Daoist Competition

The Earth Evil concealed within Zhang Yan’s body could only be sustained for half a month. Thus, he needed to complete the task entrusted by the Sect Leader as quickly as possible and then leave this mountain to relocate to his own Cave Mansion. Otherwise, all his efforts would be in vain, something he would not tolerate.

Seeing the group being blocked before the hall’s Prohibition, Zhang Yan took the initiative to step forward and volunteer.

Yue Yuji sat motionless within the array. As a Nascent Soul True Master, he could discern Zhang Yan’s formidable aura. However, recalling how Chu Anmin had also boldly volunteered earlier and failed, doubts emerged in his heart. He asked, "To which sect does this fellow Daoist belong?"

Zhang Yan bowed slightly and said, "I am Xuan Yuanzi, a Loose Cultivator from the East Sea."

"A Loose Cultivator?"

Yue Yuji furrowed his brow, hesitant to proceed.

Activating the power of this Array Sword was far from being as simple as it appeared on the surface.

The sword wielder needed to cycle through over a hundred operations and changes before emitting Sword Qi.

The sharpness of the sword could neither be excessive nor too faint. Only this balance could harmonize the spiritual mechanism and resonate with the rest.

In other words, among the five sword-wielders, even if just one exerted excessive Mana or fell slightly short, disrupting the harmony with the other four, the power of the array would fail to reach a Perfect Realm.

Chu Anmin was an outer disciple of the Yuan Yang Sect. Technically, he did hail from the Yuan Yang lineage and possessed the True Imprint of Dharma Power. His cultivation level compared to Kang Tong, Fang Zhenlu, Zuo Mo, and the thin-bearded cultivator was not vastly different. However, when it came to such intricate nuances, his shortcomings were immediately exposed.

Perhaps Fang Zhenlu recalled Zhang Yan’s feat of easily breaking through the Tower Pavilion’s Prohibition and casually taking a Dharma Treasure. After some quiet deliberation, he spoke, "Daoist Yue, this fellow Daoist possesses profound cultivation. He should be able to assist us significantly."

Lacking a better choice and hearing Fang Zhenlu’s recommendation, Yue Yuji decided to go with the flow. He nodded and said, "Very well. Fellow Daoist Xuan Yuanzi, please give it a try."

Chu Anmin’s face flushed with shame as he retreated. A fellow disciple beside him approached angrily, saying, "Senior Brother, how could this Loose Cultivator outdo you? Daoist Yue must have made an error in judgment this time!"

Chu Anmin’s lips twitched bitterly as he stared intently at Zhang Yan. Having suffered a setback, he secretly hoped Zhang Yan would fail—ideally worse than himself—so he might regain some dignity.

But their disappointment was already fated.

Zhang Yan walked steadily to the array’s position, took up the Array Sword, and exuded an air of calm confidence that immediately made the surrounding crowd reconsider underestimating him.

Yue Yuji felt slightly energized as he observed. Nodding, he cast a spell to initiate the array. The five Array Swords hummed and resonated with a buzzing sound.

Zhang Yan gave a carefree smile. Following the guidance, he turned his Mysterious Skill and Elixir Evil, effortlessly navigating more than a hundred transformations and unleashing a multicolored sword light.

His performance was nothing short of extraordinary. When Yue Yuji saw the pure and impeccable sword light soar, glistening with brilliance, his esteem for Zhang Yan instantly grew. Initially prepared to intervene and balance the dynamics to avoid failure, Yue Yuji now watched with astonishment. When the five forces converged, he was pleasantly surprised to find Zhang Yan’s sword light seamlessly aligned with the other four, perfectly balanced.

Yue Yuji was elated, yet simultaneously, a sudden realization dawned on him: if this Xuan Yuanzi were truly a Loose Cultivator without refined heritage, how could he possibly achieve such perfection?

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Clearly, this individual was concealing their true identity and background!

Nonetheless, cultivators often had their secrets. Since Zhang Yan showed no intent to disclose such truths publicly, Yue Yuji saw no reason to pry.

Although these thoughts lingered in his mind, his hands remained constantly active. He manipulated the radiant brilliance, bringing it together before pointing forward with joined fingers.

When the Five Formation Swords united as one, their power surged exponentially. The beam of sword light released shot forth with unstoppable momentum, like a rising sun casting golden radiance, scattering countless shards of light across the mountain peak. These shimmering fragments bombarded the Mysterious Stele above the array in unison.

Although the Prohibition was sturdy—designed to protect the palace from erosion by rain and wind—it could not withstand an attack from such an array-level sword formation. In an instant, it crumbled. The collapse echoed with successive explosions, leaving several deep cracks across the stele, and scattering small fragments of rock onto the ground below.

With this structure now destroyed, the Prohibition was utterly obliterated. A loud rumble followed as the large Stone Gates of the hall swung open, the thick wooden bar behind them falling away with a resounding crash.

Yue Yuji, overjoyed, shot to his feet. He discarded the Array Sword onto the ground, glancing first at the now-unblocked grand palace ahead, then at Ying Chenglin, who remained silently seated. He let out a cold snort, swept his sleeves grandly, summoned a gust of wind to enshroud himself, and charged through the Stone Gates, leading the way into the hall.