Chapter 424: The Red-Hot

Hong Zun: "Indeed, it's time for this generation."

Hong Zun: "As the world changes, looking back now, our own enlightenment feels like it was just yesterday."

In the blink of an eye, the next generation of juniors have also reached this point.

Ba Zun: "Though they two may not have time to spare now, we must still guard against Gu and Xuan."

Jian Zun: "I've already arranged matters on this front."

Regardless, these two must always be watched carefully.

Jian Zun: "By the way, Dao Friend, have you made any progress in your research on Dao Slaves? @Qi Zun"

Xu Xing had previously sent the Dao Slave to Shenji Lianbao Pavilion; counting the time, it's been quite a while.

Qi Zun: "Indeed, some."

Qi Zun: "The Dao of the Dao Slave itself is broad yet sparse, yet nearly encompasses all phenomena, weaving myriad Dao threads into one—on some level, it's only a hair's breadth away from a newly ascended True Immortal."

Qi Zun: "But it lacks self-awareness, so it poses little threat to us."

Qi Zun: "Still, it remains too dangerous now. If we could restrain its Dao essence from dispersing and eliminate the risks, perhaps we could use it as a carrier for the Tai Xuan Immortal Net."

Ling Zun: "Give it to me. I'll study it."

Ling Zun has appeared?

Qi Zun: "Fine, but then Dao Brother will have to make the trip."

The Dao Slave is extremely unique; it's best if a True Immortal personally escorts it to ensure absolute safety.

He can't leave Shenji Lianbao Pavilion, so only Dao Brother can go—after all, everyone knows the nature of your relationship with Ling Zun.

Jian Zun: "Alright, I'll make the trip later."

To serve as a 'carrier' for the Tai Xuan Immortal Net…

Xu Xing had never considered this.

He'd only thought to hand it over to Qi Zun for study—perhaps it might prove useful.

Hong Zun: "Enough, this matter is settled."

Hong Zun: "Let's continue discussing the friction between the Xiang Jianzong and Shenji Lianbao Pavilion!"

Dan Zun: "Indeed / adjusts glasses"

Dan Zun: "We're all Immortals, founding ancestors of sects—can't we show a little decorum? How unseemly to be so competitive."

Jian Zun: "Is Hong Zun afraid that Long Xiang Qing Tian Sect will snatch the Ten Thousand Year Second Place from Tai Shang Dao Sect this year?"

Ba Zun: "Hahahaha! Given the conduct of Tai Shang Dao Sect's disciples these past years, Hong Zun's concern is understandable."

Ba Zun: "Wrong!"

Ba Zun: "This year, Long Xiang Qing Tian Sect is fighting for First Place."

Dan Zun: "Have you ever considered why, despite how steady Tai Shang Dao Sect's disciples have become, Long Xiang Qing Tian Sect still mostly remains Third?"

Dan Zun: /side-eye smile

The Tai Shang Dao Sect thrives on opportunism, yet still maintains second-place status most of the time.

Hence, on the Spirit Net, there's this saying—

"If Tai Shang Dao Sect gave their full effort, they'd surely defeat the Xiang Jianzong."

Ba Zun: "At least we're still third from the top—better than third from the bottom."

Ba Zun: "No, this year we might end up last."

Qi Zun: /thumbs up

Shenji Lianbao Pavilion's disciples have no lofty ambitions—so long as they beat Jishi Valley, they're satisfied.

For a blacksmith to lose to a pill-maker is simply unacceptable.

As for fighting those muscle-bound brutes, old schemers, and sword-crazed maniacs?

Let's just skip that.

The topic gradually veered off course.

For some reason, the usually most talkative Senior Sister and Master Mei Zu said nothing throughout.

Xu Xing put away his phone and stopped looking, then rose and walked to the deepest part of Jian Zun's hall—the space housing the Tai Xuan Immortal Net nodes.

At the center of countless swirling stardust, a crimson glow burned brightly, appearing even more 'stable' than before.

This was the result of continuous tuning over this period.

His eyes reflected the magnificent swirl of the 'nebula,' yet his thoughts turned to the Xuanxiang Realm to be used in the upcoming competition trials, and the method Hong Zun had previously employed.

"A new timeline…"

The Jie Yan method—imposing influence through tiny variables to generate temporal branches on the world's own timeline—gave him some ideas.

If the Jie Yan method could be refined further, could it generate new temporal branches, creating an ideal world without interfering with free will?

"The elderly are cared for, the young nurtured, the widowed, orphaned, and lonely all provided for…"

Cultivation, cultivation—not everyone is suited for it, not everyone wishes for it.

Perhaps this could offer them a more suitable alternative.

His thoughts stirred, then settled into stillness.

"Regardless, it's still far too early."

Not to mention that the timeline of the Tai Xuan Realm flows endlessly forward—it cannot be shaken now.

Moreover…

No further disruptions can be allowed now.

And he has tried many times, proving he is unsuited for such endeavors.

Perhaps his originally well-intentioned decisions might bring disaster to this thriving world.

「Yuan... 」

Once all matters are settled, go find him and bring him back.

Professional matters must be entrusted to professionals; if he has returned home but still clings to his obsession, he will surely come back.

……

……

The date of the Xian Sect Grand Competition is drawing near.

Contestants from all Gedaxian Sect have been arriving at Jian Sect one after another.

According to the rules of the Xian Sect Grand Competition, the host each year is the sect that ranked first overall in the previous edition.

Since Jian Sect ranked first last time, it naturally hosts this year.

Or rather, since the Xian Sect Grand Competition began, most editions have been hosted by Jian Sect.

Inner Gate Continent.

A specially cleared starship docking yard for this year's Cicixian Sect Grand Competition.

Only two people looked up at the sky.

One of them was Chi Jiuyu; as for the other...

Zhou Kongming, Fulfillment of the Return-to-Void realm, disciple of Master Du Ruoheng, the top-ranked Return-to-Void cultivator in Jian Sect.

He has been in charge of receiving and arranging the arrival of all contesting teams coming to Jian Sect for these two editions.

It's also a chance for him to become acquainted with outstanding disciples from other Xian Sects and to get familiar with the senior leaders leading those teams.

He himself is exceptionally talented, so in the past he was trained as the next or even the next-next Master.

Union with the Dao? No one knows how long it will take.

A Master's Term usually lasts from a hundred to eight hundred years.

The reason for this is primarily due to the unique nature of cultivators.

What if, while serving, one suddenly attains enlightenment and ascends? You can't abandon your own cultivation just to remain Master, can you?

No one would be that foolish. In fact, Zhou Kongming once believed he would be the next Master—until Xiao Shu Zu appeared out of nowhere...

He didn't take it seriously at first.

He had already achieved Fulfillment of the Return-to-Void, and everyone in the sect acknowledged him as the future Master; even if she truly wanted to be Master, it wouldn't be until the term after next.

Even if you were Shenghuang Yuan, wouldn't you still need to reach Union with the Dao Realm?

And how many Shenghuang Yuans are there in this world?

Yet now everyone outside is saying she will be the next Jian Sect Master—and she has already achieved Soul Transformation at just twenty-three!

Could she really be another Shenghuang Yuan?

What if I spend too long in seclusion pursuing Union with the Dao, while she ascends sooner? Then I'll truly have to compete with her.

Thoughts swirling, Zhou Kongming stole a sidelong glance at Chi Jiuyu, who was gazing up at the sky not far away, and a wave of pressure surged within him.

「The only course now is to achieve Union with the Dao as soon as possible, so that when Father enters seclusion to ascend to Tongxuan... 」

Otherwise, Father hasn't even been Master for many years yet!

Just like those barbarian tribes—if they don't retreat, I remain Crown Prince...

Cough! Cough!

What nonsense am I even thinking?!

!

Reciting the heart mantra to calm his scattered thoughts, Zhou Kongming's eyes once again became utterly clear.

After all, I've truly been affected too much—if Jian Sect prospers and remains stable, who holds the Master's seat doesn't really matter, does it?

As this thought arose, two streaks of light flashed across the horizon.

The contesting teams from Taishang Dao Sect and Shenji Lianbao Pavilion have arrived!

Within the streaks were two extremely high-grade artifact starships.

One of them had three hundred and sixty star cores embedded in its hull, with lines of Tai Chu Thunder Patterns winding across its surface; when attacked, it could transform into a ten-thousand-li stormcloud of calamity.

The other was covered in Tianchan Ice Gauze; its deck was not paved with gold or jade, but with solidified interwoven morning auroras and evening mists—【Flowing Flame Brocade】—each step triggering a phantom phoenix ripple.

Of course, all these offensive and defensive abilities were merely for display now—just showing off before others, commonly called "showing off."

Chi Jiuyu watched for a while, then turned to Zhou Kongming nearby and asked: "Little Zhou, those two starships seem incredibly powerful."

Unlike Zhou Kongming, who felt pressure, she had never regarded him as a rival.

She was the destined future Master of Jian Sect; her only true rival was the Master himself!

"..." Zhou Kongming paused. "I don't recognize the starship from Taishang Dao Sect, but the one from Shenji Lianbao Pavilion is called 【Jiuxiao Yun Ge】—it's indeed an extremely powerful vessel."

Jiuxiao Yun Ge...?

"How does it compare to a starship?"

She remembered her Xiao Shu Zu had once asked if she wanted a starship.

But back then, she had refused, since Father had promised her a medium-sized starship.

I could still ask Xiao Shu Zu for a favor now!

"Unless it's one of several special large starships or a war fortress, there's no real comparison."

"Holy shit! Are starships that expensive?!"

"Ordinary starships, of course, aren't." Zhou Kongming stood straight as an ancient pine. "【Jiuxiao Yun Ge】 is a famed ancient starship; its seventy-two pavilions are folded using the method of the microcosmic universe, housing a spiritual spring Secret Realm—few can rival it."

A faint smile appeared on his face—he had spotted Qi Ling on the deck of 【Jiuxiao Yun Ge】.

The top-ranked Return-to-Void cultivator of Shenji Lianbao Pavilion, and a close personal friend of his.

Every Grand Competition follows this pattern: the team leader is always the sect's most outstanding Return-to-Void cultivator, accompanied by a hidden Tongxuan realm guardian.

"Oh." Chi Jiuyu nodded.

That's good then—she remembered that flying boats weren't really popular anymore.

emm……

But then again, any flying boat that Uncle Master would collect must be quite extraordinary, right?

In the span of a few sentences, the two flying boats had already drawn close, their speed slowing considerably.

"Kongming!"

Before they had even landed, a voice came from above, brimming with excitement—if not for maintaining her composure, she probably would have leapt right off the flying boat.

Behind Qi Ling, three neat rows of disciples stood at attention, every one of them full of vigor, their auras solemn and heavy.

'Looks like they're quite a bit stronger than the last session…' Chi Jiuyu muttered inwardly.

Then she turned her gaze to the flying boat of the Grand Supreme Dao Sect—the one leading them was none other than Master Xiao Yu, and behind her as well stood three rows… no, four rows of neatly arranged disciples.

Four rows?

Moreover, looking around, apart from Little Zhao and the brother-of-beaten-dog standing beside Little Zhao—whom she knew for certain was very powerful—

everyone else, to her perception, was uniformly Jin Dan, and their auras were faint as fireflies, as if they could fall at any moment.

Damn, these scheming old foxes—they've already started playing it safe!

Pretending to be second-rate Jin Dan cultivators—it's not like the Spirit Net doesn't have announcements.

Chi Jiuyu muttered quietly to herself.

The Grand Competition hadn't started yet, so it wasn't appropriate to use the Void-Breaking False-Detecting Golden Pupils, and for the moment she really couldn't tell them apart.

Soon, the flying boats landed.

Under the team leaders' guidance, the disciples on the decks filed off the flying boats one after another.

Master Xiao Yu glanced at Qi Ling, who was walking toward Zhou Kongming with a beaming smile, and very decisively led her group of contestants toward Chi Jiuyu.

"I am Xiao Yu."

Chi Jiuyu returned the courtesy: "I am Chi Jiuyu."

"So it is Little Xiao Shu Zu."

"You're too kind, too kind."

"Then I'll trouble Little Xiao Shu Zu."

"It's only right, only right. Please, everyone, follow me."

And so, Chi Jiuyu led the Grand Supreme Dao Sect's people away just like that.

After their long-awaited reunion, Zhou Kongming had wanted to chat with Qi Ling first, but seeing this, he could only lead the Divine Mechanism Refining Treasure Pavilion to their pre-arranged lodging.

……

……

Arriving outside the starship berthing area, a number of streamlined flying shuttles, each able to carry four people, were already docked there.

Fortunately, a few extra had been prepared just in case—otherwise, with over fifty people from the Grand Supreme Dao Sect, they really wouldn't have fit.

Master Xiao Yu gave a slightly awkward smile at the sight.

The Grand Supreme Dao Sect's people boarded the flying shuttles in turn; Chi Jiuyu rode in the same one as Xiao Yu, Zhao Ruohan, and the brother-of-beaten-dog.

With a faint sensation of being pushed back, the flying shuttle had already skimmed into the high sky, heading toward its designated coordinates.

"Ahem!" Chi Jiuyu cleared her throat. "There's still some time before the Xian Sect Grand Competition begins. These few days, you may move about freely, as long as you avoid the restricted areas."

"Besides, you've all been here many times, so I won't repeat the basic points."

"As for the specifics of this Bencixian Sect Grand Competition, there will be someone dedicated tomorrow to explain them. I'm one of the contestants too, so I don't know yet either."

"Anyway, that's the gist of it."

Master Xiao Yu: "……"

Fine, everything that needed to be known had long since been known.

"Thank you, Little Xiao Shu Zu."

"Nah~ it's nothing, nothing!"

Chi Jiuyu waved her hand, turned to look at Zhao Ruohan behind her, and was just about to say something.

But a cold voice came from beside her: "Chi Jiuyu, this time I won't lose to you."

One could see that her features bore some resemblance to Zhao Ruohan's, but her facial lines were a touch more angular—she was Zhao Ruohan's older brother.

"It's fine if you lose to someone else." Chi Jiuyu replied casually.

"You—!"

Master Xiao Yu sat there looking sage and composed, and simply closed her eyes, refusing to get involved.

Suddenly, Chi Jiuyu seemed to think of something.

"Oh right, I recently read a book that said some innate divine abilities require specific conditions to activate." She scratched her head. "Brother-of-beaten-dog, the activation condition for your innate divine ability isn't crying, is it?"

My damn name is Zhao Ruoming!

Thinking of what had happened at the last Xian Sect Grand Competition, Zhao Ruoming's entire face instantly flushed bright red! (End of Chapter)