Issue 80 challenge!

  Ye Chen waited for two days by the lakeside of Qing Shan, and got to know some scattered cultivators like Zhu Da Hao. After all, they were all from a similar background as scattered cultivators in Tianyun City, and their status was similar. They had all come to Qing Shan Lake for cultivation, without much ulterior motives, so it was easy to become familiar with each other.

  Through casual conversation, Ye Chen roughly understood the rules of snatching and cultivating cottages in Qing Shan Hu.

  The number of cottages is extremely limited, and unless a cultivator voluntarily gives up their cottage because they have joined one of the nine major sects, the only way to get one is to fight for it. Other cultivators who cannot occupy a cottage can only practice on the lake shore, envying those who do.

  Ye Chen even knew that there were 126 cultivation houses on the mountain peaks of Qing Shan Lake, and roughly how strong each cultivator was, what their identity and background were, and what achievements they had made.

  Ye Chen thought deeply for a moment and then shifted his gaze to the first hundred hut.

  He now has only three layers of Qi Refining, a whole layer less than the four layers of Qi Refining. First put the first goal on the most graspable Luoshu, and cultivate inside the Luoshu to save a large amount of spiritual stones.

  "Qing Shan Lake has 126 cultivation cottages, the ones in front are too strong and challenging, so I'll put them on hold for now. This cottage is relatively ordinary and doesn't draw attention, taking it down will be much easier!"

  Ye Chen got up early, checked the Xuan Tie knife he was wearing, and told Zhu Da Hao and others that he would leave Qing Shan Hu Pan and head to the mountain peak to challenge the master of the 100th Lu She.

  "What, Ye old brother, you want to challenge the master of the 100th hut? The one cultivating in that hut is Liu Qing, he's a top-notch loose cultivator with strength at the fourth layer of the Qi Refining stage. In just half a year, he has defeated dozens of fellow cultivators! Ye old brother, you're only at the third layer of the Qi Refining stage now, you definitely can't beat him!"

  Zhu Dahao was shocked, his eyes wide with surprise, and he loudly advised.

  "Not bad, it's better to cultivate here at Qing Shan Lake for a year or two. After two years, when you break through the fourth layer of the Qi Refining stage, then go occupy a cultivation hut!"

  Qian Shanli and Feng Yan were also surprised.

  But Ye Chen had already made up his mind, and after checking everything was ready, he mounted his low-grade spirit horse and headed towards the small mountain peak where the 100th hut was located.

  Zhu Dahao, Qian Shanli and Feng Yan stared at each other in dismay.

  "Alas, Ye is indeed a newborn calf that fears no tiger. He's just arrived at Qing Shan Lake and already wants to challenge him. That Liu Qing is a skilled fighter in the fourth layer of Qi Refining, and has quite a reputation in Qing Shan Lake. So many people have challenged him, but no one has ever taken his cottage from him. Ye will definitely lose this time."

  Zhu Dahao saw Ye Chen didn't listen to his advice and couldn't help but sigh and shake his head.

  "It's also good that Ye brother has experienced some setbacks, and in the future he will be more stable! He is young, with a long future ahead of him, and there will be many opportunities later on."

  Feng Yan smiled faintly, but it was another idea.

  "However, it's worth meeting Ye brother once, let's go and cheer him on!"

  Three people also got on their horses, although they didn't think much of Ye Chen, but went to support him.

  As soon as they set off, they immediately attracted the attention of many monks stationed on the banks of Qing Shan Lake, who flocked to ask Zhu Da Hao and others loudly. Upon learning that a new cultivator at the third layer of Qi Refining was going to challenge Liu Qing in the 100th hut, a small commotion ensued.

  "Come on, let's go and see the excitement, and see how this new monk challenges Liu Qing!"

  Soon some idle monks followed suit.

  There are not a few people who despise, mock and want to see Ye Chen's misfortune.

  All the way, more and more cultivators joined in, until they reached the foot of the mountain, where there were already dozens of Qi Refining stage cultivators. Ye Chen was relatively unknown, so it was already quite good that so many people came to watch the challenge. Among them, many were also here because they knew Zhu Dahao and others, otherwise, the number would be even smaller.

  Moreover, these people are almost all loose cultivators. Whether it's Challenger Ye Chen or the first hundredth hut owner Liu Qing, they are all loose cultivators. Such a duel is only of interest to loose cultivators.

  Ye Chen ignored the noise of the crowd of cultivators following behind him, his heart calm, and rode his horse to a small mountain peak on the northwest side of Qing Shan Lake, dismounted, and stepped up the bluestone stairs, one step at a time, towards the top of the mountain.

  This is a low mountain peak, with several spiritual springs and small waterfalls pouring down from the top of the mountain.

  This small peak has a total of three small spiritual springs and three cultivation houses, including the 100th, 111th and 115th houses.

  Ye Chen's speed was not fast, and he walked for nearly half a time on the thousands of bluestone steps.

  He walked up the bluestone steps and came to the middle of the mountain, where a flat land of several acres was opened up. On the flat land, a hut made of spiritual wood and solid stone was built, which was exactly where the first hundred huts were located.

  This hut will encase a spiritual spring inside.

  The spring water gushing out of Lingquan flows down along the steep cliff of the mountain peak.

  A large amount of spiritual energy in the Spiritual Water was dissipated into the air during its flow, and by the time it reached Qing Shan Lake, there was very little spiritual energy left. Many Foundation Building cultivators who did not have the strength to compete for a dwelling could only cultivate at Qing Shan Lake.

  In front of the hut, a stone monument stood tall, with the words "First Hundred Huts" written in large letters at the top. Below the big characters were more than ten detailed rules for the challenge. For example, it was stated that only those under the age of 25 and below the sixth layer of Qi Refining could participate. Each cultivator had only one chance to challenge per month, and if they lost, they would have to wait another month before being allowed to challenge again. The master of each hut accepted no more than three challengers per day, and any excess could be refused. Only one-on-one challenges were permitted.

  And so on, and other similar detailed rules.

  Ye Chen had already figured out the rules of these challenges over the past two days, so he came early to challenge, in order to avoid someone else taking his place and challenging Lu Zhuo Qing first.

  This Qing Shan Lake does not have the fairy city guards who maintain order. However, the rules are clearly written on stone tablets and stand here, and everyone must abide by them. There are many cultivators watching from the sidelines, they are the supervisors. If anyone violates the rules, it is undoubtedly a challenge to all cultivators in Qing Shan Lake, and the consequences of provoking public outrage are extremely terrifying.

  "Liu Qing brother, someone has come to challenge you! He's a nameless loose cultivator at the third layer of Qi Refining!"

  "Brother Liu, use one move to defeat this arrogant little brat and let him taste the pain of being beaten!"

  Outside the hut, it became lively. The crowd of onlookers, consisting of Qi-refining stage cultivators, scattered around the flat ground, shouting and calling out to one another.

  Zhu Dahao, Qian Shanli and Feng Yan exchanged a glance, all shaking their heads in dismay. They had come to support Ye Chen, but almost no one thought he stood a chance.

  "Crack!"

  A young monk wearing a green robe opened the wooden door of the hut, grasping a sword in his hand and walking out steadily from inside. He was none other than Liu Qing, the master of this hut.

  Liu Qing's appearance was very ordinary, with light eyebrows and thin eyes, the kind that would almost be forgotten in a crowd.

  However, Liu Qing's reputation in the Qing Shan Lake's loose cultivators was somewhat prestigious, and his strength among the mid-term loose cultivators was also ranked high. After all, not everyone could cultivate in these 126 cottages. Being able to occupy one of the cottages already proved his strength.

  The monks saw Master Liu Qing come out and gradually calmed down.

  "Three layers of Qi refinement! You, young brother, with such strength dare to challenge me? Don't you think that's underestimating me a bit too much? Even if it were four layers of Qi refinement, few people can defeat me... Unless you have something special about you, how could you dare challenge me?"

  Liu Qing walked slowly to the center of the flat ground, looked at Ye Chen who was standing alone twenty zhang away, and couldn't help but reveal a hint of warmth on his face.

  Dozens of monks watching from the sidelines also didn't think highly of Ye Chen, and the scene was filled with snickers and chatter. If their guesses were correct, Liu Qing would be able to easily defeat this challenger in no time. Then this inter-sect challenge would become a joke, spreading within a small circle around Qing Shan Lake.

  "Of course I have confidence, otherwise I wouldn't dare come!"

  Ye Chen's expression was calm and unhurried as he slowly pulled out a low-grade spirit beast pouch from his bosom and tossed it in front of him. A small wild boar emerged from the pouch, tumbling to the ground. It was now at the middle stage of the first rank, weighing over 80 kilograms, with a sturdy physique.

  The battle for the hut is a one-on-one challenge between the challenger and the hut owner, with other monks strictly forbidden from interfering.

  However, it is not forbidden for monks to bring spiritual beasts, because some monks specialize in the art of riding beasts, and if they don't let others use them, what's the point.

  The monks around the flat land saw this wild boar and suddenly set off a small piece of shouting.

  "Hog Spirit Beast?"

  "In the market of Xian City, buying a young piglet of the Yao Hao breed requires at least 100 pieces of Ling Stone! This is almost equivalent to the annual income of a Qi Refining first or second layer cultivator!"

  "Buying a demonic boar cub is just the beginning, raising it to adulthood takes at least several years of time, and daily purchases of spiritual grains and food are not cheap. Raising this demonic boar spirit beast for a year costs at least 200-300 spirit stones! Without enough spirit stones, who dares to think about fighting large-scale spirit beasts?"

  Many loose cultivators stared at the Hao Zhu Ling Beast that Ye Chen had thrown out, swallowing a mouthful of saliva. The look in their eyes towards Ye Chen also changed, and no one thought he was unqualified to challenge Liu Qing anymore.

  In the Tianyun Xianyuan City, which low-level Qi-refining cultivator would spend 300-400 pieces of spirit stones to raise a spiritual beast? With these spirit stones, it's better to buy some spiritual pills and use them on oneself! Only by breaking through one's own Yuan Shen can one achieve true progress.

  Very few loose cultivators would raise a large combat spirit beast. Even if they could afford to buy a young beast, they couldn't afford to raise it, and it would eat them into bankruptcy.

  Don't even mention casual practitioners, even if they're from a small clan, they wouldn't dare to raise large spiritual beasts. Only those big clan children who are willing to spend spirit stones will raise combat spiritual beasts, such as spiritual tigers and spiritual wolves, and they're the kind that combines combat spiritual beasts with mount spiritual beasts, saving money on mount spiritual beasts.

  However, Ye Chen's boar could only serve as a combat spirit beast, with sharp quills on its back that made it unsuitable to be used as a mount.

  This is a truly combat-type spiritual beast, and even if it only has a mediocre strength of one stage, it can still pose a huge threat. With Ye Chen's added strength, they already possess the fighting power of the fourth layer of the Refining Qi period, and are evenly matched.

  "Hog Spirit Beast!"

  Liu Qing's eyelid suddenly twitched, and he faintly felt something was off.

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  PS: Bai Li is here to chat with you all for a bit.

  "The Destiny of the Immortal Realm" has reached its fifth week, with 200,000 characters updated in March. There is still one week of free update chapters left. It will be officially launched on VIP on April 1st at dawn. I hope that book friends who support this book can handle a starting VIP account as soon as possible to facilitate subscription after it goes online and support "The Destiny of the Immortal Realm".

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