Time flew by like a white steed, and a month passed in the blink of an eye.
The annual Ascension Gathering was about to commence in Nanyang Ancient Forest, and for a time, the Loose Cultivators of Nanyang City rushed towards the entrance of Nanyang Ancient Forest.
Fang Hong, dressed in a black robe, stood tall and straight like a pine tree, his spirit high, and his steps steady, walking unhurriedly towards the entrance.
When Fang Hong arrived, the scene before him made him pause slightly.
The entrance was already bustling with people, countless Cultivators gathered together, their voices rising and falling.
Fang Hong estimated that at least two thousand people had gathered there, even more than during the registration period.
Seeing such a large number of participants, Fang Hong was secretly startled.
However, he quickly calmed down, thinking of the powerful Spiritual Artifacts he carried and the carefully prepared Talismans as his trump cards, which greatly reassured him…
Fang Hong walked to a corner with an expressionless face, standing there quietly, waiting for the Ascension Gathering to begin.
He subtly observed the Loose Cultivators around him; among these two thousand people, Cultivators below Qi Refining Stage Level 10 accounted for the majority, with more or less tension on their faces.
There were also several hundred at Qi Refining Stage Level 12, and over a hundred at Qi Refining Stage Perfection.
Fang Hong also noticed a phenomenon: most Cultivators were in pairs, and some even formed small groups of five or six.
Those like him, fighting alone, were a minority and seemed somewhat out of place.
After all, this Ascension Gathering was not a one-on-one arena battle, but rather ranked by the killing of Demonic Beasts, so some Loose Cultivators forming teams to kill Demonic Beasts might be more effective.
Teaming up not only allowed for mutual support but also enabled them to leverage team strength when facing powerful Demonic Beasts, increasing the success rate of kills.
"Fellow Daoist, are you alone? Why not team up with us? It would be safer." At this moment, two young men in blue robes approached Fang Hong with smiles, and one of them extended an invitation.
"No need," Fang Hong responded coldly, his tone decisive.
He glanced at the two young men in blue robes; their cultivation was merely at Qi Refining Stage Level 8 or 9. In his opinion, taking them along would undoubtedly be like carrying two burdens, not only unhelpful but potentially hindering his own actions.
Upon hearing Fang Hong's reply, the smiles on the faces of the two young men in blue robes instantly stiffened, and a hint of awkwardness appeared on their faces.
They hadn't expected Fang Hong to refuse so decisively and were at a loss for words.
After exchanging glances, they said no more and reluctantly departed, a touch of helplessness in their retreating figures…
Shortly after the two young men in blue robes left, two attractive female Cultivators approached Fang Hong.
One of the female Cultivators, dressed in red, spoke with a cheerful smile: "Fellow Daoist, I apologize for the intrusion. I am Li Tao, and this is my younger sister, Li Yao. May I ask your esteemed name?"
Her voice was clear and melodious, her smile sweet, giving one a feeling of basking in the spring breeze.
"I am Fang Hong. What can I do for you two Fellow Daoists?" Fang Hong nodded calmly, his face still without much expression.
"So it's Fellow Daoist Fang. Actually, it's nothing much, we just wanted to form a team with you, Fellow Daoist," Li Tao said with a smile, her eyes full of anticipation, and her sister Li Yao also nodded slightly beside her.
"No need. I am a lone wolf and prefer to fight alone. Please return, two Fellow Daoists," Fang Hong shook his head and refused without hesitation.
The Li sisters' cultivation was quite good; the elder sister Li Tao was at Qi Refining Stage Level 13, and the younger sister Li Yao was at Qi Refining Stage Level 12. But he had already made up his mind to act alone and naturally would not change his mind…
"Fellow Daoist, are you really not considering teaming up? With your cultivation, plus us two sisters, competing for that Foundation Establishment Pill would be much easier." Li Tao's face showed a hint of disappointment after hearing Fang Hong's refusal, but she still persisted in asking.
In this fiercely competitive Ascension Gathering, an additional powerful teammate meant an additional chance of victory.
Fang Hong still shook his head, refusing, his heart firm and unwavering.
Seeing this, the Li sisters exchanged glances, then shook their heads and sighed helplessly.
Since Fang Hong's mind was made up, further persuasion would be futile, so they wisely left.
Afterward, many Cultivators, seeing Fang Hong alone, came to invite him to team up. However, without exception, he refused them all…
Approximately two hours later, a sudden whistling sound came from the sky.
Hearing the sound, the Fellow Daoists looked up, only to see three streaks of light rapidly approaching from afar.
As the lights drew closer, the Fellow Daoists finally saw clearly that it was the personnel from the three sects responsible for hosting the Ascension Gathering who had finally arrived.
Danxian Valley, Taiyi Sect, and Yu Shou Sect each sent a Foundation Establishment Stage Late-Phase Cultivator to preside over the gathering, accompanied by two Qi Refining Stage Disciples.
Fang Hong noticed that the flying Spiritual Artifacts controlled by these three sects each had their own unique characteristics.
Danxian Valley used a leaf-shaped Spiritual Artifact, its leaves shimmering with a vibrant green light;
Taiyi Sect used a flying wooden boat, ancient in design and exuding a heavy aura;
Yu Shou Sect, showcasing its specialty, directly rode in on a Black Eagle Spirit Beast. The Black Eagle was enormous, its outstretched wings spanning several feet wide, majestically hovering in the air.
"Fellow Daoists, welcome to this Ascension Gathering. I presume you are all familiar with the rules and format of the gathering. Please present your registration identity tokens."
The Black-Robed Elder of Taiyi Sect stepped forward as a representative to speak, his voice deep and powerful, resonating throughout the entire venue.
The Fellow Daoists below, hearing this, all took out their identity tokens from their Storage Pouches or bosoms, gripping them tightly in their hands.
Immediately after, the Black-Robed Elder took out a yellow Talisman. After injecting spiritual energy, the yellow Talisman instantly transformed into a golden light, like a nimble ray of light, swiftly circulating among the Fellow Daoists' identity tokens.
A moment later, golden characters appeared on all the Fellow Daoists' identity tokens.
Fang Hong also saw that his identity token now displayed his name, kill points, and ranking, though currently both kill points and ranking were zero.
"Most of the Nanyang Ancient Forest has been set up with Formations by us, and Demonic Beasts will constantly attack you. What you need to do is continuously kill Demonic Beasts to improve your ranking."
"Of course, kill points can be stolen from each other. How you maintain your ranking depends on your individual abilities!" the Black-Robed Elder continued, his gaze sweeping over the Fellow Daoists below.
The Black-Robed Elder's words made the Fellow Daoists' hearts tighten. This meant that in this gathering, they would not only have to face the threat of Demonic Beasts but also guard against snatching by other Cultivators.
"Also, we have temporarily placed some hidden rewards in the forest. If you find them, they are yours," the Black-Robed Elder finally reminded them.
Upon hearing about the hidden rewards, the Fellow Daoists below immediately showed joyful expressions.
However, many also looked at those around them with wary eyes, understanding that once they entered the forest, they would likely become enemies, resorting to any means to compete for rewards and rankings…
"The Ascension Gathering will last for seven days. Without further ado, let us begin now!" The Black-Robed Elder waved his hand, announcing the official start of the gathering!