Chapter 999: Shadow of the Heaven-Defining Brush

In the Qianxue Province, a sacred land of sects.

Since a month ago, the entire province has been adorned with lanterns and streamers, teeming with carriages and crowds, a scene of dazzling prosperity.

Spirit horses stretch like long dragons, rare beasts pull carriages, ornate canopies cover the ground, and palanquins rise like clouds.

Massive cloud-ferry vessels, spewing mist and clouds, ride the wind veins and arrive from afar, docking at the Qianxue Province's ferry ports.

From these cloud-ferry vessels, cultivators disembark one by one, look up at the sky, and marvel at the endless mountains and rivers, the dense clusters of sects, and the thriving scholarly atmosphere of Qianxue.

A dense throng of cultivators converges along different paths into Qianxue Province, like hundreds of rivers flowing into the sea, their momentum vast and overwhelming.

Cultivators from different provinces, different factions, and varied backgrounds—some seeking knowledge, some traveling, some pursuing the Dao or visiting friends, some broadening their horizons—all gather here to attend the Qianxue Sword Discussion, to witness the brilliance of the Nine Provinces' prodigies.

Due to the sheer number of cultivators, Qianxue Province has even made an exception and lifted its "air ban."

In the white expanse of the sky, occasional cloud-ships glide past, spirit boats dart through, leaving behind splendid trailing clouds as they dock at the territories of various sects and clans.

Sometimes, True Persons even transform their spiritual energy into wings, riding clouds and flying through the heavens, solitary figures darting across the horizon, elegant as celestial exiles.

The True Person realm is a high-level cultivation stage.

In some mid- and small-sized provinces, one might not see one in centuries.

Some cultivators never lay eyes on a True Person in their entire lives.

But now, in Qianxue Province, one need only look up to see True Persons ascending into the sky, flying across the heavens—truly shocking many cultivators.

They came from mid- and small-sized provinces, proud of their experience and knowledge, yet now, stepping into Qianxue Province and seeing the surroundings, they truly feel as if they have transcended the mortal realm, as if ascending to the Immortal Realm.

And at the very center of Qianxue Province stands Lun Dao Mountain, the focal point of this grand event.

At this moment, before Lun Dao Mountain, the crowd is impenetrable.

Disciples of every sect, dressed in their respective sect's robes, gather here en masse.

Looking down from above, the prodigy disciples cover the mountains and fields like hills and seas, yet their uniform robes blend into a single, vast, brilliantly colored, yet meticulously ordered, exquisite silk tapestry.

The Grand Void Gate's formation is among them.

At the front of the formation stands Elder Xun Zixian, clad in black-and-white Dao robes, upright and composed, gentle and refined.

At this moment, he speaks slowly to the Grand Void Gate disciples:

"In three days, the Sword Discussion begins. Before then, I will take you to familiarize yourselves with the venue and explain the specific rules."

The disciples, solemn and slightly tense, bow their hands in unison: "Yes."

Elder Xun Zixian glances to his right and sees Mo Hua, clad in Grand Void Gate robes, clear and ethereal, obediently following beside him, and nods slightly.

This was the Old Ancestor's instruction.

Whenever Mo Hua travels, the elder accompanying him must guarantee his safety.

The Sword Discussion gathers countless cultivators, a mix of good and evil.

Although, in theory, no one would dare cause trouble, to be safe, Mo Hua must be closely watched.

Elder Xun Zixian glances at Mo Hua once more, then turns and says: "Follow me."

Then Elder Xun Zixian leads the way, guiding the Grand Void Gate disciples along the mountain path, entering Lun Dao Mountain one by one.

Inside Lun Dao Mountain, the place is packed with disciples of every sect, a sea of people.

This is the inner arena of the Sword Discussion.

The mountain terrain is vast and intricate.

Terrains of varying shapes and sizes are arranged like fish scales.

Above, the glow of a fifth-rank great array solidifies into a barrier, majestic and boundless.

As they walk, they look around, unable to suppress their awe.

They had only ever seen Lun Dao Mountain from the "spectator seats," never entered the inner arena, never felt this grand and solemn atmosphere.

Previously, they never needed to compete themselves, so their experience was naturally different.

Elder Xun Zixian walks while explaining to the disciples:

"Ahead lies the Sword Discussion arena. In three days, you will draw lots, form pairings, and then compete on these grounds against disciples of other sects, testing your cultivation and Dao arts…"

"After nine years of cultivation, this is your only chance at the Sword Discussion."

"The competition format is divided into four tiers: Heaven, Earth, Xuan, Huang."

"The matches you will first enter are all 'Huang' tier."

"Each victory earns you one win point, and also adds one victory point for your sect. Once you reach a certain number of wins, you advance to the 'Xuan' tier."

"You don't need to win every match to advance—there is some leeway—but don't lose too many."

"Overall, it mainly depends on strength, with some element of luck."

His voice is gentle, yet amplified by spiritual energy, reaching the ears of thousands of disciples.

Elder Xun Zixian pauses, then adds:

"The match formats also vary widely…"

"The 'Huang' tier matches are basic formats, used for preliminary selection, simple and straightforward—mostly direct 'decisive battles.'"

"Within a set time, if you defeat all five opposing disciples, you win. Or, if time runs out, the side with more disciples still standing wins."

"In the 'Xuan' tier matches, the rules change significantly—the formats become more complex, no longer mere brute-force brawls."

"They include not only basic 'decisive battles,' but also 'survival battles,' 'beast-hunting battles,' 'decapitation battles,' 'city-defense battles,' 'city-assault battles,' and more…"

"Tactics shift endlessly, victory conditions vary, and achieving superiority becomes far more difficult…"

…

Elder Xun Zixian explains patiently.

"Elder Xun," Mo Hua asks curiously, "these competition formats resemble Dao Soldier warfare."

Elder Xun Zixian nods. "These Sword Discussion formats were indeed modeled after Dao Soldier campaigns."

Among cultivators, no form of combat is more perilous, intricate, endlessly variable, or better at tempering the spirit than Dao Soldier warfare.

Of course, this is merely a small-scale "sword discussion" among five people, different from the true large-scale battles of thousands upon thousands of Dao soldiers.

Yet, though small, the sparrow has all its vital organs.

In form and structure, it is indeed carved from the same mold.

"The Laozu of the Discourse Mountain deliberately established these rules and passed them down for profound reasons."

"Secure in peace, think of danger; prevent trouble before it arises."

"Born in an age of peace, never forget the calamity of Daoist warfare that drowns living beings in blood…"

Xun Zixian sighed lightly.

Mo Hua nodded silently.

Afterward, Xun Zixian led the group forward.

Arriving at a mountain peak, Xun Zixian pointed to the shimmering, rippling, crystal-clear light screen above them and said:

"This is the Fifth-Rank Discourse Mountain Array."

"It is a Fifth-Rank array that seizes the creative power of heaven and earth, imbued with the power of the void!"

The disciples all looked up, sensing the unimaginably terrifying power of the array rippling through the void, and fell silent in awe.

Fifth-Rank… array…

Mo Hua, shaken, felt his heart surge with emotion.

"I wonder if I'll ever be able to construct a Fifth-Rank Void-Level array myself…"

Just imagining the day he could comprehend the principles of Void arrays and build a Fifth-Rank Void array, Mo Hua's spirit trembled, his thoughts scattered.

Xun Zixian, watching Mo Hua's yearning gaze, couldn't help but smile gently.

Once, when he was a child seeking the Dao and first saw this Discourse Mountain Array, he too had been filled with awe and longing, just like Mo Hua.

Though the Fifth-Rank array was still impossibly distant—he had cultivated to this day without ever touching its edge—

still, to possess such longing was a good thing.

Xun Zixian turned and asked, "Do you know what the Fifth-Rank Array of the Discourse Mountain is used for?"

The group exchanged glances.

As for the sword discussion, most of them had only watched for spectacle, never delved deeply.

But Mo Hua, who had done some research, answered, "It uses the power of the void to protect the disciples."

Xun Zixian nodded. "The Discourse Mountain Array is not a killing array, not a trapping array, nor a conventional defensive array."

"This array was specially designed by the Laozu of the Discourse Mountain for the Sword Discussion."

"Using the array's power of the void to protect the disciples during the Sword Discussion…"

"Three days from now, when you engage in the Sword Discussion, each of you will be given a 'Discourse Jade,' shaped like a teardrop, exquisitely crafted, worn on your forehead."

"This Discourse Jade is linked to the power of the Discourse Mountain Array, forming a Void Shield that absorbs the injuries you sustain during the Sword Discussion."

"This Discourse Jade is equivalent to your 'life.'"

"Before the Sword Discussion, several elders will fairly and impartially assess your 'damage tolerance' based on your blood qi, physical body, and spiritual power."

"This tolerance is your Discourse Jade's 'health.'"

"During combat, if you suffer a fatal wound, your 'health' depletes to zero, the Discourse Jade shatters, and you lose the Sword Discussion."

"The array will activate, using the power of the void to forcibly teleport you out of the Sword Discussion arena."

"Thus, disciples may fight with all their strength, give their all, without fear of actual death or being killed…"

Xun Zixian spoke at length.

This is a Sword Discussion, not murder, not breeding monsters. Every disciple participating is a scion of a noble house, a talent of the sect—they cannot truly be made to fight to the death.

Otherwise, after one Sword Discussion, the disciples painstakingly cultivated would be dead or wounded in droves.

Not only would the noble houses object, even the sect itself would bleed out.

Those true heavenly prodigies are talents blessed by heaven and earth; if they died or were crippled in the Sword Discussion, no one could afford the loss.

Xun Zixian gazed at the sky, deeply moved:

"Such a top-tier Fifth-Rank Void array is exceedingly rare in the entire cultivation world today."

"Without this Void array to safeguard the prodigies, allowing them to fight without restraint, truly battle it out, the Sword Discussion could never be held…"

"Precisely because of this, only the Qianxue Province can host this one-of-a-kind 'Sword Discussion' gathering, drawing talents from across the land, gathering them in one place, and allowing cultivators from the Nine Provinces to come as spectators—thus creating today's grand spectacle…"

The disciples' eyes gleamed with pride.

After explaining the array, Xun Zixian led them forward again, familiarizing them with the grounds while slipping in additional rules:

"The Daoist items you bring into the Sword Discussion are strictly limited."

"Spirit stones are rationed—you may not carry more."

"You may select a certain number of pills for yourself."

"Both are provided by the Discourse Mountain; you may not bring them privately. Especially the pills…"

Xun Zixian added, "Previously, a disciple, seeking a better ranking, secretly consumed forbidden pills during the Sword Discussion and nearly exploded, causing major trouble—henceforth, private possession of pills has been banned…"

Behind every absurd rule lies an absurd case.

"You may not bring your own talismans either—the Discourse Mountain will provide them. Each disciple may select only one high-grade Second-Rank talisman."

"Spirit weapons may be brought personally, but are likewise limited to high-grade Second-Rank."

After all, spirit weapons are special; many disciples even nurture them into their life-linked spiritual treasures.

The affinity with a spirit weapon is itself part of a cultivator's strength.

Thus, disciples are allowed to bring their own spirit weapons.

"But the number and type of spirit weapons are restricted: armor, weapons, ornaments—each category may carry only one item."

"Then there are arrays. Arrays are similarly restricted: each person may bring only one, and it must be limited to mid-grade Second-Rank…"

Mo Hua nearly thought he'd misheard. "Second-grade mid-level?"

Xun Zixian nodded. "Mid-level."

Mo Hua was confused. "Herbs, spirit weapons, talismans—all limited to second-grade high-level. Why are arrays restricted to mid-level?"

Xun Zixian said: "Because most Foundation Establishment late-stage disciples can only draw second-grade mid-level arrays…"

Mo Hua froze.

Xun Zixian said: "This is based on general circumstances…"

"Most Foundation Establishment cultivators simply cannot draw second-grade high-level arrays. That's an ability beyond 'specification,' so it must be restricted."

"Moreover, second-grade high-level arrays are too powerful—whether for offense, defense, or trapping enemies—their effects are too overwhelming. If disciples were allowed to use them, every tactic would revolve around 'arrays,' which contradicts the very purpose of the Sword Debate."

"The Sword Debate must remain centered on 'combat arts,' with everything else as auxiliary."

Mo Hua was dumbfounded.

Only now did he realize he'd been held back by the geniuses of Qianxue Province.

The low array proficiency of the vast majority of prodigies within Qianxue Province had constrained his own array capabilities.

Mo Hua had never noticed such a detailed rule before.

No one had told him.

Because this array difficulty had always been "assumed."

But Mo Hua was unlike everyone else—his array proficiency was far too high. His "assumed" baseline arrays had always been "high-level."

Even high-level arrays seemed ordinary to him.

He never imagined the arrays provided for the Sword Debate would be limited to "second-grade mid-level"…

Mo Hua sighed.

The rules were set by others; he had no control.

And upon reflection, it was indeed reasonable.

But without arrays, he'd lose many of his "trump cards."

Mo Hua frowned, pondering for a moment, then suddenly remembered something and asked:

"Elder Zixian, besides these, are there other things I can bring?"

Xun Zixian said: "These are the main items. Aside from them, your storage bag will be filled with miscellaneous objects to simulate real combat conditions."

Mo Hua had a sudden idea and asked quietly: "And among those miscellaneous objects…"

Xun Zixian saw through his thoughts at a glance and nodded. "Yes."

Mo Hua immediately brightened.

Xun Zixian smiled faintly and shook his head.

Then the group continued walking forward in a steady stream.

As Mo Hua walked, he considered the restriction of "second-grade mid-level" arrays.

Would this restriction affect his tactics?

Especially regarding the tactics of other Grand Void Gate disciples.

After a moment's thought, Mo Hua realized there was indeed an impact—but not a major one. The power was merely weaker; the core principles remained largely universal.

Besides, the actual Sword Debate hadn't begun yet; there was still time to make last-minute adjustments.

Mo Hua finally relaxed.

As they walked, the group soon reached the end of the Dao Debate Mountain, where the viewing seats lay outside.

At this moment, a massive, peculiar "Bai Bu" stretched across the sky.

The disciples were all astonished.

Mo Hua, puzzled, pointed at the "Bai Bu" and asked: "Elder Zixian, what is that?"

"It's a spirit weapon."

"Spirit weapon?" Mo Hua froze.

Xun Zixian said: "It's a giant 'Projection Spirit Weapon' specially forged by the Sida Sect for this Sword Debate."

"Externally, it appears as a massive screen."

"During the Sword Debate, it will clearly display the disciples' duels, allowing students from Qianxue Province and all clans and sects across the Nine Provinces to watch."

"This spirit weapon is extremely costly. Its name is…" Xun Zixian said slowly:

"Fangtian Huaying!"

Fangtian Huaying…

The disciples all looked up, gazing at the enormous screen covering half the mountain peak, imagining the grand spectacle of thousands of disciples clashing in debate—faces filled with awe.

Mo Hua was awestruck, even his scalp prickled.

He was speechless inside.

His original plan had been to "lie low and strike big," hiding his unsavory techniques.

When the chaos began, he could slip in small moves unnoticed.

But he never imagined the Sword Debate would deploy such a massive Fangtian Huaying for "projection."

With such a huge screen, how could he hide his trump cards?

Wouldn't even the color of his undergarments be visible to everyone?

And such a massive "Fangtian Huaying" clearly wasn't cheap.

Mo Hua couldn't help grumbling inwardly.

He wondered which of the Sida Sect's members had been so bored they'd spent such a fortune to build this monstrous thing…

This was even more targeted against him than the "second-grade mid-level" array restriction.

Of course, the Sida Sect might have built this massive Fangtian Huaying simply for the convenience of spectators attending the ceremony.

But Mo Hua still felt deeply frustrated.

Even after touring the Sword Debate grounds and returning to the Grand Void Gate, sitting at his disciple dormitory desk, Mo Hua still frowned.

Leaving aside other matters, this Fangtian Huaying was simply too much of a target for him…

He had no desire to be a "showstopper."

But since it was already built, he couldn't sneak off and blow it up.

Moreover, this Fangtian Huaying clearly had a very high rank—he might not even be able to destroy it even if he tried.

"Forget it…"

Mo Hua sighed.

Since things had come to this, he could only find a way to hide himself even deeper.

Don't reveal his true background, lie low, "pretend to be a pig to eat tigers," the longer and deeper he hid, the better…

"This will require careful planning…"

Mo Hua took out his original plan and revised it again.

How to proceed step by step, conceal his true strength, win gradually, and advance further without exposing his hidden cards…

The difficulty was immense.

Yet under Mo Hua's planning, the general strategy gradually became clear.

(End of Chapter)