Daoist Competition

Luo Qingyu heard Yang Bi inquire about Huo Xuan and smiled, saying, "Brother Huo must have encountered an adversary on the road, which is why he hasn’t arrived yet."

Yang Bi, surprised, asked, "If that’s the case, why didn’t the two of you go to offer assistance?"

Luo Qingyu replied quite casually, "Brother Huo is the top disciple of our Mingcang Sect’s Top Ten Disciples, his Dharma Powers surpass mine and Brother Zhong’s. He should be able to handle the opponent. Moreover, I’ve already sent a Flying Book to contact him. I believe he will arrive after a brief wait."

Yang Bi, puzzled, said, "But if Daoist Huo Xuan is surrounded by Demon Sect disciples..."

Zhong Muqing glanced over and said calmly, "Brother Huo is no fool. If surrounded, why would he not send a Golden Sword for help? The less news we have, the more it suggests there’s nothing amiss."

Yang Bi sensed a trace of mockery in his words and couldn’t help but feel slightly embarrassed.

Luo Qingyu noticed his discomfort, let out a laugh, and said, "Earlier, I saw fellow Daoists from the Four Sects ascend this Star Stone together. Did the two of you not encounter any other sects’ Daoists along the way?"

Yang Bi sighed and said, "To be honest, not long after my wife and I arrived, we encountered Feng Haiyang from the Nether Spring Sect. We joined forces with disciples from Tai Hao, Lishan, and Nanhua sects to attack him together, thinking that we could surely take him down. However, his Daoist Divine Power was astounding, and his mana was high. Except for my wife and me, the rest of the Three Sects’ disciples have either died or fled."

These words elicited a look of surprise from both Zhong and Luo, and Zhang Yan’s eyes flashed as well.

Zhong Muqing furrowed his brows and said, "Is Feng Haiyang really that formidable?"

Yang Bi earnestly replied, "I have not uttered a single false word."

Zhu Xin noticed that the people from the Mingcang Sect were silent, clearly still skeptical of this matter.

She knew that despite the Mingcang Great Sect’s disciples treating the two of them with courtesy in their words, they might not think much of them, resulting in her words carrying little weight. She sighed and stepped forward, saying, "Though my husband and I may not match your Dharma Powers, we would never deliberately elevate this person to cover up our shortcomings."

Luo Qingyu gently smiled and said, "Madam Yang, you and Daoist Yang are esteemed disciples of the Yuan Yang Sect. Naturally, my fellow brothers and I trust you. Since you have fought against this person for quite some time, you might as well tell us about his Divine Passage Skill. That way, if we encounter him next time, we won’t be caught off guard."

Yang Bi promptly replied, "It is only right."

The Yuxiao Sect disciples are still nowhere to be found, and Xun Huaiying from the Shaoqing Sect is also missing. At present, it seems we can only rely on the Mingcang Sect to have any hope of acquiring the Junyang Essence, so we are not holding back. Yang Bi then recounted the detailed events of the fighting, particularly emphasizing Feng Haiyang’s mysterious and unpredictable substitute method multiple times.

Luo Qingyu and Zhong Muqing both showed expressions of solemnity. If they couldn’t break that substitute method, even if they encountered him, they might not be able to handle him effectively.

Zhang Yan, upon hearing this, pondered internally, "The Four Sect Disciples only encountered Feng Haiyang alone, which is interesting. Lu Muqiu from the Hun Cheng Sect just fled from here. Yan Huixin from the Jiuling Sect and Gao Ruowang with Blood Essence have already been slain by me. Since Brother Huo hasn’t arrived yet, he must have also encountered a Demon Sect disciple. His opponent should either be Wei Chi Yun or Ms. Xu."

Northwest of the Star Stone, about four hundred miles from the central path, Ms. Xu stood on a White Jade Ganoderma. She held a Six-Hole Pottery Ocarina in her hands, bringing it to her lips to play. Her ten fingers danced, pressing and releasing as she blew, but each time, there was no sound, only tendrils of misty clouds emerging.

This is a Divine Skill from the Yuan Shen Sect, named "Inch of Time Like a Year." Anyone encompassed by this Qi doesn’t need to be physically invaded; with just the intertwining of Divine Thoughts, they are dragged into the Mirage Realm, fabricating various phantoms to bewilder the intellect. The Primordial Qi gradually dwindles until all essence, qi, and divine souls are entirely lost.

What is even more profound is that this skill can not only stir up the seven emotions and six desires of the opponent but can also conjure powerful adversaries to fight against the cultivator. If killed by a person from the mirage, a portion of their Dharma essence will be seized and turned into the caster’s own.

The mist now enveloped an area over a hundred miles wide. With just the mirage breath Ms. Xu cultivated in her chest, she couldn’t cause such a grande spectacle. It was entirely dependent on the treasure ocarina bestowed upon her by the sect.

Within the mirage, Huo Xuan stood with eyes closed, his body as straight as a spear. His will was remarkably firm, having already defeated three formless formidable opponents and was now engaged with a fourth.