Daoist Competition

Xiao Tang burst into laughter, shaking his head repeatedly as he waved his hand and said, "Brother Du, stop joking. I am neither the best nor the worst. Why should I be greedy?"

Du De responded coldly, "Times change. Even if you wish to hold on to your small gains, there are those who won’t let you have your way."

Xiao Tang raised his eyebrows sharply, his eyes flashing like lightning. An aura of imposing might emanated from him as he said, "Brother, are you referring to that Huang Fuzhou? Haha, that person is indeed remarkable—worthy to be called my rival. If he manages to reach me this time, I wouldn’t mind giving him a chance."

Du De retorted, "The master-disciple faction is pressing us tightly as of late. Junior Brother Xiao, you’ve likely received warnings from the elders and should have understood the situation by now. There’s no need for me to elaborate."

Xiao Tang cast a sidelong glance at Du De, stroked his long beard, and murmured, "Indeed, the master-disciple faction has produced many fine disciples over the years. Setting aside Brother Ning, I’ve heard that one of them has even achieved First-class Elixir Formation—an exceedingly rare feat in a thousand generations. They must not be underestimated. By the way, didn’t this person reportedly eliminate two of your disciples, Brother? Is that true?"

Du De didn’t reply, his depthless gaze like a bottomless pool, making his thoughts unfathomable.

Xiao Tang’s eyes displayed a hint of contemplation, but he soon shrugged it off with a chuckle and refrained from pressing further. Instead, he steadied the flying carriage and continued onward.

Arriving at the heart of the Honglie Continent, the two ventured deeper into the land. Their imposing presence caused spirit beasts and rare birds to clear the path in haste.

After a moment, the cloud mist ahead parted, revealing ten towering peaks arranged in a circle, each exuding majestic grandeur. At the center was a stretch of white earth, upon which stood a ten-zhang-high earthen platform. Array Flags densely populated the platform, their arrangement following the peculiar principles of Xuanli.

The two soon arrived before the peaks when Du De, sensing something, turned his gaze to a particular direction.

In the distant horizon, wild winds roared, and swirling sands darkened the air. Amidst the chaos, a thousand Bright Pearls gleamed intermittently, their light accompanied by flowing smoke and fleeting shadows extending thousands of feet. In the blink of an eye, they traversed the terrain and climbed up the Sixth Peak, descending slowly. When the dust settled and the mist dispersed, a warm and radiant glow emerged, illuminating the entire mountain with a brilliance akin to jade and snow.

Xiao Tang piloted his flying carriage a bit closer, seemingly eager to take a clearer look.

He understood such a grand spectacle could not possibly be caused by a single individual. It must have been created by gathering the influence of hundreds of disciples, much like their own methods. Still, a hint of solemnity flickered in his eyes as he said in a deep voice, "In recent years, Zhuang Bufan has truly advanced his cultivation. He cannot be underestimated. Since he is here, it is likely that Luo Qingyu must have also arrived earlier."

He shifted his gaze toward the Eighth Peak and indeed saw it thriving in luxuriant greenery. Clear leaves spiraled, radiant with emerald splendor, while bands of green energy hung like tassels, swaying gently in the breeze. Xiao Tang nodded involuntarily. He then glanced at the Seventh, Ninth, and Tenth Peaks, where he observed vibrant clouds and radiant hues reflecting in the air, each peak exhibiting unique phenomena. He remarked, "Junior Sister Han, Junior Su, and Junior Fang have all arrived as well."

Du De’s tone remained steady and unchanged as he said, "Junior Brother Xiao, let us take our places."

Xiao Tang nodded in agreement, and without further words, the two separated. Their disciples, who had previously traveled together on the same path, also split instantly, following their respective masters.

Xiao Tang descended onto the Fifth Peak. In an instant, a thousand beams of golden light exploded outward, dazzling and sharp, as though to suppress the aura of the Fifth Peak itself.

Meanwhile, Du De descended onto the Fourth Peak. It was as if starlight rained across the plains, igniting the peak in an inferno. Scarlet light shot into the sky, dyeing the clouds fiery red and burning half the heavens in its radiance.

Such majestic displays left only the first three peaks in eerie silence, their stillness unbroken, while the remaining peaks all paled in comparison.

Perched atop a stone platform at the peak’s summit, Xiao Tang focused his attention on the fierce red radiance below. Pointing a finger toward it, he remarked, "How fascinating. Du De’s disciples have made considerable progress. I had thought he lacked the ambition to train disciples properly, but it seems that a few of them are truly exceptional."

Standing behind him was a man dressed as a scholar in a plain blue robe. Though his appearance was ordinary, his eyes shimmered with an inner light. Glancing upward, he spoke in a deep voice, "Perhaps it is his master’s orders, leaving him no alternative."

Xiao Tang nodded in agreement. Indeed, as members of the Top Ten Disciples, they each governed their territories within the sect. Yet, there were always masters above them, and some matters were beyond their personal discretion. When decrees were issued, they had to comply.

This great competition marked a pivotal moment in the contest between the master-disciple faction and the Xuanmen Family. Behind the scenes, countless means had already been deployed to secure the upper hand.

Not far from the Ten Peaks, in the southern position, stood a majestic mountain. At its summit was a grand Star Viewing Platform adorned with jade-carved railings, glittering like ice. Atop the platform sat an old Daoist with white hair and a ruddy complexion. He gazed toward the distant peaks and, after a long while, retracted his gaze, saying in a solemn tone, "Seven of the Top Ten Disciples have already arrived. Child, go and sound the golden bell."

The child hesitated and asked, "Elder, but Master Qi has not yet arrived. Wouldn’t summoning the disciples now be premature?"

The old Daoist smiled faintly and said, "No matter. Just sound it. I have my reasons."

The child did not argue further, bowed in acknowledgment, and went to strike the golden bell.

Soon, the sound of the bell reverberated, long and melodious, spreading across the Mountain Gate. Every disciple of the Mingcang Sect heard it.

As the bell rang, wisps of mist rose from hundreds of islands scattered across the boundless Dragon Abyss Marsh, all soaring through the air toward the Honglie Continent. Tens of thousands of tunneling lights also ascended into the sky. Although slower than the mist, they closely followed in its wake.

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For a time, the sky was filled with flowing brilliance, resembling the Star River cascading above—the resplendence illuminating the Heavenly Vault above and the Dragon Abyss below.

Zhang Yan had been meditating in his chamber when the bell’s chime reached his ears. His eyes snapped open, a concentrated beam of light extending a foot from his gaze before vanishing.

He stood and let out a clear whistle. A misty cloud formed at his feet, lifting him skyward. After momentarily discerning his direction, he urged his Star Sword Ball into flight. In an instant, his body fused with the sword, transforming into a dazzling long rainbow that tore through the skies with unmatched momentum, heading straight toward the origin of the bell’s sound.

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