"phew!! I'm not late." Aotian closed the beastskin map as he stared at a long line of young cultivators ahead. He had been walking on the snowy land for about a week, after finding a map on the shapeshifter's layer.
He trudged forward, his bare feet stirring the snow as he approached the long line of youths at the gates of Mar Long City. His green robes were a little more than tattered remnants, they were burnt at the edges,with fabric clinging to his lower frame like forgotten cloth on a scarecrow. His upper body was bare,his skin was pale,but his muscles were taut and forged. He no longer had a frail body. The supreme jade physique changed him from head to toe. His whole body laced with green veins that were visible even in the cold of snow. If one looked carefully, they could see that the green blood pulsing appeared and vanished at different lapses. Jade Qi was keeping him warm.
Ling Aotian looked dashing, wild and mysterious, with strands of his long, dark hair striding down his back, making the female cultivators delirious with infatuation. He hadnt made any move, he just stood there but all eyes were on him. His eyes though we're fixed on the towering walls ahead,oblivious of the stares of the young masters and ladies on the line.
"Is he..a rogue cultivator ..?"
" He's just at the Qi refining realm..!!"
" He's not here for the trials right ..?"
The youths started discussing him, whispers and insinuations trailing the huge line that extended all the way to the huge gates of Mar Long city. He was just too eye- catching.
" Uugggh!! He smells like smoke and pine sap, is it too weird that is find it hot ?" A maiden blushed as she peeked at Ling Aotian from time to time.
Whump!
Someone suddenly bumped into Ling Aotian, sending him to the side for half a step before he jumped out of his stupar. He looked at the person before him and he couldn't help but reminisce about the legends of the Ice soul demon venerate.
The person was chubby, short and well dressed in regal like white robes. His face was pale and he was followed by a caravan of people with the same physical features. The most obvious being the black scales on his neck and the small protrutions on his head. He was a drake, with an arrogant air all around him. He wore pride all over his being.
"Inferior human! Make way for Lord Xiao Chen ! " The chubby drake rebuked arrogantly. Ling Aotian looked at him, then looked behind him and ..Slapp!! He sent the young drake through the caravan and onto the palanqiun in the middle of the caravan.
The chubby drake was just at the fifth heavenstage of the Qi refining realm, having no chance against Ling Aotian's sudden slap.
Gasps and shocked expressions all over the surroundings could be heard, yet Ling Aotian just stood like a scarecrow looking at the Palanquin with unbridled arrogance. The drakes around him all releasing their aura, killing intent locking into Ling Aotian.
"I knew he was a good for nothing brat!! Just look at him, he smells and now he's dead..!!"
"Does he not know whom that caravan belongs to?"
Some from the line whispered, their voices low as a figure from inside the Palanquin stepped out. His features were the same,with his robe being slightly different, silver colored and trimmed with serpent-scale embroidery. In his bearing was unmistakable sharpness,making people involuntary take a step back without noticing it. Ling Aotian's eyes narrowed, " This is a real expert !! "
In turn, this Xiao Chen, the drake also narrowed his eyes. All his senses telling him not to make an enemy of the tarnned begger in front of him. He couldn't help feel insignificant Infront of this young human. For some reason he felt a depth in Ling Aotian's eyes that exuded the presence of being unfathomable.
Ling Aotian was just at the Qi refining realm while he was at the body and soul tempering realm. He could clearly sense this and according to reason, he should be able to easily subdue and kill this begger. But the aura Ling Aotian was displaying was that of an expert. Someone who has been forged in the bowels of cruelty and bloodshed. He could not help but tremble when he saw this murderous aura.
" You there..? What is your name..?" He stilled himself and asked domineeringly, not wanting to lose out in the confrontation. When experts fought, they fought with their full strength. A verbal fight was insignificant, but losing out when there is a chance of battle was disadvantageous. This relates to the mental realm of cultivators before going into battle. It may seem trivial but mentality was a huge factor for cultivators. Even before breaking through to a higher realm, the mental realm of a cultivator is the first to break through. The demeanour and attitude changes before every breakthrough, becoming more mature, becoming more clear on your path. Cultivating the dao heart, making bottlenecks none existent.
Dao heart was the difference between Ling Aotian and Xiao Chen. Ling Aotian's mental realm was so far ahead that even though Xiao Chen had higher cultivation, he couldn't help but feel a sense of dread when he looked at Ling Aotian who was releasing his intent and aura.
"An extreme physique ..?" Ling Aotian mumbled, making Xiao Chen stunned and even more wary of him. Xiao Chen made his determination, he would not offend this person.
However, his attendants felt otherwise, " how dare you look at young master with your filthy eyes..!!" The chubby drake pointed as he shouted. " Kneel and kowtow you inferior human..!!" Xiao Chen twitched as he heard this. Just how dense was this attendant of his to not see his cautious approach. He gave a sturn look and the chubby drake chocked upon his glare. Unfortunately, the chubby drake misinterpretated what Xiao Chen wanted. He accelerated forward and raised a fist towards Ling Aotian.
"Drakonian fist !! " The chubby drake shouted. A translucent icy giant fist image appeared in the sky, towering above Ling Aotian in a slamming position.
"Look ! Look ! Isn't that one of the drakes bloodline abilities? "
" Yes but it's too lacking. His bloodline must not be too pure."
" It doesn't matter, he is just at the 1st heavenstage of the Qi refining realm while that drake is at the 5th. "
"Like that even matters.My martial uncle told me to stay away from the drakes. That the Drakonian fist is a green grade bloodline ability that can be cultivated all the way to heaven merging !! "
Chattering rang through the observers, all waiting to see a good show.
Ling Aotian looked at the oncoming fist image with disdain. He gave Xiao Chen a look. As if telling him that he was giving him a chance to correct this misunderstanding. As if he was telling him that the line between friend and foe had yet to be drawn.
Xiao Chen was no fool, sending his own drakonian fist to block the fist image.
"Phew!! I don't think I could parry that fist. Good thing this kid has great awareness." Ling Aotian heaved a sigh of relief. He was only just putting a strong front in public. In actuality, ever since he arrived at the snow demon Domain, his combat power was only average. With his jade Qi being his trump card due to its potency and power. But would Ling Aotian really spend his hard cultivated Qi to stop this chubby ignorant fool. Especially when he had no assurance of coming out on top..?
He did not, he already knew of the Drakonian fist. In his previous self,one of the people who reached the 9th heavenstage of the heaven merging realm was a drake. This figure was named Hua Long and he was one of the three people who fought with GUI Ying in the final battle before Ling Aotian sent his memories to his present self. Hua Long also used the Drakonian fist, although his attribute was of fire instead of ice attribute. Clearly showing that he did not come from the desolate north.
A fist image soared through the sky with unwavering strength, colliding with another fist image that was twice as small as the soaring fist. BAAM !! The descending fist image turned into specks of snow while the ascending image continued to soar until it naturally disappeared while still ascending. Just from this scene, one could see the difference in bloodlines. One was clearly purer than the other.
"Fellow daoist, I apologies for my attendants insolense. I hope we can put this matter behind us." Xiao Chen claspped his had with a light bow. A ceremonial greating that showed that you view your fellow cultivator as an equal.
"My name is Ling Aotian, I hope brother Xiao Chen doesn't feel disgusted by this inferior human's presence." Xiao Chen's eyelids twitched a little, making a mental notes not to offend someone like Ling Aotian again. From just his introduction, Xiao Chen could see that he was someone who holds grudges.
" I will apologize again brother Ling. You are here for the core disciple trials,.. right..? Why don't I give you some face and take you inside the city with me."
"Then I will also give brother Xiao Chen some face."
Xiao Chen opened the Palanquin's wooden doors and showed Ling Aotian in. Leaving the masses of people waiting for a good show flabagusted.
Just who was this Ling Aotian that even the Drake young master gives face to..? They marked that face, making mental notes to avoid such a person before the trial begins.