Chapter 174 The Cave of Marriage 1
At this moment, many male and female cultivators dressed in colorful clothes and with beautiful appearances appeared, each carrying a tray, moving among the tables and chairs in the main hall.
Soon, snacks and tea appeared on every table, and there were even some wines, fruits, and fermented beverages.
It was precisely to accommodate the large number of guests.
Many practitioners subconsciously picked up their cups and brought them to their lips.
It tastes delicious.
At that moment, they all saw the scene within the Glazed Fire.
·
The genius who was engulfed by flames still had a handsome face, with a strong sense of arrogance between his brows and eyes. At this moment, as the black flames swirled, he did not show the slightest fear or panic. Instead, he stood there calmly, letting the black flames engulf him.
Upon closer inspection, the young man was surrounded by an invisible energy that kept all the black flames at bay.
·
Zhong Cai looked more closely, nudging the person next to her as she looked.
[Hey Lao Wu, isn't the shield around this guy also on fire?]
Wu Shaogan squinted, glanced at it, and then nodded.
[The flame patterns suggest a defensive technique based on his own mastery of fire power.]
Zhong Cai nodded as well.
The quality of this flame power is slightly better than that of black flame.
·
Therefore, the young man in the lead is indeed quite skilled. Even though the black flames seem extremely dangerous, they are actually only testing the geniuses' own flame strength and their understanding of flames...
With a casual flick of his hand, the black flames vanished with a "bang"!
Then, the young man took a step and continued walking forward.
The other cultivators who applied were treated the same as this young man.
No matter who it is, once they enter this Marriage Cave, they will be attacked by flames within a few dozen steps.
It might be black fire, or red fire, or even blue, white, blue, or purple... coming from all directions, appearing and disappearing like ghosts. No matter how mysterious your movement technique, you can't escape from the flames!
·
Zhong Cai pondered for a moment.
[The speed of this flame has reached level seven, hasn't it?]
Wu Shaogan pondered.
[The standard level seven is now achieved.]
Zhong Cai nodded again.
Even the most ordinary Spirit Transformation experts, when they move quickly, are much faster than those with the exquisite movement techniques of Suspension and Fusion.
The point is that these geniuses must withstand the test of fire, and cannot dodge it with their movements.
Zhong Cai rested her chin on her hand and looked at them one by one.
These geniuses, by showcasing their abilities one after another, actually gain a lot of experience.
The clever techniques they use can also provide a lot of insights.
·
As the numerous geniuses traversed the flames one by one, their true capabilities and whether their abilities matched their arrogance became immediately apparent.
Many geniuses, like the first one, demonstrate their own secret fire technique to break through the flames.
Some geniuses simply withstood the burns with their bare bodies, but when they were burned, flames involuntarily appeared on their bodies, colliding with the attacking flames...
A very small number of cultivators raised their hands and directly collected the flames—the reason they took these flames was naturally that they would use them to nourish their own physique or the flames they had cultivated when they returned home.
The vast majority of geniuses passed it easily.
Fan Jiming sat in the middle seat, looking just like many geniuses—ordinary and unremarkable.
He was enveloped in a ball of white flame.
The instant he was enveloped, Fan Jiming unleashed a faint layer of crimson flames, which mingled with the white flames.
Then, the crimson flames devoured the white flames.
Fan Jiming took a step forward, and the crimson fire, like a long snake, circled around him before disappearing directly into his body.
Then, he successfully caught up with the group and continued forward.
·
Zhong Cai unconsciously moved closer to Wu Shaogan.
[It seems that Brother Jiming's crimson fire erupted instinctively, rather than being controlled by him.]
Wu Shaogan pondered for a moment.
[His fiery physique coveted that white flame... Devouring it should bring some benefits.]
Zhong Cai agreed, and her gaze then fell on another handsome male cultivator.
He was very tall, and as soon as he was engulfed in flames, he quickly erupted with crimson-gold flames, making him appear extremely imposing. The flames then seemed to transform into countless palms, scattering all the encroaching fire!
The approach was swift and decisive, and the methods were ruthless.
but……
The special effects were a bit too exaggerated.
Even though Fan Jiming and the other cultivators also released some flames, they did so in a relatively natural way, and the intensity of the flames was not very strong. It was clear that they were just showing off their skills, all in order to pass the test.
The current one seems rather deliberate.
Zhong Cai was a little confused—was it appropriate to reveal her methods so early?
Wu Shaogan glanced over there and squeezed Zhong Cai's fingertips.
This should be the one from the Fang family.
Zhong Cai was taken aback at first, then quickly took a closer look.
Look at this person, and then look at the group of people in the corner of the hall... Sure enough, they do look alike.
If he really is the Fang family member who was pushed forward, then it's quite normal for him to be given special attention now.
First of all, this Fang family member was not sure if he could make it to the end, and his confidence was very low. If he wanted to gain even a sliver of a chance of being selected, then what was he doing was showing off his understanding of the Seven Treasures of the Crimson Sun Fire from every detail from the very beginning?
This makes it easier for powerful monitors to judge the quality of his flames, whether they are compatible, etc. If he is considered suitable, the powerful members of the Cold Moon Palace will naturally relax their requirements for his strength in order to select a more suitable candidate.
This Fang family member's cultivation level has only reached the Suspended Illumination Realm, which is almost the lowest level of all the recruited geniuses.
I just wanted to take a risk and find another way.
Fan Jiming is at the peak of the Suspended Illumination realm!
There are now more than two hundred cultivators entering the Marriage Cave!
They weren't ordinary cultivators trying their luck; they were genuinely cultivating fire attributes, and most of them possessed special physiques!
Having over two hundred is already a terrifying number.
·
About half an hour later, all the geniuses had completed their first trial by fire.
However, thirteen cultivators were injured before they could withstand the flames for long.
The other seven or eight who were uninjured did so because they did not rely entirely on their own abilities to solve the problem, but instead used defensive magical artifacts to defend themselves.
Both of these stem from insufficient personal ability.
So soon, beautiful disciples of the Star Moon Palace arrived gracefully and took these cultivators away.
·
Zhong Cai had just finished watching the test of fire and hadn't quite recovered when he heard a muffled thud.
Many cultivators heard this and turned to look in that direction.
Those cultivators who had been in the Marriage Cave and were being led out by the disciples of the Star Moon Palace were now appearing in a corner of the main hall.
Seeing so many people in the main hall, all staring at them... several cultivators blushed and felt quite embarrassed.
The disciple who was leading the way smiled and led them to their respective seats, saying in a gentle voice, "Please, distinguished guests."
These talented individuals who accepted the challenge were quite composed. Although they failed the first round and it was rather embarrassing, they quickly regained their composure and remained calm—they couldn't afford to be any more humiliated.
So they quickly took their seats as if nothing had happened.
Food and refreshments were quickly laid out in front of them, and they became spectators.
And sitting around these losers were the cultivators who had accompanied them.
The companions were all together.
Perhaps the companions also knew that the competition for husbands was fierce and the chances of winning were slim, so at this moment they neither blamed nor resented them, nor did they offer any heartfelt words of comfort. They simply clinked glasses with the losers, which meant they wanted to let it go.
·
As those geniuses ventured deeper into the Marriage Cave, the images within the entire Glazed Fire Belt gradually expanded, ultimately encompassing all the recruited geniuses.
At this moment, the glass fire had spread out completely, and the images were even clearer.
Some cultivators vaguely sensed that the scene presented by the Glazed Fire actually exceeded the entire area of the main hall... Judging from this, even the area where the flames were located must have been protected by a spatial expansion array, or some other means.
This is naturally very friendly to the "friends and family" watching the game.
It's completely visible.
·
Suddenly, the Glazed Fire turned black!
—It should be said that the cultivators who successfully passed the test of flames in the Marriage Cave are walking in complete darkness.
The people in the Moon Appreciation Pavilion were stunned for a moment.
Then they realized that the environment had changed.
With their eyesight, they can see very clearly after a little adjustment.
At this moment, in the eyes of the onlookers, those people in the darkness were simply walking, and there seemed to be nothing unusual about them.
but……
Zhong Cai looked at the soles of Fan Jiming's feet.
Wu Shaogan smiled slightly, his gaze towards his Ah Cai gentle.
A-Cai is very perceptive.
·
Zhong Cai is indeed keen in his observation. This is not only because he needs this keenness when refining pills, processing medicinal materials, and sensing the properties of various medicinal materials, but also because he has a great talent for combat and is very sensitive to changes in the external environment.
So he quickly noticed that with each step Fan Jiming took, there seemed to be a slight indentation.
So Zhong Cai frowned and stared at the "dent" without looking away.
What's there?
There's definitely something there!
The "things" in this unseen environment should be the test for the second stage.
In an instant, Zhong Cai's mind started racing.
What could it be...?
Tell him to think about it quickly...
After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Zhong Cai suddenly had a flash of inspiration!
Subconsciously, he turned his head to look at his old man, Wu.
Wu Shaogan looked at him in the same way.
The two whispered at almost the same moment: "Ironclad Spirit Insect!"
Then, they smiled at each other.
Zhong Cai was satisfied.
·
The armored beetle has a very hard exoskeleton and prefers to live in very dark environments.
Once it is enveloped in light, it will immediately attack and hurt people!
The insect's shell is indestructible to many mystical artifacts, and special powers such as yin-yang, ice, lightning, etc., will not cause it any harm. The only way to truly kill it is to roast it with fire.
The fire that kills it also has requirements—it must reach a certain temperature for the armored beetle to die instantly.
However, if the intensity of the flames is insufficient, the armored insects will instantly erupt and fight the flames' master to the death!
·
Zhong Caihe and Wu Shaogan speculated:
The reason this section of the journey was pitch black was firstly to avoid giving the armored beetles light and causing them to cause a great disturbance.
Secondly, it is necessary to ensure that the dark environment serves as an obstacle for the geniuses who have entered this level. Once they enter this level, their souls should be restricted, and they will be unable to use their souls to find their way. They will have to walk on foot and rely entirely on themselves to move forward.
This section of the Marriage Cave is probably filled with armored spirit insects.
If the talented individuals who applied want to pass, they must defeat the armored spirit insects. If they don't control their power well, they may not die here, but they will definitely waste a lot of time... Who knows if this test is timed?
·
Fan Jiming has undoubtedly done a good job in this regard.
It's likely that he's spent the last ten years exploring and searching for resources to support his unique physique, so he has accumulated a wealth of experience.
After taking only a few steps, he realized he had stepped on something hard, and quickly understood what was happening based on his surroundings.
At that moment, Fan Jiming skillfully manipulated the Blazing Sun Fire, channeling it from the soles of his feet into the armored spirit insects—this was done by using his feet to shield the flames from their light.
Moreover, Fan Jiming had never tried this before and wasn't sure about the right flame temperature, but he could simply step on the armored spirit insect and try it! Even if he failed, he could immediately use his profound energy to suppress the insect's counterattack.
The other cultivators naturally did the same.
But perhaps it was just luck, because Fan Jiming had only just begun to consider trying it when he suddenly felt his legs give way.
It wasn't that I was so scared that my legs went weak; it was that the "ground" beneath my feet actually went soft.
After the Ironclad Spirit Beetle is roasted to death, its shell softens and becomes very easy to destroy—these shells can still be sold for some money and are good materials for refining.
But now that they are inside the Marriage Cave of the Star Moon Palace—all the geniuses who came to take the challenge know that their passage through the Marriage Cave will be watched by a crowd—then of course they cannot take away other people's things just for a little money that they might be able to sell.
So, Fan Jiming endured the pain and continued walking forward.
The other cultivators, on the other hand, almost never had the idea of taking the shell with them.
There were so many armored spirit insects on this stretch of road, almost at every step, so the cultivators had to manipulate the flames under their feet to kill the insects with each step, and control the precision of the flames.
Upon closer inspection, it can be seen that no matter which cultivator, no matter how many armored spirit insects they trampled to death, the number of insects never seemed to decrease.
...I'm afraid that someone is temporarily releasing and constantly replenishing it, which will equally hinder all those who are recruiting.
·
Inside the Moon Appreciation Pavilion, many cultivators watched with great interest.
However, isn't this section of the cave a little too long...?
·
The entire Glazed Fireway was pitch black, with no light visible.
Within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the recruited geniuses broke through every obstacle. Even the numerous armored spirit insects beneath their feet were all killed by their flames.
However, some geniuses are not good at controlling their energy, and their use of profound energy is not very refined. So, despite their great efforts to conserve their profound energy, after a while...
Suddenly! A very piercing scream erupted!
—Some of the armored insects weren't killed instantly, so they rioted!
At this moment, several genius cultivators cried out in pain, and then flames enveloped their bodies, or they unleashed some powerful secret technique that manifested flames.
The geniuses naturally had to deal with the bug as soon as possible.
However, the flames were very bright.
When the armored beetles first attacked, they were stunned by the surging flames. But at the same time, more armored beetles, which were "shrouded in light", turned over and began to attack from different directions!
The armored spirit insects that covered the ground suddenly turned into an overwhelming swarm of insects!
They attacked every single talented person who answered the call in the Marriage Cave with madness and indiscriminate attacks.
In an instant, several more geniuses had their flesh torn off. In their pain, they simply unleashed their fire techniques and manipulated the flames with great force, killing another batch of them.
However, the brighter the firelight, the more numerous and ferocious the insects became.
The sounds of cultivators and spirit insects attacking each other echoed throughout the Glazed Fire Path. Gradually, voices began to rise from several other places, seemingly from guiding disciples to lead people out.
Sure enough, in the next moment, someone else appeared in a corner of the hall.
They were all geniuses who had failed the test, and most of them were covered in wounds—that's how ferocious and terrifying the armored spirit insects were when they devoured flesh and blood.
·
Zhong Cai's lips twitched slightly.
He didn't say anything, but he silently complained through telepathy.
[It's true what they say, one wrong step and a swarm of insects will be unleashed. Having to fight insects in the pitch black is truly terrifying.]
[So many people can't get past this hurdle! Everything was fine before, so why did they panic?]
"I counted, Old Wu, look, another twenty-odd have come out!"
Wu Shao chuckled dryly.
There will be more later.
Zhong Cai pursed her lips.
I want to see how many people this round of screening will eliminate!
·
As it turns out, this step can filter out many people.
Twenty-somethings came out first, then ten, thirty-somethings, and so on...
In the end, it was found that more than 120 talented recruiters failed this stage!
At least half of them were eliminated!
The number of remaining cultivators is...
·
As if in response to Zhong Cai's idea, the darkness in the glass fire disappeared, and it returned to a slightly darker scene inside the cave.
The scene became clear again.
Zhong Cai first found Fan Jiming, and then counted the remaining people.
One hundred and thirty-six.
Wu Shaogan smiled.
This level tests your ability to control fire.
[After all, he's going to marry Han Bingling. To make things easier for her afterwards, the son-in-law's flames must be carefully controlled; otherwise, even a slight mistake could harm her.]
Currently, the search for a husband favors Han Bingling, but all aspects must be carefully considered.
Zhong Cai let out a breath and nodded in agreement.
That's how it should have been.
[A cultivator who can't even control his own flames properly, what's the point of dreaming of marrying into a beautiful family? He's utterly useless to her!]
Thinking of this, Zhong Cai rubbed her chin.
[Brother Jiming is also very reliable in this regard, you see.]
Wu Shaogan looked over.
Sure enough, even though many people passed the test, most of them were injured when the armored insects were causing trouble, and at the very least, their clothes were a bit disheveled.
But Fan Jiming was different.
He looks exactly the same as before, still calm and composed, and hasn't even suffered any injuries.
Zhong Cai couldn't help but glance at the Fang family member again.
He actually made it through.
You should know that the reason why this armored spirit insect can cause such great damage to a group of Suspended Illumination and Fusion is because it is also a fourth-order insect!
Fang Jiazi stood there, still exuding an air of elegance.
Looking at his entire body, it's clear he wasn't without injuries.
For example, he lost a section of his left forearm sleeve and a piece of flesh.
However, the blood did not stain any other part of his clothes, and although the wound was somewhat bloody and mangled, it was not unsightly.
Fang Jiazi was far from the most miserable among the cultivators who remained.
·
Inside the Moon Appreciation Pavilion.
Many cultivators who have been watching this far are also deeply moved.
They also witnessed the impressive performances of many cultivators and observed the methods of displaying the power of flames, gaining valuable insights from their observations.
However, as time went on and more and more cultivators emerged, the difficulty of the trials within the Marriage Cave became apparent, proving to be no small matter.
From the outside, many onlookers thought the flames and armored insects didn't seem too difficult to deal with. But after listening to the failed geniuses talk about it, they realized how dangerous it was.
Just like before, these geniuses were trapped in the swarm of insects. When they were bitten all over and almost died in their mouths, a disciple quickly came and used a secret method to drive away the insects, thus rescuing them.
At that time, many geniuses hurriedly swallowed pills to treat their injuries.
Otherwise, things will get even more messy...
·
Within the glazed fire.
Even the geniuses who have already passed the test are still resting.
It seemed as if they were given time to rest on purpose, for there was no road ahead of them, but a tightly closed door.
We should wait until they have healed and recovered their Xuan power before continuing.
After all, this is a husband-recruiting contest, mainly testing their compatibility with their physique, their ability to control fire, and so on. There's no need for any kind of training or a competition to see who comes first or last, so there's no need to make it a miserable affair.
·
This rest period is about half an hour.
The talented individuals who responded to the call also took out pills or other healing substances to consume.
Some people sit cross-legged in meditation, seemingly trying to understand something, or perhaps adjusting their energy and spirit.
Fan Jiming himself was not seriously injured, and because he had used his profound energy very carefully beforehand, he still had a lot of it left.
So he conjured a small flame, slowly and skillfully changing its shape.
This is also a training method.
Over the years, Fan Jiming has used every means to hone his physical constitution, all in order to fully adapt to it and gain complete control over it.
Currently, it has been quite effective.
His control over his own physique was even smoother than that of many cultivators who had awakened special physiques innately—originally, cultivators with fire-attribute physiques were violent, easily agitated, and had difficulty controlling energy... but such weaknesses did not exist in him at all.
Why did the Star Moon Palace send out so many armored spirit insects as a test?
This is because these insects are the most suitable and best able to reveal how well these recruited cultivators control their own power.
Those that were slightly worse were eliminated.
That's why the number of people eliminated is so high!
·
Soon, the rest period ended.
The portal ahead opened.
In an instant, a long dragon of fire shot out!
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