Chapter 928 - Chapter 928: Lifting the Cauldron
Chapter 928: Lifting the Cauldron
Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
The opening of the Qiankun Mansion aimed to produce more Sixth Stage Rule Integration Realm experts among the human race, and these additional experts were ultimately meant to provide sufficient power to the Qiankun Cauldron.
Therefore, the extent of resonance with the Qiankun Cauldron ultimately determined how much power one could provide it. The higher the resonance, the greater the power one could supply.
The Qiankun Cauldron was forged by the Human Emperor and was not found elsewhere. As a result, every human had a resonance with the Qiankun Cauldron, with only the degree of resonance differing.
Resonance levels were divided into four tiers: Low, Medium, High, and Supreme.
A higher resonance level not only allowed one to provide more power to the Qiankun Cauldron in the future but also granted access to more hidden resources within the Qiankun Mansion at present.
The vitality of heaven and earth within the Qiankun Mansion, and the spiritual essence contained in this vitality, were generally the same for all students without additional merit points.
However, students with higher resonance benefited more from the same amount of vitality.
In fact, the Qiankun Mansion unconsciously provided more spiritual essence to those with higher resonance.
Resonance was reciprocal, so the higher one’s resonance, the faster one would cultivate within the Qiankun Mansion.
Of course, this situation was not unchangeable.
Cultivation techniques sometimes served to bridge the gap. Whether one could understand and utilize the techniques effectively was another matter.
Qiankun Technique!
Practicing this technique could enhance one’s resonance with the Qiankun Cauldron and was considered a compulsory skill for every student within the Qiankun Mansion.
Whether for future contributions to the Qiankun Cauldron or better cultivation within the mansion, the Qiankun Technique was indispensable.
However, a rather harsh reality was that those with higher resonance levels learned and mastered the Qiankun Technique more quickly, and vice versa.
This reflected a tendency for the strong to become stronger; it was the same in the Ruins Realm and the Qiankun Mansion.
Absolute fairness did not exist.
In the Sky Sea Branch, the Sun Moon Realm was divided into four teaching areas based on levels. Currently, Chen Fei and the others were all gathered in the early-stage Sun Moon Realm teaching area, observing a bronze cauldron in front of them.
The cauldron was square and appeared unremarkable at first glance, but upon closer inspection, one could feel an immense power enveloping the heart.
“This is a sub-body of the Qiankun Cauldron. Each of you will come up and lift it, and you will naturally understand your resonance level with the Qiankun Cauldron,” Zhao Guanying said, glancing at the crowd.
With a cultivation level in the late stage of Sixth Stage Rule Integration Realm, Zhao Guanying was just one step away from the Emperor Realm. However, that one step had halted many.
Zhao Guanying’s gaze lingered slightly on the thirty individuals who had competed for the courtyard the previous day.
In terms of combat strength, these thirty were the true elite among the early-stage Sun Moon Realm.
A person’s combat strength often reflected their innate talent unless they had already exhausted their potential and focused solely on research against opponents.
However, these thirty individuals still had several hundred years of lifespan remaining, not yet reaching the point where further advancement was impossible.
“Alright, you may begin. The top hundred to lift the cauldron will each receive ten merit points,” Zhao Guanying said with a smile.
“I’ll go first!”
As soon as Zhao Guanying finished speaking, a figure had already appeared beside the Qiankun Cauldron.
Merit points were not the key concern for Zhao Lei; he merely wanted to prevent any potential awkwardness for the Zhao family elder.
Seeing Zhao Lei move first, the other Sun Moon Realm practitioners stopped momentarily. With merit points available for the top hundred, there was no need to rush!
Zhao Lei cupped his hands towards Zhao Guanying, then turned to face the Qiankun Cauldron, taking a deep breath and lifting it with both hands.
“Rise!”
With a loud shout from Zhao Lei, the Qiankun Cauldron slightly trembled, causing the surrounding space to ripple slightly. The cauldron then began to slowly lift from the platform.
The Qiankun Cauldron seemed to carry the weight of the sun and moon, making it quite strenuous for Zhao Lei, who was in the early-stage Sun Moon Realm, to lift it.
When the cauldron was two inches above the platform, despite Zhao Lei’s best efforts, it could not rise any further, even with the use of divine powers.
“Medium-grade resonance,” Zhao Guanying said with a gentle smile.
Upon hearing this, Zhao Lei carefully placed the Qiankun Cauldron back on the platform, then cupped his hands towards Zhao Guanying before returning to the group.
“Don’t feel pressured. Whether it’s low-grade or medium-grade resonance, it’s all normal. Just work hard to practice the Qiankun Technique to improve it,” Zhao Guanying reassured the crowd.
Given that there were rewards for the top hundred who lifted the cauldron, even though it was just ten merit points, it was still a substantial gain, enough to exchange for some fifth tier materials or elixirs. Thus, many people came forward to try.
With the influence of the top hundred, others in the Sun Moon Realm followed suit, eager to know their own resonance levels.
Among the several thousand early-stage Sun Moon Realm practitioners, even a simple task like lifting the cauldron took several hours.
Few had low-grade resonance, only a few dozen. The majority of Sun Moon Realm practitioners had medium-grade resonance, accounting for more than ninety percent.
The number of those with high-grade resonance was comparable to those with low-grade resonance, only a few dozen.
As for those with supreme-grade resonance, only nine had emerged thus far.
The nine individuals with supreme-grade resonance unconsciously wore smiles on their faces. With such resonance, even if their current realm and combat strength were average, they need not worry about being eliminated later on.
It could be said that high-grade and supreme-grade resonance almost guaranteed their continued presence in the Qiankun Mansion.
Zhao Guanying remained expressionless, clearly having anticipated this outcome. In fact, there were even a few more supreme-grade resonances than he had expected.
Soon, only the thirty courtyard owners had yet to be tested.
According to the potential rules, the testing started with the thirtieth person in the Sun Moon Realm.
With only thirty people left, the process was naturally very swift. Most of them had high-grade resonance, and two more supreme-grade resonances emerged. Even Zhao Guanying could not help but smile.
Yu Xiaoliang stepped forward. The frustration from his previous defeat had vanished from his demeanor. After all, he had lost to Lu Shuzhang, so one more defeat was nothing!
Yu Xiaoliang lifted the Qiankun Cauldron and, in a moment, raised it three inches from the platform, indicating high-grade resonance.
With a low shout, Yu Xiaoliang continued to lift the cauldron, reaching four inches, which was supreme-grade resonance!
Yu Xiaoliang’s face showed obvious delight. Before the test, no one knew their resonance level with the Qiankun Cauldron.
Among the thirty, some had medium-grade resonance, meaning their cultivation in the Qiankun Mansion would be slower compared to others at the same Sun Moon Realm level.
Yu Xiaoliang stepped down and glanced quickly at Lu Shuzhang and Chen Fei, but he did not display any smugness.
The test was not over, and if these two also had supreme-grade resonance, his current satisfaction would turn into a joke.
Lu Shuzhang appeared in front of the Qiankun Cauldron. After being defeated by Chen Fei, Lu Shuzhang did not challenge the second place but went directly to the third courtyard.
Clearly, the defeat by Chen Fei had affected Lu Shuzhang’s morale.
Lu Shuzhang looked up at Chen Fei, then lifted the cauldron.
The Qiankun Cauldron quickly rose from the platform and, without pause, reached four inches, indicating supreme-grade resonance.
The onlookers in the Sun Moon Realm were not surprised by Lu Shuzhang’s supreme-grade resonance.
As a descendant of the Human Emperor, his talent was exceptional.
Even though it was unspoken, there was a certain connection between the Human Emperor and the Qiankun Cauldron.
“Rise!”
Lu Shuzhang shouted, and his body emitted a faint black glow. The Qiankun Cauldron, which should have reached its limit, was raised another half inch.
Many in the Sun Moon Realm widened their eyes in disbelief, looking at Lu Shuzhang.
The height of four and a half inches had not been seen before.
“Good!”
Zhao Guanying clapped lightly and smiled.
Even though Zhao Guanying had seen numerous people with supreme-grade resonance, he was genuinely impressed by Lu Shuzhang’s height of four and a half inches.
If there were no accidents, in future cultivation, the Qiankun Mansion’s vitality would increasingly favor Lu Shuzhang.
This was an innate response of the Qiankun Cauldron, not subject to human manipulation, and it meant that Lu Shuzhang would cultivate faster within the Qiankun Mansion, surpassing others of the same level.
Lu Shuzhang set the cauldron down, exhaled, and fixed his gaze on Chen Fei.
A temporary loss was inconsequential; the ultimate test was who would emerge victorious in the end.
Lu Shuzhang never doubted his ability to reach the Sixth Stage Rule Integration Realm. His goal had always been to emulate his father and become the Human Emperor.
Sun Qianrong approached the Qiankun Cauldron with an impassive expression and lifted it to the four-inch mark.
As the second-place winner from yesterday, he had lost much of the spotlight to Chen Fei and others. Now, with his supreme-grade resonance, the focus of the onlookers shifted to him.
From Yu Xiaoliang to Sun Qianrong, all three had supreme-grade resonance. As Chen Fei stepped up to the platform, everyone’s attention turned to him.
They were curious about the resonance level of the person who had defeated Lu Shuzhang and intimidated all the early-stage Sun Moon Realm practitioners yesterday.
Chen Fei looked at the Qiankun Cauldron. Resonance seemed to be related to innate talent but was not solely determined by it.
Chen Fei bent down, gripping the sides of the cauldron, and began to lift it slowly.
Heavy!
This weight was not just the physical burden of the cauldron but a pressure that affected the very essence of his spirit and soul.
As Chen Fei exerted force, the cauldron rose to two inches from the platform, the point where its weight was at its maximum.