Daoist Competition

Wang Caiting had been cultivating in the Zhao You Heavenly Pond for nearly three years. Though her lively and active nature had mellowed significantly, it would be a lie to say she didn’t feel bored. Now, having the rare opportunity to venture outside, she was captivated by the extraordinary sights before her. She couldn’t help but tug at Tian Kun’s sleeve repeatedly, exclaiming and marveling from time to time.

However, her behavior didn’t draw any odd looks, as many around her acted similarly. Ming Qi disciples were mostly novices who had just embarked on the path of cultivation. They had yet to fully adapt to the long and monotonous journey of cultivation and thus had the most active minds. Normally confined within their sects and unable to venture outside, their sudden freedom now left them brimming with excitement.

Wang Caiwei, however, was different from her younger sister. After glancing around for a moment, she couldn’t help but feel unsettled, thinking to herself, "I never realized before that there are so many fellow disciples within the Mingcang Sect’s mountain gate alone. And this is just one sect of the immense East Splendor Continent. How many more cultivators must there be..."

As she gazed at the unfamiliar faces around her, an inexplicable pressure welled up in her heart. She could already foresee that these people would be her rivals in the future. If she wished to achieve enlightenment, she would have to stand out among them—or perhaps, carve her own path of glory and bloodshed...

Just as this thought crossed her mind, a cold and clear voice suddenly echoed within her heart, "Caiwei, you need not worry. If you don’t like these people, I’ll simply kill them all for you."

Wang Caiwei was startled and quickly responded internally, "No, Sister Yin, please don’t act rashly!"

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Over the past year, the Yin Slaughter Saber Spirit had emerged several times to guide her cultivation. Wang Caiwei gained significant insights from these encounters. Though Wang Caiting had initially progressed faster in cultivation, Caiwei had gradually caught up and even surpassed her, which deeply frustrated Caiting, who often accused her of cheating.

Through her conversations with the saber spirit, Wang Caiwei had gleaned vague hints about its origins. Her heart was filled with both awe and worry.

Later, the Mirror Spirit in the cave specifically came to inform her that the saber spirit had been damaged in the past, causing it to forget many of its memories, leaving it as blank as a sheet of paper. As long as she handled it carefully, there was no need to worry excessively.

However, the saber was, after all, a weapon of slaughter. The Mirror Spirit advised her to avoid using it unless absolutely necessary lest its hidden ferocity be awakened, inadvertently inviting disaster.

Thus, upon hearing the saber spirit casually declare its intention to kill the disciples, Caiwei couldn’t help but panic. The consequences of such an act would be unbearable for anyone. She had to exert considerable mental effort to calm the saber spirit down.

Just at this moment, a flying boat approached. Onboard was a cultivator dressed like a scholar, holding a folding fan that he gently waved. Upon seeing the two bright and stunning women, a rare sight in these parts, his eyes lit up. Flashing his talisman, he steered the boat closer and cupped his hands in greeting, "I am Li Guozhi, a disciple cultivating under Yingxian Island. May I ask where you fellow disciples are currently cultivating?"

The Wang sisters noticed his refined bearing, elegant demeanor, and the robe marking him as a Ming Qi cultivator of their sect. Realizing his cultivation level was higher than theirs, they quickly returned his salute with a respectful bow.

Tian Kun, as their senior brother, should have taken the lead in responding. However, being naturally taciturn, he merely cupped his hands and refrained from speaking further. Wang Caiwei, noticing this, worried about appearing discourteous. She stepped forward and replied, "So, you are a senior brother from Yingxian Island. My younger sister, senior brother, and I all cultivate under the Zhao You Heavenly Pond Sect."

Wang Caiwei, being a member of the Nine Cities Division within the Mingcang Sect, was well-acquainted with the reputation of many exceptional disciples and had heard of various cave mansions within the sect.

After joining the Zhao You Heavenly Pond, she further learned from Liu Yan Yi about the prominent figures and residences. Yingxian Island, located within the Long Yan Marsh, was one of the large islands there. Liu Yan Yi once lived there for several years with her uncle. It was rumored that the island’s master was a grand-disciple of True Master Meng. As such, Wang Caiwei dared not underestimate him.

"Zhao You Heavenly Pond?"

Li Guozhi seemed to find the name somewhat familiar. A flicker of realization crossed his expression, and he blurted out, "Are you perhaps disciples of... Master Zhang?"

He was, in fact, the disciple of Yingxian Island’s master. However, since Zhang Yan and Heavenly Master Qi Yun were peers, this made Zhang Yan a figure of his master’s generation. By this reckoning, he should address Zhang Yan as grand-uncle master, and these two radiant young women would technically be his grand-aunt disciples. Finding this demotion hard to stomach, he deliberately vague-ified his address to avoid embarrassment.

"Indeed, we are disciples of Master Zhang," Wang Caiting promptly responded. Speaking of her esteemed master, she couldn’t help but puff up with pride, her chin slightly raised, revealing a sliver of fair skin at her neck.

Intimidated by Zhang Yan’s formidable reputation, Li Guozhi instinctively raised his hands in another salute, his words and demeanor growing more cautious. After exchanging a few words with the Wang sisters, he learned their names. Casting a glance at Tian Kun, he said with a touch of warmth, "Junior Brother Tian, are you also here to participate in the grand competition?"

His sharp eyes instantly discerned that the two women had yet to open their meridians, leaving only Tian Kun, who had entered the Ming Qi Realm, qualified to vie for a ranking.

Tian Kun shook his head and replied in a low voice, "No, I have no such intentions."

Li Guozhi smiled faintly, waving his fan gently. "Understandable. Being under Master Zhang’s tutelage, you naturally need not toil like the rest of us."

If it were anyone else claiming disinterest in the competition rankings, he would have found it odd. But Dao under Zhang Yan’s guidance made perfect sense.

It was common knowledge that the Zhao You Heavenly Pond was a Grotto Heaven Mansion. In the Long Yan Marsh, aside from the disciples of ten True Masters, no one else had the privilege of cultivating in such a place.

Moreover, Zhang Yan himself was from the Elixir Cauldron Institute, having been under Zhou Chongju’s tutelage. Naturally, his disciples lacked nothing in terms of elixir pills. As for the Dharma techniques to be granted by the sect, they might hold some slight appeal. However, as these techniques didn’t belong to the Five Skills and Three Scripture, Li Guozhi assumed Zhang Yan, with his deep cultivation and mastery of flying sword techniques, perhaps returned from overseas with extraordinary methods. Otherwise, how else could he have defeated Tu Xuan and Xiao He in succession?

Given this, it was only natural to surmise that Tian Kun and the Wang sisters would not particularly value the techniques being distributed this time.

After pondering for a moment, he couldn’t help but feel a surge of envy and bitterness, inwardly lamenting, "No matter how hard we strive in cultivation, it never compares to finding a truly great master..."

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...(To be continued. If you enjoy this work, feel free to visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote with your recommendation tickets or monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)