Chapter 984 – Movement of the Magic Cube
Ever since Lin Ming took the Phoenix Blood Spear from Saint Artifact Pavilion, many disciples were stimulated by it. They trained hard, hoping to test their luck at Saint Artifact Pavilion. Although they didn’t expect to take a top grade saint artifact, even taking a low-grade saint artifact was enough.
This was similar to when in the world of mortals someone who ran into some luck and found a nugget of gold in the fields. Other people wouldn’t care about whether or not they would have the same luck and would rush toward that same field to dig it up.
“What? 1000 phoenix cry seal marks is enough to enter Saint Artifact Pavilion, so why are you charging us 2000?” Several new disciples scowled at Song Baifeng. They had worked hard in order to save up 1000 contribution points each and they came to Saint Artifact Pavilion to test their luck. But the result was that they were blocked by Song Baifeng before they were even able to pass through the door.
Song Baifeng proudly rode on his fire lion, looking down on these new Life Destruction realm Firebird Hall disciples with an authoritative air. He looked over these new disciple as if they were toads, thinking to himself, “Humph, these fellows want to come and take a saint artifact? Have they even looked in the mirror recently?”
Song Baifeng uproariously laughed and said, “What I say you need to enter, is how much you need to enter!”
These past days, Song Baifeng’s days hadn’t passed in peace. He didn’t dare to bully any of Fairy Feng’s people anymore. It wasn’t that he feared Fairy Feng, but that he feared Saint Artifact Pavilion’s artifact spirit. The artifact spirit was his immediate commanding superior. He atleast had to make it through this period of limelight first.
With less people to extort, Song Baifeng became anxious. After all, for someone in his position he had people above and below him that he needed to bribe, otherwise how could he stay here for 20-30 years?
Song Baifeng had decided to mess around with the disciples of the smaller factions. But these disciples didn’t have much to begin with. No matter what, it was impossible to strain water from these dry rocks. This caused his days to be rough.
“You, how dare you do this!” The several disciples flushed red. Just as they were about to say something else, they suddenly saw Song Baifeng jump up as if a fire was lit under his ass. He hurled himself off the fire lion and his arrogant expression completely became servile with a flattering smile. In the blink of an eye, his entire person had done a complete 180, and he acted like someone else entirely.
These disciples didn’t understand just what trick Song Baifeng was playing until they saw him groveling towards the front of a young man in front of him. “Sir Lin, welcome. Sir Lin, please come in. Sir Lin, did you make such a majestic appearance today to pick up your second top grade saint artifact? Hahaha, it seems as if my Saint Artifact Pavilion will have another top grade saint artifact that will find its rightful master. A top grade saint artifact can only be matched with such a heavenly genius like Sir Lin in order to be considered the best use.”
Sir Lin?
Lin Ming didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at hearing this title. He was just a common person who originated from the lower realms, so when had he so suddenly become a young master?
Song Baifeng was an extremely obsequious toad-like character. Even if he needed to open his mouth and call Lin Ming his daddy right now, he would still do so without batting an eye. He attentively led the way for Lin Ming, treating those shocked disciples behind him as though they were nothing more than air.
After Lin Ming entered Saint Artifact Pavilion, the dumbfounded disciples finally regained their composure. This scene had truly opened their minds. For someone to be so arrogant at one moment and then become such a bootlicker the next, this sort of thick skin could only come from a top cultivation method.
“Pathetic! I can’t believe he is craven to such a degree. When he sees the juniors of noble families, it’s like he’s seeing his own father. How can this sort of person even think of cultivating on the martial path? He will never enter the Divine Transformation realm!’
“No kidding, this is too aggravating. What’s so special about those noble family juniors? They’ve had a silver spoon in their mouths since they were born. All of their cultivations are entirely dependent on their sheer amount of resources. If I was born in a noble family, I would be at least ten times stronger than they are.”
“Noble family? Are your ears deaf? Did you not hear just who that was?” The third disciple with the highest cultivation shook his head. “That youth’s last name was Lin. In Phoenix Cry Palace, are there any Lin Family Clans you know of that can have Song Baifeng be respectful to such a degree? Well, rather than respect that should be called fear. Song Baifeng asked that Sir Lin if he came for his second top grade saint artifact, meaning another one was taken before by him. The young disciples that can take a top grade saint artifact are rare, even in the entire Phoenix Cry palace, and with his sixth stage Life Destruction cultivation added on top, who do you think that is?”
As the other two disciples heard this, one of them was still confused. But the other one perked up and said, “He’s Lin Ming, the one that took the Phoenix Blood Spear and defeated the four layered heavens Ninefall Huo Yanguang?”
“So that’s Lin Ming! He looks like a scholar from the mortal world; there’s nothing too special about him!”
”What do you know about what’s special about him? He restrained his aura so that he doesn’t seem any different from a common man. If he released his aura, we wouldn’t even be able to approach him! Just a while ago he was at the fifth stage of Life Destruction but now he’s already at the sixth stage!” The leading disciple shook his head and patted the shoulders of his two brothers.
“You don’t need to come from a noble family to be treated with respect. All you need is strength.”
In Saint Artifact Pavilion, Song Baifeng was all smiles as he led the way in front. His small and timid steps made him seem like a eunuch from a mortal royal palace.
“Sir Lin, come take a look. This great halberd is the top grade saint artifact that replaced the Phoenix Blood Spear after it was taken by you. The quality is a much lower than the Phoenix Blood Spear though; Sir Lin definitely doesn’t need it. There are still 8 top grade saint artifacts here, why don’t you see which one fits your preferences best?”
After reaching the center of Saint Artifact Pavilion, Song Baifeng attentively introduced Lin Ming around. How was this the glorious procedure of challenging and taking a saint artifact from Saint Artifact Pavilion? It was more like purchasing clothes from a store.
However, Lin Ming truly did have the ability to choose as he wished. He simply didn’t need to care about the test and could choose whatever he wanted. This was the advantage conferred to him by strength.
“I don’t need a weapon. As for the pill furnace, ring, vestment, necklace, and armor, tell me what they are. Especially the ring and necklace.”
Lin Ming didn’t need vestments or a pill furnace; he already had the Nine Feathered Heaven Robe and Sun Melting Furnace that he won from Huo Yanguang. Although they were only high-grade saint artifacts, he could use them all the same. An armor wasn’t important to him now either. What Lin Ming most wanted were the ring and necklace.
The necklace was in truth a protective charm. It was attached onto a very ordinary looking red thread, something that seemed as though it could be sold in a stall of a mortal kingdom.
“Of course!” Song Baifeng certainly wanted a chance to show off his good side.
“Sir Lin, this ring is called Eye of Reality. It can break through illusions and speed up your recovery of physical stamina and true essence.”
“As for the protective charm necklace, it’s called Saint’s Will. That is not something made in my Ancient Phoenix Clan, but rather a treasure taken from an enemy after they were killed by an Elder of Phoenix Cry Palace. Its origin is quite mysterious. According to the analysis of the Elders, it is a fragment of will left over by an ancient Holy Lord that managed to continue existing for hundreds of thousands of years. It was obtained by a refining master, then sealed into the protective charm necklace. It can increase one’s soul force and willpower.
After Song Baifeng introduced the necklace and ring to Lin Ming, Lin Ming nodded as he mulled over them. An accessory type saint artifact had a far smaller effect on combat strength than a weapon or armor, but their value was far higher than saint artifacts of the same grade.
Song Baifeng continued to introduce the several other top grade saint artifacts, including the Sunpierce Sword and Sun Shooting Bow. Those two weren’t too inferior to the Phoenix Blood Spear, but Lin Ming didn’t need them nor would he use them. Although the pill furnace, vestment, and armor were good, he didn’t urgently require them now either. As Lin Ming thought about it, he decided on the extremely ordinary looking protective charm necklace – Saint’s Will.
“I’ll take that one!”
Lin Ming looked at the protective charm necklace floating in the air. It looked extremely common. If it wasn’t hanging within Saint Artifact Pavilion, it would be difficult to notice.
Lin Ming chose Saint’s Will for his own reason. Although this protective charm necklace wouldn’t increase his strength by too much, he very much liked its ability to enhance his will and soul force.
The soul was related to perception and also his cultivation. As for will, he was just a step away from achieving a gold battle spirit. Once he did, his combat strength would rise by another level. But this single step was actually extremely difficult. His battle spirit didn’t enhance by much after he entered the sixth stage of Life Destruction. Instead, he wandered on the edge of making a breakthrough to a gold battle spirit and now he wanted to seek a turning point to make that breakthrough.
Lin Ming flew up into the sky and disappeared into the shining light of Saint’s Will. The light flared for a moment before quieting down like a lake that quieted down after having a rock dropped into it.
Song Baifeng looked onward, silently keeping track of the time in his heart.
10 breaths of time, 20 breaths of time, 30 breaths of time…
80 breaths of time passed, around half an incense stick of time, when Lin Ming fell down from the sky. He calmly landed and looked up toward the skies. That shining star that was Saint’s Will shrank, and a moment later it completely condensed into Saint’s Will. The protective charm necklace fell down and landed in Lin Ming’s hands.
This entire process was easy and relaxed. Lin Ming’s face hadn’t even changed color. It was as if he performed some trivial matter.
“Magnificent, truly magnificent! Sir Lin is indeed Sir Lin! A Ninefall powerhouse would try their hardest to obtain a top grade saint artifact, and they would fail even after panting and becoming exhausted. But Sir Lin seems to just be picking something out of the air and obtained it in just half an incense stick of time. In this lowly servant’s life, I have also seen other geniuses take top grade saint artifacts, but they usually take fifteen to thirty minutes. Moreover, they would have to consume a great deal of energy, like they would in a grueling battle. How could anyone of them compare with Sir Lin who looks so elegant and handsome afterward? Sir Lin’s talent and potential will be unrivalled for the next 500 years in the entire Phoenix Cry Palace. For the next 500 years, I fear no one will be able to compare with Sir Lin!”
Although Song Baifeng already expected Lin Ming to obtain Saint’s Will, he never thought he would do it so quickly. His flattering words also stemmed from true admiration. He guarded Saint Artifact Pavilion for many years and saw many heroic young elites take top grade saint artifacts. But even if they managed to do so, they would be panting and tired, looking as if they were half-dead. Compared to Lin Ming, the difference was like the clouds and mud.
Lin Ming naturally didn’t care about Song Baifeng’s flattery. He touched the protective charm necklace in his hand. This protective charm was cold like ice, and as he was carefully feeling the properties and mysteries within it, something unexpected occurred.
He could feel the deeply sleeping Magic Cube in his heart slightly tremble, seemingly regaining consciousness after a long period of sleep.