Chapter 622 - 622: The Path Upwards

The Celestial Sword Sect was widely recognized as the strongest sect in the Northern Domain. Even its Outer Sect boasted a large number of top-tier, Level-Nine Martial Spirits.

Thus, for the annual Inner Sect qualification trials, it was their custom to send one or two of their best Level-Nine Martial Spirits to each sect's Land of Trial to vie for first place.

Every year, across the fifteen sects' Lands of Trial, the Celestial Sword Sect would invariably claim first place in the majority of them.

This time, however, they never could have imagined that while the outcomes in the other Lands of Trial were still unknown, a fire had started in their own backyard. On their home turf, the Saint Extreme Sect had completely stolen the show.

"Hmph. I am not feeling well. I shall take my leave!"

Lei Jing's expression shifted several times before he let out a cold snort. With a flash, he vanished, reappearing on the back of a Flying Demon Beast as if by Instant Teleportation, and immediately soared into the sky.

Several of the Inner Sect Elders present chuckled quietly.

Meanwhile, Chu Qingyun, Pei Yongqing, and the others who had just arrived were completely baffled, unable to figure out what had happened.

But clearly, no one was about to explain the situation to them, at least not in front of so many people.

As for Lei Jing running off without an apology, since Zhu Zhijing herself didn't say anything, the others certainly had nothing to add.

After Pei Yongqing and his group of a dozen or so disciples, more people trickled in, having broken through the blockade of withered wood monsters to reach the center of the Withered Wood Forest.

Then, the main group of over four hundred people surged forward, instantly filling the three hundred available spots.

Once the first three hundred participants were confirmed, the first part of the Inner Sect qualification trials was officially concluded.

The next step was to return to their respective sects and prepare for the second part of the trials.

From the center of the Withered Wood Forest, someone launched a green signal flare high into the sky.

It was a signal to those still within the forest that all three hundred spots had been filled. They were to stop advancing toward the center and wait in place for their sects' Flying Demon Beasts to retrieve them.

By dusk, the Inner Sect Disciples of the Saint Extreme Sect had finally managed to retrieve all their members from the Withered Wood Forest.

All the Flying Demon Beasts took off together, heading back toward the Saint Extreme Sect.

On this trip to the Withered Wood Forest, out of the hundred-plus Outer Disciples from the Saint Extreme Sect, two had died, and another three had vanished without a trace.

Furthermore, more than twenty disciples were severely injured, while minor injuries were so common that nearly everyone had them.

Upon inquiry, it was found that most of these injuries were the result of clashes with disciples from other sects.

Very few had been seriously wounded by the withered wood monsters themselves.

If the Saint Extreme Sect had suffered such heavy casualties, the losses for the smaller sects were likely even more tragic...

On the journey back, Chu Qingyun, Elder Zhu, and the others shared a Flying Demon Beast.

"Chu Qingyun, that Martial King Essence Pill you found was quite strange. Can you tell us how you came by it?" Elder Zhu asked him on the way.

Chu Qingyun nodded and told Elder Zhu and the others about his encounter with the disciple from the Stone Spirit Sect.

As they listened to Chu Qingyun's account, Elder Zhu and the others gradually began to frown.

They grew even more perplexed when they heard that the disciple from the Stone Spirit Sect had known Chu Qingyun's name beforehand and seemed to harbor a deep-seated hatred for him.

In the end, however, they couldn't reach any meaningful conclusion.

"This is a strange business. I'll mobilize the sect's resources to investigate when we get back. But you need to be careful, too. Watch your back."

Elder Zhu said to Chu Qingyun after a moment of thought.

"By the way, Elder Zhu, what was that all about with Elder Lei from the Celestial Sword Sect earlier?" Chu Qingyun asked.

He was still puzzled, unable to understand why Lei Jing had gotten so furious over a single Martial King Essence Pill.

It was something that even an Outer Elder would hardly care about, let alone a powerful Inner Sect Elder like Lei Jing.

At this, Elder Zhu and the others all burst out laughing.

Elder Zhu and the others didn't hide anything from Chu Qingyun, relating the entire story of the bet from beginning to end.

"Chu Qingyun, just keep this matter to yourself. Don't go spreading it around."

"Lei Jing is a man who values his reputation greatly. If we keep quiet, he'll feel he owes us a favor. But if word gets out, we'll have made an enemy."

Elder Zhu added, cautioning Chu Qingyun.

「A day and a half later.」

The Flying Demon Beast carried the group back to the Saint Extreme Sect.

Upon their return, they learned that disciples from a few other Lands of Trial had yet to make it back. Consequently, the second part of the Inner Sect qualification trials was tentatively scheduled for three days' time.

Of course, this was only a preliminary date. The final procedures for the second part of the competition would only be confirmed once all the participants were back.

Chu Qingyun and the other Outer Disciples naturally had to return to the Outer Sect to await the start of the next phase.

After jumping off the Flying Demon Beast, Chu Qingyun was already making plans. 'I can't waste these three days. I should at least go to the Saint Extreme Tower and use that Martial King Essence Pill to break through to Level-Nine Martial Spirit.'

With his current strength, he was nearly without rival in the Martial Spirit Realm.

And once he broke through to Level-Nine Martial Spirit, securing a spot in the Inner Sect would be practically guaranteed.

Just then, Elder Zhu called out to him. "I almost forgot something. Chu Qingyun, regarding your Thunder Sword Intent, have you completely mastered the second form, the Lightning Sword?"

Chu Qingyun had previously sought Elder Zhu's guidance on the Thunder Sword Intent, so she knew his training methods and had a rough idea of his progress.

"I've completely mastered the second form," Chu Qingyun replied, "but I can't seem to get the hang of fusing the two. I haven't been able to grasp the complete Thunder Sword Intent."

"Hmm. Fusing the two forms is indeed the most difficult part."

"The Saint Extreme Tower has eight floors, and the eighth floor is open to the Inner Sect's Core Disciples. You're aware of this, correct?" Elder Zhu said.

Chu Qingyun nodded, feeling a bit confused.

He didn't understand why Elder Zhu, who had just been talking about the Thunder Sword Intent, had suddenly changed the subject to the eighth floor of the Saint Extreme Tower.

"Actually, you can go have a look around the eighth floor right now. Explore it thoroughly. You might find something unexpected... for instance... a path leading upward..."

After saying this, Elder Zhu patted Chu Qingyun's shoulder, smiled, and turned to leave.

'A path leading upward...'

Chu Qingyun suddenly recalled his time cultivating on the seventh floor of the Saint Extreme Tower. On two separate occasions, just as he was opening a cultivation chamber, he had felt a faint, beckoning sensation from above.

'Higher than the eighth floor of the Saint Extreme Tower? Could there be a ninth floor? And that beckoning feeling...'

Lost in thought, Chu Qingyun began walking toward the Saint Extreme Tower.