Chapter 508 - 220: Giant Tree
Meanwhile, in an elegant pavilion, three elders with profound auras were drinking together.
Deng Ziheng and Gong Nansong sat across from each other. The third was an old woman.
She was another highly revered elder from the main peak. Most addressed her respectfully as Elder Feng; few knew her true name.
Gong Nansong raised the White Jade cup before him, a look of rapture on his face. He chuckled, "It’s all thanks to Old Deng that I get to taste this Jade Dew today."
Elder Feng shot him a glance, her tone flat. "If you don’t want to drink it, you can put it down."
Hearing this, Deng Ziheng let out a hearty laugh. "Old Gong," he teased, "this Jade Dew may be worth a fortune and nearly impossible to buy, but with your resources and shamelessness, if you really wanted to drink some, you couldn’t get your hands on a jar or two?"
Gong Nansong just chuckled, offering no rebuttal. He took another blissful sip, clearly savoring it and reluctant to put the cup down.
"Enough of this nonsense."
Elder Feng set down her cup. Her gaze shifted to the bustling Celestial Treasure Tower in the distance, and her tone grew serious. "The Sect Leader sent me here, and you should know why. You’ve been observing this latest batch of prospects from the Hundred Sects of Xu Wang Mountain for some time now. What is your assessment?"
At the mention of the Sect Leader, both Deng Ziheng and Gong Nansong’s expressions grew solemn, and they set aside their relaxed attitudes.
Gong Nansong was the first to speak, his tone now serious. "Overall, they’re quite good. They’re certainly worthy of being called elites, sent here after a rigorous selection process across the Hundred Sects."
He was quite impressed with this group of selected geniuses.
Deng Ziheng nodded, adding, "Especially Wu Anren from Dubhe Mansion. His comprehension is astounding, and his progress in Swordsmanship is incredibly rapid. And then there’s He Shuang, cultivating Three True Astrals simultaneously, with a foundation far more solid than her peers. Both have now crossed the thirtieth-layer threshold. Their potential is immense, and they may genuinely have a chance to challenge for a True Inheritance seat in the future."
"Only two?" Elder Feng’s brow twitched almost imperceptibly, as if she wasn’t entirely satisfied with that number.
"Two is already a rare find."
Deng Ziheng said slowly, "True Successor Candidates aren’t a dime a dozen. Besides, there are a few other very young ones whose potential cannot be underestimated. We also have steady, late-bloomer types like Tian Pingning. They’re making solid progress and might well advance further in the future."
After listening, Elder Feng pondered for a moment and gave a slight nod.
She looked toward the plaza again, her gaze seeming to pierce through the crowd and land on Wu Anren and He Shuang.
"Keep a close eye on those two."
Deng Ziheng and Gong Nansong exchanged a look, then nodded.
Beside the Celestial Treasure Tower, disciples continued to enter one after another. The atmosphere was tense and solemn.
Qiao Hongyun took a deep breath. "There isn’t much time left. I’m going to try again."
With that, he walked toward the Celestial Treasure Tower.
"I’ll give it a try, too."
Chen Qing said calmly, gripping his Diancang Spear as he strode steadily toward the Treasure Tower’s entrance.
Watching Chen Qing’s retreating back, Zhuo Xiaoyun murmured, "I wonder if he can pass the twenty-seventh layer this time."
She remembered that he had stopped at the twenty-sixth layer last time. She herself had exhausted every trick and ounce of strength she had to barely pass the twenty-seventh, so she knew just how difficult it was.
Shang Lujing shook his head. "It’s hard to say. Brother Chen might be young, but he’s got real skill. I think he has a shot at the twenty-seventh layer."
He didn’t say everything he was thinking, but in his heart, he felt, ’The twenty-seventh layer is probably Chen Qing’s limit.’
「Meanwhile, Chen Qing arrived at the twenty-seventh layer of the Celestial Treasure Tower.」
The moment he entered the Treasure Tower, the Purple Light in his mind flared with unusual activity.
Chen Qing took a deep breath, ignoring the Purple Light for the moment.
Unlike the single, powerful foe on the twenty-sixth layer, the twenty-seventh layer held three puppets wielding different weapons. They stood in a solemn triangular formation, their cold gazes instantly locking onto him.
The auras they emanated were all at the Mid-stage Astral Force level!
And just like the puppets he had faced before, a Spiritual Light flashed in their eyes. They were clearly possessed by some Intention, not just lifeless objects.
One wielded a two-handed greatsword, another a long-hafted battle-ax, and the third dual-wielded short halberds. The combination of weapons seemed ordinary, yet it exuded the grim, synergistic killing intent unique to a battlefield formation.
Without any warning, the battle erupted!
The ax-wielding puppet attacked first. It took a single step, making the ground tremble as its enormous battle-ax swept horizontally with the force to split mountains. The vicious wind from the attack sealed off a vast area, leaving little room to evade.
Almost simultaneously, the greatsword puppet sank into its stance, bringing its blade straight down with immense Power. The Sword Momentum was so heavy it seemed ready to cleave both Chen Qing and the very ground beneath him in two.
Meanwhile, the dual-halberd puppet moved like a phantom, silently circling to his flank. Its weapons lashed out like vipers striking from their dens, aimed at the openings around Chen Qing’s legs and ribs.
The three puppets coordinated flawlessly, their attacks surging like a tidal wave to instantly seal off all of Chen Qing’s escape routes. The pressure was far greater than anything on the twenty-sixth layer!
Chen Qing didn’t hesitate for a second.
He instantly executed the Startled Swan Escape Shadow Technique. His body blurred into a wisp of smoke, slipping through the sliver of space between the ax’s shadow and the sword’s light by a hair’s breadth.
At the same time, his Diancang Spear hummed as he channeled his Cyan Wood True Gang into it. He executed Breaking Mountains and Dividing Territory from the Mountain Prison-Suppression Spear, precisely blocking the flanking dual halberds with the shaft of his spear.
CLANG!
The explosive shriek of metal on metal rang out, sending sparks flying.
Chen Qing felt an insidious, twisting Power travel up from the short halberds. He immediately activated his Eight Extremes Vajra Body, dissolving the force.
Individually, these three puppets might only be marginally stronger than the one on the twenty-sixth layer, but when combined in a battle formation, their might increased exponentially.