Daoist Competition

Zhang Boyan did not care who stayed behind, and simply nodded to show he understood.

Shen Chuyu brought the child before him and said, "This is my son Shen Dong. Master Zhang has seen him before. I hope you can take my son along on this trip. I do not ask that he attain Immortality and achieve the Dao, only that he may live a peaceful life."

Zhang Boyan cast him a glance and said, "Very well."

Shen Chuyu gently stroked the child’s head, his eyes full of fatherly affection, and said, "Child, go along with Master Zhang."

The child was very well-behaved and sensible, neither noisy nor troublesome. After hearing his father’s words, he went to stand properly at Zhang Boyan’s side.

Zhang Boyan thought to himself, "Though young in years, this child’s nature is tenacious and he is extremely sensible. His aptitude is not bad either. If he can be taught a superior cultivation method, he will surely become a great figure in the future."

Shen Chuyu cupped his hands and said, "Then I must trouble Master Zhang with everything. I have already prepared a Flying Boat outside; we can depart at any time."

Zhang Boyan said no more. Bringing the child with him, he rose and went outside, where he saw a Flying Boat of seven or eight zhang suspended in Heaven. More than a dozen Disciples stood upon it, most at Hua Dan Cultivation. The leader was a Pavilion Master surnamed Qian. Though he was junior brother to Shen and Wu, because he had been only a Registered Disciple of the former Dean, his status was far inferior.

However, most of the medicinal preparations for the pills Zhang Boyan had refined earlier in the courtyard had been handled by this man, so they had frequent dealings and could be considered acquainted. After leaping onto the Flying Boat, he swept a glance over Wu Suquan lying on the couch in the boat and said, "Master Qian, please set off at once."

Master Qian cupped his hands toward Shen Chuyu below and said, "Senior Brother, take care."

Then he took out a token and shook it. A mass of light rose beneath the Flying Boat, and at extreme speed it flew outward.

But none of the people in the courtyard noticed that after the Flying Boat left, a certain spot in the courtyard suddenly spewed forth a plume of colorful fog from the ground, which then turned into a band of rainbow light and sped northward.

After passing out through the Mountain Gate, Master Qian was about to guide the boat northward when Zhang Boyan suddenly said, "Turn around, head south."

Master Qian asked in puzzlement, "To go to Divine House Mountain there are only two routes, west and north. Why would Master Zhang head south?"

Zhang Boyan smiled mysteriously and said, "We are precisely going south."

Master Qian was stunned on the spot and said, "Th-this, why is that?"

Zhang Boyan let out a cold laugh and said, "I privately suspect that the Fengxiang Sword Sect will by no means allow the matter of the Sealing beneath your courtyard to spread. There must be no few eyes and ears about, so we must absolutely not proceed along the proper route. In the South Guanghai Realm’s sea territory there is an immortal city, only five or six days’ journey from here. Though nominally under Kuxin Sect’s jurisdiction, it is in fact established by people of the Evil Sect. I once had the fortune to visit that place. We will first lie low there, and once the uproar has passed, then continue north."

Master Qian furrowed his brow and said, "Is Master Zhang suspecting that there are people of the Fengxiang Sword Sect at the sides of our two senior brothers, and that was why you intentionally proclaimed earlier that we were heading north, while actually going south?"

Zhang Boyan gave him a look and said, "There is indeed that layer of meaning. What does fellow Daoist Qian think?"

Master Qian nodded and said, "Senior Brother Shen instructed that along the way we must heed Master Zhang’s arrangements. So long as these Disciples can be brought safely to the Northern Continent, even if I must give up my life, I am willing."

So long as there are Disciples, in the next life they can still be brought into the sect to undertake Cultivation. But if even the Daoist Inheritance is severed, then all hope is gone. He knew this journey would not necessarily be smooth and had long since resolved that even if he himself died, these Disciples with exceptional aptitude must be preserved at all costs.

Within the "Four Seas Jade Plate," He Yizhu sat upon a hill encircled by trees, currently in that place sacrificially refining that Nine Yellow Star Bead.

Ever since the day Zhang Yan had come by, he had been suspicious and on edge, extremely afraid that some predecessor might come to seize it, and thus he refined this item day and night without rest.

Fortunately, in two more days he could return to the Mountain Gate; then he could rest easy.

He was absorbed in his work when suddenly there was a boom, as though a clap of thunder exploded by his ear. The entire Cloud Disk Flying Boat gave a fierce shudder, and the table before him toppled over at once, cups and pots rolling all over the floor.

Caught unprepared, he almost fell. With a thought, Gang Wind coiled around his body, steadying his form as he floated up into the air. From his Sleeve Bag he took out a Jade Ruler and said in shocked anger, "Elder Jin, what is going on?"

An elder entered the Jade Plate and reported, "Sect Leader, Fengxiang Sword Sect Shang Qingjun is blocking the path ahead. The commotion just now was caused by that person."

"Fengxiang Sword Sect? Shang Qingjun? What does Chen Yuan intend?"

He Yizhu flew into a rage. He immediately thought that the Fengxiang Sword Sect wanted to seize the Treasure Bead, but then at once extinguished this thought.

For a sect’s Disciples to so brazenly attack a sect’s Sect Leader’s conveyance, the consequences might very well be a war between the two sects. Given Chen Yuan’s character, he would never be so foolish.

He calmed himself, flicked his sleeve, and restored the overturned tableware to their original positions.

His figure slowly drifted down, and in a cold voice he said, "I have heard that this man has no regard for others and is unruly by nature. Even when going to this banquet, Chen Yuan did not bring him along. His coming here is either acting on his own or being provoked by someone. Take a few more men and capture him alive. I want to ask Chen Yuan how he disciplines his sect members!"

Elder Jin bowed, then waved his hand and, taking two elders with him, left the Jade Plate. Seeing Shang Qingjun’s face expressionless and his entire body exuding an eerie aura, he frowned and said, "Junior Brothers, the Sect Leader has ordered that he be taken alive."

The two elders both indicated they understood, each bringing out their Protective Dharma Treasure.

The three were just about to close in when, unexpectedly, Shang Qingjun gave a strange smile and suddenly raised his hand. A streak of yellow light shot over first. Only a boom was heard, like a bolt of lightning from a clear sky.

Elder Jin’s head spun in dizziness. At that moment he felt something warm splatter across his cheek. Turning his head to look, he was utterly shocked— the elder at his side had, in that instant, been blasted to pieces along with his Dharma Treasure!

With the opponent wielding such a formidable Dharma Treasure, how could they possibly withstand it? Without a word, he abandoned his fellow sect members, rose in a streak of tunneling light, and fled back toward the Jade Plate without looking back.

...

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