Daoist Competition

Seeing him with an expression hard to speak of, Zhang Yan couldn’t help but laugh, "Lu Daoist, have you encountered some difficulty?"

Lu Guo stomped his foot and sighed, "These past few days, many cultivators have come outside the mountain. Judging by their appearances, they seem to be disciples from the Lie Xuan Sect. Though the great array outside Kunyu protects us, and I am not afraid, I am worried that if Hong An draws more people here, if the sect is destroyed, no amount of my life or death could atone for it."

Zhang Yan looked at him with a smirk, "Lu Daoist, are you hoping for me to stay a few more days?"

Lu Guo’s face flushed red. That was indeed what he was thinking, but he was too embarrassed to say it directly. Now being pointed out by Zhang Yan, he felt awkward and quickly explained, "True Master Zhang, I only hope to set up another formation within the array to block the major enemies. Even if Hong An comes, I’m not afraid. However, this requires several months to arrange, and during that time, I’m afraid that the Lie Xuan Sect might take the opportunity to attack. So I hope the True Master would guard this place. Don’t worry, I would not let you work without reward."

He hurriedly reached into his sleeve bag, took out a jade plate, held it in both hands, and presented it to Zhang Yan, saying, "This is an item obtained by Senior Brother Duanmu years ago, called ’Protecting Yuan Evil Crystal.’ It was meant to restore the cultivation for our senior brother, but before the time came, he already..."

At this point, his voice paused, shook his head, and continued, "If the True Master agrees, I am willing to offer this item."

"Protecting Yuan Evil Crystal?"

Zhang Yan was slightly surprised. This Evil Crystal is a rare object condensed from the evil qi of the earth veins, capable of aiding Nascent Soul cultivators in enhancing their cultivation, with wondrous efficacy. Though he had heard of it due to its rarity, he had never seen one.

And now looking into Lu Guo’s jade plate, it’s neatly lined with dozens of jade crystals.

The Haohang Dao Palace is merely a small sect situated in the outskirts yet can produce these many at once, showing the abundance of Zhuzhou’s resources.

He couldn’t help but think that with such precious items, how much does Zhuzhou send to the Shaoqing Sect each year, practically dedicating the whole continent to one sect? How could the Shaoqing Sect not be strong?

Zhang Yan originally intended to stay here for a few more days. Since this treasure was presented to him, he wasn’t polite and said, "In that case, I shall accept it."

Lu Guo’s heart relaxed, and he happily clasped his hands, "I entrust True Master Zhang with this matter."

Zhang Yan smiled again and said, "Lu Daoist, but I must eventually return to the mountain gate, and in my opinion, resisting the Lie Xuan Sect alone is unwise. You might consider seeking additional help."

Lu Guo was taken aback, then sincerely asked for guidance, "I hope the True Master can point me in the right direction."

Zhang Yan smiled, "I wouldn’t call it guidance. You might go to the Zhenluo Alliance; you will certainly gain something there."

Lu Guo slapped his forehead, suddenly realizing, "Right, the Zhenluo Alliance is currently at odds with Lie Xuan Sect. It’s perfect timing to get their assistance. I’m thankful for the True Master’s reminder; I wouldn’t have thought of it myself."

He had been living in Kunyu for over three hundred years, always resolving matters independently, never considering seeking solutions outside the mountain. With Zhang Yan’s reminder, he quickly came to his senses. After offering his heartfelt thanks, he took his leave to descend the mountain.

As soon as Lu Guo left, Zhang Yan gestured with his hand, and the dozens of ’Protecting Yuan Evil Crystals’ floated up before him. Each one was about a finger long and chopstick width, with silver filaments swirling around them like flying stars, beautiful and exquisite.

He pondered for a moment and thought to himself, "Keeping this item is of no use, better to refine it now." So he didn’t store it; with a wave of his sleeve, a gang thunder was released. With crackling sounds, it shattered into countless sparkling dust, spreading over the mountain peak.

He took a deep breath, like a giant whale swallowing water, absorbing all the stardust into his body. After closing his eyes and breathing for a while, an hour passed. The cloud above his head gently trembled, the once mist-like gang cloud now appeared slightly more solid, yet upon closer inspection, it seemed unchanged.

Zhang Yan knew that at the Nascent Soul Realm, enhancing cultivation is no easy task, not something achievable in a day or two, thus he wasn’t concerned.

After calming his thoughts and mind, he once again went to investigate that chaotic embryo.

This time, whether fate had come, or for other reasons, it wasn’t long before he suddenly perceived a faint wisp of spiritual thought, but upon mere contact, it vanished, never to be sensed again.

Nevertheless, Zhang Yan was invigorated.

He could now confirm that this embryo had already given birth to the Spiritual Truth, eliminating the need for countless years of waiting.

However, as to what kind of divine beast it should be nurtured into, that was yet to be decided.

Zhang Yan pondered for a while, eventually making up his mind.

Since this item was acquired from Turtle Snake Mountain, and the Mingcang Sect is situated in the north, above Dragon Abyss Marsh, it was ideal to use the northern waters to nurture it while keeping watch, leaving no room for error.

In truth, the best way to shorten the nurturing time was to go to Beiming Continent to find a suitable location.

But that region was occupied by many demons. Had this been in the Mingcang Sect’s prime, of course, it could be considered a simple task. The Eight Great Demon Clans wouldn’t dare to act.

Yet things were different now. If this embryo were taken there, it might be sensed and detected by Great Demons from the Demon Clans, which would be exceedingly dangerous, possibly leading to an attack.

Zhang Yan thought that if his cultivation were to reach the Phenomenon Realm and become a Cave Heaven True Master, he might attempt to venture there; for now, he could only retreat and return to place it in the Zhao You Heavenly Pond, and with time, it would eventually succeed.

So, with a wave of his sleeve, he collected the embryo.

With this matter settled, he contemplated internally. Nine years remain until the Sixteen Sects Sword Competition. It might seem lengthy, but it is but a short moment.

He needed to seize this time to further cultivate several disciplines to compete with the many heroes of the Sixteen Sects,

Especially the Five Elements Escape Technique, which not only restricts and hinders foes but also aids in flying and stealth, serving as a great asset worthy of rigorous study.

Though training in this skill is not easy, with the Supreme Mysterious Five Elements True Skill as a foundation and the aid of Broken Jade, the greatest hurdles have been surpassed, unlike other cultivators’ concerns, making cultivation less difficult.

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...(To be continued. If you like this work, you’re welcome to qidian.com to vote for recommendation tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)