Just as everyone was in shock, the runes on the nine light gates suddenly split and reorganized. Different characters slowly emerged before each gate once more.
It was time!
Li Nanzhu's gaze sharpened. In the original novel, one of these gates contained the alchemy inheritance that Cang Dongqing would obtain!
She calmly observed the reactions of the others. Zhao Wuya was frowning as he checked the words on each gate, his Adam's apple bobbing. Duan Xianxing was scratching his head, muttering about "refined nonsense," though a wisp of thunderlight had unconsciously formed at his fingertips. While Zhu Yinxi's expression remained steady, the jade flute spun between his fingers faster than usual.
Over by the Sword Heart Sect, Cang Dongqing was impatiently tugging at her scorched sleeve. Le Changxi was whispering something to her, while Qu Chen looked thoughtfully at all the light gates. Even Lin Shuang was lost in contemplation.
Li Nanzhu swiftly scanned the appearing text—Flora Spirit Attraction, Metal and Stone Smelting, Yin-Yang Qi Harmonization, Civil and Martial Fire Control, Sovereign, Minister, Assistant, and Envoy, Orderly Rising and Falling, Nine-Turn Origin Convergence, Cosmic Orbit Circulation, and Profound Primordial Unity.
The fifth gate: Sovereign, Minister, Assistant, and Envoy.
—That was it! The gate to the alchemy inheritance Cang Dongqing claimed in the original story!
Judging by the name alone, there was nothing special about it; it blended perfectly with the other alchemical terms.
Li Nanzhu's heart suddenly raced, and her spiritual energy began to circulate instinctively. As expected, even if the plot had changed, the key opportunity still pointed to the same gate.
"I must get there before her!"
As soon as the thought arose, Li Nanzhu's spiritual energy converged. She pushed off the ground, her body shooting forward like an arrow from a bow, charging toward that gate without hesitation.
In the next instant, Cang Dongqing moved as well. She had been secretly monitoring Li Nanzhu's movements. Although she didn't understand why the other girl was suddenly rushing toward that seemingly ordinary Sovereign, Minister, Assistant, and Envoy gate, her instinct told her she had to stop her.
Li Nanzhu was startled. Cang Dongqing's reaction speed was faster than she had imagined; the girl must have been watching her from the start.
"Don't you dare snatch it from me!" Cang Dongqing shrieked. Her left hand snatched something from her storage bag while her right hand rapidly formed a hand seal.
Li Nanzhu was prepared. Seeing the other party reaching for something, she could only muster as much spiritual energy as possible for defense. If she retreated to dodge, she would certainly be a step slower. Even if it meant risking a serious injury, she would not let Cang Dongqing get ahead!
"Go!" Cang Dongqing seemed to know Li Nanzhu's plan, and a cold sneer curled her lips.
In the next moment, a powder shimmering with a pearly luster exploded near Li Nanzhu. Li Nanzhu instantly realized what it was—mirage sand!
It was the same mirage sand from when they entered the cave dwelling! Not only had the other girl avoided the illusion, but she had also found a way to collect it. This was something never mentioned in the original novel!
I was careless!
In that single breath, though Li Nanzhu was on guard and avoided being dragged directly into an illusion, the sheer effect of the mirage sand being thrown out caused the scene before her eyes to distort for a split second.
She bit down hard on the tip of her tongue. The metallic tang of blood exploded in her mouth, and the sharp pain cleared her mind, but in that momentary delay, Cang Dongqing had already snatched a half-body lead!
"Don't even think about it!" Li Nanzhu roared. Three illusion-breaking talismans in her sleeve were activated simultaneously. The clear light from the burning talismans instantly tore a path through the illusory mist.
Both of them were now only three steps away from the light gate. Cang Dongqing's lips were pressed tight, her delicate face slightly distorted, while Li Nanzhu's black hair flew wildly, her eyes burning with cold fury.
Second step! Cang Dongqing suddenly changed direction, her shoulder slamming hard into Li Nanzhu. Li Nanzhu had anticipated this; she ducked to avoid it and reached out with her right hand, her fingers like claws, aimed at the other's ankle—if she landed this, she could dislocate the joint!
"Despicable!" Cang Dongqing was forced to leap up. This jump, however, gave her a one-body-length lead.
Final step! Cang Dongqing's fingers already touched the gate frame, while Li Nanzhu's fingertips were only an inch away from her sleeve—
Buzz!
The light gate suddenly erupted with a blinding golden radiance. Li Nanzhu felt a massive force collide with her, sending her flying backward.
She forcibly twisted her body in mid-air and slid several yards upon landing until her back slammed heavily against the stone wall.
"Pfft—" A mouthful of blood sprayed out.
She looked up just in time to see Cang Dongqing's figure being swallowed by the light gate, a distorted, triumphant smile on the girl's face.
The light gate closed immediately, and the runes faded.
A deathly silence filled the stone hall.
Duan Xianxing was the first to rush over. "Little Junior Sister!"
Li Nanzhu waved him off, propping herself up against the wall. She wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, staring at the closed light gate with a storm brewing in her eyes before rushing toward it again.
However, this time she was blocked by an invisible barrier, and a small line of text appeared on the gate.
'Opportunity is settled; do not force it further.'
She still managed to get in... Li Nanzhu's fingers trembled slightly.
Was the power of the original story really this strong? Even though she knew the plot in advance, even though she had prepared so much, she still couldn't change this key node? Just one step! She was only one step away when the other girl snatched it.
Zhu Yinxi picked up her fallen jade hairpin and handed it back. "She used mirage sand."
The tip of the hairpin was stained with blood, making her knuckles appear deathly pale.
"Fine methods the Sword Heart Sect has!" Duan Xianxing's sword was already three inches out of its scabbard. "Is this the kind of dirty business a righteous sect teaches?"
On the Sword Heart Sect's side, Le Changxi looked a bit uncomfortable, but he still said, "Opportunities belong to the strong. Can't you afford to lose?"
"Bullshit!" Duan Xianxing pointed his sword tip at the other man's nose. "Using mirage sand for a sneak attack counts as ability? Or is this just the kind of low-life tactic your Sword Heart Sect teaches?"
Qu Chen said with a dark face, "My junior sister's actions were indeed inappropriate..."
"Inappropriate?" Liu Qingyang slowly straightened his headband. "So your sect's definition of inappropriate is being a bandit."
"Bandits?" Le Changxi laughed in anger. "Fighting for treasures in a secret realm is all about one's own methods. Is this your first day in the cultivation world?"
"Bullshit!" Duan Xianxing tapped the ground with his sword tip, sending sparks flying. "My little junior sister chose the gate first, and some people just had to play bandit—" He suddenly grinned. "Or is it that the Sword Heart Sect just teaches you how to steal?"
Le Changxi's face turned beet red, his hand gripping his sword hilt tightly. "Keep your mouth clean!"
"What?" Duan Xianxing sneered. "Brave enough to do it but not to admit it? Is this all the backbone the Sword Heart Sect has?"
Qu Chen stepped forward, his scabbard slamming heavily onto the ground. "Enough! Fellow Daoist Duan, mind your words!"
"My words?" Duan Xianxing scoffed. "Your Sword Heart Sect person attacked first, and now you want me to mind my words? Truly an eye-opener!"
As it looked like a fight was about to break out, Lin Shuang suddenly gave a light laugh. It wasn't loud, but it quieted everyone down. "Everyone, I actually have a question." She slowly smoothed her sleeves. "Where did Junior Sister Cang's mirage sand come from?"
Le Changxi's expression changed. "Lin Shuang! What do you mean by that?"
"Nothing much." Lin Shuang's gaze swept over the two, her eyes filled with a touch of mockery. "I'm just curious. When we avoided the mirage sand before entering the cave dwelling, when did she hide some away? If this hadn't happened, what was she planning to do with it?"
Qu Chen's brow furrowed. "Junior Sister Lin, now is not the time for internal strife."
"Internal strife?" Lin Shuang chuckled. "I just feel that if we're going to talk about the strong taking what they earn, it should be done uprightly. Furthermore..." Lin Shuang looked coldly at the two. "Since we left the sect, it was made clear that whatever we do, we must report it first and not act without authorization. What does her action count as?"
"Are you done yet!" Le Changxi whispered. "Whose side are you on?"
Liu Qingyang suddenly let out a laugh. "Wonderful, truly wonderful." He slowly clapped his hands. "The Sword Heart Sect's internal strife is even better than hunting for treasures in a secret realm."
Li Nanzhu had remained silent the entire time, the blood on her knuckles already dried.
She suddenly spoke, her voice so soft it was like she was talking to herself. "So that's how it is."
Those five words brought the arguing to a halt. Zhao Wuya, who had long since moved far away for fear of being caught in the crossfire, watched warily.
"What do you mean by 'that's how it is'?" Qu Chen asked warily.
Li Nanzhu looked up, her gaze sweeping across the members of the Sword Heart Sect. "Did you really not know she had hidden mirage sand?"
Lin Shuang was the first to shake her head, her fingers unconsciously stroking her sword tassel, the disgust in her eyes deepening. "If I had known, I would have made her follow the rules."
Le Changxi was furious. "Lin Shuang, what is that supposed to mean?"
"Exactly what it sounds like," Lin Shuang sneered. "Whether it's my master or the elders, they've all said that sword cultivators must act with integrity and seek a clear conscience. Some people—" she looked pointedly at the closed light gate, "just can't learn how to be upright."
"Enough!" Qu Chen slammed his scabbard on the ground. "Haven't you embarrassed us enough?"
"Our reputation was thrown away long ago," Lin Shuang mocked.
Li Nanzhu suddenly let out a light laugh, and the sound once again silenced everyone.
"Alright," she said, slowly tidying her messy sleeves. "Opportunities are determined by heaven. Let's hurry and choose the others."
She walked toward the Water and Fire Balancing gate with a casual air, her steps as steady as if nothing had happened. But the hand hidden behind her back had its nails dug deep into her palm, blood dripping from the gaps between her fingers.
The Sword Heart Sect's words were idiotic, but one thing was right.
—Opportunities belong to the strong!
It wasn't that the other girl's luck was better; it was that she herself was not strong enough!
If she had already broken through to the Foundation Establishment stage, how could she have failed to out-compete Cang Dongqing? No matter how great the heroine's halo was, no matter how much fortune the girl had, she would have been helpless before absolute strength.
It was her own incompetence; she could blame no one else.
The only thing she could do was to become stronger, faster!
She might have lost the alchemy inheritance, but there were different opportunities in the remaining gates. She could not afford to miss another one!
Since the alchemy inheritance had been taken, which of the remaining gates was the most valuable? The original novel hadn't said a word about the other gates; now she could only rely on intuition.
Li Nanzhu took a deep breath, her eyes scanning the remaining eight light gates quickly. She noticed the runes on each gate beginning to flicker slightly, as if urging everyone to make their choice.
"I choose Cosmic Orbit Circulation," she suddenly said, stepping toward that gate.
This choice surprised the others—as a cultivator with water, wood, and fire triple spiritual roots, she should have chosen the more compatible Flora Spirit Attraction or Profound Primordial Unity.
Though Li Nanzhu was interested in the other gates, this one gave her an inexplicably strong feeling of attraction. She wanted to choose this gate!
Seeing that the others were still thinking, Zhao Wuya gritted his teeth and rushed toward the Flora Spirit Attraction gate. As a rogue cultivator with a wood spiritual root, this gate was definitely the most suitable for him. If he didn't snatch it now, he might not get another chance. In an instant, his figure disappeared into the light gate.
The others saw this and no longer hesitated, immediately charging toward the gates they desired.
Duan Xianxing erupted with fine arcs of thunder. The nature of his thunder spiritual root made him choose the Orderly Rising and Falling gate without hesitation. "Thunder is all about the momentum of rising and falling!"
Zhu Yinxi tapped the Cosmic Orbit Circulation gate with his jade flute. "The cosmic stars secretly harmonize with the rhythm of music."
Liu Qingyang rushed toward the Metal and Stone Smelting gate with glowing eyes. As the only refinery master present, no one would compete with him for this gate; it was perfect!
As for the members of the Sword Heart Sect, Le Changxi chose Civil and Martial Fire Control, Qu Chen chose Profound Primordial Unity, and Lin Shuang chose the seemingly unrelated Yin-Yang Qi Harmonization.
Li Nanzhu's eyes flickered. The choices of the three from the Sword Heart Sect were the same as in the original novel, with no changes.
Just as everyone was about to step into their respective light gates, Duan Xianxing suddenly turned back and grinned at the Sword Heart Sect group. "I wish you all... good luck not dying in there!"
Rate on N.U.
