Chapter 400 - 209: The Three Sects Assemble, the Grand Competition is Imminent

Chapter 400: Chapter 209: The Three Sects Assemble, the Grand Competition is Imminent

These were people from the Yunji Lineage.

According to reports from the Qi Cultivation cultivators on the ground, their leader was a stout, honest-looking cultivator around fifty years of age. Qin Huaiming immediately recognized him as Ge Yunhai. He was a contemporary of Qin Huaiming and Gu You in the Yunji Sect, and his cultivation had also reached the Entry level.

Within the Yunji Sect, he was known for being adept at managing general affairs. He appeared amiable but was, in fact, meticulous, making him a key figure for handling the sect’s external relations and coordinating internal resources.

Accompanying him were Lin Xiyun, whom Yang Wenqing had met before, and another young female cultivator.

Yang Wenqing had a file on her, as she was one of his opponents in the grand competition. Her name was Leng Zhi, and she was one of the core disciples representing the Yunji Lineage. She had already perfected the Fourth Transformation of the Marrow Cleansing Realm, just making the forty-year-old age limit. The file also indicated she cultivated a Sword Control Technique called ’Flowing Cloud, Parting Light’ using a Yuqing Secret Skill.

Ge Yunhai was staying in another cloister courtyard, separated from the Xuanyue Lineage’s residence by the Central Cyan Peak. They were far enough apart not to disturb each other. Though Qin Huaiming and Gu You received word of their arrival, they did not pay a courtesy visit.

「By dusk,」 the setting sun had dyed the sea a brilliant crimson-gold. There was activity once again at the platform on the north side of the island, which was reserved for visiting Flying Ships.

An all-black assault Flying Shuttle with a distinct military style broke through the clouds and landed. This was the team from the Beixuan Sect, but their leader’s identity was rather special.

A Qi Cultivation cultivator sent to gather intelligence immediately returned to report to Qin Huaiming and Gu You that the Beixuan Sect was led by an elderly man who was unusually tall and burly, standing a full head taller than an average person.

When the cultivator presented the photograph, Gu You recognized him at once. The man’s name was Lei Yue, a veteran Entry-level Cultivator who had spent most of his life battling countless evil cultivators and foreign races on the long northern front. He had only been rotated back from the front lines in recent years due to his advancing age.

According to the pre-submitted roster, the Beixuan Sect should have had two disciples participating in the grand competition, but three young cultivators disembarked behind Lei Yue.

The first was Wu Qing, whom Yang Wenqing had fought before.

The second was a young man named Chen Yuan. He had only recently entered the Marrow Cleansing Realm, and his foundation was unstable. As a new disciple of the Beixuan Sect, he was clearly just tagging along to gain experience.

The third was a taciturn young man of average height, dressed in a black martial arts uniform similar in style to Lei Yue’s, but much neater.

His features were plain—the kind that would get lost in a crowd. His name was Shi Zheng. The photograph of him exuded a sense of stability and solidity, hinting at a resilience that could only be forged through real combat.

After the party from the Beixuan Sect arrived, they headed straight for a cluster of stone halls built into the mountainside on the northwest face of the island. That was the Beixuan Sect’s permanent residence and training ground on Jade Chime Island.

Qin Huaiming and Gu You had no intention of paying them a visit, and neither of the other two sects made any move to come and exchange greetings.

「About two hours passed.」 The last vestiges of the sunset had sunk below the horizon, and Jade Chime Island was now shrouded in the hazy twilight and the glow of the rising stars.

Just then, a Qi Cultivation cultivator serving at the training grounds hurried to the hall where Qin Huaiming and Gu You were. He reported that Senior Brother Sun Chen from Zhongjing would arrive shortly, but that his master was not accompanying him."

Qin Huaiming and Gu You immediately rose to their feet. Sun Chen’s direct grandmaster was Qianxin, the deputy director of the General Bureau and the true power in the Xuanyue Lineage. For that reason alone, they had to show him sufficient courtesy; personally welcoming him was the bare minimum.

The two of them immediately took Yang Wenqing and headed to the small landing platform reserved for the Xuanyue Lineage.

Before long, a plain, dark blue Flying Shuttle silently penetrated Jade Chime Island’s Protective Array and landed on the platform.

The cabin door slid open, and the first person to walk out was a young man with a somewhat slender build, dressed in inconspicuous, gray cotton everyday clothes.

He looked to be about thirty-four or thirty-five years old, with the pale complexion of someone who spends a lot of time indoors. His features were ordinary, save for his eyes, which were exceptionally clear and calm, as if they could reflect a person’s very heart without being the least bit intimidating.

This was the Sun Chen from the file.

Following him was a middle-aged man in his forties. He had a friendly face and a respectful smile. As soon as he stepped off the Flying Shuttle, he deliberately took a half-step back, his gaze quickly and humbly sweeping over Qin Huaiming’s welcoming party.

Sun Chen stepped off the Flying Shuttle and calmly swept his gaze over the three people present. He then bowed to Qin Huaiming and Gu You with clasped hands and said, "Disciple Sun Chen pays his respects to Martial Uncle Qin and Martial Uncle Gu."

His posture was respectful. After speaking, he straightened up and stood there quietly, without any further pleasantries.

"Senior Brother Sun."

Yang Wenqing also stepped forward and bowed in accordance with etiquette.

Sun Chen looked at Yang Wenqing, his clear gaze resting on him for a moment. It paused briefly on Lan Ying, who was perched on Yang Wenqing’s shoulder, before he nodded and gave an equally concise reply, "Junior Brother Yang."

Just then, a fiery red shadow darted nimbly out from behind Sun Chen and landed lightly on the ground.

It was a small fox with fur as red as flame, its four paws and the tip of its tail tipped in snow-white. Its narrow, foxy eyes were exceptionally lively, seeming to shimmer with an iridescent light as it looked around. Curious about its new surroundings, the fox circled lightly around Sun Chen’s feet twice, letting out a soft "YIP YIP."

"Qingqing, it’s a Nine-tailed Spirit Fox!"

Lan Ying’s voice, tinged with obvious surprise and a hint of warning, rang out in Yang Wenqing’s Spirit Sea. "Mommy told me about them before. Their Illusion Techniques are super powerful! They say that when they reach a high level of cultivation, they can make people fall into a dream without even realizing it. They can even secretly modify people’s memories and thoughts! But this one looks pretty young, so it probably hasn’t reached that level yet."

The little fox also sensed Lan Ying’s presence. It raised its head, its foxy eyes meeting Lan Ying’s sapphire-blue ones directly. The two Spirit Pets sized each other up from a few paces apart.

Lan Ying subconsciously puffed out her tiny chest, while the Little Fire Fox tilted its head, a glint of cunning and amusement flashing in its eyes.

At that moment, the middle-aged man beside Sun Chen bowed once more to Qin Huaiming and Gu You. His face wreathed in smiles, he spoke in a warm yet measured tone, "Director Qin, Senior Gu You, I am Li Ping from the General Bureau’s Archives Department. I have come under Deputy Chief Qian’s orders to escort Captain Sun Chen."

"The Deputy Bureau Chief himself has other important matters to attend to, so he specially ordered me to send his regards to you both. As for Captain Sun Chen’s time on the island, I must ask you two seniors to look after him."

He spoke with polished consideration, his posture extremely deferential. He clearly understood social graces and did not wish to show the slightest neglect in front of Deputy Chief Qianxin’s grand-disciple and his martial brethren.

"Steward Li, you are too kind. It must have been a long journey."

Qin Huaiming replied with a smile, "Sun Chen is one of our own. His accommodations have long been prepared. Please, come with us."

The group left the landing platform and walked toward the central pavilion of the Xuanyue residence.

On the way, Steward Li Ping kept up a constant stream of chatter, mostly sharing recent anecdotes from the General Bureau and offering compliments to Qin Huaiming and Gu You, skillfully managing the atmosphere. Sun Chen, however, remained silent at Qin Huaiming’s side, only offering terse, occasional replies to Li Ping’s questions.

Meanwhile, the silent exchange between Lan Ying and the Little Fire Fox escalated. At some point, Lan Ying had flown lower to accompany Yang Wenqing, periodically turning her head to look at the little fox, which was trotting along by Sun Chen’s feet with elegant little steps.

The little fox, in turn, would occasionally raise its head and glance at Lan Ying. It even deliberately made a face at her once, provoking Lan Ying to complain to Yang Wenqing in his Spirit Sea, "Qingqing, that little fox is provoking me!"

As the group passed through a small path lined with blooming spirit flowers, a colorful spirit butterfly happened to fly by. A red light flashed in the Little Fire Fox’s eyes, and the butterfly’s flight path instantly became erratic. It began to spin in place, caught in a momentary illusion.

Not to be outdone, Lan Ying’s sapphire-blue Spiritual Light flickered faintly. An extremely fine Wind Blade shot out silently, precisely slicing a falling leaf into two perfect halves that landed right in front of the little fox.

The Little Fire Fox blinked, its foxy face showing an expression that seemed to say, ’Not bad.’ Then, the subtle competition between the two Spirit Pets unknowingly evolved into a peculiar form of play and communication.