Daoist Competition

He pondered for a moment, then suddenly had an idea. Pretending to sigh, he said, "Brother Zhang, killing Beigong Hao this time is indeed gratifying. However, you must be careful. Beigong Hao is an elder of Chongyue True Temple, and killing him will surely invite retaliation. Nonetheless, the Ten Sects of Xuanmen are like branches from the same root, and we will not stand idly by. Brother Qiu, don't you agree?"

After speaking, he turned his head and gave a meaningful look.

Although Qiu Ju appeared dull, he was actually quite intelligent. Without any visible expression on his face, he responded, "Of course."

Zhang Yan smiled faintly and said, "I will leave this place at dawn and head to the outer sea. In the vast open waters, even Chongyue True Temple disciples would find it hard to locate me. You two brothers need not worry."

Chu Jiu was startled and said, "So Brother Zhang intends to leave at dawn?" His gaze flickered for a moment as he continued, "Forgive my boldness, but I wonder if Brother Zhang is traveling aboard an ordinary sea boat?"

In his mind, if Zhang Yan had a large sea boat, there would be no reason to linger on Qifeng Island; he could directly traverse the outer sea. This thought made him eager to exploit the situation.

Zhang Yan glanced at him and said, "Indeed."

Chu Jiu, hearing this, began to laugh, "The winds and waves of the outer sea are fierce, and fierce beasts roam freely. Ordinary sea boats cannot traverse such waters. Brother Zhang, I have a Mysterious Snake Nine-orifice Sea Boat capable of crossing vast seas and carrying hundreds of people with ease. Would Brother Zhang like to travel with us?"

Zhang Yan looked at Chu Jiu with a subtle smile and said, "Daoist Chu, as fellow Xuanmen sect practitioners, feel free to speak openly if you have something to say."

Having his intentions exposed, Chu Jiu showed no embarrassment. Instead, he laughed and said, "Haha, Brother Zhang saw through my little scheme. To be honest, this matter is indeed related to you. Since you've arrived here, you must have heard about Tao Zhenhong starting a sect overseas?"

Although Zhang Yan had stayed in the cabin that day, he had overheard Senior Sister Cai and Miss Shan clearly discussing the matter. He nodded and said, "Indeed, I am aware."

Chu Jiu's expression grew serious as he said, "Tao Zhenhong has four particularly outstanding disciples, among whom one is named Guo Lie. He is at the cultivation level of the Small Golden Core and has claimed that if any disciple of the Xuanmen Ten Sects dares to set foot in the East Sea, he will kill them. Hmph, he's the type who carries out his threats. A few days ago, I heard that he ambushed Xuanmen disciples on the road ahead. Thus, Brother Qiu and I intend to invite several fellow Daoists to band together on Qifeng Island. If possible, we might even lure and kill him."

At this moment, Qiu Ju of the Nanhua Sect suddenly spoke, "If Brother Zhang is willing, I would like to gift you a piece of Chenxing Iron."

Zhang Yan's eyes narrowed slightly—Chenxing Iron? So this was the object mentioned by Senior Sister Cai, said to have fallen from the sky. He hadn't expected Qiu Ju to possess one as well.

If this object were handed over to a skilled artisan in Artifact Refining, it could likely be crafted into a Dharma Treasure.

He deliberated inwardly. This Guo Lie seemed indeed impressive; under normal circumstances, Zhang Yan might have considered meeting him.

However, Chu Jiu's words were not entirely truthful. Guo Lie, no matter how arrogant, would not recklessly offend the disciples of the Xuanmen Ten Sects. It was clear Chu Jiu had deliberately twisted the facts to provoke him into a shared hatred for the enemy.

Yet he didn't care about these implications—his primary purpose here was to acquire the Four-Season Water. If he agreed to their request, it would mean he couldn't leave midway. What if Guo Lie didn't show up for an entire day? Should he stay and waste time?

Thus, he firmly refused, saying, "Apologies, I have other urgent matters to attend to and cannot accept your proposal, fellow Daoists."

Seeing his resolute refusal, Chu Jiu's lips moved a few times before he finally cupped his hands and said coldly, "Very well, then it's settled. We will take our leave."

Zhang Yan returned the gesture and said, "Farewell."

Watching as the two transformed into streaks of tunneling light and departed, Zhang Yan sat back down to continue the sacrificial refinement of Dragon Country's Ship. However, just as he exhaled a breath of spiritual energy, he noticed the black hull in front of him suddenly emitting countless dazzling rays of light, as if something was about to emerge.

He couldn't help but feel delighted—this was a sign that the first layer of artifact restriction was finally being refined.

Meanwhile, Chu Jiu and Qiu Ju had returned to the foot of the mountain. Chu Jiu's expression was gloomy as he said bitterly, "What a pity. I was hoping to drag Zhang Yan into this, so we could deal with Guo Lie together. Who would have guessed he'd remain so calm?"

Qiu Ju responded in a deep voice, "He's no fool. How could someone like him fall for such a scheme? Let's wait a few more days until our sect's uncle arrives; then we can act."

Chu Jiu, however, sneered coldly and said, "There's no need for such trouble. I have a plan to ensure Guo Meng doesn't come after us."

Qiu Ju was surprised and asked, "What plan?"

Chu Jiu laughed sinisterly and said, "Since Zhang Yan refuses to show us respect, why not make him suffer? We can spread rumors that someone from Mingcang Sect—Zhang Yan, to be precise—disapproves of Guo Meng's arrogant behavior and intends to confront him!"

At this point, his smile grew smug as he said, "Guo Meng is notoriously rash and hot-headed. Upon hearing this, there's no way he'd hold back. He would immediately go searching for Zhang Yan. This way, he won't have time to trouble us. And when two tigers fight, one will surely sustain injury. If he dies, we eliminate one of True Master Tao's key disciples without lifting a finger. And if he kills Zhang Yan—well, even better. This could drag Mingcang Sect into the conflict."

Qiu Ju was taken aback. What a venomous plan this Chu Jiu had cooked up!

Although Zhang Yan was formidable, how could he possibly contend with someone like Guo Lie, who had reached the level of the Small Golden Core?

Chu Jiu, elated, said, "We must act quickly. Before Zhang Yan leaves the island, I'll arrange for someone to keep tabs on him—see who he borrows a sea boat from tomorrow. Once we know his destination, we can send the news to Guo Lie. By then, we'll have a way out."

Just as he was laughing triumphantly, a sudden rumbling sound echoed, causing their footing to tremble slightly. It felt as though the entire island had shuddered. Unsure of what had happened, Chu Jiu looked up to see Qiu Ju staring in astonishment. Curious, he followed Qiu Ju's gaze, and when his eyes landed on the sight, he couldn't help but gape in shock.

...

...(To be continued. If you enjoy this story, feel free to visit Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your recommendation votes and monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)