The Romantic Cultivator

Barely three days had passed when there was a purple portal that had suddenly burst from one of the directions of the canyons.

Ji Yuan was caught by surprise by the sudden appearance of the purple portal.

A feminine voice was heard loudly in the heavens above, "The final trial is now opened. 3000 cultivators have now gathered in this area. More will arrive but the first 3000 cultivators will have the benefits of your lucky occurrences first for you are the strongest in your cohort."

With that, the mysterious feminine voice was gone.

Feng Minyue immediately said, "The final gate of the Empyrean Warrior Labyrinth is finally opened. It is a SS Rank Trial."

Ji Yuan was stunned, "An SS Rank Trial? Isn't this thing harder than the S Rank Trial?"

The S Trial was already extremely hard to overcome and many cultivators had chosen to search for an easier trial elsewhere.

And now this was the SS Rank Trial.

That also mean that there were now three thousand cultivators that had gathered in the canyons.

Ji Yuan muttered, "I really don't see the others. This canyon must be really vast."

Feng Minyue smiled, "It is. And it is not strange to gather three thousand cultivators in such a short time either. It is just that we are among the very first. Usually 10% of the cultivators will make their way to the 6th level. That is at least 30 000 of them. So gathering three thousand cultivators are not hard at all. However the final trial is the most dangerous of all the trials and that is why we can only know the exact location of the purple portal once it has spawned. Never earlier. Now we must make haste to claim the best rewards and lucky occurrences from the trial."

Ji Yuan was muttering, "Well you know. I'm already a peaked great saint. Do I need more lucky occurrences?"

He was naturally thinking that he could not bang Feng Minyue or Ling Feiyue anymore. Three days were too short for him!

Bai Qianfeng chuckled softly, "Of course you need your lucky occurrences. You are so weak in your five elements. Other than your profound energy recovery, what other cultivation benefits do you have?"

Ji Yuan awkwardly answered, "You don't say. I have my Qianfeng to protect me…"

"Fat hope!" Bai Qianfeng laughed it off before she cast a playful wink at Ling Feiyue and Feng Minyue who had caught her playful demeanor.

She did not need eyes to know what they had been up to with Ji Yuan for the past 3 days.

Although Bai Qianfeng wished to join them but she needed to ponder over the mysteries of Yun Chi's cultivation first. This was much important in her eyes. Luckily for her, she was originally a desolate immortal in the first place and it was not too hard on the desolate profound energies part. But for the righteous profound energies part, she was struggling.

Ji Yuan reluctantly announced, "Let's go into the purple portal then!"

For the past three days, the Great Beyond Goddess was not clingy to Ji Yuan anymore and had kept her distance. In fact, she was now afraid of Ji Yuan's light touches; it was a touch that could burn away her very defenses and for the very first time, she was afraid. Why didn't she stay inside Ji Yuan's soul sea instead and lied that she had a physical form?

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The purple portal was bigger than Ji Yuan had imagined. It was 33m tall and 33m in width.

Hundreds of cultivators were seen dashing into the purple portal before Ji Yuan and his party could do so.

He was surprised by the number of cultivators that were hiding in the vast canyons and valleys.

He began to wonder how Shui Xisi, Yu Jingjing and Little Princess were doing and if they were nearby…

But somehow, he wished that they had failed the trial as he did not want them to risk themselves in an SS Rank Trial.

When Ji Yuan had entered through the purple portal, he saw that he was standing on a ridge and there were dozens of cultivators as well. Almost all of them had reached around the same time.

He could suddenly hear the feminine voice from the heavens again, "Not all of you will have the same starting point. As the 3000 of you are first, you will be allocated to an area that is much closer to the inner ridge of the final trial. Late comers will naturally be allocated to the outer ridge. This does not mean that you have a much greater opportunities in the wonderlands of the final trial and this must rely on your lucky occurrences.  Also you will be allocated a golden talisman which you can use to save your own life only once. When you have used the golden talisman, you will be teleported outside at which you will have two options. You can either choose to stay outside or come inside but at your own personal risk."

Ji Yuan of course was not attentive enough to finish hearing what the Trial Spirit was saying. It was because he was already turning his head around to look for his party.

When he saw Ling Feiyue, Feng Minyue, Yun Chi, Bai Qianfeng and 'Dream Mist' in the same group as him, he was a little relieved.

Only then did he start to count the number of cultivators in the vicinity and there were around 300.

All the cultivators were actually quite well spread out as the vicinity that spawned them was huge and they were all overlooking a thick forest of ironwoods. Many of the ironwoods were 100m in height!

Immediately everyone knows that they must find a path through the thick woods but they could also sense a strong desolate presence inside the woods, indicating the presence of seventh, eighth and even ninth rank desolate monsters!

Ji Yuan immediately rolled his eyes; it was because fighting any desolate monsters that were the seventh rank and above was never an easier thing and they drained too much profound strength from the cultivators.

The trick was to avoid the desolate monsters and to find the artefact core of the Empyrean Warrior Labyrinth…

At least that was his primary objective.

But Ji Yuan was more concerned about the safety of his women than any artefact cores but he had promised Jiajia that he would succeed in his mission and hence, that was why he was here.

The truth was that he had only entered the trials of the Empyrean Warrior Labyrinth out of curiosity and that he was only interested in the trials of the Celestial Realm. Whether he passed the trials or not, was not his primary concerns.

As Ji Yuan walked to his party members, he was laughing. "Haha… we have met once again."

Yun Chi, Bai Qianfeng, Feng Minyue and Ling Feiyue were all smiling.

There was no need for any words.

All of a sudden Ji Yuan spotted Lin Antian, a black robe cultivator with a black spear that had soundly defeated him previously. It was only with Fairy Anyang's interference that Ji Yuan had 'won' his match.

Ji Yuan immediately ran to him as though he had encountered an old friend and he was smiling, "Hey old friend! Shall we go in a group? It is much safer for us to enter the forest together."

Lin Antian was surprised to see Ji Yuan again. He merely said, "No thanks. I am used to being the solo cultivator."

With that, he had entered into the forest.

Ji Yuan sighed softly, "What a weird fellow. Well, I don't need him anyway…"

He was about to leave when a familiar voice shook the very core of his soul. That voice was shouting, "Ji Yuan! Ji Yuan!"

He looked up to see Yu Jingjing who was with three other maidens and she was flying to him.

Ji Yuan was startled: Jingjing! You are actually among the 3000 cultivators?!

They had actually parted ways not long ago after she had failed the Key of Righteous. To think that he would find her again so soon…

Although it pained him to say so, he was actually missing her very much!

He immediately flew to embrace Yu Jingjing and he would want to grope her butt but Yu Jingjing playfully stepped aside when they had almost embraced.

She shyly whispered to him, "My matriarch and my protégé-sister is with me. Don't you dare to be disrespectful to me."

Ji Yuan immediately rolled his eyes…

He looked up and saw a slightly aged maiden. That must be Yu Jingjing's matriarch and she had the most formidable profound aura. She must be great saint. As for the maiden who was always smiling behind her, she must be Yu Jingjing's protégé sister. As for the third maiden, Ji Yuan was surprised to see her. "Isn't she Qin Shuang? She is from my celestial fraternity."

Yu Jingjing nodded, "I have only met them a day earlier. You know Qin Shuang? Indeed, she is from the Desolate Celestial Fraternity and she is from your Celestial Orthodox Sect. We have all decided to band together as it is safer in numbers. Moreover we are all from the orthodox sects."

Ji Yuan nodded; of course he knew Silver Holy Maiden Qin Shuang. She was the maiden that had whipped him while he was in the Celestial Orthodox Sect. However he had long forgiven her for her whippings since she had also aided him while they were in the Red Mansion trying to complete the Fallen Gods Relic Trial, an S Rank Trial. That was the fifth level trial and they had since been separated from each other.

Suddenly Yu Jingjing began to whisper to Ji Yuan, "I have to warn you first. My matriarch hates men so don't get too wanton or too friendly."

Ji Yuan: …

I am a good man, you know…

Yu Jingjing was immediately joined by her party members while Ji Yuan's party members had also caught up with him.

Feng Minyue could not resist greeting, "Sister Jingjing!"

Yu Jingjing was also glad to see Feng Minyue again as she said, "Sister Feng Minyue!"

Most of Ji Yuan party members had actually recognized Yu Jingjing and Qin Shuang, much to the surprise of Yu Jingjing's matriarch.

"I am Grand Matriarch Xi Jingping." She quickly greeted them when Yu Jingjing had introduced Feng Minyue and Ling Feiyue to her.

She had naturally known who Feng Minyue and Ling Feiyue were since she was from the Holy Oracle Sect and she knew all the renowned cultivators.

But still she could not hide her surprise when they were introduced to her, "The two of you are from the opposite sides of the cultivation fraternity. And you are close sisters and friends?"

Ji Yuan could not resist adding silently: And they have also banged each other too.

Xiang Li began to giggle when she had heard Ji Yuan and so did Anyang.

As for the Great Beyond Goddess, she rolled her misty eyes and pretended she did not hear Ji Yuan…

Grand Matriarch Xi Jingping took a look at the Great Beyond Goddess, "This Maiden Dream Mist … has… unique eyes."

Ji Yuan laughed as he quickly found an excuse, "Haha … yes. Her cultivation is a little damaged. That is why. Soon she will be alright."

Grand Matriarch Xi Jingping nodded, "This is quite common among the cultivators, especially for cultivators that are taking the trials in this place."

Then she looked at Yun Chi and Bai Qianfeng with meaningful glances, "As with Maiden Dream Mist, I've never heard of you before. Our celestial records must be quite outdated."

She then proceeded to introduce Yang Mi, the cultivator that was always with a smiling countenance. "Yang Mi is still young. She has just reached the golden saint level and is an earth-step saintess. She still has many things to learn from everyone here."

Yang Mi immediately greeted everyone and when she was greeting Ji Yuan, she was particularly nervous for she had never seen anyone as good looking as Ji Yuan.

Grand Matriarch Xi Jingping smiled after all the introductions had been made, "Since we have already been acquainted, shall we not make a party and travel together then?"

Ji Yuan laughed, "That is what I've in mind as well."

He was actually thinking: Yu Jingjing's matriarch really isn't that bad. Maybe it is my charms. Haha …

All of a sudden Yu Jingjing said, "Grand Matriarch, I've something urgently to report. I've almost forgotten about it."

Grand Matriarch Xi Jingping was startled, "What is it?"

Yu Jingjing took out a blue zither that Ji Yuan had purchased for her and said, "This zither is from Ji Yuan for me. Can I keep it?"

When Ji Yuan saw the zither, he was muttering silently to himself: I remember this zither. This costs me 40 million spirit stones… I wonder if this Grand Matriarch will compensate me for my losses?

Grand Matriarch gasped when she saw the zither, "This zither is the zither that our Ancestor Matriarch had lost. You have actually found it? If you can practice it then you may gain valuable insights of our Melody Harmony Divine Art. You must protect this zither at all times. Thanks to the Great Beyond Goddess above, we have finally found our Ancestor Matriarch's divine art again!"

Yu Jingjing was gasping with shock when she had heard her grand matriarch. She could only mutter tearfully, "Thank you Ji Yuan, thank you Ji Yuan…"

Even Yang Mi was in tears for she too, was from the Holy Oracle Sect of the Endless Celestial Fraternity as she muttered. "We've finally found our Ancestor Matriarch's lost divine art again…"

Grand Matriarch Xi Jingping turned to Ji Yuan to say, "Thank you, thank you…this gift has been so priceless…"

Ji Yuan was actually waiting for her to ask for the cost so that he could receive his compensation but there was none to speak of. So he had to swallow his pride and muttered silently: At least you will allow me to bang Jingjing right?

All of a sudden there were two loud shouts at the back and Ji Yuan turned toward it; he was quite startled to see that it was Senior Mo Bei and his best friend Xiao Muhan that had suddenly appeared as they shouted. "Isn't that Ji Yuan? Hoho!"

The last two persons that Ji Yuan had wanted to see were actually Mo Bei and Xiao Muhan.

So he could not resist saying aloud, "What the heck are they doing here?!"

Grand Matriarch Xi Jingping was smiling, "Who are they?"

Ling Feiyue could not resist the urge to answer, "They are two of Ji Yuan's best friends, Senior Mo Bei and Saint Xiao Muhan."

All of a sudden Ji Yuan noticed that there was a slight malevolent air in-between the golden eyes of this Grand Matriarch Xi Jingping when Mo Bei's name was being mentioned.

Although it was slight but Ji Yuan was a sword saint and all he could sense malevolent air from a mile away!