Daoist Competition

Zhang Yan glanced over, waved his sleeve, and collected it.

Qi Yuntian said, "Originally, the matter of conferring the seal should have been announced to the other nine disciples, read from the golden book, and performed the ceremony of respect and bowing. However, Junior Brother Huo previously skipped this ritual; given the setback the noble family has suffered, it would not be appropriate to be overly ceremonious, hence I must trouble you to forgo it."

Zhang Yan did not mind and smiled softly, "It’s merely a formality."

Qi Yuntian laughed and said, "You may forgo the ceremony, but not the prestige. If the Ten Great Heads travel outside, they should ride the Twin Flood Dragon Chariot—you must remember this."

Zhang Yan smiled and nodded to show he understood.

In reality, the Twin Flood Dragon Carriage is only used for gatherings among sect members or to denote Mingcang Sect’s presence during travels, but if traveling alone, it is naturally more convenient to use the escape skill.

At this moment, Qi Yuntian’s expression turned serious. He said in a deep voice, "Junior Brother, after you assume the position of Head, you can freely pursue your duties without worries. Times are different now; to overcome the Demon Tribulation, common courtesy can be set aside. Conduct yourself as necessary, and as long as I am here, you will be secure within the sect."

Zhang Yan could see that Qi Yuntian was giving him the freedom to act boldly, assuring him that he would manage the internal affairs so no one would impede him.

Should pressure arise from those within the sect, it might come from several Cave Heaven True Masters. This senior brother was willing to support him, proving his reliability. His promise was worth more than a thousand words. Zhang Yan solemnly gave a bow and said, "Thank you, Senior Brother."

Qi Yuntian accepted the gratitude openly and nodded, "Since you have assumed the position as Head, you should go to meet the Sect Leader. I’ll leave you to that."

Zhang Yan gave a Daoist bow and then departed from the Mystic Water Zhen Palace. Once outside, he took out the token talisman given by the Sect Leader and tapped it, causing a turn of spirit light to lift his form, sending him directly flying to the Floating Heavenly Palace. Shortly thereafter, he landed at the side hall, tidied his attire, arrived at the steps of the palace, and bowed with a Daoist salute, saying, "Excuse me, child, please notify that disciple Zhang Yan requests an audience."

Over a century had passed, the previous guard boy at the palace had long moved on to become a steward within the Nine Courtyards; this child had newly arrived here and did not recognize Zhang Yan. Hearing him introduce himself, he dared not delay and quickly said, "Ah, it is the Head of the Ten Peaks arriving. Please wait a moment, I will go in and report."

Not long after he left, he returned and said, "True Master Zhang, the Sect Leader calls for you to enter."

Zhang Yan stepped into the inner hall, seeing Sect Leader Qin slightly smiling at him from the Jade Platform. He approached a few steps and paid his respects, saying, "Disciple Zhang Yan greets the Sect Leader."

Sect Leader Qin’s expression was genial, saying, "Zhang Yan, I’ve already heard from Master Shen about what you did in East Victory. You handled the matter very well."

Zhang Yan gave a Daoist bow, replying, "I dare not accept such praise from the Sect Leader."

Sect Leader Qin laughed, "You surely deserve it. Do you know that you’ve put me in a difficult position? Since I took charge of the Mountain Gate, rewards and punishments are fair; this time, you have made significant contributions for the sect, yet it’s hard to find something suitable to grant as a reward. After careful consideration, knowing you excel in swordsmanship, I find it a pity for your talent and aptitude to be buried. Years ago, Shaoqing Sect Leader owed me a favor. Soon, I will personally write a letter for you to take to Shaoqing Sect to obtain true transmission, bypassing the gatekeeper."

Zhang Yan contemplated, knowing that Sect Leader Qin’s actions always carried deeper intentions—being sent to learn swordsmanship was not as straightforward as it appeared.

However, his sword cultivation had reached a bottleneck, and without true transmission, advancing further would be extremely challenging on his own. If he could cultivate within Shaoqing Sect, it aligned perfectly with his desires, so he gave a bow and said, "Disciple thanks Sect Leader for such generous offering."

Sect Leader Qin nodded, "I have used the Magic Artifact in the Upper Extreme Hall for deducing; among the Four Great Demon Caves, one is certainly going to emerge within a few decades. Now that you are the Head of the Ten Disciples, there are some matters you should be aware of."

He tossed down a jade scroll with a flick of his hand, "Take a look and meet me again tomorrow."

Zhang Yan did not know what it contained, but he reached out to receive it, gave a bow, and then exited the side hall, using a Dharma Talisman to descend from the Floating Heavenly Palace, transforming into light and fleeing back to his Cave Mansion. He activated the Forbidden Array, sealing the mansion’s doors, and began examining the jade scroll.

Upon reading, he was surprised—the contents recounted the origins of the Spirit Cave in East Splendor Continent.

When this world formed, the land was divided into the Nine Provinces, with Qi Mechanism rising clear and descending turbid, evolving the Five Elements, dividing Yin and Yang. Clear was Yang, while turbid Qi was Yin.

Clear Qi roamed in the sky, and if merged at the site of spiritual mechanism with Great Dharma Power, it could, like a vast ocean collecting countless rivers, form a Spirit Cave.

East Splendor Continent bordered Beiming to the north, South Cliff to the south, leaned against Central Pillar to the west, facing the ocean to the east—its location central among the Nine Provinces, it was uniquely a pool where Linghua gathered.

Yuxiao, Shaoqing, and Mingcang Sects all occupied the highlands, overlooking the continent, intercepting the spiritual mechanism of the province for their own use, forming the foundation for their sect.

Only now did Zhang Yan realize that when Sect Leader Qin Qinggang led the Twelve Cave Heavens northward, the main reason was the Demon Race intended to collectively focus their strength to create another Spirit Cave in Beiming Continent.

Thinking of this, he pondered—it seemed the Shaoqing Sect’s attack on Central Pillar might not be as simple as it appeared.

However, with advantages come drawbacks; East Splendor within the embrace of the Three Continents held the lowest terrain, and with islands in the sea like chains blocking off, it caused turbid Qi to stagnate, accumulating and condensing. It naturally formed Demon Caves, from which devils and demons emerged.

According to conventional wisdom, this Land Continent should be a lifeless and ominous land. Fortunately, there were rogue practitioners who entered the Demon Cave and eradicated the devils, preventing them from afflicting the world. These individuals were the early Demon Sect of East Splendor Continent.

However, being in such a dark land for a long time affected their disposition, making their actions increasingly radical, eventually becoming another scourge. At this juncture, the orthodox stream of Xuanmen had to decisively suppress them, engaging in a millennium-long struggle. Xuanmen eventually overcame, obliterating four Demon Caves, creating the current situation.

The Demon Cave, unlike Spirit Cave, does not require humans to refine it; as long as the mountain arrangement and geographic layout remain unchanged, it will naturally emerge when the time is ripe.

Zhang Yan was very curious, seeing from the jade scroll’s account that a myriad of Heavenly Dao experts existed millennia ago. Though this struggle also fractured several sects and was not without losses, overall, Xuanmen prevailed, and that Demon Cave is not as formidable as when the Nine Provinces were first formed. So why didn’t they decisively eradicate the Demon Sect?

Continuing through the scroll, he realized that Demon Caves can yield the intangible Xuanyin Sky Demon after mutual devouring among the devils. With cultivation comparable to Ascended True Masters—and the ability to seize human bodies, consuming divine souls—such demons are devoid of humanity, acting solely on whims, being nearly impossible to eliminate. Once enlightened, virtually no one can control them; even Demon Sect practitioners are extremely apprehensive of them, promptly gathering to eliminate any signs of Condensed Demon.

If the Demon Sect were completely eradicated, Xuanmen Sect Practitioners would have to personally confront these entities, making the undertaking not worth the cost.

After thoroughly reading the jade scroll, Zhang Yan felt as though a mist had been lifted from his mind, gaining deep understanding of the century-long strife between Xuanmen and Xuanmo.

If not for being the Ten Heads Leader, such secrets would be impossible for him to inquire about. However, once in this position, his considerations must be holistic, prioritizing the benefit of the Mountain Gate—whether the sect wishes it or not, these matters must be made known to him.

Once understanding this, the sect could truly inform him of what needs to be done and how to go about it.

Zhang Yan smiled faintly and set down the jade scroll.

Xuanmen’s aim was likely not to completely annihilate the Demon Sect, but rather to disperse the emergent four Demon Caves, maintain the previous configuration of the Sixteen Sects, and ensure East Splendor Continent remained stable for millennia.

...

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