Longevity Martial Arts: Grinding Experience in the Chaotic World

”Boom!”

A suffocating sense of oppression erupted from his seemingly weak body.

In that instant, Gu Sheng seemed to shed his mortal shell. Spiritual Power surged around him, his aura so fierce that even the Protective Array around the arena showed fine cracks.

”T-this... this is...”

Ke Yucheng’s pupils shrank violently, and the Spirit Sword in his hand began to tremble uncontrollably.

He felt as if what he was facing was not a human, but an awakened ancient Fierce Beast.

Golden light flashed in Gu Sheng’s eyes, and the corner of his mouth hooked into a cold smile.

”Ah!”

Ke Yucheng suddenly let out a miserable scream. The Spiritual Power in his body ran wild out of control, as if thousands of steel needles were piercing through his meridians.

He spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, and the black Spiritual Power on his Spirit Sword collapsed in an instant.

”Bang!”

The examiner arrived just in time. With a palm strike to Ke Yucheng’s chest, he blasted him straight into the arena floor, smashing out a pit over three meters deep.

”Gu Sheng, are you alright?”

The examiner turned his head and asked with concern, while his gaze swept warily around.

That sudden surge of pressure just now had startled even him.

Gu Sheng slowly stood up, his aura already back to normal, as if everything that had just happened was nothing but an illusion.

He coughed lightly twice and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.

”Thank you for your concern, examiner. It’s just some superficial wounds. A few days’ rest and I’ll be fine.”

The examiner gave Gu Sheng a long, deep look, then turned toward Ke Yucheng in the pit, anger burning even hotter in his eyes.

”Ke Yucheng! You actually dared to go for the kill during the assessment. Later, report to the Dragon Suppression Hall and receive your punishment!”

”The Dragon Suppression Hall?!”

The crowd below the stage drew in a sharp breath. That was the place where even Sect elders would lose a layer of skin if they made a mistake.

In the pit, Ke Yucheng struggled to his feet, his face deathly pale.

Still shaken, he looked toward Gu Sheng, the terror from that moment lingering in his heart.

What made him feel even more aggrieved was that he had failed to land the blow, yet still had to go to that terrifying Dragon Suppression Hall.

”Lord examiner, I...”

Ke Yucheng tried to explain.

”Silence!”

The examiner snapped coldly.

”If Gu Sheng were not blessed with great fortune and a tough life, he’d already be a corpse by now!”

Ke Yucheng gritted his teeth and lowered his head, but his eyes were filled with venom.

The examiner frowned and looked at Gu Sheng.

”What happened just now? Why did Ke Yucheng suddenly stop?”

Gu Sheng looked completely confused.

”This disciple is not sure either. Perhaps Senior Brother Ke was suddenly struck by conscience?”

The examiner clearly did not believe that explanation, but seeing that Gu Sheng was unwilling to say more, he did not press the issue.

”Go rest first. The Sect will give you an explanation for this matter.”

Gu Sheng cupped his fists in thanks and walked slowly down from the arena.

His steps looked unsteady, yet in truth each one secretly matched a certain mysterious rhythm.

If an Array Master were present, they would be shocked to discover that wherever he passed, the damaged arena Array was actually repairing itself!

”Gu Sheng!”

Wang Yun was the first to rush forward and support him.

”How are you? Are your injuries serious?”

”It’s nothing.”

Gu Sheng smiled faintly.

”Only the wound on my left arm is a bit deep. I’ll need a few days to recuperate.”

Liang Yu squeezed his way over, his face full of curiosity.

”Gu, what grudge do you and Ke Yucheng have exactly? Why would he go at you with such a deadly hand?”

A chill flashed through Gu Sheng’s eyes, gone in an instant.

”Maybe he’s jealous that I’m more handsome than he is?”

Everyone burst into laughter, and the tense atmosphere eased somewhat.

Only Ling Xiao stood to the side, his gaze complicated as he looked at Gu Sheng.

As Gu Sheng’s friend, he understood better than others what kind of power this seemingly gentle youth was hiding.

Gu Sheng went to a corner, sat down cross-legged, and began circulating his energy to heal.

The wound on his left arm healed at a speed visible to the naked eye, a scene that left several examiners secretly observing him exchanging looks.

”This boy... is not simple.”

An old examiner with white whiskers said in a low voice.

”That aura just now...”

Another female examiner’s eyes flashed with a sharp light.

”Is definitely not something an ordinary Disciple could possess.”

An hour later, the examiner announced.

”The entry-level examination of this year’s Qinghe Holy Land is hereby concluded! The ten who have obtained disciple quotas shall stay, all others are to leave at once!”

Before leaving, Wang Yuchen shot Gu Sheng a vicious glare, but one look from Ling Xiao scared him into shrinking his neck.

Ke Yucheng was escorted by two Law Enforcement Disciples toward the Dragon Suppression Hall. As he was leaving, he turned to look at Gu Sheng, his lips moving slightly as if he said something.

Gu Sheng only gave a faint smile, and that smile sent a chill through Ke Yucheng’s whole body.

After a while, the examiner returned, his face somewhat pale. Clearly, dealing with Ke Yucheng had cost him quite a bit of effort.

But when he looked at Gu Sheng and the others, his gaze had softened considerably.

”Come with me.”

The examiner said tersely.

”I’ll take you to have your disciple ranks evaluated.”

”Disciple ranks?”

Liang Yu asked excitedly.

”Is it like in the stories, divided into Outer Sect, Inner Sect, and Core Disciples?”

The examiner nodded.

”Correct. The disciple hierarchy in Qinghe Holy Land is strict. The cultivation resources and status gained at different ranks are worlds apart. Your evaluations will be based on talent, potential, and your performance today, considered together.”

Liang Yu swallowed a mouthful of saliva.

He snuck a glance at Su Yongchang, who was walking at the very front. That blue robe shimmered with faint spiritual light in the morning sun, and every step he took seemed to resonate with heaven and earth. Liang Yu finally mustered his courage to speak.

”Senior Su... I—I have a question.”

Liang Yu’s voice was as thin as a mosquito’s buzz, almost drowned out by the mountain breeze.

Su Yongchang did not stop walking. He only tilted his head slightly, casting a sidelong glance at this young man.

”Speak.”

”About... about the rules for determining disciple rank after entering the Holy Land...”

Liang Yu’s voice grew smaller and smaller.

The few disciples from small sects behind him all pricked up their ears as well, clearly concerned about the same issue.

Ling Xiao watched from the side, rolling his eyes, then strode forward and slapped Liang Yu on the shoulder.

”Why are you acting like some frightened rabbit?”

He turned toward Su Yongchang with a wide grin.

”Senior, we folks from small sects and Loose Cultivators only know the competition rules. Once we enter the Holy Land, we’re completely in the dark. Why don’t you give us a little hint?”

The corners of Su Yongchang’s mouth lifted almost imperceptibly, but he deliberately kept a stern face.

”What’s the rush? You’ll know when the time comes.”

”Tch!”

Ling Xiao let out an exaggerated sigh, then turned his head to transmit his voice to Gu Sheng by sound.

”This old man really knows how to keep people hanging. Tell me, can we manage to snag ourselves a Core Disciple spot?”

Gu Sheng gave him a blank look and transmitted back in the same way.

”No idea.”

”Hah, boring.”

Ling Xiao curled his lip, but there was a confident gleam in his eyes.

”I’m definitely going to be a Core Disciple. I heard Core Disciples can cultivate in the Spirit Vein Cave Heaven. The Spiritual Energy density there, tsk tsk...”

Gu Sheng no longer responded. His gaze fell on the vague outline of the distant mountain range.

There, the silhouette of Qinghe Holy Land was gradually becoming clear in the morning mist.

As they moved forward, the Spiritual Energy in the air grew increasingly dense.

Liang Yu felt as if every breath he took was like swallowing a Spirit Pill, his whole body’s pores relaxing and opening up.

He couldn’t help but run his mental method, and at once he was delighted to discover that his cultivation speed was more than three times faster than in Huatian Sect.

”So this is a Holy Land...”

Liang Yu muttered to himself, his eyes actually turning a little moist.

He recalled his master’s instructions before his departure—

”Yu’er, if you can enter Qinghe Holy Land, then Huatian Sect’s hundred-year foundation will be secured.”

Suddenly, an ethereal bell chime rang out from the distance, as though piercing through time and space, reaching straight into the depths of the soul.

Everyone unconsciously stopped in their tracks and looked up.

They saw, amid swirling clouds and mist, nine Spirit Mountains thrusting into the sky like sharp swords.

Palatial halls on the mountains shone resplendently with gold and jade, and spiritual birds and beasts flitted between them.

A seven-colored rainbow bridge spanned the sky, linking the two highest peaks.

Even more astonishing, three inverted mountain peaks actually floated in midair, with waterfalls pouring down from their summits, only to dissolve into Spiritual Energy halfway down and dissipate.

”Holy...”

Ling Xiao’s mouth hung wide open, and even his usual playful, devil-may-care attitude was restrained a bit.

Su Yongchang looked on in satisfaction at the newcomers’ shocked expressions, then flicked his sleeve.

”Let’s go. It will still take half a day’s journey to pass through the Sect Protection Array.”

As the distance closed, the details of the Holy Land grew ever clearer.

Liang Yu saw disciples performing Sword Flight between the mountains, the light of their swords like rainbows.

There were elders seated on cloud platforms expounding the Dao, their voices rumbling like thunder; there were also ten thousand acres of Spirit Fields filled with fragrant Spiritual Medicine.

His heart pounded faster as he imagined himself one day cultivating in such an Immortal Realm, and the name of Huatian Sect resounding throughout the land because of him.