The Great Qi Dynasty at Last!
Time flies, and ten days of hard work and sleeping in the open pass in the blink of an eye. When the continuous forest finally recedes into the distance, replaced by the outline of a majestic and imposing city, everyone's spirits are lifted—the important border town of the Great Qi Dynasty has arrived.
The city walls soared into the clouds, constructed entirely of some kind of dark, massive stone, exuding an ancient and austere aura. The city gates were wide, bustling with activity, and a constant stream of people came and went, including many powerful martial artists whose auras were far beyond that of the Great Xia Dynasty.
"Hiss... What a powerful aura!" Yue Tao couldn't help but exclaim softly.
Xi Feng also flickered, a chill running through him: 'So this is the Great Qi Dynasty? Truly extraordinary! The sheer grandeur of its city walls far surpasses that of the Great Xia!'
What shocked everyone the most were the soldiers guarding the city. Most of the ordinary soldiers, clad in heavy armor and wielding long spears, possessed cultivation levels ranging from the Flesh Refining Realm to the Bone Forging Realm! And their captains, each with a deep and imposing aura, were none other than Blood Replacement Realm experts!
In the Great Xia Dynasty, Blood Replacement Realm would be a powerful figure, but here, he was merely a minor leader in the city's garrison!
A sense of awe arose in everyone's hearts, and their previous arrogance quietly subsided.
Zhao Qingfeng and Qin Rushuang stepped forward and presented documents and tokens representing their identities. After careful inspection, the city guard captain waved them through.
Stepping through the city gates, an even stronger aura of Martial Dao washed over us. Shops lined both sides of the street, their cries of vendors rising and falling. And among the crowds moving about, the proportion of martial artists was astonishingly high!
Martial artists at the Bone Forging Realm and Tendon Transformation Realm are everywhere, and occasionally one can even sense a few even more powerful auras One Flash, leaving the newcomers dazzled and full of amazement.
"See that?" Zhao Qingfeng spoke up at the opportune moment, his tone serious. "This is the Great Qi Dynasty! There are always people more capable than you, and there's always something beyond your understanding! Remember, never become complacent because of a little achievement, or you'll only end up like a frog in a well!"
Upon hearing this, everyone's expressions turned solemn, and they all responded in unison.
After finding a rather grand-looking inn and settling into their rooms, Zhao Qingfeng said impatiently, "There are still three days until the official start of the Battle of the Python Gate. You are free to move around during this time, familiarize yourselves with the environment, and adjust your mindset. Remember, do not cause any trouble!"
After giving his instructions, he turned and hurriedly left, seemingly heading towards the city center.
On the way, they happened to encounter several other Qi Refining Realm artists who were also quite powerful and in a hurry. They were muttering words like "Crimson Flame Stele" and "opportunity" as they headed in the same direction.
A barely concealed eagerness flashed in Zhao Qingfeng's eyes.
The trainees looked at each other, somewhat puzzled.
Qin Rushuang's clear, cold voice rang out, explaining to everyone, "In the center of the city stands a ' Crimson Flame Stele,' said to have been left behind by a powerful figure hundreds of years ago. The stele contains extremely profound Martial Dao True Intent. If anyone can comprehend even a sliver of its essence, even just the Entry, they will gain the qualification to directly enter the inner sect of the Earth Spirit Sect and enjoy the benefits of a core disciple."
"Go straight into the inner gate?!" Upon hearing this, everyone was in an uproar, their eyes instantly blazing with fervent light.
"Then, then we..." Yue Tao said excitedly.
"Stop thinking about it," Qin Rushuang interrupted calmly. "The Crimson Flame Stele's trials are extremely rigorous, and the profound meaning it contains is far too advanced for you at your current level. Forcing your way to comprehend it will only be harmful. It is primarily designed for experts at the Qi Refining Realm or even higher."
She added in her mind, 'However, this is merely a method used by the Scarlet Flame Sect of the Central Continent to select talent in this area.'
"A test left for the Qi Refining Realm expert?!" Everyone gasped. What terrifying existence must the expert who left the stone tablet be?! Grandmaster? Or... above that level?!
Seeing this, Qin Rushuang added, "Of course, if you're curious, you can go and take a look. Experiencing that atmosphere will broaden your horizons. But remember, only take a small taste and don't get too caught up in it, lest you damage your mind."
That being said, the allure of "rising to the top in one step" was too great, and almost all the students' Central Capital gleamed with an irrepressible light, wishing they could immediately rush to the legendary Crimson Flame Stele to find out more.