Chapter 8, the curtain falls
Having spoken, without waiting for the reactions of the disciples, he suddenly drew forth a dazzling white rainbow, which shot straight into the clouds and vanished without a trace
In fact, the disciples from various major sects who have come are not the most talented or the most accomplished in their cultivation. At least according to Xu Zhuang's knowledge, some of the younger generation in the Tai Su Sect, who are already renowned as prodigies at a young age, have not come.
As Jiang Han's voice sounded, the flying sword seemed to be held in place by an invisible force, halting its momentum just a few millimeters from Chang Chi's throat.
Li Changfeng's face showed signs of frustration, but he heard Xu Zhuang change his tone, "If you wish to enter my sect, you can only start as a registered disciple. It is absolutely impossible to receive any special treatment due to my status. You must adhere to the sect's rules and diligently cultivate your skills. Are you willing to do so?"
"Brother Xu, we shall meet again in the future." Lin Ling did not show any signs of reluctance; for those who cultivate the Dao, their lifespans are long, and there will inevitably be a time for reunion. Lin Shanchang also gently nodded in agreement.
At that time, Li Changfeng was at the forefront of the battle, surprisingly using his own magical robe and even his physical body to withstand Chang Chi's spells. Taking advantage of the moment when the sword was behind him, he broke through the encirclement of Chang Chi's attacks. Under the enhancement of pure energy, he delivered a single strike that shattered Chang Chi's defenses, sacrificing his own life to "kill" Chang Chi.
Such a remarkable turnaround left all the cultivators present in astonishment. However, after this battle, although Li Changfeng emerged victorious, he was unable to continue fighting.
As this small contest is merely a side event of the Golden Elixir Ceremony, it should not be overly complicated. Jiang Han has already made a verbal agreement with the true disciples of each sect, allowing only one disciple from each sect to participate. Although Li Changfeng defeated Chang Chi, he no longer has the strength to continue fighting, thus Tai Su Sect is also considered out of the competition. The stage now belongs to the others.
A disciple of the Upper Xuan Sect held a precious mirror in one hand, resembling a bagua mirror, with a concave center and intricate runes engraved around its circumference. As the disciple of the Upper Xuan Sect performed a spell, a continuous stream of thunderballs struck down upon the disciples of the Tianyuan Sect, creating a trend of overwhelming force against them.
Xu Zhuang smiled slightly and said, "I am unworthy of your praise, brother."
"Alright! Get up!" Xu Zhuang did not show any signs of movement, and Li Changfeng suddenly felt an invisible force lifting him from the ground and setting him upright. The force was gentle, yet he had no strength to resist.
With a single wave of his sleeve, two small jade bottles had already fallen into Li Changfeng's hands, causing the other disciples to look on with great envy
Yang Lian, with a blank expression, cast a cold glance at Chang Chi, who had returned to his side, and remained silent
"Hahaha, such a generous reward, I feel unworthy. Could it be that in your eyes, my teaching and accepting disciples in Xu Manor is not as valuable as these two bottles of elixirs?" Upon hearing this, Xu Manor couldn't help but laugh heartily, while Li Changfeng hurriedly bowed repeatedly and said, "Disciple does not mean this at all, disciple..."
As he spoke, Xu Zhuang silently mouthed something, then took out the Tai Su Yun Zhou from his sleeve and handed it to Vietnam. He continued, "If you reach Tian Ling Fang and I have not returned to meet you, you should return to the sect along the original route."
Li Changfeng returned to Xu Zhuang's side and was about to speak when Ying Tianxiao suddenly addressed Xu Zhuang: "Your esteemed sect's disciples are indeed extraordinary. Given some time, I believe another renowned genius disciple will emerge in the Divine Continent."
"Hmm? Then what do you think you deserve as a reward?" Xu Zhuang said with a smile, his eyes seemingly penetrating the depths of the human heart.
Unlike the Upper Xuan Sect, the candidates here have clearly been carefully selected. The disciples of the Tai Xuan Sect are competing on their home ground, engaging in fierce battles with the disciples of the Upper Xuan Sect. However, in the end, it was still the disciples of the Upper Xuan Sect who emerged victorious at the Tai Xuan Sect's Golden Elixir Grand Ceremony, stealing the spotlight. This left many disciples of the Tai Xuan Sect feeling deeply humiliated, yet Jiang Han did not show any signs of distress on his face.
Congratulations, Brother Xu
Xu Zhuang withdrew his gaze, pondered for a moment, and suddenly said: "Vietnam"
I hope that next time I return, I will hear the good news of Junior Sister Lin achieving the Golden Elixir.
Li Changfeng's eyes widened in surprise, and those around the prince were even more astonished. The moonlight sword radiated a harmonious brilliance, with faint runes visible. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a high-grade magical artifact refined with twenty-four layers of the Tiangang prohibition. Li Changfeng couldn't help but glance at Xu Zhuang, who gave a slight nod, before accepting the magical artifact and stepping down from the stage
Then I shall take your words as a good omen, Senior Brother. Lin Ling's eyes crinkled into beautiful crescent shapes, and Xu Zhuang, upon seeing this, could not help but smile and nod his head. It was as if they had bid farewell, and he led a group of disciples out of the main hall, where they were received by the disciples of Tai Xuan Sect and taken down Tai Xuan Peak, directly to the Meteorite Daoist Temple
Hmm? Xu Zhuang's expression changed: "Among the various true teachings of the Upper Xuan Sect, there is no thunder technique. How is it that so many disciples of Upper Xuan are practicing the thunder technique, resulting in the same type of magical artifacts?"
Previously, at the grand ceremony, Ying Tianxiao had several conversations with Xu Zhuang, which established a certain rapport between them. The two had met and nodded to each other, but did not engage in further pleasantries. Ying Tianxiao then released a flying palace and departed with a group of disciples.
As Jiang Han announced the conclusion of the grand ceremony, Qiao Feifeng rose to pay her respects to the various cultivators present.
I have another important matter to attend to, so I will not be traveling with you all back to the sect for now. Among the eight of you, you will take the lead and temporarily take charge of the Tai Su Cloud Boat. There is a strongman at the helm, so there should be no oversights. Just listen to this set of instructions.
"Tai Su Zheng Zong, indeed, lives up to its reputation. Any disciple that emerges possesses exceptional innate talent. If my Tai Xuan Sect wishes to compete with the Three Sects and Six Schools, it seems we still have much effort to exert." Jiang Han looked at Li Changfeng, who was standing with difficulty, pondered for a moment, and with a wave of his large sleeve, a small silver sword gracefully flew into his hand: "I observe that you have excellent swordsmanship, which pleases me greatly. This Moon Shadow Sword is a handy tool from my youth, and I hope it can assist you in your cultivation."
At this moment, Tianxiao and others congratulated Xu Zhuang one after another, to which Xu Zhuang responded with a smile, saying, "Thank you, fellow Daoists, and thank you, Junior Sister Lin. Let us first observe this Dharma assembly."
"In this battle, the disciple was completely powerless to fight back. It was only because he recalled the teachings of Master Xu that he gained insight and narrowly escaped death." Li Changfeng gritted his teeth, suddenly knelt on both knees, and bowed his head, saying: "I, the disciple, am deeply enamored with the way of the sword and only wish for Master Xu to accept me as a student and impart to me the supreme swordsmanship"
The individuals from the three sects and six schools were positioned at the forefront. When it came time to exit, they were not in a hurry to take the lead. Each sect's true disciples either savored their fruits and tea or closed their eyes to rest, quietly awaiting the passage of time. At this moment, Yang Lian suddenly turned to Xu Zhuang, a mysterious smile on his face, and said: "Brother Xu, we will soon be exiting. The journey on the Tai Su road is long, so I hope you take care of yourself."
Vietnam was suddenly called out, showing a look of confusion, and clasped his hands saying: "Master Xu... ?"
"The disciple is willing, the disciple is willing." Suddenly, the situation took a turn, and Li Changfeng was overjoyed, repeatedly bowing in respect.
In the brief moment that Xu Zhuang and others were speaking, a new round of contest had already begun on the stage, with both sides being disciples of the Upper Xuan Sect and the Tianyuan Sect respectively
Thus, the grand ceremony of the Golden Elixir has finally come to a close - the curtain has fallen on the stage, and the practitioners from various sects are exiting in an orderly manner
In the end, the disciples of the Supreme Xuan Sect and the disciples of the Great Xuan Sect engaged in a fierce battle, with the Great Xuan Sect ultimately being defeated
Xu Zhuang glanced at Yang Lian, silently smiling to himself, and chose not to engage. Suddenly, he stood up and said to Lin Ling and Lin Shan: "Fellow Daoist Lin, Junior Sister Lin, since the Golden Core Ceremony has concluded, I shall not linger any longer. I will take the lead and set off back to the sect now"
"Brother Xu, you may not be aware of this," Lin Ling said with a hum, "I also heard about this matter by chance from the elders in our clan. It is said that a master from the Shangxuan Sect traveled beyond the heavens and encountered a treasure of the sect, known as the Heavenly Thunder Mirror, which contains the mysteries of the thunder laws of the heavens. The Shangxuan Sect has been attempting to deduce from it and develop a completely new authentic great method. Therefore, in recent years, many disciples of the Shangxuan Sect have been practicing thunder laws, and that magical artifact is crafted by imitating the Heavenly Thunder Mirror."
He turned his head again and said to Yang Lian: "Your esteemed sect has been gracious."
Chang Chi looked towards Taichung and saw that Li Changfeng was in a pitiful state, his body tattered and every exposed area burned, blood flowing profusely. In comparison to Chang Chi, who was unscathed, Li Changfeng appeared even more like a defeated man. Chang Chi couldn't help but feel moved, realizing something.
At that moment, it was only after a flash of realization that the outcome had already been determined in the blink of an eye. Had it not been for Jiang Han's intervention, I would have already been drenched in blood, with heads rolling on the ground
"You may keep the elixir; since I have bestowed this reward, I will not take it back," Xu Zhuang said lightly. "As for the matter of accepting disciples, I have yet to have any students practicing under me, and I have not given it any thought."
In the past, among the three sects and six schools, only the Yuxiao Sect dominated with its thunder techniques. Many resources for practicing thunder techniques in the land of Shenzhou, as well as rare treasures, have long been monopolized by the Yuxiao Sect. Now, the Shangxuan Sect seeks to establish a true path for thunder techniques, which may not be without the intention of competing with the Yuxiao Sect.
However, contrary to expectations, Li Changfeng did not show much joy and said, "Such a generous reward, I feel unworthy to receive it."
Fang left the temple, and behind him followed a group of people. It turned out that after Xu Zhuang took the lead, the likes of Ying Tianxiao from the Shaoyang Sect also set off to follow.
At this moment, Xu Zhuang turned around and said to Li Changfeng: "Changfeng, if you can seize the opportunity and decisively win this match for my Tai Su orthodox sect, I will be very pleased. This bottle of Jade Dew Elixir can aid in your healing, and this pill of Six Apertures Purification Pill should help you advance your cultivation further. This is merely a personal gift from me; upon returning to the sect, there will be rewards bestowed by the sect itself."
I see. Upon hearing this, Xu Zhuang felt a slight stir in his heart. Although the three sects and six schools all belong to the orthodox school of the mysterious path, they are in constant competition with one another
On one hand, the thunder technique derived from the magical treasures of the Upper Xuan Sect is indeed extraordinary; on the other hand, this disciple of the Upper Xuan Sect possesses cultivation that surpasses that of practitioners from other sects, including Li Changfeng from the Tai Su Sect.
The disciples looked at each other in confusion, just as Vietnam was about to say something, a loud rumble echoed. The disciples raised their eyes to look, only to see sparks flying, thick black smoke billowing, and a blazing red light shooting up into the sky
The Tianyuan Sect is one of the three sects and six schools. This disciple possesses a precious lamp, yet within the lamp, there is no flame visible. Instead, a solitary drop of dark water hovers within it. Where it "illuminates," there is no light to be seen; rather, it envelops the figure in layers of darkness.
Two individuals were conversing while keeping an eye on the stage. Soon, a disciple of Xuanzong achieved victory, appearing to do so with ease. Subsequently, they consecutively defeated the disciples of the Yuxiao Sect and the Shaoyang Sect, while the remaining sects did not participate in the contest.
Li Changfeng, victory
Congratulations, fellow cultivator, on acquiring such an excellent disciple