Chapter 44: 44 Qi Tian's Arrival at Tian Ti Mountain, No One Can Stop Him
In Central Continent, Tian Ti Mountain.
Riding on a flying crane, Qi Tian and his companions traveled day and night, finally reaching their destination.
"Tian Ti Mountain! I'm here!"
Although Qi Tian had been to Tian Ti Mountain in his previous life, this was his first time in this life. Standing before the mountain that pierced the sky and connected the heavens and earth, the awe he felt was no less than before.
At the same time, a flame of ambition burned in his heart, and a bold spirit surged within him.
The Fairy Bixia, who had been watching Qi Tian, naturally noticed the change in him. While she didn't know what was different about him, she could tell that he was even more captivating now.
Qi Tian gazed up at the majestic Tian Ti Mountain, completely ignoring the elite disciples who had arrived earlier at the foot of the mountain, which naturally annoyed them.
"Who is this guy? He doesn't even look at us, so arrogant!"
"Could he be some bumpkin who's too scared to even look at Tian Ti Mountain for the first time?"
"Eh? Why is Fairy Bixia from the Tian Lian Sect with the Xian He Sect?"
Among the group of people from Tian Du Tower, a young Gu Master immediately noticed Fairy Bixia when Qi Tian and his group arrived. Following her gaze, he spotted Qi Tian beside her, and his expression darkened.
Without hesitation, Wei Wushang immediately approached, ignoring Qi Tian completely, and greeted Fairy Bixia.
"Bixia, you're here too. Do you know, since our last parting, I've been eagerly awaiting our next meeting. I guessed you'd come for the Fox Immortal inheritance, so I asked my master to send me here."
Fairy Bixia came back to her senses, and seeing him, her smile stiffened.
"So it's Young Master Wei... Young Master Wei need not worry. Thanks to the help of Young Hero Qi Tian, Bixia is safe and sound." Fairy Bixia avoided Wei Wushang's burning gaze and bowed her head.
"Qi Tian, an elite disciple of Xian He Sect?" Wei Wushang squinted his eyes, pretending to have just noticed Qi Tian.
Qi Tian had been an elite disciple for over a year, and his rapid growth had made him a leader among the elite disciples. While he kept a low profile, other sects had heard of him.
"That's me." Qi Tian didn't bother being polite. His tone held an unmasked arrogance. Although he had been low-key in Xian He Sect, this time he decided to make a statement.
"Young Hero Qi Tian is an elite disciple of Xian He Sect. He controls thousands of cranes, and thanks to these cranes, we were able to reach Tian Ti Mountain so quickly."
Fairy Bixia spoke as she glanced at Qi Tian, a shy blush coloring her face, her voice carrying a sweet tone.
"Crane? These are just some iron-feather cranes, only a bit more numerous." Wei Wushang's eyes glinted, and his resentment toward Qi Tian surged.
On the spot, he challenged Qi Tian. Qi Tian noticed the hostility and wasn't surprised; he immediately accepted.
Only the newcomer Fang Zheng was confused by their sudden confrontation. After hearing the explanation from Master Tian He, he understood.
"So that's how it is! But I've heard of Wei Wushang's reputation in Xian He Sect. He's a healing Gu Master, a rising star in Tian Du Tower, a top-tier genius. He's best at self-healing, usually finishing a fierce battle without a scratch. This could be troublesome for Young Hero Qi Tian! Even if he defeats him, it will cost him some strength. It will also impact his competition for the Gu Immortal inheritance."
Master Tian He laughed heartily. "You're still too young and don't understand the power of reputation. Sometimes, reputation is even more useful than strength. Qi Tian plans to defeat all these challengers to build his reputation. This guy is no simpleton! You need to learn from him! And if these people can't defeat Qi Tian, they'll take out their frustrations on other Xian He disciples. You'll face challenges too."
After a pause, Master Tian He continued, "As for the Fox Immortal inheritance on Tian Ti Mountain, it's mysterious. It's not just about combat skills, but about willpower and soul strength. With my soul assisting you, you'll have a huge advantage! Even Qi Tian can't match you!"
Listening to Master Tian He's words, Fang Zheng suppressed his excitement and focused on observing the battle, learning from it.
Master Tian He thought to himself, "This person's talent is extraordinary, but I already have Fang Zheng as my disciple, and with Lord He Fengyang's support, victory will surely belong to Fang Zheng! What a pity!" He wasn't sure if he was lamenting that Qi Tian wouldn't have a chance to win or that his disciple/host body couldn't compare to Qi Tian.
The battle began.
Wei Wushang moved like lightning, his feet stamped, and he shot into the air.
Qi Tian remained calm, calling the cranes to fly, and in an instant, thousands of iron-feathered cranes soared in perfect formation.
The battle had begun, and the spectators couldn't help but feel excited.
"Qi Tian, go! Beat this arrogant Tian Du Tower weakling!" The elite disciples of Xian He Sect cheered.
"Wei Shidi, teach this guy a lesson!" Wei Wushang also had his supporters.
Wei Wushang's eyes burned with battle intent.
He was the top disciple of Tian Du Tower, and while Qi Tian's thousand cranes might intimidate average elite disciples, they wouldn't scare him.
However, seeing Qi Tian's skilled control of the crane swarm, forming a perfect formation in an instant, his eyes narrowed.
The strength of a slave path Gu Master isn't just in the number of beasts they control, but in how well they command them. He hadn't expected Qi Tian to manipulate thousands of cranes so effortlessly at such a young age.
But Wei Wushang had his own secret weapons!
"Let's fight!" Wei Wushang activated his Gu worms, his body flashed, disappearing from sight.
In the next moment, the space cracked open, and he appeared right in front of Qi Tian.
"Breaking Air Gu?!" Qi Tian was unfazed, and the next moment, he vanished before Wei Wushang's eyes.
"Huh?" Wei Wushang blinked, surprised to find that Qi Tian had disappeared, and in his place, a crane appeared. "So it's a position swap Gu! Really troublesome!"
The Position Swap Gu is a special type of movement Gu that allows the user to swap positions with someone they've made contact with.
Since Qi Tian is a slave path Gu Master, he could easily establish direct or indirect contact with the crane swarm, allowing him to move freely within the swarm and avoid being cut down.
Thus, Wei Wushang's Breaking Air Gu's advantage was greatly reduced. Even if they were to compete on true essence consumption, Qi Tian had the upper hand, as he not only had an advantage in cultivation but also commanded the crane swarm, saving vast amounts of true essence.
"Slave path Gu is so powerful! Even someone as talented as Wei Wushang is completely helpless!"
"There is no ultimate sect, only the most powerful Gu Masters. Qi Tian is amazing. I heard his slave path mastery has reached the near-master level. I thought it was a rumor, but it turns out to be true."
"While the slave path is considered a middle-of-the-road path, there's a reason it's lasted for so long."
Contrary to what everyone expected, the battle was one-sided.
In less than fifteen minutes, the battle was nearing its end.
The thousand cranes flew in formation, surrounding Qi Tian. Meanwhile, Wei Wushang was panting, his clothes torn, and trapped in a tight encirclement, glaring at Qi Tian.
"No matter what other tricks you have, you're no match for me!" Qi Tian looked down on Wei Wushang from above.
"I still have my trump card, my secret weapon... but even with the Wind-Wounding Gu, with Position Swap Gu, I can't win. Damn it!" Wei Wushang's defeat was inevitable. Though unwilling, he had no choice. His true essence was nearly exhausted, and he couldn't recover.
"I... I surrender!" Wei Wushang struggled to speak, his face pale. His weakness only deepened his desire for more power.
In the end, Wei Wushang had to leave with the Tian Du Tower disciples in disgrace.
Elite disciples from renowned sects usually can't act recklessly. After all, they represent not only themselves but also their sects.
Thus, Qi Tian's overwhelming victory boosted Xian He Sect's reputation, and everyone's spirits soared.
Although Qi Tian's strength scared away many challengers, some elites were not so easily intimidated.
Three days later, the Ancient Soul Sect and others arrived at Tian Ti Mountain. Gu Ting, one of the main pursuers of Fairy Bixia, immediately challenged Qi Tian after hearing about their interactions.
Despite Gu Ting's preparations and methods to counter the Position Swap Gu, Qi Tian's strength wasn't derived from just one Gu. With his powerful slave path mastery, he remained dominant.
Gu Ting, known as the Purple Lightning, was naturally good at flying, but he could only fall to defeat against the overwhelming crane swarm.
Afterward, several more challengers came, such as Tian He Chen Dajiang, the Nine Deaths Sad Wind Tang Ruyi, and the fierce Zhao Shuye, all defeated one after another by Qi Tian.
Soon, Qi Tian's name spread far and wide, and his reputation soared, rivaling the top talents of the generation such as Feng Jinhwang, Ying Shengji, and Xiao Qixing.