Daoist Competition

After Zhang Yan left Rhinoceros Peak, he returned to the Pavilion to pick up Zhao Yang and Shi Ling Qiao Ying, then stirred up a blast of Gang Wind and flew northward. Eight days later, he entered Divine House Mountain; flying for another hour, Cangzhu Peak was already faintly in view.

On the lookout pavilion at the peak, several Disciples were on duty day and night. One of them saw a streak of sword light shoot out from the vault of clouds and fly straight this way. His eyes involuntarily widened, and he immediately called out loudly: "The Sect Leader has returned, the Sect Leader has returned, quick, go ring the gong."

In a short while, the sonorous sound of the gong drifted down, heard both within and without the Sect.

Chu Muran, Wen Liang, and Zhao Ge were all doing morning lessons in their Cave Mansions at this time. Upon hearing it, their expressions all shook. Knowing that Zhang Yan had returned to the mountain, they hurriedly put aside what they were doing, each raised a wisp of Tunnel Smoke, and rushed up the mountain to pay their respects.

After Zhang Yan entered the Mountain Gate, he first flicked his sleeve and sent out a blast of Gang Wind to send Zhao Yang and the other back, while he himself headed up toward the peak.

Just as he came to a standstill on the mountaintop, a shaft of golden light happened to shine down. He turned to look back and saw that the old moon had yet to withdraw, while the morning sun was spewing forth from beyond the horizon. The dawn radiance glittered, in an instant spilling over and dyeing the Ten Thousand Mountains, appearing grand and magnificent, majestic and imposing, greatly stirring the heart.

He stood on the peak with hands clasped behind his back. Beholding this scene, his heart was moved, and the four words "renewed with each passing day" leapt forth in his mind.

In that one fighting at Dragon Pillar Mountain, he had relied on his own Divine Passage Skill to overpower Xuanyue. Though his might had been peerless for the moment, many of his methods had likewise been seen by others.

There is in this world no Divine Skills that cannot be broken; it only depends on how one responds. If someone wished to deal with him, they would certainly seek a way to counter them.

As the saying goes, as the water rises, the boat rises with it. He reflected that if he only relied on his current methods without seeking change, in the short term he might still ensure his place in an invincible position, but as time went on, those who put their mind to it would always be able to find a suitable path to target him. He too had to make preparations. The best method was none other than to take his own Cultivation Technique as the foundation and derive a new Dharma technique from it.

He pondered for a while, temporarily setting this thought aside in his heart, then walked toward the Cave Mansion. After a hundred steps, he arrived at a certain Stone Mansion.

A youth of sixteen or seventeen was inside, seated in meditation and breathing. Hearing footsteps, he opened his eyes and, seeing who it was, could not help but say in delight: "Master?" He leapt down from the rock, ran up to the front, and knelt to the ground, saying: "Disciple Fu Baoxing pays respects to my gracious teacher."

Zhang Yan lightly raised his hand in a虚 gesture and said with a smile: "Get up, my disciple."

Fu Baoxing acknowledged and stood up.

Zhang Yan looked him over a few times and saw that this Disciple’s eyes were clear and bright, Divine Light contained within; clearly, during the period since he had left, he had made great progress, and Zhang Yan unconsciously nodded. Recalling the sentiment he had just felt, he therefore said: "My disciple, among your teacher’s several Disciples, you are the youngest. This is originally the age to be fond of play and movement. But in the coming several hundred years, a great calamity will descend upon Heaven and Earth, and no one will be outside the calamity. If you wish to avoid this tribulation, you must by no means allow yourself the slightest slackness."

Fu Baoxing said earnestly: "Yes, Master. I would never dare betray the kindness of my teacher."

At this time, the Child at the door said: "Master, the three Daoists Chu, Wen, and Zhao are outside requesting an audience."

Zhang Yan said: "I understand."

He encouraged Fu Baoxing a few more times, then turned and walked out, and before long he arrived at the front hall of the Cave Mansion.

Chu Muran and the other two had arrived by now. Seeing him come out, they hurried forward to salute.

Chu Muran stepped forward first, bowed, and said: "Hearing that Senior Sect Leader has returned to the residence, we three juniors are overjoyed."

Zhang Yan nodded and said: "No need for excessive formality, my three Junior Brothers. Sit down and speak."

Only after he had gone to sit on the couch did the three of them go to sit at the side.

Wen Liang, being impatient by nature, had barely sat down before he asked: "Senior Sect Leader, I wonder, in the Dragon Pillar Battle, which side won in the end?"

Chu Muran and Zhao Ge both turned their eyes toward him.

In this Dragon Pillar Battle, no matter who won, the situation in East Victory would undergo a change. Although Divine House Mountain was far away in the Northern lands, many of the Sects and schools in the mountain were nominally still Lower Sects under Zhongtai, and they could not avoid being affected.

Zhang Yan smiled and said: "There is no need for your Senior Brother to say. In a few days, you will know as well."

Since he did not bring up this matter, the three could not very well ask further and had to speak instead of some mundane affairs within the Sect. Only, in this period there had been no major events in the Sect, and after chatting for merely a quarter of an hour, they took their leave.

The three of them rode the clouds down from the peak. Wen Liang said in puzzlement: "Brother Chu, what does Senior Sect Leader mean by this? He didn’t even give us a clear word."

Chu Muran pondered for a moment and said: "I observed Senior Brother’s expression—calm and at ease. This matter should be auspicious rather than ominous."

Zhao Ge was a steady man and said: "Since Senior Sect Leader has said that we will know the result in a few days, then we need not waste our thoughts and make wild guesses. Let us simply wait in peace."