Chapter 109: The Holy Sect's True Persons

Above the sea of clouds reaching the sky, below the Holy Fire Cliff.

A youth in a black robe with a gloomy face sat upright on a small boat, breathing and regulating his qi; only after a long while did he look out at the vast sea of clouds before him.

Boom—!

In an instant, the sea of clouds churned, waves rolling up to the sky, surging toward him and pressing down as the black-robed youth breathed and circulated his qi!

Almost simultaneously, the black-robed youth opened his eyes, his magic power nearly reaching its limit, then released outward; the "Heavenly Craft True Qi" he had painstakingly cultivated crashed down, seizing rivers and capturing seas, grasping clouds and pressing mist, forcibly flattening a wave that had surged toward him.

Yet before he could catch his breath, a second wave followed in quick succession.

"Good!"

The black-robed youth let out a long cry, and the Heavenly Craft True Qi responded, manifesting in succession blades, spears, swords, halberds, carriages, and horses, roaring as it met the second wave.

Bang!

Another thunderous crash; the black-robed youth's face flushed slightly, and he immediately stepped back, but the attacking wave was shattered by him and smoothed out in the process.

Yet the waves on the sea of clouds would not cease; indeed, because the black-robed youth was circulating his magic power and breathing in the heavens and earth, the sea of clouds, which had been relatively calm, seemed provoked and grew even more violent, suddenly raising three waves that struck him from three sides.

"Hmph!"

This time, the black-robed youth was no longer as composed as before; his face turned crimson, his True Qi was consumed rapidly, and he simply wore down the waves in a contest of endurance.

Neither could suppress the other.

Seeing this, the black-robed youth could only grit his teeth in secret, changed the hand seals in his palm, and gradually retracted his magic power, which had originally been vast as rivers and seas.

And strangely, as he retracted his magic power here,

the surging waves of the sea of clouds also gradually subsided, finally returning to their original state together with the black-robed youth's fully retracted magic power.

"Hah."

Only then did the black-robed youth exhale in relief, but his body swayed; he was drained of qi and strength, unable even to stand steadily, so he quickly activated the small boat, moved a certain distance away from that sea of clouds, took out a pill and consumed it, sat down to regulate his breath, and only after a long while did he recover.

Just then, a streak of escape light descended from the sky.

The light parted on both sides, and a handsome youth in a feather fan and silk headband stepped out from within, landing lightly on the small boat as well, and smiled at the black-robed youth, saying:

"Tianhe, your skill has grown."

"This 'Balance Sea' surrounds the entire Holy Fire Cliff; its principle is that the water rises as the boat rises; the more you display your magic power, the larger the waves of the sea of clouds become."

"Ordinary disciples at the peak of Qi Refining cannot withstand even a single wave."

"Even among us True Persons, having cultivated Third Pin True Qi, one can generally withstand two waves; only those with refined magic power can contend with three waves."

"And you, Tianhe, can withstand four waves; even among True Persons, you are considered outstanding."

Facing the handsome youth's praise, the black-robed youth Qin Tianhe, though quite pleased, still shook his head modestly and said, "I am merely a few years older."

"I have been promoted to True Person for many years, and only now can I barely suppress four waves."

"It is said that Yinshan back then, also with Third Pin True Qi, could suppress a full nine waves; it is said he was nearly at the level of a Foundation Establishment True Person."

Upon hearing this, the handsome youth also showed admiration: "I have heard sect elders say that only a Foundation Establishment True Person can cross the 'Balance Sea' without stirring waves; to reach such a realm, both status and True Qi are indispensable; one must at least have the ability to suppress ten waves in an instant."

"Yinshan could suppress nine waves in the past; indeed, he was already close to the True Persons."

After both sighed in emotion, Qin Tianhe looked curiously at the handsome youth: "Xu Xin, you usually cultivate in your cave dwelling; why do you have time to come here?"

"Have you not received the news?"

Xu Xin was somewhat surprised: "The Four Directions Dao Lineages are to reopen the Battle for the Dao with our Holy Sect; Qingcheng Feixue True Person has already emerged from seclusion and is preparing to personally preside over this battle."

"The summons have already been sent to the Four Directions."

"Besides us few True Persons who are relatively idle, many Qi Refining disciples have also been recalled to the sea of clouds; the weakest among them are all at the late stage of Qi Refining."

"Oh right, there is also a newcomer; unfortunately, he happened to be promoted to True Person at precisely this time."

"Oh?" Upon hearing this, Qin Tianhe immediately raised an eyebrow and said with interest, "Which newcomer? Which True Person's favor did he receive?"

"It is said he was recommended by Yinshan."

Speaking thus, Xu Xin's expression suddenly became somewhat strange: "However, as far as I know, that newcomer apparently has never been to the Righteous-Demon Battlefield."

"Hasn't been there?"

Qin Tianhe frowned immediately upon hearing this, then seemed to think of something, and disgust appeared on his face: "Another person like Chen Xinan?"

The Holy Sect's True Persons also have factions.

Some True Persons earned their spots by fighting on the Righteous-Demon Battlefield; others obtained their spots through their elders' connections, spending huge sums of money to buy them.

The former, like Qin Tianhe and Xu Xin, most detest the latter, considering these people unworthy of their positions; the latter, like Chen Xinan, from immortal clans and famous families, likewise look down on the former such as Qin Tianhe, considering them merely mud-legs who survived only by luck.

"Not entirely clear."

Xu Xin shook his head and smiled: "However, regardless, in this Battle for the Dao, whether that newcomer is a mule or a horse, he must be put to the test."

"If he truly is a waste like Chen Xinan, I would not mind teaching him a lesson, so that he does not cause trouble during the Battle for the Dao and drag us down."

"Well said!"

Qin Tianhe nodded, stopped dwelling on it, and turned to think about the upcoming Battle for the Dao; his heart burned with passion, and he silently clenched his fist.

As a True Person disciple of the battlefield faction, he had fought his way out on the Righteous-Demon Battlefield; he had undergone countless deaths and hardships, which led to his present achievements; he had even survived a full two Battles for the Dao; if he wins another one, he will have a fifty percent chance to break through to Foundation Establishment.

Therefore, in this Battle for the Dao, he is determined to win!

Just then, a loud explosion suddenly came from the distant sea of clouds, as if a thunderclap rolled through the sky, rushing all the way from the farthest reaches of the horizon.

"Someone is coming?"

At such a commotion, Qin Tianhe and Xu Xin, who had just been chatting freely, immediately fell silent and, with a touch of awe, looked far in the direction of the sound.

And as the sound grew ever more intense, both of their expressions became serious.

If the mere flight of escape light could generate qi and create thunder, producing such a spectacle, then what level of magic power must the cultivator who actually propelled this escape light possess?

The next second, the escape light arrived.

Boom!

The massive magic power instantly stirred the surrounding "Balance Sea," which was several times larger than the four waves Qin Tianhe had just provoked.

In an instant, fully ten waves surged skyward.

Yet before Xu Xin and Qin Tianhe could react, a far more immense torrent of magic power descended from the heavens, crashing down upon the sea of clouds in one unified strike!

Boom!

Within moments, the clouds spanning hundreds of miles calmed; all waves seemed smoothed by an invisible giant hand. The clouds parted and the mist dispersed, revealing a clear, soaring figure.

"Is this the place?"

Lu Yang glanced around, then spotted a small boat standing atop the sea of clouds below, with two disciples of the Holy Sect upon it. He immediately extinguished his flight light and descended toward them.

"You two—"

Before Lu Yang could finish speaking, Qin Tianhe and Xu Xin, who had just witnessed with their own eyes Lu Yang subduing the might of the sea of clouds with a single breath, bowed deeply without a word:

"Disciple Qin Tianhe"

"Disciple Xu Xin—"

"Pay respects to the True Person!"

(End of this chapter)