Chapter 144: Deploying Troops and Forming Arrays, the Grand Elder Rewards

Three days later, heading to Yun City in Qingzhou to participate in the Qingzhou Grand Competition.

The warm morning light spread over the tranquil Canghai Lake, casting shimmering ripples.

Suddenly, a piercing scream came from the lake, shattering the tranquility.

Only to see Jiang Taomu flailing desperately in the water, his hands frantically slapping the surface as he tried to climb out, but facing the lake's immense restraining force, he couldn't get out at all and could only shout.

"Peak Master Lin, save me, come quickly!"

Lin Yang flickered and instantly appeared at the lakeside.

Watching Jiang Taomu struggling in the water, he shook his head helplessly.

With a sweep of his sleeve, a gentle force lifted Jiang Taomu steadily out of the lake.

Jiang Taomu was soaked through, miserably sitting on the shore, his face full of bitterness.

"Old Jiang, after all this time, your fishing skills haven't improved at all."

Lin Yang said teasingly.

Jiang Taomu gave an embarrassed smile and explained, "Peak Master Lin, it's not my fault—the fish in this lake are overly crafty and fierce."

"But I swear, this will absolutely be the last time I'm dragged into the water."

"Because these days I've been studying fishing techniques day and night, I'm almost ready to master the Supreme Imperial Fishing Technique."

Lin Yang waved his hand and said, "I can't wait that long; I have a mission to assign to you."

Upon hearing there was a mission, Jiang Taomu immediately wiped the bitterness from his face; although he hadn't caught any fish to replenish his Secret Realm Lake, he felt a bit regretful.

But the mission was urgent, so he turned serious and asked, "Peak Master Lin, what mission is it?"

Lin Yang didn't answer directly, instead saying, "No rush—I'll first help you catch a few big fish to fill your Secret Realm Lake, then we'll discuss the mission in detail."

Having said that, Lin Yang's gaze turned sharp as he stared at the lake surface.

He lightly flicked the fishing net in his hand, and the net instantly unfurled like heavenly maidens scattering flowers.

Carrying a mighty aura, it swept toward the lake surface.

Only a soft "pa" sound was heard.

The net entered the water; moments later, Lin Yang swiftly retracted it.

In an instant.

The lake surface exploded with spray; in the net, dozens of large fish with purple scales thrashed and leapt.

Each was as big as a truck and exuded a powerful aura.

This spectacular sight left Jiang Taomu gaping.

At that moment.

Lin Yang calmly said, "Open your Secret Realm Lake and pick a few fish."

Jiang Taomu came to his senses and was no longer polite.

Immediately, he carefully examined the fish in the net, pointing like assigning troops and said, "This one, that one, and that one over there."

He consecutively selected the three largest fish in the net.

After all, the bigger the fish, the greater its strength.

"Has the capacity of your Secret Realm Lake reached its limit?"

Lin Yang asked.

Jiang Taomu shook his head and said, "It should still hold two more."

Lin Yang nodded and said, "Then pick two more."

Overjoyed, Jiang Taomu picked two more large fish and then stopped.

After all.

If he kept adding more fish to his Secret Realm Lake beyond its symbiotic capacity, the lake would burst and he would suffer backlash.

Seeing this, Lin Yang waved his hand, and the five large fish were steadily placed into Jiang Taomu's Secret Realm Lake.

As soon as the five fish entered the Secret Realm Lake, they churned the water into turbulence.

The entire Secret Realm seemed to undergo a wondrous change.

Jiang Taomu could clearly feel that his strength had risen a level as his Secret Realm Lake upgraded.

Overwhelmed with excitement, he turned and bowed deeply to Lin Yang, gratefully saying, "Thank you, Peak Master Lin, for your grace!"

"Without Peak Master Lin's favor, I doubt I could ever achieve such heights in my lifetime."

"Old Jiang, you're being overly solemn."

Immediately, he added, "If so, Old Jiang, please follow me."

"Yes!"

Jiang Taomu nodded.

Thereafter, the two turned into streaks of light and departed.

In the blink of an eye, they arrived at the square of Qingyun Sect.

At that moment, the Grand Elder led a host of Qingyun Sect elders and outstanding disciples, who had already formed neat ranks in the square, quietly awaiting Lin Yang's arrival.

The Fifth Elder stood aside, eyes slightly red, full of grievance as he approached the Grand Elder, tugging at his sleeve and coquettishly saying, "Grand Elder, I think Qingyun Sect has six peak masters guarding the sect; nothing will happen—please let me come along."

The Grand Elder's face darkened; he impatiently shook off the Fifth Elder's hand and said, "The six peak masters are responsible for protecting the sect's safety—doesn't the sect interior always need a decision-maker to stay behind?"

"You've never been power‑hungry, but now that I'm leaving, you hold the highest position in the sect—you can indulge in the authority of being above ten thousand and below one."

"You should shoulder this burden—why are you still whining?"

The Fifth Elder still wouldn't give up, like a lovestruck child, continuing to plead with the Grand Elder: "Grand Elder, can't you let the other elders stay behind? Why must it be me?"

The Grand Elder spoke sternly: "I'm doing this because I value you—I'm testing you."

"When I step down, this position will naturally be yours—you must understand my intentions."

Upon hearing this.

The Fifth Elder almost cried to death; in the world of cultivation, cultivation determines one's lifespan, and the Grand Elder's strength is even greater than his—how could he possibly die before him?

"Grand Elder, just tell me directly—are you deliberately not wanting me to go?"

Just at that moment.

Lin Yang, accompanied by Jiang Tamu, Li Yilan, and Ye Xiaozi, descended from the sky.

Seeing this, the Grand Elder hurriedly pushed aside the Fifth Elder, tidied his robes, and walked over to Lin Yang with a beaming smile, asking: "Lin Yang, for this trip to the Qingzhou Grand Competition, is bringing these people enough?"

Lin Yang glanced over the crowd and realized that, aside from the Fifth Elder and the Second Elder, everyone else was present.

The remaining people were mighty and numerous, a vast black mass.

His gaze also occasionally met Shi Hao's inadvertently in the crowd.

However, Shi Hao's gaze was unfriendly; he stared at him arrogantly, provocatively.

In response, Lin Yang merely gave a light smile and paid it no heed.

He turned to the Grand Elder and said: "Grand Elder, just handle the arrangements; I don't care how many people go."

Then.

He then introduced to the Grand Elder: "Grand Elder, this is Elder Jiang Tamu of my Tian Dao Peak."

Upon hearing this, the Grand Elder raised his head to look at Jiang Tamu; he had seen this person before at Tian Dao Peak.

Back then, he entered the Black Cloud together with Lin Yang to rescue Zhou Tianming, and being able to fight alongside Lin Yang, his strength must be extraordinary.

Now that he has become an elder of Tian Dao Peak, he is also a member of the Qingyun Sect.

Thus, he smiled and said: "Elder Jiang, a pleasure to meet you!"

Jiang Tamu gave a slight bow: "Grand Elder, the pleasure is mine."

The Grand Elder continued: "From now on, we're all one family; feel free to voice any needs."

"Moreover, as an elder of Tian Dao Peak, I will allocate you 100,000 spirit stones each month; what do you think?"

The Grand Elder naturally didn't know that this seemingly ordinary elder before him was actually the patriarch of the Yushen Sect, one of the Five Great Supreme Sects of Zhongzhou.

To Jiang Tamu, those 100,000 spirit stones are nothing but a drop in the bucket.