Chapter 55: Cowardly Li Guixing
One step.
Two steps.
Every time he lifted his leg, every time he stepped down, it felt like a thousand years.
A terrifying aura surrounded him, and Ye Liufeng could even smell the scent of death. Countless thoughts surged in his mind.
These thoughts hysterically urged him to flee.
This was the fear brought about by the might of a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
But what was this to him?
Ye Liufeng gritted his teeth, his eyes wide open.
“Just… a mere Foundation Establishment…”
“Give me half a jiazi… and I too can reach Foundation Establishment…”
“Break through for me—Aaargh!!!”
With a roar, he took another step.
Ye Liufeng finally broke through the pressure of the mid-stage Foundation Establishment and faced the terror of the late-stage.
Closely following behind him were only the squint-eyed Daoist priest Kong Lianbin and the shadowy figure Li Guixing.
As for Ye Ningshuang, she was still struggling at the early stage of Foundation Establishment.
“If nothing unexpected happens, the first place in the second trial of the Immortal Ascension Gate will be mine…”
Ye Liufeng couldn’t help but smile. After a brief rest, he prepared to continue challenging the pressure of the late-stage Foundation Establishment.
As long as he could withstand the pressure of the late-stage Foundation Establishment and step onto the peak of Foundation Establishment, the first place in the second trial would be secured.
But just then, a sharp, childish voice came from behind Ye Liufeng, then whooshed past him, echoing into the distance.
He could vaguely hear the voice shouting…
“You—son—of—a—”
Who?
Ye Liufeng looked forward, his pupils constricting sharply.
He saw a small figure standing on the distant steps, facing the pressure of a Nascent Soul cultivator.
Dressed in a hooded black robe, with only a few strands of silver hair visible.
It was Luo Xue.
“How… how is this possible…”
“Nascent Soul… that’s a Nascent Soul…”
“Not even at Spirit Condensation, yet able to face the terror of a Nascent Soul!”
Ye Liufeng felt his vision darken, his blood rushing backward, almost vomiting.
His newly found confidence instantly vanished, his momentum broken, unable to continue challenging the pressure of the late-stage Foundation Establishment.
The guardian elder beside the black-robed figure hesitated. He had already noticed something was wrong with Luo Xue—well, anyone with eyes could see it.
After a moment of hesitation, the guardian elder whispered,
“Peak Master, how… should we handle this?”
The black-robed figure said faintly,
“Just record it as it is.”
The guardian elder twitched his lips. So it was you who was behind this…
The guardian elder wasn’t stupid. There was clearly something wrong with Luo Xue, yet he was told to record it as it is.
If the black-robed figure wasn’t deliberately doing this, he would jump into the Underworld Water River.
“But… Ye Liufeng’s situation…”
The guardian elder looked at the dejected Ye Liufeng and asked worriedly.
Even if they wanted to help Luo Xue enter the sect in a high-profile manner, they couldn’t harm their own prodigy, could they?
“If he can’t even withstand such a setback, he’s just useless trash.”
The black-robed figure’s tone remained indifferent. “The Immortal Ascension Gate is held every twelve years, and so are the Peerless Four. The sect has many, we won’t miss one.”
However, at least in this Immortal Ascension Gate, it was indeed unfair to Ye Liufeng.
The guardian elder sighed inwardly. The black-robed figure’s actions were likely under the Sect Master’s orders, and he couldn’t question them.
“If that’s the case… so be it.”
Soon, the second trial ended.
Luo Xue, completely dumbfounded, was transported to the Nascent Soul steps, taking first place.
Kong Lianbin and the shadowy figure came next, stopping at the late-stage Foundation Establishment steps.
Ye Ningshuang caught up later and also successfully passed the mid-stage Foundation Establishment steps.
…The same as Ye Liufeng.
After being dealt a blow by Luo Xue, Ye Liufeng remained dejected on the stairs.
He kept muttering “impossible, this is absolutely impossible.”
Even after his followers came over, he still hadn’t recovered from his daze.
Seeing this, Luo Xue originally wanted to apologize.
But after thinking about it, apologizing now might be counterproductive…
After all, saying “I’m sorry” while simultaneously crushing someone was even more of a mockery.
So, it was better to avoid him…
As soon as the trial ended, Luo Xue disappeared again.
But Ye Ningshuang wasn’t going to let Luo Xue go this time. She gathered her sisterhood and started a thorough search.
Kong Lianbin didn’t miss this opportunity either. Regardless of whether Ye Liufeng could hear him, he seized the chance to mock him.
Only the shadowy figure looked thoughtfully in the direction Luo Xue had left, seeming somewhat worried.
“I’ve already warned you… Sigh, displaying your talent so openly, what if you’re targeted by hidden Demon Abyss spies…”
“No, I have to persuade her to hide her strength with me!”
“Come on! Come on! Come on! Try to talk to her normally!”
…
Zou Junxin received the results of the two-day trial, looked at them for a while, and the veins on his forehead visibly bulged.
Seeing this, Xi Xiaofeng could only sigh inwardly and stepped forward.
“Sect Master, it was my fault for not handling it properly…”
“No, Xi Xiaofeng, you did nothing wrong.” Zou Junxin picked up one of the reports and looked at the black-robed figure. “Hei Pao, why don’t you take another look yourself?”
“I wrote it myself, there’s no need to look again.” The black-robed figure said seriously.
“…”
Zou Junxin felt his face twitching.
“Nascent Soul, why did you push her all the way to the Nascent Soul steps!” Zou Junxin sighed. “Even the most brilliant Sword Saint three thousand years ago, at the Innate Realm, could only face the pressure of a peak Core Formation cultivator at most.”
“The word ‘only’ isn’t appropriate, Sect Master. Besides the Sword Saint, the highest record is early Core Formation, and that was achieved with the help of a Natal Magical Treasure, barely lasting for a few breaths.”
Zou Junxin looked at the black-robed figure’s serious explanation and wanted to throw the report in his face.
“You said to ensure it was foolproof.”
The black-robed figure said innocently.
“…Fine.”
Zou Junxin smoothed his hair ornament, which felt like it was about to fall off.
“The next trial is one-on-one combat. Bai Zhanying has already made arrangements to let Luo Xue pass the Immortal Ascension Gate.” Xi Xiaofeng said. “After the Immortal Ascension Gate ends, Bai Zhanying will take her down the mountain for training, and this complicated karmic entanglement can be severed.”
“Hopefully, everything will go smoothly.” Zou Junxin shook his head. “If only Luo Huaxin wasn’t always missing… Forget it, let’s not talk about her.”
Just mentioning her made Zou Junxin feel like his hair ornament was really going to fall off.
“Who do you think is the most outstanding among this year’s Peerless Four?”
Zou Junxin changed the subject.
Xi Xiaofeng and the black-robed figure exchanged glances, then gave their answer.
“Li Guixing.”
“Oh? On the surface, it should be Ye Liufeng, or perhaps Kong Lianbin is slightly better…”
Zou Junxin raised an eyebrow.
Hearing this, the black-robed figure could only sigh, a rare hint of helplessness in his tone.
“Actually, Li Guixing’s talent and character are enough to surpass the Peerless Four of the past few generations.”
“It’s just that she has a small problem… She always thinks that the sect is unsafe, that there are Demon Abyss spies everywhere, and that everyone wants her dead.”
“So, not only her strength, but also her appearance, gender, and name are all hidden… Even I don’t know her real name.”
Zou Junxin: “…”
…Was Underworld Water Ravine a gathering place for weirdos?
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