Shengui Changsheng: Start from Zhenwuwei and add some points to cultivate immortality

The entire martial arts arena erupted in commotion! The name "Mo Chen" had completely captured the attention of all the spectators. A rogue cultivator at the eighth level of Qi Refining, after a series of fierce battles, had fought his way into the top four of the preliminary competition! This was simply the biggest upset of the entire Ascension Tournament's preliminary competition!

Among the four finalists, besides Fu Shaoping, the other three are: one is an outstanding disciple of the Xuantian Sect (perfected in Qi Refining, with superb swordsmanship); another is a young appraiser trained by Wanbaolou (perfected in Qi Refining, with strong spiritual sense and numerous magical treasures); and the third is a disciple of an elder of the Shenji Sect (perfected in Qi Refining, proficient in puppets and mechanical formations).

In the semi-final draw, Fu Shaoping drew the name of the young appraiser from Wanbaolou, named "Jin Buhuan".

Jin Buhuan looked to be only seventeen or eighteen years old, with handsome features, bright eyes, and a constant smile on his lips. He looked at Fu Shaoping with great interest: "Fellow Daoist Mo is truly astonishing. To win battle after battle with only the eighth level of Qi Refining, especially that Soul Interference Technique, is quite unique. My Wanbao Pavilion is most interested in all kinds of rare techniques and treasures. I wonder if Fellow Daoist Mo would like to have a chat after the competition?"

Fu Shaoping felt a slight chill. The other party seemed polite, but in reality, he was subtly scheming, pointing out his "soul interference technique" and implying a recruitment intention. He said calmly, "Fellow Daoist Jin flatters me. It's just a small trick, a fluke. If there's an opportunity after the competition, I will certainly ask for your guidance."

“No problem.” Jin Buhuan smiled, patted his storage bag, and immediately three magical artifacts floated in front of him: a small golden shield, a jade ruyi, and a copper coin-shaped artifact that spun around. “Fellow Daoist Mo, be careful. I don’t have any other skills, but I have a lot of magical treasures.”

Before the words were finished, the jade ruyi scepter was waved, and several strands of bluish light appeared out of thin air, wrapping around Fu Shaoping. At the same time, the copper coin magic artifact emitted a soft "humming" sound, and a strange fluctuation spread out, making Fu Shaoping's divine sense perception somewhat blurred and sluggish!

"A magical artifact that interferes with divine sense!" Fu Shaoping's heart sank. His opponent had indeed come prepared, having made preparations specifically targeting his "divine soul interference."

He activated the damaged Xuan Turtle Shield to block the light rope, while simultaneously channeling his soul power to resist the interference from the copper coin artifact. The "Contract Identification Technique" operated with difficulty, attempting to lock onto the spiritual connection between the opponent's true form and the artifact.

Jin Buhuan was clearly equally experienced in combat. Instead of launching a direct attack, he continuously used various low-level but functional talismans and magical artifacts to harass, delay, and weaken Fu Shaoping. At the same time, under the protection of his golden shield, he moved around unpredictably, looking for an opportunity to deliver a fatal blow.

Fu Shaoping was caught in a fierce battle. His opponent possessed numerous magical treasures, flexible tactics, and magical artifacts specifically designed to interfere with divine sense, greatly diminishing the effectiveness of his most relied-upon "Contract Identification Technique" and "Soul Contract Chains." Under the continuous attacks, the Xuan Turtle Shield's spiritual light grew increasingly dim, and his own true energy was also greatly depleted.

"We can't let ourselves be worn down like this!" A resolute glint flashed in Fu Shaoping's eyes. He bit his tongue sharply, and under the stimulation of the sharp pain, his soul power was forcibly concentrated once again, no longer scattered and interfering, but entirely focused on the "Contract Identification Technique," locking onto the most core and stable spiritual energy circulation trajectories around Jin Buhuan's body—the foundation upon which he controlled numerous magical artifacts!
At the same time, disregarding the risk of exposure, he secretly communicated with the inheritance of the Netherworld Contract in his sea of ​​consciousness, triggering a very weak backlash of the "curse contract" (not an attack, but merely a simulation of its aura). Mixed with his own soul power, it transformed into an invisible and intangible wave, yet carrying obscure malice, which followed the spiritual energy trajectory locked by the "Contract Identification Technique" and invaded in the opposite direction!

This is not an attack, but more like a kind of "contamination" or "marking," attempting to disrupt the purity and stability of the opponent's manipulation of the method.

Jin Buhuan was controlling the Jade Ruyi to launch a new attack when he suddenly felt a jolt in his heart. Several magical artifacts connected to his mind were becoming extremely difficult to control, as if they had been contaminated by something unclean. His expression changed slightly; this unprecedented situation momentarily distracted him.

Just at this moment!

Fu Shaoping moved! He poured all his remaining true energy into his feet and unleashed a short-range burst movement technique called "Shadow Step," a technique recorded in the "Netherworld Contract Book" that he had never shown to anyone before. It was a technique that used soul power to assist in its explosive power, but consumed a lot of energy. His figure flashed like a ghost and incredibly passed through the gaps in the light rope and the interception of the talisman, instantly closing in on Jin Buhuan!
Jin Buhuan was shocked, and his small golden shield shone brightly, protecting him. But Fu Shaoping's target was not him, but the copper coin artifact that was constantly emitting interfering fluctuations! With his last bit of strength, the longsword struck with perfect precision at the weakest point in the connection between the copper coin artifact and Jin Buhuan's divine sense!

"Ding!"

With a crisp sound, the copper coin artifact dimmed, stopped spinning, and the fluctuation that had been interfering with divine sense vanished instantly.

Fu Shaoping retreated immediately after succeeding, and at the same time, the last three "Soul Contract Chains" phantoms unleashed their full power, rushing towards Jin Buhuan, who had lost his composure!

Jin Buhuan hurriedly activated the Jade Ruyi and the Golden Light Shield for defense, but without the interference of the copper coin magic artifact, Fu Shaoping's "Soul Contract Chains" effect was greatly restored, causing his consciousness to become chaotic again.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Fu Shaoping mustered his last bit of true energy, and his longsword flew out of his hand, transforming into a streak of light that shot towards Jin Buhuan. Jin Buhuan hurriedly used his golden light shield to block it.

"Bang!" The longsword was knocked away, but Fu Shaoping took the opportunity to get close and slapped the side of the golden shield with a palm print containing the last of the wood and fire true energy. That was the non-major node where he had previously observed the flow of spiritual energy in the shield using the "Identification Technique".

The golden shield trembled violently, its spiritual light flashing wildly. Jin Buhuan staggered backward.

Fu Shaoping did not pursue further, because he was also at his limit, his face pale and he was about to collapse.

The referee assessed the two players' condition and announced, "Mo Chen wins."

Jin Buhuan looked at the damaged magical artifact and the panting Fu Shaoping, his expression shifting before he finally sighed, cupped his hands, and said, "Fellow Daoist Mo's methods are endless; I admire them. I look forward to exchanging ideas in the future." With that, he turned and stepped off the stage.

Fu Shaoping returned the greeting with difficulty, but felt little joy. The continuous fierce battles had nearly exhausted his trump cards, and he himself had suffered hidden injuries, leaving his true energy and soul power on the verge of depletion. His opponent in the finals would be either the swordsman from the Xuantian Sect or the puppeteer from the Shenji Sect; either way, they would be in far better shape than him.

He silently stepped off the stage, swallowed a few recovery pills, and quickly began to meditate. Regardless, he had made it to the finals, securing at least a top-ten finish and qualifying for the outer perimeter of the secret vault. He would do his best in the finals.

An hour later, the final began. In the other semi-final, the Xuantian Sect swordsman defeated the Shenji Sect puppeteer. His opponent in the final was Chen Feng, an outer disciple of the Xuantian Sect, a Qi Refining Grand Perfection cultivator, wielding an Autumn Water Longsword with chilling sword aura, his gaze sharp as a sword.

"It's truly remarkable that you've reached this point with only the eighth level of Qi Refining." Chen Feng's voice was calm, carrying the arrogance unique to disciples of major sects. "But this is where it ends. I'll show you the true Profound Heaven Sword Technique."

Fu Shaoping remained silent, only slowly raising the cracked longsword in his hand, the Xuan Turtle Shield barely hovering in front of him. His face was still pale, and his breathing was unsteady, but deep in his eyes, an indomitable flame burned.

Below the ring, countless eyes were focused. Everyone wanted to know if this incredible dark horse could create another miracle in the finals.
Chen Feng moved. His sword flashed like a cascading silver river, cold, swift, and precise, carrying a majestic and righteous sword intent that instantly enveloped the entire arena! Unlike Li Feng's ferocity and Jin Buhuan's agility, Chen Feng's sword was a perfect combination of pure power, speed, and skill—the culmination of countless trials and tribulations for a disciple of a legitimate sect!
Fu Shaoping instantly felt suffocating pressure. Under such dense and sharp sword energy, the Xuan Turtle Shield groaned and the cracks widened. His footwork and prediction seemed inadequate in the face of the opponent's unpretentious yet lightning-fast sword light.

In just three moves, Fu Shaoping's shoulder was slashed open by a sword aura, and blood gushed out. In the fifth move, the Xuan Turtle Shield finally gave way. With a "crack," the spiritual light was completely extinguished, and a large gash appeared on the shield. This magical artifact that had accompanied him for so long was temporarily rendered useless.

Chen Feng's sword strikes continued relentlessly, aiming straight for the center, determined to secure victory in one fell swoop.

In the critical moment, a ruthless glint flashed in Fu Shaoping's eyes. He stopped dodging and charged towards the sword light! At the same time, in his sea of ​​consciousness, the golden "Guardian Contract" rune from the Ghostly Swamp, the various changes regarding the "Soul Contract Chains" in the "Netherworld Contract Book," the sense of heavenly secrets obscured by the phantom of the "Sky-Covering Tortoise Shell," and the contract fragments filled with resentment and curses in the gray jade slip... at this moment, under the pressure of life and death, there was actually a very vague sign of fusion!

He wasn't going to unleash any earth-shattering secret technique, but rather to condense all these insights into a pure spiritual impact, mixing his indomitable will, his understanding of the Way of Contracts, and his comprehension of "concealment" and "protection," transforming it into a silent shout, and crashing into the purest point of the opponent's sword intent that the "Contract Identification Technique" had captured, the point that relied most on "belief" for support!

This is not an attack on the physical body, nor is it interference with the control of the soul; rather, it is a direct attack on the opponent's "sword heart" or "fighting belief"!
Chen Feng's sword trembled slightly. It wasn't due to a lack of strength, but rather because the invincible and unstoppable sword intent in his heart seemed to have collided with an incredibly tough yet ethereal "net of contracts" and "veil of fate," causing a hesitation that even he himself couldn't understand—this strike seemed to be tainted by some indescribable "cause and effect"?
This hesitation lasted less than a tenth of a second.

But for Fu Shaoping, who had focused all his mind and strength on one point, that was enough!
The cracked longsword in his hand, with the final infusion of true energy, burst forth with an unprecedentedly bright light (not because of its power, but because of the concentration of will), striking the point where Chen Feng's sword force was shifting at an incredible angle!

"Ding!"

The two swords clashed, and Fu Shaoping's longsword shattered with a crack! But Chen Feng's sword momentum was also deflected by this extremely precise impact.

Fu Shaoping lunged forward, dodging the sword's edge, and with his right palm gathering all the remaining wood and fire true energy (which even contained a faint trace of the contract's backlash caused by the mental shock just now), he heavily pressed it against Chen Feng's chest!
"boom!"

Chen Feng groaned, his protective inner energy violently trembling, and he staggered back three steps, his face flushed. He looked down at the charred palm print on his chest, then looked up at Fu Shaoping, who was kneeling on one knee, supporting himself with his broken sword, panting heavily, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.

He wasn't seriously injured, but the momentary hesitation in his sword intent, and the strange, unleashed strike from his opponent in dire straits, made him realize he had lost by half a move. If it had truly been a life-or-death battle, and that palm strike had been three times stronger, or combined with other techniques, the outcome would have been unpredictable.

More importantly, the fact that the opponent, with his Qi Refining Level 8 cultivation, could fight to this extent demonstrates his willpower and potential, which deserves respect.

Chen Feng sheathed his sword, cupped his hands in a gesture of respect to the referee and Fu Shaoping, and said, "I lost."

The entire audience fell silent for a moment, then erupted in gasps and discussions that were more enthusiastic than ever before!

Champion! Mo Chen, a rogue cultivator at the eighth level of Qi Refining, actually won the championship in this assistant personnel competition! This is simply unbelievable!
The referee paused for a moment before announcing loudly: "The final winner of this year's Ascension Tournament's assistant staff competition is—Mo Chen!"

Cheers, gasps of amazement, skepticism, and scrutinizing gazes surged like a tide toward the swaying figure on the ring.

Supported by Sun Hong and several familiar assistants, Fu Shaoping stepped off the arena. His face was deathly pale, and he was covered in blood, but his eyes shone with an astonishing light. Not because of the empty title of champion, but because he had fought with everything he had to finally obtain the ticket to the outer perimeter of the "Heavenly Palace City Secret Vault"!

More importantly, in his final confrontation with Chen Feng, he gained a deeper understanding of the contractual principles, the use of his divine soul, and even the mysterious "concealment of fate," a profound insight that transcended life and death. This realization was perhaps more valuable than any material reward.

At the awards ceremony, a steward from the City Lord's Mansion, a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, personally presented awards to the top ten. Fu Shaoping, as the champion, received three thousand low-grade spirit stones, a bottle of "Condensing Essence Pill" to help him break through the bottleneck of the late-stage Qi Refining stage, a high-grade defensive magic weapon "Mysterious Iron Inner Armor," and an ancient bronze key.

"This is a one-time access key to the 'C' zone outside the secret vault. Three days later, take this key to the Secret Vault Department of the City Lord's Mansion to enter and select one item. The time limit is one incense stick's time." When the steward handed the key to Fu Shaoping, he deliberately looked at him a few more times and said meaningfully, "Young Master Mo, take good care of yourself. In three days, make the most of this opportunity."

"Thank you, senior." Fu Shaoping accepted the gift respectfully, his heart filled with anticipation.

The Heavenly Palace City's secret vault, the final reward of the once-a-decade Ascension Ceremony, is right before him. He needs to recover from his injuries and adjust his condition within these three days, then venture into the vault to find the most crucial opportunity on his path to Foundation Establishment! (End of Chapter)