NOVEL NEXT Chapter 254: The Ruined World
Chapter 254: The Ruined World
“Alright, let’s team up.”
Xu Lian thought for a moment before agreeing.
He knew far too little about the Ruined World, so having a teammate who had been there before would be helpful.
The young woman rolled her eyes. “Why do I get the feeling you’re reluctant? If you don’t want to team up with me, then don’t force it. I don’t want to team up with a rookie like you.”
Xu Lian replied, “No, no. I’m happy to team up with a talented genius like you who has over thirty years of experience.
The young woman glared at him. “Are you calling me old?”
Xu Lian explained, “That’s not what I meant. This isn’t about finding a cultivation partner. It’s about finding a teammate. Of course, the more experience, the better.”
The young woman snorted. “That’s more like it.”
The Ruined World hadn’t opened yet, so the two of them chatted for a while.
Through their conversation, Xu Lian learned that the young woman’s name was Liu Qing, and she came from a third-rate sect.
Liu Qing was in her thirties and had reached the 5th stage of the Divine Source Realm. Cultivation resources below the Divine Source Realm could be bought with Spirit Stones, and her sect could provide those without issue. However, the cultivation resources above the Divine Source Realm were “controlled” and mostly monopolized by the major top-tier forces. Her sect couldn’t provide them, so after reaching the Divine Source Realm, she had to venture out on her own to find the resources she needed.
This reminded Xu Lian of Donglai Zi, whom he had met at the Divine Barrier Waterfall. Donglai Zi had told him that the people who frequented the “unclaimed cultivation resource zones” could be roughly divided into four categories. One category was people like Liu Qing, who came from small or medium-sized sects that couldn’t provide them with “controlled” cultivation resources, forcing them to seek them out on their own.
Another category was people from top-tier forces who were there purely for training. It didn’t matter whether they obtained cultivation resources or not; their main goal was to gain insight, cultivate, and gain experience.
The third category was also people from top-tier forces, but they were not highly valued within their sects and didn’t receive enough cultivation resources, so they had to seek them out themselves.
The fourth category was people from the “resource halls” of various sects. No sect would ever complain about having too many cultivation resources, not even the top-tier forces. In addition to their exclusive cultivation resource zones, top tier forces would also send people to “unclaimed cultivation resource zones” to scavenge for leftovers.
Xu Lian felt that he belonged to a fifth category. He came from a top-tier force like the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands. It wasn’t that the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands didn’t value him-they had approved a “Supreme Cultivation Resource Package” for him, a super treatment that would make any cultivator envious. Unfortunately, his appetite was too big. He needed “five supreme packages” to feel satisfied, and even the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands couldn’t handle that. So, he had to go out and search for resources himself.
“Why don’t you join a major force?” Xu Lian asked curiously.
Liu Qing shook her head. “Major forces have too many geniuses. With my mediocre cultivation talent, even if I joined a major force, I wouldn’t be valued. I’d still have to go out and find cultivation resources on my own. How is that different from my current situation?
Besides, the major forces have strict rules and too many restrictions. I’d rather stay in a small or medium-sized sect where I have more freedom.”
Then she smiled and added, “Do you know what my status is in my sect? I’m a high-ranking elder. When the sect obtains something good, high-ranking elders like me have priority. When the sect recruits talented and handsome male geniuses, I also have priority to take them as cultivation partners. Isn’t that a carefree life? Why would I want to be a small fry in a major force?”
Small and medium-sized sects certainly know how to have fun… Xu Lian hated people who abused their power in small sects, but at the same time, he also wanted to be such a person. “If someone like me, who is at the Return to Void Realm, joined your sect, wouldn’t I immediately become a Supreme Elder?”
Liu Qing nodded. “Of course. If you joined our sect, you’d definitely be given the position of Supreme Elder. But you’re already at the Return to Void Realm. Even in a major force, you’d be considered a top-tier genius. Why would you come to a small sect like ours?”
Xu Lian was just making conversation. He still felt that it was safer to be in a major force. Small and medium-sized sects were like rootless duckweed in this treacherous world – a single big wave could wipe them out. Their ability to withstand risks was too weak.
After getting to know each other, the two of them began to discuss about the Ruined World.
Of course, it was mostly Liu Qing talking and Xu Lian listening, since he knew very little.
The Ruined World was shaped like a sphere that slowly rotated. There was only one entrance, and most of the time, it was turned toward the spatial turbulence, making it impossible to enter. Only when the entrance rotated to normal space could people enter.
The rotation cycle of the Ruined World was about a month and a half, so the entrance would only align with normal space once every month and a half.
“How many times have you been here? What’s it like inside? How do you get chances?” Xu Lian asked.
Liu Qing replied, “I have been here five times. As for what it’s like inside, it’s hard to describe. I just wandered around in a daze, and if I was lucky, I could get some cultivation resources.”
Xu Lian remembered the Divine Kingdom within the Hundred Boat Secret Realm. He had also wandered around in a daze, started a rebellion, become emperor, and somehow obtained the laws of the Divine Kingdom. If someone asked him about the mysteries of the Secret Realm of a Hundred Boats, he wouldn’t know how to explain it either.
This ruined world was a remnant of a legendary ancient holy land that had attempted to create an immortal realm, but was struck down by heavenly punishment. It was undoubtedly strange and different from the outside world.
Xu Lian said, “Tell me about your experiences from your previous visits to the Ruined World.
Liu Qing looked at him. “Give me something in return and I’ll tell you.”
“…” Xu Lian said, “We’re teammates, right?”
Liu Qing replied, “So what? Even teammates have to pay for shared experiences.”
Xu Lian thought for a moment. He still had some Void God Flowers left over from his last trip to the Divine Barrier Waterfall. He had planned to save them for the women in his life, but giving one to Liu Qing wouldn’t hurt either. So, he took one out and handed it to her.
Liu Qing’s eyes lit up, and she immediately took it and stored it in her spatial bag.
Xu Lian said, “Can you tell me now?”
Liu Qing began to explain, “The first time I came to the Ruined World, my sect leader brought me. There were about two to three thousand people who entered together. After we entered, everyone’s cultivation disappeared and we appeared in front of a huge stone wall.
Each person had to write a rule on the stone wall. Each rule that was written had to be followed by everyone. If someone broke a rule, he would be sent out of the Ruined World-essentially eliminated.
Of course, you could also try to trick others into breaking the rules in order to eliminate them.
The last person standing would get the reward.”
Xu Lian’s eyes widened. With so many people, the rules would undoubtedly be written all over the place. It would be easy to accidentally break a rule, making the challenge incredibly difficult.
He asked, “Did you and your sect leader make it to the end?”
Liu Qing shook her head. “No, I was completely clueless back then and was quickly eliminated. My sect leader didn’t last much longer either.”
Xu Lian couldn’t help but chuckle. A clueless sect leader and a rookie – no wonder they didn’t get far.