Chapter 125: Chapter 123 Qingzhou Grand Tournament
After dinner.
Lin Yun went upstairs by himself to meditate and practice cultivation.
He couldn’t be bothered to listen to this group of “old fellows” chatter idly.
In the living room on the first floor.
Ning Daoran and Big Stupid Deer busied themselves as everyone gathered around a small table and started cracking sunflower seeds.
“Junior Brother.”
...
Lin Sheng sent a glance his way and looked up the stairs, “Are there any prohibitions?”
“Yes.”
Ning Daoran raised a hand and cast a spell, and instantly, strands of blue prohibition emerged around them, isolating them from the world.
“Junior Brother Lin.”
Lin Sheng’s face immediately turned cold, “Isn’t your son too ignorant of how high the sky and how deep the earth is, showing such disrespect to Junior Brother Ning?”
“Sigh…”
Lin Zhuojun said, “I’ve always been preoccupied with cultivation and neglected discipline. This child’s talent is good, hence his arrogance. I will certainly be strict with him in the future, and I hope Junior Brother Ning won’t take offense to this little rascal’s behavior.”
Ning Daoran shook his head, “I won’t, why would a cultivator at the late stage of Foundation Establishment take issue with him?”
“Exactly.”
Han Bing smiled with dimples, “But Brother Lin Zhuojun, I’ve also heard some rumors.
It’s said that your son Lin Yun is a rather restless person, making many friends among loose cultivators outside the Sect, claiming to enjoy the company of Jianghu friends, but in fact, squandering the underlying strength of your Qingyuan Lin Family.”
“Yes, I’ve heard about this too.”
Lin Sheng frowned, “Junior Brother Lin, I’m not saying this lightly, if you don’t discipline this kid properly, I’m afraid it will lead to serious trouble in the future.”
Lin Zhuojun looked quite ashamed, “I will definitely discipline him. Please be assured, everyone!”
Ning Daoran did not make any statement, just took a slice of Spiritual Melon and ate it while listening to Han Bing and Lin Sheng criticize Lin Zhuojun.
By the side, Big Stupid Deer sat on its hind legs, its forelegs bent for support, also widening its deer eyes to watch the drama unfold.
…
The leisurely days passed quickly.
On Qiongbi Peak, Ning Daoran remained immersed in his cultivation and study of the White Feather Flowing Sound Array.
A Third-tier Middle-grade Array, as terrifying as it was.
Even with inheritance, it was still extremely difficult to thoroughly master.
Time flew by like a shuttle, and three years sped past.
That year, Ning Daoran turned sixty-nine.
“Out of seclusion!”
He emerged from the Spirit Garden Cave Heaven disheveled, taking a deep breath, the entire person seemed somewhat dispirited.
Three years of studying the White Feather Flowing Sound Array brought some achievements, but not many.
From a state of semi-understanding, he had now reached the threshold of entry, which was a small step forward.
He looked at the accumulated Refining Time. There were now more than ninety thousand years amassed.
This was the result of tirelessly growing Purple Jade Spirit Rice in the Spirit Garden Cave Heaven day and night.
So much Refining Time could not be tolerated. It was time to strive for a higher level of the Evergreen Technique!
In the secret chamber.
He took a deep breath, sat cross-legged, and channeled his Refining Time into the Evergreen Technique. Instantly, a green spirit light rose from his forehead.
[In the sixteen thousandth year, you roamed famous mountains and great rivers and finally found a tree that was tens of thousands of years old. This ancient tree, with its lengthy span and extended life span, was considered to share the longevity of heaven and earth.]
[You dug a hole in the tree and cultivated with it.]
[In the thirty-four thousand five hundredth year, your progress with the Evergreen Technique remained stagnant, the formidable bottleneck left you feeling suffocated, but you knew once you broke through this bottleneck, the Evergreen Technique would grant you unimaginable benefits.]
[In the fifty-six thousand and forty-fourth year, the bottleneck of the Evergreen Technique began to loosen, and you seemed to see a glimmer of dawn. At this time, the old tree you were residing in showed signs of decline.]
[The tree which was over a hundred thousand years old was nearly exhausted by you.]
[In the seventy-nine thousand nine hundredth year, you, who cultivated the Evergreen Technique throughout the years, blended with the natural world, vines climbing all over your body. Slowly opening your eyes, your whole being was like a robust old tree, brimming with unspeakable vitality!]
[The old tree withered, no longer sprouting, it truly exhausted its life because of you.]
[Evergreen Technique. Earth-grade top quality (Fifteenth Layer)]
[Refining Time remaining: Sixteen thousand four hundred sixty-six years]
…
“Phew…”
Ning Daoran took a deep breath, and at the same time, an unprecedentedly strong power of the Evergreen Technique flooded into his body like a tidal wave.
The fifteenth layer of the Evergreen Technique, one layer more than the fourteenth.
Naturally, his mana became much more profound.
When Ning Daoran circulated the Evergreen Technique, his entire being truly resembled a robust ancient tree, teeming with life, silent and still.
Although not necessarily very strong, it was enough to wear out any opponent.
By this time, his lifespan as a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator had reached six hundred years, surpassing the lifespan of a Golden Core expert.
Such a lengthy lifespan meant the act of forming his Golden Core was within easy reach; he only needed to wait for the right time.
“Old Lu, it’s time to take care of the Spirit Rice outside!!”
Ning Daoran shouted, and soon after, Big Stupid Deer who had recently advanced to Mid-stage Foundation Establishment, burst out of the Spirit Garden Cave Heaven holding a hoe.
One man and one deer rushed out of the small courtyard and began tending to the several acres of Spirit land.
Weeding, pest control, water channeling, and irrigation were done with professional finesse.
…
Several days later.
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News spread within the Sect.
The Qingzhou Grand Competition was imminent, and the Sect was about to select ten young Foundation Establishment Cultivators to participate.
Ning Daoran made some inquiries with Lin Sheng, Lin Zhuojun, and others, and then he understood.
The so-called Qingzhou Grand Competition had been passed down for thousands of years, apparently a tradition established jointly by the Ten Great Immortal Sects and the Xia Country Court.
Taking place every fifty years, each state held their own competition.
And the list of participants for the tournament was extremely restricted, with two core requirements: participants must be in the Foundation Establishment Stage, and their age must not exceed eighty years.
Should one emerge as the champion in the tournament, they could obtain a Jiedan Elixir known as “Dust-falling Pill” provided by the Court.
For a time, various disputes concerning the selection of participants for the tournament proliferated within the Sect.
Among the young generation of the Foundation Establishment cultivators, Meng Xiao from the Chaotic Sect was considered the strongest disciple.
This person was the True Disciple of the Great Elder Gongyang Yan, possessing a Second Grade Fire Spirit Root, and had advanced to the Mid-stage Foundation Establishment a decade ago.
Moreover, it was said that not long ago he had brought the True Yang Furnace Technique to the realm of “Great Success”; as a result, his popularity within the Sect had soared to the highest echelons.
Some even proclaimed that Meng Xiao was bound to become the hot favorite for taking the championship in the Qingzhou tournament, and perhaps even the prime candidate for the next Sect Master.
Following him were several other True Disciples of the Inner Sect.
As for Han Bing, although she possessed innate Sword Heart Clarity, her Spirit Root only had a sensitivity to Gold Attribute Spiritual Energy of the Eighth Grade.
Limited by her talent, she was thus only placed in the second tier.
Lin Sheng, Lin Zhuojun, and others like them were cultivators who had worked their way up from the very bottom.
Despite their courage and diligent progress, it seemed unlikely that they would fare well against the True Disciples of the major Sects of Qingzhou.
As for Ning Daoran, he was practically the most inconspicuous among the Foundation Establishment Elders within the Sect.
Other Foundation Establishment cultivators mostly held important positions within the Sect, their ranks exceedingly high, some even serving as Hall Masters.
Only he, Ning Daoran, hadn’t forgotten his original aspiration, retaining his natural calling to the sacred land of agriculture, wholeheartedly cultivating Spirit Rice, concerning himself not with affairs beyond his window.
Had his name not been listed among the Foundation Establishment Elders in the Sect’s great hall, many disciples would have probably long forgotten him completely.
Several months later.
The final list of participants for the Qingzhou tournament was announced.
‘Fuck, I’m actually on the list!’
At Qiongbi Peak, upon hearing Han Bing’s transmitted message, Ning Daoran’s entire mentality suffered.
He had no desire to take part in any tournament; that kind of attention-grabbing affair could be left to whoever wished for it—he just wanted to cultivate Spirit Rice within the Sect.
But soon after, Jiang Yu and Gongyang Yan each made a trip to Qiongbi Peak.
They both delivered the same message, explaining that they genuinely did not wish to disturb Ning Daoran, but given the limited number of Foundation Establishment cultivators in the Chaotic Sect,
and trying to find candidates under eighty years for the Foundation Establishment, they had only ten people in total; without Ning Daoran, they wouldn’t even be able to assemble a full team.
‘Damn it…’
Ning Daoran was in great distress, not wanting to go yet compelled to—fate had decreed it!
“Dear nephew!”
Gongyang Yan slapped his chest, assuring, “Rest assured, it’s really just to make an appearance. During the tournament, you don’t have to compete fiercely with anyone; if the situation turns dire, you can directly concede, and that’s perfectly fine.”
His implication was clear: even if the Sect intended to fight for that Dust-falling Pill, they certainly didn’t need Ning Daoran to risk his life doing so.
That was a task for geniuses like Meng Xiao.
These words were somewhat hurtful to his pride, but Ning Daoran thought it better this way.
Meng Xiao was extremely arrogant and unbridled, taking advantage of his excellent Spirit Root and remarkable cultivation to dominate unchallenged within the Sect.
He was the embodiment of courage and diligent progress in the Chaotic Sect.
Even Lin Sheng could only evade his sharp edge when faced with Meng Xiao.
Therefore, it was best if Meng Xiao were the one to gain the limelight in the Qingzhou tournament.
…
Several days later, the disciples participating in the tournament gathered, led by Gongyang Yan himself to Qingzhou City.
The group boarded a several-zhang long Spirit Boat refined by Gongyang Yan, soaring above the clouds, and arrived at the capital of Qingzhou approximately two days later.
Looking down upon the ground, a majestic and formidable city came into view, stretching across hundreds of miles, with Spiritual Energy rising above the city walls, a spectacular sight to behold.
“Fuck~~~”
“Amazing~~~”
Ning Daoran wrapped his arms around Big Stupid Deer’s neck, both human and deer looking down at the formidable city.
They had lost the ability to organize their words, feeling only that the Cultivation World was too incredible, to have built such a remarkable city!
“Hmph!”
Gongyang Yan observed this and the corner of his mouth curled up in amusement.
The other disciples reacted differently; Han Bing, Lin Sheng, and Zhao Lichen all showed surprise in their eyes, but they did not articulate it.
“Chaotic Sect’s Gongyang Yan, requesting entry to the city!”
The Great Elder rose to his feet majestically and threw a Token toward the prohibition in the sky.
Not long after, a Late-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator guarding the city flicked his hand, pulling aside a corner of the Array, saying, “We welcome the visit of the Chaotic Sect’s Fellow Daoists.”
That night, the group rested in a Hostel arranged by the Qingzhou Prefecture.
“Brother~~~”
Han Bing pouted, “I’ve never been to Qingzhou City; shouldn’t you take your sister out to see the world and have a look around?”
“Ao ao~~~”
Big Stupid Deer too cried out, as it also particularly wanted to head out and see the world.
Ning Daoran himself also wanted to go, but he worried about any potential mishaps.
“It’s fine.”
Gongyang Yan smiled, “There are Golden Core cultivators maintaining order in the prefecture city, and fighting is forbidden within the city, so there shouldn’t be any issues. Still, try not to stir up trouble after you go out.”
“Yes, Master Uncle!”
Everyone nodded in response.
Immediately afterwards, a group set out.
Lin Sheng, Lin Zhuojun, Zhao Lichen, along with Ning Daoran and Han Bing, the five of them quickly disappeared into the night.
…
Shortly after, there was a lantern festival within the city.
Ning Daoran and White Deer stood side by side next to a huge stage, staring at the colorful lanterns, awestruck, exclaiming their amazement.
At that moment, several female disciples from the Star Moon Pavilion also appeared on the long street.
“Huh?”
One of the female cultivators, with long and fair legs shining bright and glossy, dumbfoundedly stared at Ning Daoran’s back.
She felt a strange familiarity with this silhouette, as if she had seen it somewhere before.