Daoist Competition-Chapter 154 - 45: Three Parties Gather, Meeting Qin Nan Again

Chapter 154: Chapter 45: Three Parties Gather, Meeting Qin Nan Again

At Xie Zongyuan’s invitation, everyone boarded his Dragon Tooth Flying Boat.

This flying boat, worthy of a Xuan Guang Practitioner, sped as swiftly as sword flying. In less than a day, a green-tiled palace with vermillion pillars gradually appeared in view.

From afar, the palace roof radiated auspicious energy that spiraled upward, connecting with the celestial auspicious clouds above. A beam of ethereal light pierced through the clouds and cascaded down, illuminating the three-tiered jade stairs before the hall. The steps shimmered like frozen water clouds, crystalline and graceful. The wisp of smoke curling from the Purple Copper Incense Burner seemed surreal, misty and ephemeral, as if merging with the surrounding haze.

Xie Zongyuan marveled aloud, "Oh, such Spiritual Energy reaching the heavens! True Master Peng must possess profoundly deep cultivation. When executing Mysterious Skill, even the heavens respond; clouds and rosy glows accompany—could it be that our Mingcang Sect will soon rename its Ten Great True Masters?"

Zhao Zhen let out a scoffing sound and interjected, "How can it be that simple? A single step could span the heavens and earth. My granduncle once said, if True Master Peng can cross this threshold within a century, then perhaps it would bode well; otherwise, he might lose all hope in this lifetime."

Although Xie Zongyuan did not agree, nearing the Shouming Palace, he refrained from further comments, fearing that True Master Peng might overhear and cause unnecessary trouble.

Zhao Zhen, however, assumed his sharp words had hit the mark and strutted in self-satisfaction.

Zhang Yan found it amusing. This Zhao Zhen, every time someone brought up a topic, he would immediately oppose it, and the more contentious the topic, the more spirited he became. Yet, his arguments often carried a hint of flawed logic—truly irritating. If not for relying on him to lead the way on this journey, Zhang Yan thought he would have likely been cast aside long ago.

Seeing the arrival of the flying boat, a dignified yet somewhat charming Daoist Nun stepped forward from in front of Shouming Hall. She performed a respectful bow and said, "Are the several senior brothers also here to cultivate in the Demon Cave?"

Liu Tao and Zhang Yan exchanged a glance, while Xie Zongyuan asked curiously, "Besides us, could there be others arriving as well?"

The Daoist Nun smiled and replied, "This senior brother guessed rightly. Five days ago, Senior Brother Fang Zhen, disciple of True Master Yan, arrived here, saying he intended to take several fellow senior brothers into the Demon Cave for cultivation. Three days ago, several senior brothers from the Yun Lang Han Clan also came here. Adding everyone, there may be nearly twenty people now."

Yun Lang Han Clan?

Even Xie Zongyuan’s expression shifted slightly. The Yun Lang Han Clan was one of the Five Great Families—a noble family among noble families within the Mingcang Sect. Disciples from such clans rarely mingled with sect disciples. For them to descend into the Demon Cave for cultivation this time must mean they were aiming for an early breakthrough in their cultivation before the battle against the Three Pools.

The Daoist Nun continued, "The Sea Eye portal opens on the first and fifteenth of the month. You’ll likely have to wait a few days. May I ask how to address the esteemed senior brothers? So I can prepare the quarters and meals accordingly."

Xie Zongyuan was just about to answer when Zhao Zhen suddenly sneered and quipped, "Names aren’t necessary, are they? Or else tonight’s meal might end up tasting solely of tongue."

Hearing this, the Daoist Nun froze in place, her face flushing red as her eyes filled with resentment and annoyance. Without saying another word, she turned and walked away.

Xie Zongyuan shook his head and remarked, "I didn’t expect Fang Zhen and his group to be here."

Zhang Yan’s gaze flickered slightly as he said, "Not surprising. Fang Zhen is also Ming Qi Third Layer. They must have learned of the impending battle against the Three Pools and came here to cultivate as well. Moreover, everyone knows of the close ties between True Masters Zhu and Yan. Zhuang Bufan, a disciple of True Master Zhu, has guarded the Demon Cave for sixteen years, ensuring not a single devil broke through. He should be intimately familiar with the situation inside, and pointing Fang Zhen’s group in the right direction would be no trouble for him."

"Guarding?" Zhao Zhen scoffed, his face full of disdain. He sneered, "That’s nothing but an excuse to openly cultivate Divine Skills. If not for the Prohibition Array in Shouming Palace, the devils inside would’ve broken free long ago. What need is there for him to guard anything? Whether he’s here or not doesn’t make a difference."

Xie Zongyuan coughed gently, glancing at Liu Tao, who immediately caught the hint and suggested, "This is my first time at Shouming Palace. I don’t know much about the sights here; why don’t Brother Zhao take me around for a tour?"

With that, he didn’t wait for Zhao Zhen’s response and briskly dragged him away.

Cheng An, who had remained silent throughout the journey, hesitated briefly before following Liu Tao.

Xie Zongyuan motioned for Zhang Yan to follow him to a secluded corner, then spoke in a low voice, "None of us are familiar with the routes beneath the Sea Eye. Our only hope lies in Zhao Zhen, but this man is overly boastful, impulsive, and frivolous. I truly doubt whether he can handle this responsibility."

Seeing Xie Zongyuan’s frustration, Zhang Yan chuckled and said, "When employing someone, trust them; when doubting, don’t use them. Besides, his words are not entirely baseless—it’s merely his sharp tongue making them sound sarcastic. Senior Brother should treat his remarks as mere banter."

Xie Zongyuan nodded slightly, then said, "What I’m concerned about now is Fang Zhen and his group learning of our plans to enter the Demon Cave. They might secretly try to sabotage us."

Zhang Yan caught the underlying meaning in his words. After a moment of contemplation, he responded in a serious tone, "We must remain vigilant."

Just then, the Daoist Nun from earlier returned, but this time her face was expressionless. She said flatly, "Senior brothers, I’ve checked, and the guest quarters are completely full. Shouming Palace is also occupied entirely by female cultivators, so it would be inconvenient to accommodate external guests. Since you are cultivators sustaining yourselves on Spiritual Qi, I trust you won’t mind spending the night outdoors, correct?"

Xie Zongyuan frowned slightly. Personally, he didn’t care much about where he stayed. However, knowing Fang Zhen and his group were staying inside while they were relegated outdoors could lead to ridicule and tarnish the Xie Family’s reputation in future encounters.

Zhang Yan didn’t mind, thinking this arrangement might help avoid unnecessary confrontations with Fang Zhen’s group.

At that moment, a voice called out excitedly from behind, "Brother Zhang!"

Zhang Yan turned around to see Qin Nan standing not far away, her cheeks rosy and her robe resembling the Daoist Nun’s. Taken aback, he asked, "Junior Sister Qin? Are you cultivating here?"

Qin Nan beamed, "Certainly!"

After a moment of thought, she turned to the Daoist Nun and said, "These senior brothers are guests from afar. Since the guest quarters are full, let them rest in a side hall instead."

The Daoist Nun lowered her head respectfully and said, "Yes, Martial Aunt."

Xie Zongyuan chuckled lightly, "Since you’ve encountered an old acquaintance, no doubt you have much to catch up on. I’ll take my leave to wander elsewhere."

With a swirl of his robe, he strolled away.

Smiling faintly, Zhang Yan asked, "How should I address Junior Sister Qin and True Master Peng?"

Qin Nan blushed slightly and replied, "Originally, I was a Registered Disciple under Brother Chen. Later, the Ancestor Master saw me and accepted me as a Closed-door Disciple."

Zhang Yan looked her over carefully and remarked, "Junior Sister truly has great fortune."

Despite having parted for only half a month, Qin Nan had already reached the peak of Ming Qi First Realm, seemingly on the verge of breaking through to the Second Realm—a rate of progress so astonishing it defied belief.

Qin Nan blinked her large eyes at Zhang Yan and asked, "Brother Zhang, are you here to cultivate in the Demon Cave as well?"

Zhang Yan replied, "Exactly. Has Junior Sister been there before?"

Qin Nan nodded earnestly, "Yes, I’ve been cultivating within it every day recently."

Zhang Yan suddenly understood. No wonder her cultivation had been advancing at such an incredible pace; it was clearly tied to this factor. Considering this, a thought struck him, and he asked, "Junior Sister, since you’ve been here, do you know the routes beneath the Sea Eye?"

Qin Nan thought for a moment before her bright eyes lit up and she said, "Brother Zhang, wait briefly."

She turned and left, returning about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. She handed him a square silk map about a foot wide, densely covered with intertwining red lines that were hard to discern. "I saw this map in my master’s study and sketched a copy. I don’t know if it’ll be useful, but you’re welcome to take it."

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