Chapter 301: Immortal Sects Beyond the Sea

A few days later, the Great Competition of the Immortal Sects Beyond the Sea was held as scheduled.

Ye Tinglan, riding a phoenix sedan chair with Lu Xingzhou, A'nuo, and her disciple, set off for the sea with a vast array of flying treasures following behind, leading a grand procession of people from the Tianyao Holy Land.

The high-ranking members of Tianyao found it somewhat strange; in the past, during such collective outings, the Sect Master would usually summon the high-ranking officials to discuss matters inside her sedan chair, but this time she only brought a handful, looking at a glance like a family of four.

Yet it was open and above board, taking place right on the deck rather than hidden in the cabin, so no one could see any problem with it.

In truth, there really was no trickery; Ye Tinglan was explaining the situation of the Great Competition at sea to her "three disciples," and even Dugu Miss Qingli was hearing about this for the first time.

"On paper, it's a contest to decide who rules the sea... isn't that title a bit strange?" Ye Tinglan asked with a smile while pouring tea.

Lu Xingzhou said, "Within the known territories, including the known Immortal Sects beyond the sea, the Tianyao Holy Land is universally recognized as the strongest sect. Who would dare raise such a banner to decide who rules, openly challenging the Tianyao Holy Land?"

Ye Tinglan looked at her lover approvingly, then glared at her disciple.

"You're both young, look how fast your Grandmaster's mind works, while you just sit there in a daze."

Dugu Miss Qingli didn't understand the meaning of her master's glance at all and continued to sit in a daze, listening to the lecture.

Ye Tinglan said, "Long ago, when the Tianyao Xian Sect rose, there were naturally no titles like 'Number One Sect Under Heaven' or 'Holy Land.' Those were glories accumulated victory by victory, generation after generation of ancestors, in struggles of the Immortal Dao, in the storms of the Jianghu, and in various great competitions. When you are truly the number one under heaven, what will you do? Conquer house by house, leaving only your voice in the world?"

Dugu Miss Qingli asked, "Is that not allowed?"

Ye Tinglan smiled and asked Lu Xingzhou, "The Tianxing Sword Sect is already the de facto number one in Xiazhou; why can't it bring all the sects of Xiazhou under its rule?"

"Too many constraints, too much backlash; it cannot be done. What matters is maintaining prestige and keeping deterrence, and naturally, only the voice of the Tianxing Sword Sect will remain in Xiazhou." Lu Xingzhou paused: "Although the Tianyao Holy Land is not as fearful of this and that as the Tianxing Sword Sect, there are clearly constraints, and in reality, the so-called number one under heaven cannot create a dimensional gap with others, making complete conquest and unification impossible."

"Correct... although a Super-grade sect crushes a First-grade one, there is still a chance of capsizing when facing a siege. So even if it is just a First-grade sect, a union of several could still pose a threat to us, let alone no one knows if any family hides a Super-grade sect; this means the dimensional gap cannot be created, and we cannot truly crush the world." Ye Tinglan said calmly: "So what we need to do, just as the Tianxing Sword Sect does for Xiazhou, is maintain prestige and ensure deterrence."

Lu Xingzhou said, "And you are not of the Demonic Dao, so you won't randomly bully people to intimidate the masses; thus, maintaining this Great Competition for ten thousand years is actually a declaration of strength."

"Correct. Every such Great Competition is a way for the Tianyao Holy Land to show its fist. What we seek is not victory, but to demonstrate a pressure superior to others... for instance, our participants are younger than everyone else, yet stronger than everyone else. Whether in the sea or in Daqian, those who wish to seek the Dao and become disciples will always find the Tianyao Xian Sect the most desired Holy Land in their hearts; that is it."

Hearing this, Lu Xingzhou and Dugu Miss Qingli understood what Ye Tinglan was expressing.

She was still somewhat worried; the disciples of Tianyao in this generation did not seem up to par, having fallen to the point of needing to bring Lu Xingzhou and A'nuo to prop up the scene.

They possessed the best "student sources" in the world, able to select and recruit the finest talents, yet still could not guarantee a genius in every generation; it seemed a bit awkward. Among them, Ye Tinglan, as the Sect Master, must bear some responsibility, since she had expended much of her mental energy on the games in Daqian and the confrontation with the Demon Clan, inevitably neglecting internal cultivation within her own sect.

Generally, other sects would have a right and left arm to specialize in such matters; perhaps Yuan Muyu was originally expected to do this?

Putting aside other things about Yuan Muyu, her skill in teaching disciples was formidable; without leaking the secret techniques of the Tianyao Holy Land, using only some patchwork miscellaneous learning, she cultivated both Lu Xingzhou and A'nuo to be very strong, and guided the strong ones gathered from the Yanluo Hall to advance further. Just as Ji Wenchuan's path to First-grade was entirely promoted by Yuan Muyu, and Ye Wufeng becoming the number one among the new generation relied not only on his master Tan Xinhong.

Yuan Muyu's departure might have also affected some strategies of the Tianyao Holy Land... perhaps even elevating Ye Wufeng to become the number one among the new generation was Yuan Muyu's way of challenging the Tianyao Holy Land.

Ye Tinglan said, "Xingzhou has broadened my path; in the future, I will not be limited too much by Daqian... once some matters are resolved, I will focus more on internal cultivation. That is for later; regardless, in this Great Competition, you must not only win, but win beautifully."

Lu Xingzhou pondered, "The landscape of the sea differs from Daqian... in Daqian, the only Super-grade sects on the surface are the Tianyao Holy Land and the Imperial Family. The sea is unknown; are there other Super-grade sects?"

Ye Tinglan answered simply, "Yes. However, most Immortal Sects beyond the sea do not involve themselves in mortal affairs, unlike us."

"Will there be unexpected changes in this Great Competition?"

"What do you mean?"

"Hmm... visitors from the Ancient Realm involving themselves with current sects, Gu Zhanting suppressing the desire of the Tianyao Holy Land. And, Yuan Muyu's desire to slap the face of the Tianyao Holy Land."

"The first two have happened before... but back then it was not Gu Zhanting, but his ancestors." Ye Tinglan smiled: "The Daqian Imperial Family has never been content with the existence of the Tianyao Holy Land, and it did not start with Gu Zhanting. As for the last one, I do not know; perhaps you understand her better than I do?"

Lu Xingzhou absolutely could not admit this: "Just speaking... how would I know what Yuan Muyu is thinking?"

A'nuo, eating tea snacks, stole a glance at him and said nothing.