“You are Zuo Mo’s shixiong?” Su decided she would do it herself. Up until now, that soft-rice zombie still hadn’t responded at all. The soft-rice zombie might not care about victory, but she had to.

“En.” Luo Li made a sound in surprise.

“One for each of us.” Su spoke very quickly. “I pick Gui Feng.”

Luo Li was even more surprised. Was she Zuo Mo’s friend? Was it true or false? His brain moved quickly, balancing the advantages and disadvantages.

He was still on his guard, but his mouth did not hesitate in saying, “Okay, I pick the yellow-faced one.” Even if he could not judge the sincerity, but from every angle, there was no detriment to him.

The two split apart.

The other three people clearly heard the words between the two people.

Chang Heng was not affected. The yellow-faced male smiled. Gui Feng vanished where he stood.

Everyone was extremely cooperative, each person finding a place to fight. Only Chang Heng was left at the original spot, raising his head to look at the rings of light, sinking into his thoughts.

———

Zuo Mo didn’t pay attention to what was happening in the formation. After making a decision, he didn’t move from it.

The wounds on his body were greatly affecting him. When he channeled ling power, there would be a bit of a pause. Ever since he had started practicing [Embryonic Breathing Spiritual Cultivation], it had been a long time since he had tasted the pain of spiritual wounds. But in the last two fights, even his most skilled consciousness could not avoid being injured.

This was the result of fighting a battle that crossed stages. Even if he managed to use the formation as help, he still could not avoid being injured.

However, on the surface, no one would think that his channels and internal organs were wounded. His gaze was concentrated and calm, clear and serene without a stray thought. The finger movements were not lightning fast as before, but it was still flowing, and gave onlookers another kind of beauty.

———

In the air, Wu Ling Sanren couldn’t help by exclaim, “This boy would definitely accomplish great things!’

Wei Fei also had an expression of admiration. “With zhuji cultivation, to be able to block three full-force blows from Nan Men Yan, to seriously wound Zong Ming Yan, he has enough to be proud! The Heavens really have heavily blessed Wu Kong Sword Sect. One Wei Sheng, one Zuo Mo, there will be no worries for a hundred years!”

For some reason, Wu Ling Sanren suddenly sighed. “Such a pity they are not born at the right time! When the nest is attacked, would any egg escape? Such talent, if they fall early, it would be a pity!”

Wei Fei roared in laughter. “I have the opposite opinion from sanren. It is because they have outstanding talent that they need to undergo more grinding. Heroes are born in troubled times! Without troubled times, it is rare to see heroes!”

Hearing this, Wu Ling Sanren said, self-mockingly. “Brother Wei is right. Old, I’m old now.”

———

Without a stray thought on his mind, or desire for victory, Zuo Mo was extremely calm. The speed that he made formations increased greatly without his own knowledge. He seemed to not have to think and the materials would flow past from his fingers, the spells naturally cast, everything smooth and flowing.

In a short time, the seventy-two child formation [Skyring Moon Chime Formation] actually was completed!

He dazedly looked at the big formation and he seemed to be in slight disbelief yet was also slightly thoughtful.

In this short amount of time, he seemed to have experienced very much. A hard fight, receiving serious wounds, fainting and then waking up, all of this caused his mood to go from shaking to peaceful. In the beginning he was filled with anticipation, the desire for victory, only to have his hopes dashed, he was left with only the desire to wound the enemies; finally he was forced to focus on only one thing, to exclude all other thoughts and not think about victory,

He stood dazedly inside the formation, motionless like a statue.

———

On the top of the main peak, the battle between Wei Sheng and Gu Rong Ping was still ongoing.

Wei Sheng’s vision was a sea of blood, blurred. There were countless sword wounds on his body, the bleeding was dyeing his clothing. His features were blurred. He looked as though he was a person made from blood!

Many in the audience that were watching almost couldn’t bear to keep watching at this time. Even Tian Song Zi hadn’t resisted coming over, and asking if he should stop the battle. Pei Yuan Ran did not stop the fight. But he didn’t realize that inside his tight fist, his fingernails had deeply cut into the flesh.

Gu Rong Ping wasn’t in good shape either. There were three sword cuts on his body. The three sword cuts were not deep, but the fresh blood had dyed a patch on his chest. His sword essence was still as free and traceless as before, but the audience could easily detect his exhaustion.

No one would feel that Gu Rong Ping didn’t have enough power. After fighting so hard for such a long period of time, exhaustion was an extremely normal state.

Gu Rong Ping knew his own situation was worsening as time flowed but he had no solution. Two hours ago, Wei Sheng had been covered in wounds, almost wavering. But after two hours, Wei Sheng was still persisting. He seemed as though he could collapse at any moment, but he did not. Every time, Gu Rong Ping would feel that if he just put in a bit more power, he could defeat Wei Sheng, but after he put in the power, he found that, other than leaving behind a sword mark on the other’s body, he didn’t accomplish anything. Wei Sheng still endured.

He hadn’t managed to wait for Wei Sheng to collapse, yet Gu Rong Ping found that he had sunk into a dilemma without being aware of it.

The three sword marks on his body were the proof.

His sword scripture was like unspun silk from a cocoon, setting up a large web to snare the other, and then slowly wear away at the strength of his opponent, to let them lose all room to breathe and die. He had successfully pinned down his opponent, but his opponent had not stopped struggling.

The two sides entered a standoff. The other’s hardiness had far surpassed his expectations. His ling power had quickly been consumed. His sword energies had slowly lost their edge. His movements started to become slower. The other had caught onto his weakness and counter-attacked!

The longer he fought, the heavier the terror in Gu Rong Ping’s heart grew.

Wei Sheng was like a wild beast that did not know exhaustion, like a seal soldier that did not have life, and did not know pain. When the sword energy flashed past his body, other than a muffled grunt, other than seeing the spray of blood, there was no other observable signs that he was affected.

The fight between the hunter and the wild beast, the hunter was gradually losing the advantage.

———

Zuo Mo’s formation belt allowed people to see a spectacle, and made people feel surprise. Wei Sheng and Gu Rong Ping’s battle made people feel awe, awe that came deep from their hearts!

Time slowly slipped by. The sound of discussion became increasingly quieter. Even more people felt they were unable to keep watching.

Seeing a person entirely covered in blood, fighting without a sound as he struggled painstakingly, and flying through the air as his figure wavered. The blood that was flowing down his body flung into the air.

No one was in the mood to speak.

Even though Wei Sheng had not won, but in everyone’s eyes there was only his blood-covered figure.

The battle inside the Great Pine Pavilion was still continuing. The [Skyring Moon Chime Formation] had attracted the majority of the experts. Many people had cheered as they assumed their chances of entering the top ten would increase. However, the developments were completely the opposite of what they imagined.

Without the pressure of the experts, many xiuzhe that had decided to hide themselves did not have pressure and lost their patience. They did not hide in the corners any longer. The combat became even more fierce.

However, no one dared to near [Skyring Moon Chime Formation], and no one dared to near the main peak.

The [Skyring Moon Chime Formation] was like a mysterious beast, its bloody maw wide open. No one knew the situation inside it. The fierce fight on top of the main peak made many xiuzhe inside the Great Pine Pavilion feel terror, deep terror!

Even the judges in the Great Pine Pavilion put their attentions on those two places, and wished all the other fights would instantly finish.

Zuo Mo felt that he seemed to have dropped into an enormous grey bubble. All around him was full of a strange grey material.

Even though he was wearing ling armor, but the ling armor did not separate him from the grey matter. He seemed to be swimming naked. It didn’t seem warm, but it wasn’t cold. It was a strange sensation. The only feeling he could describe was familiar. He seemed to be very familiar with this grey material.

What was this grey material? He seemed to understand everything, but did not understand anything at all.

He reached out to grab, but didn’t catch anything.

Where was this? What was it?

He felt that he should know, but no matter how he thought, he could not remember. He was slightly stunned. The surroundings did not provide any hints to him. His only clue was the feeling of familiarity.

What really was this? Zuo Mo couldn’t help furrowing his brows as he started to think deeply. He felt that he needed to find the answer.

He reflexively reached and grasped at the grey material. Same as last time, he didn’t grasp anything.

This material was like air, invisible and intangible Zuo Mo thought inside.

Wait, invisible and intangible... ...

Zuo Mo suddenly jumped. He knew what this was!

Consciousness! This was consciousness!

The moment he told himself this was consciousness, the feeling of familiarity inside his body instantly grew stronger. At the same time, the scenery around him suddenly changed.

Below him, there was a place that looked like a little island far away. There was a patch of flame on the little island, countless crimson flames dancing. A gravestone, and a male wearing black sitting on top. There was also a ruler-straight river. The river was very muddled, with two kinds of colors that could barely be made out.

Sea of consciousness! This was the sea of consciousness1

Zuo Mo was very shocked when he saw Pu Yao on top of the gravestone. He couldn’t help but shout, but no matter how hard he tried to shout, Pu Yao did not hear him.

He had to give up, and started to scan the surroundings.

The entire sea of consciousness was surrounded by this grey material. This was completely different than what Zuo Mo had thought before. In the sea of consciousness in his memories, what he saw in the surroundings was a pitch black void, without anything but the stars in the sky.

Right!

He remembered that there were four stars in the void!

As expected, when he raised his head to look up, he saw the stars.

There were four stars in the sky. One of them was the brightest, the other three slightly duller.

Before, every time he entered the sea of consciousness, he felt the four stars were very distant. At this time, he found that the four stars were like four little boats, floating on the outside of the consciousness.

He seemed to have comprehended something.

At this time, the four stars suddenly started to shed starlight. The starlight was like silver sand, slowly absorbed into the grey consciousness. But the grey consciousness was too big. That bit of starlight was pitifully small. But the four stars continuously poured down starlight at a slow pace.

Zuo Mo didn’t know what was the use of these silver-grained starlight, but clearly, his consciousness seemed to be starting a kind of transformation.

———

Wei Fei and Wu Ling Sanren were absorbed in the fight between Wei Sheng and Gu Rong Ping. Not just them, but all of the judges in the Great Pine Pavilion were watching this tragic fight. Suddenly, Wu Ling Sanren seemed to have detected something, and turned his face. He unconsciously looked at the large formation under his feet. Just one look, and his gaze was stuck.

Inside the formation, Zuo Mo’s arms were spread open like he was going to embrace something. He was woodenly standing on the spot, his eyes empty and lifeless.

Around him, the air seemed like burning firewood, occasionally producing soft explosions!

Translator Ramblings: I’m not sure if the author made spiritual power/consciousness grey on purpose because I never really encountered the brain being called “grey matter” in Chinese. We get to see Wei Sheng again, and Zuo Mo is following Pu Yao’s advice. He’s really grown up in the last few chapters.