I Pick up a Lost Godhood

Chapter 183 - 181: Coming Through

Chen Haiguan placed the Spirit Stones on the table. Hex Ziyuan gritted his teeth. "My life’s not worth much, otherwise I’d have sold that too..."

Wang Meng quietly pushed the Spirit Stones back. "Seniors, we can’t take these. This is your savings from many years of hard work. Your support is more than enough. It’s just Hengshan Hall. We will definitely crush them!"

"Please, don’t stand on ceremony. This is all we can do, and it’s a gesture from all of us. If you refuse again, it means you don’t see us as one of you!"

Chen Haiguan shook his head like a rattle. After saying his piece, he and Hex Ziyuan left, not wanting to disturb their cultivation.

Everyone stared at the Spirit Stones on the table, speechless.

For Wang Meng, gathering Spirit Stones might have been just a matter of time. But for Hex Ziyuan and his companion, these twenty Middle-Grade Spirit Stones were everything they had.

"We can’t use these Spirit Stones. This gives us even more reason to defeat Hengshan Hall!" Hu Jing’s voice was firm as iron.

Everyone nodded in agreement. The thought was what counted!

"Then let’s stick to the original plan."

With a ZIP from the doorway, Hu Jing’s Little Spirit Fox scurried in and leaped nimbly into her arms. Cultivation had been so arduous that Hu Jing hadn’t paid her Little Spirit Fox any mind for a long time.

The Little Spirit Fox was holding a note in its tiny paws.

Hu Jing opened it, a smile spreading across her face. "Everyone, we don’t have to worry anymore! Ancestor Master Lei has given the Thunderlight Hall a massive reserve of Spirit Stones!"

Zhang Xiaojiang snatched it for a look and immediately slapped his thigh. "Damn, Old Lei finally came through for us!"

Hu Jing smiled. "The Ancestral Master says we should keep pushing forward and crush them all, whether it’s Hengshan Hall or Shushan Hall. And if we can defeat Lingyin Hall, he has a major reward waiting for us."

Zhou Qian’s face fell when he heard that. "The Ancestral Master sure is ambitious. We’ll be lucky if we can just beat Hengshan Hall."

"Whatever, as long as we have Spirit Stones, we’re good. You can’t win with just pep talks," Zhang Xiaojiang said, gleefully imagining what a huge pile of Spirit Stones would look like. ’That’s gotta feel amazing.’

"There’s no time to waste. Let’s begin,"

Wang Meng agreed. ’It was both unexpected and within my expectations. It was about time Ancestor Master Lei came through for us. In fact, it’s pretty much the same for the other Sub-Halls. The Elders might not directly hand out Magical Artifacts or Treasure Swords, but they always find indirect ways to provide significant help. After all, who wouldn’t want their own Sub-Hall to advance?’

’Thunderlight Hall’s foundation is too weak; relying on the Elders is nowhere near enough. Only someone at the Ancestral Master Level could afford such a grand gesture.’

Only five days had passed. They could remain in the Space Secret Realm for another ten days, and every one of those days was precious.

「Meanwhile, at Hengshan Hall」

Hengshan Hall hadn’t slacked off in the slightest. They were outwardly relaxed but inwardly tense. On the surface, they acted as if they didn’t take rabble like Thunderlight Hall seriously, and the disciples seemed to go about their business as usual. But only those on the inside knew that all the elite disciples had been gathered for sparring practice. They had even secretly invited some Talisman Cultivators from other Sub-Halls to help them prepare.

Hengshan Hall’s main roster was led by Tang Wei, followed by Shenn Tu, Gang Lian, Guo Rongjin, and Huang Feng. This was the true strength of Hengshan Hall.

Apart from Shenn Tu, who was already in the hall, Gang Lian, Guo Rongjin, and Huang Feng had all been brought in from the outside. Gang Lian and Huang Feng hadn’t even participated in the last competition; they had been biding their time and hiding their strength, all for the sake of making a stunning debut.

Taking out that bunch of girls from Flying Phoenix Hall wasn’t Tang Wei’s goal. They hadn’t used their full strength in the last competition precisely so others would underestimate them. This time, their objective was to eliminate Immortal Origin Hall at the very least and secure a spot in the Upper Three Halls!

"We’re the ones being challenged, so we don’t get to choose our opponents. This means that no matter which of them we face, we must have a way to defeat them."

Tang Wei’s cold gaze swept over the group. "Therefore, you must understand their abilities. Gang Lian, Guo Rongjin, Huang Feng—you three just got back, so you need to pay special attention."

"Senior, aren’t you making a mountain out of a molehill? You can’t grow strong flowers in a greenhouse."

Huang Feng said nonchalantly. Although he was a Body Cultivator, his physique was different from the others. He didn’t have any bulging muscles and looked more like a Sword Cultivator.

"Huang Feng, even a pig that manages three consecutive wins in the Grand Tournament deserves your full attention!" Tang Wei said gravely. "Shenn Tu."

None of the other three took Shenn Tu seriously. If Tang Wei hadn’t been there, they probably wouldn’t have given him the time of day.

"Yes, Senior. Here is the intelligence we’ve gathered from their last three matches and other sources. First up is Hu Jing. Her specialty is a very powerful type of Water and Fire Mixed Talisman..."

It was impressive that a gruff man like Shenn Tu could be so meticulous with the details.

Perhaps out of respect for Tang Wei’s authority, the other three listened patiently until he was finished.

Tang Wei looked at the three of them. "What do you think?"

Gang Lian yawned. "Senior, after all that, the only one who sounds even remotely interesting is that kid Wang Meng. Too bad he’s a finesse-type. Against us, he’s a dead man walking. In short, they’re just too weak."

Huang Feng smiled faintly. "Senior, they each have their unique skills, but their weaknesses are glaringly obvious. For combat specialists like us, they pose no threat whatsoever. That Little Fatty is kind of interesting, though. I hope I get to face him."

Shenn Tu felt a little frustrated, but he had to admit they had a point. The Earth Escape Skill was a real headache—even the Array Talisman Bow couldn’t lock onto its user. But Huang Feng had a counter for it. ’If Zhang Xiaojiang runs into Huang Feng,’ he thought, ’it’ll be like a mouse running into a cat.’

"Old Guo, what do you say?"

Guo Rongjin held a position of considerable standing in Hengshan Hall; he was a true veteran. If he had shown any interest in becoming the Senior, the position might never have gone to Tang Wei.

Guo Rongjin smiled. "Anyone who makes it this far shouldn’t be underestimated. That said, their strengths and weaknesses are indeed very clear."

Although Guo Rongjin and Wang Meng were acquainted, he would draw a clear line between personal and public matters in the Grand Tournament. To be honest, he was eager to face Wang Meng in battle. During his time in the Fire Cloud Cave, every disciple who came and went was talking about Wang Meng of Thunderlight Hall and just how incredible he was.

Guo Rongjin deeply admired Wang Meng’s innate talent for identifying minerals, but he never expected him to be so formidable in other areas as well.

’In the history of the Holy Hall, disciples who excelled in unorthodox skills tended to be weaker in combat. I’m something of an exception, but that’s only because I integrated mining with my cultivation, training in my own unique way. The mining itself isn’t the point; it’s about gaining greater strength from striking the ore. The darkness helps me focus without distraction, allowing me to persevere. It’s a cultivation method I force upon myself.’

’Frankly, cultivation is a total bitch. The worst part isn’t the danger, but the sheer monotony.’

’The further you advance, the truer this becomes. That’s why so many people have to find other ways to occupy their minds. Otherwise, you might never become an expert, but you’ll almost certainly go crazy.’

"From what I can see," Guo Rongjin said, "to handle Hu Jing, we just need to deny her the chance to use her Ice-Fire Talismans. Zhang Xiaojiang’s Earth Escape Skill is a neat trick, but his speed is useless against us. We can assume Ma Tian’Er can use the Spirit Fusion Technique, but her Red Roar poses no threat to anyone here. Zhou Qian and Liuu Mei are ordinary; their only noteworthy trait might be their willpower. As for Suo Ming... I won’t even mention him. If we lose to our own deserter, we should all just pack it in. That leaves Wang Meng. I’ve had dealings with him before."