Chapter 24: Pretend to be a big match, pretend first
Ling Fengzhi was not aware that the Sword Palace had already made a decision about his future.
He sat cross-legged in the quiet room in a daze, looking around at the decorations in the room.
——It’s different, completely different from when I left. Before I came back, someone came into Master’s quiet room.
The sword cultivator of the Tribulation Crossing Stage had extremely strict protection for his cave abode. Logically speaking, apart from himself, only his direct disciple could enter unimpeded. Although he had returned immediately after receiving the summons as quickly as possible, he still discovered signs of someone else's intrusion in his master's cave abode...
Who could this person be?
Thousands of complicated messages flashed through his mind for a moment, but he could not come to any conclusion.
Although the Sword Palace had tried its best to suppress the news, Ling Fengzhi, as one of the parties most closely involved, was still passed some inside information to him by the Sword Palace's top management.
The Sword Master Buwang did not die in the advanced thunder tribulation, but someone did it intentionally, drawing the thunder here and inserting himself into the game to kill all the powerful cultivators in the tribulation period... And the person who manipulated the Sword Master Buwang to stir up all the disputes and incidents behind the scenes is most likely a demon cultivator!
It was a demon cultivator who caused the master's death, and it was also a demon cultivator who tried to kill him. Was it because he had taken the Frost Flower Sword? Or was there some other reason?
Ling Fengzhi didn't know what was going on. He could only take a deep breath and clear his mind of all distracting thoughts.
Everything they experienced in the Canglang Mountains and Liangyi Valley, the friendship between Chu Sheng and Gui Xuan, and their solidarity in the face of the thunder tribulation, seemed like a fragile and beautiful dream compared to reality.
Now that the dream is over, the soft and joyful emotions have completely faded from his soul, leaving only a hard background.
Now was not the time to overthink things. In this sudden situation, he calmed down quickly.
Now that things have come to this, what I should do is not to reflect and recall, but to think about what to do next.
The cruelty of the world of cultivation has always been hidden in the dark. Ling Fengzhi, who lost his master, can only survive in this turmoil. Only then can he have the opportunity to travel with Chu Sheng, the disciple of the Venerable, and Gui Xuan, the young master of the valley, again.
Ling Fengzhi gripped the Frost Sword tightly. He wanted to preserve the traces of his master in the Sword Palace and to protect everything in the sect.
Although he didn't know what decision would be made in the palace, as a sword cultivator, he had gradually developed a premonition about his future.
...Perhaps, this Frost Sword, which is not sure whether it will be a blessing or a curse, will be his only chance to turn things around in his desperate situation.
"Report to the Palace Master."
"Disciple Ling Fengzhi, please sign up to join the Supervisory Team!"
—Inspection Team? Inspection Team!!
The Supervisory Team was not formed by the Sword Palace, but was a combat team organized by various sects thousands of years ago after they swore an oath to the Heavenly Dao in order to resist the invasion of ancient demons.
Participants generally join the team for a period of sixty years, and most monks have a high probability of death, but if they can survive, they will become the best among their peers!
The most important thing is that if Ling Fengzhi, who still holds the title of core disciple, voluntarily joins the Supervisory Team, the moment he makes such a grand wish, Ling Fengzhi's name will be spontaneously engraved on the stone tablet of the Supervisory Team at the border under the witness of Heaven, and the Sword Palace's top brass will not be able to refuse this request according to the sect's rules!
If Ling Fengzhi could still come back intact sixty years after joining the team, he would not only be able to preserve the former dojo and honor of Buwang Jianzun, but with Ling Fengzhi's qualifications, if he had been promoted to the middle stage of Jindan by then, he would even have the opportunity to not be bound by the independent rules of the sect's disciples in the Yuanying stage, and he would be able to leave his disciple status in advance and establish his own sect as an elder!
Although this matter is risky, if it can be accomplished, it will be a highly profitable business!
The sword masters of the Three Mountains and Six Veins whispered to each other.
In order to protect the inheritance, Ling Fengzhi, as the only remaining disciple under his master, cannot leave the palace again before breaking through the Nascent Soul stage...
But, but, he was going to the Inspection Team, the Inspection Team that had sworn an oath by Heaven that anyone violating the Law would not make an inch of progress, the Inspection Team that was like firewood in the fire, and that countless people avoided.
Among the sword masters present here, quite a few of their disciples had already been killed in the team fighting against the demons. They stared at Ling Fengzhi's figure and remained silent.
The remaining group of people looked at their disciples and their confused and admiring expressions. They moved their lips countless times, but in the end they could not say the words to send them to the Supervisory Team, so they were forced to remain silent.
Next time, let's wait a little longer. Since someone has taken the lead this time, let's wait until next time...
"The Supervisory Team...didn't they say something to him..."
"Buwang's disciple...don't forget that there is more than just Ling Fengzhi."
"......Ah." Changfeng Duji looked at the young man kneeling below him and sighed deeply.
Before the Palace Master's order was completed, Buwang's disciple suddenly slapped him in the face without warning. It was impossible for Changfeng Duji not to be surprised.
Although Ling Fengzhi's request was unconventional, it was so bizarre that no one could choose it. Under this premise, Chang Fengduji's plan for the return of the Master of Frost Sword was useless.
The Sword Palace can now only seal up the cave on the mountaintop of Sword Master Buwang, waiting for Ling Fengzhi to finish his training and transformation in the Supervisory Team and return to take back everything he owns, or wait until the moment when the soul lamp goes out and then pack up everything left behind.
"Not in vain. Although your death was a bitter one, you did have a rare and interesting disciple." Changfeng Duji looked at Ling Fengzhi with mixed emotions and spoke.
"Is there anything else you would like the sect to do for you? Once you leave this time, you won't be able to return for sixty years..."
"I..." Ling Fengzhi started, wanting to ask if he could keep a message for him if someone sent one, and if he could send a last letter to his friends?
He also wanted to defeat the alien demon and kill him without a trace. If he took the initiative to tell...
Thinking of the Dharma Cultivation Competition that Chu Sheng was currently participating in, and the worried look that might appear on her face after she accidentally learned about this, his mind moved slightly, and finally he lowered his eyes and said.
"...If any of my friends come looking for me in the future, please let me pass this message along."
Ling Fengzhi left behind the repaired heavy iron sword and a letter, and then set out on the road to the inspection team's base without looking back.
While the hearts of the people in the Sword Palace were surging, the Zhongnan Taoist Sect was already as noisy as boiling water!
Previously, when they arrived at Zhongnan Taoist Sect, there was an instant teleportation array specially set up for guests outside the sect, so Chu Sheng and others did not get a full view of the famous Zhongnan Taoist Sect, but went directly to the headquarters of each sect.
Until today, when the Dharma Cultivation Competition officially began, the barriers between the closed and independent cave spaces, which were used to block the sound, were simultaneously opened and connected. Only those participating in this grand event finally saw the tip of the iceberg of the huge Zhongnan Dao Sect:
The extremely rich spiritual power turned into a rushing stream, pouring down from a very high place that seemed like the sky. This huge waterfall like a white silk passed over the towering mountains and deep canyons, splashing sporadic water foam from the rugged rocks.
Amid the endless sound of flowing water, spirit-filled white deer leap and shuttle between the rocks and pines. Between the antlers are hung translucent veils. Only when you look closely can you find that the veils are actually an extremely exquisite formation barrier!
The nimble white deer slowly peeled back the layers of veil-like barriers, revealing flawless jade-like deep pools and lush flowers and vegetation.
A golden array of restrictions appeared in the air, and a light laugh came from the distant sky.
A tiny, faint ray of spiritual light touched the barrier like a moth, and the next second, this sophisticated and magnificent formation began to work like clockwork! Amidst the waves of spatial fluctuations, a black dragon suddenly broke through the barrier and soared into the sky from the deep pool!
"roar---!"
The cultivation level of this high-level spirit beast is comparable to that of a half-step god. The roar it made resounded throughout the heavens and earth. Many sect disciples who were not prepared were almost swept to the ground by the turbulence brought about by the sound waves!
The water splashing out from the deep pool of blue water is connected together like beads, and finally forms a staircase that goes through the cloud tops and leads to the highest point of the sky.
"——Welcome everyone to Zhongnan Dao Sect."
The voice said calmly.
"Please, leaders of each sect, bring your non-participating team members up the stairs to the viewing platform for a panoramic view. Participating disciples, please remain where you are and wait for orders. The first round of eliminations for the Dharma Cultivation Competition is about to begin."
"Senior Sister!" Chen Duoer grabbed Chu Sheng's hand, and the pretty girl looked at her with pleading expression, which was rare.
"The first round is just a test of one's state of mind. It's easy for Fang Yuan and I to deal with it, but what about the kid who knows nothing? Otherwise, why don't you bring her up with you?"
"You don't have to worry, Duo'er." Chu Sheng comforted Chen Duo'er calmly.
"Master Si Chun dared to let me bring the doll out, which means that Elder Mo Chou and High Priest Ling Ju knew about it. She has her own way of getting the Jade Doll through. You and Fang Yuan should just use your skills."
"Senior Sister, my situation..." Fang Yuan rubbed his sleeves, "Let's test our state of mind, otherwise I will give up..."
"It's okay. Now that we're here, we should give it a try, right, Xiao Fangyuan?" Chu Sheng patted his shoulder. "Even if we lose, there's no shame. After all, everyone knows what our sect is like."
"...That's absolutely not possible, Senior Sister!" Fang Yuan was suddenly frightened by this. "If everyone knew how I lost, how would I ever be able to hold my head up high among the other girls in the future?"
"Let's not talk about Chen Duo'er and Yuwawa for now." Gui Xuan stepped onto the jade steps, expressing her surprise. "What you said to Fang Yuan... did you do that on purpose?"
"How could that be? I'm a good senior sister who treats everyone equally." Chu Sheng climbed the stairs while spreading her hands to Gui Xuan. "Besides, it's just a training of the mind. I really trust them. After all..."
"After all, for the Hehuan Sect, which has the traditional Taoist method of refining the mind in the mortal world, the first round of topic selection is indeed a bit too easy for them." Yuan Qi and the team leaders said gently.
"Just like in the later duels, other sects will be far ahead of the competition. Only by equally leveraging the strengths of each sect can we have a competition that will convince everyone, right?"
"Zongzi has a far-sighted vision and profound thoughts. We admire him."
Yuan Qi, who was praised by others, had an indifferent expression, as if he had been paying attention to them, and his eyes were precisely cast in the direction where Chu Sheng and Gui Xuan were coming from.
"Leader of the Hehuan Sect, in the late Foundation Establishment stage, disciple of Venerable Yunmeng, Chu Sheng." The moment the black-haired and black-eyed girl stepped onto the platform, she did not show any embarrassment due to the pressure of the many Jindan stage auras. Instead, she bowed to everyone present with a normal expression and said with a smile.
"The Hehuan Sect prepared hastily for this competition. I am of little influence and have no ambition to win. I just want to show my disciples the world, so I'll be grateful for your guidance in the future."
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