Eternal Life from the Golden Needle Technique

Chapter 288: Chapter 285: Reprimand

With Shen Changchuan’s departure,

the previously dead-silent plaza finally stirred with some noise.

But the voices were hushed and low,

and the atmosphere

was utterly listless.

Like young sprouts wilting in the height of summer.

Many who had been filled with fighting spirit just moments ago now wore expressions of utter bewilderment.

It was as if all their strength had been drained in an instant,

leaving them without a goal or direction.

Some even collapsed right onto the ground.

The one who ascended to Soul Emergence...

How could it be him?

They’d heard his Cultivation only reached the Qi Introduction Ninth Layer Realm a year or two ago!

In just two short years,

how could he break through so quickly and achieve the Soul Emergence Realm?!

They couldn’t comprehend it!

And among all this,

what struck them the hardest was that

with Shen Changchuan’s ascension to the Soul Emergence Realm,

their challenges, their determination, and their three years of hard work had now become a joke!

You have to understand, many of them had cultivated diligently for the past three years,

not daring to relax for even a moment,

all with the goal of defeating him in the grand competition three years later and redeeming themselves from their past humiliation!

But now,

before they had even truly fought,

it was already over!

When he was at the Ninth Layer Realm, he already possessed the combat power of the Soul Emergence Realm.

Now that he had truly reached the Soul Emergence Realm,

would his power possibly stagnate?

Impossible!

After ascending to the Soul Emergence Realm,

his power would only become even greater!

So great that there was no way they could ever close this gap!

At this very moment,

among the crowd of Outer Disciples,

many felt as though they had strained with all their might to catch up, only to find that by the time they reached the place where he once stood, he had already run so far ahead that not even his shadow was visible!

”...I will give you time to catch up, until I am beyond your reach.”

”So-called geniuses are merely those who meet the threshold to stand before me...”

Someone recalled those words Shen Changchuan had once spoken.

Back then,

in their youthful arrogance, they had only thought him conceited.

’If I had the same resources and heritage, I would surely be no weaker than him.’

But now it seemed,

that wasn’t Shen Changchuan’s conceit,

but was, in all likelihood, simply reality itself...

”Sigh, the grand competition hasn’t even started, but it’s already over...”

”Yeah, if he hadn’t ascended to Soul Emergence, we might have had a sliver of confidence. But now...”

”How could his Realm advance so quickly? It’s illogical! Going from the Qi Introduction Early Stage to the Soul Emergence Realm in just a few short years—how could his foundation possibly be solid enough?”

”Perhaps this is what a true genius is... someone who shatters all so-called logic.”

”Does this mean we’ll never be able to catch up to him in this lifetime?”

The crowd discussed in low voices,

their vigor completely gone.

Even Li Qing, who had shouted the loudest earlier and had suffered a great humiliation three years ago,

now lowered his once proud and defiant head,

his face shrouded in shadow.

”Hmph! A bunch of cowards! You’ve all greatly disappointed me!”

Just then,

a cold snort exploded through the air like a crack of thunder, enveloping the entire plaza.

The Outer Disciples all raised their heads and looked toward the high platform.

There, they saw Hong Yang facing them, his eyes wide with fury,

filled with the exasperated anger of a mentor for his disappointing students.

A powerful, oppressive aura swept out, silencing everyone in an instant. No one dared to make a sound.

”Truly a bunch of useless trash!”

”Look at the state you’re all in!”

”The man hasn’t even acted, you haven’t even fought, and you’ve already lost your fighting spirit!”

”What’s the point of Cultivation? You might as well go home and be farmers!”

”And don’t you dare go around telling people you’re disciples of my Dragon Cloud Sect! The Dragon Cloud Sect can’t afford such an embarrassment!”

Hong Yang, casting aside his usual gentle demeanor,

roared at them,

his words sharp and piercing.

Below, the faces of the crowd flushed red with shame.

”You think I don’t want to fight him? For three years, I’ve thought of nothing else, day and night! But...”

Veins bulged on Li Qing’s forehead as he couldn’t help but retort.

He wished he could find Shen Changchuan right now and have it out with him!

However,

the moment he recalled Shen Changchuan’s overwhelming presence from before,

the flicker of resolve that had just risen within him died down again.

”But what?!”

”Because that brat Shen Changchuan ascended to the Soul Emergence Realm, you’re all scared?!”

”That’s absolutely ridiculous!”

”If you can’t beat him, then go back and cultivate harder! If you can’t catch up, then redouble your daily efforts!”

”If you lose this time, then win it back next time!”

”What kind of skill is it to stand around here sniveling!”

”You think Shen Changchuan is some untouchable, demonic talent that no one can surpass? What a joke!”

”The world is vast and full of prodigious talents! Forget other places—even within the Yuqing Immortal Sect alone, there are those of the younger generation superior to Shen Changchuan!”

”In the greater Immortal Cultivation Realm, Shen Changchuan is far from invincible!”

”As Cultivators, resources, Techniques, and heritage mean nothing! If you have no resources, you can go seize them! If you have no heritage, you can go take it! But if you lack the courage to press forward relentlessly, then for the rest of your lives, you will remain weaklings and trash!”

”The path of Cultivation is long. What does a temporary win or loss even matter?”

”True, Shen Changchuan has left you far behind today. But on the long Path of Immortal Cultivation, who can say for certain that he will be able to keep advancing so quickly that you can never catch up?!”

”Now all of you, get back and reflect on this!”

Hong Yang stood on high,

harshly berating the disciples below.

He watched as looks of indignation appeared on the faces of many in the crowd and saw their morale begin to rise again.

Though his expression remained stern and severe,

inwardly, he was blooming with delight.

’It’s all thanks to that kid,’ he thought. ’With him around, I won’t have to worry about these brats slacking off on their Cultivation...’

’Perhaps this batch’s future achievements won’t be too low after all...’

...

「Meanwhile,」

In the Mountain Gate Hall,

Master Wandering Dragon sat upon the main seat.

A screen of light hovered in the air before him.

On the screen,

a tall figure dressed in tight-fitting black robes stood, an arrogant air etched between his brows.

”Wandering Dragon, I heard three years ago that you founded a sect in some remote backwater. I was tied up with some matters at the time and was unable to come and congratulate you.”

”Now that those trivial affairs are settled and I finally have some free time, I’m preparing to pay you a visit. You wouldn’t turn me away, would you?”

”My Dragon Cloud Sect’s Mountain Gate is wide open. We naturally welcome guests—provided they don’t come with ill intentions, of course.”

Master Wandering Dragon’s expression was unchanged as he replied coolly.

”Haha, you and I are fellow disciples. Of course I come with good intentions.”

The figure on the light screen roared with laughter,

but then his tone shifted.

”Oh, right. I recently took on a disciple. His aptitude is... so-so.”

”I’m planning to bring him along this time to see the world and get some experience. As a senior to my little disciple, you wouldn’t mind, would you?”