Dragon Fall Ravine

Dragon Fall Ravine lay within a deep chasm northwest of the Lingxiao Sect's outer sect.

It was also the most bustling area of the Lingxiao Sect's outer sect.

Legend had it that a true dragon had once fallen within Dragon Fall Ravine, its corpse transforming into an underground Dragon Vein and turning the ravine into a sacred cultivation ground.

However, strict rules governed cultivation within Dragon Fall Ravine. Based on disciple rank, Miscellaneous Servant Disciples could enter for three days each month, Outer Disciples for seven days, while Inner Disciples faced no time restrictions at all.

Moreover, each entry into Dragon Fall Ravine required ten Spirit Stones.

As a Miscellaneous Servant Disciple, Lu Changsheng received only fifteen Low-grade Spirit Stones each month. Naturally, he could not bear to spend those stones to cultivate within Dragon Fall Ravine.

But today, he decided to make an exception and indulge himself for once, planning to cultivate in Dragon Fall Ravine.

Along the way, Lu Changsheng encountered many disciples heading toward Dragon Fall Ravine.

Half an hour later, he finally arrived at its outskirts.

"That is Dragon Fall Ravine?"

Lu Changsheng looked ahead, unable to hide his shock.

Before him, the earth had split open into a vast chasm, winding and stretching like a flood dragon. From within that chasm, dense Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy continuously poured forth, like a flood dragon breathing mist.

Even from some distance away, Lu Changsheng could feel the oppressive force carried by that immense spiritual energy.

At the entrance to Dragon Fall Ravine, two elders stood guard. Quite a few disciples had already gathered there, forming a queue that stretched like a long dragon.

Lu Changsheng swept his gaze around, then joined the line.

However, Dragon Fall Ravine's popularity was truly beyond expectation. Though the line crawled forward slowly, the number of people in it only continued to grow.

Fortunately, the two elders maintained order, so no disciple dared to cut in line. Everything remained orderly.

Screech!

At that moment, a cry suddenly rang out from the sky, and all the disciples raised their heads in unspoken accord.

A mysterious black-clothed girl was riding a white crane, flying toward Dragon Fall Ravine.

Unlike the other disciples, the black-clothed girl did not queue. She walked directly to the front, greeted the two elders, and then entered Dragon Fall Ravine.

"Who is she? How can she just cut in line and enter Dragon Fall Ravine?"

Some disciples voiced their dissatisfaction.

"Shh! Keep your voice down. She is an Inner Disciple, so naturally she does not need to line up like us!"

"Sigh, Inner Disciples truly hold noble status. Even entering Dragon Fall Ravine comes with privileges..."

"Indeed, but becoming an Inner Disciple is easier said than done. Unless one can stand out in the Outer Sect Competition. This year's competition will likely be unimaginably fierce again..."

The disciples discussed it among themselves.

From within the queue, Lu Changsheng watched everything unfold.

He remembered that ever since childhood, he had lived in the Lingxiao Sect, becoming a Miscellaneous Servant Disciple of its outer sect. Lu Changsheng did not even know who his parents were. He only remembered growing up in the Lingxiao Sect and serving as a Miscellaneous Servant Disciple there for more than a decade.

After more than a decade of struggling through the mud and dust, Lu Changsheng had tasted all the warmth and coldness of human life. He had also participated in the Outer Sect Competition, hoping to rise to become an Inner Disciple and obtain better cultivation conditions. Yet his cultivation talent was simply too poor. More than a decade had passed, and he was still a Miscellaneous Servant Disciple.

"At the Outer Sect Competition, I will definitely become an Inner Disciple!"

Lu Changsheng silently vowed.

Having obtained the Creation Devouring Heaven Cauldron and cultivated a heaven-defying technique, Lu Changsheng possessed absolute confidence that he would surely rise above the rest in this Outer Sect Competition!

Another hour passed. After a long wait, it was finally Lu Changsheng's turn. He took out the token representing his identity as a Miscellaneous Servant Disciple, paid ten Spirit Stones, and successfully entered Dragon Fall Ravine.

The instant he entered Dragon Fall Ravine, astonishing spiritual energy rushed toward him, leaving Lu Changsheng feeling refreshed and invigorated.

"As expected of Dragon Fall Ravine!"

Lu Changsheng was secretly astonished.

The Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy within Dragon Fall Ravine was simply too dense. It even felt as though every pore on his body had opened at that instant, greedily absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.

Restricted by his status, Lu Changsheng could only cultivate on Dragon Fall Ravine's outskirts. But even its outskirts were overflowing with spiritual energy. Cultivating here would certainly yield twice the result with half the effort!

With that thought, Lu Changsheng no longer wasted time. He swept his gaze around and saw enormous boulders all around him, many of them occupied by disciples cultivating.

After searching for a while, Lu Changsheng sat cross-legged atop a huge boulder and swiftly activated the Heaven Swallowing Creation Art within his body.

Buzz—

As the Heaven Swallowing Creation Art circulated, all manner of visions emerged around him. Ancient green lotuses bloomed, immortal palaces rose and fell, and countless rare beasts roared without cease.

Boom!

At the same time, the deep black hole within his dantian suddenly erupted with a powerful suction force.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Within Dragon Fall Ravine, all the spiritual energy from every direction seemed to be drawn by an invisible force, surging madly toward Lu Changsheng.

The dense, pure power was drawn into his dantian, then swiftly flooded into his limbs and bones, coursing through his body like a raging torrent.

Lu Changsheng sat motionless like a boulder. At that moment, his body resembled a bottomless abyss, madly devouring the surrounding spiritual energy.

The black hole in his dantian grew ever more powerful in its pull, tyrannically dragging in spiritual energy from every direction.

"Hmm?!"

"What is happening?"

At that moment, the disciples cultivating nearby all opened their eyes.

They sensed that something was wrong, because the surrounding spiritual energy was crazily gathering toward a single spot.

They looked over and saw a figure seated within the spiritual energy. Since his entire body was covered by it, no one could see Lu Changsheng's face clearly.

"Heavens, what cultivation technique is he practicing? This speed of devouring spiritual energy is simply terrifying!"

"On the outskirts of Dragon Fall Ravine, there are only Outer Disciples, and most cultivate Yellow-rank techniques. How could there be such a powerful suction force?"

The disciples were all stunned.

"Hmph! He is merely some greenhorn who just entered the sect. Daring to devour Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy like that, is he not afraid of being swollen until his body explodes?"

Not far away, a green-robed youth snorted disdainfully.

This youth was named Huo Feng, an Outer Disciple who had entered the Core Condensation Realm.

Among the outer sect, there were also quite a few disciples from great Lineages who possessed some top-tier cultivation techniques. However, the spiritual energy within Dragon Fall Ravine contained a trace of violent Dragon Qi.

If one's cultivation was insufficient and one devoured too much spiritual energy in a short period, it was highly possible that one would explode and die. Such behavior was undoubtedly foolish to the extreme.

Yet several hours passed, and not only had Lu Changsheng not exploded, the black hole in his dantian had instead grown ever more terrifying in its suction force, madly devouring the surrounding spiritual energy...