Chapter 1359: Chapter 1348: The Real Pay-to-Win
“If he truly is the Crown Prince’s disciple, he must know the secrets of the Divine Trial. It seems this old man overthought it.”
If Ning Fan knew that Tielei was being suspicious here, he would surely burst into laughter, because he was indeed telling the truth.
As for matters concerning the Ancient Sky City and his own identity, the old man never mentioned anything.
If the True Word Formation reacted, then that would truly be haunting.
“Ning Fan, if you do not appreciate the opportunity, then don’t blame this old man for being ruthless. Since I can’t have it, neither will you.”
The murderous aura in Tielei’s words lingered in the hall like a shadow that clings to the bone.
Whether it was the Temple or City Hall, they had endlessly elevated the status of ascetics over the years.
Unfortunately, no one could endure the austerity of asceticism, and many chose sacrifice midway.
Having experienced this aspect, martial artists revere ascetics even more, resulting in the priests’ extraordinary status.
Accustomed to taking shortcuts, for hundreds of years, the Ancient Sky City hasn’t seen an ascetic on the verge of becoming a priest.
Rumors have long circulated in the Ancient Sky City that there would be no more priests in the world.
The current priests, the youngest one took office more than a century ago.
Unexpectedly, the rumors were broken just like that.
Ning Fan’s appearance was, without a doubt, like a Cardiac Needle for the people of the Ancient Sky City, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call him the city’s idol.
Everyone believed that with Ning Fan’s talent, becoming a priest was only a matter of time.
In today’s complex situation, whether the Temple or City Hall could recruit Ning Fan, they would deliver a heavy reputational blow to their opponent.
Ambitious Tielei’s humility in association today was within reason.
As for whether someone would impersonate Ning Fan’s identity?
Not to mention on that day, many had already seen Ning Fan’s true appearance.
The method of discerning people by their aura is something the people of the Ancient Sky City are intimately familiar with.
If there were a second young ascetic with the same cultivation, the Ancient Sky City would consider it a fortunate event.
Ning Fan, temporarily unaware of his true value, did not leave immediately but instead entered the Temple through the main gate, still wanting to witness what a sacrifice was.
Within the vast interior of the Temple, there was only one queue, and everyone who entered would automatically join, with no signs of cutting in line.
Being unruly wouldn’t work; a row of Temple Guards stood at both sides of the queue, each with cultivation beyond the True Origin Realm.
To avoid drawing attention, Ning Fan had to stand in the line.
As the line slowly moved, Ning Fan finally understood what the so-called sacrifice entailed.
Far from the grandiosity he imagined, it was more mundane, like inserting coins to board a bus.
At the front of the line was a wall, with a giant eye inscribed in the center.
Everyone in line carried a leather bag, with the sound of gold coins clinking inside.
The Temple was very considerate, preventing anyone from carrying large amounts of gold coins to be robbed.
They thoughtfully installed an automatic exchange machine in the hall, allowing gold card cash withdrawals.
Before the eye statue, each participant in the sacrifice had to pour their gold coins into a pyramid-shaped money box.
“It would be amusing if someone used counterfeit coins,”
Of course, this was merely Ning Fan’s perverse humor.
The Temple’s Sacrificial Technique had been conducted for countless years and surely included certain precautions.
After coin insertion, participants would be guided by a priest to stand on a stone platform.
The stone platform would then elevate, aligning with the eye on the wall.
At this point, the eye would emit a clearly visible golden light, enveloping the sacrifice participant.
Through observing several individuals, Ning Fan noticed a pattern.
Those enveloped by the golden light and fainted on the stone platform had relatively low cultivation, not exceeding the True Qi Realm.
In contrast, those who remained conscious were at least in the Object-Manipulating Realm.
“This probably relates to one’s talent!”
Once the golden light dissipated, the Temple Guards would carry off the unconscious,
While those who remained conscious would meditate and cultivate nearby to refine the acquired power.
The duration of the golden light’s illumination correlated with the amount of coins inserted. The more money given, the longer the illumination.
However, overall efficiency was high; basically, a sacrifice could be completed in one minute.
This fluid, high-speed operation left Ning Fan clicking his tongue in wonder.
“Could it be some kind of energy converter? Turning the power of gold coins into True Qi.”
Ning Fan kept pondering this. The gold coins in the Ancient Sky City were not made of Gold but some extremely hard unknown metal.
And the golden light from the eye required this type of metal. Ning Fan chuckled, “Perhaps this is the true pay-to-win hack!”
As his turn approached, Ning Fan decided to leave the line.
Although very curious about the golden light’s origin and purpose, he dared not take the risk.
If it turned his True Qi foul, even tears would be too late.
Ning Fan’s decision to leave did not arouse suspicion, only a few disdainful glances.
The scene of arriving at the moment only to be penny-pinched was one these people had seen too often.
“Bunch of idiots!”
Ning Fan muttered a curse under his breath and then exited the Temple.
Those relying on sacrifice for strength, even if they reached the Peak of Aerial Mastery, in terms of True Qi quality and actual combat power, might still be inferior to the Initial Stage of Aerial Mastery on Earth.
Especially since the peak of strength gained through sacrifice is the Peak of Aerial Mastery, which consequently stifles any potential newcomers invisibly.
“Nobody speaks of this matter, could it be…”
Ning Fan’s heart trembled; he suddenly felt that the sacrifice might involve a colossal conspiracy aimed at limiting high combat strength, making it easier for those in power to strengthen their rule.
“But why would Tielei tell me?”
Ning Fan wouldn’t believe that Tielei was as naive as Wick, confidant with everyone he met.
“Could he be confident that I would join the Muto Family?”
It was then that Ning Fan’s expression turned dreadful, he realized he might have been duped by Tielei.
“That bastard dared to plot against me. Just you wait.”
In their prior conversation, Tielei first mentioned that the current Pharaoh wasn’t designated by the Sun God, subtly hinting at improper ascension.
Then he pretended that this was a massive secret known to very few and shouldn’t be casually spread.
It was then Ning Fan realized Tielei had spoken some contradictory things.
This massive secret was merely that the current Pharaoh had unjustly seized the old man’s throne.
“Tielei, as crafty as he is, wouldn’t make such an obvious logical error. Then what’s the reason behind it?”
Ning Fan couldn’t figure it out, but he was sure of one thing: Tielei had no good intentions.
“That old fox must be plotting something from me. It seems I’ve been drawn into some conspiracy.”
The only comforting thought for Ning Fan was that his identity seemed unexposed.
If it were otherwise, today’s dialogue with Tielei would have unfolded differently.
With Tielei’s ambition, he surely would have subtly mentioned forming an alliance.