Chapter 627 - 254: Chongzhen Temple’s Nascent Soul Ceremony (Part 2)

Chapter 627: Chapter 254: Chongzhen Temple’s Nascent Soul Ceremony (Part 2)

Xiao Chen didn’t make things difficult for him. He directly took out 10,000 Spirit Stones and bought ten bundles, securing the last of the supplementary materials.

With that, he only needed the Nine Orifice Clear Jade to have all the Spiritual Materials for setting up the Nursery Altar.

At this thought, Xiao Chen’s mood brightened considerably.

He decided to give himself a day off to browse the various stalls and buy some delicacies as a reward.

’It’s not good to be constantly cultivating. Since I’m already out, I might as well relax.’

As time went on, a steady stream of new vendors arrived.

Even after nightfall, the basin was illuminated by all sorts of Spiritual Fires and Dharma Lamps.

「The next day.」

After browsing for the entire night, Xiao Chen headed to the banquet area to observe the latest developments.

The back of the simple picture book he’d gotten earlier also included the schedule for the Nascent Soul Ceremony.

On the first day of the ceremony, Chongzhen Temple would first entertain the honored guests holding invitations in the core area.

The True Monarch’s sermon would only officially begin after the discussions in the core area concluded.

However, Chongzhen Temple had deliberately omitted the specific time, keeping everyone in suspense.

They were quite generous when it came to food and drink, however.

All sorts of Tier Two Spiritual Flesh, Spirit Wine, and Spirit Tea were available in unlimited supply.

In addition, every cultivator who came to the banquet area could receive a small, individual Tier Three Spirit Fruit.

.

Just as Xiao Chen was sampling the various dishes, several Nascent Soul True Monarchs were gathered inside a newly built palace in the core area.

Chongzhen Temple’s newly ascended True Monarch Ziyang, dressed in a bright red ceremonial robe, sat in the main seat at the center.

On either side of him sat representatives from nearly all the Daoist Sects of the Compassion Sea—basically the same few who had just attended the auction.

Even the Clarity Sect had dispatched True Monarch Jian Ying.

Only neutral parties like the Feiye Commerce Association and the Spiritual Communication Pavilion were excluded.

Although deep down, the Five Great Sects had never really gotten along with the Clarity Sect, they also held no goodwill toward the newly emerged Chongzhen Temple, which sought to occupy the South Marsh Sea.

Nevertheless, they all sat together amicably, showing no outward signs of distance or ostracism.

In the Eastern Domain, Nascent Soul True Monarchs generally avoided fighting with cultivators of the same realm and did their best not to create grudges.

The reasoning was actually similar to why Golden Core True Men rarely engaged in Magical Combat in the Southern Domain.

It wasn’t easy for anyone to cultivate to the Nascent Soul realm, and in the Eastern Domain, they were considered respectable figures.

The path had been difficult for them all; there was no need to resort to fighting and killing to solve problems anymore.

If an accident led to their death and the destruction of their Dao, hundreds of years of cultivation would be wasted. It simply wasn’t worth it.

Thus, even though the Five Great Sects didn’t want to see someone new vying for resources, they still chose to make contact first.

They came to attend True Monarch Ziyang’s Nascent Soul Ceremony to show their support.

However, the person speaking on behalf of Chongzhen Temple at this moment was not True Monarch Ziyang.

It was He Ming True Monarch, who sat to his left. "What do my fellow Daoists think of the proposal I just made?"

He had just introduced the ancient custom of "setting up rings and welcoming guests from all directions," which was practiced when a new sect was established in Ancient Times.

The specific method was to set up eight grand fighting rings.

Each of the powers present would contribute different Spiritual Objects as prizes for the various rings, which would be announced in advance.

Disciples of Chongzhen Temple would serve as the initial ring masters, responsible for defending the rings.

All eight rings would be open for challenges. Anyone who coveted a particular prize could enter the ring for Magical Combat.

This was a way to prove that their own Magic and Divine Techniques were second to none.

If a challenger won, they would become the new ring master.

After three days, whoever held the ring would win the corresponding prize.

"I think He Ming’s idea is excellent!"

True Monarch Jian Ying immediately expressed his approval.

But the other True Monarchs remained silent, seemingly in thought, though they frequently communicated with their eyes.

"Well, He Ming’s proposal is indeed a good one."

True Monarch Tie Shan of the Cangming Immortal Sect was the first to speak. He began with an affirmation before changing his tone. "But... there is something I don’t quite understand."

"Your esteemed temple has, after all, just been established. I’ve heard you don’t have many disciples within the sect."

"If you were to defend the rings in rotation like this, wouldn’t you be at a great disadvantage?"

After all, if other sects ganged up on them and defeated all of Chongzhen Temple’s disciples, not only would they fail to prove the strength of their own Magic, but they would also lose face completely.

Of course, True Monarch Tie Shan wasn’t reminding them out of kindness.

Rather, he genuinely didn’t understand why Chongzhen Temple would make a proposal that was so obviously disadvantageous to them.

’When your opponent seems to be acting foolishly, it’s best to be cautious and not assume they are actually fools.’

This was especially true for a sect, as their chance of making a mistake was far lower than that of an individual.

"Thank you for your concern, Tie Shan."

He Ming True Monarch smiled and explained, "However, while the aptitude of the few disciples under me is only average, they have some experience when it comes to Magical Combat."

"Besides, I have a fair bit of confidence in the Magic of my Chongzhen Temple."

He spoke tactfully, but "a fair bit of confidence" actually meant: ’Our sect’s Magic is formidable. We’re not afraid of you targeting us.’

Hearing this, the representatives of the Five Great Sects fell silent once more.

They really knew very little about Chongzhen Temple, so they couldn’t gauge their true strength.

What if, in the end, Chongzhen Temple’s disciples held all eight rings? Wouldn’t they be using the great sects as stepping stones to achieve fame in a single stroke?

Of course, this possibility was low. After all, they didn’t believe their own legacies were weaker than anyone else’s.

But considering that Chongzhen Temple had been the one to propose it...