Chapter 176

Chapter 176: Changes in the Situation

Lanyue Sect! Ding Xiu!

Hearing the newcomer’s name, the representatives of powerful forces on the high platform turned grave.

Young cultivators didn’t recognize him, but the elders knew better.

Ding Xiu, one of Lanyue Sect’s three Grand Protectors, a Spirit Communication cultivator at the perfect realm, the True Man of Returning Dust!

His arrival brought tension—especially since Lanyue Sect and the Zhuhu Dynasty were bitter rivals.

Three figures had flown from the mountains earlier: the Sect Master of Daoyuanshan and two other Spirit Communication cultivators.

Yet now they merely stared at Ding Xiu across the protective formation.

"True Man of Returning Dust visits Daoyuanshan without warning?"

An aged voice rang out from Daoyuanshan’s peaks after the trio spoke.

"Ha! Did I mishear?" Ding Xiu sneered, scanning the three with contempt. "Friend Murei, you think this puny Daoyuanshan warrants prior notice from Lanyue?"

"My sect leader drinks and plays chess with the National Master at Chongtian Palace as we speak. Open your formation now—must I tear it down myself?"

*Boom! Crack—*

The protective array groaned under unseen heavy pressure, its glow flaring wildly.

A golden thunderbolt suddenly split the sky, shattering Ding Xiu’s oppressive aura and rocking the crossing-continental celestial ship.

Ding Xiu steadied it with a flick of his hand.

"To visit without gifts is rude," Elder Murei’s voice boomed. "Daoyuanshan may pale before Lanyue Sect, but remember—this is Tiger-Chasing territory."

Ding Xiu scoffed, but froze mid-retort. His hand shot toward empty air beside him.

*Hiss—*

A blue flying sword materialized where he grasped.

"Ding Xiu," a mocking voice carried from afar as a figure approached, "still throwing your weight around, I see."

Cultivators within Daoyuanshan’s formation exhaled in relief. With the Master here, their lives were secure.

"Jia Huairen!" Ding Xiu spat, glaring at the Faceless Man.

Old grudges hung thick between the two.

Ding Xiu glared at him, not bothering to hide the venom in his eyes.

Jia Huairen mirrored this hostility, having been looking for any chance to eliminate him.

"Why are you here?"

"How amusing. Within the Zhuhu Dynasty’s borders, is there any place forbidden to me?"

Jia Huairen glanced downward as he retorted, "You should ask yourself – instead of cowering in your turtle shell, you come swaggering into Tiger-Chasing territory. What? Came looking for female turtles?"

"Hah—"

The moment these words fell, a three doors new disciple aboard the celestial ship burst into involuntary laughter.

Instantly, surrounding gazes treated him like a corpse.

The early-stage Spirit Communication elder who’d brought them paled, immediately forming an incantation gesture within his sleeve while activating a costly spell.

Such jests weren’t for lowly disciples to laugh at!

True enough, within a breath’s time, the laughing disciple clutched his chest and collapsed dead.

His remains scattered like sand in the wind.

Jia Huairen watched with increased contempt.

Such crude disciplinary methods explained why Lanyue Sect remained stagnant for decades.

With a finger flick, he effortlessly reclaimed the azure flying sword from Ding Xiu’s grasp.

"Enough chatter. I’m here to watch you."

Jia Huairen leveled the sword at Lanyue Sect’s members. "The National Master decrees: mountain challenges may proceed, but no Spirit Communication cultivators may enter. Violators face death and destruction here!"

The four Spirit Communication cultivators aboard the celestial ship trembled.

The reputation of Master of the Virtual Sword Jia Huairen resonated across northwest Canglan State.

This was no empty threat.

The slightest provocation would bring immediate lethal retaliation.

"We heed Master of the Virtual Sword’s decree."

All four materialized behind Ding Xiu, bowing acceptance.

Though resentful, Ding Xiu knew his rival’s equal strength made confrontation pointless, so he remained silent.

"Sect Master Lu Hefe of Daoyuanshan, with two junior brothers, pays respects to the Master."

The three Daoyuanshan leaders approached with bows.

Jia Huairen’s expression softened when facing them.

"My presence ensures safety. Activate the array."

"At once!"

Daoyuanshan’s large array hummed to life. From its apex, numerous cloud ships streamed into the crossing-continental celestial ship’s vast frame.

These aligned opposite Daoyuanshan’s highest observation seat, forming a rival viewing platform.

Many young cultivators from both factions remained stunned, struggling to comprehend the rapid events.

Who could have imagined that the grand competition between the two sects would turn into a showdown between Lanyue Sect and the Zhuhu Dynasty!

Now the event involved not just disciples from both sects, but every young Tiger-Chasing cultivator present!

Ding Xiu’s mention of the "three doors" referred to the powerful sects crushed when the dynasty marched north.

This time, they’d joined Lanyue Sect to challenge Zhuhu and reclaim lost pride.

"Trouble’s brewing,"

Xiao Yize murmured, eyeing the hostile sect cultivators across the field.

The sudden shift also changed the attitudes of Qiu Ran, He Shenglai, and Su Lingyun.

Though they’d always been rivals within the dynasty, facing these four sects here to humiliate them united the Dynasty Talents.

A Condensing Essence cultivator from Lanyue Sect descended from the cloud ship with a disciple. After bowing to the Debate Platform guards, the disciple strode to the center and shouted toward the dynasty cultivators: "Lanyue Sect’s Pang Yong, third-level Gathering Qi! Who dares face me?"

From the High Platform, Daoyuanshan and Wanhuamen’s peak Condensing Essence elders exchanged glances. The Wanhuamen elder ordered, "Send Pan Qi."

Wanhuamen’s Pan Qi stepped forward, clasping her hands. "Wanhuamen’s Pan Qi, third-level Gathering Qi! I accept!"

Wanhuamen expected little victory against a Lanyue Sect disciple—this was merely a test. Among their early-stage Gathering Qi new disciples, Pan Qi stood out. Hailing from a noble family with rare talent, she’d neared the third level’s peak within three months, matching the challenger’s cultivation. Even if she lost, it wouldn’t be a total disgrace.

Yet the battle ended in five breaths.

Pang Yong’s relentless assault overwhelmed Pan Qi in three strikes, hurling her off the platform.

"Impressive martial cultivator," Shen Yue remarked. "Wu Zhao, thoughts?"

Wu Zhao, who usually ignored him, answered, "Lanyue Sect’s Moonfall body-tempering secret method—moonlight trailed his movements. Even fourth-level cultivators might lose to him. This early-stage round looks hopeless."

The Daoyuanshan and Wanhuamen elders grimaced. Their other third-level disciples matched Pan Qi’s strength, far below the boy on stage.

"If only Lingshu hadn’t broken through to fourth level," a Wanhuamen elder sighed. Neither sect had outstanding inner door disciples left—their direct disciples had all reached fourth level. Sending them would mean conceding the early-stage round.

"Any Tiger-Chasing cultivator brave enough to fight?" Pang Yong boomed from the platform, basking in the crowd’s shocked and angry stares.

As hesitation hung thick, Yang Lingshu spoke up: "Master, let Fangxuan try."

"Fangxuan?" Elder Mo Xian frowned. "Your companion cultivator?"

"Yes."

"He can defeat this martial cultivator?"

Yang Lingshu glanced at Lv Fangxuan sitting with Yang Lingrui below. "No guarantees. But he’s got forty percent chance."