Northern Yan Chapter 28: The Bustle on Heavenly Peak
With over four hundred contribution points suddenly gained, Mo Hao hurried toward the Refining Chamber. During his recent trip to the Resentful Beast Mountain, one of his defensive magical artifacts had been damaged—a particularly regrettable loss, as it was a piece perfectly attuned to the Five Elements Spiritual Veins.
Entering the Refining Chamber, Mo Hao no longer limited himself to viewing low-grade artifacts as before; instead, he made a beeline for the mid-grade defensive artifacts. Although these mid-grade artifacts required a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator to unleash their full potential, employing blood sacrifice could also activate their strength. While the cost equated to the cultivation level of Foundation Establishment, their effectiveness vastly surpassed most low-grade defensive artifacts.
He searched and searched but could not find a Five-Element defensive artifact, not even one with four elements. Mo Hao sighed deeply—such Five-Element artifacts were truly rare treasures, almost impossible to come by. After all, cultivators with Five Elements Spiritual Veins were one in ten thousand, and hardly any artifact smiths would craft such specialized items. As he wandered, his eyes settled on a defensive artifact whose name caught his attention.
“Ice Flame Shield.”
It was a dual Five-Element defensive artifact, with ice as the primary defense and flame as the primary offense. This was not merely a defensive tool but one that could both attack and defend. However, its price was steep. Mo Hao had only four hundred contribution points and a thousand spirit stones on hand, yet this artifact demanded three hundred contribution points plus five hundred spirit stones to purchase.
Mo Hao sighed again. A typical mid-grade artifact usually cost a few hundred spirit stones or a hundred contribution points at most, but this one required a hefty sum of contribution points and spirit stones. Still, seeing its dual offensive and defensive capabilities, Mo Hao stomped his foot, gritted his teeth, and resolved to buy it.
He understood the gravity of the sect’s grand competition. His goal was to join the outer sect to seek guidance on the path of cultivation. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have returned from his small mountain village without even seeing his mother. This was the life he chose, the path he pursued.
He took out his jade token to pay the contribution points and spirit stones. With a flash of light, the artifact appeared in his hand. Playing with it for a moment, he grew fond of it. The artifact resembled a diamond-shaped crystal—blue on top and red below—translucent and dazzling, as if two spirit stones of red and blue were fused within.
After admiring it, Mo Hao placed the shield into his Qiankun pouch. He then glanced at other artifacts, spotting even a high-grade long halberd that tempted him greatly. But high-grade artifacts were beyond the reach of a Grain-Reducing stage cultivator like him; only Foundation Establishment cultivators could wield such power. Even blood sacrifice wouldn’t be enough to activate them, let alone his own full cultivation. Furthermore, such a weapon demanded over a thousand contribution points—far beyond his means. Mo Hao shook his head, deciding to avoid dreaming of such things. One should only wield artifacts commensurate with their strength.
Leaving the Refining Chamber, he was overwhelmed by the sheer variety of artifacts on display.
Mo Hao returned to the outer affairs sect, heading toward Tanya’s room. Standing before her door, he hesitated but still knocked. The door opened slightly, and without ceremony, Mo Hao stepped inside. The two sat facing each other, both seemingly deep in thought. They sat quietly for a while until Tanya finally broke the silence.
“Mo Hao! What brings you here?”
Mo Hao nodded thoughtfully, then looked up and replied, “There is something I’ve been pondering ever since what happened to you. After much consideration, I think there’s only one solution—but it requires your consent.”
Tanya was momentarily taken aback; she hadn’t expected Mo Hao to bring this up. Yet she understood the difficulty of the matter. Mo Hao then said:
“I hope you will participate in the upcoming sect grand competition. Though you are only at the early Grain-Reducing stage, I have some spirit pills to help you, and with your legacy of the Celestial Appraising Bird, I believe you can reach the mid-Grain-Reducing stage before the competition. However, during the contest, try not to use lightning attribute techniques, and do not let other cultivators, especially those Foundation Establishment veterans, discover that you possess the Mysterious Lightning Spiritual Vein. I see it as a double-edged sword—more harm than good.”
Tanya looked puzzled. “Didn’t you previously tell me not to reveal my cultivation level or to join the Xu Sword Sect? What changed?”
Mo Hao sighed, his expression helpless. “But you’ve already revealed your cultivation. It’s not fear of thieves but fear of those who covet. If you rely on me, a lone little cultivator without a sect or master, I might not be able to protect you. If you can perform well in the grand competition and earn the favor of a Foundation Establishment senior uncle, that would be ideal. Besides, I intend to give my all to achieve a good ranking. Entering the outer sect will be beneficial for both of us. I cannot selfishly jeopardize your cultivation path.”
Tanya lowered her head in silence. Mo Hao waited quietly across from her until she finally looked up with a determined gleam in her eyes and nodded.
Mo Hao then pulled out a collection of pills, including Ape Wine, from his Qiankun pouch and handed them over to Tanya. At his current state, he had no use for these pills, so he decided to help her. As he left the room, he did not notice the complex expression in Tanya’s gaze following his retreating figure.
Back in his own room, Mo Hao immediately sat cross-legged on his bed, unwilling to waste time in cultivation. For nearly nine days, he solidified the Celestial Remnant Divine Scroll. He discovered the scroll’s secret: the Five Elements’ symbiotic power could bless any artifact or spell, much to his delight. This would elevate his strength further.
In the remaining days, he carefully refined the newly acquired Ice Flame Shield. He felt that he had reached the limit of blood-sacrificing two mid-grade artifacts and sighed with regret. If other Grain-Reducing cultivators heard his sigh, they might be furious enough to abandon their cultivation. Ordinary cultivators considered owning a good low-grade artifact a blessing; Mo Hao, possessing two mid-grade artifacts, was still dissatisfied!
Early the next morning, amidst birdsong and blooming flowers in the courtyard, two elderly men hurried toward Mo Hao’s room, holding a transmission talisman. They had been busy for the past half-month, having managed the registration for the grand competition and endured much trouble.
Generally, all inner and outer sect disciples must participate in the grand competition, but outer affairs disciples were an exception. They could choose to register or not, with no pressure from the sect.
The competition was strict and demanding. The sect required disciples to sign life-and-death contracts to compete. This was understandable—it was the way of cultivation, survival of the fittest. Outer affairs disciples were not highly valued by the sect.
Hearing the elders’ knock, Mo Hao awakened from meditation and took the transmission talisman from them, signaling them to step back. He infused his spiritual power into the talisman and listened:
“The sect grand competition among the peaks will commence tomorrow at the outer sect grounds of each peak. Each peak will first select the top ten Foundation Establishment and top ten Grain-Reducing disciples. The ultimate top ten Grain-Reducing disciples in the competition will earn the right to enter the Luminous Mist Secret Realm and receive guidance from a Foundation Establishment cultivator. The top three Foundation Establishment disciples may each choose a high-grade artifact from the Heavenly Sword Treasury!”
Mo Hao narrowed his eyes. Receiving guidance from a Foundation Establishment cultivator was precisely what he desired. But what was the Luminous Mist Secret Realm? Could it be related to the Luminous Mist Pill? As for the Heavenly Sword Treasury, he was also unfamiliar, but it likely resembled the Refining Chamber—a place to store top-tier artifacts. It seemed a competition was inevitable.
Regarding Tanya, Mo Hao had asked Han Qing to assist two days prior, securing her qualification for the competition through her master. As for the cultivator interested in Tanya—Zhang Kunxiang, a mid-Grain-Reducing disciple—Mo Hao was not overly concerned. Zhang Kunxiang’s younger brother, Zhang Kunyang, was a late Grain-Reducing disciple with exceptional talent, a shining star of the outer sect. At just twelve years old, he had broken through to late Grain-Reducing stage, possessing dual Gold-Wood Spiritual Veins, perfectly suited for the Xu Sword Sect’s sword technique.
Though Mo Hao did not regard Zhang Kunxiang as a threat, he was wary of his younger brother. As fellow disciples of Ren Peak, Zhang Kunyang was sure to be a formidable opponent in the grand competition. Mo Hao had reached the peak of mid-Grain-Reducing stage only through certain fortuitous encounters, while Zhang Kunyang had achieved late Grain-Reducing through pure cultivation—a terrifying prospect.
The next day, Mo Hao prepared early to head to the outer sect, with Tanya beside him. Upon arrival, a young man and woman rushed toward them—Han Qing and Xiaoxue. Although Mo Hao had met Han Qing two days earlier, their contact was limited to written messages delivered by elders; they hadn’t seen each other for months. Han Qing greeted Mo Hao with a bear hug. Mo Hao was pleased to see that Han Qing had grown taller and shed much of his youthful innocence, gaining a more mature composure.
As Han Qing was about to greet Tanya, she gave him a sharp glare and turned away, leaving Han Qing embarrassed and Mo Hao scratching his head. Han Qing had explained his reasons—he had been forced by Zhang Kunxiang to accompany him after a chance encounter, a matter beyond Han Qing’s control. Mo Hao had also explained to Tanya, but she still sent him out of her room, leaving Mo Hao with little to say.
After some catching up, Han Qing led them to fly toward Tian Peak, the highest of the nineteen peaks and the main peak of the sect, where the sharpest cultivators of the Xu Sword Sect gathered. Ren Peak, where Mo Hao was from, ranked toward the bottom among the peaks, with few notable cultivators—but Mo Hao was content. Without Han Qing, he might still be a lone wandering cultivator.
After about half an hour, the four arrived atop Tian Peak, where the crowd was immense. Practically everyone from the nineteen peaks had gathered at the central sword platform. They waited there for nearly two hours, many growing drowsy, until a deep, resonant voice echoed across the gathering.
“Fellow cultivators, we have assembled you here for one purpose—the sect grand competition. You have waited long enough, so I shall not waste words. Each peak must first select its finest Foundation Establishment and Grain-Reducing disciples before competing for the top ranks. Your rankings not only recognize your personal strength but also bring great honor to your peak. The top three Foundation Establishment disciples may each select a high-grade artifact from the Heavenly Sword Treasury.”
The mention of rewards stirred a wave of excitement. Mo Hao glanced at Han Qing, who explained:
“The Heavenly Sword Treasury is a treasury atop Tian Peak, housing the finest artifacts in the entire Xu Sword Sect. It is said to contain over ten top-grade artifacts, even some supreme artifacts among the high-grade items. I even heard it holds a low-grade spirit artifact! Such depth of heritage is truly remarkable!”
Mo Hao betrayed no outward reaction but was deeply astonished in his heart. He dared not even imagine possessing a high-grade artifact, let alone a spirit artifact. He had heard that spirit artifacts were beyond the reach of Nascent Soul cultivators and could only be forged by Golden Core stage artifact masters. Their material requirements were extraordinarily stringent. Unlike ordinary artifacts, spirit artifacts possessed their own spirits and could achieve a unity of artifact and owner, wielding power leagues beyond mere artifacts.
However, this competition was among Foundation Establishment cultivators, so Mo Hao merely marveled quietly and refrained from further inquiry.
The deep voice spoke again, and Mo Hao glimpsed its source: an ethereal old man who stood above the sword platform, exuding an aura of transcendence.
“The elite Grain-Reducing disciples will earn entry to the Luminous Mist Secret Realm and receive guidance from a Foundation Establishment cultivator.”
At this, all Grain-Reducing disciples erupted in cheers.