Chapter 1362: Chapter 1351: Temple Strength
Of course! Ning Fan is not taking on the role of a priest, but first taking on a divine duty.
The news spreading among the residents of the Ancient Sky City at this time is exactly about this matter.
Listening to the heated discussions in the streets and alleys, one can imagine how lively the temple will be in three days.
“Old man, will you show up?”
The reason for setting the time in three days is not because Tielei is worried about Ning Fan changing his mind, leaving room for negotiation, but…
“Young Ning, during these three days we should have a good time, otherwise it might be inconvenient in the future.”
“What inconvenience?”
Wick responded without hesitation, “Think about it, Young Ning. Anywhere you go, someone will recognize you. Wouldn’t that spoil the fun?”
“You’re really thoughtful.”
Ning Fan absentmindedly replied, his eyes fixed intently on the shadows on the ground.
These shadows included not just his own but also Wick’s, along with the pedestrians and objects on the street.
Noticing this, Wick stepped into a shadow with a foot full of True Qi.
Ning Fan watched clearly as the previously still shadow suddenly squirmed slightly before returning to its usual state.
“Young Ning, don’t mind them. Grandpa is concerned someone from the City Hall might cause trouble, so he arranged for them to protect me.”
After speaking, Wick quickly added, “Rest assured, Young Ning. You don’t have to pay attention to them, just treat them as if they weren’t human.”
“Thank your grandfather for his kindness on my behalf.”
Ning Fan certainly didn’t mind having these free bodyguards.
Even if they were protecting under the guise of surveillance.
“This is good too, it lets the old guy feel more at ease.”
After an incredibly absurd three days, Ning Fan once again stepped onto the temple stairs, accompanied by pitch-black shadows.
“Ah…”
Wick, with dark circles under his eyes, yawned and complained discontentedly, “Getting up before dawn is really unpleasant.”
If not for having the Peak of True Origin power to sustain him, Wick would’ve become utterly exhausted over these three days.
Under Ning Fan’s tutelage, this kid had a taste of the thrill and even developed many new methods. He really had a blast.
“Since no one can see us, why don’t we use True Qi to travel fast!”
To maintain piety toward the Sun God, believers must walk to the temple.
Since Wick suggested it, Ning Fan naturally didn’t object. With a light tap of his toe, he soared high into the air.
Ning Fan purposefully looked back, and at the place he just left, a shadow swept across the ground.
“Such a Ghostly Guard.”
Ning Fan showed a hint of surprise in his eyes, knowing well there were Ghostly Guards hidden within the shadows, yet he couldn’t detect them at all.
To expose the Ghostly Guard, one could either force them out using True Qi or shake them off at lightning speed.
Besides these, there was no third way.
Even with Ning Fan’s true strength, he still couldn’t discover them.
“What cultivation technique do these Ghostly Guards study?”
Even Wick didn’t know the answer to this question, unless he became a High Priest.
In the faint glow of dawn, Tielei’s figure appeared in Ning Fan’s eyes.
Besides him, two groups of priests wearing white robes and gold crowns stood behind.
“It seems priests are really rare; such a large temple has only twelve men.”
The twelve men Ning Fan mentioned referred to the two teams in front of him.
In reality, there weren’t just twelve priests in the temple; the total number was twenty-two.
The other ten had been recruited by the City Hall and were removed from the temple, abandoning their divine duty.
The twelve priests before them were Tielei’s trusted aides and also “his own people” as Ning Fan would call them.
As for those Golden Armor Temple Guards, they were just there to serve as an honor guard.
The real managers of the temple were these thirteen people.
“Ning Fan, you’ve arrived.”
Perhaps because other priests were present, Tielei didn’t show too much passion, just a simple greeting.
“High Priest, hello.”
“Grandfather.”
Ignoring his grandson, Tielei turned to the twelve priests and said, “This is the newly ascended ascetic of the Ancient Sky City, Master Ning Fan, who meditates on the western outskirts landfill.”
Hearing this introduction, Ning Fan furrowed his brow, resisting the urge to get angry.
It couldn’t be helped! Practicing in the landfill was a symbol of honor in the Ancient Sky City.
Upon hearing this introduction, the priests who were meditating with closed eyes suddenly opened them, and twelve sharp glares flashed momentarily.
With almost no facial expression like living corpses, the priests now revealed a rare emotional fluctuation, as True Qi uncontrollably leaked out.
Their white robes slightly puffed, their large sleeves rustling, as twelve varied-sized energy clusters formed beneath their feet.
“Oh dear. The lowest among them is at the Initial Stage of Aerial Mastery.”
Ning Fan clicked his tongue discreetly, quickly discerning the true cultivation of the twelve from their leaked True Qi.
“Five at the Initial Stage of Aerial Mastery, five at the Intermediate Stage, and two at the Peak.”
These weren’t skills augmented by the Sacrificial Technique, but real strength honed through hard cultivation, step by step.
Such strength could easily dominate on Earth, yet in the Ancient Sky City, it was just one power.
“Oh, right! And there’s Tielei, this old guy too is at the Aerial Mastery Peak.”
Being stimulated by the aura of the twelve or perhaps to assert his power, Tielei finally showcased his true cultivation.
Only then did Ning Fan realize that he had overlooked a question all along.
“Tielei knows the drawbacks of sacrifice, so why does he agree to Wick’s sacrifice?”
If Tielei had reached the Aerial Mastery Peak through sacrifice, Ning Fan might not have thought of this problem.
Once someone participates in a sacrificial ritual, not only will they be stuck at the Aerial Mastery Peak for life, but their true combat strength will also fall short compared to those who cultivate arduously.
“Could it be that Wick lacks talent? That doesn’t seem right!”
If Wick lacked talent, he wouldn’t have reached the Peak of True Origin at such a young age.
Entering the temple to sacrifice doesn’t mean the richer you are, the higher your strength will rise,
Without a good cultivation talent, it’s impossible to efficiently refine the True Qi gained from sacrifice.
The frequent occurrence of the underdog myth in the Ancient City is due to this factor.
Under equal conditions of gold coin sacrifice, those with higher talent gain more power.
“Why does Tielei, also an ascetic, want to ruin Wick’s future.”
The more Ning Fan thought about it, the stranger it seemed.
Gradually, Ning Fan’s face displayed a bizarre expression, “Could it be that Wick isn’t his own but merely an abandoned child to cover his tracks?”
“Master Ning.”
Tielei gently called out, bringing Ning Fan back to the present.
Seeing everyone’s eyes fixed on him, Ning Fan smiled, it was time for him to unveil his power.
A surge of energy at the Peak of True Origin ascended to the sky without restraint, as an invisible pillar of energy seemed to tear the sky’s curtain apart, bathing the area in golden sunlight.
Standing closest to Ning Fan, Wick was startled by the intimidating presence, involuntarily stepping back two steps.
“Such pure energy.”
“Although it’s at Half-step Aerial Mastery, this momentum is comparable to the Aerial Mastery Stage.”
“It’s even purer by three degrees than my own refined energy; this young man is extraordinary!”
“To think such a terrifying power originated from landfill cultivation!”
…