Chapter 489: Even the Demonic Path Doesn't Have This Kind of Cultivation Method

The techniques of the late Foundation Establishment stage were highly spectacular, featuring disciples of the immortal sects engaging in combat with various ancient cultivators suspected of dispersing their cultivation to rebuild anew, each displaying their own divine abilities, particularly Wei Nanfei, who stood out as a prominent figure among the immortal sect disciples, someone everyone dreaded facing in battle.

How long could one live during the Foundation Establishment stage, lest before a single match concluded, one's entire lifespan was burned clean.

"Fortunately, the competition imposes an age limit," Meng Jingzhou lamented beneath the stage, noting that the Asking Dao Sect indeed had worthy successors.

"How so?"

"If a bunch of veteran Foundation Establishment cultivators were allowed onto the stage, wouldn't they have to concede defeat on the spot?"

Bai Ming nodded, for that was true, as the remaining lifespan of those veteran Foundation Establishment cultivators combined was less than his own, and Wei Nanfei's technique naturally countered seasoned cultivators.

"The technique does have its flaws; it cannot burn the lifespan of cultivators with higher cultivation than oneself, though it poses no real impact in this competition," Meng Jingzhou possessed some understanding of the technique Wei Nanfei practiced.

The cultivation techniques practiced by the disciples of the Asking Dao Sect were all publicly available, making it convenient to discuss and study with one another to promote improvement, and if anyone kept theirs hidden, the reason was likely too embarrassing to mention, such as being forbidden from approaching women after cultivating it.

"A mutated version of the Heaven Burning Blood Ignition Art, quite interesting, but unfortunately, I have cultivated the Tortoise Breathing Technique, which can lock away my lifespan, perfectly countering him."

Beneath the martial stage, a tall cultivator slowly opened his eyes, his gaze cold as ice, revealing a confident smile; to others, Wei Nanfei was a formidable foe, but to him, he was merely mediocre.

It was only by Wei Nanfei's good fortune that he smoothly advanced to the finals, for had he encountered him, where would there be any chance of advancing to the finals?

Thereupon, he turned and departed.

He was a cultivator from the early Golden Core stage group.

"Burning the lifespan of others, quite imaginative, a fine prospect, and had he encountered me in my era, it would not be out of the question for him to acknowledge me as his master, what a pity."

Beneath the martial stage, a cultivator clad in a black cloak murmured to himself, lifting his hood to reveal a face covered in scars from blade wounds, burns, frostbite... every single scar represented a battle hovering between life and death.

And these battles had granted him an exceptionally formidable combat awareness, making it difficult to find a rival within the same realm.

Thereupon, he turned and departed.

He was a cultivator from the mid Golden Core stage group.

"Wei Nanfei, is it, quite amusing, the geniuses of the Asking Dao Sect truly cannot be underestimated, as for burning lifespan, it cannot be considered a threat."

Beneath the martial stage, a cultivator small and lean as a monkey squinted, analyzing Wei Nanfei's battle process as scene after scene flashed through his mind, contemplating countermeasures.

Having experienced so many matches, his combat experience was immensely rich, and he had long since conceived a method to counter it.

Thereupon, he stepped onto the martial stage.

He was the referee.

Fang Sheng stood upon the stage, waiting for Wei Nanfei to ascend.

Soon, Wei Nanfei led a flock of chickens, ducks, and pigs onto the stage.

Fang Sheng dared not be careless, for these were no simple beasts, but livestock possessing cultivation.

It appeared that Wei Nanfei was also a beast tamer.

"Asking Dao Sect, Wei Nanfei."

"Yi Sect, Fang Sheng."

The two assumed their stances, and the battle was on the verge of erupting.

Fang Sheng was studying Wei Nanfei's combat, and Wei Nanfei was also studying Fang Sheng's combat, concluding that this was a formidable opponent, leaving no room for the slightest wishful thinking.

Therefore, he exerted his full strength right from the start.

"Heaven Burning Blood Ignition Art!"

A cold sneer curled at the corner of Fang Sheng's mouth: "Do you think I came unprepared, I might as well tell you that before stepping onto the stage, I already consumed a pill that counters your technique, you cannot burn my lifespan!"

Fang Sheng possessed a few specially made pills that could temporarily lock his lifespan, which were intentionally requested from a grandmaster of alchemy to prevent any accidents during his slumber.

He never expected to utilize them here.

Anticipating that Wei Nanfei would be momentarily dazed upon learning this, Fang Sheng seized the opportunity to close in for melee combat!

"Spear Striking the Eight Directions!"

Wei Nanfei's axe gleamed bright, its light dazzling to the eyes, his movements incredibly swift, his eyes bright without a single trace of being dazed as he met the attack with full force.

Buzz—

The two weapons collided, unleashing a piercing buzz.

"How is this possible, how do you possess such power!"

Fang Sheng was horrified, shocked into a retreat, his long spear thrust into the ground to discharge the force upon it.

Based on observations from the previous matches, Fang Sheng discerned that Wei Nanfei could burn the lifespan of others to elevate his own realm, which was the power Wei Nanfei could only possess when utilizing his technique!

Yet clearly, his own lifespan had not been burned.

Wei Nanfei sneered: "Who told you I was going to burn your lifespan, did I buy the ingredients from Baixiang House for nothing?"

As if remembering something, Fang Sheng caught sight of the chickens, ducks, and pigs dying of old age out of the corner of his eye.

A miscalculation!

The heroes of the world were as numerous as crucian carps crossing a river, and Wei Nanfei had long anticipated that someone would devise a way to counter him.

Rather than allowing the opponent to actively counter him, it was better to alter his combat style beforehand.

"Force Splitting the Firmament!"

Wei Nanfei swung his two broadaxes, his muscles bulging as he mustered his strength, hacking Fang Sheng into successive retreats, soon backing him to the very edge of the stage.

Not good, to retreat any further meant defeat!

"Do not think you can win the competition using petty tricks, strength is everything!"

Fang Sheng shouted fiercely, a mist of spiritual energy rising from his dantian, condensing into a core as a plump golden core came into being in response to the moment.

A breakthrough amidst battle!

According to the plan, another half a month would be the optimal period for a breakthrough, but matters having come to this, in order not to lose, there was no other choice.

As a grand cultivator at the peak of the Body Integration stage who dispersed his cultivation to rebuild anew, his self-esteem could not endure the blow of losing to a mere Foundation Establishment brat!

Moreover, the rewards obtained after the competition would suffice to compensate for the flaws of his premature breakthrough.

Boom—

Fang Sheng struck back, the power of the Golden Core stage fully displayed, and though Wei Nanfei could be invincible within the same realm, facing Fang Sheng who was a realm higher than himself, he was left helpless.

"Fighting the Golden Core stage is still difficult... achieving a breakthrough to the Golden Core stage makes you rejoice like a madman, as if no one else can break through to the Golden Core stage."

Wei Nanfei curled his lip, for had it not been for participating in the competition, he could have broken through half a month ago.

"Condense."

His dantian grew hot as a warm current surged throughout his body, a golden core rising slowly like a brilliant sun.

Before Fang Sheng's astonished eyes, Wei Nanfei revealed a gentle smile.

"Alright, now everyone is at the Golden Core stage."

"My golden core might not compare to Senior Brother Lu Yang's, but to deal with you, it is more than enough!"

He drew various livestock from his specially made storage ring, burning their lifespans.

All purchased from Baixiang House.

Unsurprisingly, Wei Nanfei emerged victorious.

On the judges' bench, Qiu Jin'an rubbed his eyes in sheer agony.

It always seemed as though these ancient cultivators were not nearly as formidable as imagination had painted them; they possessed combat experience, certainly, but they sorely lacked flexibility.

Was sacrificing the lifespan of livestock to elevate one's own realm not a blindingly obvious stratagem? How could it possibly have eluded them?

"Burning another's lifespan to boost one's own combat prowess, no matter how you look at it, sounds entirely like a demonic cult technique," Yang Ding murmured under his breath, yet his whisper did not escape the keen ears of the Immortal Fairy.

As the acting sect master, she was bound to defend the honor of their lineage.

"You must not speak so carelessly. Our Wendao Sect is an orthodox sect officially recognized by the imperial court; how could we possibly harbor demonic techniques?"

"Besides, even the demonic cults don't possess a technique quite like this."

(End of Chapter)