I Can Fix My Talent in Hundred Lives-Chapter 406 - 333: The Situation Turns Unfavorable
On this day, the Martial Arts Arena of the Yun State Daoist Academy was buzzing with people.
The entire area was enveloped in layers of Spirit Light, with Nine Palace Eight Trigrams Array Patterns etched on the ground, shimmering with a gentle treasure-like glow as the sunlight fell upon it.
On the viewing platform on the east side of the arena, the banners of the Thirteen Mansions fluttered in the wind, the various flags intertwining, casting a multicolored light on the Daoist Robes of the cultivators below the platform.
The disciples from each State Mansion were lined up in their respective areas, while the Void Refining leaders of each mansion gathered under the pavilion on the south side of the viewing platform, holding hot tea in their hands, their faces adorned with polite smiles, while secretly assessing the lineup of disciples behind each other.
"Fellow Daoist Bai, it’s been a while, I must say, the lineup from your Jiuli Mansion is quite impressive this year!"
General Zhang, the leader from Chonglou Mansion, stroked his three strands of long beard under his chin, full of admiration in his tone:
"I heard the other day that your Mansion’s young friend Wuyue shattered the Daoist Soldier within just seven breaths. Such talent is truly rare and has the potential to break into the top hundred."
Mansion Master Bai wore an appropriately humble expression:
"Brother Zhang, you flatter me. Who doesn’t know that your Mansion’s young friend Celestial Song has already cultivated the Gathering Source Secret Technique to Great Success, enough to rival an ordinary Void Refining cultivator, truly promising indeed."
As the two conversed with laughter, several other leaders joined in, some praising the solid foundations of the other side, others lamenting the average talents of their own disciples, making the pavilion lively instantly.
Chen Sheng stood in the queue of Jiuli Mansion alongside Chen Xihua, waiting together.
At that moment, an inexplicable oppressive force descended without warning, instantly silencing the originally noisy Martial Arts Arena.
Chen Sheng felt his whole body stiffen, as if an invisible giant hand was pressing on his shoulders, making even breathing become labored.
He looked up abruptly, only to see nine majestic figures appearing on the previously clear sky at some unknown point in time.
Among the nine, some were dressed in Daoist Robes, some in armor holding swords, and others in plain long garments, all suspended above the clouds, their auras seemingly restrained like ordinary people, yet causing even the Dao Principles between heaven and earth to become tame.
The elderly figure in the center wearing a Purple Gold Daoist Robe, with a Rhombus Jade Seal inlaid on his forehead, was none other than the current State Lord, Nine Refining Dharma Master of Yun State.
To his left stood a burly man in Fiery Battle Armor, surrounded by faint thunder energy, the Thunder Flame Dharma Master guarding the soldiers.
To his right was a Daoist in snow-white robes, gently shaking a Feather Fan, the Yun State Chief Inspector, Dharma Master Qingxu. These three were the three giants of Yun State.
"Welcome, Dharma Masters!"
Mansion Master Bai quickly bowed in salute, followed by the other twelve mansion leaders leading their disciples in a unified chorus of salutations.
As Chen Sheng saluted, his gaze involuntarily shifted to the sky, his heart filled with boundless awe—as what he saw before his eyes were not nine individuals, but nine eternally towering Divine Peaks, nine vast starry skies.
Although the nine Dharma Masters did not emanate the slightest pressure, the Dao Principles he had recently comprehended within him trembled violently, seemingly encountering their origin, wanting to submit involuntarily.
"Perfection of the Dao, sublimation of the Dharma Seed, opening of the Xiaoqian, governing of myriad Dao, one cultivates oneself instead of heaven and earth..."
Inspector Guan He’s previous descriptions of the Integration Dharma Master suddenly echoed in Chen Sheng’s mind, and he finally grasped the profound mystery within.
Ordinary cultivators practice by leveraging heaven and earth, but Integration Dharma Masters have long transcended shackles, becoming a small world unto themselves, emanating Dao Principles from themselves, making even heaven and earth yield.
Above the firmament, the figures of the nine Dharma Masters seemed motionless, yet their consciousnesses intertwined in the void, forming an intangible sea of thoughts, exchanging seamlessly with each other.
Aside from the seven resident Dharma Masters of Yun State, the additional two were particularly noteworthy.
One was an elder in a gray Daoist Robe, with white hair and beard yet a ruddy complexion, a wine gourd hanging from his waist, famously known as the Carefree Cultivator—Dharma Master Zhou Cang.
The other was dressed in a peculiar black Magic Robe, embroidered with a Golden Star Map at the hem, his gaze as sharp as an eagle’s, the Celestial South Dharma Master from the external realm’s "Star River Sect."
"Brother Nine Refining, it’s been years. Yun State has indeed produced quite a few fine talents this year."
Zhou Cang swayed his wine gourd hanging at his waist, with a hint of amusement in his thoughts, his gaze sweeping over the Martial Arts Arena, finally landing on a young man in a green robe within the Yun State Prefecture’s queue.
That young man, with sword-like brows and starry eyes, surrounded by a faint golden glow, was the direct disciple he accepted in Yun State two thousand years ago.
The Thunder Flame Dharma Master’s hearty thoughts followed, tinged with admiration:
"Especially young friend Mu Yu, who has cultivated your Heaven Refining Secret Technique to the Fifth Layer, something even we back then could not surpass."
"When the regional competition day arrives, he will surely shine brightly, winning glory for Yun State."
The Nine Refining Dharma Master, upon hearing this, smiled faintly, but there was a hint of fairness in his thoughts:
"Fellow Daoist Thunder Flame overpraises. Your closed-door disciple is also no less impressive and is likely to inherit your mantle."
The Celestial South Dharma Master interjected with a thought at this time:
"Brother Nine Refining and Fellow Daoist Thunder Flame need not be modest. Young friend Mu Yu’s Heaven Refining Secret Technique is robust and domineering, while young friend Qianjue’s Thunder Pattern Secret Technique is unpredictable and ever-changing, both are rare talents indeed."
He paused, his gaze falling on the Daoist from his sect: "However, the juniors of my Star River Sect may not necessarily lose."
"Well said, fellow Daoist."
Dharma Master Qingxu gently shook his Feather Fan, with a gentle thought wafting like a spring breeze:
"This state competition not only has disciples under the seven of us, but also Brother Zhou’s esteemed pupil and the Star River Sect’s outstanding talents, truly a gathering of heroes. Let us calm down and watch the performances of these youngsters."
The mental communication of the nine Dharma Masters intertwined in the void, though there was a hint of mutual flattery, it could not hide their expectations for the younger generation.
...
The mental exchange of the nine Dharma Masters quietly dissipated in the void, and more than ten thousand cultivators at the Martial Arts Arena held their breath and focused their gaze upon the nine Dharma Masters in the sky.
Nine Refining Dharma Master slowly raised his hand, and with a light flick of his sleeve, a completely gold scroll flew out from his sleeve. The edges of the scroll were inlaid with fine Star Sand, and upon its appearance, it emitted a heart-palpitating Spiritual Pressure.
The scroll spun in mid-air and unfurled suddenly in the mountain wind.
Initially, it was only about a zhang long, but in the blink of an eye, it expanded a million times, the golden body of the scroll unfolded like a canopy, reaching to the Nine Heavens Cloud Layer above, and connecting to the edge of the Martial Arts Arena below, turning the entire sky over Yun State into a resplendent golden brilliance.
The scroll was engraved with profound Array Patterns, sometimes revealing phantom images of mountains and rivers, sometimes flashing illusions of swords and blades, leaving the cultivators below dumbfounded.
"Those who have not defeated Daoist Soldiers previously in the Mansion Competition shall enter this scroll."
Although the voice of Nine Refining Dharma Master was not loud, it clearly transmitted into the ears of every cultivator, as if echoing directly in their sea of consciousness:
"The scroll contains one hundred thousand small arrays. The number of layers you break through will determine your Mansion Competition results, with rewards bestowed accordingly."
As his words fell, he made a virtual grasp with his left hand, and a hundred Battle Platforms crafted entirely from Black Patterned Jade appeared from the void.
They were neatly arranged in the center of the Martial Arts Arena, with the Black Jade Battle Platforms and the Golden Scroll forming a scene of strong visual impact.
Nine Refining Dharma Master pointed his fingertip, and the hundred Battle Platforms simultaneously emitted a faint white light:
"Those who have defeated Daoist Soldiers may enter the Battle Platforms."
"Pairs will compete, and the winners will advance until the top hundred are determined, granting qualification for Domain Competition."
Once the rules were announced, the nine Integration Dharma Masters in the sky remained expressionless, clearly already aware of these arrangements.
However, among the group of cultivators below, it was as if a thunderstorm had been unleashed, instantly causing an uproar.
Initially, there were only suppressed whispers, but after a while, it turned into a wave of growing commotion.
Only those cultivators who had defeated Daoist Soldiers looked calm, while the faces of the others showed varying degrees of shock and panic.
Among the crowd, a cultivator dressed in a gray robe gasped:
"What? Only those who defeated Daoist Soldiers can enter the Battle Platforms?"
He was from Qiong State Prefecture, and during the Mansion Competition, he also had the chance to defeat a Daoist Soldier. However, thinking that reaching the top thousand was enough, he reserved his strength, and upon hearing the rules, his face turned pale instantly.
His companion next to him grasped his sleeve tightly, signaling him to remain silent, but his eyes were filled with the same despair.
Not far away, a few cultivators from Zhang State Prefecture gathered together:
"Why? Our sect encountered a demon beast attack during the Mansion Competition, delaying our cultivation. We intended to prove ourselves at the Mansion Competition..."
Before he could finish, the leading senior brother sharply interrupted: "Shut up! The rules set by the Dharma Masters are not for you to question?"
But as that senior brother turned away, a flash of uncontainable frustration crossed his eyes. He himself, injured during the Mansion Competition, failed to defeat a Daoist Soldier, and the sense of injustice in his heart was stronger than anyone’s.
He had spent centuries in rigorous cultivation solely for this Mansion Competition, yet he didn’t even qualify to step onto the stage.
Chen Xihua stood in the line of Jiuli Mansion, a flicker of surprise in his eyes that quickly turned into deep relief.
With an unchanged expression, he communicated with Chen Sheng through their Primordial Spirit, his tone full of lingering fear:
"Fortunately, I fought desperately to kill that Daoist Soldier. Without that record, I wouldn’t even qualify for today’s Battle Platform competition."
Chen Sheng nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the dejected-faced cultivators, feeling a bit of sentiment:
"According to these rules, among the thirteen mansions, there are fewer than a thousand cultivators who defeated Daoist Soldiers in total. With a hundred Battle Platforms in simultaneous matches, it should end quickly."
"The Dharma Master is indeed decisive and swift."
In Chen Xihua’s Primordial Spirit communication, there was a hint of perplexity:
"The Mansion Competition lasted just a month from start to finish, and it seems the State Competition won’t take long either. Yet, the Domain Competition is still ten years away, isn’t the gap too large? Do the Dharma Masters have other plans?"
"Very likely."
Chen Sheng’s gaze fell on the Nine Refining Dharma Master in the sky, responding thoughtfully:
"Deciding on the hundred names early might be to gather them for guidance or arrange for Secret Realm trials and cultivation opportunities, they can’t possibly waste these ten years."
As he said so, Chen Sheng let out a slow breath of turbid air. This new rule did no good for him either.
His swordsmanship had reached initial success, with much room for progress.
If the State Competition could last seven or eight years as in previous years, he would be confident in making further progress within the process, not without hope of entering the top hundred.
But now, with the schedule drastically shortened, with his current cultivation level, hoping to break into the top hundred among nearly one thousand young talents truly seemed like a slim chance.
