Volume 3 Chapter 21

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Volume 3 Chapter 21: The Next Day (Part 1)

The night in the Southern Wasteland was dark and gloomy, with cold rain, just like Xuan Lian’s mood at that moment.

When Xuan Lian saw Kai Huan had fainted, he was startled and quickly sent Spirit Qi into Kai Huan’s body to check his condition. Relieved, Xuan Lian discovered that Kai Huan was only severely injured and exhausted, which caused him to fall unconscious but posed no threat to his life.

Jiuhua Gate’s Xu Qingfan? Of course, Xuan Lian was familiar with that name. Three years ago, Xuan Xiu issued the highest-level summons in Penance Valley, accompanied by news that the "Nine Demon Bead" had resurfaced in the world. Upon receiving this message, everyone in Penance Valley was greatly alarmed, and under Xuanmoda’s leadership, they quickly arrived at the Southern Wasteland. They successfully eliminated the owner of the magic bead before he could grow powerful and sealed the bead.

It was during that time that Xuan Lian first met Xu Qingfan. He knew clearly that Xu Qingfan made significant contributions in that event, achieving great merit. Not only did Xu Qingfan help Xuan Xiu and Bao Wei gain time for the Penance Valley cultivators to arrive in time, but he also personally killed the culprit, Naxiu, in the end.

Xu Qingfan’s determination when he discovered Naxiu was his lost cousin and his resolute decision to adopt Tinger after learning she was altered by the magic bead left a strong impression on Xuan Lian. In the current Newcomer Competition, Xu Qingfan was even the leader of the five participating Jiuhua Gate disciples. Not seeing him for three years, Xu Qingfan’s strength had greatly increased, as Xuan Lian clearly knew.

It was precisely because Xuan Lian understood Xu Qingfan that he was puzzled by Kai Huan’s earlier words. According to the situation, Kai Huan seemed to suggest that the ones who injured him included Jiuhua Gate’s Xu Qingfan. However, from what Xuan Lian knew about Xu Qingfan, he wouldn’t resort to seizing another disciple’s achievements unless absolutely necessary, and if he did, he would never harm anyone’s life.

But if that’s not what Kai Huan meant, what else could he be referring to?

"Could it be that Xu Qingfan and his group are in danger?" As this possibility occurred to him, Xuan Lian became anxious and immediately prepared to alert the Penance Valley cultivators guarding Jiuhua Gate to be cautious and vigilant.

Xuan Lian didn’t send out the signaling spell but suddenly sensed something. His heart stirred slightly, and he looked toward the south of Huandao Island, where a subtle yet peculiar fluctuation of Spirit Qi was coming from.

This Spirit Qi fluctuation was a signal for Penance Valley cultivators to gather. Any Penance Valley cultivator not currently on a mission would have to rush there upon sensing the Spirit Qi fluctuation.

After hesitating slightly, Xuan Lian quickly flew towards the source of the Spirit Qi fluctuation, carrying the severely injured and unconscious Kai Huan.

But the scene he witnessed upon arriving there left Xuan Lian utterly shocked.

At the location of the Spirit Qi fluctuation, nearly twenty Penance Valley cultivators were already standing, all with furrowed brows, full of anger and confusion. Xuan Lian was the last to arrive.

Thirty-six sects came to Huandao Island to participate in the Newcomer Competition, all of which are prominent sects in the cultivation world. There were also thirty-six cultivators from Penance Valley who arrived at Huandao Island, each at or above the Fake Golden Core Stage. Under Xuan Jian’s arrangement, each cultivator secretly guarded a disciple from a sect.

By the end of the first day on Huandao Island, twenty-one sects lost the qualification to continue the competition due to failing to capture the Seven-colored Deer and returned to Zhantai. Meanwhile, ten Penance Valley cultivators accompanied them back to Zhantai to report the first day’s competition events on Huandao Island to their sect leaders and elders.

The remaining eleven Penance Valley cultivators stayed on Huandao Island to prevent any unexpected incidents.

In addition, fifteen sects continued competing on Huandao Island, so there were still fifteen Penance Valley cultivators secretly providing protection.

In this way, there are a total of twenty-six Penance Valley cultivators remaining on the entire Huandao Island. At this moment, there are seventeen Penance Valley cultivators gathered here, with Xuan Lian making eighteen, which means only eight cultivators are still guarding the disciples of various sects, while the other seven who were supposed to guard them have gathered here for some reason.

Could it be…

Xuan Lian suddenly thought of a possibility and quickly focused on looking at these Penance Valley friends. Sure enough, he saw that six other Penance Valley cultivators, like him, were holding severely injured disciples from various sects.

A Penance Valley cultivator saw the severely injured Kai Huan in Xuan Lian’s arms and said with a bitter smile, "Taoist Friend Xuan Lian, have the disciples you were guarding from Medicine King Valley also been attacked?"

"Taoist Friend Xuan Han, could it be that the ‘Heavenly Spirit Gate’ you were guarding was also attacked?" Upon hearing this Penance Valley cultivator’s words, Xuan Lian quickly asked.

Xuan Han nodded helplessly, glanced at the seriously injured disciple in his arms, and said with a bitter smile, "Yes, I made a mistake and fell for someone else’s trick to lure the tiger away from the mountain. By the time I rushed back, four out of the five ‘Heavenly Spirit Gate’ disciples had already died, with only one survivor who was seriously injured. It’s not just me; Taoist friends like Xuanhuan, Xuansheng, and others experienced the same."

Hearing Xuan Han’s words, Xuan Lian was startled and quickly looked at the other five Penance Valley cultivators holding the severely injured disciples from other sects. Those five also met Xuan Lian’s questioning gaze with bitter smiles and nodded slightly.

After the seven cultivators recounted their experiences, they found that all seven of them had the exact same story. They were first lured away by a mysterious person full of evil energy, and when they realized something was wrong and wanted to return, they were obstructed.

When they returned to the disciples they were guarding, they found that all these disciples had four dead with one severely injured. More importantly, when these seriously injured disciples woke up, they all said it was people from Jiuhua Gate who attacked them.

Now, on Huandao Island, only the disciples of the six major Holy Lands, Eight Wilderness Hall, and Liuhe Gate have remained without incident. The eight Penance Valley cultivators who haven’t arrived are indeed the guardians of these sect disciples.

"This is clearly a conspiracy, an attempt to frame Jiuhua Gate," Xuan Ling said with an icy expression after listening to the seven cultivators’ account.

The sect Xuan Ling was guarding had already been eliminated in the previous round, losing the eligibility to continue competing, so he stayed on Huandao Island to prevent any unexpected incidents. He was meditating when he suddenly noticed someone summoning the Penance Valley cultivators, and upon arriving, this happened.

Xuan Lian nodded and said, "We all know about Xu Qingfan’s character and integrity; I can’t believe that in just three short years, he’d become someone who stops at nothing to achieve his goals."

Xuan Han also nodded and said, "Moreover, we didn’t see with our own eyes that these acts were truly committed by Jiuhua Gate’s disciples. Every time an incident happens to a disciple, we’re led away by a mysterious person beforehand. It’s highly suspicious. There’s a significant possibility of framing."

Xuan Ling sneered, "But no matter how suspicious it is, the major sects will inevitably suspect Jiuhua Gate. In the realm of rumors and speculations, if your pants get muddied, whether it’s dirt or dung, it’s all regarded as dung. I’m afraid Jiuhua Gate is in trouble this time. Moreover, we Penance Valley have also failed; under our secret protection, twenty-eight disciples died, and seven were seriously injured. How can we explain this to the sect leaders?"

Hearing Xuan Ling’s words, although they knew he usually spoke this way, Xuan Lian, Xuan Han, and the seven others couldn’t help but look grim.

Suddenly, the cultivators of Penance Valley fell silent.

Xuan Xian, who had previously met Xu Qingfan in Southern Wasteland, was also involved in the task of secretly protecting each sect’s disciples. Like Xuan Ling, the disciples of the sect he guarded had already returned to Zhantai due to a previous mission failure, and he remained on Huandao Island to prevent any incidents. He had been quietly listening to Xuan Ling and the others and now suddenly spoke, "Whether it’s Xu Qingfan and his group’s doing or not, we need to confirm with Taoist Friend Xuan Xiu."

In Penance Valley, Xu Qingfan was undoubtedly most familiar with Xuan Xiu, who was currently acting as the guardian of Jiuhua Gate on Huandao Island, secretly protecting the five from Jiuhua Mountain. No one would be more aware than Xuan Xiu of whether Xu Qingfan and the others attacked members of other sects during the night.

Upon hearing Xuan Xian’s words, the other cultivators from Penance Valley first showed a glimmer of hope in their eyes, but that quickly faded. Although Xuan Xiu had not yet been found, everyone had nearly guessed the outcome. Since someone intended to frame Jiuhua Gate, Xuan Xiu was likely lured away like Xuan Lian and the others.

Seeing the expressions of the cultivators, Xuan Xian sighed slightly and continued, "The situation is urgent now, and we have no time to keep guessing. Taoist Friends Xuan Ling, Xuanhai, and Xuan’an, you three, along with the seven Taoist friends like Xuan Lian, must immediately take the severely injured disciples from various sects to Zhantai for treatment. Also, report the events here to the sect leaders and ask them whether the Newcomer Competition should proceed."

As he spoke, Xuan Xian’s lips curled into a faint bitter smile as he went on, "In theory, the entire Huandao Island is under a ‘Mirror Technique,’ so the sect leaders should see everything clearly. Yet, no one has come to us. If my guess is correct, there might be some changes taking place at Zhantai as well."

Hearing Xuan Xian’s remarks, Xuan Ling and the others couldn’t help but look a bit downcast, but they still nodded in agreement.

Xuan Xian then addressed the others, "I will go find Taoist Friend Xuan Xiu to inquire about the situation. Meanwhile, I ask the fifteen other Taoist friends to commence searching Huandao Island for traces of those mysterious individuals. Also, inform other Taoist friends guarding various sects to be extremely cautious and never fall for any strategy to lure the tiger away from the mountain."

Although Xuan Xian was the youngest among the Penance Valley cultivators, he was effective in his work and highly skilled. Thus, he was held in high esteem in Penance Valley, naturally taking on a commanding role among the cultivators at this moment.

Suddenly, Xuan Ling asked, "Taoist Friend Xuan Xian, do you mean the Newcomer Competition will continue?"

Xuan Xian gave a wry smile and said, "Since the cultivation world appeared, there has been a Newcomer Competition every sixty years, never interrupted. Although some unexpected incidents have occurred this time, we do not have the authority to cancel or halt it on our own. All decisions still depend on the wishes of the sect leaders at Zhantai."

Upon hearing Xuan Xian’s words, the other cultivators of Penance Valley silently nodded and said no more, each going their separate ways according to Xuan Xian’s instructions.

Watching the Penance Valley cultivators transform into streams of light and fly in all directions toward Huandao Island, Xuan Xian sighed softly. He then rode the clouds towards the southeast of Huandao Island, where he hoped to find Xuan Xiu and the others from Jiuhua Gate, including Xu Qingfan.

…

Conspiracy, suspicion, doubt, meditation, conflict. Amidst so many complex events, the first night on Huandao Island passed unnoticed.

At dawn, the sudden rain ceased, and the dark clouds retreated. It seemed the drizzle that fell all night depleted the sky of clouds. A new day began bright and clear, with no obstructions, casting a stark contrast to the darkness of the previous night on Huandao Island.

In the sunshine, Jin Qinghan, Feng Qingtian, and Lv Qingshang finished their meditation and slowly opened their eyes, looking refreshed. Clearly, after a night of rest, they had returned to their best state.

Seeing Xu Qingfan and Wang Qingjun still guarding them, Lv Qingshang showed a hint of gratitude and said with a smile, "Thank you, junior brothers, for your hard work. Tonight, I will take the watch."

Xu Qingfan smiled slightly upon hearing Lv Qingshang’s words, and said, "I fear that before tonight arrives, we will have finished our task. Yesterday, we already captured seven Seven-colored Deer. Could it be possible that we won’t catch at least three today? Senior Brother Lv’s words sound righteous, but in truth, he wants to slack off."

Lv Qingshang laughed heartily at Xu Qingfan’s words and then said, "Let’s hope there won’t be another roar like yesterday’s."

Just as Xu Qingfan was about to speak, Feng Qingtian calmly said, "Let’s act quickly and finish early so we can report back to Zhantai."

Hearing Feng Qingtian’s words, Xu Qingfan and the others exchanged a faint, bitter smile, but said nothing more. After tidying up, they flew towards another part of Huandao Island. The Seven-colored Deer in the area where they meditated last night had already been captured by them.

While Xu Qingfan and his companions were confident in completing the first round of the Newcomer Competition, two cultivators from Penance Valley were worriedly floating above them in the sky.

"So, Taoist Friend Xuan Xiu, you had no idea about the whereabouts of the Jiuhua Gate five last night?" Xuan Xian, though he had expected this, couldn’t help but feel a bit disappointed.

Xuan Xiu smiled wryly, "Yes, yesterday I stumbled upon a mysterious figure who appeared suspicious. Driven by curiosity, I followed them, only to end up in a fierce battle all night. That person was incredibly strong, leaving me unable to escape."

Xuan Xian sighed slowly, "In that case, there’s no one to prove Xu Qingfan and the others’ innocence. Jiuhua Gate might face an attack this time."

Xuan Xiu sighed along with him, and the two stood silently in midair, gazing at Xu Qingfan and his group below, with nothing more to say.

Suddenly, Xuan Xian was struck with a jolt, a hint of regret in his eyes. He urgently said to Xuan Xiu, "I must go find Xuan Ling and the ten other Taoist friends. Taoist Friend Xuan Xiu, remember, no matter the truth of last night’s events, Xu Qingfan and his group are key to this matter. Please protect them carefully; nothing must happen to them."

Without another word, Xuan Xian swiftly flew towards the forest at the center of Huandao Island, where there was a teleportation array leading to Zhantai.

Seeing Xuan Xian so anxious, Xuan Xiu was puzzled and asked telepathically, "Taoist Friend Xuan Xian, what have you thought of?"

"I miscalculated. Such a change on Huandao Island, and yet no one has come to the Zhantai until now. I’m afraid it’s not just because the Mirror Technique failed. It seems the teleportation array on Huandao Island has also been destroyed. I just hope there’s no ambush near the Huandao Island teleportation array. Otherwise, Xuan Ling and the other taoist friends are in danger."

As soon as he finished speaking, Xuan Xian’s figure disappeared from Xuan Xiu’s sight.

Hearing Xuan Xian’s words, Xuan Xiu was also anxious, but seeing Xu Qingfan and the others beginning to fly away, he sighed slightly and secretly followed them.

…

As Xuan Xian noticed something was wrong, Xuan Ling and ten Penance Valley cultivators brought seven severely injured disciples from various sects to the woods in the middle of Huandao Island.

When they saw the completely destroyed teleportation array in front of them, their expressions turned grim.

Building a teleportation array is extremely troublesome. It requires not only a large number of high-grade spirit stones and many rare materials but also several knowledgeable people in formations to spend days setting it up successfully. Seeing how this teleportation array was destroyed, repairing it seems as difficult as building a new one.

Not to mention that among the cultivators present, not one is skilled in setting up formations. Even if there was someone skilled, where could the cultivators suddenly find so many high-grade spirit stones and rare materials? Moreover, even with enough materials and an expert in formations, the cultivators don’t have the time to set it up.

"It seems this matter was planned long ago." After looking at the damaged teleportation array for a long while, Xuan Ling finally said slowly.

Xuan Han asked, "What should we do now?"

Xuan Ling sighed, "Let’s go back and discuss a countermeasure with Taoist Friend Xuan Xian. It appears the situation is much more serious than we imagined."

Upon hearing Xuan Ling’s words, the other cultivators from Penance Valley also wore solemn expressions and nodded slightly in agreement.

But just as the cultivators from Penance Valley prepared to fly out of the forest, the Spirit Qi in the woods began to fluctuate in a peculiar pattern. The fluctuation of the Spirit Qi was so intense that even the esteemed Penance Valley cultivators, who were at the Condensed Core Stage, couldn’t help but show surprise on their faces.

Within the fluctuations of Spirit Qi, the scenery in front of the cultivators started to blur and twist before suddenly changing dramatically. The dense trees and lush grass transformed into the image of a vast, surging ocean, and the cultivators found themselves standing mid-air, just a few feet above the water.

"Seven Scenic Illusionary Killing Formation!"

Observing the strange and sudden change in the scenery, Xuan Lian, who had some knowledge of formations, spoke in a deep, cautious voice.

"Seven Scenic Illusionary Killing Formation" is one of the most powerful attack formations known in the Cultivation World. This formation has seven variations, each creating a different illusion. Any cultivator trapped in this formation will have their originally strong Divine Sense suppressed to the lowest level and will be confused by the illusions created by the formation. What they see may be either real or false, making it difficult to defend against.

For instance, the sea view before the cultivators in Penance Valley may be filled with raging waves that could either be illusions or real attacks, difficult to defend against, yet leaving you with no choice but to be cautious.

In the cultivation world, there is another saying that the "Seven Scenic Illusionary Killing Formation" is less of an attack array and more of an entrapment array, for when you are caught in it, as long as you don’t move, the formation itself won’t actively attack you.

The sea waves before Xuan Ling and the others are one of the "Seven Scenic Illusionary Killing Formation’s" scenes, and the least powerful of the seven illusions. Seeing this illusion look so vivid before many Condensed Core Stage cultivators suggests that not only is it controlled by experts, but they are also aided by the formation’s array disk.

"We’ve been tricked," Xuan Ling said, his eyes flashing with anger as he looked at the illusion before him.

"What should we do? Should we attempt to break the formation?" Xuan Lian asked.

Xuan Han shook his head and said, "If it were just the ten of us, breaking the formation wouldn’t be a problem. But now we also have seven disciples from various sects who are severely injured and unable to protect themselves. If we try to break the formation, it may trigger a counterattack that we might not be able to shield them from in a hurry."

"Then what should we do?" Xuan An asked, frowning at the illusion before them.

"Wait," Xuan Ling said decisively after pondering for a moment. "When the ‘Seven Scenic Illusionary Killing Formation’ activates, the Spirit Qi is subtle but can’t escape the notice of Condensed Core Stage cultivators. I believe the other taoist friends on the island have already sensed the unusual Spirit Qi fluctuations here and will come soon. Once they arrive, breaking the formation from the outside should not be difficult."

Hearing Xuan Ling’s words, the other nine Penance Valley cultivators looked resigned but nodded slightly in agreement.

"This is the best we can do. I hope they don’t have any more tricks up their sleeve," Xuan Han muttered softly, his eyes flickering slightly.

…

Just as Xu Qingfan and the other four began to move, on the other side of Huandao Island, five members of the Liuhe Gate also gradually awoke from their meditation.

Among the Liuhe Gate, the young man who had kept his eyes closed all along suddenly became serious after waking up and let out a gentle sound of surprise.

Seeing this person’s solemn expression, Deng Tianao’s face also turned serious and he asked, "Junior Brother Chou, what did you discover? Why do you look so serious?"

"Before meditation yesterday, I clearly felt that disciples from fifteen sects were active on Huandao Island. But now, I found that aside from us, the Eight Wilderness Hall, and the six Holy Lands, the disciples from the other seven sects have suddenly disappeared from Huandao Island."

Hearing Junior Brother Chou’s words, Deng Tianao also felt a bit puzzled. Disciples who passed the first day’s trial without being eliminated should be elites, so it’s impossible for them to have all been eliminated in such a short time. Nor could they have completed the task before the six Holy Lands, the Eight Wilderness Hall, and the Liuhe Gate. Their sudden disappearance is very suspicious.

"Have you found any specific clues?" Deng Tianao asked.

"No, not a single clue. But I have this uneasy feeling, as if we’re trapped in some sort of crisis," Junior Brother Chou said slowly, with an increasingly solemn expression.

If it were anyone else claiming to have some sort of premonition in front of Deng Tianao, he would definitely knock them out with a spell to save himself from their chatter. But when it comes to Junior Brother Chou’s foresight, Deng Tianao doesn’t dare take it lightly, as he’s witnessed the accuracy of his junior brother’s premonitions countless times before.

So, after pondering for a moment, Deng Tianao suddenly asked, "Where are those Jiuhua Gate fellows now?"

"On the east side of Huandao Island, capturing their eighth Seven-colored Deer," replied Junior Brother Chou without hesitation, as if he had the entire situation on Huandao Island under control.

Hearing Junior Brother Chou’s words, Deng Tianao smiled slightly and said with a hint of intrigue, "Is that so? They’ve already caught eight? It seems they’re quite plump now, and I have no reason to let them go any longer."

After saying this, Deng Tianao added solemnly, "If we snatch those eight Seven-colored Deer from them, along with the six we already have, that totals fourteen. We will have exceeded our mission goals. Since you sense something is off, we’ll leave Huandao Island immediately after taking the Seven-colored Deer, without any delay."

"Alright," replied Junior Brother Chou with a smile.

…

On the southern side of Huandao Island, Huang Xie of the Eight Wilderness Hall was slowly making his way toward the eastern side, with four disciples from the hall following him at a distance of three yards behind.

After walking for a long time, one of them hurried to catch up with Huang Xie, cautiously asking, "Senior Brother Huang Xie, we’ve searched the entire southern part of Huandao Island but haven’t found any cultivators from other sects. Are we…"

Huang Xie cast a cold glance at the person, silencing him with fear before saying coolly, "After searching the south, go to the east; we’ll find it eventually."

With that, Huang Xie paid no attention to his junior, who was sweating with fear from his gaze, and continued to walk slowly towards the east of Huandao Island. His pace, though seemingly slow, was actually swift, and in the blink of an eye, he became a faint black dot in the distance.