Chapter 0710: The Ancient Shadow Temple
As Ning Cheng’s killing intent swept out, it blew away Everlasting Sacred Shrine’s new Sacred Lady before she could even approach the body of the Sacred Master.
At this moment, not a single disciple from the hundreds of disciples from Everlasting Sacred Shrine dared to move. They all just stood in their spots like lambs waiting for slaughter.
“Stop!” An anxious voice came over, interrupting Ning Cheng’s consciousness that had almost blacked out from the raging killing intent. Suddenly, Ning Cheng felt a little lost in his heart. In truth, he didn’t intend to kill these disciples. He did not want to kill indiscriminately; all he wanted was to get back Luofei and Qionghua.
But Luofei died here. How could he not get justice and revenge for Luofei?
“Dao Friend Ning, Luofei hasn’t fallen. Please stay your hand against my Everlasting Sacred Shrine.” Seeking Caution, dressed in a grey robe, stopped in front of Ning Cheng and spoke up as quickly as possible, with eyes filled with anxiousness.
After experiencing Ning Cheng’s strength when they had first clashed, she knew that the way Sacred Master handled things would bring disaster to Everlasting Sacred Shrine. For this reason, she went all out to improve her cultivation in seclusion. However, Seeking Caution never expected that disaster would strike so quickly. She had just advanced to the Life and Death Realm when Ning Cheng killed Everlasting Sacred Shrine’s Sacred Master. No matter how crazily she cultivated, she knew it was useless at this point. Not to mention that she had just advanced to the Life and Death Realm, even if she miraculously stepped into the Eternal Realm, she knew that it would be impossible to stop Ning Cheng.
Ning Cheng already possessed the strength to kill Everlasting Sacred Shrine’s Sacred Master; it meant that even Nine Jewels Starry Sky’s Starry Sky Emperor would not come out help. The only force capable of helping Everlasting Sacred Shrine was Levelled Heart Emperor Mountain’s Levelled Heart Heavenly Emperor. But Ning Cheng currently stood in the Everlasting Sacred Shrine, so what could Levelled Heart Heavenly Emperor do?
Taking a step back, even if Levelled Heart Heavenly Emperor decided to help Everlasting Sacred Shrine, by the time he arrived, there was a good chance that Everlasting Sacred Shrine would have turned to ashes.
“Did you say Luofei is still alive?” Ning Cheng quickly moved towards Seeking Caution. He even raised both his hands and grabbed Seeking Caution’s shoulder.
Seeking Caution, trying to resist the fear in her heart, spoke up, “That’s right. Sacred Master wanted to kill Qionghua and Luofei, but I asked Yiyi to take them away. Jing Yiyi will be here soon. You can just ask her then…..”
Ning Cheng took in a deep breath, and the red in his eyes gradually faded, “How about Qionghua? How is Qionghua?”
Seeking Caution’s eyes flashed with guilt as she spoke, “I’m sorry, I couldn’t fulfil my promise. Sacred Master didn’t allow Sacred Lady Qionghua to cultivate under the Everlasting Sacred Tree. I could only let Luofei secretly take Qionghua and leave the Everlasting Sacred Shrine.”
Ning Cheng looked up, and tears streaked down his face silently. It was a long time before he suddenly let out a soul-tearing roar.
Qionghua had risked her life to use the forbidden technique, but since she could not heal by cultivating under the Everlasting Sacred Shrine’s Everlasting Sacred Tree, there was a good chance that she had already fallen. This was Qionghua’s last reincarnation, if she died in this life, it would mean there would no longer be a Qionghua anymore. Why did Qionghua have to go through such a wretched destiny?
“I’m sorry, Dao Friend Ning, I really did my best. This matter has nothing to do with my Everlasting Sacred Shrine. Please don’t take out your anger at my Everlasting Sacred Shrine.” Seeking Caution spoke with a trembling voice.
Even if Everlasting Sacred Shrine’s Seeking Intelligence fell, it would still be a significant force in the Nine Plate Starland. But in front of Ning Cheng, it couldn’t amount to much.
“Elder Brother Ning, Uncle-master Seeking Caution speaks the truth. I was the one who brought out Luofei and Qionghua out of the sacred shrine. The rest have nothing to do with it.” Jing Yiyi hurried over and bowed to Ning Cheng. At this time, she had already reached the Celestial Bridge Realm.
“Thank you, Junior Apprentice Sister Yiyi. Do you know where Luofei went?” Ning Cheng took in another deep breath and thanked her sincerely for confirming that Luofei had not died. Even if he slaughtered a hundred Everlasting Sacred Shrines, it would not bring the same relief those words just did.
Jing Yiyi bowed again and said, “I’m sorry, Elder Brother Ning, but I really don’t know.”
After saying that, she seemed to have recalled something and said, “Many thanks for saving my life last time, Senior Apprentice Brother Ning.”
Ning Cheng knew that Jing Yiyi spoke about the Changing Earth Mountain incident. But he just shook his head and didn’t answer.
Seeing Seeking Caution about to speak, Ning Cheng waved his hand and said with a cold voice, “Dao Friend Seeking Caution, I will not destroy the Everlasting Sacred Shrine, but you will have to take me to the Everlasting Sacred Tree.”
Seeking Caution still wanted to say something, but seeing the look in Ning Cheng’s eyes, she knew that she could not afford to offend this person by even the slightest bit, “Please come with me, Dao Friend Ning.”
……
Ning Cheng stood in the most mysterious area within Everlasting Sacred Shrine looking at the verdant Everlasting Sacred Tree in front of him. Sensing the vitality coursing through the Everlasting Sacred Tree, he gave out a sigh in his heart. If he had this cultivation back then, would Seeking Intelligence dare refuse to let Qionghua heal under this tree?
Seeking Caution, along with several others, followed Ning Cheng but did not dare to show any dissatisfaction.
After a long time, Ning Cheng suddenly brought out the Nirvana Spear. Then, with a burst of violent imposing aura, thrust it into the Everlasting Sacred Tree.
“Don’t….” Seeking Caution screamed in horror, but it was already too late.
“Boom…..” The verdant Everlasting Sacred Tree, filled with strong vitality, quickly crumbled under Ning Cheng’s spear, and its spirit dissipated almost instantly.
Ning Cheng turned his head and looked at Seeking Caution, who still stood there in terrified shock before speaking coldly, “Even the disciples of your own sacred shrine cannot come to heal under this Everlasting Sacred Tree, so what’s the use of keeping it around? Since you saved Luofei once, I’ll spare you this once. Goodbye.”
In the middle of the conversation, Ning Cheng’s figure flashed and disappeared from the Everlasting Sacred Tree’s garden. He didn’t take anything from the Everlasting Sacred Shrine and didn’t even look back at the Everlasting Sacred Sword.
Sacred Lady Qiang, who Ning Cheng had blown back twice, once again moved towards the corpse of Seeking Intelligence and picked up the Everlasting Sacred Sword. After watching the Starry Sky Wheel disappear with a calm expression, she knelt on the side of Seeking Intelligence’s body and clenched her fists slowly before murmuring to herself, “Master, please rest assured. One day, I will kill this person with my own hands and put his head in front of Master’s tomb. If I disobey this oath, this Shu Qiang will turn to dust…..”
……
“Master, where are we going now?” Chasing Bull still regretted leaving the Starry Sky Spiritual Fruit Banquet at Levelled Heart Emperor Mountain. Unfortunately, it didn’t know how long it would have to wait before it could attend such a banquet.
Where should I go? Ning Cheng silently pondered. As this moment, he found himself at a complete loss as to where to go from here.
Chasing Bull understood that its master was in a bad mood and could only shut up and concentrate on controlling the Starry Sky Wheel’s flight. After a long time, Ning Cheng finally spoke up, “Look for places close to the Nine Plate Starland.”
With Luofei’s limited cultivation, even if she left the Nine Plate Starland, she would not be able to go far.
“The celestial river closest to Nine Plate Starland is the Night Essence Celestial River. Master, do you want to go to the Night Essence Celestial River?” Chasing Bull carefully spoke up after looking at the positional display of the Starry Sky Wheel.
“Let’s go to the Night Essence Celestial River first. If I find no news there, we’ll then return to Culmination Starland.” Ning Cheng gave a sigh. He knew that this kind of search was akin to looking for a needle in a haystack. The chances of succeeding were almost non-existent.
……
Tipping Rainbow City, one of the starry sky cities of Night Essence Celestial River.
Although Ning Cheng knew about the extremely remote chances of finding information about Ji Luofei, who would have kept herself hidden, he still decided to come here.
Ning Cheng made his way to Tipping Rainbow City’s trade union to inquire about any new mystic realms opening in recent years. Although Luofei had a soft character on the outside, she was an extremely strong-willed woman on the inside. Once the cultivation resources he gave Luofei dried up, Luofei would definitely venture out to search for more cultivation resources.
If she wanted to get hold of sufficient cultivation resources quickly, she would have to explore at least one mystic realm or other dangerous places. Although risky, it could bring high payoffs if successful.
“This guest, what can I do for you?” The person in charge of the trade union was a middle-aged female cultivator, but with only a Celestial Shatterer cultivation. Although such people spoke politely, if you didn’t come here with a specific purpose, you’d only get some polite words and nothing else.
“I want to post a team mission for the Ancient Shadow Temple.” A Heaven’s Mandate cultivator came over, cut in line to the front of Ning Cheng, and spoke up.
The middle-aged female cultivator immediately left Ning Cheng aside and spoke to that Heaven’s Mandate cultivator with a face full of smiles, “Of course, please tell us your requirements.”
But after that Heaven’s Mandate cultivator posted his task and left, the middle-aged female cultivator did not turn to Ning Cheng.
Ning Cheng took out ten Perpetual Moon Pills, put it in front of the middle-aged female cultivator, and asked, “I want to find out about the new mystic realms that opened up in Night Essence Celestial River during recent years, or places with rich cultivation resources.”
When this female cultivator saw Ning Cheng actually take out ten Perpetual Moon Pills, she immediately stood up, and the Perpetual Moon Pills in front of Ning Cheng suddenly disappeared. At the same time, she not only turned more enthusiastic, even her tone turned more polite, “Night Essence Celestial River has a lot of mystic realms, but the most famous of all is the Devouring Bone Sea. Although dangerous, there are many good things in that place. Many rogue cultivators like to adventure within Devouring Bone Sea for this reason. Some people even obtained Celestial River Essence Qi King Pills while adventuring. Apart from the Devouring Bone Sea, Thorn Tooth Lake and Internal Enjoyment Valley are also good places to find cultivation resources. I have a jade strip map with me here. If you want to go to any of the places listed, please let me know. I can help you put up team tasks here…..”
While talking, this female cultivator politely handed over a jade strip map to Ning Cheng.
“Many thanks.” Ning Cheng thanked her and accepted the jade strip map.
The female cultivator continued, “There’s no need for that. However, I want to remind you that you should steer away from the Ice Immortal Ridge on Radial Immortal Star. That place is strange. I heard countless cultivators died there, and only a few managed to come out alive. It didn’t matter initially, as the Ice Immortal Ridge always remained closed. But something happened a few years ago, and an ice passage and cave appeared inside the Ice Immortal Ridge. Many people continue to lose their lives because of this passage, but found nothing good in it.”
“I want to post a team mission for the Ancient Shadow Temple…..” Another Heaven’s Mandate cultivator came over and spoke.
Ning Cheng secretly wondered, what exactly was this Ancient Shadow Temple? In just a short span, two people cut in line to post team missions for this place. From this, how could he not extrapolate the number of cultivators teaming up for this place in just a day?
This time, the female cultivator did not ignore Ning Cheng; instead, she first said to Ning Cheng, “Please do look at the jade strip map. If you have any questions, you can ask me about it. I’ll do my best to answer them.”
Ning Cheng waited for that Heaven’s Mandate cultivator to post his task. After the cultivator finished posting the assignment and left, Ning Cheng asked, “Two other people posted individual team mission for the Ancient Shadow Temple while I talked to you. Is this Ancient Shadow Temple near here?”
The middle-aged female cultivator quickly explained, “The Ancient Shadow Temple is a new mystic realm that opened up in Named Descendant[1] Celestial River’s Second Revenant Star. I have to say, the mystic realm is massive. I heard that it contains countless treasures in it; even many experts in Heaven Seated Realm have tried exploring it. However, to get to Named Descendant Celestial River from here, you need to be at least at Heaven’s Mandate Realm; moreover, it’s costly. If you want to go there, you might be better off going to the Devouring Bone Sea first.”
[1] Decided to change Kun Zhuo Celestial River to Named Descendant Celestial River.