Changes in the Situation

The Moon-Grasping Sect! Ding Xiu!

Upon hearing the newcomer's name, the expressions of the leaders from the major factions on the high platform grew solemn.

The young cultivators did not recognize the identity of this individual, but the seniors knew it all too well.

He was one of the three great Dharma Protectors of the Moon-Grasping Sect, a cultivator at the Perfection of the Spirit Communion realm-Perfected Guichen, Ding Xiu!

The arrival of such a powerful cultivator, especially one from the Moon-Grasping Sect-which was bitterly hostile toward the Zhuhu Wangchao-weighed heavily on everyone's heart.

The three figures who had just emerged from the depths of the mountains were three Spirit Communion cultivators, including the Headmaster of Daoyuan Mountain.

Yet at this moment, they only dared to confront Ding Xiu from behind the safety of the formation.

"Since Perfected Guichen is visiting our Daoyuan Mountain, why did you not send word in advance?"

Behind the three, another slightly aged voice echoed from deep within the peaks of Daoyuan Mountain.

"Hahaha, did I hear that correctly? Fellow Daoist Mu Lei, do you truly believe your insignificant little Daoyuan Mountain is worthy of receiving advance notice from the Moon-Grasping Sect?"

Ding Xiu's face was filled with arrogance, and the gaze he swept over the three Daoyuan Mountain leaders below was brimming with contempt.

"Our Sect Leader is currently at the Chongtian Palace, drinking and playing chess with the State Preceptor. Why haven't you quickly opened the grand formation? Do you truly want me to breach it myself?"

Boom! Crack!

As Ding Xiu's words fell, the entire protective sect formation of Daoyuan Mountain began to emit ominous cracking sounds!

As if bearing an indescribable weight, the formation's light flared to its absolute limit.

Crash!

Suddenly, a thick bolt of Golden Profound Lightning cascaded from the high heavens, shattering the oppressive pressure Ding Xiu had manufactured and striking the Cross-Border Immortal Vessel until it rocked precariously.

Ding Xiu raised his hand, channeling his power to stabilize the vessel.

"Failing to Return Courtesy Is Improper."

The voice of Daoyuan Mountain's Supreme Elder, Mu Lei, resounded once more. "Our Daoyuan Mountain naturally cannot compare to the Moon-Grasping Immortal Sect, but Perfected One must not forget that this place is within the territory of the Zhuhu Wangchao."

"Heh."

Ding Xiu let out a cold laugh. But before he could say another word, his pupils suddenly contracted. He reached out and clawed at the empty space beside him.

Sizzle...

A cyan flying sword materialized from the void, revealing its form in the sky.

"Ding Xiu, after all these years, your knack for leveraging power to bully others hasn't diminished in the slightest."

A teasing voice echoed from afar, followed closely by the arrival of a swift figure.

Upon seeing this newcomer, the cultivators within the Daoyuan Mountain formation felt as though they had swallowed a heart-calming pill, instantly dispelling their anxieties.

With the Commander present in person, their lives were no longer in danger.

"Jia Huairen!"

Ding Xiu stared at the Faceless Man who had just appeared, spitting out his name through gritted teeth.

The two clearly shared an old grudge.

When Ding Xiu looked at him, he made no effort to conceal the venom in his eyes.

Jia Huairen was the same, his gaze scanning for any opportunity to deal a fatal blow.

"What are you doing here?"

"What an amusing question. Is there anywhere within the territory of the Zhuhu Wangchao that I cannot go?"

Jia Huairen looked down at him and sneered, "As for you, instead of staying obediently in your turtle shell, you've crawled out to throw your weight around in our Zhuhu territory. Why? Is there a mother turtle waiting for you here?"

"Pfft..."

At those words, a newly initiated disciple from one of the Northwest Three Sects on the immortal vessel couldn't suppress a laugh.

In an instant, the gazes of everyone around him turned toward him as if he were already a corpse.

The elder at the initial Spirit Communion realm who had brought them along underwent a drastic change in expression. He immediately formed hand seals inside his sleeve, forcing out a technique despite the strain.

Such a joke was not something an ordinary disciple had the right to laugh at!

Sure enough, a breath later, the disciple suddenly clutched his chest, gasped, and fell backward, dying instantly.

His corpse immediately dissolved like sand caught in a gale, scattering into nothingness.

Seeing this, Jia Huairen's internal contempt deepened.

With such crude and simplistic methods of maintaining discipline, it was no wonder the Moon-Grasping Sect's strength had stagnated for so many years without a single step forward.

With a gentle flick of his finger, he effortlessly reclaimed the cyan flying sword from Ding Xiu's grasp.

"Let's dispense with the idle chatter. I am here solely to keep an eye on you all."

Jia Huairen pointed the flying sword at the gathered forces of the Moon-Grasping Sect. "The State Preceptor has decreed that while a mountain-visiting competition is permitted, no cultivator above the Spirit Communion realm may enter. Otherwise, I shall ensure they perish here, their bodies destroyed and their Dao extinguished!"

Hearing this, the four Spirit Communion cultivators aboard the immortal vessel felt their hearts tremble with dread.

The title of Perfected Void Sword, Jia Huairen, was profoundly renowned across the entire northwest region of the Canglan Continent.

His words were never a hollow threat.

Should they show the slightest sign of defiance, he would slaughter them without hesitation.

"We respectfully obey the decree of the Perfected Void Sword."

The four stepped forward to stand behind Ding Xiu, bowing to accept the order.

Though Ding Xiu was filled with resentment, he knew his opponent was a match for him. A true clash would yield no benefits, so he remained silent, signaling his tacit acquiescence.

"Lu Hefei of Daoyuan Mountain, along with my two Junior Brothers, pays respects to the Commander."

The Headmaster of Daoyuan Mountain and his two companions stepped forward to greet him.

Jia Huairen turned, his gaze softening significantly as he looked at them.

"I am here. Do not fear. Open the formation."

"Yes!"

The grand formation of Daoyuan Mountain parted. From the massive Cross-Border Immortal Vessel, smaller cloud boats descended one after another through the opening at the crest of the formation.

They lined up directly opposite the highest spectator tier of Daoyuan Mountain, establishing a counter-facing viewing pavilion.

Many disciples from the two sects and the younger cultivators present were still reeling from shock.

Who could have anticipated that this Two-Sect Grand Competition would escalate into a high-stakes confrontation between the Moon-Grasping Sect and the Zhuhu Wangchao?

Consequently, the scope of this grand competition no longer pertained merely to the disciples of the two sects; it now engulfed every young Zhuhu cultivator present.

The Northwest Three Sects that Ding Xiu had referenced were the very sects that the Wangchao had crushed during its northern march. This time, they had aligned with the Moon-Grasping Sect to reclaim their lost dignity from the Zhuhu Wangchao.

"They come with ill intent," Xiao Yize murmured softly, his eyes fixed on the imposing cultivators from the grand sect across from them.

He was not alone. Following this sudden turn of events, the mindsets of Qiu Ran, He Shenglai, and Su Lingyun had similarly shifted.

Within the borders of the Wangchao, they were rivals who constantly competed and viewed one another with distaste.

Yet under the current circumstances, when faced with the disciples of these four hostile sects who had come to trample their pride, this group of Wangchao geniuses stood on a unified front.

From a cloud boat, a Condensed Origin cultivator from the Moon-Grasping Sect slowly descended, accompanied by a disciple.

After the disciple bowed to the two overseers on the Dao Discussion Platform, he walked directly to the center of the stage. Facing the direction of the Wangchao cultivators, he announced loudly, "Pang Yong of the Moon-Grasping Sect, third layer of Qi Gathering! Which Fellow Daoist will step forward to meet me in battle?"

On the high platform, the two elders at the Perfection of the Condensed Origin realm from Daoyuan Mountain and the Myriad Transformations Sect exchanged a glance. The latter turned his head and instructed, "Have Pan Qi go."

Upon receiving the command, Pan Qi of the Myriad Transformations Sect stepped onto the platform, cupping his hands toward his opponent. "Pan Qi of the Myriad Transformations Sect, third layer of Qi Gathering. I accept the challenge!"

Because the opponent hailed from the Moon-Grasping Sect, the Myriad Transformations Sect did not harbor much hope for a victory; they merely wished to use him to test the waters.

Among the newly initiated disciples at the initial stage of Qi Gathering currently within the Myriad Transformations Sect, Pan Qi was one of the most exceptional.

He was born to a prominent clan and possessed a talent that flashed cyan light with a purple sheen. Within three months of entering the sect, his cultivation was already nearing the peak of the third layer, placing him on equal footing with the challenger on the platform.

Even in defeat, the loss should not be too disgraceful.

However, to the absolute shock of everyone present, the battle reached its conclusion a mere five breaths after it commenced!

Confronted by Pang Yong's ferocious, death-defying assault, Pan Qi managed to parry only three blows before being struck cleanly off the Dao Discussion Platform!

"What a formidable young martial cultivator. Wu Zhao, what do you make of him?" Shen Yue asked quietly after watching the display.

On any ordinary day, Wu Zhao would have ignored him entirely, but given the gravity of the situation, he replied, "The Moon-Grasping Sect possesses a secret technique known as the Moonfall Body Tempering. When he moved just now, moonlight was circulating across his skin-that was the enhancement of the technique."

"Forget those at the third layer; even a fourth-layer cultivator might not be his match. I fear this initial-stage match is a lost cause."

Suffering such a swift defeat caused the expressions of the elders from both Daoyuan Mountain and the Myriad Transformations Sect to turn incredibly grim.

The capabilities of the remaining third-layer disciples within the two sects were roughly identical to Pan Qi's, leaving a vast disparity between them and the boy standing on the platform.

"Alas! If only Lingshu had not broken through to the fourth layer, he would have been able to contest him," an elder from the Myriad Transformations Sect sighed.

Among the inner disciples brought by the two sects this time, none were particularly outstanding, and the personal disciples had all coincidentally transitioned into the fourth layer.

Sending any of them down would be tantamount to conceding defeat in the initial-stage round.

"Are there no other Fellow Daoists from the Zhuhu Wangchao who dare to face me?" Pang Yong stood proudly in the center of the Dao Discussion Platform, basking in the sea of astonished and infuriated gazes around him.

"Master, you can let Fangxuan go up and try."

Just as everyone was deliberating whether to forfeit the match, Yang Lingshu suddenly spoke up.

"Fangxuan?" Elder Mo Xian looked at him with skepticism. "You mean that companion cultivator boy of yours?"

"Yes."

"Can he defeat this martial cultivator?"

Yang Lingshu stepped forward, looking down toward the seating area where Lü Fangxuan sat beside Yang Lingrui.

"I dare not guarantee absolute victory, but a forty percent chance is certainly there."

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