Eternal Life: Hundredfold Rewards-Chapter 366 - 214: Visitors from Cangjian Pavilion, the Poker-Faced, Impoverished Sword-Carrying Girl
Qi Chuan and Hu Tianying both nodded seriously with a solemn expression.
Hu Tianying smiled and said, "Sect Leader, don’t be too pessimistic. Maybe our Immortal Sect can take first place this time?"
Saying this, he looked at Qi Chuan.
Having defeated Wang Tong and secured a place, it was naturally a testament that Qi Chuan was stronger than Wang Tong. This also proved that the lineup for the Immortal Sect’s competition among the Three Sects had improved compared to before.
"I hope so. Let’s take your words as a good omen," Zhao Ming said.
"Let’s go."
Then, he brought out a small flying ship and tossed it skyward. Immediately, the ship enlarged to several tens of zhang, hovering in mid-air.
Zhao Ming leapt into the air and landed on the flying ship.
Qi Chuan and the others naturally followed suit.
Swish!
The large flying ship promptly activated, shooting towards the distant horizon.
...
This was a vast red desert region, with some barren mountain ranges faintly undulating in the distance. The land here was so scorching hot that the rocks exposed on the surface could scorch creatures alive. The hot air steamed, making the space above seem subtly distorted.
Deep in the desert, a seemingly low and ordinary mountain range lay horizontally.
Swish!
Suddenly, a breaking sound echoed through the air.
In the distant sky, a massive shadow approached.
The speed of that massive shadow was exceptionally fast; only when it got closer could one see that it was indeed a flying ship measuring several tens of zhang.
The flying ship paused above this mountain range, and the array dispersed as four figures flew out from it, precisely Zhao Ming, Qu Xuanlei, Hu Tianying, and Qi Chuan.
Zhao Ming gestured, retracting the flying ship and storing it in his spatial artifact.
Qi Chuan then stepped forward a few paces, looking at the seemingly low and ordinary mountain range ahead, and inquired, "Is this where the Flame Marrow Earth Vein is located?"
"Yes." Beside him, Hu Tianying smiled as he approached Qi Chuan and said, "Back then, that Core Formation influence discovered this Flame Marrow Earth Vein by sheer luck. They thought they had hit the jackpot, but who knew there was Celestial Heart Flame Marrow inside..."
"Even so, the luck was quite decent. They received some resources from the Three Sects, which allowed their strength to improve somewhat," Qu Xuanlei added.
Qi Chuan nodded, "Indeed, it’s better than finding nothing at all."
He then focused his gaze on the mountains ahead, sensing a massive array obscuring their true appearance.
"The other two sects haven’t arrived yet; let’s wait a bit," Zhao Ming suggested.
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Then, they all sat down cross-legged.
Swish!
After waiting roughly a quarter of an hour, another faint break-through-the-air sound arose, gradually growing louder.
Everyone opened their eyes and looked up towards the distant sky.
There, a black dot swiftly expanded into the form of a flying ship.
On the ship, a fierce sword aura surged up.
The flying ship was also inscribed with numerous sword patterns.
"It’s people from Cangjian Pavilion," Hu Tianying whispered beside Qi Chuan.
Qi Chuan nodded slightly.
A cautious look emerged in his eyes as well.
Just like the Myriad Flowers Immortal Sect, Cangjian Pavilion was a Nascent Soul Major Sect and couldn’t be underestimated.
"Zhao Ming, you all are the earliest to arrive."
Before the flying ship even approached completely, a calm voice carried over.
Once the ship drew closer and the array dispersed, everyone could see four straight-backed figures standing on the ship’s deck, each carrying a greatsword on their back.
"Mu Cangtian, your style hasn’t changed at all," Zhao Ming remarked, casually glimpsing at the four and fixing his gaze on the foremost elder with deeply set eyes.
Their eyes met, with a hint of mutual displeasure flickering deep within their pupils.
Though on the surface, their words were without provocative mistakes, a subtle undercurrent of irony lingered, making both slightly uncomfortable.
Furthermore, among the Three Nascent Soul Major Sects of Beihua State, namely Cangjian Pavilion, Yin Yang Mansion, and Myriad Flowers Immortal Sect, conflicts of interest inevitably arose.
For instance, this Flame Marrow Earth Vein was first discovered...(Well, not exactly discovered by the Myriad Flowers Immortal Sect first, but they found out someone else found it, and then they planned to seize and claim it.)
And the outcome?
Once Cangjian Pavilion and Yin Yang Mansion learned of it, they immediately stepped in.
Such conflicts of interest have occurred quite often over the years.
Even though the Three Sects, being Nascent Soul Major Sects, usually envisioned the bigger picture and were prudent, rarely engaging in severe conflicts, they still found it challenging to maintain a good impression of each other.
At times like this, just a bit of jocular remarks could amplify such displeasure.
"The Three Sword Sons... Cang Jianzi, Huang Jianzi, and Qing Jianzi..."
While Zhao Ming and Mu Cangtian exchanged glares, Qi Chuan shifted his gaze beyond Mu Cangtian, focusing on the Three Sword Sons behind him.
Though Mu Cangtian, as the sect master of Cangjian Pavilion and a Core Formation Late Stage True Master, was undoubtedly strong.
Nonetheless, this had little to do with Qi Chuan.
His opponent wasn’t Mu Cangtian but Qing Jianzi among the Three Sword Sons.
Yet, when Qi Chuan’s gaze first fell upon them, it landed on Cang Jianzi, the most powerful among them.
Cang Jianzi, a middle-aged man carrying a large sword, exuded an overpowering Core Formation Late Stage spiritual pressure, with sharp eyes. Qi Chuan knew he was no match and had nothing more to say about him.
However, this man was Qu Xuanlei’s opponent, not his own.
Thus, Qi Chuan only acknowledged his presence before moving on, laying his eyes on Cang Jianzi’s side, where Huang Jianzi stood.
Huang Jianzi appeared to be a youth, around his early twenties. His complexion was fair, and his gaze seemed nonchalant and scattered, though a hint of sharpness lurked deep in his eyes, indicating he was not one to be trifled with.
Yet, this was Hu Tianying’s adversary, rather than Qi Chuan’s.
This competition among the Three Sects was truly a match between the same realm, ostensibly fair. Among the Three Nascent Soul Major Sects, when not dealing with fundamental interests, they dealt reasonably with their counterparts of the same tier.
Hu Tianying, next to him, also cautiously assessed his opponent in the Core Formation Middle Stage. Coincidentally, the latter also glanced back at him. The laid-back youth curled his lips in a wicked smile, instantly causing sparks to fly between them in a tit-for-tat confrontation.
Glancing at the laid-back youth twice, Qi Chuan too looked past him, focusing on the last Sword Son from Cangjian Pavilion.
It was Qing Jianzi.
Qi Chuan’s gaze settled upon her.
She was clad in simple attire, petite and delicate, almost making her front and back indistinguishable, appearing under 1.5 meters tall. However, her skin was snow-white and delicate, and her large eyes shimmered with moisture, occasionally blinking gently. Her neck-length black, smooth short hair was somewhat expressionless, portraying the appearance of a stoic, underdeveloped beautiful young girl.
Yet, at this moment, this stoic, underdeveloped girl still carried a gleaming Flood Dragon Head Greatsword on her back, towering over her.
"Why is it a woman?"
Qi Chuan was a bit surprised as he looked at the stoic, underdeveloped girl across, feeling that the huge sword she carried seemed a bit out of place with her demeanor.
And should that greatsword be considered a magical treasure?
Why didn’t the people from Cangjian Pavilion store them within their bodies? Could it be due to a unique cultivation method?
Qi Chuan contemplated inwardly.
And just as he was pondering this, the stoic, underdeveloped girl on the ship deck seemed to sense something, glancing over and locking her gaze on Qi Chuan’s face.
"Is this that Wang...Hmm?"
As her eyes focused on Qi Chuan’s somewhat elegant, ethereal, unfamiliar face, an unusual ripple appeared on the stoic, underdeveloped girl’s face, revealing slight surprise and puzzlement.
