The Attack of the Wastrel

Lingjiutian was the heart of the Cangwu Realm. Filled with Heavenly Law Fragments, the area was popular among the Four Great Clans.

Standing at the boundary of Lingjiutian, Gu Lingzhi could not help but be awed by the sight in front of her despite the unease she was feeling.

The originally barren and dust-filled land was stained a white colour from the thick spiritual energy that covered the place. Numerous streaks of color danced within the white cloud of spiritual energy. It was as if a rainbow was dancing about light and graceful, causing people to linger as if in a dream. Through the fog, there were people moving through it and shouts of either happiness or anger could be heard. It was hard to guess what was causing the commotion inside.

The people behind her took turns to be amazed. Gu Hongyan was the first one to react as he told Gu Lingzhi, “First mistress, those bright dancing streaks are Heavenly Law Fragments. The fragments have a spirit and only those that have fate with it will be able to get them. We can go and try our luck.”

Gu Lingzhi could sense the enthusiasm from him as she smiled and agreed to his request.

Although the reason for them entering the Cangwu realm was to protect her, she was not going to ask them to only focus on protecting her and miss out on their own opportunities.

Upon receiving her approval, several members from their clan gave a shout of joy as they rushed to where the Heavenly Law Fragments were congregated. Although only a minority had fate with and were able to obtain an entire Heavenly Law Fragment, the rest of the people could at least gain a few small pieces.

As her bodyguards disappeared, Gu Lingzhi exchanged glances with Qin Xinran and Tianfeng Jin as they rushed to where the fragments were gathered as well. Reaching out their hands, they attempted to grab at the Heavenly Law Fragments that were dancing in the air.

“Damn it, I can’t get it!” someone cursed.

Gu Lingzhi subconsciously glanced over as she saw the irritated expression on a guy as a Fragment floated out of his grasp. At that moment, she felt her hand suddenly become cold as the Fragment that she was holding disappeared. Within her, she felt an unknown energy appear.

Seeing the frustrated looks on the faces of those around her, she did not make a sound as she started to feel the energy that had suddenly appeared in her. The energy flowed through her body, changing into her own energy as her brain suddenly became more aware. It was actually a fire-based Heavenly Law Fragment!

Gu Lingzhi was secretly delighted. She never thought that she would receive the recognition of a Fragment here and be able to integrate with it.

Qin Xinran and Tianfeng Jin both held a few Fragments in their hands as they attempted to absorb into their body. Unfortunately, they failed and could only look at the Fragments as it floated out of their hands. They stood there empty-handed.

“Damn, these Heavenly Law Fragments are as hard to handle as they were rumored to be. If only we could bring it out of the Cangwu Realm.” After trying and failing once more, Gu Chengze grumbled. From the corner of his eyes, he looked towards Qin Xinran unwillingly.

He did not doubt his feelings for Qin Xinran. However, the difference in their status was the biggest obstacle between them. It resulted in him not even daring to say he wanted to woo her. With this opening of the Cangwu Realm, it was an opportunity for him - an opportunity to become stronger.

As long as he absorbed a sufficient number of Fragments, he would have the qualifications to become an expert Martial Artist. It was also the chance to be qualified enough to stand beside Qin Xinran. Therefore, he could not fail!

Everyone there had similar thoughts. Although there were enough Heavenly Law Fragments floating around for everyone, none of them were able to absorb it. They were never able to absorb the Fragments that they had caught.

On the other hand, Gu Lingzhi was facing a completely different scenario. She did not feel the same helplessness the others felt as she caught each strand of the Fragments. With just a little change in her spiritual energy, she was able to absorb every Fragment that she had caught. It did not matter what type of fragment she caught, she was able to absorb them all.

As a result, Gu Lingzhi’s cultivation continued to increase. She had already crossed the bottleneck faced by most Martial Artists when trying to breakthrough with her consumption of the Red Half-moon plant. Soon, Gu Lingzhi’s cultivation reached that of a Level Ten Martial Student and was at the critical point of a Martial Student…the peak Level!

However, Gu Lingzhi could not bring herself to be excited. The anxiety that she had felt upon stepping into Lingjiutian had increased.

In the middle of where the clouds were thickest in Lingjiutian, a group of over ten people were staring coldly at the other people attempting to absorb the Fragments. Among them, stood Tianfeng Wei. She wore a smug smile as she drew something. On the other side of Lingjiutian, someone else was also drawing a complicated spell. Several of his clan members stood watching over him as his face was filled with resentment.

“Brother, you all will pay for your stupidity!” shouted Beicheng Haoyue.

Beicheng Haotian sneered and responded, “Just because of Gu Lingzhi? Do you really think that the Third Prince will hold all four clans accountable over a dead woman? Haoyue, you are too young. Love is nothing but a passing phase. For power, all relationships can be cast aside.”

“The Third Prince is different,” Beicheng Haoyue said sharply, “If something really happens to Gu Lingzhi, His Highness will surely ruin all four clans!”

Different from Beicheng Haotian, whose entire mind was only filled with obtaining power, Beicheng Haoyue had come across Gu Lingzhi’s interaction with Rong Yuan multiple times and knew how much he loved her. If something really happened to Gu Lingzhi here, she could already imagine what would happen to all of the Four Great Clans.

“What a joke!” Beicheng Haotian rebuked as he turned up his nose, “Little sister, have you been spending too much time in the Royal School and have been influenced by those women who worship the ground the Third Prince walks on? No matter how daring the Third Prince is, he wouldn’t dare to do anything to the four clans. The Four Great Clans have been around for so long and have deep roots in the Xia Kingdom. We are not people that he can easily touch. Even if he wanted to act recklessly, he has to consider the consequences of his actions that would affect the entire Xia Kingdom.”

“Brother…why don’t you believe me?” Seeing the spell that was about to massacre everyone in Lingjiutian almost complete, Beicheng Haoyue became desperate.

“Brother, even if you are not afraid of the Third Prince taking revenge, have you considered our family? Not only are people from the Gu and Qin Clan in the spell area, there are also people from our clan. Do you want to kill all of them too?”

“Small sacrifices have to be made to accomplish big things. It is their honor to sacrifice themselves for the clan. After all, a natural disaster is not selective. They are just unlucky to be caught in the Spiritual Energy Surge in the Cangwu Realm and were unable to receive help.”

The Spiritual Energy Surge was a natural disaster that occurred occasionally in the Cangwu Realm. The thick spiritual energy would be activated due to an unknown reason and cause a natural disaster resembling a tornado. It would kill every Martial Artist that was unfortunate enough to be caught in it. In its most horrific occurrence, it was said that people from all Four Great Clans almost disappeared, leaving only a minority that were lucky enough to escape. Everyone from the four clans knew about the horrors surrounding the Spiritual Energy Surge.

This time, the Tianfeng and Beicheng Family had colluded to exterminate the Gu and Qin Clan members that had entered the Cangwu Realm. By killing all the youths from the two families, it would put them in a difficult scenario where they had no one to rely on.

Knowing that Beicheng Haotian was bent on killing Gu Lingzhi, Beicheng Haoyue could do nothing but shut her eyes in agony and pray for a miracle to happen. She wanted the Beicheng and Tianfeng Clans’ plan to fail. After all, Beicheng Haoyue had become Gu Lingzhi’s friend in Alchemy after training together a few times.

Gu Lingzhi was completely oblivious to the plots surrounding her as she continued to try combining the Fragments.

Soon... Very soon…

Closing her eyes, Gu Lingzhi sensed the changes in her body. She just needed to absorb another two more Fragments and she would be able to breakthrough to become a Martial Practitioner.

Something strange changed around her. The Fragments that refused to be absorbed by anyone no matter how much they tried were all suddenly attracted to her. Similar to bees heading towards a flower, they started to stick onto her palm.

Initially, there were only one or two strands but soon it became a mess as they all tried to attach to her. The Fragments that were not able to be absorbed all started to stick desperately onto her body. It made her feel as if she had entered a snake’s nest and she was about to be swallowed by all the snakes.

Could it be that the danger that she had felt was this?

Aching all over, Gu Lingzhi was not able to feel excited.

“Eh… Lingzhi, what’s happening to you?” Sensing something off, Qin Xinran shouted as her eyes widened.

Just as the sound of her voice died out, the ground suddenly became ablaze. The fires raged over two meters high, engulfing everyone within it. In a moment, shouts of pain could be heard from Lingjiutian.

Gu Lingzhi had formed a protective water cover around her the minute the fires shot up. However, the scorching heat was still able to get through.

The cries from everyone around her did not end as streaks of golden light started to pierce and fall from the sky. It pierced anyone who did not react fast enough mercilessly, causing many to howl miserably.

This was not the end. Following that, stones and vines that started to wrap around them appeared along with water arrows. The people in Lingjiutian finally realised what was going on.

The Five Calamities Formation…it was the most cruel formation that could be used by Martial Practitioners to kill others.

Someone was trying to kill all of them!

Seeing the formation around them and sensing its strength, this was definitely a planned attack!

“Who is so evil? If I survive this, I will tear that person into a thousand pieces!” Someone from the Beicheng family cried out in anger. He did not know that the people he was looking for were actually his own clan members. The Beicheng Clan’s members that were caught in this formation were used as a smokescreen to distract others and had been completely sacrificed.

Those from the Tianfeng Clan faced the same outcome. Compared to the oblivion of the Gu and Qin Clans, these groups of people that were abandoned by their own clans were more pitiful.

Raging flames, piercing rain, falling stones… the Five Calamities Formation was causing a massacre. Howls and bellows could be heard incessantly. Gu Lingzhi was also caught in the impending danger.