Chapter 99

Chapter 99: The Real Challenge

Ninth-Grade Lotus Seed.

Li Shuang’s pupils trembled. She drove the Supreme Emotionless Art madly and felt a thread of insight. She whispered in her heart: “Li Li!” and, reacting at once, Li Li guided the Black Abyss Sword, frost swirling along its edge, and slashed hard at the lotus heart.

As the seventh-grade seed was destroyed, a new lotus heart blossomed beneath it. Inside lay another seed. Ninth-Grade Lotus Seed.

“Who is it?” furious roars boomed from all eight directions, “Who dares touch the Lotus Seed?”

The whole ice sheet shuddered. Eight Demonic Beasts rushed toward the center.

Gritting her teeth, Li Shuang pressed her palm on the Ninth-Grade Lotus Seed. Like ice turning to meltwater, the seed vanished from the lotus heart and reappeared as a tiny kernel inside her dantian.

With the treasure for Foundation Establishment in hand, Li Shuang began Foundation Establishment at once. Most people would pick a sealed room, stack up pills, and set layers of defenses, terrified of any mistake. But Li Shuang had already gone through Foundation Establishment once, and her Soul Realm was far beyond what the Foundation Establishment Stage demanded. For her, once the right treasure was chosen, Foundation Establishment was just a single thought.

As her Qi Refining Stage power condensed toward Foundation Establishment Stage power, she chose a direction and tried to flee. To her shock, she could not leave the lotus’s range. That brief delay was enough: the eight Demonic Beasts arrived and ringed her in.

From far away, Liu Jun Cheng watched, gripping his sword tighter. He didn’t know what had changed, but if Li Shuang could not escape, he would fight to the death.

Yet although they surrounded her, not one beast struck.

Li Shuang, standing at the center, blinked. [What is going on?]

Above the lake, an ancient voice echoed: “Challenger Li Shuang, by absorbing the Ninth-Grade Lotus Seed you have opened the real challenge: fight to the end. The eight Demonic Beasts differ in strength; if the challenger defeats them one after another, it counts as success. The Ice Lake Perilous Ground is one of the Eight Perilous Grounds. If you succeed, you will receive a key. When the time comes, with this key you may compete with the Heaven’s Chosen of every continent for the final opportunity in the Langya Secret Realm. Challenger Li Shuang, do you accept the challenge? If you accept, the challenge begins. If you refuse, an escape path will open. Four random Demonic Beasts will chase you. If you run a hundred li, you may leave with the Ninth-Grade Lotus Seed.”

Li Shuang’s eyes gleamed. Ice Lake, one of the Eight Perilous Grounds, had revealed its true trial. Last time, she hadn’t even qualified to open it. This time, thanks to the Heaven and Earth Furnace’s hint and the nature of her art, she had found the Ninth-Grade seed.

[Do I accept? Of course.] She answered in her heart without hesitation: “Accept the challenge.” A key to the final chance, and a chance to stand with the best of other lands; why would she refuse?

She knew her Nanlan Continent was only a corner of this world. The truly thriving region was the Central Continent, where geniuses were countless and far beyond what her homeland could imagine. On Nanlan Continent, she might be top tier. In the Central Continent, maybe not. To seize the ultimate chance, she would have to compete with Heaven’s Chosen from all continents. [How exciting.] She would not miss it.

“Challenge, begin,” the voice declared.

The entire lake turned into a vast arena. The real challenge opened.

Outside the lake, Liu Jun Cheng stared at the change and guessed she had met a great chance. He grew even more tense. The greater the chance, the greater the danger. [Junior Sister, be safe.]

Another proclamation rolled across the arena: “Super Demon Beast: Wood Bud Beast. If you win, you gain three shichen of rest time, about six hours. If you lose, escape mode will start.”

At one end of the ring, a strange green beast stepped up, a tiny sapling sprouting from its head.

Inside Li Shuang, her power was still transforming. She was half a Foundation Establishment cultivator now, and even that gave her a huge boost. She stepped forward. With Li Li’s support, the Black Abyss Sword glimmered with killing frost.

The first match began. All eight were Supergrade Beasts, but there were grades among grades. The Goldenwing Eagle she had met before was a standout among its kind. This Wood Bud Beast was weaker.

The instant she set foot on the arena, ropes of green vines lashed toward her. She opened her Sword Domain at once and slipped through the gaps, flashing to the beast’s side. As Black Abyss cleaved down, the Wood Bud Beast shook the sapling on its head, and layers of leaves fell like flying blades.

A burst of extreme cold exploded from Li Shuang. The leaves froze in midair. Her sword fell true. The Wood Bud Beast vanished from the ring.

“First round: the challenger wins. The challenger gains three shichen to rest.” A countdown appeared in the sky.

She had struck so quickly for this very rest time. Li Shuang sat cross-legged and adjusted her breath. The Ninth-Grade Lotus Seed was truly extraordinary. Even at the start, just after taking it in, her power had already risen. Without it, freezing those razor leaves would not have been so easy.

She threw herself fully into the push to Foundation Establishment. The gas-like spiritual power compressed and condensed, becoming droplets that fell onto her dantian. The Ninth-Grade Lotus Seed melted, slow as spring snow, into those drops. A clear thought rang within her: “Take the creation of the Ninth-Grade Lotus Seed and forge the bedrock of yourself.” Another followed: “The road to Foundation Establishment opens.”

The process was slow.

After three shichen, another Demonic Beast stepped onto the ring. Li Shuang still lacked a final step to reach Foundation Establishment, but she had to fight. For most people, being interrupted like this would ruin everything. Li Shuang, who had once cultivated to the Nascent Soul Stage, controlled herself far better than an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator. She forced the transformation to pause and opened the second battle.

This beast was clearly stronger than the first. She accepted a few wounds to end it fast, then sat down again to continue refining.

Another three shichen passed. Her Foundation Establishment was interrupted yet again. She rose to meet the third beast. This time she was hurt more, but she still won quickly.

With three victories in a row, she finally turned the last trace of power into liquid. The Ninth-Grade Lotus Seed fully merged into her.

Foundation Establishment was achieved.

This time, with a Ninth-Grade Lotus Seed as her foundation, her strength far surpassed the self she once was at this stage.

“Fourth round, begin,” the voice intoned.

Li Shuang opened her eyes, confidence blazing in them.