Daoist Competition

As soon as these four rays of light emerged, they each scattered and flew towards their respective mentors.

Elder Zhu remained expressionless. Without inquiring about the result, he summoned a cloud of smoke to encircle his two disciples. Without uttering a word, he soared upward and departed swiftly.

Elder Hu watched his disciple, Zhu Qingsong, step forward to bow before him and then stand there in silence, evidently disheartened.

He silently sighed and gently comforted, "Qingsong, the opponents here are all beyond your ability to contend against. You need not dwell on defeat. Come, let us return to the cave mansion."

After offering a few words of reassurance, he flicked his sleeve, releasing layers of mist and smoke to envelop his disciple, and then took to the skies, heading south.

Liu Yan Yi manipulated her tunneling light with grace and arrived at Zhang Yan’s flying couch. She knelt in reverence and said, "Master, your disciple humbly reports success, having claimed first place in the grand competition."

Although Zhang Yan had already anticipated the result, he couldn’t suppress his delight. With a nod and a smile, he stepped forward to help her up, saying warmly, "Good, good, very good. Rise, my disciple."

Liu Dayan clinched a victory in one segment of the Xuan Guang disciples’ grand competition. According to the sect’s rules, she could receive the Solidifying Pill and the Outer Three Elixirs as rewards, along with the privilege of choosing a Blessed Land within the Long Yan Marsh for cultivation.

The cave mansion itself wasn’t particularly significant; with the Zhao You Heavenly Pond already in his possession, Zhang Yan found it unremarkable. Nevertheless, if Liu Yan Yi were to establish her own estate in the future, gathering disciples and followers, it would be rather convenient.

The most coveted prize of this grand competition, however, was the right to choose and practice any Dharma technique from the Five Skills and Three Scriptures.

These cultivation techniques were incredibly rare, each leading directly to the Great Dao. Aside from the grand competition’s first-place winner, one could only be granted them by achieving three significant merits—a feat of considerable difficulty.

As for disciples like Xiao He, their noble families heavily supported them in completing tasks, granting the opportunity for cultivation. Even then, such disciples were not permitted access to the entirety of the scripture.

Given Liu Yan Yi’s current level of cultivation, were she to follow the sect’s standard progression and accumulate merit gradually, she might not be able to practice this Dharma technique even by the time she reached the Hua Dan Realm.

Now, however, having secured first place in the grand competition, she only had to visit the Merit Institute to claim her reward, enabling her to start cultivating it immediately.

With the sect’s grand competition occurring only once every twenty-four years, missing such an event due to insufficient merit meant waiting another twenty-four years. Acquiring this Dharma technique would undoubtedly allow Liu Yan Yi to surpass her contemporaries. She might even one day rise to compete for a position among the Top Ten Disciples, much like Zhang Yan.

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Though Zhang Yan harbored great ambition, he was aware that several noble family disciples had disparaged him, mocking his shallow foundation. For all their sneering, their remarks weren’t entirely unfounded.

The Zhao You Heavenly Pond, a vast and unmatched Cave Heaven Blessed Land, was undeniably coveted by others. It was merely that no one had found an opportunity to act on their desire, partly due to the current rivalry between the sect and the Xuanmen Families, which meant no one dared to confront him directly.

But once Zhang Yan secured his place among the Top Ten Disciples, dismantling his standing would become an arduous task.

That said, each of the Top Ten Disciples commanded a considerable network of supporters to exert effort on their behalf. Yet Zhang Yan’s hold over the Zhao You Heavenly Pond rested on his shoulders alone. Even with figures like Lu Mei Niang and the Jun Yue Demon King present as allies, their assistance remained insufficient since they were, ultimately, outsiders.

Liu Yan Yi, however, was different. She possessed exceptional talent, a sharp mind, and unwavering respect for her master. Should she reach the status of a Hua Dan Cultivator early, she could become a significant ally for Zhang Yan.

After helping Liu Yan Yi to her feet, Zhang Yan issued a command, summoning his flying couch. Together, they soared through the skies, and before long, they arrived at the pavilion where the Wang Sisters resided. Upon landing, the Wang Sisters, along with Tian Kun, rushed forward to greet their master. After exchanging words, they learned that the senior disciple had won the grand competition, prompting joyous cheers and heartfelt congratulations from all.

Once the excitement settled, Zhang Yan called Liu Yan Yi aside for a private discussion, asking her to recount the details of her recent confrontation.

Liu Yan Yi hesitated, a hint of confusion crossing her face. She said, "Master, it was truly odd. In the final match, I was originally set to compete against Yuan Yanhui and Weng Zhiyuan for victory. Yet unexpectedly, both chose to forfeit without a fight, allowing me to claim the top spot. When I inquired about their reasons, Yuan Yanhui merely stated that it was an order from her master. She refused to elaborate further."

Zhang Yan furrowed his brow in thought and quickly concluded that this must have been Elder Zhu’s directive.

In his mind, Zhang Yan mused, "Elder Zhu is decisive indeed. Realizing that Yan Yi possessed a Dharma Treasure, he knew his disciples were no match for her. By voluntarily conceding, he paved the way for goodwill and preserved face for the future."

But just as this realization dawned upon him, his thoughts shifted sharply, "Wait! That’s not right!"

The ’Five Spirit White Carp Shuttle’ has long been in my possession, and its existence is no secret within the sect. This explains why many noble family disciples chose not to participate, knowing they couldn’t contend with this treasure. Elder Zhu, as shrewd as he is, must have known this beforehand. Why then would he act as though this were new information?"