Daoist Competition

He pondered carefully and, since this path was blocked, decided to try the most convenient and effortless route instead.

He chuckled softly, adjusted his robe, stood up, and loudly announced, "Under the Jiuling Sect, Elder Cai De Yan wishes to meet with the master of this pavilion."

His voice echoed out like thunder, transmitting instantly.

Zhang Yan was cultivating the Wood Element True Light within his cave mansion, undisturbed for half a year, and was immediately startled upon hearing the announcement.

His eyes suddenly opened wide, a piercing light flickered in them. He waved away the Little Pot Mirror, glanced at it, pondered for a moment, and then relaxed his expression, saying in a deep voice, "Since a guest has arrived, please enter the hall to meet."

Upon hearing this, Cai De Yan laughed heartily. It was unknown how he did it, but he effortlessly freed himself from the Cloud Golden Lock, stood up leisurely, found the Array Gate himself, and with a few turns reached the great hall.

Zhang Yan, observing his casual demeanor in traversing the array, couldn’t help but frown slightly.

Even though the Mirror Spirit, under his instruction, hadn’t been obstructive, the fact that his opponent could so easily discern the array’s intricacies made Zhang Yan once again consider perfecting the array.

In fact, the effectiveness of this array depended on the controller. If Gui Congyao were here managing the array, a rough setup wouldn’t matter, not even a Cave Heaven True Master could breach it. However, Zhang Yan’s cultivation was far inferior to that of this Phenomenon Demon, and he couldn’t fully utilize the power of the Little Pot Mirror, leading to multiple flaws in the array.

Cai De Yan, though still appearing as Quan He, carried himself with an air of authority as he walked, displaying the demeanor of someone commanding a region. Despite his confident stride and gaze that commanded respect, his aura starkly differed from that of a Demon King.

Upon reaching the hall, he behaved as if he truly were a guest, bowed slightly to Zhang Yan, then casually sat down, shook his sleeves, and looking up with a smile at Zhang Yan, said, "Thank you for your hospitality, Pavilion Master."

Zhang Yan clasped his hands in return, examining him up and down, and asked, "Daoist Cai, what became of Quan He?"

Cai De Yan lightly waved his sleeve, nonchalantly replying, "The Divine Soul has departed, no longer exists in this world."

Raising his eyebrows, Zhang Yan remarked, "This Daoist Cai could inhabit the body of a cultivator, replace its soul unnoticed. The cultivation techniques of the Demon Sect are indeed mysterious and exquisite, puzzling beyond measure."

Cai De Yan laughed and said, "Not at all, just some minor tricks, hardly worth the attention of the Fang Family’s Dharma Eye, nothing to speak of."

Smiling faintly, Zhang Yan made a gesture for a maid to bring fruit and wine, then straightforwardly asked, "Daoist Cai, now that you’ve revealed your identity and sought this meeting, what guidance might you have for me?"

Cai De Yan took a sip of the fine wine on the table, squinted his eyes, and said, "Nothing else, I merely noticed that the female demon cultivator in your cave mansion shares a similar cultivation technique with mine. I wonder if you might transfer her to me. Naturally, I won’t let the Pavilion Master suffer any loss."

He was candid about his intentions, making no attempt to conceal them. At face value, it seemed provocative, yet his openness left no room for animosity.

Zhang Yan smoothly brushed his sleeve, resolutely refusing, "Let us not speak of this."

Besides the fact that Lu Mei Niang was the wife of Elder Yan from the Beichen Sect, even as a disciple within my pavilion, it’s impossible to hand her over to the Demon Sect for any benefit.

Cai De Yan saw Zhang Yan’s firm stance, understood there was no room for negotiation, although slightly regretful, he wisely refrained from bringing it up again.

He finished the wine in his cup, saying, "Since that’s not possible, may I ask the Pavilion Master to grant mercy and let this old man’s current body return?"

Zhang Yan maintained a calm demeanor, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

Cai De Yan glanced at Zhang Yan’s face, laughed saying, "To be honest with Daoist Zhang, this old man is merely a wisp of demon thought here. Even if this body is destroyed, the main body remains unharmed. However, if Daoist would permit the array gate to open and let me return, I could divulge much hidden knowledge, surely of use to you. Should you not wish to listen, so be it. Although this body required much effort to create and its destruction would be unfortunate, it’s not beyond letting go."

Understanding from his words, Zhang Yan realized why this old demon appeared so fearless.

Cai De Yan observed Zhang Yan’s indecision, his gaze flickering, sighed, "What a pity, what a pity."

Zhang Yan scoffed inwardly, seeing through his deliberate act, but nonetheless asked, "What might be the pity you speak of?"

Feigning deep regret, Cai De Yan said, "Daoist, being one of the Mingcang Sect’s top ten disciples, surely wishes to secure a place in the Sixteen Sects Sword Competition. Please forgive the old man’s bluntness, but regardless of it being the Demon Dao or Xuan Sect, each will find great opportunity in this contest, it’s not to be missed. Yet, only those in the Nascent Soul Realm can attend. I reckon you’ve yet to reach the Third Realm of Hua Dan. Only by advancing to this stage in sixty-four years can you make an impact. Should you fail, you might miss this rare millennium chance."

Zhang Yan’s demeanor grew serious, the statements did not seem false, prompting him to ask, "As far as I know, the Sixteen Sects Sword Competition requires mutual agreement among the sect leaders and is currently undecided. How does Daoist speak of sixty-four years?"

Cai De Yan laughed loudly, patting the table, "This old man isn’t speaking nonsense, but as for the details..."

Here he paused meaningfully.

Zhang Yan knew this person intentionally offered a fragment of information for him to assess its value.

If he refused to let him leave, he’d likely never reveal anything further.

He pondered for a while, considering that Quan He’s soul had perished and that this demon’s true form wasn’t present, to destroy the body was of no use; it may be better to hear him out.

Once the decision was made, he coldly declared, "Daoist, being of the Demon Sect, this place is inconvenient for a prolonged stay. Please make your way out in due course.

Cai De Yan stood up, bowed, and said, "Thank you, Daoist Zhang."

He grabbed a piece of jade dishware from the table, infused it with a wisp of black energy, and tossed it towards Zhang Yan, saying, "You’ll understand after looking at it."

...

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