[Question: Would cultivators face the Four Retributions of the Nine Lesser Heavens upon ascension up to Golden Cinnabar?]

  [Urgent!]

  [Online and waiting for an answer!]

  Of course, that was no more than a pipe dream.

  If this were an era where every person cultivated immortal arts, Jiang He had the feeling that a post like his would be answered with the right answer.

  Now, however……

  He would be taken for a fool.

  “This is an entirely Schrodinger’s cat situation…… before the ascension to Golden Cinnabar, no one knows if the proclaimed lightning would strike.”


  Jiang He mused to himself for a bit before coming to a decision:

  Steady on—there was no hurry.

  It would not be late even after he visited the Golden-Winged Roc’s nest. He would have nothing to say if no lightning struck, but if there really were lightning, he could use that to hammer that bird.

  “As for Three Thousand Calamities, it’s no hurry…… but I could learn the remaining two sword techniques ahead of schedule.”


  Three Thousand Calamities was an immortal sword technique Jiang He had created that could be cultivated up to the standard and tier of Heavenly Immortal.

  In turn, it included three different styles.

  Jiang He had already learned the first style, White Foal Crosses The Rift, and the remaining two were Thunderflame Calamity and Three Thousand Calamities.

  At 50,000, those two styles did not need many Farm Points to learn. Though it was not all that all-powerful, the Three Thousand Calamities itself was a rare technique that strengthens according to the user’s tier.

  [Ding!]

  [-50,000 Farm Points]

  [Congratulations, Host! You have gained Mastery over Thunderflame Calamity, the Third Level of the Three Thousand Calamities.]

  A System Notification rang beside Jiang He’s ear at this though, and he could feel an enormous mystical sword technique surging into his brain. Hence, in just a split second, he grasped the essence of Thunderflame Calamity and Three Thousand Calamities.

  “Eh?”


  Jiang He suddenly gasped.

  He stretched out his hand to charge thunder will……

  Cackle.

  Veins of bolts arose from his palm.

  “My thunder will seems to have improved a little. It was just thirty percent before, but now it must be fifty.”


  Still, Jiang He was accustomed to such a thing.

  Clearly, after he cultivated Thunderflame Calamity and grasped its essence, he naturally would improve his grasp over thunder will.

  And aside from thunder will, Jiang He noticed that he had grasped flame will in addition to Thunderflame Calamity.

  “Let’s continue!”


  “Nine Yang Technique, Seventh Tier!”


  Boom!

  Jiang He’s aura expanded with a burst.

  His martial arts cultivation had elevated far above rank-nine novice now…… in spite of his intention to improve his Nine Yang Technique up to Seventh Tier, his expression changed even before he could think it.

  “What the hell……”


  And that was all he had time to exclaim before realizing that a raging energy inside his body was bursting out.

  The energy instantly shrouded Jiang He, before an extraordinary epiphany came to his mind. In that very moment, he did not need to divert his attention to use inner vision to clearly ‘see’ any part of his body now.

  He could see a curious door appearing vaguely in the depths of his mind.

  His True Qi, spirit, and even sword will were about to reach it too.

  “What…… is that thing???”


  Shock was written all over Jiang He’s face, leaving him at a loss for words even as he grumbled inwardly, “What devilry did I commit that the sea of swords in my head which appears whenever I awaken superpowers is replaced by a door?”


  To tell the truth, having a door appearing in his head was rather frightening.

  Was it a new superpower?

  Or something else entirely?

  Jiang He mused to himself for a long before whipping out his phone…… He has to ask his senior in martial arts who were much more learned, since he’s not falling asleep if he doesn’t understand what that door was.

  ***

  Lingzhou City’s Martial Arts Department (MAD).

  Cheng Dongfeng and the others had returned from the Western Frontier. After a small break, Cheng Dongfeng and Yang Chengwei headed to the chief’s office.

  On the other hand, Chen Jingzhou, He Litong, and Zhou Rui left, since they were not Lingzhou City citizens and they had their own work and responsibilities.

  “Good, very good.”


  Duan Tianhe was all smiles. “Good job, kid…… I really was right about you. Aren’t you only 19? Becoming a rank-seven grandmaster at your age and an Awakened with B-class superstrength—you are the best in talent, even if it’s within all of Xibei.”


  Rather bashful, Yang Chengwei quickly replied, “Am I really that awesome? If you keep flattering me, Chief Duan, I would start to bloat.”


  “You brat!”


  Duan Tianhe laughed out loud, before turning to Cheng Dongfeng, who was looking smug with a puffed chest.

  “Why aren’t you rank-eight yet, Old Duan?”


  Duan Tianhe said that on purpose, naturally knowing what was going on in Cheng Dongfeng’s mind. Indeed, Cheng Dongfeng’s face darkened immediately and he was left speechless. “Are you jealous of me, Old Duan? Forget jealousy and envy—I understand your feelings after being surpassed by me when you reached the level of grandmaster before I did, but did you have to talk like that brat Jiang He?”


  Duan Tianhe breathed a long sigh at the mention of Jiang He, saying contentedly, “Honestly, I was worried when the higher-ups arranged for your group to accompany Jiang He. That brat had always acted according to his mood and feelings, and I was worried that something would happen to you people just by following him around…… I’m surprised that he changed enough for a steady journey to the Diamond Sect, and did not start any trouble.”


  “By the way, where’s Jiang He?’


  Duan Tianhe asked, but he looked up to find that the air in the room had gone wrong, and there were weird looks on Cheng Dongfeng and Yang Chengwei’s faces.

  Then, Cheng Dongfeng quietly said, “Old Duan, how did you come to the conclusion Jiang He did not cause trouble? Oh…… Was that because I didn’t call you to report in?”


  He was about to tell Duan Tianhe about what Jiang He did in their journey, but even before he could put those things to words, his phone rang and he promptly picked it up, chuckling, “Speak of the devil. It’s Jiang He.”


  Answering it and putting it on loudspeaker, Cheng Dongfeng leaned on his sofa, and put the phone on Duan Tianhe’s new steel-tempered tea table, smiling, “Jiang He…… we’re back just a moment ago. What about you?”


  “What, you have an important question about martial arts cultivation?”


  Cheng Dongfeng was full smiles, even lighting himself a cigarette with a wave of his hand and exhaling a smoke ring. “Alright, just ask away,” he said teasingly, “I could call up the founding master of the Eight Trigrams School if I don’t know the answer, and that would answer your question regardless.”


  Over at the other end of the call, Jiang He seriously asked, “Well, Master Cheng…… I cultivated a little after we returned from the Golden Sect yesterday.”


  “Somehow, I accidentally completed my rank-nine cultivation…… and found myself in a mystical state, like there’s a door in my head now.”


  “What the heck is that, Master Cheng? How did a door get inside my mind?”


  Since the phone was on loudspeaker, Jiang He’s voice could be clearly heard by all three persons in the office.

  Young Yang Chengwei’s eyes bulged in utter disbelief……

  Completion……

  Of rank-nine?

  Both Duan Tianhe and Cheng Dongfeng were utterly stunned as well, but not because of Jiang He’s cultivation, but because of the door that Jiang He spoke of.

  “The divine door?”


  Cheng Dongfeng could not help yelling. “What the hell, Jiang He? You’ve already reached the divine door? Are you divine-tier already??”