The team battle level.
Inside and outside the arena, there was complete silence at this moment.
Except for the mournful sound of the erhu…
Who would have thought that the competition among the twelve sects at the middle and lower stages of the Ningyuan realm would conclude in such a manner.
—No one could forget the focused expression on Lin Shuang’s face as she earnestly played the erhu during the competition.
As if the sky were to collapse, she wouldn’t deviate from this routine.
She was enjoying and intoxicated in her own music.
And constantly nodding or shaking her head.
“Xiao Ai reminds you, this is the 1,238th dream-entering practice, with a 2% decrease in rhythm accuracy compared to the first time, possibly affected by Bian Bo Cai’s painful wails.”
Lin Shuang hummed in response, her fingers never ceasing on the strings.
Two talisman earphones that blocked all sound instantly flew into her ears.
Bian Bo Cai opened his mouth and fell backward onto the ground.
—You can scream all you want; even if your throat is sore, you won’t affect my practice.
How could this be!
“Bian Bo Cai from the Hundred Flowers Sect, well done! You’ve earned the title of ‘Remaining Strong After Countless Trials’ by staying awake for three-quarters of an incense stick.”
“Bian Bo Cai from the Hundred Flowers Sect, well done! You’ve earned the title of ‘The Green Pine Stands Firm Under Heavy Snow’…”
“…Earned the title of ‘Ten Thousand Trees Bloom Before the Sick Tree’…”
Bian Bo Cai’s lips twitched, his charming demeanor completely gone.
His hair was tied to the beam above, and a needle pierced his spine.
And those talismans kept sarcastically praising him, endlessly noisy.
His eyes were now surrounded by deep black circles, full of exhaustion, as if he had pulled all-nighters for ten years, his eyelids barely able to open a slit.
The dream-entering-induced mental attacks on cultivators would make their consciousness weary.
Repeatedly awakened without rest, his mental fatigue kept accumulating, feeling like the weariness of not sleeping for years.
Bian Bo Cai felt as if his consciousness had been greatly tempered… making more progress in consciousness than he had gained in the Flower Valley over 9,000 trials!
Because each time he fell asleep, he was awakened again, each time persisting through the torment…
But he didn’t want this!
“Congratulations, Bian Bo Cai! You’ve earned the title of ‘Since ancient times, who has not died’ by staying awake for a full incense stick!”
“Pu—”
Looking at this ultimate title, Bian Bo Cai finally lost his composure!
His consciousness trembled, and he nearly spat out a mouthful of blood.
“My goodness.”
Meng Zi, standing behind Lin Shuang, gazed at Bian Bo Cai, who was repeatedly jolted awake by the beam and needle while being sprayed by Xiao Ai. A hint of pity and sympathy couldn’t help but surface on his face.
He spoke, delivering the final blow to the already unfortunate Bian Bo Cai.
“She has immersed herself in her practice routine and sealed off her five senses to achieve full concentration. Brother Bian, why didn’t you just concede defeat when she was focused?”
“???”
Bian Bo Cai trembled, raising his bloodshot, dark-circled eyes.
Meng Zi clicked his tongue in admiration, his face even showing a look of respect.
“Brother Bian, you’ve won my respect. If it were me, I would’ve given up long ago and not continued playing along with her.”
“Ah, Brother Bian, you truly deserve the title of ‘Since ancient times, who has not died’.”
Huangpu Yuan’s phoenix eyes looked at Bian Bo Cai with complexity and sympathy, showing a rare expression of approval.
“…!??”
Bian Bo Cai staggered a step.
His eyes closed, and he finally collapsed completely!
Indeed, why didn’t he just concede defeat when he woke up and she was absorbed in her practice?
In the end, he had still been completely outmaneuvered by her.
She had calculated every step.
Why didn’t she leave Zhu Jiao or Kong Miaoke? Because only he was more obsessed with uncovering the secrets of cultivators!
Only he would cast aside his dignity, forever fixated on uncovering what the next achievement title of her response talisman would be!
He had been deceived by her all the way until the end of the incense stick!
“Lin Shuang… junior sister…”
Bian Bo Cai lay on the ground, tremblingly raising his powerless right hand toward the sky.
The three Xiao Ai talismans had already flown back to Lin Shuang since the musician’s practice session had concluded.
Bian’s eyelids felt heavy, and this time he could no longer suppress it, nor was there anyone to wake him again.
Under the lingering echoes of the immersive Dolby sound effects of the dream-entering performance, he was finally going to fall asleep.
A sleep so deep that not even a dog could wake him.
“I will leave a blank for you…”
“You will become the first person in my… scroll — with only a name, but no content.”
[!]
Bian Bo Cai had already closed his eyes.
As if talking in his sleep.
His right hand, stretched toward the sky, slowly fell.
“Everything about you deserves others to explore on their own…”
“It’s not something I… can write.”
All the words he could think of failed to describe her as she appeared today.
She had surpassed all his comprehension of the Ning Yuan cultivators.
Not writing a single word was his complete introduction of Lin Shuang!
—Because she couldn’t be evaluated, no opinion could be given.
—Lin Shuang was not a cultivator that a mere writer like him could assess!
She had already surpassed everything he could see!
And she would continue to rise, reaching levels he could never fully grasp, even after he breaks through in the future!
Bian Bo Cai, holding his folding fan, fell into a deep sleep.
His limp body slowly faded into nothingness within the team battle level.
The twelve spectator mountains fell into a silence so profound that even the drop of a needle could be heard.
This match was tense and exciting, yet oddly funny.
It seemed laughable, yet it ended solemnly.
‘Junior sister Lin Shuang… is not someone I… can write about.’
Bian Bo Cai’s final whisper, like a dream, clearly landed in the ears of every spectator disciple.
Indeed.
How could he write about her?
From the very beginning of entering the team battle, no, perhaps even earlier, back at the Zhao family’s trial, or maybe the Wang Jian level, or even before the inner sect’s competition began… Lin Shuang had already calculated everything today.
Every step of today’s battle plan seemed absurd, yet the Hundred Flowers Sect and the Ten Thousand Monks Sect had stepped into her trap at every turn.
Escaping one disaster only led to another trap.
How can a cicada trapped in a maze describe the hawk’s ability?
Bian Bocai single-handedly defeated the elite cultivators from twelve sects, an achievement already extraordinarily remarkable.
He, of a lower rank, saw through higher cultivators.
This insight alone proved he was among the top three Divine Refinement cultivators!
But even he, in today’s team battle, failed to calculate even one of Lin Shuang’s traps correctly.
How then could he write a review of Lin Shuang?
One word more might already be biased.
Only leaving her blank.
This was respect for Lin Shuang, and respect for those who would read the scroll.
Not writing is writing.
“The Clearwater Sect—wins!”
While the spectator disciples were lost in thought, Elder Wang Heng of the Mountain Sea Sect, the supervising elder, announced.
His figure appearing high in the sky moved somewhat slowly.
Even while speaking, he yawned.
Elder Wang Heng had a pale face and a long beard. His aged eyes, which usually showed no expression, glistened slightly from the yawn.
And there was also a bit of tiredness.
[!]
[?? Did Lin Shuang’s dream-entering affect the Void-Entering elder?]
[Where are the Mountain Sea Sect disciples? What is the cultivation level of this supervising elder who just passed 9,000 trials?]
[He recently just reached Void-Entering Peak.]
[…!]
[Don’t you remember? The three of them merging their consciousness into one, attaining the Soul-Forging realm, piercing through the Wang Jian’s layered painting, already surpassing the Condensed Essence level?]
The three consciousnesses reaching the Soul-Forging level, 108 erhu performances.
Earlier in the team battle level, the dream-entering sound was everywhere, penetrating every corner.
It had a certain tiring effect even on Void-Entering cultivators.
After yawning, Elder Wang Heng still couldn’t hide his tiredness, looking complexly at Lin Shuang and the others.
Lin Shuang also clearly looked tired, Meng Zi and Huangpu Yuan withdrew their support for her 108 consciousness power, and she yawned continuously now.
It was clearly approaching her limit.
After all, she was merely a Ningyuan cultivator.
Only by combining their techniques could they reach the early Soul-Forging level.
Elder Wang Heng nodded inwardly, sighed in relief, and then looked at Huangpu Yuan and Meng Zi, who also looked listless.
He nodded in reassurance.
“All the middle and lower-level competitions of Ningyuan have now concluded.”
“The Clearwater Sect ranks first in the team battle, with the highest cumulative score, making it the top among middle and lower levels!”
“Second is the Hundred Flowers Sect, and third is the Ten Thousand Monks Sect!”
This round of judgment didn’t even require calculating the scores.
Only the three from Clearwater Sect remained standing!
“Ahh, I can’t go on anymore. You two drag me back; I need a short nap.”
As the incense stick ended, the mid-lesson break began.
Lin Shuang immediately sat on a soft couch she had brought out and lay down.
“The senior brothers and sisters from the Hundred Flowers Sect were really amazing… they drained so much of my consciousness… I’m so tired, I can’t go on anymore; I need a nap.”
Supervising Elder Wang Heng: “….”
[…]
[??? Good thing all three from the Hundred Flowers Sect are asleep and can’t hear this.]
[Yeah, you’re pretty tired, practicing the erhu for a whole incense stick and making sure Bian Bo Cai stays awake for a whole incense stick without sleeping… you must be really tired, right!]
Meng Zi and Huangpu Yuan had already gotten used to it.
They apologized to Elder Wang Heng of the Mountain Sea Sect.
“Sorry, Elder, we’ve exhausted all our consciousness and need to rest and recover.”
They had been channeling their consciousness and inner energy to support Lin Shuang.
They had used sword techniques and combined their consciousness with hers; they were also at their limits.
Elder Wang Heng nodded and immediately transported them to the rest boat of the Yuan River Nine Thousand with a blurred figure.
“Everyone, tomorrow we will hold the award ceremony for the top three in the middle and lower levels!”
“Today, the disciples are all tired, so let’s adjourn.”
The Yuezhi Elder, who was leading the Mountain Sea Sect in hosting this year’s competition, stood up and said.
But as soon as the words were spoken.
A column of water from the elder’s position shot into the sky, turning into a mist of sparkling droplets that soaked all the disciples and elders of the eleven sects!
Eleven Sects: “!”
“Who said to disperse!”
The voice of Shui Qiantan echoed through the heavens.
He transformed into a waterfall, splashing down over Elder Wang Heng on the rest boat… flowing over the three substitute disciples of the Clearwater Sect, and onto Lin Shuang lying on the couch and the standing Meng Zi and Huangpu Yuan!
Countless splashes exploded, each droplet reflecting sunlight and shining brilliantly.
Like celebratory fireworks!
Or like the sun, moon, and stars!
Joyful and excited mists surrounded Lin Shuang and the others like stars circling the moon!
All the disciples of the Clearwater Sect stood up on the spectator mountains with a loud cry!
“Welcome—this session’s champion, the Clearwater Sect!”
“Lin Shuang!”
“Meng Zi!”
“Huangpu Yuan!”
Their expressions were excited, shouting wildly.
Both hands simultaneously formed seals, splashing water everywhere!
“This session’s champion!”
“Lin Shuang, Lin Shuang, unparalleled in the world!”
“Meng Zi, Meng Zi, bite back in retaliation.”
Meng Zi: “?”
“Huangpu, Huangpu…”
Standing Huangpu Yuan, his black pupils instantly contracted.
In an instant, he formed a seal and hurriedly left.
Grass.
Meng Zi shivered, his goosebumps rising.
They didn’t even call him along!
“Wait for me—”
Lin Shuang on the couch, her eyebrows twitching violently, “Wait, take me with you.”
Wow.
The Clearwater Sect’s support was too strong; ordinary people couldn’t possibly withstand such an attack!
The three blushed furiously.
The final mist from Shui Qiantan arrived simultaneously with the beast head rewards from Yuan River Nine Thousand.
It transformed into spiritual energy, injecting into their foreheads.
“Ah. Now it’s my rest time.”
Lin Shuang painfully held her forehead.
[!]
[It’s pretty mediocre, if you don’t want it, give it to me!]
[I’ll remember you, Lin Shuang of the Clearwater Sect.]
The three beast heads from the team battle level each transformed into golden patterns on their collars.
Unlike the beast heads from the Spirit Spring Seizure layer in Zhenchuan Nine Thousand, these team battle level beast heads appeared to be the eyes of a beast, with both eyes inscribed with the word ‘together’.
—The beast pattern of the team battle level was different from all other levels.
Previously, the battle for the Spirit Spring in Li Village was a test of speed.
It was temporarily changed to a team battle speed mode because of Mei Xin’s challenge.
But this time, the “You came, well, I also came” that Lin Shuang and the others passed was the real team battle test.
[Layers 5, 3, 4, and 6, Lin Shuang and the others defeated the other six.]
[Winning two rounds in a row, the cultivation knowledge test and the chaotic arena.]
In the team battle, they triggered a mental breakthrough for the three members of the Hundred Flowers Sect, inspiring over a hundred observing disciples to reflect on their Dao-heart (If you’re naive, you’ve already lost).
[??]
The projection screen showed Zhao Keran, the source of the golden phrase “If you’re naive, you’ve already lost.”
She was covering her mouth, her eyes red with excitement.
Around her stood the drenched disciples of the Hundred Flowers Sect, with the soaked Pear Blossom Senior Sister concocting elixirs.
Clearly, Zhao Keran had participated in the celebration of the Clearwater Sect disciples, splashing out water no less than her senior brothers and sisters.
“Senior sister, I knew it!”
[The three from the Clearwater Sect, Lin Shuang and others, simultaneously won the approval of the layer masters from the Mountain Sea Sect, Hundred Flowers Sect, Ten Thousand Monks Sect, and Clearwater Sect for layers 5, 3, 4, and 6.]
[!]
Because the team battle involved three parties and the competition site was at the Mountain Sea Sect.
She had simultaneously broken the records of four sects!
Lin Shuang’s eyes sparkled with excitement.
This was an unexpected one-stroke-four-birds situation.
She looked down and saw the beast head on her robe had transformed into four-colored embroidery.
One eye seemed to be made of mountain stone, the other of clear water.
The beast head was formed from a hundred flowers, and the beast’s ears faintly showed a Buddhist character.
Indeed, the Nine Thousand Trials of each sect were connected in some way?
If one is connected, can twelve be connected?
Lin Shuang seemed to hear her own heartbeat.
The middle and lower-level battles were all over.
But she had just started to feel some fun.
What if she won against the other eleven sects at once?
Would she become the master of twelve sect layers simultaneously?
“Lin Shuang… come… to the Nine Thousand… quickly…”
Lin Shuang opened her mouth.
On the couch, she covered her rapidly beating heart.
One shot, twelve birds… was calling her?
Was she so excited that she was hallucinating?
No.
Stop.
It was time for her rest schedule.
“Go?”
Meng Zi interrupted her daydreaming and unexpected distraction, flying across the sky on his sword, taking her back to the cave dwelling, chasing after Huangpu Yuan.
Under the watchful eyes of the twelve sects, the three of them absurdly departed on sword mounts, carrying a soft couch with them.
Thus, the battle ended.
The great elders of each sect vanished from their spots one after another.
Before the projection faded, the gentle voice of Senior Disciple Li Hua rang out, “Let us meet again in the Ningyuan High-Rank Battle.”
“In wind and rain, Baihua Sect will await you.”
[See you in the Soul Tempering Battle.]
[When is the High-Rank Battle?]
[In the High-Rank Battle, if a high-rank disciple encounters Lin Shuang… what will happen? I’m curious.]
[Quick, shut up! If Lin Shuang really comes, don’t jinx us…]
[!]
[Don’t curse us high-rank disciples, buddy.]
[Lin Shuang can be left for disciples participating in the Soul Tempering Battle ten years later, hahaha—we of this cohort will handle the upcoming matches.]
The projection faded away amidst a flood of text.
Then, a soft, cute yet terrifying voice, already familiar to everyone, sounded.
[Farewell, senior brothers and sisters from each sect.]
[You must do your best. Following my senior sister’s temperament, she always accomplishes multiple goals with one arrow—the truth is, I don’t even know whether she will complete the High-Rank Battle or even the Soul Tempering Battle on this trip.]
[Wish you good luck.]
[We may meet again very soon.]
Zhao Keran’s voice gradually softened.
Though barely audible at the end, it seemed like a massive mountain had been dropped in the final projection, stirring up towering waves.
[???]
[? What…?!]
[Explain clearly, little junior sister of the Zhao family!]
[Don’t leave! Baihua Sect, quickly reopen the projection for me! Ah!]
[I, who spent 100 spirit stones to become a VIP, command you, Baihua Sect! Go ask right now whether Lin Shuang will definitely return to Qingshui Sect after resting, right? She won’t come out again, right?!]
In the Condensed Essence High-Rank Battle, each sect sends forth disciples at the peak stage of Condensed Essence.
Only one step away from the Soul Tempering stage.
Given the “despicable” tactics employed by sects in the lower and middle tiers, it is highly probable that in the High-Rank Battle, they will dispatch fake Condensed Yuan disciples who are in fact half-step Soul Tempering cultivators concealing their true strength.
It’s also highly probable that during the High-Rank Battle, disciples might breakthrough to the early Soul Tempering stage right on the arena of the twelve sects.
Lin Shuang is currently at the seventh level of the Ningyuan stage.
She absolutely won’t come!
Let alone the subsequent Soul Tempering disciples’ battle, where only those at mid to late Soul Tempering stages would be sent by Qingshui Sect.
Seeing the texts on the projection, Senior Disciple Li Hua shivered involuntarily.
But the text asked her to seek out Zhao Keran—where could she possibly find her to ask?
Li Hua smiled bitterly, “Apologies to everyone. Long before you all heard Junior Sister Zhao’s voice, she had already been retreating while speaking. Now, she’s completely out of my sight.”
[…???]
[…………]
“Is this… the so-called ‘accomplishing multiple goals with one arrow’?”
Li Hua’s lips quivered as she gazed toward the direction Zhao Keran had retreated, which was exactly the inner sect’s retreat residence of Shanhai Sect.
If Lin Shuang truly insists on achieving multiple goals in every action she takes…
Why, when Baihua Sect had already lost all combat capability, did she push herself, Meng Zi, and Huangpu Yuan to the point of exhausting our last shred of spiritual consciousness, forcing us to complete an incense stick’s worth of piano practice?
After the projection completely ended, Li Hua’s expression revealed confusion.
Was such intense piano practice really necessary?
Such an all-out effort would require at least a full day of rest to recover.
Why would Lin Shuang do this?
Was this action meaningless, or did it have another “accomplishing multiple goals with one arrow” meaning?
Li Hua shook her head, soon chuckling bitterly. “How have I been influenced by Junior Sister Zhao? She always praises Lin Shuang, and I actually started to believe it.”
How could anyone possibly achieve multiple goals with every single action they take?
*
At Shanhai Sect.
Inside the cave dwelling reserved for disciples to rest between battles, Lin Shuang collapsed and fell into a deep sleep. Huangpu Yuan’s face was pale, and Meng Zi barely managed to steady himself. All three immediately sat cross-legged on the ground to recover their spiritual consciousness.
“Too reckless.”
Elder Master Shui Qiantan took a glance, then waved out his wine gourd. Clear wine, full of a captivating fragrance, spread around the three of them.
Slowly, they absorbed it.
“Let them have a good sleep. Xiaohong, Xiaolv, you two keep watch.”
Who is Xiaohong?
Who is Xiaolv?
On Li Min and Duan Wufang’s faces, a flash of helplessness appeared.
Still, they respectfully nodded.
After Duan Wufang nodded, he raised his eyes, which were happily narrowed into slits. “This time, I deserve the most credit. Lin Shuang was my discovery.”
“Old Tan, how will you reward me?”
Shui Qiantan: “…”
Who is Old Tan?
His flowing lips twitched as he snorted.
“I haven’t even dealt with you two yet. What nonsense did you spout before the battle, claiming we’d sweep the top three spots!?”
“If it weren’t for that, would Lin Shuang and the others have fought so desperately?”
Duan Wufang immediately showed a guilty expression.
“A disciple’s foundation is more important than anything else. You two were just fooling around—”
Duan Wufang scratched his nose but suddenly his eyes lit up.
Counting on his fingers, he said, “Old Tan, oh, you reminded me. That Wang Heng calculated wrong. How could Qingshui Sect be only first place?”
“Qingshui Sect should be first, second, and third!”
Shui Qiantan: “…”
Li Min lowered his head.
Duan Wufang had never been so ‘clear-headed’ before. “In the three-sect melee, eliminating one person earns two points. Surviving until the end, even alone, earns two points.”
“Hey, I just realized! Both other sects scored zero points, only Qingshui Sect earned points in the team battle.”
In the previous rounds of persuasion, all three were swept by the Qingshui Sect. Additionally, with the Queen’s Flip featuring the green headpiece, Lin Shuang and the others managed to identify two out of the six evil cultivators!
“In the Wang Jian level, only we truly passed.”
“Ah, come on! The Wanseng Sect was idle the whole time, scoring zero points. With just one fake completion, how dare they snatch our Qingshui Sect’s third place!”
“Baihua Sect is the same!”
“What’s the difference between them participating in this team battle and not participating at all?”
“From start to finish, they scored zero points. Only Lin Shuang’s three disciples earned points.”
Duan Wufang raised his head heavily, his eyes shining.
“Old Tan, whether Xiaohong and I can breakthrough to the Transcendence Stage this time entirely depends on you.”
Shui Qiantan: “??? “
“You should go file a complaint,” Duan Wufang, dressed in green, pounded his chest in distress. “Lin Shuang and the others worked so hard and took the top three spots. How could you let Shanhai Sect trick you into thinking we only got first place and then come back so easily?”
“It’s harming Xiaohong and me from experiencing great joy, from long drought meeting sweet rain, from being stimulated to breakthrough to Transcendence!”
“Old Tan, you’re just not up to it.”
Shui Qiantan: “…”
All the water around him trembled.
Would Qingshui Sect even survive a hundred years from now?
For the first time, he doubted.
He had been stationed at the twelve sects’ management guild, not at the sect itself. How had his disciples turned out like this?
Where did this shameless attitude come from?
Had Lin Shuang’s habits already infected the elders?
She had only been at Zhenchuan for a few days!
“Ah, Senior Sister, I’m back!”
Before Shui Qiantan could finish thinking, Zhao Keran flew back joyfully like a little bird.
As she rushed forward, she was still transmitting voice into the cave dwelling, emphasizing ‘operational efficiency.’
“Senior Sister, I think you’re the top six in this middle and low-rank battle. The top six are all you~”
At the Wang Jian level and the Quan Xue level, all five sects had fake completions. They were actually eliminated at that time.
“Later, whether they competed or not was meaningless. So the top six were all ours. Senior Sister, tell me, didn’t I catch the key issue this time?”
Shui Qiantan’s beard trembled: “…”
Duan Wufang exclaimed, “That’s exactly right.”
Li Min pressed his forehead.
The future of Qingshui Sect…
They couldn’t even imagine it anymore.
In Rest Cave Dwelling No. 3500, all eleven sects’ elders and elite disciples resided.
Silence.
All sects heard Duan Wufang and Zhao Keran’s words and fell into silence.
Angry, yet too ashamed to refute?
What’s going on with these rankings? Not worth having them anyway?
In the final round, participating in the team battle was equivalent to not participating at all, scoring zero points.
Isn’t that correct?
Too correct.
Baihua Sect and Wanseng Sect both slammed their cave dwelling doors shut heavily.
The sects ranked fourth to sixth followed suit, also slamming their cave dwelling doors shut.
As for sects ranked seventh to twelfth, they were even worse off. They had already been eliminated long ago. Whether they came or not to the outer and inner sect competitions seemed to make no difference at all.
Slam! Slam! Slam! All the cave dwelling doors shut.
In fact, several Ning Yuan experts were on the verge of a breakthrough.
Under pressure, either bow down or rise up!
Everyone was so infuriated by Qingshui Sect that they broke through!
‘As if a villain’ Elder Master Shui Qiantan of Qingshui Sect: “…”
He deeply gazed at Zhao Keran, who had just rushed to the cave dwelling door.
He was wrong.
Xiaolv wasn’t corrupted by Lin Shuang; he was corrupted by this little Zhao girl.
With a venomous tongue, three sentences could pierce a thousand wounds.
But as Shui Qiantan was thinking, with all eleven sects’ cave dwelling doors tightly shut, suddenly a loud shout rang out outside the inner gate of Shanhai Sect.
“The Annihilation Pavilion has arrived to execute a mission!”
“Clear the area to avoid collateral damage!”
Shui Qiantan was taken aback.
The cave dwelling doors of all sects on the same floor and level instantly opened out of curiosity.
Innumerable spiritual consciousnesses gazed toward the inner gate of Shanhai Sect.
There, two top assassins from the Annihilation Pavilion were restraining a mentally exhausted and violently struggling elder of the Shanhai Sect!
None other than Elder Wang Heng of Shanhai Sect, the supervisor of the recent team battle!
“What, what’s going on?”
Several illusory figures from the Shanhai Sect instantly materialized.
Even a Transcendence presence appeared in an instant at the main gate of Shanhai Sect.
“Reckless!”
An elder female cultivator at the early Transcendence stage, the supervising elder of the 9,000th level of Yuanhe—3,000 levels above Wang Heng—appeared in an instant.
She turned mountains and rivers into a long sword and swung it at the two Void Realm assassins from the Annihilation Pavilion.
“Release our Shanhai Sect elder!”
The Annihilation Pavilion, rising over a hundred years ago and gradually flourishing.
It doesn’t inquire about the cultivator’s name or origin. As long as one gains the Annihilation Pavilion’s approval, one can become an assassin there, taking on tasks from clients.
With masks on, they travel in all directions, killing all the bounty targets.
These assassins are numerous, usually hiding their identities. Their cultivation bases are not low, and their techniques come from the hundred schools across the land, each with their own specialties.
The twelve sects in the Donghua Realm have no way to deal with the Annihilation Pavilion.
Occasionally, they even cooperate, jointly hunting down wanted evil cultivators and acting together.
But today—
“The Annihilation Pavilion, this is not your place to do as you please!”
Several elders of Shanhai Sect arrived at the mountain gate. Seeing Elder Wang Heng’s weakened aura, being held upside down by the Annihilation Pavilion assassins, they were all furious.
The eleven sects’ disciples and elders hadn’t left yet.
The Annihilation Pavilion was here, slapping their faces right at their doorstep!
The assassins from the Void Realm, clad in black masks adorned with silver patterns, gave a slight nod of their chins toward the female elder of the Shanhai Sect.
Coldly speaking.
“I have no intention of opposing you, Shanhai Sect. I’m merely carrying out the client’s request.”
“Don’t worry, if the commission fee isn’t enough, I wouldn’t bother to go through the trouble of taking his life.”
All the elders and disciples of Shanhai Sect and other sects were taken aback.
Not to take Wang Heng’s life?
Then what mission were they executing?
Even within the cave dwelling, Lin Shuang seemed to have been awakened by the several Transcendence presences, rubbing her eyes, hugging her floral quilt, and waking up in confusion under Zhao Keran’s concerned gaze.
Her drowsy gaze instantly met the awakened gazes of Huangpu Yuan and Meng Zi, who had also been disturbed from their sleep.
‘Five incense sticks’ time, I want you to capture Elder Wang Heng of Shanhai Sect alive.’
‘Yes, the one who’s currently supervising the team battle.’
‘Five incense sticks’ time should be enough for all the Transcendence elders to have left the 9000th level of Yuanhe.’
Lin Shuang rubbed her bleary eyes. Instantly, her 108th spiritual consciousness awakened, connecting with the other 107.
Ah, right.
Lin Shuang remembered. This was the mission she had issued to the Annihilation Pavilion using paper substitutes during the battle.
Meng Zi looked at her expression, one of self-surprise and self-shock, as if she herself were a spectator. His temple twitched.
Absurd.
She even managed to deceive herself.
In the first round of the team battle, she deliberately played the “Dreamwalk” melody, hypnotizing the Baihua Sect and subtly influencing Elder Wang Heng.
However, due to the vast difference in cultivation levels, she could only slightly, imperceptibly, fatigue Elder Wang Heng’s alertness.
In the second round, the Baihua Sect had already lost their advantage, yet she still refused to let them retreat, insisting on performing “Entering the Dream” for the duration of an incense stick.
She planned to utilize their merged spiritual consciousness, particularly the Soul Tempering power concealed within Huangpu Yuan, to enter dreams a hundred times, covertly striking Elder Wang Heng on a hundred occasions.
Layering fatigue upon him…
Elder Wang Heng did not fall asleep, but his spiritual consciousness was no longer at the level it should have been for a peak Void Realm cultivator.
“I’ll go have a look.”
The plan was proceeding smoothly.
The Annihilation Pavilion had arrived. Who knows, maybe Wang Heng would drop his mustard seed bag.
Curious Meng Zi rushed out eagerly.
“Hey hey hey, Senior Brother Meng, carry me out too.”
Lin Shuang’s voice came.
Meng Zi: “…”
He turned back and saw Zhao Keran, similarly wearing a spectator’s expression, still sitting on the soft couch beside Lin Shuang.
Huangpu Yuan also naturally pulled out a reclining chair.
“!”
Meng Zi didn’t get angry but laughed instead. “Everyone hold on tight, one hundred spirit stones each!”
Whoosh! In an instant, he joyfully rushed out, carrying the soft couch and reclining chair.
Watching the show, spectating the drama, earning spirit stones~
Grabbing mustard seed bags~
Shui Qiantan: “…”
Xiaohong and Xiaolv: “…”
Meanwhile, the ‘Annihilation Pavilion capturing a Shanhai Sect elder’ drama at the gate had reached its climax.
“Wang Heng, below are the questions I’m reading on behalf of the client!”
“You, a sixty-year-old grandfather figure, taught your friend’s granddaughter cultivation techniques. Unbeknownst to her family, you took advantage of this opportunity to deceive and seduce a young girl two generations below you, a mere teenager. Wang Heng, you despicable, shameless man! After doing everything, you heartlessly left, abandoning your wife and child. Have you forgotten, the Summer Rain Lotus by the Bright Lake!”
Elder Wang Heng, whose spiritual consciousness had been hypnotized a hundred times and was no longer at its peak clarity, had his struggling movements stalled.
“???”
What?
Lin Shuang, the female elder of Mountain-Sea Sect at the early stage of Heavenly Ascension, who was about to step forward to seize the person, halted abruptly in mid-air.
The Void-Entering assassin who had grabbed Wang Heng’s right arm immediately roared at the other Void-Entering assassin holding Wang Heng’s left arm.
“Let go!”
“He’s my mission!”
“Wang Heng, my client asks you, which one do you truly love, Ruping or Yiping!”
Wang Heng: “?”
“Wang Heng, as soon as you entered the Mountain-Sea Sect, you scorned them for their humble origins, ignoring how they raised you by collecting bottles to earn spirit stones for your cultivation within the sect…”
Wang Heng: “??”
The pursuing Heavenly Ascension elder stared at Wang Heng in disbelief.
Her eyes revealed unmistakable disdain, anger, and revulsion.
She instantly retreated, as if unwilling to associate with such a shameless and irresponsible wretch!
If Wang Heng was truly this despicable, helping him would surely invite divine retribution!
Soon, a third Void-Entering assassin was transported to the scene. “Which one is Wang Heng?”
The elders of Mountain-Sea Sect who had come out to assist were stunned.
Another one?
The third assassin shouted loudly at the other two holding Wang Heng, “Stop! He’s my client’s target! My client sacrificed her leg to save you, and then offered her core cultivation base to assist your training—”
“Wang Heng—”
“Wang Heng!”
Three Void-Entering assassins each grabbed an arm of Wang Heng, and one even tried to seize his foot.
All were in a rush to complete their respective missions, lifting Wang Heng up and pulling and tugging him midair!
The elders of Mountain-Sea Sect and other sects who had rushed out originally intended to stop the audacity of Oblivion Pavilion executing missions and taking away their sect elders right at their doorstep.
But upon hearing these accusations, each word seemed dripping with blood, recounting the tragic stories of several families.
In other matters, they might step forward to uphold justice.
But this involved personal affairs of cultivators, and judging from the accusations, they were clearly despicable and shameful matters that would invite divine wrath. How could they possibly support Wang Heng?
In that moment, none of the elders from the twelve sects stepped forward.
Wang Heng’s consciousness, though dazed, was not unconscious.
After a brief moment of confusion, he quickly regained clarity and shot back a glare of being wronged and falsely accused.
“Lies!”
“I don’t know who you are! Who’s trying to frame me! I never—”
But his voice was soon drowned out by the three Void-Entering assassins.
“I must bring him back to meet my client.”
“My client is dying, let me go first…”
“My client’s child can’t afford the tuition to the sect…”
“I’m in a bigger hurry, he comes with me.”
“I’m urgent, follow me!”
Ignoring Wang Heng’s protests, the three assassins tugged and pulled him at the sect gate.
A chaotic mess.
“Wang Heng is my disciple!”
In an instant, the Heavenly Ascension elder of Mountain-Sea Sect, Elder Yuezhi, appeared.
“He has never had a cultivation partner in his entire life. What is the meaning of Oblivion Pavilion!”
Under the pressure of the Heavenly Ascension elder, the three Void-Entering assassins stiffened immediately.
Even the bystander Lin Shuang took a deep breath.
But soon, with a ‘patta’ sound, amidst the chaotic stalemate and the clashing of spiritual energies as the three assassins fought over Wang Heng—
Wang Heng’s storage pouch was torn by someone!
Instantly, the spiritual treasures inside spilled out onto the ground.
Clattering, countless spirit stones scattered everywhere.
How much wealth does a Void-Entering elder of Mountain-Sea Sect possess?
That question wasn’t important.
Of course it was.
At once, the elders of the other eleven sects couldn’t help but lower their heads curiously.
—The compensation of Mountain-Sea Sect must be worse than that of Hundred-Flower Sect?
—In terms of wealth, it can’t possibly rival the Artifact and Pill Sect.
—Mountain-Sea Sect has been in decline for a century. Could it now be even worse than my Yunyang Sect…?
All the elders kept stern faces, but their eyes peeked curiously and secretly.
The spiritual senses of Heavenly Ascension and Void-Entering experts were naturally superior.
At a glance, they instantly identified hundreds of thousands of spirit stones and treasures scattered on the ground.
Their curious gazes then shifted to Wang Heng, and another storage pouch.
Not knowing who exactly let out a sudden exclamation, “Huh? What’s that hidden in his sleeve?”
At once, Shui Qiantan, the most powerful among them, transformed his hand into a flowing river and grabbed Wang Heng.
With a ‘patta’ sound—
At the same time Lin Shuang subtly put down the voice-changing talisman from her lips, a dark iron wooden tablet rolled from Wang Heng’s sleeve and landed at Elder Yuezhi’s feet.
Two words were inscribed on it—Heavenly Mechanism!
At once, all the elders’ faces turned shocked and furious, and they all took a step back in unison!
The entire scene fell silent, with only heavy, stifled breathing remaining!
“Oh, wait, the target isn’t called Wang Heng. I got the mission wrong. The real target is called Shuhan.”
“It turns out he’s never had a cultivation partner. Perhaps I made a mistake. I’ll go back and double-check—”
“Wang Heng of the Mountain-Sea Sect is actually an evil cultivator? This… asking me to kill an evil cultivator will cost extra. Excuse me!”
The three ‘troublesome’ Void-Entering assassins vanished instantly.
All the elders present: “???”
Meng Zi and Huangpu Yuan looked at Lin Shuang with complex expressions.
Leaning on the sofa, covered with a small quilt, Lin Shuang gazed at Elder Yuezhi, who seemed to want to step forward and stomp on the ‘Heavenly Mechanism Order’ but dared not move under everyone’s gaze.
Then she glanced at Wang Heng, whose face was pale as death.
“Sigh, day after day, I should be taking a nap, but no one lets me sleep.”
Lin Shuang shook her head painfully.
Huangpu Yuan and Meng Zi: “…”
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