Chapter 419: Dragon Gate, Li Yuan

Heavy snow falls in swirling flakes!

On the Qi-Sensing Platform, the sect assessment has reached its conclusion!

Except for Fang Fang Yunxiu, Qiu Qiu Changying, and a mere few dozen others, most outer sect disciples lack the qualification to challenge the inner sect; instead, among the inner sect disciples, quite a few true transmission disciples are waiting for the final challenge!

On the high platform, the Dao Lord Long sits upright and dignified; on his two sides sit Long Xi Xiang, Nie Xianshan, and others such as the Great Zen Master of the Xin Yi Jiao, the Azure Dragon Pavilion's Tian Tian Yingzi, the Xie Xie Tongzhi of the Changhong Sword Sect, the Brother Zhongli Wang Luan of the Samadhi Cave, and other elders from the Qitadao Sect, each taking their seat!

The view from the high platform is elevated; the eyesight of the assembled Grand Masters and Great Grand Masters need not be mentioned, and the entire Qi-Sensing Platform lies within their line of sight!

True transmission disciples such as Pei Pei Xingkong, Shi Shi Qingyi, Yan Jiugong, Chu Hun Tian Zhu, Pei Jiu, and the Monk Ding Kong sit below the high platform, either sipping tea or observing the Dragon and Tiger disciples; Li Yuan naturally has a seat!

He sits among the true transmission disciples of the various sects, holding a teacup and watching!

At a certain moment, the bell rings out!

Yan Yan Sanxing's deep and powerful voice echoes for over ten li.

"Outer sect disciples, Qiu Qiu Changying, Fang Fang Yunxiu, Lu Zhongfa... nine are admitted to the inner sect; Liao Yurong, Dai Renchun... nine return to the outer sect!"

The Qi-Sensing Platform falls silent; under the gaze of the inner and outer sect disciples, Fang Fang Yunxiu and the other nine step forward, taking out their outer sect disciple badges, while the other nine return their inner sect disciple badges!

Afterwards, they ascend the platform one by one to pay respects to the Sect Master and Dao Lord, and receive the treatment of inner sect disciples, such as weapons, pills, martial robes, and Wu Gong!

"This sense of ceremony is quite substantial!"

Li Yuan comments inwardly!

The Longhu Temple has transmitted its lineage for over two thousand years, with many rules; the sect assessment has its own regulations; under the gaze of all disciples, the Dao Lord Long rises to his feet!

"In years past, here, the Dragon Seal Ancestor and the Pure Yang Ancestor sat and discussed the Dao, establishing the foundation for our Longhu Temple; through the efforts of past sages and ancestors, enduring two thousand years of wind, frost, rain, and snow, we have gathered here today."

The Dao Lord Long speaks, his voice suppressing all other noises, echoing through the mountain ranges; for a moment, all other sounds cease, and only his voice echoes in everyone's ears!

Above and below the high platform, whether Sect Masters, Dao Lords, or disciples and elders, all rise to their feet, their expressions solemn!

"Today, observing your growth, standing tall like pine and cypress, my heart is greatly comforted; the ancestors should also be comforted..."

Remembrance and encouragement!

Every year's sect assessment cannot lack such a statement, yet Li Yuan can still feel the intensely strong spiritual fluctuations around him, and the entire Qi-Sensing Platform becomes incredibly fervent!

Even he is infected by the atmosphere and cannot help but feel some agitation in his heart!

"The will of a Great Grand Master."

Li Yuan is momentarily dazed; he looks up and feels the intense and surging will of the Dao Lord Long!

In this trance, it seems as if wind and clouds gather, and the aura woven from dragon and tiger disperses the sky-filling snow and wind!

"The assessment continues!"

Long Long Yingchan did not speak for too long; after a few sentences, he has already sat down again!

After a brief silence, the Qi-Sensing Platform immediately erupts with a sound like a mountain call and sea roar; under the influence of the Great Grand Master's will, not to mention the Longhu Temple disciples, many elders and disciples from other sects also have their hearts stirred!

"If the Dao Lord Long had practiced the Bai Shen Fa, how much incense offering would he have collected in this wave?"

Amidst the cheers, Li Yuan mutters inwardly, somewhat whistling in admiration!

In these two years, his name has risen to prominence, but compared to the Dao Lord Long, it is truly insignificant!

The Lord of a Dao, a Great Grand Master of the Shenbangda Sect; standing there, he is the focus of ten thousand gazes!

The bell rings again!

This time, it is Nie Xianshan; he flicks his finger, and sword qi like a rainbow strikes the great bell hanging on the mountain wall; the bell sound is deep and resonant, echoing through the mountain ranges!

"Pure Yang Sword Qi."

From several li away, striking the bell with a finger flick; seeing this scene, there is quite a bit of commotion on the Qi-Sensing Platform; even for disciples of the various Dao Sects, opportunities to see a Grand Master act are rare!

"Spiritual Form!"

"

Li Yuan's gaze sharpens; even though this is not the first time he has seen a Grand Master act, his heart still feels somewhat restless!

Even the most vigorous true qi can at most strike ten or twenty zhang, or perhaps several dozen zhang; without cultivating the Spiritual Form True Qi, even if he cultivates the Yang Jian Tian Yi Nine Refinements to the Great Perfection and stacks the Form Transformation to a thousand forms, he still cannot achieve what Old Daoist Nie did with that single finger flick!

"Pure Yang Sword Spiritual Form!"

Xin Xin Wenhua beside him has bright eyes; he cultivates the Pure Yang Sword Form!

He feels quite excited in his heart; after a moment, he transmits a voice to ask: "Junior Brother Li, which one are you preparing to target?"

"Hmm."

Li Yuan glances across; Long Long Xinglie, Shan Hong, Wang Lue, and Jing Xiushan are all looking at him: "Senior Brother Lin Lin Fangzhui!"

"Hmm? Why?"

Xin Xin Wenhua is somewhat curious!

"Because he hasn't arrived!"

Li Yuan's choice is very casual; mainly, he has no real friendship with the other four true transmission disciples; after scanning the crowd just now, only Lin Lin Fangzhui hasn't arrived, so naturally, he chose him!

"That works!"

Xin Xin Wenhua's mouth twitches slightly; this is too casual!

"Disciples wishing to advance to true transmission may begin!"

At this moment, Gong Gong Jiuchuan steps to the front and speaks in a deep voice!

His voice is not loud, but it is sufficient for the crowd below to hear; immediately, someone in the crowd responds loudly: "Dragon Gate, Dragon Chant Hall, Bian Bian Huiqing, challenges Senior Brother Wang Lue!"

That is a tall young man, holding a broad sword, stepping out; true qi surges from his body, clearly indicating he has reached the Great Perfection of Organ Refinement!

The Longhu Temple gathers the talents of a Dao; within the inner sect, there are indeed quite a few who are only slightly inferior to true transmission disciples; every time the sect assessment occurs, the competition is extremely fierce!

After Bian Bian Huiqing steps out of the line, someone else speaks loudly and steps out; that is a middle-aged swordsman: "Tiger Gate, Shocking Tide Hall, Guan Wenzhen, challenges Senior Brother Wang Lue!"

"Dragon Gate, Pure Gang Hall, Chen Shenggen, challenges... Senior Brother Wang Lue!"

Good heavens!!!!

Li Yuan's expression is somewhat strange; during last year's sect assessment, he also came to join the fun; he remembers that at that time, fully six or seven people challenged Wang Lue!

"True transmission gatekeeper, huh!"

Lin Lin Fangzhui looked toward the opposite side!

Wang Lue was wiping down his long spear, his expression calm, as if he had long expected this. In past years' true transmission bouts, he had been challenged many times!

"Dragon Gate, Hundred Beasts Weishentang, Nan Liping, challenges Junior Brother Wang Lue."

In just a moment, thirteen people stepped forward in succession, from both Dragon and Tiger Gates. Some held blades or swords, some carried heavy hammers or long spears — yet all of them were clearly here to challenge Wang Lue!

Wang Lue drew a deep breath. Lin Lin Fangzhui, sharp-eyed, noticed the veins bulging on the hand gripping the spear shaft — clearly not as calm as he appeared on the surface!

"Why does everyone challenge Wang Lue?"

On the high platform, Long Xi Xiang — absent many times, participating in the sect's examination for the first time in years — had a slightly grim expression!

Nie Xianshan beside him also looked rather embarrassed!

Picking the weakest opponent during a bout is only human nature, but at this particular moment, it came across as somewhat awkward!

Only the Dragon Dao Master remained unmoved. He had long anticipated this and saw nothing amiss: "Avoiding the strong and striking the weak is human nature — a principle all disciples understand. Junior brother, you don't grasp it."

Long Xi Xiang said nothing — at this moment, the Dao Master's face still had to be upheld!

"Brother Dao Long speaks true!"

Grand Master Master Dading quite agreed: "The essence of martial combat is to use the strong to strike the weak!"

"Indeed, that's the principle!"

Glancing at the old fellows who deeply agreed, Brother Zhongli Wang Luan thought it over and still held his tongue. The principle really was just that!

"Wang Lue, accept the challenge."

Seeing no one else step forward, Wang Lue let out a long breath, took up his long spear, and walked toward those twelve challengers!

At this moment, his heart burned with fury. He very much wanted to shout, "Come at me all at once — what do I, Wang Lue, have to fear!"

But he still swallowed it back down!

Those who dared step forward to challenge him were all the elite among inner disciples. Even if they weren't his match, they wouldn't be far behind. To take on twelve alone — Junior Brother Lin could probably do it. A sidelong glance

at Lin Lin Fangzhui sitting behind him drinking tea, and Wang Lue suddenly felt a chill run down his spine!

Over these past months, he had climbed the Dragon Tiger Tower many a night. After repeated attempts, he had actually been randomly matched against Lin Lin Fangzhui — and then! …

"I'm already this miserable, there's no reason to still pick me, right?"

Gripping his long spear, Wang Lue's palms sweated. Then, he strode out swiftly. As one challenger drew his sword, Wang Lue's spear trembled and he was already meeting them head-on!

Clang-clang-clang!

The clash of metal rang out loudly!

None who dared challenge Wang Lue were weak hands. With the true transmission seat at stake, each one fought with everything they had. Even though Wang Lue's skill was a notch above, there were several moments he nearly came to grief!

"These people must have studied Wang Lue plenty!"

Lin Lin Fangzhui saw through the trick!

But on reflection, it was only natural — after all, Wang Lue had been the gatekeeper true transmission for years now, and those who had studied him were not few!

After several bouts, Wang Lue had a momentary lapse, nearly having his true qi pierced through. Even though he recovered in time, he almost took an injury!

Wheel battles are permitted in true transmission bouts!

This is a rule that exists in Dragon Tiger Temple, and even in several Daoist sects. If one cannot overwhelm one's fellow disciples by skill, one has no right to be true transmission!

"Prolonged fighting makes it hard not to slip up. No wonder they all chose Wang Lue — against a single wheel-battle opponent, their odds of winning are greatest!"

Lin Lin Fangzhui even suspected these twelve challengers had secretly coordinated and plotted!

But this too was permitted by the rules!

Dragon Tiger Temple dominates an entire Daoist region, with hundreds of millions of households within its borders. How lofty is the status of the six true transmissions — true transmission competition rivals even the imperial succession struggle!

Snow and mud splashed as the long spear flicked. Wang Lue landed on the ground, steam rising from his sweat-soaked body, and cupped his fists: "Thank you for yielding."

"Senior Brother Wang, please instruct me."

One fell, another took his place. After eleven bouts in succession, Wang Lue's breathing had grown unsteady and his stamina was greatly depleted. And the last to step forward, Bian Bian Huiqing, was clearly the strongest among them all!

He advanced with a broadsword, fresh and rested while his foe was weary. The moment they engaged, he suppressed the momentum of Wang Lue's spear!

"Wang Lue is going to lose!"

Xin Xin Wenhua furrowed his brow slightly!

"Not necessarily!"

Lin Lin Fangzhui narrowed his eyes. It wasn't that his eyesight was particularly good — it was that he had crossed spears with Wang Lue while storming the tower before, and knew he still had a hidden trump card!

A moment later, Bian Bian Huiqing's sword momentum, like towering waves, completely engulfed Wang Lue. But just then, the hidden Dragon Tiger combined strike Wang Lue had been holding in reserve erupted — and he turned defeat into victory.

"Good."

Twelve wheel-battle opponents, and in the end he emerged victorious. The Qi-Sensing Platform immediately erupted in cheers!

Lin Lin Fangzhui, who had arrived at a quick pace, happened to witness this scene!

"He's here."