CHAPTER 260: 258, THE PERIL OF NO FOOD (1/4)

"Not necessarily." Since following Qin Mo into the Sect, Miao Yin rarely joined in on the conversations with everyone.

She is the disciple with the highest realm and has stayed in the 13th realm longer than any other disciple.

When she spoke, everyone looked over, but they didn’t quite understand why she said that.

"We’ve barely touched the entry-level, yet both of them can already control swords to fly as they will."

"Our cultivation is restricted to the 13th realm, and we can’t use other abilities. Winning should be quite difficult."

Everyone chimed in.

Miao Yin continued, "Have you forgotten, the elders will also participate. The elders have mostly mastered the fourth level of the Fireball Skill, and entry-level Sword Control Skill might not win. Also, haven’t you forgotten about Huan Shan? His Dragon-slaying Sword is a real magical artifact. Combined with Sword Control Skill, perhaps not even the elders are his match, and the new junior disciples might be even less so."

Yang Lele was momentarily stunned and quickly said, "The Dragon-slaying Sword shouldn’t be usable, right?"

Miao Yin continued, "It should be usable. The Sect Leader only said to restrict your original abilities, the Dragon-slaying Sword belongs to the items acquired by the Sect, since it’s the Sect’s competition, it will definitely be allowed."

While everyone was discussing, Wen Ping stepped forward.

"There are no restrictions on the Dragon-slaying Sword."

Upon hearing Wen Ping’s words, Huan Shan was immediately delighted, while the others followed with envy and jealousy.

This advantage is not a small one.

"Here we go, another strong contender emerges."

"In this grand competition, it’s estimated that not even the elders are Huan Shan’s match." Elders in the Upper Profound Realm are useless due to realm restrictions.

The Dragon-slaying Sword, though not equating to the Sect Leader’s Fire Rod, could easily defeat a Profound Realm cultivator. At least it’s a weapon of the Cyan Cloud Sect, capable of crushing opponents of the same realm without suspense.

Especially when facing Sword Control Skill, when the Dragon-slaying Sword attacks, it could first destroy your weapon and then kill you; you wouldn’t even have a chance to resist.

Listening to the crowd’s discussion, Wen Ping realized that Huan Shan seemed to have the greatest advantage.

This way, after balancing cultivation, a point of greatest imbalance appeared instead.

Immediately within his heart, he asked the system, "System, is this a BUG?"

The system replied, "No. Because their enemy is not themselves, the Dragon-slaying Sword poses no threat to each other; there is no such thing as whose advantage is greater or lesser. On the contrary, possessing the Dragon-slaying Sword implies strong power, therefore facing stronger opponents too, increasing the chance of being eliminated halfway."

"The enemy isn’t oneself? Then you mentioned they would have a battle for supremacy at the end."

"It’s only a contest for first place."

"Got it, by the way, is there any way to reveal more information?"

"The Secret Realm hasn’t been fully constructed yet, host, ask again tomorrow."

"When will the Secret Realm open tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow at midnight!"

"Okay."

Wen Ping responded, then glanced at the duo, Luo Mi and Wen Ping, who had already sheathed their swords. However, compared to other matters, their current expressions were more striking.

Their faces now showed intense delight, a feeling akin to finding a sweet spring in the desert.

"Sect Leader.

"Sect Leader."

Upon seeing Wen Ping, the two hurriedly bowed.

Wen Ping nodded and said, "Prepare yourselves; the Secret Realm of the grand competition will open at midnight tomorrow."

"Understood." Everyone nodded in unison.

...

Cangwu City.

A horse named Fengliu galloped straight into the city like a bolt of lightning, its speed appearing to truly "cut" through the stream.

Upon Fengliu Horse, a middle-aged man rode with a serious countenance, shouting on horseback all the way to the City Lord’s Mansion, "Make way, urgent message!"

Upon hearing this, everyone moved and made way.

When Fengliu Horse arrived at the City Lord’s Mansion, the middle-aged man dismounted and directly went in search of Huan Cheng, but he didn’t knock and enter Huan Cheng’s office, instead knelt before the door, "Sir, there’s trouble, Black Rock City refuses to sell us grain. Commander Li was also injured by people from the Hundred Sects Alliance."

Bang!

Suddenly the door was forcefully opened.

The scroll held in Huan Cheng’s hand was directly crushed.

...

Night fell.

Having just returned from the Fierce Beast Trial Ground cultivation field, Wen Ping practiced in War Intent State for a long time, and finally advanced his Sword Control Skill to the Minor Achievement Realm, with Fire Dragon Skill likewise stepping into Minor Success.

With this surprise, Wen Ping thought about wandering around the dormitory area.

The result was—still no sight of anyone reaching Minor Success in Sword Control Skill.

Yet the time for the side quest was running out, and this task seemed unlikely to be completed; a sense of punishment akin to deducting building levels seemed to beckon him.

Of course, Wen Ping wasn’t pessimistic. There were still 24 hours, he believed anything was possible.

The system couldn’t possibly set a task impossible to complete to trap him.

Just as Wen Ping prepared to go to Jianmu Forest for cultivation, Huan Cheng arrived.

Upon climbing the Thousand Layers, Huan Cheng, upon seeing Wen Ping, immediately said, "Sect Leader Wen, there’s big trouble this time!"

"Big trouble?"

Wen Ping instinctively glanced at the sky.

No Divine Profound Great Demon.

Huan Cheng hurriedly shook his head, "Not that, it’s Cangwu City. This morning, all the merchant caravans from Cangwu City going out for trade failed to buy grains."

"And then?"

Of course, Wen Ping didn’t think Huan Cheng came just to talk about such trivial matters.

Ever since killing Han Zhiyu of Extreme Realm Mountain once, regardless of crises, he hadn’t visited Immortal Sect.

This time, he ascended the mountain in the dark.

As expected, Huan Cheng continued, "Previously, our Cangwu City had a surplus of livestock, allowing for trade with nearby cities, exchanging goods for grains. But the recent beast tide killed the livestock raised outside the city, and fortunately, grains couldn’t be bought even with money..."

"Then what’s your point?"

"But this morning, the merchant caravans to Black Rock City suddenly sent an urgent message: Black Rock City no longer sells grains to Cangwu City, and it’s directly sanctioned by the Hundred Sects Alliance. If it’s led by the Hundred Sects Alliance, then the surrounding cities with surplus grains won’t sell to us. This results in a crisis where ten thousand people will face food shortages." Speaking of this, Huan Cheng seemed already to visualize the tragic scene of thousands starving, showing an expression of reluctance.

And without Huan Cheng continuing, Wen Ping had roughly guessed.

The Hundred Sects Alliance leading this, isn’t it just targeting Immortal Sect?

Otherwise, for what reason?

Ridiculous, such a large organization, not daring to come directly for revenge, resorting to such tricks.

Is it trying to starve the ten thousand people of Cangwu City?

He grew up here, he couldn’t watch the people of Cangwu City starve to death like this.

Without needing Wen Ping to speak, Huan Cheng continued, "For a common household of three, grains for one month is purchased at a time; I’ve investigated all the rice shops in the city today, their supplies only suffice for ten thousand people of Cangwu City for another month. Tonight, I ascended the mountain to seek your advice on whether there is any way to procure grains from other places."

"Uncle, distant water won’t quench immediate thirst, let me think it over before responding to you."

With that, Wen Ping sighed in his heart.

Recently, Immortal Sect truly is in tumultuous times.

Huan Cheng immediately nodded and turned to leave.

To him, at present, Cangwu City’s hope rested upon Wen Ping alone; if Wen Ping had no solution, the entire city’s people could only await starvation.

Temporary farming was simply unrealistic.