Daoist Competition

"That is the Zhao You Heavenly Pond?"

Zhao Yang cast his gaze afar and saw that upon the vast plain ahead there stood a single mountain, rearing up like a lonely pillar, rising straight from the earth into the clouds, as though it wished to link earth and sky. Around it clouds surged and mists gathered, vapors coiled in a ringed shroud, and the sight set his heart at ease, filling him with delight and repeated amazement.

At this moment he saw that upon the peak there seemed to be a group of cultivators, so he called out, "Junior Brother Shen, come and look, the disciples under True Master Zhang have come out to welcome us."

Shen Dong stepped forward a few paces, stared hard a few times, pointed ahead and said, "I do not know who that fellow Daoist in the lead is—could it be one of True Master Zhang’s same-sect disciples?"

Zhao Yang craned his head to take a look, and at the place Shen pointed he saw a refined, serene, peerlessly beautiful woman, clad in a plain white Daoist robe, her hair bound with a silver ring, her eyes clear and limpid as water, her beauty surpassing any he had ever seen in his life. This involuntarily made him look a few more times. Bowing his head in thought for a moment, he said, "My honored master once said that True Master Zhang’s senior disciple Liu Yan Yi is outstanding in talent, spirited and wise. Since she stands at the very front, this must be Senior Sister Liu."

Shen Dong could not help being taken aback, and said somewhat uncertainly, "Could it be that this Senior Sister Liu is already a Nascent Soul cultivator?"

Zhao Yang had a proper lineage; he had learned the Qi Recognition Technique from Zhang Boyant. He took another few looks, then confirmed, "Around Senior Sister Liu’s body Gang Qi is surging in rings. Though my Daoist cultivation is shallow and I cannot clearly perceive the Gang Cloud, she is without doubt a Nascent Soul cultivator."

Shen Dong drew in a deep breath, slowly shifted his gaze away, and turned it toward the others. Yet with that single glance, his pupils slightly contracted, for not far behind Liu Yan Yi there stood a handsome, elegant young man with a faint smile on his face, a white-furred old ape squatting on his shoulder, and atop his head a mass of Gang Cloud drifting. He was actually another Nascent Soul True Master. Shen Dong could not help exclaiming in surprise, "And who is this?"

As soon as Zhao Yang saw that white-furred old ape, he immediately guessed the man’s identity and laughed. "That must be True Master Zhang’s sixth disciple, Brother Wei Zihong. He was the Sect Leader of the Yao Yin Sect during the Eighteen Sects swordfight."

Speaking to this point, he suddenly turned his head to the side. "Come to think of it, this senior brother’s circumstances are somewhat similar to yours, Junior Brother Shen."

Shen Dong snorted and thought to himself, "He merely started cultivation a few years earlier than I. If I had True Master Zhang’s guidance, I would be no worse than him!"

Before long, Dragon Country’s Ship rode the clouds and crossed the rosy mists, slowly arriving at the cliff before Zhao You Mountain.

Liu Yan Yi walked at the head, with Wei Zihong and Han Zuocheng behind her. Leading a line of disciples, they came forward to greet them. Upon reaching the cliff’s edge, she gathered her sleeves and bowed, saying, "Disciple respectfully welcomes Master’s return to the estate."

Behind her, the Third Generation Disciples all dropped to their knees in unison and cried out together, "Disciples pay respects to Grandmaster."

Zhang Yan came to the prow of the ship, smiled faintly, raised his hand in a light lifting gesture, and said gently, "There is no need to be so formal. All of you, rise."

Everyone bowed once more, then stood up.

Zhang Yan cast his gaze downward, looking over them one by one, and saw that the cultivation of his disciples had all greatly advanced. Liu Yan Yi and Wei Zihong, these two disciples, need not even be mentioned—their talents among his disciples were the finest. Their attainment of Nascent Soul was no surprise and had long been within his expectations.

As for Han Zuocheng, this seventh disciple had also achieved Hua Dan cultivation, but only at the first layer—adequate, though not outstanding. On the other hand, Third Generation Disciples such as Zuo Han Zhang and Lin Suxue all possessed Hua Dan cultivation as well. Yet though there were a few gifted and intelligent ones under his sect, their cultivation at present was still low and would require further polishing.

He shifted his gaze to the rear and saw a beautiful woman with a voluptuous figure smiling radiantly at him, a mass of Gang Cloud above her head swirling like inky smoke. He could not help but laugh heartily and said, "Luo Daoist has achieved Nascent Soul. I must offer my congratulations."

Luo Xiao covered her mouth with a smile and said, "This humble woman merely borrowed the blessing of Master’s Cave Heaven Blessed Land here."

After Zhang Yan finished looking over everyone, he noticed that two people were missing and asked, "Where are Weng Zhiyuan and Yuan Yanhui?"

Liu Yan Yi said, "To report to Master, a few days ago Linqing Temple sent a letter seeking aid. Those two fellow Daoists volunteered to go forth to protect them and are presently not in the estate."

Zhang Yan slightly inclined his head. He was just about to step off the ship when his foot paused. He turned his head to gaze toward Dragon Abyss Marsh, and saw two streams of tunneling light flying in from that direction. The foremost was a sword rainbow that cleaved horizontally across the heavens, icy and fierce; closely behind it was a mass of clear azure cloud, speeding along with a rustling sound, both with astonishing momentum. In but a short while they arrived above the ship, yet instead of descending, they only circled overhead. A voice alone came down, saying, "We ask Junior Brother Zhang to come up and speak."

Zhang Yan pondered for a moment, then swept his sleeve and said to the disciples under his sect, "You all return to your Cave Mansions and await me first."

With that, his figure flickered, and a streak of Clear Light rose from him as he vaulted into Heaven.

Seeing him ascend, the two streams of tunneling light both surged upward, heading straight to pierce through the Gang Cloud. Only upon reaching the Extreme Heaven did they halt, circling once, then revealing their forms.

The one on the left was clad in white, his features stern and cold, heroic aura pressing outward. On the right was a Green Robed Daoist, elegant and unworldly, his bearing like a clear moon after rain.