Simulation becomes reality, have I ever looked down upon the eternity?

Chapter 573 The Nine Luminaries Divine Fire's Number One Expert in Object Recognition: An Ordinary Junior Brother!
Not long after, Nian Wubei arrived, and the group set off together.

[You and the group soared through the air, flying out of the Little Green Peak territory and arriving at Dragon Profound Peak.]

This peak ranks among the middle of the eighteen branches of the sect, and has about seven or eight hundred disciples, far surpassing Little Green Peak.

The area below the arena was already packed with people, mostly disciples from Xiaoqing Peak and Huoyun Peak, creating a lively atmosphere.

A jade tablet floated in mid-air, its surface shimmering with spiritual light, revealing two lines of clear names:

【"Little Green Peak · Qi Ling"】

"Fire Cloud Peak - Cai Lingkui".

Both are the senior female and senior male disciples of their respective peaks, and are renowned figures.

Fire Cloud Peak is renowned for its weapon crafting skills and holds a prestigious position within the sect. Although it is not ranked among the top, it is in no way inferior to the leading sects, and it has over a thousand disciples.

Qi Ling, dressed in purple, possessed outstanding elegance. She had won all six previous matches cleanly and decisively, accumulating many admirers within the sect. As soon as she stepped onto the stage, a burst of enthusiastic cheers erupted from below.

[The senior disciple of Huoyun Peak, Cai Lingkui, opposite them, appeared to be middle-aged. He was not tall, with striking red hair, a bulbous nose, thick eyebrows, and large eyes, exuding a rugged air.]

"Both sides exchange greetings."

The two bowed as instructed, and the presiding elder, with a flick of his sleeve, announced in a clear, resonant voice, "The contest begins!"

[As you gaze intently, you see that although both are at the early stage of the Heavenly Gate Realm, Cai Lingkui's cultivation is clearly more refined and profound, his aura as imposing as a mountain.]

[With a flick of his left hand, Cai Lingkui conjured five small flags wreathed in crimson flames. These flags then flew from his hand, accurately embedding themselves in the four corners of the arena, leaving one in his hand.]

This scene aroused the curiosity of the disciples watching from below the stage. This senior disciple of Fire Cloud Peak seemed to be using a completely different approach than usual—most Fire Cloud Peak disciples would throw out magical artifacts and treasures, shielding themselves with them like a tortoise shell, but he did the opposite, actually striking first.

The four flags, as soon as they touched the ground, seemed to take root and grow to a height of over ten feet.

The next moment, the entire arena transformed into a raging inferno, with scorching waves of heat surging outwards.

Many disciples felt the scorching wind burning their faces and stinging their skin, as if they were standing next to a giant furnace, and they retreated in horror.

[Qi Ling stood amidst the raging flames, the intense heat scorching her, yet she remained calm and composed, not even unleashing her magical artifacts.]

Seeing this, Cai Lingkui did not rush to attack. Instead, he frowned slightly and patted his storage bag again, and another magical artifact came out with a whoosh.

A massive, crimson cauldron, spitting forth raging flames, crashed to the ground with a dull thud, causing the arena to tremble slightly.

His skin instantly turned crimson, seemingly unfazed by the terrifying heat.

He strode forward and struck the cauldron with his palm. The molten lava inside surged, and the intense heat rose again, creating a scorching wave.

The arena's surface, forged from refined iron, began to melt, flowing a crimson red, demonstrating its extreme heat.

Seeing the disciples retreating one after another, some even flushed and unable to bear the heat, the presiding elder flicked his sleeve, unleashing a surge of powerful magic that transformed into a transparent light shield that enveloped the entire arena, isolating it from the overwhelming heat.

On the arena, Cai Lingkui had pushed the temperature to an alarming level; the air distorted, and the heatwave felt almost tangible.

The Fire Cloud Peak lineage is fundamentally focused on weapon crafting. Its disciples not only possess fire elemental roots but also spend countless years in the earth's fiery furnace, becoming accustomed to the high temperatures, yet still finding it difficult to endure.

The disciples of Xiaoqingfeng below the stage couldn't help but look worried, nervously glancing towards the stage.

Many disciples of Fire Cloud Peak felt somewhat indignant seeing that Qi Ling had remained calm and composed since taking the stage, without even activating his magical power.

[Qi Ling of Xiao Qingfeng, with such an arrogant and overconfident attitude, will only lead to her utter defeat.]

"Senior Brother Cai, you've even brought out the 'Five Elements Fire Plague Formation' and the 'Rahu Ketu Cauldron'! Are you trying to summon the Nine Luminaries Divine Fire?"

"Qi Ling is destined to lose this time!"

The Fire Cloud Peak disciples watching the battle didn't lower their voices; their tone carried a hint of arrogance as they directly pointed out the techniques Cai Lingkui was currently employing.

Upon hearing this, many disciples from the surrounding peaks showed expressions of astonishment: "Nine Luminaries Divine Fire? Isn't that a powerful technique that requires perfect mastery of the Five Elements to control?"

"It's probably using the power of the array flags and magical artifacts... but even so, it's extremely difficult to control!"

"The Nine Luminaries are the Sun, Moon, and the five planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn), plus Rahu and Ketu, making a total of nine luminaries. This divine fire is no ordinary thing."

"Now that the Five Elements are complete, and with Rahu and Ketu as support, the only missing elements are the Sun and Moon—it seems that Cai Lingkui actually possesses the 'Sun, Moon, and Fire Spirit Body'!"

Upon hearing this, the entire room suddenly understood.

"Qi Ling is in danger... Such power is probably difficult even for a mid-stage Heavenly Gate Realm cultivator to withstand!"

[Nie Qingzhu watched from afar, her brows furrowing slightly. If the Nine Luminaries Divine Fire truly appeared, Qi Ling would likely be unable to withstand it.]

Yet you remained calm. You knew that with Qi Ling's concealed true cultivation level, he was more than capable of handling this situation.

[It remains to be seen how she will break this deadlock.]

On the arena, the fire cauldron slammed shut, and a wisp of golden flame leaped out. Though only the size of a soybean, its light was as intense as the sun, blinding anyone who looked directly at it.

Many disciples around them had stinging eyes and were tearing up uncontrollably, so they raised their hands to shield their eyes.

Cai Lingkui said in a deep voice, "Admit defeat. I can't control this Nine Luminaries Fire either."

The girl in purple simply smiled calmly: "Thank you for your kindness. Unfortunately, you can't defeat me."

Cai Lingkui's face hardened. "If you don't know what's good for you, then don't blame me for being ruthless."

Her voice was cold and clear: "I will defeat you with fire magic."

Flames raged again, yet the purple robes danced gracefully amidst the fire, her elegance unparalleled.

As soon as Qi Ling finished speaking, cheers erupted from below the stage, especially among the many female disciples who stared at her with adoration.

Qi Ling gently exhaled a wisp of purple mist, as ethereal and graceful as a rosy cloud.

Then, she opened her mouth again as if inhaling—instantly, the surrounding flames, as if summoned, transformed into wisps of red mist, which she absorbed into her stomach.

Even the tiny, bean-sized wisp of Nine Luminaries Divine Flame was drawn by her invisible power, hovering before her. This time, she didn't swallow it, but simply extended her delicate hand and held it in her palm.

As if holding an oil lamp, she parted her lips slightly and blew gently forward—

In an instant, the divine fire surged forth, like waves and tides, instantly engulfing the entire arena!

Cai Lingkui, standing opposite him, was dumbfounded, frozen in place, unable to react.

The disciples of Fire Cloud Peak below the stage were utterly horrified, almost unable to believe it.

This is the Nine Luminaries Divine Flame... yet it's being held so easily in someone's hands, like a toy!

Fortunately, the presiding elder had already stepped in front of Cai Lingkui, and with a wave of his sleeve, a surge of powerful magic power parted the oncoming flames.

Cai Lingkui, quite frankly, immediately said, "I lost."

He simply stared at Qi Ling opposite him, a hint of disbelief still lingering in his eyes. Even with his innate "Sun, Moon, Fire, and Spiritual Body," he dared not touch the Nine Luminaries Divine Fire with his bare hands; how could the other party do it so easily?

After a moment of silence, he finally sighed softly, somewhat wistfully saying, "There are always people more capable than you, and there's always something beyond your understanding. I've seen it all." Qi Ling returned the greeting with a slight smile: "Senior Brother, you flatter me."

A deafening cheer erupted from the audience, especially from the disciples of Xiao Qingfeng.

In this battle, Qi Ling once again won with a near-total crushing victory.

Qi Ling's gaze shifted slightly, only to catch a glimpse of a cool-looking girl with fiery red hair turning and leaving the stands.

She was slightly surprised, recognizing that it was Feng Qingge from Yaohua Peak, who had actually come to watch the battle.

However, Qi Ling didn't pay any attention; her gaze quickly fell back to the other side of the viewing platform. There stood a man with a calm expression, as if the outcome before him had been foreseen all along.

This Senior Brother Zhou... didn't seem surprised.

You quietly concealed the glint of light in your eyes. Qi Ling's effortless victory was due to her true Fire Phoenix bloodline and the presence of a companion Fire Phoenix.

When it comes to the way of fire, whether cultivators or true spirits of the mortal world, who can rival the fire phoenix?

[Nie Qingzhu and the old man also showed expressions of relief. If Qi Ling won another match, she could enter the top nine.]

Many elders on the second floor looked grim. How could Little Green Peak, the weakest of the eighteen branches, have accepted a disciple with such talent as Qi Ling?

[Qi Ling is destined for great things; Xiao Qingfeng is truly lucky.]

In the afternoon, another arena competition, the "Object Recognition" contest, was held at Yaohua Peak.

Without lingering any longer, you set off directly for Yaohua Peak.

The number of disciples who came to watch this time was not as large as during the last "calligraphy and painting competition." This was because many other martial arts duels were being held simultaneously today, creating a much larger spectacle.

Most disciples in the sect prefer to observe actual combat – the stage is filled with the sect's true elites of this generation, whose battles are not only spectacular but also greatly beneficial to their own cultivation.

The crowd was mostly drawn to the dueling arena, leaving only about half the seats occupied in the spectator stands.

[There are also ninety arenas, and ninety people participate simultaneously.]

[One thousand four hundred questions, and whoever answers them all correctly wins.]

[Today's host is also Duanmu Xiwei.]

You slowly step onto the arena. The same water mirror and isolation array as before quietly rise up, allowing only one person to stand within it.

[Light and shadow swirled on the water mirror, revealing an image; one only needs to use divine sense to discern what is within it.]

[Duanmu Xiwei's cool voice echoed throughout the arena: "The time limit remains four hours. The winner is the one who correctly identifies the correct number."]

"The competition begins!"

[You watch as the arena formation slowly closes, and the scene in the water mirror begins to change, revealing a strange, large tree.]

The tree was about three zhang tall, its leaves like solidified jade beads, its trunk like cast bronze, its surface flowing with crimson jade-like fluid, gleaming brilliantly.

[You immediately recognized it as one of the ancient Kunlun divine trees, the "Elixir of Immortality." Though called a medicine, it is in fact a primordial treasure tree. Legend has it that simply consuming its fruit or leaves can grant immortality.]

[It's just a legend; no such divine object has ever appeared in this world.]

[You wrote it down with your divine sense, and the scene immediately changed again.]

The scene reflected in the water mirror shifted, revealing a series of volcanoes, within which grew a giant tree, its entire body ablaze with flames, seemingly burning eternally.

[You recognize this as the "Inexhaustible Wood" from ancient legends, growing on the fiery volcanoes of the south, its fire burning eternally since time immemorial.]

The scene shifts again, this time revealing a small, seemingly ordinary blue flower, yet growing in a wondrous place.

Behind it, the mountains resembled sculptures of gold and jade, surrounded by a vast ocean, while a bright moon sank in the west, its gentle light spilling down.

[With a slight shift in your mind, you realize this mountain must be "Zhaoyao Mountain," one of the ancient sacred mountains, situated in the far west, where the moon sets, standing between the vast ocean.]

[A kind of magical herb grows in the mountains, "its shape resembles chives but with blue flowers; eating it will prevent hunger."]

The name of this herb is indeed "Zhu Yu".

[You wrote it down with your divine sense, and the scene in the water mirror shifted again, revealing a strange beast: shaped like a yellow fox, but with nine tails and nine heads, roaring towards the sky. From the mirror came the sound of weeping, as mournful as an infant's.]

This is the ancient spirit, the "Dragon Leech."

Its appearance is quite similar to that of a nine-tailed fox, but it has eight heads, and its cry is more like that of another great evil spirit, "Xiang Liu".

The scene shifts again, revealing a secluded spring with strangely shaped, crimson stones floating in its waters, resembling glass.

The more than one thousand questions that followed were almost all about ancient mythical beasts, rare treasures, and some cryptic ancient scripts.

Clearly, this assessment was designed to explore the "Heavenly Emperor's Treasure Vault." After the thousandth question, the objects appearing in the water mirror became increasingly rare and extraordinary; even the Fangcun Mountain Library had no record of them, though they had been seen in the Imperial Capital's collection.

[An hour and a half later, when you have answered the 1400th question, the arena formation will activate.]

A barely perceptible hint of surprise flashed across Duanmu Xiwei's eyes, but he quickly regained his composure.

Half an hour later, Fu Dongcheng emerged from another arena. Seeing that you had already finished, he frowned.

Another hour passed before disciples began to break through the formation and emerge.

The third is Kongming, a disciple of Five-Colored Peak, and the fourth is Sima Wanli of Doushu Peak.

After four hours had passed, only ten people successfully left the arena; the rest had failed to answer all the questions correctly.

[Among them, only Zhou Jing and Fu Dongcheng answered all the questions correctly without any mistakes; the other disciples all made mistakes on different questions.]

[Duanmu Xiwei announced in a clear voice: "In this round of the object recognition test, Zhou Jing and Fu Dongcheng are tied for first place."]

The young disciple of Qingfeng was somewhat unconvinced, arguing that the young disciple had gone into battle first.

However, due to Fu Dongcheng's status as the sect leader's closed-door disciple and Duanmu Xiwei's prestige, no one dared to speak up.

After the formation analysis was completed, the disciples gradually dispersed.

However, many people had already secretly deduced that, judging from the three rounds of competition already held, the two who would ultimately emerge victorious would most likely be Zhou Jing and Fu Dongcheng.

The group from Xiao Qingfeng felt as if they were floating in a fog, making it seem somewhat unreal.

[If Senior Brother Zhou Jing wins again after tomorrow's "chess game," he will automatically be ranked "tenth" or "eleventh" in this Star Picking Competition.]

Is this still the Zhou Jing they know?

Looking at the young man slowly walking down from the arena, Lü Qingyu felt a surge of genuine joy, yet mixed with a hint of indescribable disappointment.

[After the Star-Picking Gathering, in just half a month, the junior brother seemed to have transformed from the ordinary junior brother he once was.]

Moreover, this feeling is growing.

(End of this chapter)