Chapter 644 - 63: Gathering at the Summit to Show Ambition_2
Zhang Yan chuckled and said, "What’s this? Could it be that the sect rules stipulate I cannot linger here?"
The Deacon Daoist choked on his words momentarily and stammered, "There’s no such rule..."
Zhang Yan smiled again. "Since that’s the case, my staying here harms no one. Brother, you may leave."
The Deacon Daoist felt something was amiss but, after pondering for a while, couldn’t come up with a rebuttal. After a lengthy pause, he squeezed out a response: "If Senior Brother insists on being obstinate, I shall report this matter to the masters."
Zhang Yan flicked his sleeve, sending forth a gust of clear wind. "As you please."
The Deacon Daoist was left with no choice and descended his cloud in frustration.
Though he claimed he would report to the masters, in truth, it was nothing more than an excuse to retreat. With his status being insignificant and his words carrying little weight, even if he managed to convey the matter upward, who would expend effort on such a trivial issue?
At that moment, a sudden gust of icy wind swept through, causing Zhang Yan’s robes to flutter noisily. Gazing at the far-off mountains, his fighting spirit surged. He thought to himself that his purpose here was to contest for one of the Top Ten Disciples positions—a proper and honorable undertaking. Why then should he skulk about in fear or cower in the shadows?
There were still three of the Top Ten Disciples who had yet to arrive. As the grand competition had not begun, though some harbored resentment and glared at him angrily, none dared to blatantly provoke him in defiance of norms. But even if someone did, Zhang Yan feared none. His purpose today was to forge a place for himself beneath the clear sky, and there was nothing he welcomed more than a fight!
When the will is strong, it naturally reflects outward. There Zhang Yan sat alone, suspended in mid-air, his figure poised and unyielding. Turning his gaze in all directions, the innate vigor emanating from him was bold and indomitable, akin to an unsheathed blade—sharp, exposed, and strikingly intimidating.
After the time of half an incense stick had passed, the mist in the valley Zhang Yan had passed through earlier began to churn. Suddenly, the Array Gate opened with a resounding noise, and out stepped a white-clothed Daoist whose demeanor was both austere and heroic.
His eyes gleamed like cold lightning, sweeping across the peaks where various disciples stood. Those whose cultivation levels fell short of his felt an involuntary chill in their hearts, their skin crawling with goosebumps.
The white-clothed Daoist, upon noticing Zhang Yan seated amidst the clouds, immediately ascended. Transforming into a streak of Green Cloud, he soared to the heavens and stood in the Void. With hands clasped behind his back, he said, "Junior Brother Zhang, how leisurely you seem."
Zhang Yan let out a hearty laugh. "Brother Ning, one must appreciate the unparalleled beauty of this place."
Ning Chongxuan turned to look behind him. The layered mountains stretched endlessly, their peaks rising and falling. The Ten Peaks Mountain emerged intermittently from the drifting clouds. He nodded in agreement and said, "Well said. Only by reaching the summit can one embrace the myriad mountains and take in the rivers vast."
As the two engaged in lofty conversation atop the clouds, the array below underwent further changes. With deep rumbling sounds, several people emerged in succession. Leading them was Huang Fuzhou, solemn in expression and square-faced. His pace was unhurried and deliberate.
Behind him followed a woman, her hair styled into a towering cloud-like bun and her figure graceful. Though her face was concealed by a thin veil, her captivating eyes were visible, rendering her true appearance unknowable.
When the pair stepped out from the Array Gate, they cast brief glances in Zhang Yan’s direction, particularly the Daoist. His gaze showed a trace of complexity, but neither behaved out of line, and they soon followed the Deacon Daoist into a cliffside pavilion.
Standing behind Xiao Tang, Junior Luo had fixated his gaze unwaveringly on Huang Fuzhou since the latter’s emergence.
Huang Fuzhou appeared to sense the piercing focus boring into his back. Yet, he maintained an air of indifference as he approached the pavilion’s entrance. When he lifted the curtain to enter, he paused briefly, as though about to turn back and meet the gaze. At that moment, however, the woman behind him stepped forward, gently raising her jade-like arm to lift the beaded curtain herself. In soft, dulcet tones, she spoke: "Brother Huang, don’t forget the True Master’s directive—to avoid unnecessary conflict with members of the noble families."
Though her voice was as sweet and smooth as silk, Huang Fuzhou felt a heaviness in his heart. In a deep tone, he replied, "The True Master’s words are etched in my memory; there’s no need for Junior Sister’s reminders."
The woman nodded lightly, offering a tender smile. "That’s good. After you, Brother."
Huang Fuzhou gave her a glance and, without turning back, stepped into the pavilion.
Xiao Tang chuckled coldly. "As expected, Huang Fuzhou refuses to abandon his ambitions. To think he’d come here again today... Junior Luo, do you stand any chance of defeating him this time?"
Junior Luo straightened his posture and fixed his chilling gaze forward. In a steely voice, he declared, "Forty-five years honing my sword—today will be the day to rid myself of past humiliation!"
At that moment, the hour of Yin arrived. The horizon began to brighten faintly as dawn approached.
After an hour passed, the rising sun finally broke through the veil of night, its golden rays bursting forth over Dragon Abyss Marsh. In an instant, the skies cleared of shadows; wisps of scattered clouds sparkled, as though dyed in brilliance.
Amid this scene, an unexpected flash appeared, as though birthed from the sun itself. As a continuous, resonant cry echoed across the heavens, this radiant streak took the form of a magnificent trail, swiftly descending until it landed on the Second Peak. The entire mountain was suddenly bathed in waves of golden-red radiance, dazzling against the sun and perpetually shifting.
Ning Chongxuan cast a glance at the spectacle and said in a cold tone, "Huo Xuan has arrived."
Huo Xuan was ranked second among the Top Ten Disciples, prompting Zhang Yan to pay him closer attention.
Yet this man, unlike the others present, did not bring any disciples with him. His solitary arrival set him apart.
The Mingcang Sect’s Five Great Clans were Chen, Du, Xiao, Han, and Su.
The Chen Family was regarded as the foremost of the clans, yet it differed from the others in that it did not merely cultivate its own disciples but also recruited talented individuals from small families, bringing them into the sect by marriage.
Among the Top Ten Disciples, Huo Xuan and Fang Zhenlu were both sons-in-law of the Chen Family. Originally hailing from small clans within the Sheng Sect, these two possessed exceptional gifts but faced great struggles in their paths. Only after marrying into the Chen Family did they receive strong support and vault to prominence.
Nonetheless, though Huo Xuan ranked second among the Top Ten Disciples and was seen as the prime candidate to achieve the Nascent Soul after Qi Yuntian, several individuals looked down on his origins. Fang Zhenlu, by contrast, ranked last among the Ten, yet faced no criticism.
Just then, a loud roar of tides erupted from the direction of the North Position, resembling the converging of countless waterfalls and rushing rivers. Ning Chongxuan raised his gaze and exclaimed, "Brother Qi has arrived!"
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...(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.)