Dragon Martial Emperor
chapter-22

Looking at the curious look on Long Yu’s face, old white chuckled, and stroked his white beard and said: “Feng Yun is a genius of our Zhentian Sect, and is also one of the top ten core disciples, currently at Wudao eighth layer, but thanks to your father’s blessings, now he would have to spend two months in rest to recuperate.’’

Old white still attributed Long Yu’s dragon mark’s power by linking it to his father, but Long Yu didn’t argue with him, only felt somewhat strange and said: ‘’Recuperate?

“Yes.”

Old white faintly smiled and said: “He would have to take rest for two months to heal his injuries. I think that when he shot his palm on your chest, he received a tremendous vibrating shock instead from your inner strength. We were shocked because you are at only at the trivial Wudao fifth layer, so how could your body produce such a powerful shaking force to be able to blast him away, but after knowing your father’s identity, it’s understandable and it surely was not accidental. Next morning, that fellow finally realized the inner injuries he got from the strange force which transferred from your body to his.’’

Long Yu finally knew that when Feng Yun’s palm fiercely pounded on his chest, the ‘Nine hidden Dragons Mark’ must have automatically activated and the mysterious force must have given him internal injuries when he was blasted away and now he would have to rest and recuperate for two months. It seemed that he was heavily injured!

“Later if I encounter a dangerous situation, then I can attract the opposite party to attack the ‘Nine hidden Dragon Mark’, but the news about my fight with Feng Yun must have spread, so it would be tough to swindle my opponents who are already aware of this……’’

Long Yu thought to himself then felt his own strength and discovered that he was still at the Wudao fifth layer with strength of 16,000 Jin, and the ‘Nine hidden Dragon Mark’ could still enhance his strength by 10,000 Jin. So, basically nothing had actually changed in his body during the time he was unconscious.

“Kid, right now you are at the Wudao fifth layer, there’s half a month’s time left for the start of the competition at Royal Ancient Ginseng forest. If you can step into Wudao sixth layer during this time, then you can qualify to represent our Zhentian Sect in this competition.’’

Old white suddenly said and looked at Long Yu with a look of anticipation in his eyes.

“Royal Ancient Ginseng forest?”

Long Yu had certain doubts because he never heard about this matter before.

“There are seven major sects in the Tang State, but all of these seven sects come under the jurisdiction of the Tang Emperor’s royal clan.’’

Old white explained: “Royal Ancient Ginseng forest was actually prepared by the royal clan of Tang State where many wild ancient ginsengs grow in abundance. When consumed, it can enhance the cultivation level of the practitioner and since ancient ginseng is of high quality, its effects can be compared to some high grade immortality drugs! Every year, Tang State’s royal clan invites the seven large Sects to participate in the competition, and this year, it’s the turn of the disciples of our Zhentian Sect, Hanbing Sect, Qiansi Sect and some other small clans to participate in the competition.’’

Hanbing Sect!

Long Yu heard and a cold look flashed in his eyes. Wasn’t that Feng Yao a disciple of Hanbing Sect?

Of course, Feng Yao was at the Wudao seventh level, but at the current strength of Long Yu, she was no longer as unattainable as she used to be!

“Feng Yao, you wanted to kill me, I will settle the account with you sooner or later!”

After knowing about this, he certainly would not miss this opportunity to participate in the competition.

Then old white explained about the matters related to the Royal Ancient Ginseng forest.

Each time, only three major sects and some other clans participated in the competition and the participants must be below 20 years old and must also have the cultivation of at least Wudao sixth layer in order to be eligible to participate in this competition.

This year, Zhentian Sect would be participating and there were originally 16 people who were eligible to participate in the competition. Fang Kang was one of the eligible disciples but since he was severely injured, now only 15 disciples were going to represent Zhentian Sect in the competition.

If Long Yu could reach the Wudao sixth layer within two weeks, then he would be able to take Fang Kang’s place and participate in the competition.

Moreover, a total of fifty disciples were going to participate adding all the participants from Zhentian Sect, Hanbing Sect and Qiansi Sect.

In the Royal Ancient Ginseng forest, the ancient ginsengs were divided into three grades namely high grade, middle grade and low grade. Every year only three high grade ancient ginsengs were prepared as reward and fifty geniuses competed for them!

In addition, every few years, the Royal Ancient Ginseng forest might present some top grade ancient ginsengs, and their effects were better than high-grade ancient ginsengs. If a martial cultivator absorbed the Lingqi present in a top grade ancient ginseng then the result would easily be comparable to two or three years of torturous cultivation.

If a top grade ancient ginseng appeared as the reward in the competition then the winner would get his cultivation level increased directly to the next layer!

Certainly, if the cultivator was at a bottleneck then it would not be easy to have a breakthrough, for example while stepping from Wudao sixth layer to Wudao seventh layer which needed to bring out Xuan qi out of the body, making it a major bottleneck, and ordinary warriors needed to spend a lot of time to achieve this.

As for the top grade ancient ginseng, it was the best quality ancient ginseng, but it rarely grew in the Royal Ancient Ginseng forest, and if appeared, then each time, it was generally taken by the people of Tang royal clan, and not once was it obtained by the disciples of seven large Sects or other clans.

“Kid, you need to reach the Wudao sixth layer, I may not be able to help you with this but I can give you a clue.”

After the old white finished explaining about the Royal Ancient Ginseng forest, he immediately said: “Many Teng snake demon beasts dwell in the abyss of Zhentian mountain forest. The experienced outer disciples go to the abyss to hunt Teng snakes, and the effect is good, if you are able to kill a Teng snake and obtain its neidan, then after consuming it, the enhancement in cultivation will not be inferior to the enhancement gained from a middle grade immortality drug. Even if you manage to collect some spirit grass, you can directly consume it or make immortality drug out of it which can also help in considerably increasing your cultivation level.”

Spirit grass, immortality drug or demon beast neidan could enhance the cultivation of the martial cultivator but it gave the best results only for the first time. If the same thing was consumed again then it won’t have much enhancement effect on the cultivation.

So, the outer disciples would go to the abyss of Teng snakes in order to find and behead at least one Teng snake and obtain its neidan.

“I know, thank you senior.” Long Yu smiled and said.

He decided that he would definitely go to the abyss of Teng snakes and kill one to obtain its neidan. Depending on his absorbing capacity granted by the ‘Nine hidden Dragon Mark’ which simply went against the heaven’s will, if he managed to get a neidan then it would certainly enhance his cultivation by a large portion, even if it failed to help him in reaching the Wudao sixth layer in one shot. Ultimately, he would get closer to the Wudao sixth layer.

Due to the time constraints, Long Yu didn’t say anything to old white.

Long Yu tidied up and decided to leave.

……

Liao Lele came out to see off Long Yu.

Outside the bamboo house, not far away, above the butte, there was a alcove, where at that time, old white and an another man clad in black robe were engaged in playing chess and didn’t pay any attention to these two young disciples.

On the fork in the mountain road descending the mountain, Liao Lele stopped.

“Take this path and go all the way to reach the abyss of Teng snakes. Be careful ok?’’

Liao Lele had taken care of Long Yu for two weeks, and right now, she was quite reluctant to part with him.

“Aren’t you coming with me?” Long Yu asked.

“No, old white has received me as his disciple, and temporarily I am busy with my daily practice, moreover my cultivation level is also low, if I went to the abyss of Teng snakes, I will definitely end up dragging you behind.” Liao Lele said but it was obvious from the look on her face that she wanted to accompany him.

Long Yu suddenly thought, so that’s how it was, this girl was received as a disciple by old white, but this was a golden chance for her. Just from looking once, one could say that the cultivation of old white was very profound and might have gone beyond the level of Wudao ninth layer and reached another realm.

She had been accepted as old white’s apprentice and it could be said that she now had a backing in Zhentian Sect, at least she would no longer be bullied by that “fat pig” Feng Yang.

Long Yu turned around and was ready to descend the mountain, but after taking two steps, he suddenly stopped and asked without looking back: “For these two weeks, were you the one changing my clothes?”

“Right.’’

Liao Lele’s crisp voice came from behind him.

“Did you see it?”

Long Yu asked without looking back.

“Of course.”

Liao Lele answered again.

“……”

Long Yu didn’t say anything, and marching at a great pace, he quickly went down the mountain and disappeared from the sight of Liao Lele.

“Hmph, so what I saw? Merely the tip, but it gained mass when it straightened up.”

Liao Lele rearranged her hair which was being blown by the breeze, and her face had turned somewhat red. She stood there for a long time, until she made sure that Long Yu was really not coming back, and with a feeling of somewhat dismay in her heart, she turned back.

Long Yu didn’t turn back to look at Liao Lele so naturally he didn’t know about her reaction at that time.

At this moment, his mind was completely focused on enhancing his cultivation level. He would definitely go to the abyss of Teng snakes and if his luck was good and he managed to kill a Teng snake, then its neidan would certainly enhance his cultivation, but whether he would be able to reach the Wudao sixth layer depended on the quality of neidan which in turn depended on the strength level of the Teng snake.

“Only half a month’s time is left and I don’t seem to have any other ways of enhancing my cultivation faster….fine, I will first go to the abyss of Teng snakes.”

Long Yu made the decision and quickly moved along the mountain road towards the forest in the direction of the abyss of Teng snakes.

Zhentian mountain sierra stretched far and wide and even from the peak of the Zhentian canyon, it was hard to see the end of these mountains ranges.

The abyss of Teng snakes was located approximately 40 miles away from the Zhentian Sect’s entrance.

Long Yu rushed all the way using ‘Flickering wind step’ and occasionally came across twelve groups of outer disciples going together in groups for hunting Teng snake in the abyss, but nobody greeted him, neither did he greet them, and they all respectively walked their own ways.

After only half an hour, the abyss of Teng snakes appeared in front of Long Yu.

The Zhentian mountain forest was vast and extremely dense because of the presence of verdant and luxuriant trees that didn’t allow the sun rays to penetrate and reach inside. Even the outer disciples of Zhentian Sect only dared to roam on its periphery, because if they went deeper, then they would most likely bump into a formidable demon beast and lose their lives.

“I just hope that today I manage to quickly find a Teng snake.”

Long Yu hoped as he stepped into the abyss of Teng snakes.

Ordinary Teng snakes found in the abyss were demon beasts with their strengths equivalent to the strength of a person at Wudao fifth layer and it would be easy for Long Yu to kill a Teng snake of such strength level.

After entering deep into the abyss of Teng snakes, Long Yu’s field vision dropped a lot. In such a dense and dark forest, one could only rely on sense of hearing, smell, and one’s intuition!

Besides Teng snakes, it was possible that he might encounter many other demon beasts in the forest. Moreover there were many poisonous vines present in the abyss of Teng snakes, and though they were not fatal, but often caused great trouble for the cultivator who got trapped in them.

For example, when Long Yu was passing through a place sometime ago, he saw some densely crowded vines in which some of the outer disciples were entangled, and they were trying their best to get out of them, but the only way to get out was to completely clean up these vines which was going to waste a lot of time.

Long Yu decided to move forward without paying attention to them, and depending upon his own keen intuition, he rapidly went deeper into the abyss of Teng snakes.

After he went about 10 miles deep into the forests, his keen intuition suddenly caught a trace of bloody aura, and he concentrated his attention entirely on it.

Bloody aura, there were signs of slaughter everywhere!

His heart began to “thump” rapidly, and he cautiously went towards the place where the bloody aura was transmitting from, in a while, he faintly heard some people crying for help.

” Teng snake king, it’s the Teng snake king, help us, help!”

“Sister Qin, do not leave me – ah!”

Pitiful screams, cries for help, resounded one after another in the abyss.

Long Yu secretly approached and quietly took a look at the situation. There, he saw a huge shadow swallowing a blue-robed outer disciple!