Chapter 199

「……」

Mi Hui's brows drooped.

After letting out an awkward laugh, he saw everyone's gazes suddenly converge upon him in unison, and he finally realized he could not decline.

He had no choice but to slowly rise from his seat, walk to the center of the hall, and helplessly bow toward Elder Huo and True Person Ming You on the Cang Guang Xuan Terrace.

"You brat, your spirit has truly made not even half a shred of progress! Even if you cannot contend for a seat among the Ten Great Disciples or enter the Yuchen Sect, could you not accumulate more merit during your time in the Lower Court, make a name for yourself, and then, once your cultivation base is sufficient, seek a position in one of the great lineages of the Eastern Domain? Wouldn't that be better?"

Elder Huo scolded him with a laugh, stretched out his hand, and pointed at Mi Hui's nose, shouting:

"Let me give you a piece of advice: in a few years, I will be transferring from the Dao Record Hall to the Ten Directions Hall. You brat will be falling right into my hands then!"

The hearts of everyone in the hall turned cold in an instant.

Mi Hui was also startled by these words; he hurriedly looked up, a look of panic forcing a smile onto his face.

"Therefore..."

Elder Huo smiled slightly, glanced downward, and spoke with profound meaning:

"If you brat do not perform to my satisfaction today, once you leave the Lower Court, I will exile you to those remote, small boundary voids, leaving you in the ancient wilderness to keep company with wild folk and beasts all day long!"

"Don't! Elder Huo, don't!"

Mi Hui grew anxious.

"Mi Hui... is he the nephew of that Elder Mi from the Xuan Jiao Hall? I hear that one is quite skilled in the way of driving insects and controlling beasts, and even raised a 'Ten Heaven Luo Insect'?"

True Person Ming You thought to himself.

He raised his hand and casually pointed toward a youth in magnificent robes and a tall crown, summoning him up.

"Xie Yu, then this round shall be yours."

True Person Ming You smiled faintly:

"Do not disgrace your family's reputation."

The youth from the noble family who had been called up also wore a bitter expression, looking back every step of the way, wishing he could move up inch by inch.

Once he reached the center of the hall and had paid his respects to the two great True Persons.

He turned his head.

And met Mi Hui's gaze at that exact moment.

Although the two were complete strangers, at this moment, they inexplicably felt like brothers in misfortune.

"Qingyang Courtyard, Xie Yu."

The youth in magnificent robes and tall crown sighed.

"Changying Courtyard, Mi Hui."

Mi Hui gave a bitter laugh.

Elder Huo spread his hand, and the Tao Guang Yan Shen Map that had been unfurled in the air descended; countless crystalline points of light, like fireflies deep in a late summer stream, darted and wandered across the scroll, moving back and forth without cease.

"These are all Qi soldiers with Foundation Establishment cultivation; the two of you may choose one at will."

Elder Huo said.

Xie Yu's eyes rolled, he cupped his hands toward Mi Hui, and said with a smile:

"Please, Xiao Xiao Shixiong, choose first."

Mi Hui did not decline; he casually used his Qi to capture a point of fluorescent light, and instantly, a Dharma formula was transmitted into his heart.

Once he had memorized the Dharma formula, which was no more than a hundred words long, until it was perfect.

Mi Hui pointed his hand, and a heroic-looking man jumped out of the Tao Guang Yan Shen Map.

The Qi soldier was dressed in brocade robes with floral patterns, wore tiger-head boots, held a green jade ruler in his hand, and had a broad face and sturdy build, looking like a human bear—very tall and burly.

Although the person before him was transformed from a mass of essence Qi, every part of his flesh, blood, and bones was real and without falsehood.

Had Elder Huo not spoken of the details beforehand.

At first glance, Mi Hui feared he would have mistaken him for a living, flesh-and-blood creature.

Mi Hui secretly activated the Dharma formula, and a flash of spiritual light suddenly appeared in the Qi soldier's pupils.

At this moment, he felt as if he and the Qi soldier had become one.

Every movement could be controlled as he wished.

It was as if the Qi soldier before him was another version of himself.

"This Qi soldier only knows three Daoist arts, and this jade ruler should be no more than a low-grade talisman artifact... Are all Foundation Establishment Qi soldiers like this? It seems this is truly meant to test one's ability to adapt in combat."

This strange sensation initially made Mi Hui somewhat curious.

But before long, worry began to rise in his heart.

"I am not as skilled in combat as Chen Chen Shidi Chen; it seems today, I can only be forced to ride the duck to the shelf..."

He sighed secretly.

Meanwhile, Xie Yu, who was from a noble family, had also selected a Qi soldier dressed in green robes and a straw hat.

The two cupped their hands toward each other from afar.

Both of their faces held a trace of unconcealable nervousness and fear...

If it were an ordinary time, it would be fine, and there would be no need for such a display.

But now, with the disciples of the four courtyards gathered, and this being the very first battle, both Xie Yu and Mi Hui were acting with the utmost caution.

"Please!"

The two spoke in unison, biting the bullet.

Xie Yu did not talk much and struck first; a silver shuttle instantly flew from his Qi soldier's hand, and with a flash of light, it had already crossed several zhang, stabbing straight toward the face of Mi Hui's Qi soldier.

Yet, just a few inches away, it was steadily blocked by the green jade ruler!

The two sides went back and forth like this, fighting for the time it takes to burn an incense stick; during this time, Xie Yu was mostly on the offensive, while Mi Hui defended strictly.

After a long battle without success, Xie Yu finally could not help but feel anxious; he slowed the offensive of his silver shuttle talisman artifact and drove his Qi soldier to begin chanting a formula, intending to use a Daoist art to turn the tide.

Mi Hui's eyes lit up; he hurriedly seized this rare opening, urged the jade ruler with all his might, and transformed it into a rainbow light to strike; it crashed with a loud sound, bursting forth with the roar of a mountain flood splitting rocks.

Xie Yu hurriedly activated his Daoist art in a panic to meet it.

But Mi Hui had already seized the opportunity and would not easily let it go; instead, his offensive grew stronger with each wave, simply like overlapping tides.

After only a dozen rounds, the Qi soldier Xie Yu was controlling had its skull shattered, blooming like ten thousand peach blossoms, and it collapsed into a mass of essence Qi, returning to the Tao Guang Yan Shen Map.

"I concede! I concede!"

Mi Hui laughed heartily and bowed toward the gloomy-faced Xie Yu.

Xie Yu did not answer him, only cupped his hands slightly, then hurriedly walked off the field without saying a word.

Mi Hui did not mind, his joy undiminished.

Then, before he could rejoice for long, another noble family disciple entered the field.

And this time.

Mi Hui could not hold on for more than fifty rounds before being beaten off the field, returning to his seat in low spirits...

"At least I wasn't the first to lose... even if I lost, it shouldn't look too ugly, right?"

He held the wine goblet in front of him, sighed slowly, and comforted himself in his heart.

And in the hall.

The noble family member who had defeated Mi Hui, after winning three consecutive rounds, was defeated by a disciple from the Xuanying Courtyard named Zhu Yi.

As for Zhu Yi, he did not hold on for long either.

After winning a few rounds.

He also finally retreated from the field in low spirits.

People from the noble families and the sects flashed by in turns, entering the field one after another, making one's head spin.

But no matter what, not a single person could win more than ten consecutive rounds...

And finally.

True Person Ming You looked on with slight impatience.

He turned his body and signaled with his eyes.

The next moment, a young cultivator in magnificent robes pushed aside the jade table in front of him, laughed aloud with his head held high, and rose to his feet.

"It's Sima Quantong!"

Mi Hui, who was beside Chen Heng, after seeing this person appear, could no longer bother to ponder whether he had lost face just now, and hurriedly said to Chen Heng:

"Chen Chen Shidi, I hear this person's ability is not below yours; if you face him, you must be extremely careful!"

The crown of the four courtyards—

Although this title was only a term used among the low-ranking disciples of the Lower Court, it had been able to spread to the Xiaoming Great Marsh and had even received praise from the Yuchen Sect, which was enough to show that its weight was not light.

Xie Su of the Qingyang Courtyard, Chen Heng of the Changying Courtyard, Deng Ji of the Baishang Courtyard, and Sima Quantong of the Xuanying Courtyard. In the eyes of many disciples and even masters of the Lower Court.

Although these four, due to their cultivation base and age, found it difficult to snatch a seat among the Ten Great Disciples six years later and could not contend with those Cave-Mystic Refiners.

But if nothing unexpected happened.

In the great competition of the four courtyards thirty years later.

Among the Ten Great Disciples, there would certainly be a place for these four!

At this moment.

Seeing Sima Quantong walk to the center of the hall with his head held high, a clamor instantly arose in the hall, with people discussing in hushed tones.

True Person Ming You clapped his hands lightly, looking as if he were smiling yet not smiling.

While Elder Huo stroked his long white beard lightly, saying nothing.

"This disciple pays respects to the two honored elders."

Sima Quantong first bowed, then looked deeply toward Chen Heng, his eyes flashing like lightning.

After a long while, he withdrew his gaze, casually chose a Qi soldier from the Tao Guang Yan Shen Map, and activated the Dharma formula.

…

The so-called four crowns of the Lower Court.

In today's Pot and Goblet Dharma Assembly, Xie Su had just achieved the Purple Palace Realm and was consolidating his Dao practice, so he could not spare himself and did not attend.

And Sima Quantong had already exchanged blows with Deng Ji several times; he was clear about this person's situation and could not be said to have much fear.

Only Chen Heng, whose background was unknown.

Made him have to take him seriously...

And this Qi soldier combat did not concern cultivation base or Daoist methods; it purely tested one's ability to adapt during combat, and there was no difference between the Purple Palace and Foundation Establishment.

It could be said that in this hall.

The only one he feared.

Was Chen Heng alone...

Sima Quantong's attitude of treating the person before him as if they were nothing greatly angered his opponent, who snorted coldly, did not answer, and urged his Qi soldier to kill toward Sima Quantong with menacing momentum.

"If it were a real-body combat, I would still value you by three points... but now that we are only controlling Qi soldiers, I could defeat you easily even with my eyes closed!"

Sima Quantong sneered with disdain; his mind turned slightly, and his Qi soldier met the charge head-on without dodging or avoiding.

The Qi soldier he was controlling looked like a middle-aged Daoist, wearing a tall crown and holding a jade ruyi-shaped talisman artifact in his hand.

And in less than half a moment.

The jade ruyi shattered layers of halo.

With just one strike.

It beat the other Qi soldier until half its body was instantly ruined, and it knelt on the ground!

"Full of flaws; Wu Yu, if you make no further progress, I fear you will never see my back in the future."

Sima Quantong called out the name of the person he was fighting and said faintly.

"This is not a real-body combat, just a Qi soldier! Chen Chen Shidi Sima, do not be too complacent; there will be a day when you suffer!"

That Wu Yu was a high-ranking practitioner of the Purple Palace Realm.

In front of a large crowd.

Being defeated by Sima Quantong, whose cultivation base was not yet as high as his, he naturally felt he had lost face, so he flicked his sleeves and said coldly.

"Just a clay chicken and a pottery dog, how dare you speak of courage?"

Sima Quantong smiled faintly and did not care about him; he looked at Chen Heng with burning eyes and said:

"Next, who will come to offer instruction?"

Seeing his demeanor, Wu Yu was both ashamed and angry.

In the end, because the two great True Persons were present, he dared not act presumptuously; he barely suppressed the flames of anger in his heart and returned to his seat without a word.

"Qian Zhen, you come."

Seeing this, Elder Huo was not surprised and just pointed casually.

In the seats ahead, a heroic man wearing a lion crown cupped his hands and rose.

"This Xiao Xiao Shixiong Qian Zhen achieved the Purple Palace Second Layer Realm last month and has always had a reputation in the Baishang Courtyard; however, since this Sima Quantong is on par with you, Chen Chen Shidi..."

Seeing that Elder Huo had actually not called Chen Heng to the field.

Mi Hui was startled, then worriedly transmitted his voice:

"I fear this Xiao Xiao Shixiong Qian Zhen will also find it difficult to take down Sima Quantong..."

Chen Heng looked coldly at the movement in the hall, his eyes indifferent, just playing with the teacup in his hand without answering.

And this Xiao Xiao Shixiong Qian Zhen did indeed live up to his reputation, with his Qi soldier fighting back and forth with Sima Quantong.

But in the end, he was still a move short.

After holding on for a hundred moves, he was keenly caught in an opening by Sima Quantong and helplessly defeated.

After Qian Zhen retreated from the field in low spirits, Elder Huo pointed to another disciple.

However, this person's ability was even worse; before he could hold on for a hundred moves, his Qi soldier had already been miserably killed, and even half its body was gone...

……

Ji Congquan, Chi Xiang, Wei Jun, Zhuang Zhaogui, Yan Rui...

Seeing that these people, who were all famous in the four Lower Courts, were defeated one by one.

The hall instantly fell into a dead silence, becoming so quiet that a needle could be heard dropping.

Not only were the disciples of the sects dumbfounded and unable to believe it.

Even the noble family side.

Was greatly shocked, almost unable to believe what they were seeing.

"The crown of the four courtyards—this title is truly ridiculous!"

Sima Quantong laughed and clapped:

"Since it is a crown, it can naturally only be held by one person; how can there be a reason for four people to wear the same crown!

Xie Su, Chen Heng, Deng Ji, what do you all think?!"

Xie Su was not in the hall and could not respond to this provocative remark.

Hearing this, Deng Ji had a look of anger on his face, his hands clenching into fists bitterly.

Chen Heng glanced at Sima Quantong indifferently, put down his teacup, and was just about to rise, but was preempted by Deng Ji.

Just as he rose in anger, he was signaled to stop by Elder Huo on the Cang Guang Xuan Terrace with a slight shake of his head.

"Your heart is not clear; you are not yet his match."

A cold, old voice suddenly sounded in his mind, like a basin of cold water poured over his head, instantly extinguishing Deng Ji's anger.

He recognized that the tone was Elder Huo's voice transmission, and he was just about to speak.

When he saw Elder Huo suddenly laugh and say loudly to everyone in the hall:

"I hear that years ago in the Zhongtian Dou Shu Sect, there was a White Horse Dharma Assembly; at that time, Chen Yushu defeated everyone, snatched the crown in one fell swoop, and was praised by the Great Jade True Person of the Zhongtian Dou Shu Sect, who lauded him as a 'Victor in Dharma Combat'!

As for today..."

He suddenly turned his gaze to Chen Heng and shouted loudly, like a thunderbolt striking the earth:

"And since you wish to have a true showdown with Chen Yushu in the future, how can you not do what he, Chen Yushu, could do! Chen Heng, I ask you, are you willing to step forward for this Dharma combat today?"

"This disciple has been waiting for a long time; it is my wish, and I dare not ask for it."

Facing the thousands of gazes in the hall.

Chen Heng rose gracefully, raised his wide sleeves, and smiled warmly.

"Very good!"

Elder Huo laughed heartily.

Instantly, the disciples in the hall were in an uproar, with voices rising everywhere.

And amidst this bustling excitement.

In a distant seat.

Huang Dalun silently lowered his head, ignoring the strange gazes around him, grabbed the melon and fruit in the goblet, stuffed his mouth full, and puffed out his cheeks.

"I'm not saying anything this time, you can't blame me, right?"

He thought bitterly in his heart.

……

……

(End of chapter)