Just raise your hand or touch with spiritual power to open the Heart Intent Pearls.
Jian Chou slowly extended her hand, but just as she was about to touch the first Heart Intent Pearl, she felt somewhat apprehensive.
At a time like this, probably no one was calmer than herself, right?
She thought briefly and glanced around.
Many people had taken their Heart Intent Pearls, but few had opened them.
Everyone was looking at each other, seemingly waiting for the first person to eat the crab.
On the eastern sixteenth Heaven-Reaching Platform.
The youth Xiao Jin, who had switched to a new watermelon to gnaw, reached out and grabbed three Heart Intent Pearls.
This was probably always the most innocent person. Seeing these three pearls, he showed none of the ordinary person’s hesitation.
“Time to open treasure chests, whoo!”
He blew into his right palm, his eyes sparkling brightly, seemingly wanting to bring himself good luck.
At this moment, many people noticed him.
Of course, quite a few people sneered inwardly: silly boy.
In the time of this thought, Xiao Jin’s hand had already extended out, even touching the Heart Intent Pearl!
Swish!
A burst of gentle white light blazed forth!
Everyone’s hearts jumped to their throats upon seeing this. What would it be? An attack? A technique? Or a spiritual consciousness?
“Wow! What is this? It looks so delicious!”
Just as they were extremely curious, Xiao Jin, standing in that gentle light, had already directly grabbed the thing in the light and jumped three feet high!
“It seems to be a legendary pill! Wahaha, so happy, so happy!”
Swoosh swoosh swoosh!
Wearing beast hide shorts and barefoot, he actually did three somersaults on his Heaven-Reaching Platform!
“…”
Huh?
A pill?
What kind of joke was this?
Many people were dumbfounded. As the first person to open a Heart Intent Pearl, this guy’s luck was too good, wasn’t it?
No no no no, that’s not right!
Most importantly, someone actually put a pill in their Heart Intent Pearl?!
Everyone widened their eyes, and even Jian Chou showed a bit of surprise.
Those closer could almost see at a glance that the pill had snow-white coating, emanating an ice-fresh feeling. One could tell it wasn’t ordinary, probably some kind of spiritual power recovery or nourishing pill.
This…
Truly wealthy and generous, yet overly kind-hearted!
Seeing the lucky Xiao Jin still shouting and yelling, exactly like a jumping monkey, many cultivators couldn’t help but turn red with envy.
Jian Chou also hadn’t expected this.
Xiao Jin’s luck was very good, and the cultivator who put the pill in this Heart Intent Pearl also had a good heart.
She couldn’t help but smile slightly.
Though for others, seeing an unreliable guy open a pill felt helpless, it seemed to prove from the side—
At least, not everyone had sealed malice inside.
Whether opened early or late, it would be opened. After the first lucky Xiao Jin, everyone began opening their first Heart Intent Pearls.
The next moment…
“Damn it!”
“Bang!”
“Ah!”
“Holy hell!”
“Swish!”
“Ahhhh it hurts like hell, who’s so wicked!”
…
All around, various wails!
Dozens upon hundreds of attacks burst from the Heart Intent Pearls, fierce beyond measure.
Though everyone was prepared, they really couldn’t react in time and were all beaten into sorry states!
“…”
Jian Chou, who hadn’t yet opened her first Heart Intent Pearl, suddenly fell silent.
After Xiao Jin, it seemed luck wasn’t so good. The true nature of this round of “gifts” began to reveal itself.
Malice ran rampant!
On the eastern eleventh Heaven-Reaching Platform.
Lu Xiangleng frowned, her hand wrapped in purple-gold light. Almost the instant she opened the Heart Intent Pearl and felt that water-blue sword qi, she directly raised her hand to block!
Bang!
Purple-gold met water-blue, immediately exploding into a layer of dark spiritual mist. The scattered sword qi flew downward, momentarily brilliant as rain!
Lu Xiangleng retreated three steps. With her cultivation not yet fully recovered, receiving this sword was somewhat difficult…
Unlike others, besides pill refining, Lu Xiangleng had plenty of time and could be called well-read.
This sword came fiercely, exquisitely crafted, but had been disguised, seemingly to prevent people from recognizing the practitioner’s lineage. No particularly distinctive features could be seen.
However…
Lu Xiangleng felt something familiar.
After receiving this sword qi, she couldn’t help but look toward the three Jianzhu Sect members.
Xu Lan’er, Jiang Ling, Shang Liaofan.
At this moment, all three had opened their respective Heart Intent Pearls and seemed not to notice this scene, much less cast glances her way.
On the western seventh Heaven-Reaching Platform.
The moment a spiritual light flew from Xu Lan’er’s hand and touched the Heart Intent Pearl, a jade-colored spiritual power waterfall suddenly poured from the pearl!
Thunderous roar!
Xu Lan’er was greatly startled, secretly cursing her bad luck. She really didn’t know whose methods were so ruthless, actually sealing such a tremendously powerful move in this Heart Intent Pearl!
With a dark expression, she dared not take it head-on. She quickly dodged upward while horizontally sweeping her sword, creating a sword flower to protect herself.
Even though she fled quickly, she was still caught by the waterfall’s tail in an instant!
“Pah!”
Almost in that moment, she spat out a small mouthful of fresh blood before narrowly avoiding this waterfall completely in the narrow space!
“Rumble!”
The waterfall rushed out of the Heaven-Reaching Platform, the outer barrier suddenly lit up, and only then did the waterfall disappear.
Many people looked over in shock: Who struck so ruthlessly!
This “heart intent” was truly enough to keep one busy!
Xu Lan’er was also someone who could be ranked in this year’s top ten. Caught off guard, she was directly attacked by this waterfall and even injured!
Xu Lan’er felt lingering fear, her face iron-blue.
Her sinister gaze swept around, but she only saw everyone either busy opening Heart Intent Pearls, busy resisting things coming from the pearls, or having safely weathered the tribulation and calmly watching others.
Couldn’t tell…
In that instant, Xu Lan’er’s heart filled with extreme hatred. Her right hand holding the sword gripped tightly, even producing a painful feeling from excessive tension.
Who exactly was it?!
On the southern twenty-second Heaven-Reaching Platform, Gu Qingmei snorted lightly seeing this.
Just a Jianzhu Sect brat.
But she actually managed to withstand her jade hairpin strike – some ability after all.
However…
That was all the ability she had.
Gu Qingmei didn’t care at all. She raised her hand to touch a Heart Intent Pearl and was immediately surprised: it was actually empty?
On the highest Heaven-Reaching Platform.
Jian Chou naturally noticed the commotion on Xu Lan’er’s side and just smiled lightly.
Though she didn’t know exactly who had given Xu Lan’er such a big “heart intent,” she could guess that Xu Lan’er herself wasn’t good either and certainly wouldn’t show any goodwill in the Heart Intent Pearls.
Being schemed against now was just give-and-take, nothing unfair.
Jian Chou’s gaze swept across many people. Xia Houshe, Jiang Wenchao and others all received attacks, but for them, it was painless and easily resolved.
At this time, many people also looked toward Jian Chou, wanting to see what kind of heart intent this Yashan senior sister from the “Single Platform Notes” would receive.
Jian Chou hesitated no more, just tensed her body and lightly touched with her finger!
Swish!
White light blazed!
…
Complete calm.
No attacks whatsoever.
The white light gradually dispersed, revealing a green, white, and red object floating in the air.
In this instant, everyone watching Jian Chou was stunned.
Then they burst into laughter!
“Hahaha what is that! What is that!”
“I’m dying of laughter!”
“Are you kidding me?”
“Some idiot did this, hahaha I’m dying of laughter! A weirdo, absolutely a weirdo…”
“Why do I feel this thing looks familiar…”
“Watermelon rind!”
“It’s actually a piece of watermelon rind! And it’s been gnawed on!”
…
Watermelon rind!
Genuine, child-and-elderly-friendly watermelon rind!
Jian Chou felt her mouth twitch. All her preparation and expectations were nonsense. She silently looked at this piece of watermelon rind, listening to the burst of laughter from below, truly feeling an indescribable sense of embarrassment.
Not just for herself, but also for the melon-eating youth nearby.
The youth Xiao Jin, who had just received a pill and was happily gnawing watermelon, heard this commotion and couldn’t help but look up toward Jian Chou.
Seeing the watermelon rind floating before Jian Chou, his healthy wheat-colored skin immediately showed an unusual redness.
It seemed…
A bit embarrassing?
He scratched his head, showed Jian Chou his eight white teeth, his originally brilliant smile suddenly becoming somewhat shy.
Seeing this, Jian Chou sighed heavily in her heart.
Others opened Heart Intent Pearls and at least received attacks. She actually opened a watermelon rind – there was no one like her.
She looked gloomily at the second spirit pearl, pondering whether to open it together.
Unexpectedly, another burst of laughter came from below.
“Haha look everyone, a second watermelon rind!”
“My goodness, who did this!”
“Too offensive!”
“Shh…”
“Actually at Fairy Gu’s place, hilarious…”
…
Gu Qingmei looked at the watermelon rind that came from the second spirit pearl, her face iron-blue, her eyes full of frost.
She turned her gaze toward the youth Xiao Jin still holding his melon and eating non-stop, directly striking with a palm!
“Snap!”
The crisp watermelon rind was shattered by her palm force, immediately pulverized and exploded into countless fragments!
Xiao Jin holding the melon couldn’t help but freeze. The originally happy and brilliant expression on his face suddenly dimmed.
Looking at Gu Qingmei for a while, he frowned with displeasure.
Hmph.
If you don’t like watermelon rind, just throw it away. Why smash it with a palm? Was that necessary?
If he’d known this woman would get the watermelon rind, he would have directly sealed a punch inside!
Jian Chou glanced at Gu Qingmei and secretly shook her head.
She directly pushed aside the watermelon rind and without hesitation, opened the second Heart Intent Pearl.
“Ring ring ring!”
A series of urgent sounds!
Vaguely familiar.
Jian Chou felt her mind explode as if someone was stabbing with golden needles. Her face immediately turned deathly pale.
Fortunately, the Soul-Fixing Nail on her forehead appeared in time. Purple qi flashed, immediately protecting Jian Chou’s spiritual platform.
The bell sound didn’t last long, about three breaths.
After three breaths, the purple light on Jian Chou’s forehead slowly faded.
The second Heart Intent Pearl was already empty.
Jian Chou’s gaze suddenly carried a hint of coldness.
The scenes from the Killing Red Small Realm replayed before her eyes—
Gu Qingmei!
Besides her, there was no second choice!
She had used this bell sound harmful to cultivators’ souls again. But Jian Chou wondered if she knew that her opponent from the small realm was also among these 115 Heaven-Reaching Platforms?
Just as Jian Chou opened her second Heart Intent Pearl, others had also opened their second, even third pearls.
On the southern ninth Heaven-Reaching Platform, Fang Dachui opened an azalea flower and immediately screamed in fright.
“Mama!”
He turned and ran!
Unfortunately, the flower ran faster. The blood-red azalea instantly transformed into a blood-crying bird and pecked at Fang Dachui’s shoulder!
Splat!
Blood splattered!
Fang Dachui wanted to cry but had no tears.
“Go to hell!”
On the eastern first Heaven-Reaching Platform.
“Tsk tsk…”
Young Master Ruhua saw Fang Dachui’s miserable state and was extremely pleased.
He raised his hand and released the contents of his second Heart Intent Pearl.
“Hmm…”
There was no sword qi like when the first pearl opened, only a spiritual consciousness transformed into a gentle breeze—
A wind message.
Young Master Ruhua gently squeezed, and the wind message immediately exploded, forming a line of text before him.
“Jianzhu Sect, Xu Lan’er, a sinister and cunning person who abandons fellow travelers to danger, secretly harms others, frames and shifts blame. Truly the most despicable rat among our 115 Heaven-Reaching Platforms!”
Upon reading this, Young Master Ruhua couldn’t help but feel surprised and looked toward Xu Lan’er.
On the western seventh Heaven-Reaching Platform, Xu Lan’er hadn’t yet noticed this strange gaze.
Having just resisted the attack from the first Heart Intent Pearl had left her lightly injured. Now with only half a quarter hour to open the pearls, she had to hurry and had no time to recover.
Putting a pill in her mouth, Xu Lan’er reached for the second Heart Intent Pearl.
“Snap.”
A light sound, and the Heart Intent Pearl immediately blazed with light.
Xu Lan’er became alert all over, but this time it was surprisingly calm.
Seeing the wind message, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Good.
Not an attack.
Completely relaxed, Xu Lan’er casually opened the wind message. The next moment, all relaxed expressions disappeared.
“Jianzhu Sect, Xu Lan’er, a sinister and cunning person who abandons fellow travelers to danger, secretly harms others, frames and shifts blame. Truly the most despicable rat among our 115 Heaven-Reaching Platforms!”
…
Her expression darkened bit by bit.
Xu Lan’er’s elegant features became almost twisted, and the teardrop mole below her eye trembled with boundless anger.
She gritted her teeth and looked at Nie Xiaowan with vicious eyes.
Most despicable rat?
On the southern thirtieth Heaven-Reaching Platform.
Kunwu’s Young Master Xie Ding also opened his second Heart Intent Pearl with lingering fear.
A look – wind message.
He immediately breathed a long sigh of relief. Opening it, like Young Master Ruhua before, he couldn’t help but freeze and look toward Xu Lan’er, seeing only a sinister, terrifying face.
Xu Lan’er there also had text floating before her, staring deadly at Nie Xiaowan on the other side.
Hmm?
Seemed interesting.
Accidentally got involved in some conflict.
Xie Ding pondered for a while and waved away the wind message.
Looking at this, Xu Lan’er indeed wasn’t good. He’d have to be careful later – there had long been rumors that Jianzhu Sect was up to something.
Thinking this, Xie Ding raised his hand to open the third spirit pearl.
A cold white snow lotus appeared before him, immediately bursting with terrifying aura!
Scary!
Frightening enough!
Xie Ding was nearly scared out of his wits and unhesitatingly drew his sword!
At the same time.
On the highest platform, Jian Chou also opened her second Heart Intent Pearl.
The first was watermelon rind; the second probably wouldn’t be so lucky.
The moment her fingertip touched the Heart Intent Pearl, Jian Chou smelled a faint fragrance.
Flower fragrance.
An elegant orchid appeared before her.
In this instant, Jian Chou thought of Young Master Ruhua!
Ranked third, terrifying methods!
Young Master Ruhua’s orchid was definitely not simple!
Jian Chou unhesitatingly condensed a black wind blade in her hand and slashed at the orchid flying toward her!
“Bang!”
The expected explosion!
Wind blade and orchid collided, immediately bursting with a layer of terrifying air waves, even stirring up ripples in the high sky.
Under this air wave impact, Jian Chou’s body immediately oozed blood.
The black wind patterns on her bones immediately began rotating, dissipating the incoming terrifying force.
Raising her sleeve to wipe away blood from her lips, Jian Chou looked toward Young Master Ruhua sixty zhang below.
He seemed to have seen her miserable state and showed her a charming smile.
Jian Chou’s face immediately darkened as she looked at the third Heart Intent Pearl.
Never mind, such anxious delay wasn’t a solution.
Just open it directly.
Expression cold, Jian Chou unhesitatingly opened the third Heart Intent Pearl!
She had prepared all attacks and countermeasures, but unexpectedly, what greeted her was complete calm…
Empty.
This Heart Intent Pearl contained nothing.
In an instant, all tension was released.
Jian Chou couldn’t help but laugh: Yes, she hadn’t thought that Fudao Shanren only told everyone to seal heart intent but didn’t say they must seal heart intent. Leaving it empty was also possible.
She just didn’t know who had such rare open-mindedness.
At this moment, Jian Chou had opened all three Heart Intent Pearls and still stood firmly on the platform. She breathed a sigh of relief and had time to see how others fared, and…
Carefully look for where her three Heart Intent Pearls had ended up.
Eastern twenty-ninth Heaven-Reaching Platform, Nie Xiaowan’s third Heart Intent Pearl opened to reveal water-blue sword light;
Eastern twenty-fourth Heaven-Reaching Platform, Zhou Kuang’s third Heart Intent Pearl opened to reveal a spear shadow that seemed capable of piercing souls! Zhou Kuang couldn’t resist at all and was immediately knocked flying, becoming the first unlucky person to be knocked off a Heaven-Reaching Platform by “heart intent” from the pearls!
Eastern twenty-first Heaven-Reaching Platform, another Xuanyang Sect disciple was covered and wrapped by a huge curtain-like snow-white handkerchief, immediately bundled like a dumpling and thrown off the platform. The second one!
…
Below the platforms, people were immediately horrified.
Getting on Heaven-Reaching Platforms only to be driven off by “heart intent” from the pearls was truly lamentable.
Jian Chou silently continued watching.
Southern twenty-second Heaven-Reaching Platform.
“Ah!”
Gu Qingmei suddenly cried out in delight – this was her third Heart Intent Pearl.
Inside actually floated a jade-white, adorable pill!
Below immediately erupted in uproar again.
After the cheerful Xiao Jin, there was actually a second person who got a pill from the Heart Intent Pearls, making people extremely envious!
Seeing this, Jian Chou frowned almost imperceptibly.
This pill was exactly the same as the one Xiao Jin had received earlier. Among current cultivators, there weren’t many who could casually produce such pills.
Moreover…
Gu Qingmei’s luck seemed quite good too.
The first Heart Intent Pearl was a watermelon rind, the second was empty, and the third actually yielded a pill.
However…
It wasn’t much use.
Jian Chou stopped paying attention and turned to continue looking at the eastern thirteenth Heaven-Reaching Platform.
Jian Chou’s “old acquaintance,” Qian Que – no, now he should be called “Meng Xizhou” – had already opened two Heart Intent Pearls without incident, and the third one was right before him.
He had previously seen the real Meng Xizhou here, quietly getting that boy drunk with wine brewed from red spirit fruits and throwing him in a cave behind Kunwu Mountain.
After that, he had used the snow lake cold iron that Zhilin Sou desperately needed to build a connection with him, asking him to write his name as “Meng Xizhou.” He had finally moved that old man.
So at this moment, Qian Que was standing on this Heaven-Reaching Platform under Meng Xizhou’s name, swaggering boldly.
That stinking woman Gu Qingmei was not far away, but probably hadn’t noticed him.
However, Qian Que guessed that if he could safely get through Fudao Shanren’s damned “gift,” that woman would notice him sooner or later.
He absolutely couldn’t let her know he was the one who had rudely told her to “shut up if you’re not convinced” back then, or she’d explode!
Having come this far with great difficulty, Qian Que would never give up.
He stared at the third Heart Intent Pearl, praying continuously in his heart. After reciting Luye Laozu’s name ten times, he finally reached out and tremblingly opened the Heart Intent Pearl.
Swish!
A formation disc suddenly appeared in a gentle white light.
Qian Que was stunned, instinctively wanting to run, but the formation disc was faster than him!
Bang!
Caught off guard, a formation had already thunderously deployed, enveloping Qian Que within!
“Damn it! Does this even give people time to react!”
Qian Que immediately cursed wildly, directly placing his long staff horizontally in front of him, vigilantly looking around.
Hmm…
No attacks?
A trapping formation?
Qian Que immediately breathed a sigh of relief. Just as a smile was about to appear on his face, straight and curved lines began appearing on the ground beneath his feet, forming strange patterns within the formation!
“Question: In a figure where all points equidistant from the center form a circle, what is the ratio of circumference to diameter? Note: The Nineteen States’ use of three-to-one ratio is crude and inadequate; refinement is possible.”
“…”
Holy… hell!!!
The moment Qian Que saw the line of text below the pattern, he almost had the urge to spit blood!
Participating in a Left Three Thousand small gathering and actually encountering such a weirdo!
Calculating pi!
Damn it, the Nineteen States had been using the three-to-one ratio for ages – who the hell cared!
Calculate calculate calculate my ass!
Who knew how to calculate it!
For a moment, Qian Que’s heart was full of grief and anger, wanting to bang his head against the ground in apology to the world!
Who was it!
Who exactly was it!
Who was so devious!
High above, Jian Chou watched and immediately suppressed the laughter in her heart, pretending to cough.
It seemed cultivators still needed to strengthen their cultivation in mathematics.
Qian Que had already had a similar experience in the Killing Red Small Realm. Surely he hadn’t neglected his studies after returning?
Jian Chou felt no guilt at all and continued searching for where her black lotus and “friendship letter” had ended up.
Eastern twenty-eighth Heaven-Reaching Platform.
Fengmo Sword Sect’s Xia Houshe, hands hanging in his sleeves, withdrew his gaze from the opened third Heart Intent Pearl. Seeming to sense Jian Chou’s attention, he turned to look at her.
Two calm yet secretive gazes collided.
Xia Houshe saw the relaxation on Jian Chou’s face, his brow furrowed slightly, and his gloom became much heavier.
The deep scar extending from between his brows down to his straight nose bridge made this face disfigured, adding several points of strange beauty and terror.
It seemed…
Xia Houshe was also safe.
Jian Chou hadn’t had time to see how he dealt with changes from the Heart Intent Pearls and felt somewhat uninterested. She smiled slightly and shifted her gaze.
Wind blade black lotus…
Wind blade black lotus…
Jian Chou muttered in her heart, looking around, wondering if others had already opened that Heart Intent Pearl while she was concentrating on opening her own, making it impossible for her to find.
From the corner of her eye, she suddenly saw a brilliant blade light!
Western seventh Heaven-Reaching Platform, still Xu Lan’er!
The first Heart Intent Pearl produced a spiritual waterfall, the second produced a wind message calling her a “rat,” and the third actually produced such terrifying blade light full of destructive aura!
Xu Lan’er simply had nowhere to cry injustice!
She watched as the water-blue sword light she had sealed in her Heart Intent Pearl attacked person after person, yet was also harmed by others’ malice.
The blade light was brilliant silver, as if made of solid mercury, imposing and carrying frightening killing intent.
As real as substance!
The qi of this blade light had even locked onto her, making escape impossible!
Raising her sword, Lanyuan strike!
Boom!
Blade and sword qi collided. Xu Lan’er was sent flying, blood flowing freely, crashing onto the Heaven-Reaching Platform and rolling to the edge, about to fall off.
At the critical moment, she endured the severe pain throughout her meridians, extending five fingers to leave five deep bloody scratches on the Heaven-Reaching Platform, barely stopping her momentum and staying on the most dangerous edge of the platform!
Sigh, she didn’t fall off.
Jian Chou immediately showed a disappointed expression.
In the distance, Xia Houshe’s gloomy face showed even more displeasure, seemingly unsatisfied that his blade strike hadn’t instantly killed Xu Lan’er.
Many people also felt that Xu Lan’er’s ability to desperately cling to the Heaven-Reaching Platform in this situation was truly “admirable perseverance.”
Of just three Heart Intent Pearls, she encountered two that were super-strong attacks!
Tsk, really unlucky enough.
Some pitied her, others gloated.
Jian Chou watched Xu Lan’er slowly climb up, only calculating when to settle old scores with her.
But for now…
Finding her own wind blade black lotus was more urgent.
Continuing to scan the field, when she saw the northern nineteenth Heaven-Reaching Platform, her eyes lit up!
Found it!
Wind blade black lotus!
The cultivator standing on the northern nineteenth Heaven-Reaching Platform wasn’t anyone Jian Chou had previously known.
Dressed in pure black robes, his sword-like eyebrows were snow-white, only the right eyebrow tip dyed with a bit of deep black ink. His ink-blue eyes were extremely lively, carrying a mysterious and profound beauty.
This person had extremely deep facial features that left a lasting impression at first glance.
Jian Chou immediately made a curious sound, somewhat interested.
If she remembered correctly, when she first met Pei Qian, who claimed to be from the Northern Domain’s Yang Sect, his eyebrows were black dyed with white. The cultivator before her was exactly opposite. She had later checked relevant texts and only found in a fragment that eyebrow color represented the completely different cultivation methods of the Northern Domain’s Yin and Yang sects.
So this person…
Eyes narrowing slightly, Jian Chou looked carefully.
A remarkably exquisite black lotus suddenly flew from the Heart Intent Pearl.
The black-robed cultivator immediately showed surprise!
Such a powerful black lotus!
The Central Domain’s Left Three Thousand small gathering was indeed full of experts, truly living up to its reputation.
His brow immediately furrowed tighter. His toe touched the ground, and in the blink of an eye he retreated, gritting his teeth and clapping his palms together.
“Clap!”
A crisp sound.
A layer of dark blue light immediately rippled out from where his palms met, vaguely emanating extreme yin softness and icy coldness.
The black lotus spun and was already approaching in an instant!
The black-robed cultivator’s eyes turned cold, and a dark light emerged from his proud, distant ink-blue eyes.
Crack.
His palms separated, both hands’ five fingers opening virtually, as if holding something.
Jian Chou over there suddenly showed a surprised expression.
Another cold black lotus actually appeared between that person’s palms!
Black lotus against black lotus!
Lotus heart against lotus heart, lotus petals against lotus petals, not one more, not one less!
The two lotuses collided thunderously. Jian Chou expected there would surely be earth-shaking commotion, but unexpectedly, she only saw petal after petal made of wind blades falling, and while exploding, tiny fluctuations appeared, then seemed to be devoured by something, disappearing into the black lotus the black-robed cultivator had pushed out!
One petal, another petal, yet another petal!
In the blink of an eye, the black lotus from the Heart Intent Pearl disappeared into the other black lotus!
Seeing this, the black-robed cultivator showed no relaxed expression.
Making hand seals, he instinctively tried to withdraw this black lotus, but the next moment his face lost all color, turning deathly pale!
The black lotus manifested by the black-robed cultivator’s hands, after devouring the wind blade black lotus, couldn’t contain the swift wind blades within. Though it barely managed to devour the black lotus, it still couldn’t control it!
The devoured wind blade black lotus actually exploded completely within his black lotus!
“Puff!”
A light sound, without much commotion.
The lotus floating before the black-robed cultivator instantly vanished into smoke!
Besides Jian Chou, almost no second person noticed this scene.
That black-robed cultivator was still in shock, not noticing Jian Chou’s attention, much less knowing whose handiwork this wind blade black lotus was.
The opening of Heart Intent Pearls was basically coming to an end.
Many cultivators on platforms in the field had already opened all three spirit pearls.
Lucky people opened empty Heart Intent Pearls, some received broken shoes, the unlucky ones basically got various attacks and were left disheveled after three rounds…
However, Jian Chou still hadn’t discovered who had opened her “friendship letter,” nor had she noticed any cultivator looking at her strangely.
Where exactly had her third Heart Intent Pearl ended up?
Jian Chou was momentarily confused.
Soon, the field quieted down.
Only two people hadn’t finished.
One was Qian Que in the distance. His long staff had been placed on the ground at some point, and the wide Heaven-Reaching Platform was densely covered with line after line of small characters. Everyone felt dizzy just looking at them.
He held a piece of ink, his whole body prone on the ground, furiously writing with grief and indignation!
Ever since the Killing Red Small Realm, Qian Que had deeply felt his inadequacy in mathematics and had remedially studied hard.
The tiger doesn’t show its power – do you really think your Golden Abacus grandpa is a sick cat!
Almost there, almost there!
He was about to calculate it – just give him a little more time!
“Cut it finer, lose less; cut again and again until it cannot be cut, then it matches the circle perfectly with no loss…”
“Three, one, four, one, six! Got it!”
Qian Que didn’t have time to wipe the cold sweat from his head. With a “smack,” he threw the ink block onto the Heaven-Reaching Platform and shouted: “Using the twelve-sided polygon’s area ratio as the progression!”
“Hum…”
A light sound.
The entire trapping formation’s light immediately dispersed completely, and that oppressive feeling also vanished instantly!
He got it right!
Qian Que was almost moved to tears!
After shedding some snot and tears, he immediately looked up and laughed wildly: “Want to stump me? Dream on!”
Many people around had no idea what Qian Que was doing. Seeing his wild behavior, they all became suspicious: What kind of “heart intent” had this “Meng Xizhou” encountered? He looked like he was mentally unstable, about to go crazy!
Dream on?
Hearing his words, Jian Chou couldn’t help but smile slightly.
Actually, she was quite amazed originally. After all, solving within half a quarter hour an answer that the wise men of the mortal world’s lonely island had spent nearly their entire lives calculating was quite impressive. But now…
Well, she hoped that before her next opportunity to set questions, Qian Que would go to the mortal world’s lonely island to supplement his mathematical studies.
Now only the last person remained.
Jiang Wenchao.
That genius who had been silent and dusty for thirty years.
When Qian Que shouted, he had already extended his hand and, in complete calm, reached into that gentle white light to retrieve a round, snow-white Tianshan Snow Pill.
The corners of his eyes and brows suddenly carried a hint of smile.
It seemed that receiving this Tianshan Snow Pill was exactly within Jiang Wenchao’s expectations.
He turned to look at Lu Xiangleng on the eastern eleventh platform.
In this silence as everyone waited for the end, he slightly cupped his hands toward Lu Xiangleng and actually spoke: “Jiang had long guessed that among the 115 Heaven-Reaching Platforms, only Baiyue Valley’s Medicine Woman Lu Fairy possessed such skillful benevolent heart. Having seen the other two Tianshan Snow Pills emerge, Jiang guessed the fairy must have placed a third, but never seeing it appear, I guessed it might be with Jiang. Unexpectedly, taking one at random, it proved true. Jiang thanks the fairy for her benevolent heart intent.”
All of Kunwu suddenly fell into silence.
Everyone, after hearing Jiang Wenchao’s words, turned their gaze to Lu Xiangleng.
That Medicine Woman of Baiyue Valley stood coolly on her Heaven-Reaching Platform with a noble bearing. Hearing Jiang Wenchao’s words, she seemed slightly surprised, then similarly cupped her hands in return, smiling lightly: “Brother Jiang is too kind.”
So it was this fairy sister who sent the pills.
The youth Xiao Jin holding his watermelon tilted his head. The old man said if you receive kindness, you must repay it.
So after thinking for a while, Xiao Jin also said to Lu Xiangleng: “Fairy sister, I also received your pill. From now on, you’re my friend, Xiao Jin!”
Hearing this, everyone rolled their eyes.
The Baiyue Valley Medicine Woman – would she care about some wild child from who knows where?
Go home, change your clothes, and put on shoes before trying to court Lu Fairy!
Unexpectedly, Lu Xiangleng didn’t get angry upon hearing this, just nodded slightly without speaking.
The other person who received Lu Xiangleng’s pill was Kunwu’s Gu Qingmei.
Hearing those two thank Lu Xiangleng, and thinking that she had actually placed pills in all three Heart Intent Pearls, seemingly not caring at all about the opponent issue, then thinking of her own three Heart Intent Pearls, she felt a strange complexity arise in her heart.
After complexity came displeasure.
However, since both Jiang Wenchao and Xiao Jin had expressed thanks, she couldn’t remain aloof.
Forcing a smile, Gu Qingmei also awkwardly cupped her hands: “Qingmei also received one Tianshan Snow Pill from Sister Xiangleng. Thank you very much.”
Sister Xiangleng?
Lu Xiangleng was naturally cool and not particularly approachable – just distant yet polite. She hadn’t heard anyone call her “Sister Xiangleng” on first meeting. Her slightly furrowed smoky brows drew together, her smile remained, and she said lightly: “Brother Gu needn’t be so polite.”
Hearing this, Gu Qingmei’s expression immediately changed.
Sister Xiangleng, Brother Gu.
Who couldn’t hear the problem?
Jian Chou over there began pondering: When she had directly changed to calling her “Daoist Xiangleng,” had that been a bit… what?
At this moment, everyone’s gaze was focused on Lu Xiangleng alone.
Regardless, this was a Medicine Woman with a benevolent heart.
The heavily injured Xu Lan’er had barely managed to get up from the ground. After swallowing several pills, she heard this exchange and looked back to see almost everyone showing Lu Xiangleng expressions of admiration or appreciation.
For a moment, she felt indescribable unfairness!
Just putting three pills in Heart Intent Pearls could earn so much goodwill – why?
Why had she ended up in such a state!
Stimulated by this scene, Xu Lan’er nearly had her qi and blood flow backward from extreme resentment and almost fainted!
On the mountainside, both Fudao Shanren and Hengxu Master took in this scene.
Hengxu sighed softly: “Is this your purpose?”
Fudao Shanren flicked his sleeve and stepped forward: “Good people, evil people, people are different. Young people need more trials, lest they suffer losses later.”
Having said this, he couldn’t be bothered with this old monster behind him. Acting as if he hadn’t seen his sighing expression, he spoke loudly, drawing everyone’s attention to himself.
“Half a quarter hour has passed. Remaining cultivators on Heaven-Reaching Platforms: ninety-six!”
Ninety-six!
Previously there were 115 people, now only 96 remained!
Hearing this and looking around at many now-empty Heaven-Reaching Platforms, everyone gasped.
In that round of Heart Intent Pearls, nineteen cultivators couldn’t hold on and were eliminated.
“According to the rules, victors gain Heaven-Reaching Platforms.”
Fudao Shanren swept his sleeve, immediately causing flying sand and moving stones.
Those empty, unmanned Heaven-Reaching Platforms all began moving rapidly at this moment!
“Bang!”
“Bang!”
…
Sound after sound of collision and merger as platform after platform combined!
In the blink of an eye, the entire layout changed dramatically!
Several more people suddenly appeared beside Jian Chou.
Fengmo Sword Sect’s Xia Houshe, probably having struck quite ruthlessly, eliminated three opponents with three Heart Intent Pearls, directly gaining three platforms;
After that, Longmen’s Zhou Chengjiang and Shenling’s Wei Lin also gained three platforms each.
So now Jian Chou, Xia Houshe, Zhou Chengjiang, and Wei Lin stood side by side.
Kunwu’s Xie Ding, Wuyi Sect’s Tao Zhang, and the black-robed cultivator who had previously received Jian Chou’s wind blade black lotus each gained two platforms. Including their original ones, they had three total.
Additionally, Wuyi Sect’s Young Master Ruhua, Kunwu’s Gu Qingmei, Yashan’s Tang Wansheng, and Jianzhu Sect’s Xu Lan’er each gained one platform.
Strong fighters like Zuo Liu and Xiao Jin, however, gained no one because they had no intention of attacking people with Heart Intent Pearls.
Of course…
For Zuo Liu, nothing else mattered. What mattered was using the Heart Intent Pearls to express his feelings: How many people received his heart intent? Would someone actively give him signatures afterward?
Just thinking about it was a little exciting.
This current layout, in Fudao Shanren’s eyes, was one of unfathomable calm.
He leisurely took out a chicken leg and gently shook it. The oily surface emanated rich meaty fragrance.
“Ninety-six people may all truly enter the first trial. The road ahead is long and difficult – many haven’t even started walking before dying unjustly. But they can’t blame anyone else. Heart Intent Pearls – malice or goodwill, all in a single thought.”
Speaking to this point, he glanced at Jiang Wenchao below, his eyes showing some approval.
Being able to identify Lu Xiangleng’s pill-sealing in Heart Intent Pearls not only showed proper thinking and observation but also indicated someone with a measure of goodwill.
The Left Three Thousand small gathering was a bit more cruel than most people imagined.
Jiang Wenchao’s statement, at least for most people, had earned Lu Xiangleng much goodwill. Even in life-and-death struggles, they would show mercy and stop at the appropriate point.
Perhaps even the kind-hearted Lu Xiangleng herself hadn’t expected that good deeds could receive good rewards?
“With Heart Intent Pearls here, among the remaining ninety-six people, who is friend? Who is enemy? Who has shown you kindness? Who has brought you evil? You must distinguish for yourselves in the upcoming three trials.”
“Those who received kindness don’t know who showed it; those who inflicted evil know who they harmed.”
“Good and evil in the world sometimes hide, sometimes appear; enemies and friends in the world sometimes divide, sometimes unite.”
Fudao Shanren smiled, taking a bite of chicken leg with deep meaning.
“The next first trial of the small gathering will be team combat. Who knows who your next teammates will be?”
“…”
Team combat?!
At the foot of Kunwu Mountain, there was suddenly an eerie silence.
Even Jian Chou felt her heart skip a beat.
This round of “Heart Intent Pearls,” called a “gift,” was actually a “tribulation.”
As Fudao Shanren said, many people who didn’t receive attacks from Heart Intent Pearls wouldn’t care who the benefactor was; but once they were attacked by “heart intent” in the pearls, even searching everywhere, they could rarely distinguish whose heart intent it was, unless they already knew the attacker well.
Those who hid attacks in Heart Intent Pearls mostly knew whom their pearls had attacked, but the attacked had no idea!
Thus, “evil people” hid in the shadows, waiting to strike.
The first trial of the small gathering was actually “team combat”?
For a moment, an absurd feeling arose.
The people on the Heaven-Reaching Platforms fell into indescribable oppression.
Fudao Shanren stood high, taking a bite of chicken leg. Seeing everyone’s expressions actually gave him a sense of pleasure.
He looked at the sky, then at those below, directly flicking his finger. A grayish light suddenly penetrated into mid-air.
“Heart Intent Pearls – heart intent is set. Next, random grouping, eight people per team, traveling through mist. Those who first obtain ten or more Heaven-Reaching Platforms may choose to automatically advance to the next trial.”
Boom!
As Fudao Shanren’s words fell, that grayish light immediately transformed into a sky-connecting great fog, instantly enveloping the entire foot of Kunwu Mountain and the remaining ninety-six Heaven-Reaching Platforms!
Vision was immediately severely obstructed, and even spiritual consciousness could hardly penetrate ten zhang ahead.
Jian Chou was also suddenly plunged into this heavy fog, no longer able to see anyone.
In the thick gray mist, countless green vines suddenly grew, reaching toward the sky.
“Whoosh…”
In the void, there seemed to be continuous sounds of Heaven-Reaching Platforms flying over.
Jian Chou, in her amazement, felt her own Heaven-Reaching Platform also flying in some direction.
This was?
A certain guess arose in her heart.
Soon, this guess was confirmed.
Including herself, eight Heaven-Reaching Platforms came from different directions and gathered in one place!
In the heavy mist, Fudao Shanren’s voice, like a great bell, was magnificent and weathered.
“First trial, Misty Heaven!”