Daoist Competition

Disciples like them merely open their meridians at random in waste pools, with no ambition for great achievements in this life. They’ve long abandoned their hopes in cultivation, but instead, they can indulge in pleasures within the Nine Cities, enjoying wealth and status, becoming those who stand above others.

However, their sources of income are scarce, and their daily lives are often quite tight. Being summoned this time to attend to the disciples, they regarded it as a lucrative opportunity, naturally wanting to exploit it thoroughly.

"The Chen Family, one of the Five Great Clans, Brother Chen, you’re truly lucky..."

The Deacon Daoist’s face was full of envy, but then he indignantly remarked, "Why can’t I encounter someone from a noble family too? All I meet are paupers!"

The white-clothed Daoist saw his expression and curiously asked, "What’s wrong? Didn’t you find anyone worthwhile?"

The Deacon Daoist grumbled in frustration, "Don’t bring it up. In the past half-day, I’ve handled dozens of people, yet hardly met anyone impressive. Not long ago, I finally came across one who looked rather wealthy. I had hoped he was from a noble family and eagerly greeted him, but he claimed to be from Yangxian Island and tried to use this title to intimidate me. Hmph! Does he think I don’t know that Master Yu is True Master Meng’s disciple? But even after cultivating for hundreds of years, he’s only reached the Xuan Guang Realm. Whether True Master Meng even remembers him is questionable. I gave him a Dui Position Talisman and told him if he could offer something valuable, I might exchange it for better. Yet, he turned out to be utterly clueless, so I didn’t bother dealing with him anymore."

The white-robed Daoist laughed heartily upon hearing this. Then, he glanced backward, his sharp eyes noticing the Wang Sisters in addition to Li Guozhi. At first, he didn’t pay much attention, but his expression suddenly changed. He drew closer to get a better look and then exclaimed in shock, "Pi Rong, do you have a death wish?"

The Deacon Daoist frowned and cursed, "Chen Gu, don’t add to my bad mood!"

The white-robed Daoist grabbed the Controlled Crane Rope in his hand, urging him, "Quick! Follow me now! There’s still time!"

Feeling puzzled, the Deacon Daoist stopped him and said, "Hold on, explain yourself clearly first."

The white-robed Daoist glared at him, pulled him along, and said, "No time! I’ll explain while we’re moving."

He spurred the immortal crane beneath him urgently and proceeded forward.

The Deacon Daoist, though perplexed, reasoned that the other wouldn’t be toying with him, so he didn’t insist further and followed suit. Along the way, he heard the white-robed Daoist say, "I recognize those two women—they’re daughters of the Wang Clan from Jiuyi City."

The Deacon Daoist scoffed, "Just two daughters from a rich family in the city. Even if they’re part of a great clan, so what? Look how worked up you’re getting."

The white-robed Daoist sneered coldly, "The Wang Sisters themselves aren’t much, and the Wang Clan isn’t particularly noteworthy either, but they managed to apprentice under an exceptional master."

The Deacon Daoist suddenly felt uneasy but stubbornly retorted, "What exceptional figures could Yangxian Island possibly have..."

The white-robed Daoist interrupted him, "Those Wang sisters aren’t under Yangxian Island; they’re disciples of Master Zhang from Zhao You Heavenly Pond!"

Upon hearing this, the Deacon Daoist’s mind buzzed loudly, his face turning pale, and his teeth chattered uncontrollably. "You—you mean, they are disciples of Pavilion Master Zhang Yan, Zhang Yan himself?!"

The white-robed Daoist nodded firmly.

Cold sweat streamed down the Deacon Daoist’s forehead. Zhang Yan’s reputation among low-level disciples was widespread, almost universally known. An improper seating arrangement could offend his disciples—a minor matter—but if it seemed intentional, it could truly cost one’s life.

With this thought, he dared not linger any longer. He urgently spurred his immortal crane, overtaking the white-robed Daoist as he hurriedly chased after the flying boat. From afar, he shouted anxiously toward it, "Respected Masters, please wait, wait..."

Meanwhile, as the Wang Sisters traveled toward Honglie Continent, Liu Yanyi and Qiu Hanyue were walking together toward the Merit Institute.

As the major competition had not yet reached the time for Xuan Guang Practitioners to take action, Liu Yanyi still had some leisure to visit the institute.

Upon arriving outside the Merit Institute, they were immediately recognized, and someone went inside to report. Before long, Qi Mengjiao came out warmly smiling and said, "What brings the two sisters to visit me today?"

With an elegant smile, Liu Yanyi replied, "The competition is fast approaching, so we thought we’d stay at Sister’s place for a few days to avoid unnecessary running about. We also hoped to seek your guidance."

Qi Mengjiao welcomed them inside, ordered maids to serve fragrant tea, and after some pleasantries, brought up the topic of the sect’s competition.

Qi Mengjiao smiled and said, "Yanyi, now that you’ve obtained the Defective Moon Sword Ball, this time in the competition you’ll surely gain significant benefits. If you secure first place, the sect might even impart minor divine powers. But you must be careful of Yuan Yanhui; I’ve heard she’s consulted numerous renowned practitioners and her swordsmanship has improved greatly."

Liu Yanyi nodded silently. Back on Yingluo Island, she had lost to Yuan Yanhui, and the sword ball was regretfully taken. However, she still felt displeased in her heart.

After sparring several times with Xiao He, Liu Yanyi felt her sword skills had greatly improved, and she was eager to face Yuan Yanhui in the competition to determine who was truly stronger now.

Qi Mengjiao looked at her a few times and spoke earnestly, "Yanyi, some time ago, I caught a glimpse of your master. I sensed he is an ambitious figure and likely has his sights on securing one of the Top Ten Disciples spots. For the sake of our sisterhood, you should consider advising him. This year’s competition is not the same as previous ones; no matter how hard you compete, the outcome is already pre-determined. Perhaps it would be wiser to give up for now and wait for the next competition, when there might still be hope."

ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ novelꞁire.net

Liu Yanyi was startled and asked, "Sister, what do you mean by that?"

She knew that Qi Mengjiao had unique standing, having been raised since childhood by Qi Yuntian, which granted her access to insider knowledge others could not know.

Qi Mengjiao raised her slender, jade-like finger and pointed upward, speaking gravely, "The fight for the Top Ten Disciples is merely a game orchestrated by the Cave Heaven True Masters behind the scenes. Who rises and who falls is decided even before the competition begins. This particular competition involves significant changes in the sect’s internal dynamics. For your master to try and forcefully break through would be near impossible, almost..."

Her voice paused momentarily, then she shook her head and sighed, "Almost without the slightest chance."

...

...(To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendation and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)