Immortality: Raising an Ant Queen to Cultivate by increasing stat points - Chapter 544

Chapter 544: Chapter 536: First Immortal Gate

Xiao Qing even obtained the Yao Family’s ancestral Medicine King Furnace.

After escaping the Medicine King Tower, Qin Niu did not hurry back to his guest room to rest. Instead, he asked Chi Xing to find a new place to stay.

In the end, they found a guest room for One Tael of Silver per day.

It was a homestay, where a city household rented out two of their own rooms to them.

It was a bit more expensive, but the advantage was its secrecy.

The great length Qin Niu went to change his accommodation was naturally to lessen the likelihood of being tracked down by others. Or rather, to lower the attention of those who might have an interest in finding him.

As long as he was in Elixir City, it would be no difficult task for the Yao Family’s enemies to find him if they truly intended to do so.

He was clearer about this point than anyone else.

The best method was to lessen the attention of those with intentions, and give them as little opportunity to investigate as possible.

Soon, Wang Wanyan was also brought over.

When she heard that Qin Niu and Xiao Qing had both been injured, she was extremely worried.

Upon entering the room, she quickly examined Qin Niu’s wounds, her eyes brimming with tears.

“Husband, are your injuries severe? How did you and Xiao Qing get hurt so badly?” she was already speaking with a sob in her voice.

Ever since they were married, they had lived together, rising and resting at the same time.

Wang Wanyan cared deeply for him, with eyes and heart only for him. This was the first time she had seen Qin Niu injured and it pained her heart heavily.

“We went to investigate the Medicine King Tower, but who knew the defensive formation would be so formidable, injuring both Xiao Qing and me. Xiao Qing even fainted, and it took me a lot of effort to find her. However, you don’t need to worry too much, we both came back alive, and with some rest, we’ll be fine.”

Qin Niu himself felt somewhat reluctant to deceive his wife.

But in order not to be noticed by those with intentions that this was all an act, he had to ensure it seemed real.

The best method was to deceive even those close to him.

Chi Xing and Wang Wanyan both believed it to be true, so that outsiders would believe it as well.

…

The next day, Qin Niu did not rush to attend the Water and Land Dharma Assembly; instead, he honestly stayed in the guest room to rest.

In fact, he was continuously cultivating, consolidating the realm he had just broken through.

Chi Xing went to the site of the Water and Land Dharma Assembly to gather information and also participated in the initial trials of the assembly.

He could not even pass through the First Immortal Gate.

After returning, his mood appeared very downcast.

“Brother Chi, the Water and Land Dharma Assembly occurs once every ten years. Even if you missed this opportunity, there will be another next time. There is no need to lose heart.”

Qin Niu’s complexion still looked somewhat pale.

The sound of his voice, however, was better than yesterday. Speaking yesterday, he had been very weak, the breath uneven.

“Alas! It’s all about fate! I wish to avenge my beloved wife, yet I can’t even pass through the First Immortal Gate of the Water and Land Dharma Assembly. The matter of revenge seems to be indefinitely postponed, which means that old thief gets to live much longer. Every time I think of my wife’s death, my heart aches as if being wrung, and I hate that I can’t consume the old thief’s flesh and blood.”

Chi Xing sighed heavily.

To see his wife violated to death by the Sixth Cave Master and not being able to avenge this blood feud as a fervent man, he would live in hatred every single day.

His soul tormented as if in purgatory at every moment.

“There will be an opportunity. Haste doesn’t bring success. The more impatient you are with some matters, the more difficult they are to accomplish. Since I promised to help you with your vengeance, I won’t go back on my word,” Qin Niu said as he patted his shoulder. “Tell me about the Water and Land Dharma Assembly.”

Chi Xing’s failure did not mean Qin Niu would fail too.

“Alright!”

He now could only place his hope in Qin Niu.

“Today is the first official day of the Water and Land Dharma Assembly. The participants were as numerous as the carps crossing the river. I roughly counted, and just in the time from morning to noon, there were over ten thousand participants.

Yet those who successfully breached the First Immortal Gate were few and far between.

Only a little over thirty people managed to break through the First Immortal Gate in the morning.

The red-robed fairy from the Hundred-Tempering Immortal Sect announced that due to the participation of over a hundred thousand contenders, the First Immortal Gate would remain open for seven days. It would not distinguish between day and night, and as long as one believed in their own strength, they could choose to take on the challenge.”

Out of over ten thousand strong contenders who attempted the First Immortal Gate, only a little over thirty managed to break through, the ratio being frustratingly low.

It seemed that seizing the chance for celestial fate was terrifyingly difficult.

Qin Niu had originally successfully advanced to the Immortal Scholar Realm and was full of confidence in seizing celestial fate.

Now, he had become somewhat uncertain.

“What kind of strength did the challengers you saw possess?”

Qin Niu asked.

“Some were experts from the Innate Realm, a small portion were experts from the Spirit Qi Realm, and there were also a few scattered Immortal Masters. Those who successfully passed through the First Immortal Gate were mostly Immortal Masters. As for the experts of the Innate Realm, only one person made it through the First Immortal Gate.

Those from the Spirit Qi Realm who managed to break through were all outstanding individuals. Each one had formidable combat power with many cards up their sleeves.

I consider my own strength to be not the weakest among my peers, but during the challenge, it was inadequate. I feel that this year’s Water and Land Dharma Assembly is more difficult than any previous one. There were even Immortal Masters who got eliminated in the first round.”

This was truly frightening.

Immortal Masters, each commanding respect in their own right, were formidable figures. Yet such beings couldn’t even break through the First Immortal Gate.

To say it was difficult, there was actually an expert from the Innate Realm who passed through the First Immortal Gate.

“What exactly is the method to break through the First Immortal Gate? Where does the difficulty lie?”

Qin Niu decided to ask for clarification first.

He had never participated in the Water and Land Dharma Assembly before and was completely ignorant of the Immortal Gate and all its rules.

“It’s an oval-shaped gate with seven colors, and once you enter, you search for the exit. Get through it successfully, and you’ve passed. If you can’t break out within the time of one incense stick, you’ll be expelled by the Immortal Gate, and that counts as a failure.

When I tried, perhaps because the hatred in my heart was too deep, it directly triggered my Heart Demon. In the end, before I could defeat the Heart Demon, I was expelled.”

Master Qin, when you challenge the gate, it’s best to maintain a calm mind. I heard it makes it easier to pass,” Chi Xing offered some advice to Qin Niu.

“So, you’re saying that for the first challenge, as long as you don’t trigger the Heart Demon or defeat your own Heart Demon within the time of one incense stick, you’ve passed?”

Qin Niu asked.

“If it were only that simple. The Heart Demon is just one of several factors. The challenge of the Immortal Gate tests all aspects of your abilities. In short, once inside the Immortal Gate, no matter the means, as long as you can find the exit and successfully break through, it’s considered a success.

Moreover, you could encounter anything inside the Immortal Gate.

Don’t trust anyone, because what appears to be your wife could actually be an illusion of your Heart Demon or possibly the Heart-reflecting Mirror within the Immortal Gate.

I’ve heard that this magical treasure is extremely malevolent; it looks similar to an ordinary mirror. But while an ordinary mirror only shows your reflection, the Heart-reflecting Mirror can reveal your true inner self.”

Hearing about such a nefarious magical treasure within the Immortal Gate, Qin Niu became somewhat anxious.

Wouldn’t all of his secrets be exposed to the people of the Hundred-Tempering Immortal Sect if shined upon by that Heart-reflecting Mirror?

He held many secrets: the Ancient Banyan Tree, the Fire Phoenix, the Green Demon Bee, having killed numerous high-ranking members of the Nine Insect Gang… But upon careful consideration, these secrets might be attractive to ordinary strong contenders, yet they would probably be dismissed by true immortals.

Thinking this way, the only thing he needed to worry about was the matter concerning Xiao Qing’s origins.

For now, he did not know who had wiped out the Yao Family.

Before participating in the Water and Land Dharma Assembly, he needed to figure it out. Otherwise, what if the enemies of the Yao Family were from the Hundred-Tempering Immortal Sect or one of its high-ranking officials? Wouldn’t that be walking into a trap?

But trying to identify the one who eradicated the Yao Family was equally dangerous.

His inquiries could easily draw the attention of the Yao Family’s enemies.

If they were to investigate, it could very well lead back to him.