Episode 54

  "This year's trial comparison, those who win with their skills can obtain a rare treasure, and the rest of the top four can also receive a gift."

  Four cultivators stepped on the clouds and rose, their voices echoing with warmth for a year. Another female cultivator wore beautiful clothes and ornaments on the cloud rainbow, took a step forward, opened her hand, and a black shiny pearl slowly rose, about the size of a fist, shining brightly.

  "This is also a gathering method bead, and if you win, you can use it to greatly advance your Buddhist practice!"

  Then his daughter repaired the coffin and retreated.

  "The winner of the battle will receive a Xuan Jade, and the remaining top four can also receive a gift."

  Another red-bearded old man stepped forward and said. A woman beside him held a golden treasure box, which she slowly opened, revealing a quiet and peaceful jade inside, seemingly nothing special about it.

  "This is the Reunification Mysterious Jade, the ultimate treasure for breaking through the cultivation bottleneck!"

  Then the two women made their bows. The elder of the two, Shu, with one hand in a salute, said:

  "Ancestor, please!"

  "Come on, little brother!"

  "Alright! Then I'll take over for An Shigong from now on. Everyone!"

  Its high voice path.

  "The rules for this trial are the same as before. The loser will lose the chance to fight again, and the winner will advance to the next round of trials. The trials of Tao Fa and Sheng Ji will be conducted alternately. Refining body against refining body, Dharma body against Dharma body, and finally, the competition for the winner, without distinction. All cultivators must follow the old rules, focusing on honing their skills, and not harming others. Moreover, participants are voluntary, and sects are not allowed to interfere. Those who violate this will be dealt with according to the major rules of the trial by all sects!"

  "You're like a younger sister, you don't know the two people on the stage, do you? The older one is the Music Master of Sacred Sword Mountain Manor, and the red-bearded old man beside him is An Zhengyi of Youming Hall. Both are highly accomplished cultivators with profound spiritual powers, and are among the strongest in the world!"

  "Oh, thank you, Lin Shixiong, for telling me. My brother and I are both inexperienced in the world and know very little about the cultivation community, but it turns out that these two people are actually high-ranking figures of this generation."

  Chang'e curtsied gracefully.

  "Haha, no need to be so polite, little sister, I'm your elder brother..."

  "Cough, Lin Shidi, lower your voice, Eldest Brother has looked over a few times already."

  "Hmm!"

  Lin Shidi's eyes gleamed with a stern light as he lowered his head and fell silent once more.

  "Let's start with each sect sending one person, limited to 40 people. If a sect has no one to send, the other side will advance directly. If there are more than 40 people, they can be challenged by name, but to avoid plotting among the sects, the challenger must have their cultivation sealed for half of the trial period before facing the winner. Also, each match is limited to two incense sticks' time, and if there's no winner or loser, both will be eliminated simultaneously. Can everyone understand?"

  "I understand!"

  The crowd erupted in cheers as the competition began.

  "The first match is Qingyuan Gate versus Heishui Valley, judged by Wang Xianchang of Shengjian Mountain Villa. A battle of skills between two masters!"

  All the disciples of various sects heard that the first round of competition had begun, and they were all excited and curious, looking around to see who would come out from the two sects. Without lifting their heads, they looked towards the Qingyuan Gate, only to see Chu Jin eagerly waiting for a middle-aged cultivator. The cultivator was dressed in Taoist robes, adjusted his clothes and walked out, standing in the center of the platform under the huge light screen. His eyes were calm and peaceful, his expression elegant, but he stood quietly on top of a gray cloud. On the other hand, the one who came out from the Black Water Valley was a big man, dressed as a farmer, like a farmer returning home late at night. He was tall and sturdy, and said to the Qingyuan Gate cultivator:

  "Brother Zhao's kung fu is impressive! I'm willing to learn from you!"

  "Hei Shui Gu Yang Shi Xiong is indeed a master of profound learning, I have secretly admired him for a long time. Today, I am fortunate to be able to engage in a discussion with him, and I hope he will not hesitate to impart his teachings!"

  "You're welcome! You're welcome!"

  "Alright! Time's up. The contest begins."

  Shengjian Manor's Wang Xian shouted loudly.

  Then, the two of them stood still, gazing at each other, and slowly walked towards the center of the arena. The crowd had never seen a battle between cultivators before, and they looked on with anticipation, their eyes gleaming with excitement, and a hint of tension. Chang'er watched with a smile, her eyes shining brightly as she said:

  "Insufficient brother, what is considered as seeing the door in a martial arts duel?"

  "Hmm, this... seems to be a test of adaptability and responsiveness, a technique for mutual counterattacks!"

  "Haha, now that's what I call a bystander enjoying the commotion!"

  The senior brother had unknowingly walked over to the side path at some point and was now standing beside him.

  "This trial of the practitioner is to test his method, test his practice, test his wisdom, and test his will. What he truly tests is what he has realized, so the Tao comes from realization! Observing that there is something to be realized in this trial is the highest state, which is the observation of inner practice."

  "Brother Kuang's words are indeed correct, Feng Mou thanks you for your guidance!"

  "Brother Kuang's one remark is indeed better than reading ten years' worth of books!"

  Chang'er also bowed and said: "The surname Kuang's great achievement is indeed gratifying." He walked closer to Chang'er's side and said:

  "General, you have a talented and intelligent sister. Why not send her to a prestigious school to learn magic and Taoist arts? Then the Great Way can be pursued! Isn't it a pity that following your half-baked brother will ruin the path of the Great Way?"

  Kuang Xing had already heard about these two and knew the truth, but he still asked deliberately.

  "Master Kuang's words are indeed what our family lacks, and it is also what my brother has been thinking. The two of us were also recommended by a senior immortal who was familiar with our ancestors to become apprentices and learn the arts!"

  "Oh, where should I go to study?"

  "It's exactly the Easy Repair Gate of Master Kuang!"

  "Really!"

  That Na Kuan's heart was secretly delighted, and he stole a glance at Chang'er again.

  "Its body is full of profound and mysterious yin energy, exactly the perfect partner for dual cultivation! One's own yin-yang technique will surely make rapid progress, and the condensation of the yuan can be expected! The condensation of the yuan can be expected!"

  Who is Chang Er! With such a small and delicate body of law, it only takes one glance, and the key to her cultivation is clear in her mind.

  "Master Kuang, if we two can join your family, then I hope you will give us more guidance on our cultivation. It's just that I'm afraid it's unlikely for us to be accepted!"

  Kuang Xing heard this and was overjoyed, saying:

  "You are like a younger sister to me, and I have not yet reached the peak of my cultivation. Although Easy Repair Gate is not a famous sect, it is still deeply favored by our masters. As long as he recommends you, I will bring you into Easy Repair Gate myself, and with some guidance from me, you will definitely become powerful!"

  "Thanks so much, Shifu!"

  "Where? Where? Hehehe......"

  The situation is still unsettled in my heart, and I am not yet at peace, unable to enjoy a gentle voice or soft laughter.

  At this time, Insufficient was already staring intently at the two cultivators from a short distance away, not blinking once. The Zhao surname cultivator of Qingyuan Gate stood steadily in the middle of the platform, his hands forming a seal, and incantations flying out of his mouth. The clear wind around him suddenly gathered, flashing out a faint blue spiritual light. In an instant, the light merged to form a dragon, several dozen feet long, with all four limbs intact, its eyes shining brightly. The dragon's head was raised high, its body rolling and twisting, as if it were real. The dragon let out a long roar, its voice enormous and startling. When it finished, its head lowered slightly, looking towards the Yang surname cultivator of Heishui Valley. Suddenly, it pounced forward, flying swiftly like an arrow. The airflow around it was rapid and turbulent, its momentum vast, like a galloping horse that nothing could stop. The Yang surname cultivator's large body suddenly seemed extremely small, but as he watched the flying dragon attack, he didn't panic or rush. He simply rotated his large and clumsy body rapidly, only to see him spinning faster and faster, until in an instant, only his shadow remained, and his body couldn't be seen. The air around his body was instantly filled with a violent gale, and in the blink of an eye, it transformed into a black snake with a green sheen, coiling and twisting as it charged towards the flying dragon. The two beasts' heads flashed slightly as they dodged each other, but their bodies struck each other thousands of times in an instant. The center of the dragon and snake's intersection was filled with flashing firelight, like golden swords and iron horses clashing, their rapidly vibrating auras stirring up a storm that suddenly transmitted over, causing the protective light canopy above the platform to tremble slightly, as if it were about to break. Insufficient, who was standing ten or more feet below the platform, was also affected by the sound of metal striking stone, and for a moment, his heart and spirit were shaken, his mouth bleeding at the corners, his eyes turning red. His heart was greatly shocked, and he hastily took a deep breath, simultaneously circulating the Golden Body Secret and the Taiyi Mysterious Spirit Secret. In an instant, his body and mind returned to normal. The two beasts' struggle gradually became shrouded in clouds and mist, Insufficient's eyes unable to penetrate the obstruction, the situation inside unclear. But this was his first time watching cultivators compete, how could he not carefully observe the secrets within? Insufficient thought for a moment, then resolutely released the domain of his Five Spirits God, slowly entering the protective light canopy, and also covering the hundred-foot trial platform below. However, as he watched the fierce struggle between the two beasts, their momentum was like smoke and fire, and although Insufficient didn't dare to deeply enter the range of their struggle with his Five Spirits God, he still observed carefully. At this time, looking again at the two cultivators competing, the Zhao surname cultivator of Qingyuan Gate seemed self-assured, but his eyes revealed a hint of worry. The Yang surname cultivator of Heishui Valley had stopped rotating, his hands forming a seal as he closed his eyes tightly, incantations flowing continuously from his mouth, his face also showing signs of strain.

  In the air, two objects clashed, stirring up dust and sand within a hundred feet, with petals from the peach blossoms around the platform fluttering down like falling flowers. The giant apricot tree shook its branches but remained calm, a truly remarkable sight! The two objects fought for half a moment without showing any signs of winning or losing, when suddenly a loud shout of "Separate!" was heard. The dragon split into two, one entwining with the black and green snake, while the other charged towards Yang. The strong man was shocked and quickly retreated, suddenly shaking his hand and throwing out several talismans at the dragon's head. The yellow talismans with golden light unfolded in the wind, transforming into numerous knives and swords that flew towards the flying dragon, striking it repeatedly. At the same time, the blades trembled, changing from ten to a hundred, a hundred to a thousand, like rain pouring down, surrounding Zhao, who was in grave danger, almost dying on the spot. Just as all hope seemed lost, a loud roar echoed through the air.

  "Ah!"