Eight hundred years have passed, and for such news to suddenly emerge is clearly a deliberate attempt to spread misinformation and stir up trouble. However, one thing the other party was right about: there really is a secret chamber belonging to the Black-Hearted Old Man inside the Ten Thousand Bats Cave. It does indeed contain many treasures, the most important of which is the first volume of the Heavenly Book.
Therefore, this operation wasn't just Zhang Xiaofan's doing; Lu Xuan himself also decided to get involved. Lu Xuan's cultivation had essentially forged its own path. He wasn't interested in most of the cultivation techniques in this world. He merely compiled and recorded them out of a collecting habit.
But the Heavenly Book is different. It has hinted that the roots of several major sects in this world—whether it's the Qingyun Sect, the Tianyin Temple, or even the Demonic Sect's top-tier techniques—all originate from the Heavenly Book.
In a sense, the Heavenly Book can be considered the general outline of cultivation in this world. This reason is enough for Lu Xuan to give the Heavenly Book sufficient respect. After all, whether it's Qingyun, Tianyin, or the Demonic Sect, their cultivation methods all have obvious upper limits. But the Heavenly Book is different. Zhang Xiaofan, who later collected all five volumes of the Heavenly Book, had clearly broken through some kind of limitation.
Lu Xuan has already decided to collect all five volumes of the Heavenly Book, so he will definitely be present this time.
............
The next day, the top four winners of this grand competition gathered at the Qingyun Hall. Zhang Xiaofan and Lin Jingyu were also present. However, the chief disciples immediately noticed Zhang Xiaofan's low cultivation level and were unsure of Lu Xuan's intentions.
Cangsong was the only one who knew. But he sat there calmly, drinking tea, refusing to utter a word. He had been thoroughly provoked by Lu Xuan and Zhang Xiaofan last night. But he couldn't possibly regain his composure in this situation. He couldn't possibly give Qi Hao twenty-one magic weapons as well. Therefore, he remained unbalanced. Now, everyone had been provoked together, which made him feel much more at ease. Well, not just at ease, but also secretly pleased...
As expected, when everyone in the hall saw the colorful magical artifacts on Zhang Xiaofan's body, the entire hall fell silent. Especially since most people considered Zhang Xiaofan's talent to be less than mediocre, practically nonexistent.
Lin Jingyu, at the same age, had already reached the eighth or ninth level of the Jade Purity Realm of the Qingyun Sect. Zhang Xiaofan, on the other hand, only had around the third level, his talent being far inferior. Yet, this disciple with such poor talent received far more treatment than the prodigy Lin Jingyu, leaving everyone in the Qingyun Sect completely baffled.
This is also why Lu Xuan somewhat looks down on the Qingyun Sect members. For so many years, not a single person has been able to see Zhang Xiaofan's hidden talent. In contrast, the Ghost King, after only one meeting, judged that Zhang Xiaofan was no ordinary person.
It can only be said that the Qingyun Sect has been complacent for too long and has lost something. On the other hand, the Ghost King, having secretly plotted to overthrow Qingyun for many years, possesses peak insight and experience. This final boss in the original story is top-tier in both cultivation and methods.
Soon, the chief monks of all the peaks suppressed their strange feelings and continued their discussion about the Ten Thousand Bat Cave on Mount Kongsang.
“Several years ago, I sent Xiao Yicai (the sect leader's eldest disciple and a candidate for the next Qingyun sect leader) to the Kongsang Mountain area to investigate the movements of the Demonic Sect. Most of our current information comes from him. Once you arrive, contact him first. Xiao Yicai has been operating there for some time, so you should listen to his advice as much as possible.”
Dao Xuan's single sentence sealed the leadership of the team. Lu Xuan had no objections. There was no point in fighting for such a position. Zhang Xiaofan and Lin Jingyu were both childish, lacking the cultivation and strategic acumen to lead this mission. Moreover, Xiao Yicai was a significant figure in the original story, trustworthy in both cultivation and character. Following him would allow his two disciples to avoid some pitfalls.
After giving some instructions, Dao Xuan arranged for everyone to go back and prepare, and set off for Kongsang Mountain in three days.
The masters of these four were also busy preparing various magical treasures and elixirs for their precious disciples. This was different from the Qingyun Sect Grand Competition; after all, it was a real battle. Every preparation needed to be done to the extreme. It should be noted that these four were the most outstanding among the younger generation of the Qingyun Sect.
Lu Xuan gave Zhang Xiaofan and Lin Jingyu a thorough explanation. Hongyu knew Lu Xuan would secretly follow them, so she wasn't too worried. Zhang Xiaofan and Lin Jingyu, however, were a little nervous.
Lu Xuan naturally wouldn't tell the two that he was secretly following them. That would render the trial meaningless. He simply gave Lin Jingyu a few magical artifacts for protection. This kid follows Hongyu's path, disliking fancy magical artifacts and preferring to rely on a single sword strike for everything. However, Kongsang Mountain would inevitably be a battle of many people, so he still needed some protective magical artifacts.
"Listen up, you two. There's a 99% chance you'll be fighting members of the Demonic Cult during this trial. You only need to understand one thing: every battle against Demonic Cult cultivators is a life-or-death struggle. So, don't hesitate for a second. There's only one way to attack: kill them. Don't hesitate, don't listen to any of their pleas for mercy or threats. If necessary, strike first and don't let them speak."
You two come from humble beginnings, yet you've endured hardships that most people never experience. If you're soft-hearted, imagine what you've been through.
Three days later, the joint trial team from Qingyun Sect and Yinxian Sect set off.
7017k
------------
Chapter 418 Forced Marriage
Since arriving in this world, Lu Xuan has been busy with cultivation and establishing his sect, and has not had time to explore it in depth. This time, he is taking this opportunity to explore this world.
The closest city to Qingyun Mountain is Heyang City. The original text makes no mention of a nation. The best restaurant in the city is called Shanhaiyuan.
From Lu Xuan's perspective, this Shanhaiyuan restaurant was quite up to standard. The first floor was bustling with activity, mostly with ordinary people eating and drinking. The second floor was magnificent and luxurious, filled with wealthy merchants chatting. The third floor, on the other hand, was decorated with carved dragons and phoenixes, red beams and horizontal wood, exuding an antique charm and following a refined and elegant style.
The people from Qingyun Sect and Yinxian Sect went to the third floor. Lu Xuan didn't go up to join the fun, but sat down on the second floor and ordered a clear-broth braised mackerel. This dish is the signature dish of Shanhaiyuan.
The people upstairs also ordered this dish, which led to a famous scene from the original book. After taking a bite of the stewed mackerel, Zhang Xiaofan sighed deeply.
"Ah, the meat is really good, but it's even better cooked. The sweetness comes from the sugar added, and the ginger slices remove the fishy smell. Uh, there's a scallion aroma, so it must have been made with fresh shallots. Ah, what's most remarkable is how well the pepper, five-spice, and oh right, sesame oil flavors are combined. Amazing, amazing."
The others couldn't help but have a strange look on their faces. So this was a cook whose talent for cultivating immortality had been wasted?
"Sir, you are truly an expert!" the waiter praised repeatedly.
Zhang Xiaofan noticed the strange expressions on the faces of the others around him, and immediately blushed and stopped talking.
At this moment, a woman in green at the table next to Zhang Xiaofan and his group suddenly spoke up.
"This 'sleeping fish' is a specialty of the Zhugou Mountains in the south, which are thousands of miles away from here. How could it be transported here? Aren't you, the shopkeeper, cheating people?"
The woman who spoke was undoubtedly Biyao. Lu Xuan could sense that there were eight people at Biyao's table. Among them, one person's cultivation was significantly higher than that of the Qingyun Sect members. According to the original plot, that should be Zhuque, one of the Four Holy Envoys of the Demonic Sect.
The waiter responded with a smile upon hearing this.
"What you say is true, sir. However, you may not know this, but a hundred years ago, this Sleeping Fish was indeed unique to Zhugou Mountain in the south. But later, Dao Xuan, the Immortal of Qingyun Sect, passed through Zhugou Mountain and specially brought the Sleeping Fish back, placing it in Hongchuan, on the shady side of Qingyun Mountain. Now, it has not only survived but is also gradually flourishing. We are all fortunate to have this taste thanks to the Immortal Dao Xuan on Qingyun Mountain!"
The people upstairs stopped talking, and Lu Xuan began to enjoy his stewed fish. It must be said, this fish was indeed quite unique. It could barely be considered a semi-spiritual beast. Its taste far surpassed that of ordinary food.
There weren't as many cultivators in this world as one might imagine. Perhaps it was because this was Qingyun Sect territory, and there were very few cultivators in Heyang City. Lu Xuan wandered around at night and only saw a handful of rogue cultivators. Their cultivation levels were only slightly higher than Zhang Xiaofan's, so they were basically of little value.
At this moment, Zhang Xiaofan encountered Biyao in the courtyard. This is actually a classic scene from the original novel. However, Lu Xuan went out for a stroll and missed the meeting. When he returned, he only saw Zhang Xiaofan leaving angrily, with Biyao standing in the courtyard, her bright eyes blinking as she watched Zhang Xiaofan leave.
"How is my disciple?" Lu Xuan's voice suddenly came from behind Bi Yao. The young girl didn't even hesitate. Petals danced in the air as the Heartbreak Flower unleashed its power, enveloping Lu Xuan completely.
Lu Xuan stood there, motionless. The petals of the Heartbreak Flower floated straight up in mid-air. No matter how Bi Yao tried to activate it, the powerful magic weapon that shook the cultivation world remained completely still.
Biyao realized she had met a master, and immediately changed her demeanor.
"Senior's cultivation is boundless and profound, why make things difficult for a junior like me?"
"A quick-witted little girl. But I don't admit to making things difficult for you. I only asked you one question. What do you think of my disciple?"
"Disciple, you're saying that silly boy from earlier was your disciple?"
Biyao gave Lu Xuan a strange look, seemingly wondering why someone with such high cultivation would have such poor judgment. Had he taken in such a stupid disciple?