Chapter 32: Spirit Venerable in a Great Rage, the Dragon-Snake Reveals Its Spirit

"Brother Jingyu, you are already at the Foundation Establishment Fourth Realm; do you have the confidence to place among the top of the sect and win glory for our Longshou Peak?"

A disciple asked, looking at Lin Jingyu with envious eyes.

In the span of a year, every peak and lineage had recruited many disciples, adding many unfamiliar faces; Lin Jingyu, who was once called Junior Brother, was now called Senior Brother by the newly initiated disciples.

"I dare not hope for too much. There are so many prodigies within the sect, and I do not know how many fellow disciples are hiding their true strength. I do not know what rank I can achieve; I can only go all out to strive for a good position, as long as I do not lose face for the peak."

Although Lin Jingyu spoke with modesty, the confidence revealed in his eyes was noticed by everyone.

"Junior Brother Jingyu is being too modest. With your current strength at the Foundation Establishment Third Realm, you can surely enter the top eight. If your luck is a bit better, it is not impossible to compete with Senior Brother Qi for the top four or even the top two."

"Junior Brother Jingyu, all of us brothers at Longshou Peak are waiting to cheer for you!"

Like the bright moon amidst the stars, the current Lin Jingyu was like the bright moon surrounded by a multitude of stars.

However, the strength of the Foundation Establishment Fourth Realm was indeed enough to become a leader of the sect's new generation.

Su Zhangqing was about to lift his leg to leave when he heard Zhang Xiaofan's voice from behind.

"Zhangqing!"

"Xiaofan!"

Su Zhangqing turned around and saw Zhang Xiaofan standing behind him, greeting him.

"Zhangqing, how have you been lately?"

Zhang Xiaofan asked Su Zhangqing in a simple and honest manner.

"Not bad!"

Su Zhangqing replied with a faint smile, secretly sizing up Zhang Xiaofan, and suddenly realized that this simple-minded boy was already at the Foundation Establishment Second Realm, and even faintly possessed the strength of the Foundation Establishment Third Realm.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, the topic eventually turned to this Seven Peaks Martial Arts Tournament.

"By the way, Zhangqing, are you going to participate in this Seven Peaks Martial Arts Tournament?"

Zhang Xiaofan asked Su Zhangqing.

"I am only at the Foundation Establishment Stage 1, so I originally had no strength to participate in this tournament, but Master told me to go and gain some experience, so he gave me a spot."

Su Zhangqing replied to Zhang Xiaofan.

"Foundation Establishment Stage 1?"

Hearing Su Zhangqing say he was only at the Foundation Establishment Stage 1, Zhang Xiaofan's eyes were filled with surprise, which instantly turned into worry.

Su Zhangqing naturally understood what he was thinking; he probably could not believe that someone's cultivation speed was slower than his own, and then he worried about Su Zhangqing getting hurt in the competition.

"Mm!"

Su Zhangqing did not elaborate.

Then Zhang Xiaofan's gaze fell on Lin Jingyu again; watching him being surrounded and flattered by the crowd, a few different emotions rose in his eyes, seemingly joy, seemingly envy, and even carrying a hint of jealousy.

"Do you want to go and say hello?"

Su Zhangqing sighed helplessly and suggested to him.

"Forget it, Jingyu has friends accompanying him; I won't go up and join the crowd to disturb them."

Zhang Xiaofan shook his head silently, his words carrying a hint of inferiority.

This silly boy probably did not know that this Seven Peaks Martial Arts Tournament would be the starting point of his rise to fame; he was already being influenced by the Blood-Sucking Bead.

"Shall we walk around?"

Su Zhangqing invited him to stroll together, chatting about daily life most of the time, subtly eliminating some of the negative influences brought by the Blood-Sucking Bead.

With the ringing of a bell, the sound was like thunder!

The thousands of disciples on the square instantly fell silent, and a red light flew into the sky, revealing an elder radiating immortal energy from a red immortal sword; he loudly said to the disciples standing on the square, "Fellow disciples of our sect, the Sect Leader has ordered that all disciples participating in the 'Seven Peaks Martial Arts Tournament' are to proceed to the Jade Purity Hall."

In an instant, many disciples walked out one after another, heading toward the front of the square.

As for Su Zhangqing and Zhang Xiaofan, after saying goodbye, they each found their own peak's team, and after the teams gathered, they each crossed the Rainbow Bridge and headed toward the Jade Purity Hall.

After crossing the Rainbow Bridge, they arrived at the Bishui Pool guarded by the Qingyun Sect's guardian spirit beast, the 'Water Qilin'. Su Zhangqing still had some impression of it—a massive ancient exotic beast, revered by the people of the Qingyun Sect as the 'Spirit Venerable', now lying honestly in the Bishui Pool resting.

Out of respect, all disciples had to pay their respects to the 'Spirit Venerable' when passing by, and Su Zhangqing, as a disciple of the sect, was no exception.

But after more than a dozen people had passed, the Water Qilin had shown no reaction to their salutes, still lying on the ground sleeping; yet, when Su Zhangqing stepped forward to bow respectfully, the little dragon-snake coiled around Su Zhangqing's arm poked out a dark-black head.

The Water Qilin seemed to have received some kind of guidance; it jumped up from the ground at once, staring blankly at the little dragon-snake with its pair of exquisite large eyes.

The dragon-snake and the Qilin stared at each other for a few seconds, when suddenly the Water Qilin knelt down on its front hooves, its large head buried low in respect, just as if a person were bowing.

This sudden scene instantly shocked everyone.

"What is going on? The Spirit Venerable is actually bowing!"

Even Su Zhangqing did not understand the situation—why this 'Spirit Venerable' had knelt down before him—but he also understood that the Spirit Venerable was certainly not kneeling for him, but for the little dragon-snake on his arm.

"Quick! Xiao Mo, make it stand up."

Although he did not understand the reason, Su Zhangqing knew that the one who tied the bell must untie it, so he hurriedly said to the little dragon-snake.

"Hiss, hiss, hiss!"

The little dragon-snake paused for a moment, then hissed at the Water Qilin, speaking in a snake language that could not be understood.

Sure enough, after receiving the guidance from the little dragon-snake, the Water Qilin immediately stood up again, but its eyes still looked at the little dragon-snake respectfully, as if it had seen a being of a more noble status among exotic beasts.

Before the crowd could become restless, Su Zhangqing hurriedly took the little dragon-snake and left the place.

After such a commotion, Su Zhangqing was even more curious about the identity of the little dragon-snake; what kind of origin could it have to be able to make an ancient exotic beast revered by ten thousand people bow to it?

Not long after Su Zhangqing left, a disturbance came from behind again; this time, Su Zhangqing did not need to think much to know that it was nine times out of ten that the demonic energy from Zhang Xiaofan's Blood-Sucking Bead had been detected by the Water Qilin and was now rioting.

"Do you have a way to make it quiet down?"

Su Zhangqing frowned and asked the little dragon-snake.

"Hiss!"

The little dragon-snake confirmed this answer.

"Spirit Venerable, please calm your anger!"

It was at this very moment that a call from the Sect Leader of the Qingyun Sect arrived.

Yet the Water Qilin had no intention of giving him any face; it continued to unleash its divine powers, slapping the water in the Bishui Pool high into the air, transforming it into clusters of water blades that moved like swimming dragons—crystalline and translucent, spinning and trembling in the air, looking extremely sharp and striking terror into the hearts of those who saw them.

"What is going on?"

Daoxuan furrowed his brows slightly at this moment; he did not understand why the "Spirit Venerable," which had always been peaceful and resting, would be so furious, as if it wanted to completely obliterate something.

But there was no time to think; Daoxuan hurriedly pinched a spell seal, wanting to stop these water blades from hurting anyone.

"Hiss! Hiss!"

The little dragon-snake, having received Su Changqing's command, let out bursts of hissing at the Water Qilin, and before Daoxuan had even finished pinching his spell seal, the Water Qilin suddenly retracted its divine powers with another slap of its palm, recovered from its frenzy, and obediently cast its gaze toward the little dragon-snake.

Everything happened in an instant, and now Daoxuan was even more puzzled.

How could the Spirit Venerable, which had just been so frantic, suddenly recover?

Following the gaze of the Water Qilin, he saw Su Changqing standing there, with an ink-colored dragon-snake coiled around his arm.

(End of this chapter)