Daoist Competition

Qu Changzhi bid farewell to Mrs. Zhao, and after leaving the Golden Bell Hall, quietly departed Xisheng Mountain, rising with tunneling light, heading towards the southwest.

Half a day later, he arrived at a desolate ridge in the western suburb, where dwellers often wore animal skins and lived on raw meat and blood, largely unnoticed by Cultivators due to the scarce Spirit Veins, which was now the temporary abode of Hui Xuan.

Qu Changzhi descended to the cloud’s edge before a stone cave, cast a spell to unlock the Prohibition, and walked inside. The cave lacked Bright Pearl lamps, resulting in dim light. After a dozen steps, he saw an old Daoist sitting cross-legged on a rock, bowed and said, "Master, your disciple has returned."

Hui Xuan opened his eyes and said in a deep voice, "Did you meet Zhao Ru on this journey, disciple?"

Although he appeared calm when asking, there was an unmistakable hint of urgency in his tone.

Qu Changzhi replied, "Master, just as you anticipated, Mrs. Zhao has already managed to persuade Sect Leader Qiao."

Upon hearing this, Hui Xuan could no longer contain himself, stood up, and laughed twice, eyes deep and distant, gazing at the cave ceiling and said, "My plan has succeeded."

After setting the grand plan to eliminate Zhang Yan, he spent several months gathering allies, but before he could act, news came of Zhang Yan secluding himself. Left with no choice, he could only patiently wait.

But this wait lasted twenty-five years. As he watched his lifespan slowly wither away while Zhang Yan remained secluded, he became increasingly anxious.

At this moment, Daoist Ji heard of the dissolution of the Dragon Pillar Forbidden Array and urged several times to explore below and retrieve the things within.

Unable to offend him due to reliance on him, Hui Xuan had to send Qu Changzhi to meet with Mrs. Zhao at the Zhongtai Sect.

The strategy Mrs. Zhao presented that day actually originated from Hui Xuan, ostensibly for Zhongtai’s benefit, but truly intended to facilitate his own acquisition of Daoist Books.

He initially held little hope for this plan, yet upon hearing that it had unexpectedly succeeded, even he, normally so composed, couldn’t help but lose his composure briefly.

Qu Changzhi spoke up again, "Master, there is a difficulty in this matter that you must guard against."

Hui Xuan calmed himself and asked, "What is this difficulty?"

Qu Changzhi replied, "That Qiao Huanjuan ordered Zhao Ru to invite Zhang Daoist from the Divine House, seemingly to secretly guard against your interference. This act is despicable."

Hui Xuan turned around, back facing Qu Changzhi, and laughed sinisterly, "No, this is good. Perhaps two difficult tasks can be resolved together."

After Mrs. Zhao presented her strategy, she prepared carriages the following day, summoned Du Shixun, and brought along a hundred maids, riding wind and cloud towards Divine House Mountain.

Accompanying the mother and son duo was Fan Yinghui, Sword Master of the "Hundred Shadow Sword," one of the Six Great Swords of the Fengxiang Sword Sect.

Having been stationed at the Zhongtai Sect all these years at the sect’s behest, upon hearing that Zhao Ru intended to visit Han Yuan, she too was curious to see what the senior who defeated Rong Junzhong looked like, hence she accompanied the journey.

The Zhongtai Sect Leader’s wife traveled surrounded by disciples leading the way, and after more than ten days, they reached Cangzhu Peak.

Chu Muran led several disciples to wait at the mountain gate, exchanged courtesies, and then invited them into the mountain’s Pavilion for rest.

The three of them resided halfway up Cangzhu Peak, offering views of lush greenery, rippling lake, and Spirit Birds like White Cranes occasionally coming and going. Extending beyond the mountain was a sea of peaks, with the distant vista giving way to the majestic Beimo Waves.

Fan Yinghui admired this grand view and praised, "Indeed, Divine House Mountain stretches across the northern sky, a land of the Wild Country, though it may not match the Zhongtai’s ’Golden Mountain and Water, White Cauldron Overlooking Mountains’ in splendor, yet it is not far off."

Mrs. Zhao felt it quite ordinary and said, "Exclude the Five Sects, and any sect in East Victory Continent possessing three cities can be called a Great Sect. After the Dragon Pillar Battle, Han Yuan Sect controls nine immortal cities, so this grandeur is not surprising."

Fan Yinghui turned her attention and said, "Remarkably, every disciple in Han Yuan Sect is diligent, and with someone like True Master Zhang, in several hundred years, they may surely become a Great Sect. You should remind Sect Leader Qiao to be wary."

Implying that Han Yuan might eventually overshadow the host, Mrs. Zhao, savvy enough to decipher the suggestion, dismissed it lightly, "True Master Zhang may indeed possess extraordinary Divine Skills, but his Daoist Cultivation is still within the Second Realm. Let alone reaching that point; even if it happens, it’s a matter for centuries later. Why worry now?"

Fan Yinghui said, "I’ve heard before coming that True Master Zheng Cultivated for three thousand years. After he passed, who in your sect will be the anchor?"