Cultivation starts from simplifying the exercises

Chapter 2221 Who Else But Me?

The scorching and violent fire-attribute energy also contains an ancient and profound aura of the Great Dao's origin.

The spatial structure was exceptionally stable, even several times more stable than the training ground where the previous battle took place.

This means that fighting here can be more unrestrained, without worrying about easily shattering the space.

But soon, Chen Fei discovered a problem.

Even after expanding his spiritual perception to its limit, he couldn't sense the aura of any other prodigies.

Ten people were randomly placed into this vast and boundless world of blazing sun, and the distance between them was obviously farther than imagined.

"How can we meet when we're so far apart?"

Based on this distance, even if they fly at full speed, it would probably take them quite a while to meet, and they might even drift apart before they meet.

"A chaotic showdown: if everyone hides and is so far apart, how can they fight? Are they supposed to rely on luck, bumping into each other in this vast world and seeing who meets whom first?"

Chen Fei frowned slightly. Was this a test to see who would succumb to the harsh environment first, or be eliminated by some kind of danger in the blazing world?

This question had just arisen in his mind.

Suddenly, a vast aura, brimming with vitality and boundless mystery, erupted from the front, sweeping across the entire world.

This aura is so unique.

It seems to contain fragments of the Great Dao, the origin of life, and the rhythm of rules. For all practitioners, it possesses an attraction that originates from the depths of their souls.

The aura of a seventeenth-tier, low-grade spiritual material.

Almost the instant this aura appeared, the several prodigies scattered throughout the Fiery Sun World all trembled and turned their heads sharply to look in the direction from which the aura came.

They don't need to search for each other aimlessly, nor do they need to worry about not encountering an opponent.

This scorching world itself had already laid out its bait.

As soon as the aura of spiritual materials appears, all the geniuses will inevitably be attracted to it.

Moreover, judging from the situation, it seems that the five portions of spiritual materials will not be distributed until the final top five are determined.

It is very likely that the spiritual materials have been placed in certain specific locations in the Fiery Sun World in advance, and whoever has the ability to obtain them and manage to leave the Fiery Sun World may own them.

This undoubtedly makes the competition more direct and more brutal.

"A clever plan."

A glint flashed in Chen Fei's eyes, and he instantly understood the deeper meaning behind the rules.

This is no longer just a contest of strength, but a comprehensive test of one's abilities in timing, decision-making, concealment, escape, and even alliances.

With a thought, Chen Fei caused the void behind him to distort, and the Void Dharma Image holding the Chaos Halberd suddenly appeared.

Although it might expose the target, in situations requiring long-distance raids, the "Law of Heaven and Earth" state allows for the maximum mobilization of the laws of heaven and earth, maximizing speed.

With a single step, Guixu Dharma Form emerged, its feet flashing with spacetime array patterns. Its figure transformed into a chaotic stream of light that tore through the sky, hurtling towards the direction from which the spiritual material's aura emanated, moving with lightning speed.

At the same time, from the other sky screens, some figures that were originally hidden also rushed out from their hiding places, each displaying their unique abilities, transforming into streaks of different colors, shooting towards the same direction with a clear objective.

Even powerful figures like Yuwen Xuan and Zhan Wuji toned down their casualness.

The decisive battle begins now.

In his Void Reversion state, Chen Fei's speed reached an astonishing level.

Ignoring the consumption of energy, he pushed the spacetime acceleration power of the Eternal Spacetime Array to its limit, combined with the immense power of the Devouring Heaven Divine Forge, and sped across the crimson sky.

The scenery of the scorching world rushed past beneath my feet: erupting volcanoes, flowing lava rivers, burning forests, and bottomless seas of magma—all sorts of spectacular sights swept by.

As the aura of the spiritual materials drew closer, the profound Daoist principles contained within became increasingly clear, stirring the heart and soul.

However, as the distance closed, Chen Fei's Myriad Transformations Returning to Truth Spiritual Mirror also keenly detected another powerful aura that could not be ignored, which appeared on the edge of his perception.

Moreover, it is approaching the same target from another direction at a speed no less than his.

That aura was balanced and peaceful, yet it contained the mysterious rhythm of the movement of the stars and the birth and death of all things, and it also carried a unique fluctuation that was characteristic of the formation and its interaction with heaven and earth.

It was the Tianyan Sect, Tang Yin.

That little fortune teller who defeated Feng Butong in the last round, skilled in array deduction and divination.

Chen Fei never expected that this person would be the first one he encountered.

Chen Fei estimated the distance and concluded that, at their current speeds, they would arrive at the area where the spiritual materials were located almost simultaneously.

Meanwhile, on another part of the sky, Tang Yin, who was riding a slowly rotating, mysterious array and speeding through the air, seemed to sense Chen Fei's presence as well.

His usual calm smile faded slightly, and a thoughtful glint flashed in his eyes, but his pace did not slow down at all; in fact, it seemed to quicken even a little.

Two beams of light traced parallel paths beneath the blazing sun of the world, rapidly approaching the core area of ​​the spiritual material aura.

After about half a cup of tea's time, the view ahead suddenly opened up.

It was an extremely special area. Instead of scorched earth or molten lava, there was a huge platform formed from pure fire energy. The platform was as smooth as a mirror and had a diameter of over a million miles.

At the center of the platform is a fragmented crystal encased in nine layers of nested light shields of different colors.

That was the source of the aura of the seventeenth-grade low-level spiritual material, but there was only half of it, and it was tightly protected within nine layers of strange light shields.

Each layer of the light shield is a different color, from the outermost crimson to the innermost deep purple, emitting distinctly different energy fluctuations and auras of order.

Crimson and fiery, orange and heavy, golden and sharp, emerald green and vibrant, indigo and profound, purplish black and destructive...

The nine layers of light shield correspond to nine different rules of heaven and earth.

To obtain the central half of the spiritual material, one must traverse these nine layers of areas. Conversely, to leave with the material, one must again cross these nine layers in reverse order.

This is clearly a meticulously designed arena.

Chen Fei and Tang Yin arrived at the edge of this crimson gold platform almost simultaneously.

The two stood tens of thousands of miles apart, suspended in mid-air, their eyes immediately drawn to the strange nine-layered light barrier at the center of the platform and the half-portion of spiritual materials within it.

"Half a portion? And there are still nine layers of barriers?"

Tang Yin frowned almost imperceptibly, and the speed at which he waved his feather fan slowed down slightly.

With his expertise as a formation master, he instantly recognized that each of the nine layers of light shield contained complex and powerful rules, and that forcibly breaking in would consume a great deal of energy.

More importantly, even if one manages to obtain the spiritual materials by chance, when trying to come out again, one is likely to become the target of everyone's attacks and besieged by those who come after.

Chen Fei's gaze was deep and focused. The ultimate insight brought by the Myriad Transformations Return to Truth Spirit Mirror allowed him to clearly feel the energy and complex rules intertwined within the nine layers of light shield.

Tang Yin's eyes flickered, his mind racing as he quickly weighed the pros and cons.

This half of the spiritual material is certainly precious, but is it worth risking entering the nine perilous lands for it?

First of all, the process of breaking in itself consumes a lot of energy and mental strength.

Secondly, once they obtain the spiritual materials, they will become the most conspicuous target, their aura impossible to conceal, inevitably attracting attacks from other prodigies. Within the Ninefold Region, their movements will be restricted, making them like turtles in a jar.

Furthermore, even if one manages to escape the encirclement with the spiritual material, one will still have to evade the pursuit of everyone else in the vast blazing sun world until finding the other half of the spiritual material.

This level of difficulty is many times greater than simply stealth or combat.

Almost instantly, Tang Yin came to a conclusion.

Prematurely revealing one's trump cards, wasting strength, and falling into a passive position for a fragmented half-piece of spiritual material that will bring endless trouble is by no means the act of a wise person.

The world of Yanyang is so vast that if half a material has appeared, other half-materials of different grades, or even complete materials, will also appear.

It would be better to preserve our strength, observe the situation, wait for a better opportunity, or reap the benefits while others are vying for it.

Thinking of this, a resolute glint flashed in Tang Yin's eyes.

He didn't even look at Chen Fei not far away, nor did he hesitate or linger in the slightest. He gently tapped the array diagram at his feet with the feather fan in his hand.

"Buzz!"

The array flashed, carrying his figure, and cleanly changed direction, transforming into a streak of light, rushing back in the direction they came from.

They simply gave up on the half-portion of spiritual material that was within their grasp, without even considering trying it or just watching from the sidelines.

"Tang Yin is gone? He just left?"

"You didn't even give it a second glance? You just gave up like that?"

"That's a seventeenth-grade low-level spiritual material, even if it's only half a portion."

Even if you don't take it, it's good to hide on the side and wait to pick up a bargain.

"What do you know? This is what a smart person does. Those nine layers of light shields are clearly not a safe place; it's difficult to get in and difficult to get out. Taking the spiritual materials would make you a sitting duck. Tang Yin is a shrewd strategist; how could he put himself in danger for half a portion of spiritual materials?"

"That makes sense. Preserving our strength and observing the situation is the best strategy. Perhaps a better opportunity or a complete spiritual material will come later."

"But this is too decisive, isn't it? If it were me, I would at least try to see if I could break through one or two layers of the light barrier."

"So you're not Tang Yin, and you can't make it into the top ten. This kind of decisiveness is not something ordinary people have."

"Now only Chen Fei is left. What will he choose?"

Above the capital, in the sky corresponding to Tang Yin, his decisive departing figure caused quite a stir.

Many monks could not understand his choice, thinking he was too cautious, or even somewhat cowardly.

However, many discerning people and experts secretly nodded in approval, praising Tang Yin's rationality and decisiveness.

In chaotic battles, sometimes giving up requires more wisdom and courage than fighting.

At this moment, only Chen Fei remained at the edge of the crimson gold platform, facing alone the half of the spiritual material protected by the nine layers of light shield.

All eyes were focused on Chen Fei.

What will he choose? Will he follow Tang Yin's example and wisely retreat? Or will he be tempted by the spiritual material and take the risk?

At the edge of the crimson gold platform, Chen Fei's Guixu Dharma Image slowly lowered the Chaos Halberd in his hand. His chaotic eyes pierced through layers of space, looking beyond the sky, or perhaps just staring at the half of the spiritual material protected by the nine layers of light shield.

The next instant, the Guixu Dharma Image emitted a deep hum, took a step, and crossed the distance, directly arriving in front of the outermost crimson light shield of the nine layers of light shield.

The light shield appeared as thin as a cicada's wing, yet it emitted a terrifyingly high temperature that was extremely scorching.

If an ordinary divine weapon gets close, it will probably be melted instantly.

However, for Chen Fei's Chaotic Dao Domain, this pure high temperature is actually the easiest to be restrained and absorbed by the Returning to Nothingness characteristic.

The Dharma Image of the Chaos Dao Domain gently pressed its palm onto the crimson light shield.

"Buzz!"

The light barrier rippled slightly, but instead of rebounding or attacking, it split open like ripples on water, creating a portal. Inside the portal, the crimson light remained.

As expected, this was not a defensive barrier, but more like a test passage.

Without further hesitation, Chen Fei manipulated the Returning Void Dharma Form and stepped into the first layer of crimson light shield.

The moment I stepped inside, an indescribable, heavy pressure suddenly descended upon me.

It doesn't come from high temperatures, but from a comprehensive suppression and constraint originating from the rules of heaven and earth.

It was as if the surrounding space and even the invisible rules themselves had become several times thicker and heavier, frantically squeezing and binding his Dharma form, restricting the flow of his power and the speed of his movements.

Moreover, this suppression is continuous, constantly consuming his Yuan energy as he struggles against the heavy pressure of the rules.

Chen Fei did not stop. Despite the heavy pressure of the rules, he continued forward, passing through the crimson area and stepping into the orange-yellow light shield.

The pressure increased dramatically again, as if a towering mountain was weighing on my back, and the flow of my internal energy became even more sluggish.

Moreover, the pressure in this orange-yellow area is different from the high temperature in the red area; it is more like the weight of the earth and the constraint of gravity.

The third layer, the golden area, carries an additional sharp and incomparably cutting force within the pressure, as if an invisible blade is constantly slicing through the Dharma form and the Dao domain.

Although it is temporarily unable to break through the defenses, it continues to deplete the defensive power, exacerbating the burden on the Yuan energy and the soul.

On the fourth level, in the emerald green area, the pressure is slightly reduced, but there is an added withering force that can erode life.

The fifth floor, the sixth floor, the seventh floor, and the eighth floor.

With each deeper layer, the rules of suppression are superimposed with a new attribute, making it even more complex.

It's not just a slowdown in speed, but also an extreme pressure and erosion on the physical body, vital energy, soul, and will.

When Chen Fei stepped into the ninth level, which was also the innermost deep purple light shield area.

"boom!"

The terrifying pressure, like the weight of the entire blazing world, instantly pressed down on his Void Returning Dharma Form.

It was a heavy pressure of rules that combined the previous eight attributes and underwent a qualitative transformation, containing a trace of destructive Daoist charm that seemed capable of annihilating everything.

At this moment, Chen Fei felt as if he were trapped in solidified amber, or as if he were carrying ten thousand divine mountains on his back.

"With this kind of pressure, an ordinary mid-stage Tai Cang Realm cultivator would probably be instantly crushed into dust." Chen Fei was shocked.

These nine regions are excellent places to temper a cultivator's physique, but they are also deadly dangers.

Just as Chen Fei was advancing towards the spiritual materials in the ninth region under the overwhelming pressure, ripples appeared in the void surrounding the crimson gold platform.

A figure, tall and straight like a pine tree, with a stern face, holding a twelve-foot-long, jet-black spear, appeared silently.

It was He Jinchuan, another top genius of this generation from Hundred Flowers Valley.

He was also known for his marksmanship, but unlike Cheng Jing's unpredictable and agile style, which was good at stealth and sneak attacks, He Jinchuan's marksmanship was more domineering and majestic, emphasizing unstoppable advance and using brute force to overcome skill.

He is a rare powerhouse in Hundred Flowers Valley, one who follows a purely forceful and brutal path. (End of Chapter)