Chapter 704: Chapter 273: Sheepskin Scroll: Entering the New Relic

Noticing Xiao Chen glance his way, he quickly lowered his head and looked away.

He didn’t dare to make eye contact.

Seeing Sun Haoran pull Sun Haize back, Xiao Chen mentally gave him a thumbs-up.

He then turned and left, heading straight for a spot on the sea more than four hundred miles out to wait.

This distance was nothing to him, but for many ordinary Cultivators—especially those at Foundation Establishment—it was quite a journey.

On his way, he saw many other Cultivators also hurrying to the location ahead of time.

Some Cultivators had even arrived a full day early, using wooden planks they carried with them as temporary platforms.

Normally, it would be very dangerous to stay out on the open sea with just a wooden plank.

But as they say, it’s good to have a big tree for shade.

These Cultivators cleverly stayed near the Spirit Ships of the major powers that had arrived early, and as a result, they passed the night in peace. No Spirit Fish dared to come near.

’Holy cow, so many Spirit Ships!’

Xiao Chen gazed out and saw a full fourteen large Spirit Ships and over twenty smaller Spiritual Boats moored there.

They were gathered in two separate groups, one for the Buddhist Sect and one for the Daoist Sect, forming two massive, fan-like formations.

The Loose Cultivators, however, had almost all gathered on the Buddhist Sect’s side. Some even had their wooden planks right up against the edges of the Spirit Ships, yet no one reprimanded them.

Xiao Chen, of course, needed no such protection.

He took a piece of Spirit Wood from his Storage Ring, tossed it onto the water, then landed upon it. He sat down cross-legged and began to meditate, awaiting the opening of the Relic.

As time went on, more and more Cultivators arrived.

The surroundings grew lively, then outright boisterous.

After all, it wasn’t often that all the major powers gathered in one place.

Many Cultivators were discussing rumors they had heard. The appearance of a few renowned figures, in particular, would cause a stir among the crowd.

Of course, many were discussing the recent, sensational events at the Eight Directions Arena.

After all, it was one of the biggest events in the entire Compassion Sea since the New Year.

"Look, that’s Xiao Chen!"

"He looks so young! Is he really as incredible as you say?"

"Of course it’s true. Right now, among the younger generation in the Compassion Sea, Xiao is the strongest."

...

"Who do you guys think is stronger, Xiao or Fazhao Arhat?"

"Well... they’re probably about the same, right?"

"I still think Fazhao Arhat is stronger. After all, he’s an eminent Monk from Pudu Temple."

"I wouldn’t be so sure. I think Xiao definitely has the edge."

...

Most of the Cultivators who had either been to the Eight Directions Arena or had received reliable information were singing Xiao Chen’s praises.

However, most of the local Cultivators from the southeastern region, as well as some ill-informed Loose Cultivators, were discussing the Arhats led by Pudu Temple.

After all, objectively speaking, the Buddhist Sect held the upper hand in the Compassion Sea.

Even aboard the Pudu Temple’s Spirit Ship, many Bhikkhus and Arhats were discussing the same topic.

Since they had seen the Memory Stone recording of his arena challenge, quite a few of them were praising Xiao Chen.

However, they were contradicted by the others around them. Whether out of genuine belief or false flattery, these Monks insisted that their own Eldest Brother was the strongest.

Fazhao Arhat, however, paid no mind to their debate.

He gazed through the window at Xiao Chen, who was meditating on the piece of Spirit Wood, and watched him for an entire hour.

He then sighed quietly and put a stop to the increasingly heated debate. "Alright, that’s enough arguing."

He reached out and tapped the windowsill. "Junior Brothers, all of you, come and look. This Donor Xiao... he has the heart for silent meditation!"

"In this regard alone, I am far his inferior."

Of course, as the man considered the foremost figure of the Buddhist Sect, Fazhao Arhat was careful to specify that he was only referring to mental fortitude.

When it came to actual Magical Combat, having never personally sparred with Xiao Chen, he didn’t believe he would be the weaker of the two.

The other Monks curiously gathered at the window, taking turns to look out.

Only then did they notice that despite the increasingly clamorous environment outside, Xiao Chen was cultivating with intense focus, completely undisturbed.

"The Relic is about to open, a great opportunity before us, yet he can cast aside all distracting thoughts... I am far from his equal."

Another Arhat, noticing this, also sighed.

He knew that he himself was a bundle of nerves and anticipation, making it impossible to quiet his mind.

The rest of the Monks fell silent.

The Buddhist path places great importance on one’s state of mind, and they usually spent their days meditating in Quiet Chambers.

That was why they, more than anyone, understood just how remarkable it was to be able to enter a state of Meditation in such an environment.

They couldn’t help but feel a sense of admiration and envy.

Soon, the sun began to set, dipping toward the western horizon and painting the sea with a beautiful, orange glow.

All manner of Spiritual Lights flared to life, illuminating the area around the Relic in a dazzling, multicolored display.

Xiao Chen ended his meditation at just the right moment. He stood up, stretched his limbs, and prepared to enter the Relic.

Only then did he notice that with nearly ten thousand Cultivators now gathered on the sea, the wooden planks in many areas were packed together, making the space exceptionally crowded.

However, about a dozen spots remained conspicuously empty, forming large open circles dozens of yards across.

Many Cultivators preferred to take a longer route or squeeze into an already crowded spot rather than venture into those areas.

He looked closer.

In the center of each of those large circles stood a Cultivator. They were all tall and powerfully built, with the broad backs and thick waists of bears, and their Qi Blood was exceptionally abundant.

Even from hundreds of yards away, Xiao Chen could sense the latent explosive power in their thick arms and towering, ten-foot-plus frames.

No wonder the ordinary Loose Cultivators didn’t dare approach, intentionally keeping a safe distance.

The fierce reputation of a Body Cultivator’s explosive, close-range power was simply too well-known to ignore.

Incidentally, the crowd had given Xiao Chen an even wider berth, consciously leaving a gap of more than three hundred yards around him.

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