Chapter 186 - 111: Sect Grand Competition, Profound Yellow’s Change

Chapter 186: Chapter 111: Sect Grand Competition, Profound Yellow’s Change

A sliver of daylight pierced the night’s curtain, and the sky began to brighten.

As the auspicious purple qi arrived from the east, the Tai Su Orthodox Sect suddenly stirred to life from the silence of the night.

On any other day, many disciples would have climbed the peaks to absorb the morning qi and practice their Daoist arts. Today, however, was vastly different. Countless glinting Magical Artifacts, immortal cranes, and spirit birds rose from every part of the sect, painting the sky with brilliant trails of light as they all converged on the grand competition’s venue.

A flat plain, several miles in area, was now surrounded by towering stone platforms raised by Daoist arts. Arranged in ascending tiers, they were all outfitted with pavilions and encircling corridors. Countless Stewards and Xiu Nu bustled about, while Warriors stood guard and patrolled the grounds.

All disciples arriving to watch the grand competition could find a Steward to be seated, preventing any disorderly crowding.

Higher still, hundreds of Flying Pavilions hovered in the air. Not only did they offer an excellent view, but Immortal Maidens and Daoist Children were also in attendance, serving Spirit Fruit and Immortal Tea. However, these seats were beyond the reach of ordinary disciples. Those who could sit in the Flying Pavilions were all preeminent cultivators of the sect; one had to have at least formed a Golden Core to earn a spot.

But setting aside those preeminent cultivators, countless disciples were now settling into their seats on the viewing platforms below. Whether they were acquaintances or strangers, they were all fellow sect members with a shared interest, so the stands immediately erupted with a cacophony of voices and heated discussions.

In truth, the Tai Su Sect had so many members that few events could capture nearly everyone’s attention and attendance. The fact that this was the first grand competition held in modern times was a major reason for today’s magnificent scene.

On one of the viewing platforms, a white ape wearing a Daoist Robe and a Lotus Leaf Scarf made his way through the crowd. A Longsword was strapped to his back, and he carried himself as straight as a man. Just then, he heard someone call out, "Junior Brother Yuan, over here."

Yuan Hao followed the sound of the voice and saw several familiar disciples gathered in a pavilion. He strode over, and as soon as he stepped inside, one of them asked, "Junior Brother Yuan, why are you so late? The first match is already over."

"Senior Brother Han." Yuan Hao cupped his hands in greeting and chuckled. "I had a small breakthrough in my cultivation last night and lost track of time. That’s why I’m a bit late."

"Oh?" Senior Brother Han looked Yuan Hao up and down in surprise. "Congratulations, Junior Brother Yuan, on mastering the Art of Refinement."

Just then, someone at his side laughed. "Excellent! No wonder Junior Brother Yuan made it into the top sixteen of the Foundation Establishment competition. Turns out you were just one step away from mastering the Art of Refinement all along."

"Quick, tell us! Did you suppress your cultivation level for the competition?"

"Don’t be ridiculous," Yuan Hao said with a straight face. "As a demon cultivating the Dao, it takes me a great deal of time just to temper my nature. To have barely mastered the Art of Refinement at this point is already the result of diligent, nonstop cultivation—the work of a slow horse pulling for ten days."

"There goes Junior Brother Yuan, using his demon body as an excuse again," the man teased. "You’re from Chongyun Peak, a top legacy disciple."

Yuan Hao sighed. "Senior Brother Wang, you’re teasing me again. I haven’t even seen our master’s face in ages."

Senior Brother Wang pursed his lips. "I’m clearly just envious of you. A figure like Junior Martial Uncle Xu naturally goes into seclusion for untold years. Having an elder teach you in his place, plus Senior Brother Li giving you pointers on your Swordsmanship—that’s already an immense stroke of luck."

"Alright," Senior Brother Han said, shaking his head. "The second match is about to start. Stop fooling around."

Yuan Hao breathed a sigh of relief and asked with a grin, "Senior Brother Han, who won the first match?"

Senior Brother Wang laughed again. "Senior Brother Li, of course."

Yuan Hao said with dissatisfaction, "But didn’t both Senior Brothers in the first match have the surname Li?"

Senior Brother Han laughed heartily. "Which Senior Brother Li do you think? It was Senior Brother Li Changfeng, of course."

Another person beside them chimed in, "I bet Senior Brother Li is going to take first place in the competition today."

"I’m not so sure," another person countered. "Senior Brother Li is formidable, but our Tai Su Inner Sect is full of hidden masters. This competition has drawn out all sorts of reclusive senior brothers. Just look at the eight contenders for first place today—four or five of them were barely known in the sect before this. Did any of you see that coming? I’m betting on Senior Brother Ling to win it all."

The first person argued back, "Senior Brother Li is a legacy disciple! He perfected the Art of Refinement decades ago, and he’s polished his Swordsmanship to a transcendent level. How can anyone else compare?"

The two bickered for a moment before one of them suddenly turned and asked, "Junior Brother Yuan, which Senior Brother are you rooting for?"

Yuan Hao hesitated. "I’m rooting for... Senior Brother Zhou, I guess."

"What?" the man exclaimed. "Junior Brother Yuan, I know you and Junior Brother Zhou entered the sect together, cultivated together, and are good friends. But how long has he been cultivating? Making it into the top eight is already a fantastic achievement for him. How could he possibly be a match for Senior Brother Ling?"

Yuan Hao shook his head. "Senior Brother Zhou is a peerless genius. He perfected the Art of Refinement in just over twenty years. Why can’t he be compared to the other senior brothers?"

Senior Brother Wang, ever the pot-stirrer, chimed in, "But Senior Brother Li is the Eldest Senior Brother of your Chongyun Peak, and he’s practically taught you half of what you know. You’re not supporting him?"

Yuan Hao retorted, "Of course I support my Eldest Senior Brother..." His words caught in his throat. ’Am I supposed to tell them that Senior Brother Zhou has a Magical Artifact for protection?’ he thought. ’Without it, his match against Eldest Senior Brother would be a fifty-fifty toss-up.’

Senior Brother Han placated them. "Alright, the second match is between Junior Brother Zhou and Senior Brother Ling. Let’s just watch patiently."

Everyone turned to look at the arena. Sure enough, with the ringing of a golden bell, two young cultivators in Inner Sect Robes entered the stage. One, with long hair flowing over his shoulders and a steady expression, was named Ling Donglai. He was a dark horse who had suddenly emerged during the competition, capturing the attention of many disciples.

The other had his hair tied up in a White Jade Crown. He was young and handsome, radiating a vibrant spirit. This was Zhou Jun, the sect’s renowned prodigy who had perfected the Art of Refinement in just over twenty years. In the past, his fame had always been for the speed of his cultivation; few had expected him to battle his way through the ranks and break into the top eight of the grand competition.