Are Sect True Disciples Nothing More Than This?

Surging battle intent and a resounding voice. Amplified by vast spiritual qi, it rolled outward in all directions like a tidal wave of sound. Upon that high platform, the young man who had been studying a pill formula with his head bowed slowly looked up toward Chu Kui. He did not possess the fair, jade-like grace common among cultivators. Instead, his complexion was ruddy, almost crimson, and a faint purple mark flickered between his brows as if smoldering with fire. Without wasting words, he leapt into the air and landed upon the arena stage. At that moment, in Chu Kui's eyes, it seemed as though a great ball of fire had plummeted from the heavens. Alerted by Chu Kui's earlier shout, the gaze of everyone in Pill Valley was drawn to this spot. Even that Core Formation Elder hailing from Dragon Head Peak was watching. With a wave of the elder's hand, an immense curtain of light expanded around the perimeter of the entire arena. Everyone realized this battle might prove exceptionally fierce. Otherwise, the Dragon Head Peak elder would not have acted with such gravity, activating the defensive ward ahead of time. Behind the Tao clan's platform, Luo Chen watched the scene, his spirits lifting. He had not expected that right after emerging, he would witness a showdown between top experts. What was more, one of them was his old acquaintance, Chu Kui. Just as well! He had also wanted to see what Chu Kui's combat strength was really like, given the exorbitant appearance fee the fellow usually demanded. He had to have some real skill, didn't he? Luo Chen asked casually, "What rank are we right now?" Tao Yisheng replied immediately, "Thanks to the Patriarch, Senior Martial Brother Qi, and the others taking turns on the stage, we're currently in fifth place. Our standing is relatively solid. There are fewer and fewer challengers now, mainly coming from the lower-ranked Grand True Disciples." Luo Chen asked curiously, "Then what are your Eldest Martial Brother and the Yuxuan He clan ranked?" "Eldest Martial Brother is first right now!" "Hm?" Luo Chen was taken aback and blurted out, "Isn't he barred from bringing helpers? He can still be first?" Tao Yisheng gave a bitter smile. "He is our Eldest Martial Brother, after all!" Luo Chen's brow furrowed slightly. Soon, however, he grasped the reason. Regardless of what mistake Danyangzi had committed to be demoted from Dao Seed to ordinary true disciple, he had genuinely served as the Eldest Martial Brother of Azure Pill Valley for many years under the mantle of Dao Seed. Both his strength and his prestige were enough to overawe the crowd. Perhaps due to tangled interests, ordinary true disciples had no desire to cause him trouble at all. To think even more conspiratorially, this new Dao Seed contest might well be nothing more than a token reprimand from the higher-ups to Danyangzi—a chance to turn over a new leaf and reclaim his position. Of course, that speculation was somewhat trivializing the matter, but it could not stop the disciples below from thinking that way! After all, a perfectly good sect heir and future Sect Master of Azure Pill Valley had been inexplicably deposed. How could the ordinary true disciples not harbor such suspicions? Under these circumstances, ordinary true disciples naturally dared not make a move. Yet the other eight who were firmly seated as Grand True Disciples certainly would not think that way. When it came to the Dao Seed contest, every placement was of critical importance. How difficult would it be to fight one's way from ninth to first in a short span? No one wanted to test that. Those with higher seeds naturally possessed the immense advantage of waiting at ease for an exhausted enemy! Furthermore, they had experts specially recruited under their commands. They could fully use them to wear Danyangzi down, knock him down from the top ranks, or drain his spiritual power. He Yuanqing, currently ranked second, had planned precisely this! In fact, it was not just him. Anyone with ambitions to vie for the Dao Seed would treat Danyangzi as their foremost adversary. Once Chu Kui finished, the others would likely send out their own fighters one after another. Of course, that was a matter for later. Luo Chen's attention had now shifted entirely to the first arena platform. Chu Kui struck first! The long staff in his hands manifested a massive staff shadow, crashing down straight at Danyangzi's head. From the very outset, he made no attempt to conceal the vast might of a magic treasure. Facing Chu Kui's assault, Danyangzi's expression hardened. He reached out and unleashed a sword slash. Dazzling sword light surged forward like an upturned waterfall, directly shattering that massive staff shadow to pieces. Not only that, but the strike still possessed surplus power as it swept toward Chu Kui. Danyangzi was known as a master of both pills and the sword. Apart from alchemy skills that ranked him foremost among the Seven Azure Pill Prodigies, his sword-controlling technique was exceptionally formidable. Chu Kui dared not underestimate him in the least. Drawing back, he repeatedly struck with the long staff in his hands. Every attack far exceeded the striking power of an ordinary late Foundation Establishment cultivator. The Dragon Head Peak elder overseeing the field couldn't help but frown. This Chu Kui was clearly a mere rogue cultivator, yet the combat prowess he displayed was not in the least inferior to a sect true disciple! Facing Azure Pill Valley's foremost Foundation Establishment cultivator of this generation, he traded blows back and forth on even terms. Most importantly, his own cultivation was only at the eighth layer of Foundation Establishment! "Putting potential aside, rogue cultivators who can rise in the outside world are certainly not lacking in combat methods!" "If Danyangzi hopes for a swift victory, I fear it won't come so easily." Upon the vast, expansive arena stage, the two figures were no longer as composed as before. The intensity of their clash was gradually escalating. Many Azure Pill Valley disciples who were cheering for Danyangzi grew curious about Chu Kui's origins. Where did this expert come from, to be able to trade blows back and forth with Eldest Martial Brother? Upon learning that he was Tiankuizi, the leader among rogue cultivators in Tianlan Immortal City, they felt somewhat relieved. In the vast cultivation world, it was only natural for a few formidable rogue cultivators to emerge. However, for such talent to be recruited by the Yuxuan He clan—just what price had He Yuanqing paid? Unlike the ordinary onlookers who cared only about victory or defeat, high above within the Heavenly Palace, the assembled Core Formation Masters watched the fierce clash below, their brows furrowing one by one. "This level of attack intensity should not appear in a battle between Foundation Establishment cultivators." The speaker was Qingyunzi, Sect Master of Azure Pill Valley! Here, his status was the highest, but he had entered the Core Formation realm the most recently. The oldest among them, a Core Formation cultivator from Mount Ailao, sneered. "Isn't this all due to the proliferation of magic treasures and artifacts?" "Who knows how long these crudely made low-grade magic treasures will last, but their instantaneous bursts of power are catastrophic for Foundation Establishment True Cultivators with weak defenses—graze it and be wounded, take a direct hit and perish." "Count back a few centuries, and magic treasures were nowhere near this rampant." "The ambitions of Tianfan City..." Qingyunzi's expression changed slightly. "Senior Martial Brother Yuan, mind your words!" The Mount Ailao Core Formation cultivator surnamed Yuan snorted and fell silent. The topic seemed like a taboo. The others looked at one another, not daring to pursue it. Only Master Shixiang, the Core Formation Master from Hundred Blossoms Palace, let out an alluring laugh. "Since you all know Tianfan City's wild ambitions, why aid and abet the wicked?" As she spoke, her gaze flickered between the faces of the Core Formation cultivators from Ice Fort and Azure Pill Valley. Fairy Jueqing remained silent, her expression cold and immovable as ten-thousand-year profound ice. Qingyunzi opened his mouth, but in the end could only offer a bitter smile. "One cannot always control one's circumstances!" "Master Shixiang, let us focus on the battle of our sect's prodigies instead." Master Shixiang curled her lips. "What's so interesting about it? That rogue junior has clearly been holding back and hasn't used his full strength. If you ask me, have your Azure Pill Valley cultivators focused so much on alchemy that they can't take a beating?" Qingyunzi frowned. "Why do you say that? Danyangzi hasn't gone all out either, yet he holds the upper hand completely." "It's merely an arena spar. If it were a life-and-death struggle, who knows whose hands the deer would fall into!" Master Shixiang said. "This is meant to be a spar that stops at the touch; how could it be a fight to the death?" Qingyunzi shook his head. "That would defeat the true meaning of the competition." Master Shixiang smiled faintly, losing interest. A battle at this level truly could not pique her curiosity. ... The battle below inevitably came to an end. After trading blows for a hundred rounds, Chu Kui took a direct sword strike from Danyangzi and retreated in somewhat disheveled fashion. "Hold your hand, Daoist Brother! I concede!" Danyangzi looked at him, his sword buzzing as if somewhat unsatisfied. "Chu Kui, was it? I'll remember your name!" With that, he flew back to his high platform. He seized the time to meditate and adjust his breathing, unable even to study his pill formula. Evidently, this was only the beginning! Chu Kui smiled freely, immediately stepped out of the formation, and returned to the second high platform. The moment he landed, He Yuanqing's dissatisfied voice drifted over. "You clearly had strength to spare. Why concede so easily?" Chu Kui spread his hands with an innocent look. "Big boss, you don't actually want me to kill him on the stage, do you? I'd be terrified of a Core Formation Master from your sect blasting me to ash in wrath with a Palm Lightning!" "Hah, as if you could even pull that off," He Yuanqing scoffed with a laugh. Chu Kui shrugged. "Well, there you have it. If I don't have the ability, why go for the throat? Besides, you wanted me to wear him down, and I think I did a pretty decent job, didn't I?" He Yuanqing nodded. Still, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. It felt as if this guy was just punching the clock without putting in real effort! Seeming to sense his employer's dissatisfaction, Chu Kui's expression turned stern, and he said solemnly: "Of course, if you want me to fight with my life on the line, that's not out of the question either." "You get what you pay for!" "Next, I can take on the seven Grand True Disciples below. As long as you guarantee I won't face retribution afterward and add an extra reward, I'll definitely leave you satisfied!" He Yuanqing froze. He instinctively asked what reward Chu Kui wanted. Yet the price he was quoted turned his face sour. "You're crossing the line. What kind of exorbitant extortion is this?" Chu Kui shook his head. "They're your dearest, most beloved martial brothers and sisters, aren't they? Aren't they worth this price?" Seeing He Yuanqing's expression sour further, Chu Kui dropped his serious facade and rubbed his hands together. "Don't be so rigid! Make a counteroffer, and I'll think about it!" He Yuanqing's mouth fell open in disbelief. In his entire life, he had never seen such a shameless cultivator. Chu Kui was already a consecrated retainer of the He clan; even if temporary, shouldn't he do his part? How was it that getting him to go all out required a surcharge on the spot? ... Setting aside the conversation on the He clan's platform, the battle earlier had already caused an uproar among the Azure Pill Valley disciples. Even though Eldest Martial Brother Danyangzi won, Chu Kui clearly hadn't used up all his tricks. Were rogue cultivators outside so formidable nowadays? If even ordinary disciples were buzzing with discussions, what more the other seven Grand True Disciples? For instance, upon the Tao clan's high platform, Tao Wan's expression was grim. When she could not personally take the stage, pitting the three under her command against Chu Kui would likely be a risky gamble. According to the rules, each Grand True Disciple could deploy the three under their command to challenge each arena platform once. Ultimately, a comprehensive ranking would be determined based on win-loss tallies and head-to-head records. The method of calculation was complex, but for cultivators, it posed no difficulty. Seeing Tao Wan's somber expression, Tao Daonan's aged voice spoke up at the right moment. "No need to worry." "The He clan currently sits in second place, and their only goal is first." "Going forward, aside from wearing down Danyangzi, they won't take the initiative to attack us." "Besides, even if Chu Kui truly comes to fight, this old man can simply step up." When he said this, the ones who let out a sigh of relief first were actually Qi Lingyun and Tan Xiao. The pressure Chu Kui exerted earlier had truly been immense. Tao Wan nodded. "Our objective is the top three. Aside from wearing down Eldest Martial Brother, Shangguan Yan and Du Changfeng ahead of us are our true targets." "Of course, we must reserve some strength to handle challenges from those below us." "If things go poorly, I will take the field myself!" In the rear, Luo Chen watched the battle to its conclusion and heard the unconcealed discussion among Tao Wan and the others. A strange thought surfaced in his mind: Were sect true disciples really not that strong? Or was Chu Kui simply too formidable? Or could it be that the combat strength of Azure Pill Valley cultivators was inherently weak? To verify these notions, he focused attentively on the next few battles. There were lower-ranked Grand True Disciples sending subordinates to challenge higher ranks. There were also factions sending fighters to challenge Danyangzi in succession. Among them, Tao Wan sent Qi Lingyun to challenge Shangguan Yan's side. The victories and defeats all fell within Luo Chen's view. And the combat methods of Azure Pill Valley's late Foundation Establishment cultivators were laid bare before his eyes. "These people have rather high realms, but their combat methods are monotonous." "They rely blindly on magic treasures they haven't mastered proficiently. While it looks grand and sweeping, it lacks versatility." "If it were me, coordinating supreme-grade magical artifacts, talismans, and spells while maneuvering and shifting positions would easily create multiple match-deciding opportunities in a single battle." "Strange. It seems sect true disciples aren't invincible among peers of the same realm as the rumors claimed?" Luo Chen mused silently. Of course, he would not arrogantly overestimate himself either. After all, onlookers saw more clearly. Sometimes things seemed clear from the sidelines, but once you actually stepped onto the stage, how much of your strength you could bring to bear was another question entirely. The only thing Luo Chen was certain of was that Chu Kui indeed had the backing to quote such high prices to his employer. From that previous battle, he had already discerned a few details. Chu Kui wasn't a pure Qi Refinement cultivator; he also cultivated body refinement on the side. Unlike Wang Yuan, who was a pure body cultivator, he was more like Luo Chen, cultivating both magic and body. His main focus was wielding artifacts and magic treasures, while his physical body was secondary. "No wonder he could tell at a glance back then that I had stepped into the second realm of body refinement. He must be at this level too." "Makes sense. Where in today's cultivation world could one find a pure body cultivator? Even Wang Yuan cultivated Qi Refinement techniques for the sake of lifespan." Having confirmed Chu Kui's strength, Luo Chen lost any desire to watch the subsequent fights. This sort of sect competition was confined to fair sparring. Since it wasn't a life-and-death clash, many things couldn't be seen. Gaining a general understanding of sect cultivators' average level was enough. In comparison, going back to concoct Spirit-Nurturing Pellets and Dustfall Pills was much more important! In less than two days, it would be his turn to take the stage. If Chu Kui could make a name for himself through this Dao Seed contest, why couldn't he, Luo Chen? With greater fame and higher status, navigating the cultivation world would become much more convenient. At the very least, he would have greater leverage when dealing with Ice Fort! "Huh? Where's Brother Luo?" Tao Yisheng, who had been engrossed in the martial brothers' matches, snapped back to reality and found that Luo Chen had slipped away at some point. Tao Wan, standing ahead, glanced sideways and nodded slightly. No wonder Luo Chen could achieve such success in the Dao of Alchemy. He took no pleasure in fighting or scheming to expand connections; maintaining an innocent, pure heart was the true secret of his success!