Chapter 230: Collision
Chapter 230: Chapter 155: Collision
Qingshi Sect.
Lu Changyuan had some recollection of this Sect. He’d heard the Little Fairy mention it once during the New Year.
The Qingshi Sect didn’t have a particularly long history; it was a new Sect established by seizing an opportunity during the recent turmoil.
Its Sect Leader was named Xue Mingjing. According to legend, during the turmoil, he was just a historian in the Mortal World. A Cultivator corrupted by a Desire Demon broke into his home while Xue Mingjing was compiling historical records. A mortal facing a Cultivator corrupted by a Desire Demon—it was a situation with virtually no chance of victory.
No one knew what happened, only that Xue Mingjing was the one who emerged victorious.
After the turmoil ended, Xue Mingjing ascended to the Yao Guang realm, established the Qingshi Sect, and used a historical scroll as its gateway.
The Sect never recruited disciples through grand ceremonies, relying purely on things like fate. It was all very strange.
Not only that, but from the Sect Leader down to the disciples, everyone in the Sect was extremely reclusive, yet they loved to watch a commotion.
Reclusive, yet drawn to the action.
These two seemingly contradictory traits found a bizarre unity within the Qingshi Sect.
Whenever a major event stirred the Cultivation Realm, one could see Qingshi Sect Cultivators standing afar, holding scrolls and writing with their brushes. They never mingled with the crowd, remaining reclusive observers on the outskirts of the excitement.
Lu Changyuan stared at the ashes that were once the Young Sect Leader of the Qingshi Sect. “The Young Sect Leader of the Qingshi Sect was a victim of Possession, and the Qingshi Sect had no idea?”
“Perhaps he hadn’t returned to the Sect for a long time, so they were unaware.”
‘Just what are these Dream Demons trying to do?’
‘First, they tried to take Broken Thought, and now they’re instigating war in the Mortal World.’
Lu Changyuan mulled it over but couldn’t quite make sense of it.
The silver-haired maiden seemed to see through Lu Changyuan’s thoughts and said, “The Dream Race’s Clan Leader is only at the Sixth Realm, and they have no one at the Yao Guang realm. They probably can’t stir up too much trouble.”
That made sense. Even with the Daoist Sect Master away from Celestial Mountain, it wasn’t easy to cause a stir in the Cultivation Realm.
“Miss Su, do you know how many Sixth Realm experts the Dream Race has?”
“There should be three.”
In other words, besides their Clan Leader, the Dream Demon Lu Changyuan had just faced was the other half of the Dream Race’s fighting power.
Lu Changyuan said, “Let’s keep after it.”
The few Fifth Realm Ape Demons and the Qingshi Sect’s Young Sect Leader had delayed Lu Changyuan and Su Youwan just long enough for the Sixth Realm Dream Demon to escape far into the distance.
By now, it was impossible to catch up, and they could no longer sense the Dream Demon’s trail.
‘How are we supposed to chase it now?’
Su Youwan, cradling the fox, looked at Lu Changyuan with confusion in her eyes but didn’t speak.
Lu Changyuan gazed in the direction the Dream Demon had fled.
“Based on its vector from the Wei Dynasty and its current escape path, it’s probably trying to return to its clan.”
In other words, since it couldn’t win the fight, it was running home—to the Cloud Sea.
‘Is home really safe?’
Lu Changyuan said coolly, “I’m going straight to the Cloud Sea. Miss Su, if you have other matters to attend to, we can part ways here.”
Su Youwan shook her head. “My master originally tasked me with investigating the Black Ape matter. This is perfectly on the way.”
The maiden was being truthful.
This Dream Demon clearly had some connection to the Ape Race, so it made sense to pursue the investigation.
‘As for my promise to Mei Zhaozhao to take her to the Demon Race… well, the fox is asleep right now. And sleeping people don’t get a say in things.’
“Then let’s go together.”
Su Youwan nodded, took out her white cloth, and once again covered her eyes.
The Lotus Platform emerged from her hand.
“In that case, Young Master Lu, please come aboard the Lotus Platform.”
‘Why didn’t you take this out during the chase just now?’
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Brother Xue, why isn’t the Young Sect Leader of your Qingshi Sect here? I heard you searched for several hundred years before finally finding this successor.”
Li Dashu took a large swig of wine and said drunkenly,
“What’s the point of hiding him away? You’re not even going to bring him out for the Celestial Dao Grand Competition? I’d love to see what kind of uncut jade he is.”
Xue Mingjing paused, the emotion in his eyes unreadable.
After a long moment, he finally said, “He can’t compare to Qingcao’s disciples. That child, Qiuran, has a withdrawn personality. All he does from morning to night is read historical records. He isn’t very interested in this Celestial Dao Grand Competition.”
Li Dashu shook his head. “He still needs to test himself against his peers. Even the Lu Ban Palace doesn’t build carts behind closed doors… But forget it. To each their own path. Besides, it’s almost time.”
‘That’s strange. On the one hand, he had said the grand prize for this competition was crucial for the Qingshi Sect, but on the other, their most powerful young talent was nowhere to be seen.’
Li Dashu narrowed his eyes. He was suspicious but said nothing, figuring that perhaps the Qingshi Sect had an even more talented disciple hidden among the three who had come this time.
He looked toward the distant sky.
It was still nighttime. Only the time it takes for an incense stick to burn remained before the sun would begin to rise.
And when the sun rose again, it would be time for the decennial Celestial Dao Grand Competition.
“Then let’s begin.”
Many people had already gathered by the Qingcao Sword Sect’s Sword Testing Platform. In the White Realm, a total of eleven sects belonged to the Nine Gates and Twenty-four Palaces. With three slots per sect, that would be thirty-three participants at most, and that wasn’t even counting the members of the Nine Gates and Twenty-four Palaces who skipped the event each time.
But a glance around the Sword Testing Platform revealed far more than fifty people—there were close to three hundred. After all, the world was still full of many minor sects.
The Celestial Dao Grand Competition didn’t only offer a prize for the champion; the rewards for other ranks were also priceless treasures for these minor sects.
Xue Mingjing said, “Brother Li, the sun isn’t up yet.”
“No matter.”
A longsword appeared in Li Dashu’s hand. With a casual, easy wave at the sky, he tore the night asunder, and a magnificent light descended upon the earth.
WHOOSH!
The beam of sword light split in two mid-air, then continued to multiply endlessly—a second, a tenth, a hundredth… In the blink of an eye, thousands upon thousands of sword beams shot up from the depths of the Cloud Sea.
From the rear mountain of the Qingcao Sword Sect, a surge of Yimu Sword Intent suddenly erupted, vibrant with life. It resonated with the surrounding flora, causing the Spirit Plants of the Qingcao Sword Sect to grow wildly, nearly reaching the height of a person in an instant.