Chapter 337: Sacrificing to Heaven

On the cliff terrace, Li Fei was sent flying by a palm strike.

The one he was challenging this time was Master Qingmu of the Great Daluo Sect, whose primary martial art was palm techniques.

Just after being sent flying by a palm strike, emerald-green light exploded before his eyes.

This emerald-green force turned into countless points of light, staining Li Fei's body.

Before Li Fei could react, these points of light connected with each other, forming dozens of ropes on his body.

These ropes were flowing and full of resilience, able to continuously dissipate the impact of force.

At the same time, Li Fei's mind was also affected, as if locked by countless invisible ropes; these ropes were like weeds growing wildly, full of vitality, and impossible to remove!

Martial arts grandmasters unleashed Dao force with every gesture, and the speed of connection was far faster than that of a peak Foundation Establishment martial artist.

After all, one was an ultimate move, and the other was just a basic attack.

Master Qingmu used a series of combos to completely break Li Fei's clone and defense, exposing his flaws, and the next Dao force followed closely, successfully controlling Li Fei.

Li Fei unleashed the 【Ding'e Jin Gang Image】, wanting to break the control.

He had not been cultivating the "Ding'e Jin Gang Method" for long, and previously had only relied on his powerful mental strength to barely enter the door.

But after absorbing those memories of sword practice in Master Qingxie's subconscious world, Li Fei's control over force had made significant progress.

So now, when he used the 【Ding'e Jin Gang Image】, it could be considered as having entered the hall.

But in front of a martial arts grandmaster, he was ultimately a step too slow; by the time he broke free from the restraints, Master Qingmu had already arrived beside him, his palm gently pressed against his chest.

"Let's stop here."

Master Qingmu withdrew his palm.

He knew that Li Fei's vitality was astonishing, comparable to an exotic beast.

But this palm strike could completely pierce Li Fei's chest, thereby shattering Li Fei's heart.

In this way, no matter how strong the vitality, it would be in vain.

So this "guidance" ended here.

"Many thanks, Master."

Li Fei acknowledged the opponent's "stop here" and bowed sincerely to the opponent.

Although he did not use the Ten Thousand Blood Bead in this sparring session, the opponent also did not use supernatural powers.

He relied on his strong vitality to hard-carry quite a bit of damage, ultimately holding on for thirty-two moves in the opponent's hands.

Although this performance was already very "perverted" in the eyes of the Great Daluo Sect disciples, Li Fei was not satisfied.

Master Qingmu's strikes were still very measured, not intending to kill, and focused primarily on control.

This instead made Li Fei realize one of his weaknesses:

Once he encountered very strong control methods, he easily fell into a disadvantage.

Although the "Ding'e Jin Gang Method" could "break control," his attainments in the "Ding'e Jin Gang Method" were still too low; it was fine against ordinary opponents, but once he encountered a formidable one, the speed of "breaking control" seemed a bit slow.

This was a problem the Ten Thousand Blood Bead could not solve.

"Only by bitterly practicing the 'Ding'e Jin Gang Method'."

Li Fei thought to himself.

Previously, heavily damaging True Person Qingyu's natal flying sword and forcing the opponent back had made him somewhat proud for a time.

But fighting against the martial arts grandmasters of the Great Daluo Sect in recent days had made him recognize himself again.

Forcing back True Person Qingyu was mainly because he happened to restrain the opponent's flying sword, as well as the flying sword's supernatural power.

Change the person, change the supernatural power.

The result of the battle might be very different.

Under the worshipful gazes of a group of young Great Daluo Sect disciples, Li Fei turned and left.

In the days that followed, he challenged martial arts grandmasters and True Persons of the Great Daluo Sect everywhere.

He challenged once every few days, shocking people with his powerful vitality and recovery speed like an exotic beast.

Later, the powerhouses of the Great Daluo Sect were annoyed by him, and one by one began to announce secluded cultivation.

So by the beginning of December, Li Fei could no longer find anyone to challenge.

The top True Persons of the Great Daluo Sect were either dead or had fled, several grandmasters had all been sent out to execute missions, and the remaining True Persons and martial arts grandmasters all announced secluded cultivation.

Now only Tai Yu had not announced secluded cultivation.

But no matter how thick Li Fei's skin was, he was embarrassed to challenge a Martial Saint...

This month-long journey of challenges indeed brought Li Fei great gains:

He increased his combat experience with powerhouses at this level, and the "Ding'e Jin Gang Method" was practiced more skillfully.

Most importantly, the Ten Thousand Blood Bead had upgraded again, and it had upgraded two levels in a row!

Previously, after the Ten Thousand Blood Bead reached level 25, if Li Fei took the self-made Youquan poison every day, it would take about 4 months for the Ten Thousand Blood Bead to upgrade one level.

But now, only one month had passed, and the Ten Thousand Blood Bead had upgraded two levels:

【Ten Thousand Blood Bead

Level: Level 27, 58%

Blood Soul: 841

Blood Soul Skills: Blood Rage (Strong), Blood Baleful (Strong), Blood Might (Strong), Blood Spring (Strong), Blood Breath (Strong)

Transformation Skill: Blood Demon (Strong)】

When the total number of blood souls exceeded 800, Li Fei once again obtained an opportunity to strengthen a Blood Soul Skill.

He currently only had 【Blood Breath】 that could be strengthened, so he used the strengthening opportunity on 【Blood Breath】.

After 【Blood Breath】 was strengthened, it changed from triggering only when the total blood soul quantity was below 30% to triggering when it was below 40%, still recovering 5% of the total blood soul quantity per minute.

This Blood Soul Skill, 【Blood Breath】, triggered when the total blood volume was below 40%, and would stop when the blood volume exceeded 40%.

So this trigger upper limit was naturally the higher the better.

Compared to the growth in technique, the Ten Thousand Blood Bead upgrading two levels truly allowed Li Fei's real combat power to rise by another large margin!

In the days that followed, Li Fei also began secluded cultivation.

Days passed one by one, and soon it was December 28th.

One more day and it would be the New Year Festival.

This world did not have the concept of the Spring Festival, only the New Year Festival, which was the last three days of each year plus the first two days of the beginning of the year; these five days were a unified national holiday.

The New Year Festival was the most important festival of the year, and many sects would choose to hold some important ceremonies during the New Year Festival.

On this day, the entire Great Daluo Sect began to get busy from top to bottom.

According to convention, every year during the New Year Festival, the Great Daluo Sect would hold a grand ceremony of sacrificing to heaven.

Buddhists believe in the Buddha, but Daoists do not believe in the Dao Ancestor, but in the Heavenly Dao.

So the grand ceremony of sacrificing to heaven was the most important ceremony for Daoists.

As the ancestral court of Daoism, every year when the Great Daluo Sect held the grand ceremony of sacrificing to heaven, it would also invite representatives from the other two sects to come and observe the ceremony, witnessing it together.

This year was no exception.

On this day, December 28th, people from the Yuhua Sect and the Shangqing Sect all arrived at Daluo Peak.

It was just that compared to the relaxed atmosphere of previous years, the atmosphere on Daluo Peak this year appeared much more solemn.

Not only that, the things prepared for this year's grand ceremony of sacrificing to heaven were also much more than in previous years.

Great Daluo Sect disciples moved boxes containing precious spell-casting materials to the Sea of Clouds Terrace, and Great Mages who were at least at the Possession stage led a group of disciples cultivating techniques to begin using these materials to arrange the ritual tracks.

Imperial Preceptor Yunshu personally sat in the square, overseeing the overall situation!

Such busyness lasted for four days.

On the afternoon of December 31st, a massive formation that almost covered the entire Sea of Clouds Terrace square had taken shape.

By this time, even the most dull-witted person realized that this year's grand ceremony of sacrificing to heaven was definitely different from previous years.

Although the grand ceremony of sacrificing to heaven in previous years was equally solemn and grand, and would also arrange formations.

But it would never consume so many materials and arrange such a massive formation.

Only a few high-level members of the Great Daluo Sect knew that in order to arrange this formation, one-third of the Great Daluo Sect's inventory accumulated over eight hundred years had been consumed!

When the Great Daluo Sect was busy preparing for the grand ceremony of sacrificing to heaven, the Imperial City was equally busy.

All fifteen True Persons of the Zhengfa Pavilion were dispatched, taking over a hundred Great Mages at the Possession stage to arrange formations around the Altar of Heaven!

This Altar of Heaven was located within the Imperial City and was also specifically used for sacrificing to heaven.

Every year during the New Year Festival, the imperial court would also hold a sacrifice-to-heaven ceremony, and would also have the Zhengfa Pavilion arrange formations in advance to be used for combing the national destiny during the sacrifice-to-heaven ceremony.

But the scale of the formation arranged by the Zhengfa Pavilion this time also far exceeded previous years!

"My lord, after the grand ceremony of sacrificing to heaven, we can return to Lanling City."

In the room, Lu Wenxing said to Li Fei.

Li Fei had spent most of his time in secluded cultivation during this period, and it was very difficult for Lu Wenxing to see him.

It was also taking advantage of the New Year Festival when everyone gathered together for a dinner that he had the opportunity to speak to Li Fei alone.

"Is this what the Imperial Preceptor said?"

Li Fei's eyes lit up, and he asked hurriedly.

He had actually wanted to leave long ago.

The fourth implant was still waiting for him in the warehouse of the Wu'an University, and there was also the retrial of the Shangguan Xiao case, which he also wanted to return early to finalize.

But Yunshu had been staying in the Great Daluo Sect without leaving, so he naturally had no way to urge him.

"That's right, the Imperial Preceptor said it himself."

Lu Wenxing nodded.

Li Fei was thoughtful: "The Imperial Preceptor has been waiting in the Great Daluo Sect just for this grand ceremony of sacrificing to heaven?"

Lu Wenxing: "It should be so."

Li Fei: "Is there any explanation?"

Lu Wenxing smiled bitterly: "I am a martial artist, I don't understand techniques, and I don't understand these ceremonies either; I only know that this year's grand ceremony of sacrificing to heaven is completely different from previous years, and a massive formation has already been laid out on that square on the Sea of Clouds Terrace!"

"Did the Imperial Preceptor say what we need to do?"

Li Fei asked.

Lu Wenxing shook his head: "He didn't say, only asked us to participate in the grand ceremony of sacrificing to heaven on time tomorrow; I came specifically to notify you, my lord, not to miss the time tomorrow."

Li Fei: "Okay, many thanks."

Lu Wenxing: "You are too polite, my lord."

Li Fei looked at the night scene outside the window.

He could return after tomorrow, and he couldn't help but look forward to it.

47th Year of Hongguang, January 1st.

The first day of the New Year.

At noon, on Daluo Peak, the Wen Dao Bell was rung again.

The bell sound was distant and full of Dao rhyme.

The bell rang nine times, and the crowd gathered rapidly toward the Sea of Clouds Terrace.

At the same time, in the Imperial City thousands of miles away.

The civil and military officials had already gathered at the Altar of Heaven.

The imperial clan members were also present, and standing at the very front was the only Martial Saint of the imperial family, "King Li" Qin Mingli.

Standing on the same line with him were Grand Secretary Ye Zean and Grand Marshal of the Military Council Wen Wen Ren Zheng.

The Emperor, wearing a bright yellow dragon robe and a twelve-tasseled crown, stood at the very front, and as the bell rang, he stepped onto the Altar of Heaven.

The sacrifice to heaven had begun.

The third update is complete, requesting monthly tickets.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 338 =====