Chapter 5734: Somewhere We Eventually Have to Go

“You shouldn’t be too arrogant. The world is huge,” Zhang Yingxiong told Long Chengyu before directing a smile at Chu Feng. “Don’t worry, he’ll recover in a jiffy. It won’t affect his performance in the test.”

There was a huge contrast between Zhang Yingxiong’s attitude toward Chu Feng and Long Chengyu. Zhang Yingxiong was not the type to show courtesy to others, but he had the right to act arrogantly.

For one, Zhang Yingxiong was able to see through their concealment, which had gotten past the detection of so many experts. In a way, this showed just how powerful he was. On top of that, he had reached rank seven Half-God level despite being a junior.

In contrast, Chu Feng was only at rank three Half-God level.

Furthermore, there was something special about the oppressive might Zhang Yingxiong had exerted, in terms of how it had stripped Long Chengyu of his power to retaliate.

Despite Zhang Yingxiong’s assurance, Chu Feng still checked on Long Chengyu’s condition out of worry. He realized that the latter’s bloodline was in disarray, but he breathed a sigh of relief when he confirmed that he would recover soon.

“Brother Chengyu, Muxi, the two of you should participate in the test first. Don’t wait for me. We’ll meet at the Nine Heavens’ Zenith,” Chu Feng said.

“That won’t do. I want to teach him a lesson!” Long Chengyu glared at Zhang Yingxiong.

“Feeling indignant?” Zhang Yingxiong asked.

“Of course!” Long Chengyu snorted.

“Stop putting on a tough front. Let’s go!” Long Muxi interjected.

She was angry at how Zhang Yingxiong had bullied her younger brother, but the latter was Chu Feng’s friend. Moreover, it was her younger brother who caused a fuss first. Thus, she swallowed her anger.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have backed down that easily despite knowing that Zhang Yingxiong was not to be trifled with.

“Do you think I’d have lost to him if not for his surprise assault?” Long Chengyu sneered.

Zhang Yingxiong didn’t say a word, but he glared at Long Chengyu with cold eyes that indicated that he wouldn’t show mercy if Long Chengyu dared to have a go at him once more.

“Brother Zhang,” Chu Feng called out.

He was put in a spot, as both sides were his friends.

“I understand. I won’t put you in a spot,” Zhang Yingxiong said. He turned to Long Chengyu and apologized, “I’m sorry, Brother Long. I went overboard earlier. I hope you won’t hold it against me.”

Long Chengyu and Long Muxi were shocked by Zhang Yingxiong’s apology, particularly because they sensed that it was not a perfunctory apology but one filled with sincerity.

It would have been petty of Long Chengyu to continue harping on the matter when Zhang Yingxiong had apologized, not to mention that the latter was only doing this so as to not put Chu Feng in a spot. Naturally, Long Chengyu wouldn’t want to put Chu Feng in a spot too.

“Forget it. I was wrong as well,” Long Chengyu said. He turned to Chu Feng and said, “Brother Chu Feng, should we really not wait for you?”

“There’s no need for that. You go ahead. See you at the Nine Heavens’ Zenith,” Chu Feng said.

“All right,” Long Chengyu replied with a nod.

Long Chengyu and Long Muxi made their way to the exam, leaving Chu Feng and Zhang Yingxiong behind.

“Brother Zhang, you were looking for me?” Chu Feng asked.

“Chu Feng, I need to leave soon, but I still have an unfulfilled wish,” Zhang Yingxiong said.

“You’re leaving soon? Where are you heading to?”

“The Ninth Galaxy.”

“The Immemorial Domain of Gods?”

Chu Feng had naturally heard of the Ninth Galaxy. It was said to be impossible to leave the Ninth Galaxy after entering it, so no one knew what was there.

Some claimed it was a holy land of cultivation that no one wanted to leave upon arriving there. Others asserted that it was a hellish place that would bring death upon anyone who stepped on its ground.

That was also why the Ninth Galaxy was also known as the Immemorial Purgatory.

“Yes, I’m heading there,” Zhang Yingxiong replied.

“Do you know what kind of place that is?” Chu Feng asked.

“Some say that it’s the domain of gods. Some say that it’s a purgatory. I’m not too sure about the details either, but it’s a place that we’ll eventually have to go to,” Zhang Yingxiong said.

“What makes you say so?” Chu Feng asked.

“Do you know why the experts in the earlier years of the current era entered the Ninth Galaxy?” Zhang Yingxiong said.

“Why?”

“The world of cultivation is not a bad place to build one’s foundation, but one has to enter the Ninth Galaxy to reach greater heights. Something happened in the later years of the Ancient Era that caused the world’s energies to be concentrated in the Ninth Galaxy.

“The energy of the other galaxies is sufficient to reach True God level, but it’s nigh impossible to reach Heavenly God level. The cultivators and world spiritists of the earlier years of the current generation are able to supplement the deficiency through natural oddities, so there were still quite a few Heavenly God level cultivators and Heavenly Dragon World Spiritists then.

“However, there are only that many natural oddities in the world. They are slowly depleted over time, resulting in fewer and fewer Heavenly God level cultivators and Heavenly Dragon World Spiritists in subsequent generations.

“It’s just a guess on my part, but I think their decision is the right one. Only the Ninth Galaxy can bring them to greater heights,” Zhang Yingxiong said.

“Do you know why it’s impossible to leave the Ninth Galaxy? Does that have something to do with what happened in the later years of the Ancient Era?” Chu Feng asked.

“I’m not sure either, but it’s true that you’ll be temporarily stuck there once you enter the Ninth Galaxy. However, that shouldn't be a problem since you can just bring your family and friends in with you… though I don’t think you’re planning on heading there yet, right?” Zhang Yingxiong asked.

“Indeed. I’m planning on saving my mother first,” Chu Feng replied.

Zhang Yingxiong fell silent upon hearing those words.

“What’s wrong?” Chu Feng asked.

“Nothing. I hope that we can meet again,” Zhang Yingxiong replied.

“We definitely will.”

If Zhang Yingxiong’s words were true, he would eventually reach a bottleneck in his cultivation. By then, he would have to enter the Ninth Galaxy if he wished to go any further.

“Speaking of which, you mentioned that you have an unfulfilled wish. Is it something I can help you with?” Chu Feng asked.

“Of course. It has something to do with you. Chu Feng, I wish to have a spar with you,” Zhang Yingxiong said.

“Right now?” Chu Feng asked.

“Yes, right now,” Zhang Yingxiong replied with a nod.

“Are you not heading to the Nine Heavens’ Zenith?”

“I’m not going. You’re the only one here qualified to be my opponent anyway,” Zhang Yingxiong said.

“I’m not your match in my current state,” Chu Feng replied with a bitter smile.

Zhang Yingxiong opened his palm, and a sphere surfaced. It was a special formation that manifested as a realm. There were two peculiar wooden swords inside the formation.

“This formation will set our cultivation on the same level as each other. We won’t be using any martial skills, secret skills, or special means. We’ll just spar with the same weapons. The formation will dissipate in two hours’ time. If we can’t decide on a victor by then, we’ll consider it a draw,” Zhang Yingxiong said.

“Sounds good to me,” Chu Feng replied with a nod.

He knew that Zhang Yingxiong had held back in their previous clash, and he was curious to know exactly how strong the latter was.

Zhang Yingxiong chuckled as he opened up his palm. The sphere in his grasp expanded outward, enveloping the two of them. At the same time, the two wooden swords floated to the two of them.