Daoist Competition

Lu Mei Niang's beautiful eyes revealed a hint of joy, but soon she grew worried and said, "I have no dealings with True Master Tao, nor do we share any relationship. Why would he agree to help me?"

Zhang Yan chuckled and said, "Before coming here, I promised Daoist Guo a favor. I can discuss the matter with him, and I trust he'll do me this kindness."

Lu Mei Niang bowed once more, seriously saying, "If True Master Tao were to save me, Daoist, you may call upon me for any assistance in the future."

Zhang Yan smiled faintly and said, "Daoist, you're too polite. Just now I saw Daoist Guo slip away amidst the chaos. Knowing his temperament, he won't leave easily. We might as well wait here for a few days. If he doesn't come, I will retrieve the Four-Season Water first and then seek him out."

Lu Mei Niang nodded in agreement and said, "I shall defer to Daoist's arrangements."

Her character was gentle and pliant, coupled with a lack of decisiveness, so she raised no objections.

Zhang Yan added, "On this Dragon Country's ship, there are numerous courtyards and lofts. Daoist, feel free to choose a spot for quiet cultivation."

With that said, he excused himself and returned to the Treasure Pavilion.

Seated calmly in a quiet room, he activated the prohibition and, with a thought, the Nine Capturing Demon Scroll within his acupoints trembled, releasing its essence Qi in a steady stream.

When Zhang Yan previously cultivated this Dharma technique, the essence Qi feedback from the Jade Scroll was but a trickle. Yet now, it was unprecedentedly abundant, directly seeping into his acupoints without waste, flowing through his body like a current.

He sat cross-legged on the jade platform, steadied his heart and mind, cleared the Spirit Platform, and once the essence Qi settled, followed the mental method of the God Contract to operate the Mysterious Skill.

After merely two hours, all of his acupoints began to lightly pulsate, gradually pushing his power upward.

At this moment, a faint golden copper glow emerged on his skin surface, which disappeared within moments. Soon, a hazy mist of light emitted from his nose and mouth, transforming into hundreds of tiny and indistinct Flood Dragons swirling around him.

As the mental method smoothed, the essence Qi beneath his abdomen grew warm, breathing in and out, advancing and retreating. After a few breaths, it began to produce a rush of sound, akin to heavy water swaying within, causing his body to tremble slightly.

Another two hours passed. The essence Qi vibrated fiercely and surged upward. Zhang Yan's eyes snapped open, and as he opened his mouth, a ball of white light spewed forth.

The mist-born Flood Dragons, as if chasing precious beads, gathered around the white light, twisting and spiraling. With every circle they completed, one strand disappeared, until only one Qi remained surrounding it. Suddenly, amidst flickering flashes, bolts of lightning erupted from within, dark and bright, striking three times before drilling into the Shen Que acupoint. There, the Qi reformed into a mass of essence resembling a divine statue, seated serenely within.

The remaining aura followed closely, darting toward his spine, extending and stretching. Zhang Yan felt an electric current run from the end of his spine up to the crown of his head, leaving a tingling sensation flowing segment by segment. The sound of joints cracking echoed in his ears, prompting him to instinctively straighten his back.

At this moment, a surge of Qi rose from his abdomen, collided forcefully against the twelfth floor of his body, and opened the throat chakra. Unable to resist, he tilted his head back and exhaled a stream of white Qi three meters long, faintly glimmering with light, punctuated by an explosive thunderclap that resonated for a long time.

Zhang Yan slowly inhaled, then exhaled again. After several repetitions, he stabilized the rushing and surging Qi throughout his body.

Though the Nine Capturing Demon Scroll contained quite an excess of essence Qi this time, Zhang Yan did not seek to exhaust it. With a few rotations of the mental method, he returned the surplus essence Qi to the scroll.

At this point, he felt refreshed and invigorated, his entire body brimming with boundless strength. A light tap of his toes on the ground allowed him to rise effortlessly without relying on the Mysterious Skill to support himself. His mind stirred, and from his sleeve, he retrieved the beast-faced great saber. Gripping the hilt in his palm, he casually swung it a few times, discovering that the Divine Weapon—which previously felt weighty—now rested as light as straw in his hand.

Turning his focus inward, he carefully inspected his state and realized he had entered the Second Level of the God Contract, his cultivation barely inferior to Taiyin Xuan Guang.

He couldn't help but marvel inwardly at this method's miraculous properties; no wonder it belonged to the Demon Sect's cultivation technique. As long as essence Qi was plundered, one could focus entirely on progression. However, the further one advanced, the greater the karmic calamities, making future cultivation increasingly perilous.

With this Second Realm achieved, he wondered just how much stronger his physical vessel had become compared to before.

His thoughts shifted, unleashing the mysterious light from his crown, which fell as golden fire onto his right hand. Once it made contact, a slight pain radiated from his arm, accompanied by a piercing, grating sound akin to two Divine Weapons clashing. Quickly withdrawing the mysterious light, he examined his arm and saw that only a shallow layer of flesh had been scraped away, with no blood seeping out. A swift application of the cultivation technique healed it instantly, leaving him unscathed.

Witnessing this occurrence, his heart was both astonished and satisfied. His Golden Fire Mysterious Light was exceptionally domineering; a single sweep could peel away even the blood skin of Jiu Kui Demon King's avatar. Yet comparing himself now, he seemed superior by a slight margin. With this technique protecting him, he need not fear ordinary Dharma Treasures targeting his person.

Exhaling a long breath, he stowed the Divine Weapon and sat back down, running through the cultivation technique once more to gather the residual strands of Qi in the minutest parts of his body and absorb them into his acupoints.

Who knows how much time passed before he suddenly sensed something and looked up, smiling faintly. Transforming into a streak of light, he exited the Treasure Pavilion and stood on the deck, hands behind his back, laughing aloud, "Daoist Guo, why do you look so battered?"

A burly man with a bare upper body and singed hair lay sprawled there, gasping for breath, while the Peng Bird beside him remained immaculately groomed, presenting a comical contrast.

Guo Lie shook his head, patted himself a few times, and finally stood up with lingering fear. He said, "That old scoundrel Xiao's Hand Palm Thunder is truly vicious. It almost sent Grandpa Guo to his grave."

He added in frustration, "This time, not only was my Demon Spirit Essence destroyed by that old scoundrel, but even the White Ape Essence gifted by my master was shredded. This venture is an absolute loss."

Zhang Yan couldn't miss the implications in his words and laughed, "Daoist, no need for complaints. I won't renege on my promise. Once I use Han Ye Xuanzhen Grass to refine the Elixir Water, I'll naturally deliver it to you, and I'll throw in some extra Spiritual Shells as compensation."

...

...(To be continued. If you like this work, feel free to visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote with recommendation and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)