zixun with a smile on their face.

At first glance, the smile seemed warm and friendly, but upon closer inspection, one would notice that although the person’s face displayed a smile, his eyes held no trace of amusement. Furthermore, the meaning conveyed by ’ his gaze sent shivers down one’s spine.

“Elder Zhou, what an honor to have you here! Please forgive any shortcomings in our reception!” Elder Zhong, a senior member of the Big Dipper Tower, greeted Zhou Zixun warmly with clasped hands.

Zhou Zixun remained silent, his gaze locked onto Elder Zhong. His brows furrowed tighter and tighter as he observed him.

Elder Zhong was a mid-stage Aperture tempering realm cultivator and had encountered Zhou Zixun a few times in previous years, though they were not particularly familiar with each other.

However, as Zhou Zixun scrutinized Elder Zhong, he felt an unsettling chill creeping over him. The fact that a mid-stage Aperture tempering realm cultivator like Elder Zhong could make Zhou Zixun, a late-stage Aperture tempering realm cultivator, feel this uneasy was far from normal.

Clearly, Zhou Zixun’s spiritual sense was sending a warning signal, urging him to get away from this place quickly. Zhou Zixun glanced at the entrance of the Big Dipper Tower and let out a sigh. Simply retreating like this wasn’t in his nature.

Whether it was a ghastly puppet or some other threat, Zhou Zixun needed to gather information about the true situation within the Big Dipper Tower. Going back to the Primordial Sword Sect in ignorance wouldn’t allow him to provide any meaningful assistance.

“It’s been several years, Elder Zhong, and your cultivation must have grown even more profound. Today, I’d like to exchange a few moves,” Zhou Zixun declared. Without waiting for Elder Zhong’s response, he swiftly moved forward. Simultaneously, a shadowy figure emerged from behind Zhou Zixun; it was his clone, employing the Soaring Heaven Technique.

Gathering intelligence was a task best suited for his clone.

Zhou Zixun had no intention of rushing into the Big Dipper Tower alone, as it would be far too dangerous. If the Primordial Sword Sect were to lose an Aperture tempering realm cultivator like him, they would become extremely vulnerable to various threats in the future.

Therefore, Zhou Zixun wouldn’t put himself in harm’s way.

In the next moment, the sound of explosions filled the air, and sword energy crisscrossed the surroundings. Elder Zhong’s earlier friendly smile had vanished completely, replaced by an extreme coldness and madness.

One quarter of an hour later, Zhou Zixun’s figure flickered, and with a few steps, he was already a hundred paces away. Several figures chased after him for a while but had to eventually stop. They stood there, watching Zhou Zixun’s retreating figure with icy stares.

Zhou Zixun’s expression was solemn. His clone had entered the Big Dipper Tower, and not far inside, he witnessed the true scene unfolding within.

Blood flowed like a river, and the pungent scent of blood permeated nearly every corner of the Big Dipper Tower. Madness and chaos reigned, and an insane atmosphere filled the air, driving people to the brink of insanity.

Most of the Big Dipper Tower’s disciples were dead, and the remaining few engaged m frenzied battles, showing no hint of their former camaraderie. Deep-seated grudges seemed to be the only thing remaining.

The Aperture tempering realm elders were maintaining a formation, with themselves as the core. They used their own lives as the formation’s anchor to complete the sacrificial ritual. Once the ritual was done, they would also turn into ashes.

Before Zhou Zixun’s clone could witness more, a flash of blade light shattered it in mid-air.

However, from what Zhou Zixun had already seen, he knew he didn’t need to witness any more. The Big Dipper Tower was already destroyed. From top to bottom, there were no survivors.

The Big Dipper Tower was the farthest sect from the Immortal Cloud City and therefore the closest to the Shang Wu City. The ghastly puppet from Shang Wu City had naturally arrived at the Big Dipper Tower first.

The time between the discovery of the anomaly with Wu Guangyin and Zhou Zixun’s arrival at the Big Dipper Tower had taken over an hour. This time difference had led to the complete destruction of the Big Dipper Tower.

Zhou Zixun’s heart was filled with coldness and lingering fear. If it weren’t for

Chen Fei’s prompt discovery of Wu Guangyin’s anomaly, what fate would have befallen the Primordial Sword Sect?

Would they have met the same fate as the Big Dipper Tower, completely wiped out in just over an hour, becoming a mere part of history?