Fang Hanâs heart felt very relieved, he had finally gotten it off his chest.
However, he was still aware of his reliance on Fang Qing Xue. One day, when his cultivation surpa.s.sed Fang Qing Xue, only then could he truly breathe and do what he wanted to do, roaming the realms between the heavens and earth.
My current strength is closing in on ten horses. Upon becoming an inner court disciple, if I cultivate for another period of time, perhaps I can breakthrough the âDivine Realmâ. After all, the âNine Aperture Golden Pelletâ wasnât consumed for nothing. Along the way, might as well try for a spot on the âShanâhe Rankingsâ. As long as I can enter the front ten ranks on the âShanâhe Rankingsâ, I will be able to receive rewards from the school, lingâqi magic clothes, lingâqi flying swords, more powerful pellets, etc. These kinds of things, even if I donât want them there is no point in not accepting them.
Fang Han walked into the depths of the âSky Courtyardâ while he pondered these thoughts in his mind.
Entering the inner court with the current level of his cultivation was almost certain to happen. On his current trip to the âHeavenly Devil Arenaâ, his goal was to capture as many âHeavenly Devilsâ as possible and refine them into âGreat Blue Sky Pelletsâ. Since pellets were currently his sustenance, the more the better. With grain in the hand, the heart doesnât panic.
âStand still! Show the qualification tablet!â
At this time, a giant stone door appeared in front of him. The stone door was closed, and at the entrance stood four Yuâhua School elders. Seeing Fang Han walk over, they called out for him to stop.
Fang Han didnât dare be slow, and hurriedly brought out the jade qualification tablet. He knew that although these elders werenât comparable to the elders within the âYuâhua Sky Palaceâ, nor were they âDivine Realmâ cultivators, each of their strengths was no lower than him. Furthermore, on their bodies were various flying swords and lingâqi. Their combat strengths were amazing. Provoking these so-called âhalf eldersâ was comparable to provoking someone on the âShanâhe Rankingsâ.
One of the âhalf eldersâ received the jade tablet. After looking at it for a second, they waved their hand, turning the jade tablet into a streak of spirit light which flew atop the stone door.
Rumble!
The ancient stone door opened. From within, a qi which felt as vast as the universe came billowing out, swaying Fang Hanâs mind. Looking over, Fang Han could only see a portion of the void in the vacuum behind the door. Qi currents roiled around, making it unable for Fang Han to clearly discern what he was seeing.
âGo in! As long as you are able to spend a full ten days and nights within the âHeavenly Devil Arenaâ, then you can come back out. The âHeavenly Devil Arenaâ is a great place for cultivating. If you are able to withstand the hara.s.sment of the âHeavenly Devilsâ, then your spirit will experience a great tempering! However, if you feel as if you might be unable to stay for the full ten days and nights, then entering will be extremely dangerous; you might be killed at any time. If you want to back out, there is still time.â
While one âhalf elderâ spoke, another took out a bottle of pellets, âThese are five âRoyal Grain Pelletsâ which can help you maintain your physical strength within the âHeavenly Devil Arenaâ. Think carefully about whether you accept them or not.â
âI will not be backing out.â Fang Han received the pellets, his foot stepping over the threshold of the ancient stone door.
As soon as this foot crossed over into the stone door, Fang Han felt as if stepped into the darkness of the abyss. He felt as if the earth around him was moving, almost causing his head to become dizzy. Afterwards, his body drifted around, floating up and down. If not for his superior physique and great strength, he might have thrown up on the spot.
Buzz buzz buzz.
It was as if tens of thousands of bees were buzzing in his ear. His body suddenly lightened up, Fang Han had already floated to the bottom, his feet finally landing on solid ground. The s.p.a.ce in front of him lit up, revealing an unbelievable scene.
In front of him was a vast, desolate plain. Atop the plain were holes which seemed like volcano openings; it was as if meteorites had crashed everywhere.
The sky above was a misty blue color with some flickering light from stars.
Most astonis.h.i.+ng were the many large stone b.a.l.l.s which hung in the air. They seemed to be within an armâs reach, but Fang Han knew that these stone b.a.l.l.s were actually all tens of thousands of li away.
This place seemed to no longer be a party of the world in which Fang Han resided, because there was no sky like the one above him in his world.
Regardless of where he was in his world, there was never any giant stone b.a.l.l.s in the sky.
Is this the âHeavenly Devil Arenaâ?
Fang Han looked behind him. He realized that the stone door where he had just entered from had already disappeared without a trace. He was like someone who had been exiled, there was already no way back.
This is the âOuter Domain s.p.a.ceâ! Yan clicked his tongue, continuing, The stone door that you entered is a channel created from mana. It isnât something that ordinary people can travel through. If one hasnât reached the âG.o.dly Courageâ stage, then oneâs blood will become too roiled resulting in death. Many âImmortal Pathâ school disciples, if they break school rules, will be punished by being banished to the âOuter Domain s.p.a.ceâ, unable to return for eternity. This place is approximately tens of thousands of li from our world. Without extremely great Divine Will, there is no way back. This place is also the haunt of âHeavenly Devilsâ. âOuter Domain Heavenly Devilsâ, âOuter Domain Heavenly Devilsâ, this place is the âOuter Domainâ. âOuter Domain Heavenly Devilsâ like blood and flesh which contains strong Yang qi. Your body is extremely strong, so before long, many âHeavenly Demonsâ will sense us and flock over. At that time, we shall catch them to be refined into pellets and make big gains.
Then where should we go for now? Fang Han looked across the endless, desolate plain, Why donât I see any other outer court disciples?
The Yuâhua School is afraid that disciples will group up to contend with âHeavenly Devilsâ together and not gain any of the tempering effects. Thus, they transport every disciple to a different place. This âOuter Domain s.p.a.ceâ is actually an abandoned star. Although it cannot be compared to the world we live in, it is still unbelievably large, having a surface area about the size of several great empires combined. If you are interested, you can walk around, perhaps we can find some âHeavenly Materialâ type treasures. While the âOuter Domain s.p.a.ceâ is very desolate, âHeavenly Materialâ type treasures such as various minerals are very common. This place used to be a place where many âDivine Realmâ cultivators had to come to in order to mine minerals to refine into pellets. If you can find some rare minerals, they would be even better than pellets.
If I used some magic treasures here such as the âBlood Cotton Devil Clothesâ, would I be discovered? If not, then I will take the flying swords from within the âPicture of the Yellow Dragon Springâ and insert them into the âSeven Evil Spirits Gourdâ to form the âSeven Killing Swords Arrayâ.
Based on reasoning, they shouldnât be able to discover anything. However, since itâs the Yuâhua School headmaster who operates this âHeavenly Devil Arenaâ, it is best to play it safe.
In that case, okay.
I understand now why the Yuâhua School headmaster started this âHeavenly Devil Arenaâ and sends disciples here to undergo trials. It is to act as fishbait. The âOuter Domain s.p.a.ceâ is extremely far away, even if an âLongevity Realmâ expert flew for a thousand years they wouldnât be able to reach the edge of it, like the relation between ordinary people and the âw.a.n.g Yang Great Seaâ. These âHeavenly Devilsâ are pretty much the fish within the âw.a.n.g Yang Great Seaâ. This âHeavenly Devil Arenaâ is the place where bait is thrown. âHeavenly Devilsâ are very interested towards blood and flesh, so large number of you disciples are sent here every year to increase the number of âHeavenly Devilsâ gathering here. This is very similar to fis.h.i.+ng, sprinkling bait to create a school.
[TL: The raw says sprinkling bait to create a nest, but fish travel in schools so I changed it]
Fang Han thought about it, it was truly like this.
While he was discussing this with Yan, suddenly in the distance, a humanâs outline flashed. They were seemingly panicked.
âWho is it?â Fang Han hurriedly looked over the distance. It was actually Fang Qing Wei. Fang Qing Weiâs face was very pale, her magic sword gone, her hair in a mess, terrified. She was running as if she had encountered something extremely horrifying.
âFang Han, save me. I encountered a âHeavenly Devilâ, it is currently chasing me. Hurry up and save me. I will marry you, I will agree to marry you!â Fang Qing Weiâs sharp cries for help were just shocking.
She came closer and closer, arriving in front of Fang Han.
She isnât Fang Qing Wei, sheâs a âHeavenly Devilâ, suddenly warned Yan, be careful!
âWu wu, wu wu wuâ. At this time, Fang Qing Wei who was walking closer suddenly turned into a blur, rus.h.i.+ng towards Fang Han. Profound Yin Qi permeated the air, chilling the area. Fang Han felt as if his spirit had been frozen solid.