Chapter 968: Chapter 942 Challenge
“Third brother is here!” Yu Feng and Zi Cang also approached,
Zhuang Qian smiled and came over, with a bit of a schadenfreude expression: “Haha, Tangyu, your arrival has stirred up quite a storm. Estimate you won’t have it easy later.”
Tangyu pursed his lips: “What do you mean by that?”
Zhuang Qian said: “Haha, Tangyu, you might not know. Our Yanshan Sect has a tradition; during every new disciple ceremony, there’s a small competition to enhance camaraderie and fun among fellow disciples. This competition isn’t just among new disciples; some older disciples can also participate under the guise of guidance. But in truth, it’s more about curbing the newcomers’ arrogance.”
“This is an unwritten rule, commonly known as the need to temper the newcomers, to curb our sharpness. So later, there will surely be veterans coming out to ‘guide’ us. Hey Tangyu, you shine so brightly, isn’t it likely you’ll become their target?”
Tangyu grinned: “There’s such a tradition.”
“Yes, so just look at those veterans, they’re all looking at you differently. Likely later, they’ll scramble to compete with you. If they can suppress you, it would be a delight since you’re the Sect Master’s direct disciple, right? And today is the only legitimate opportunity. Do you think they’ll miss such a chance? It’s not just the veterans; look at Yang City Four Beauties, Ye Liu and them, they’re eyeing you too. They’re not quite accepting of you as the Sect Master’s direct disciple.”
“So, later you’ll have plenty of fun, just hope for the best,” Zhuang Qian said.
Tangyu brushed it aside with a smile: “Isn’t it perfect, having the opportunity to practice? I couldn’t have asked for more. If gods come, I’ll deal with gods; if buddhas come, I’ll deal with buddhas. Today, it seems I’ll break a bit of my abstinence and shake the mountains and roar at the tigers. Otherwise, the title of the Sect Master’s direct disciple would seem somewhat empty.”
“Uh—” Zhuang Qian’s mouth twitched, wasn’t this overly bold?
Perhaps only Tangyu would dare to utter such bold words?
“They’re coming!”
The lively square suddenly quieted down, as several figures floated over. Leading them was Elder Bai, followed by those in charge of selecting disciples. Among them was Ying Longtian, a prominent disciple of Yanshan Sect. There were a few venerable old figures Tangyu didn’t recognize. Among the crowd, Tangyu did spot someone familiar; Senior Brother Liu Chengbo was at the back.
This group directly ascended the high platform, and the elders in charge there also greeted them with respect.
A beam of light suddenly descended from the heavens, landing on the high platform, and a figure emerged. He was a man in a white robe with floral patterns, looking no more than forty, but his hair was pure white, naturally falling down. His eyes were deep, akin to an expansive starry sky. Standing there, he resembled a towering, majestic mountain, or a peerless sharp immortal sword. Vast and boundless, inspiring reverence in people’s hearts.
A strand of immortal might emanated, causing all to look up in awe.
The older disciples immediately paid their respects with loud voices: “Disciple greets Sword Elder!”
The new disciples quickly followed suit: “Disciple greets Sword Elder!”
Tangyu had learned some basic situations about the Yanshan Sect from Senior Brother Liu. Sword Elder held a very high status in Yanshan Sect, second only to the Sect Master. Moreover, Sword Elder was in charge of Disciple Peak, and could decide all matters there, with authority second only to the Sect Master.
Sword Elder’s prowess was celestial, earning great respect from the disciples.
Sword Elder’s gaze lightly swept over the forty-plus new disciples, staying on Tangyu for a moment, evidently curious about the Sect Master’s direct disciple.
Sword Elder said: “You have passed the test and entered Yanshan Sect, becoming our disciples, this is your immortal fate, and it proves your talent potential. Those who enter Yanshan Sect have hopes of advancing far on the path of immortality. You possess this immortal fate, but whether you can achieve something, how far you can walk on the Path of the Immortals, depends on your fortune and effort.”
“The Path of the Immortals is slow, filled with endless hardship and obstacles. Without great determination and Great Destiny, it’s tough to make any progress. Most of you are destined for mediocrity your entire lives. Only a few among you will truly become notable figures. This isn’t to undermine your confidence, but to reveal a harsh reality. Even after five years, how many of you will still stand here remains unknown.”
“Entering Yanshan Sect doesn’t mean you’ve truly ascended to heaven. Nor does it mean you’ll truly shine and enjoy lifelong glory. Joining Yanshan Sect is merely the beginning of your journey on the Path of the Immortals, and it will be more difficult and dangerous than the path you’ve walked before. You may have been flowers in a greenhouse, but upon entering Yanshan Sect, I aim to forge you into a sword, a beast, a true cultivator. One that can grow into a mighty tree amid endless hardships.”
“I enforce the rules rigorously. As Yanshan Sect disciples, you must adhere to the sect’s rules; otherwise, the law will show no mercy.”
“Today is your initiation ceremony, so I won’t dwell too much on serious topics. I believe you’ll weigh them yourselves. Now, let’s pay homage to our ancestors, announce to the heavens, and complete the initiation ceremony.”
Tangyu mentally chuckled, finding the ceremony quite grand, incorporating ancestor veneration, feeling somewhat superstitious.
However, cultivators have their beliefs, so Tangyu followed Sword Elder.
Yanshan Sect’s ancestor, known as Yanshan Daoist, is said to have been a rather formidable cultivator. With his strength alone, he founded Yanshan Sect, allowing its legacy to persist to this day, spanning over a millennium.
Tangyu held a certain admiration for this Yanshan Taoist.
The ceremony of homage concluded swiftly, and the initiation into the sect was almost complete.
The Sword-Wielding Elder said, “Alright, now is your time for free exchanges.” After speaking, the Sword-Wielding Elder turned into a streak of light and disappeared, heading towards the main peak of Yanshan.
After the Sword-Wielding Elder left, Elder Bai stepped forth and said, “You all must be familiar with the entrance customs of our Yanshan Sect, so I won’t repeat them. Now, you may freely engage in duels.”
A figure immediately emerged and walked straight to Tangyu, looking at him with high fighting spirit and said, “Tangyu, I’ve always heard of your strength and have long wanted to spar with you. It’s regrettable that you weren’t around for the third round. Now that we have the opportunity today, I wonder if I might have the honor of learning from you.”
The speaker was none other than Ye Liu.
This dark horse who seemed to appear from nowhere, with a cold expression and only fighting intent in his eyes, looked at Tangyu.
However, from him, Tangyu only sensed intense fighting spirit without the slightest hostility. This made Tangyu not dislike Ye Liu. It was apparent that Ye Liu wasn’t specifically targeting him, but merely wanted a battle with him.
Such a person is akin to a martial arts enthusiast, only seeking a fight.
This was very different from Yao Jiguang, the Four Beauties of Yang City, and Wang Qilong. In those people’s eyes, Tangyu could clearly feel hostility.
Tangyu smiled lightly and said, “I would also like to spar with you, Ye Liu. Since we have this opportunity today, it is naturally one not to be missed. Brother Ye Liu, since you have asked, how could I refuse? Please!”
“Please!” Ye Liu glanced at Tangyu, seemingly not expecting Tangyu to agree so readily, and made a gesture of invitation.
The crowd automatically parted, leaving a vast open space as their battlefield.
Elder Bai and others stood on the high platform waiting to watch the spectacle. Other disciples were all watching the battlefield with great interest.
Tangyu and Ye Liu took their positions, standing dozens of yards apart. Once they entered the combat mindset, both bore solemn expressions, their eyes as cold as sharp blades, and there was indeed something fearsome about them.
Tangyu could sense a faint threat from Ye Liu, which made him understand that Ye Liu’s strength was indeed formidable and worth serious engagement.
Nonetheless, Tangyu’s heart was filled with immense ambition. With ‘Mindful Style’, he believed that he even stood a chance against the Fourth Layer of the Mystic Law Realm. He didn’t believe Ye Liu’s strength could reach such heights.
Ye Liu held a snake-shaped sword, entirely purple.
Tangyu gripped his sword, staring closely at Ye Liu, but did not take the initiative to attack first, as he held some respect for Ye Liu. Thus, he refrained from launching a sneak attack.
Both pairs of eyes locked onto each other for a while before Ye Liu let out a low cry, stamped the ground with both feet, and shot towards Tangyu like an arrow from a string. His snake-shaped sword in his hand seemed to transform into a formidable serpent. Suddenly, lightning flickered along the blade, making the purple sword extraordinarily mystical.
His speed was swift, and his sword’s sharpness was exposed, stirring the space around them. As he thrust his sword, it seemed capable of piercing a black hole into space. In but the blink of an eye, his sword had already reached Tangyu. The terrifying sword force surged like a roaring tidal wave, engulfing all before it.
The sword’s sharpness sent chills down one’s spine.
Ye Liu’s strength was truly terrifying. Many spectators clicked their tongues in amazement, and even some senior disciples were taken aback.
What a formidable technique indeed.
Yet, faced with such an offensive, Tangyu maintained a calm demeanor, without the slightest hint of urgency. He fully executed the sword in his hand, and the first move of the ‘Great Rift Vajra Technique’ was unleashed.
The sword transformed into a vajra, tearing the heavens and earth. As the sword descended, radiant colors filled the sky.
As the sword came forth, it stirred the heavens, directly clashing with Ye Liu’s sword, instantly filling the surroundings with brilliance, and the sound resonated like thunder. The terrifying power erupted immediately, sending Ye Liu flying backward, retreating repeatedly. Only after withdrawing more than a dozen paces did he manage to stabilize himself.
This exchange clearly left Ye Liu at a disadvantage.
Regarding the power of this sword strike, Tangyu was quite satisfied. Of course, this was largely due to the might of Tangyu’s Yin Yang Dao Foundation. If he had only constructed a Gold Dao Foundation, the power of this sword strike would have been weaker by at least tenfold. It was precisely due to the solid foundation of Yin Yang Dao Foundation that this sword became exceedingly formidable.