NOVEL WEB Chapter 130: Cruel War
Carved dragons and jade phoenixes adorned the ancient, aromatic Scripture Pavilion where Hong Yuan strolled leisurely.
Once the half-year period had passed, he returned to the Sect to digest resources and convert them into strength, enhancing his foundation.
At this moment, Hong Yuan was searching for other external avatar cultivation techniques.
He had already cultivated the Nine Blood Differentiation Skill to the second layer, but its consumption of Energy Stones was exorbitantly high. This put pressure on Hong Yuan, so he wanted to find a more cost-effective external avatar technique.
"Where could it be? If it's not on the first floor, how could it also be missing from the second?"
Hong Yuan's brows furrowed slightly in displeasure.
This was already his fifth day in the Scripture Pavilion, and still, he had found nothing.
Hong Yuan had visited the movement technique area, sword technique area, and fist technique area three times each, and even strolled through the miscellaneous books area twice, but still came up empty-handed.
Unaccountably, Hong Yuan's gaze drifted towards the third floor, which was rumored to be guarded by a Martial Saint Elder.
"If it's not on the first or second floors, it must be on the third," Hong Yuan thought. "But going to the third floor of the Scripture Pavilion requires a Phoenix Feather Token, and I don't have enough merit points to exchange for one right now."
After some contemplation, Hong Yuan gave up the search for a second external avatar cultivation technique and instead began to gather information about Taoist True Bodies.
Indeed, no matter how flawed external avatar techniques might be, they were still precious, offering cultivators a kind of second life.
Once he abandoned his greedy thoughts, Hong Yuan quickly gathered information about Taoist True Bodies.
In the reading area, one could always spot Hong Yuan deep in thought, writing and drawing on paper.
Since borrowing or purchasing books required spending a variable amount of Energy Stones, Hong Yuan's lavish behavior drew the attention of fellow disciples. By initial estimates, Hong Yuan had spent nearly ten thousand Energy Stones just perusing miscellaneous books!
"The Sun Solar Body, the Guyue Yin Desolate Body, the Northern Ming Ice Soul Body, the Great Power True Martial Body, the Pure Dream Seeking Body... Each of the Ten Extreme Bodies has corresponding Tao Marks, and they possess higher aptitudes for their respective Taoist schools."
As he read about these ten forbidden Taoist True Bodies, Hong Yuan felt a thrill of excitement.
The True Essence of the Ten Extreme Bodies occupies the entirety of their Apertures. With abundant True Essence constantly washing over their Apertures without rest, their cultivation progresses extremely quickly. However, this puts a great strain on their Apertures, often causing their bodies to explode and resulting in death.
Thus, they had to cultivate to the Martial Saint Realm in the shortest possible time, or else they would perish.
"My original body will diligently cultivate the Myriad Silence Origin Body, but my avatars can undertake the cultivation of the Ten Extreme Bodies~"
Thinking of this, Hong Yuan felt a surge of excitement, and a joyful smile spread across his face.
...
...
As the battle at the front lines intensified, Hong Yuan's comfortable life became a thing of the past.
He had to work with his senior brother Zhu Wushang in Workshop A06, laboring overtime to forge weapons and make contributions to the Sect.
「Workshop A06.」
The hot air was thick with strong masculine pheromones, accompanied by vigorous "HEAVE-HO!" shouts as one weapon after another plunged into the cooling pool.
Swords and halberds, spears and staves, bows and arrows, armor...
Just one morning had passed, and disciples from the Deacon Hall had already come to collect the weapons.
A single falling leaf signals the arrival of autumn. The intensity of the battle far exceeded Hong Yuan's expectations!
BANG. BANG.
The heavy iron hammer struck the Cold Iron repeatedly. Hong Yuan continued to work tirelessly.
Despite being a peak second-tier Martial Artist, he still felt weary, as he had been continuously forging ten second-tier weapon embryos without a break.
Yet, this was less than a third of the tasks assigned by his senior brother Zhu Wushang. He would have to keep working late into the night.
Despite his exhaustion, Hong Yuan felt a secret sense of relief.
"If the rearguard is being squeezed this hard, the front lines must be a brutal meat grinder, with countless disciples falling."
"Fortunately, I returned in time; otherwise, I would inevitably have been swept into this great war."
Hong Yuan thought with inner relief.
Considering the multitude of tasks he already bore, the responsibility of his senior brother Zhu Wushang was even more substantial.
Zhu Wushang fully demonstrated his seasoned strength as a second-tier weaponsmith. While Hong Yuan had forged ten second-tier weapon embryos, Zhu Wushang had already crafted fifteen.
Yet, even though they were so efficient and hardworking, they were still rushing against deadlines, working overtime just to barely finish the tasks.
"Yuan, Senior Brother is calling for you," Zhao Gonghe said, walking over from Zhu Wushang's area to relay the message to Hong Yuan.
By then, Zhao Gonghe had become a first-tier weaponsmith.
Inspired by Hong Yuan's formidable talent and strength, Zhao Gonghe had worked hard to improve himself, casting aside his former bad habits.
He scarcely visited the brothels or pleasure boats anymore, embodying the image of a reformed playboy.
Previously, Zhao Gonghe had taken a blow for Lin Yiru, earning him preliminary acknowledgment from Lin Daoyan. Zhu Wushang's impression of him had also changed. Consequently, Zhao Gonghe's strength had advanced significantly.
"Mm, I understand," Hong Yuan replied with a slight nod.
In recent days, he had also learned of Zhao Gonghe's positive transformation, but Hong Yuan paid it no mind. His vision had long surpassed petty squabbles among his peers.
Hong Yuan put down the heavy hammer and turned towards his senior brother Zhu Wushang.
...
...
Two days later, at dusk, Hong Yuan emerged from Workshop A06, taking the road to the Scripture Pavilion.
He was in luck today. The tasks assigned to him were relatively few, allowing him to finish early and even spare time to continue studying the Ten Extreme Bodies at the Scripture Pavilion.
Walking on Greenstone Avenue, Hong Yuan saw many fully armed disciples heading to the Deacon Hall, eager to make a name for themselves in this war and acquire cultivation resources.
Most official and practicing disciples were quite poor, constantly worried about Energy Stones. Cultivators like Hong Yuan, who amassed a large amount of Energy Stones in a short time, were rare indeed—true phoenix feathers or unicorn horns.
Therefore, with an openly sanctioned and greatly needed opportunity to leave the Sect, these disciples could not ask for more.
At the Purple Bamboo Forest, Hong Yuan encountered a stunningly beautiful white-haired woman. Her face was stern, giving off the feeling of confronting an ice mountain.
Hong Yuan's pupils shrank slightly as he watched the white-haired beauty depart.
Is that Chen Qingdai?
"Yu, don't harbor any foolish fantasies about this Senior Sister; I can't save you."
"I heard that her brother, Chen Zhen, lost his life in this battle. It caused her hair to turn white overnight."
"She came back this time to sell her Spiritual Field and buy a large Energy Array..."
…
After Chen Qingdai left, the disciples privy to the inside story warned their companions.
Hong Yuan's gaze lingered. He knew Chen Qingdai.
In his memories, Chen Qingdai was a kind, gentle beauty from a water town. But now, she had become so cold, so resolute.
War... Hong Yuan sighed softly to himself.
In an instant, Hong Yuan stepped forward with resolute strides toward the Scripture Pavilion.
War is cruel; it's a fight for life, not a surrender to death.
Until one becomes a Martial Saint, one is merely a chess piece, never the player.
Survive. Keep surviving.