Li Qingshan furrowed his brows heavily. The strange feeling of displeasure amassed inside him, like a cluster of flames that wrapped around him dimly. The feeling of being constantly watched made him feel like he was an insect inside a glass cover, with someone high above gazing down on him.

  However, he had to put up with it too, as this was the cultivation community, the place most distant from equality to all.

  Regardless of their social status, mortals were still all people after all. They were bound by the cycle of life and their intangible fates, possessing a lifespan of a century at most.

  However, cultivators could surpass the cycle of life and even fate itself through hard work. A difference of a major realm of cultivation basically made them two different kinds of creatures altogether. If two major realms happened to separate two people, then their difference would be no different from a human to an insect in terms of both power and lifespan.

  “Wait for me, senior! Wait for me!”
Li Qingshan was thinking when a bobbing bundle of fire caught up with him from behind. The fire could not illuminate the entire mine, so the jagged rocks all seemed like monsters brandishing their teeth and claws. Zhu Yingcai was like a frightened child, running and gasping for air as he held the fire bundle.

  “Do you want to lure over earth fiend beasts?” Li Qingshan looked back and glanced at him indifferently.

  Zhu Yingcai suddenly came to a halt and covered his mouth with his hairs standing on end. He felt like Li Qingshan was different from before now. The firelight projected his figure onto the walls, and only now did he realise just how large or even terrifying he seemed.

  Instinctively, he wanted to flee from him, but as soon as he thought of the terrifying earth fiend beasts, he wanted to get a little closer to him too. The two extreme sensations of ease and uneasiness echoed through him, actually leaving him temporarily speechless.

  Li Qingshan saw the misery of the weak from him, the feeling of uncertainty, the feeling of uneasiness. Perhaps even he had once been like that too. This was not something that could be completely overcome through so-called faith or willpower. Instead, it required actual power.

  If he wanted to increase his cultivation as quickly as possible, he had to place first in the test and increase his status in the Myriad sect, obtaining as many resources as possible. Only like that could he find sufficient information to enter Ruin’s End as well as learn more about Si Long. He had a slight feeling that this was not over yet.

  He said seriously, “You’ll have to walk the path presented before you by yourself.”
“Senior!” Zhu Yingcai let out a moan that almost resembled a whine.

  “I saved your life, and you showed me the way. Our debts have been cleared. You don’t owe me anything. I don’t owe you anything either. We have nothing to do with each other now. If you continue to follow me, you will die!” Li Qingshan said that and set off for the depths of the caves immediately, vanishing into the darkness.

  Zhu Yingcai’s expression changed, both with fear and an unwillingness to accept this. In the end, he was unable to ignore Li Qingshan’s warning and follow him. He even felt a hint of resentment.

  You have such great power, so why can’t you take me with you so that I can pass the test easily and become a disciple of the Myriad sect? It’s clearly nothing for you to do something like this. Hmph, I know now. This is the cultivation community. Cultivators are all cold and heartless. I’ll never rely on anyone again in the future. I’ll have you understand that you should never underestimate anyone, even those weaker than you.

  He stood where he was, turning red at times and pale at others, feeling both furious and motivated. A strange growl suddenly rang out from the darkness as if it was very far away, yet it also seemed as if it lurked in the darkness right behind him. He immediately remembered something and ran off into the depths of the cave frantically.

  “Sure enough, he’s gotten rid of that deadweight first! How’s that, junior sister Ruan? No matter how you look at it, you can’t call that doing good!”
Le Tian laughed aloud. He was overjoyed. How could someone that was bold enough to meet his gaze be a soft-hearted and indecisive person?

  Pi Yangqiu said, “That’s not exactly a wicked act either! They’re neither friends nor family. He’s already served his duty by that point.”
Le Tian smiled. “The gamble has only just begun. We haven’t even gotten far yet! I’m bold enough to wager that this guy will definitely leave us astounded.”
Ren Aoyou sneered. “Though, while a so-called gamble on being good or wicked is simple on paper, there’s no standard to go off of in the end. If this devolves into a bicker, that won’t be a particularly nice sight to behold.”
Le Tian said, “No matter what you say, goodness is goodness and wickedness is wickedness. Fairness lies in the hearts of people. I’m not going to twist the truth for the sake of a victory. This is my pride and character in gambling. And with the kind of person that junior sister Ruan is, do we really need an argument? This can only be viewed as a good sign. Let’s keep watching. He’ll show his true colours sooner or later. By then, try not to be too disappointed, junior sister Ruan.”
Ruan Yaozhu lowered her head and said nothing, but her gaze was as determined as before.

  Li Qingshan ventured deep into Magnetic Field mountain. Strange, jagged rocks filled his eyes. Some of these situations would have never occurred in regular mountains. The interference from the magnetic fields grew stronger, making the small world almost stopped operating. All he could rely on was his body of flesh and blood.

  He obviously possessed an absolute advantage with his tough body, and even if he could use almost none of his innate abilities, the Strength of the Earth still provided him with endless power.

  However, digging out enough magnetic ferrum to place first in the test still required a great amount of luck.

  The simplest method was to not dig at all. Instead, it was to head to the other side of the mountain and set up an ambush on a path where everyone had to pass through, engaging in that riskless business. With his strength, he definitely had no opponents.

  But if he did that, how was he any different from the mountain bandits that plundered passers-by? If he really had no other choice, he would not hesitate to do that, but as for right now, he still had to stick to the path of the qilin. After all, he had just been praised as a good person recently!

  As a result, he sucked in a deep breath…
At this moment, the direct disciples gazed at a corner on the Map of All-seeing and All-hearing. The sight there zoomed in completely, such that they could clearly make out every single disturbance.

  Find the original at *hosted* novel.

  That was a colossal cavern. Two Soul Nascence cultivators gathered there; they were the people chosen by Ren Aoyou and Pi Yangqiu out of the five Soul Nascence cultivators.

  Search hosted.novel for the original.

  Their appearances and attires were clearly visible. One of them was handsome and elegant, like a romantic gentleman, while the other had a complexion dark like the burnt bottom of a pot. His figure was thick and stocky, like a fiend. They did not seem related at all. Even if they were related somehow, they would definitely stand on different sides, ready to become locked in battle with each other.

  However, their conversation left Ruan Yaozhu astounded.

  The fair-skinned gentleman asked, “Big brother, what do we do?”
The dark-skinned fiend said, “Little brother, do you even have to ask? Since the rules permit it, we should make good use of it. Don’t tell me we’re actually supposed to dig in the mines?”
The fair-skinned gentleman asked, “Then what about the three other Soul Nascence cultivators?”
“Haha, if they’re clever, then we don’t have to worry about them. We’re all going to be juniors and seniors in the future after all!”
“Brothers together!” “Unity is strength!”
A fair hand and a dark hand gripped each other firmly before rushing towards the end of the mountain together, planning on engaging in that riskless business that Li Qingshan had considered before.