Chapter 223: The Highly Anticipated Entrance

Chapter 223: The Highly Anticipated Entrance

"It's the people from the Great Ro Sect!"

At this moment, the Nine Floret Sect's arena was already filled with nearly ten thousand disciples, all gathered to witness the impending showdown.

The arrival of the group from the Great Ro Sect caused a stir throughout the arena. Every disciple fixed their gaze on the newcomers, their eyes filled with anger.

The Great Ro Sect group, on the other hand, wore expressions of arrogance and disdain.

On the high platform, three Golden Core cultivators sat facing each other. In the center was the host, a cultivator from the Nine Floret Sect, while on his left sat the five white-haired elders of the Peng family. And on the right were the visitors from the Great Ro Sect, led by Ao Langtian.

The Foundation Establishment cultivators of the Great Ro Sect were seated to one side of the platform. Although they numbered only a hundred or so, they maintained a calm and confident demeanor in the face of the thousands of Nine Floret Sect disciples before them.

Their mere presence exuded an aura that caused the Nine Floret Sect's Golden Core cultivators to exchange glances, their expressions turning more solemn.

Once the white-haired elder with the surname Peng was seated, he spoke without preamble:

"Elder Yu, Brother Ao, let's not waste time with pleasantries. The rules for this contest were already decided upon at the Alliance.

Since we're all here, why don't we have the disciples from both sects who will be participating in the contest come forward?"

"Good!" Ao Langtian once again took the initiative as host. With a wave of his hand, three cultivators flew out from the group of over a hundred Foundation Establishment cultivators and landed on the high platform.

All three looked young, yet they were already at the late Foundation Establishment stage.

The one in the center appeared to be only twenty-four or twenty-five years old. He wore a white robe, had a remarkable countenance, and a hint of arrogance on his face.

To his left was someone who looked a little older, perhaps in his mid-thirties. He was short in stature.

And to the right was another man with a similar age range but taller, his face cold and stern.

"Brother Peng, these are the three disciples representing our Great Ro Sect in this contest. Disciples, greet the elders," Ao Langtian introduced.

At his words, the youth in the white robe bowed respectfully. "Junior Ao Xuan greets the elders."

"So this is Brother Ao's son," Elder Peng acknowledged with a smile, giving Ao Xuan a brief glance.

Simultaneously, the thousands of Nine Floret Sect disciples below erupted in whispers and discussions.

"Ao Xuan, the genius disciple of the Great Ro Sect. I heard he has a fire-attribute heavenly spiritual root."

"He truly is a heavenly root disciple. He achieved Foundation Establishment at eighteen, and now, before even turning seventy, he's already at the late Foundation Establishment stage. I heard that the Great Ro Sect speculates he'll form his core before a hundred years of age."

"I heard he cultivates both elixirs and tools, especially excelling in alchemy. His abilities are said to be extraordinary, and he's never lost to any cultivator of the same stage within the Alliance."

"Alright, let's not boost his morale and dampen our own spirits," someone interjected.

...

Even though the Nine Floret Sect disciples were speaking in hushed tones, their words still reached the ears of the Great Ro Sect disciples.

In an instant, the hundred-plus Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Great Ro Sect wore smug expressions.

Just then, the other two disciples from the Great Ro Sect introduced themselves.

The short cultivator at the late Foundation Establishment stage was named Gu Guanlin, and the stern-faced cultivator was named Leng Daichun.

After the introductions from the Great Ro Sect were done, Yu Changge waved his hand, and three cultivators flew out from the Nine Floret Sect's side.

They were Lu Jiakang, Yuan Rongzhang, and He Yanmao.

Their appearance caused another stir among the thousands of Nine Floret Sect disciples below.

"We only have one late Foundation Establishment cultivator."

"Where's Master Chu? He's the chief executive of the Alchemy Pavilion. Why isn't he here?"

"Yeah, I heard he was supposed to participate."

"I heard he's in seclusion and couldn't make it in time."

"What do we do now?"

...

Concern filled the faces of the Nine Floret Sect disciples.

Chu Ning had been with the Nine Floret Sect for eight years, and his alchemy skills had long since become renowned throughout the sect.

Even though he only refined dan twice a year, the quality of his dan was exceptional.

Moreover, he always chose to refine the dan that the sect needed the most at the time.

Everyone in the sect also knew that the alchemy techniques of the Foundation Establishment alchemists in the Alchemy Pavilion had improved due to Chu Ning's guidance.

But now, the fact that Chu Ning couldn't participate in the contest was like a bucket of cold water poured on their heads.

At this moment, when Ao Langtian saw the three participants from the Nine Floret Sect, he burst into loud laughter.

"Elder Yu, it seems the Nine Floret Sect truly lacks talent. You've actually sent out two mid Foundation Establishment cultivators to fight. Hahaha!"

Yu Changge's voice was calm and carried throughout the entire Nine Floret Sect arena.

"As everyone knows, our Nine Floret Sect suffered greatly during the internal strife three thousand years ago, and we still haven't recovered to our peak.

That's why this opportunity to enter the ancient battleground is so important to us.

Yet, the Great Ro Sect, disregarding our past relationship, has chosen to obstruct us. We have no choice but to give it our all.

While we may be slightly inferior in terms of cultivation levels, our unwavering determination to restore the Nine Floret Sect to its former glory will drive us forward!"

"Good!!!"

"Well said, Sect Master!"

As Yu Changge's words echoed throughout the arena, the faces of the Nine Floret Sect disciples lit up with excitement and fervor.

The momentum of the thousands-strong crowd was astonishing!

The smile on Ao Langtian's face faded.

He hadn't expected that his attempt to dampen the Nine Floret Sect's morale would, after Yu Changge's speech, end up inspiring their entire sect.

"Hmph, Elder Yu, you brought this upon yourself. Stop trying to gain the upper hand with words. Let's get on with the matchups," Ao Langtian coldly huffed.

Yu Changge didn't directly respond to him.

The Nine Floret Sect had gathered some information about the Foundation Establishment cultivators of the Great Ro Sect.

So, from the very beginning, they had planned a strategy similar to the tale of Tian Ji's horse racing.

Among Chu Ning, Lu Jiakang, and Yuan Rongzhang, Lu Jiakang would face off against Ao Xuan.

Maintaining his composure, Sect Master Yu Changge calmly replied, "We have arranged for Lu Jiakang to face Gu Guanlin, and Yuan Rongzhang to face Leng Daichun..." His eyes flickered slightly as he paused for a moment, and then the crowd of Golden Core cultivators looked up into the sky.

"Such swift movement techniques!" The powerful senses of the Golden Core cultivators detected the distant figure darting towards them at incredible speed.

"It's Chu Ning!" Elder Ge Liuyang's face lit up with joy as he recognized the familiar presence of Chu Ning's Godly Wind Movement Technique, which he had witnessed firsthand while helping Chu Ning with his artifact refining. The other elders shared his delight.

Ao Langtian's eyes narrowed, his expression shifting as he urged, "Elder Yu, you haven't announced your final contestant yet. Who will it be?"

Without missing a beat, Yu Changge pointed towards the sky, "Our last disciple has arrived!" As he spoke, the gazes of over ten thousand people in the arena followed the direction of his finger, their eyes tracing the path of the green rainbow that grew closer by the second.

In the next moment, a figure landed on the high platform, having flown swiftly from afar.

"Brother Chu!"

"It's Senior Brother Chu!!"

"Senior Brother Chu is out of seclusion!!!"

...

The disciples of the Nine Floret Sect, recognizing the figure as Chu Ning, couldn't hide their excitement. After all, Chu Ning's pill concocting skills were renowned throughout the sect. With him on the team, their chances of victory were undoubtedly higher than with He Yanmao.

The crowd's eyes sparkled with anticipation. As Yu Changge spoke, Chu Ning landed gracefully on the high platform and bowed respectfully to the Golden Core cultivators.

"Greetings, Sect Master, Elders, and seniors!"

"Well done," Yu Changge nodded slightly, a flicker of surprise crossing his eyes. At that moment, he realized that Chu Ning had reached the late Foundation Establishment stage.

The other Golden Core cultivators shared his realization. Chu Ning had considered using the Yin Wood Spirit Body talent to conceal his cultivation level, but upon further thought, he decided against it. In a sect competition, aura and momentum were crucial, and his breakthrough to the late Foundation Establishment stage would boost the morale of the Nine Floret Sect. There was no need to hide it.

Moreover, Chu Ning was concerned that today's battles might escalate to the point where he would have to reveal his ability to conceal his cultivation aura. It was better to keep such a secret to himself.

Ao Langtian's eyes flickered as he noticed Chu Ning's late Foundation Establishment cultivation. Without wasting a moment, he spoke up, "Elder Yu, I hope you're not planning to switch contestants at the last minute. You've already announced the first two rounds of matchups."

Turning to the white-haired Elder Peng, he inquired, "Elders, isn't this against the rules? We did agree on a specific order, didn't we?"

Yu Changge was quick to respond, "This disciple was indeed part of our original lineup. However, he was in seclusion and has only just emerged. I wasn't sure if he would make it in time, so I prepared alternatives. Since I haven't explicitly stated who the final contestant would be, and our disciple has arrived, I don't believe this breaks any rules, fellow daoists."

The white-haired Elder Peng exchanged glances with his companions before nodding in agreement. "Indeed, Sect Master Yu never specified the identity of the last contestant."

Hearing this, Ao Langtian pressed on, "In that case, the order of appearances cannot be changed. You've already announced the first two rounds of contestants, Sect Master Yu. While I don't care who your final contestant is, the order must remain the same."

Yu Changge fell silent for a moment upon hearing these words, realizing he had no choice but to accept. He sighed inwardly, feeling a mix of confidence and concern regarding Chu Ning's pill concocting skills. While Chu Ning was talented, Ao Xuan had been an intermediate high-grade pill master for many years. Additionally, Chu Ning had only recently entered the late Foundation Establishment stage, whereas Ao Xuan had been at that stage for a long time and possessed significant prowess.

With this matchup, Chu Ning didn't have a guaranteed victory in any of the three rounds, which meant his strengths couldn't be utilized to their fullest potential. However, it was too late to change things now, and Yu Changge could only announce, "For the third round, our sect arranges for Chu Ning to face Ao Xuan.

Chu Ning, paying no heed to Ao Xuan's question, turned his head and asked Yuan Rongzhang in a soft voice, "Junior Brother Yuan, who is this person? How dare he speak out of turn in front of so many Golden Core cultivators?"

Although he spoke softly, everyone on the high platform had keen senses and could hear him clearly.

A flash of anger crossed Ao Xuan's arrogant face, and he was about to say something more when Yu Changge beat him to it.

"Elder Peng, now that we've decided on the participants, could you please clarify the specific rules for the contest?"

Since Yu Changge had already spoken, Ao Langtian could only hold his tongue. He shot a glance at Chu Ning and then coldly smiled.

The white-haired Elder Peng slowly nodded. "Before coming here, I discussed this matter with several fellow daoists. Both sects will have their six participants compete in three categories: pill concoction, artifact refinement, and combat.

For pill concoction, we will provide three pill formulas, and each pair of competitors will randomly draw one formula. They will then have half a day to concoct pills, and the winner will be determined based on the pill refinement rate and quality."

Seemingly to address any concerns the two sects might have, Elder Peng smiled and continued, "Rest assured, regarding the pill formulas, a fellow daoist in the Alliance modified these formulas based on ancient texts. They are of intermediate-middle and intermediate-high grade and have never been circulated outside the Alliance before.

What do you think, Sect Master Yu and Elder Ao?"

"The Nine Floret Sect has no objections!"

"The Great Ro Sect also has no objections!"

Hearing that both Yu Changge and Ao Langtian had no issues, Elder Peng nodded.

He continued, "As for artifact refinement, considering that refining artifacts takes a significant amount of time, we have prepared an alternative method. I believe you will all be interested."

As Elder Peng spoke, both the Nine Floret Sect and the Great Ro Sect disciples looked at him with surprise.

Elder Peng smiled and elaborated, "As you all know, there were once two friendly cultivators from the Nine Floret Sect and the Great Ro Sect who created a technique for refining artifact materials. It was called the Nine Luo Refinement Technique and was quite renowned in the Alliance and even the Western Alliance Continent."

Upon hearing this, both sects' cultivators were taken aback.

Those who had no experience with artifact refinement were fine, but those who had some knowledge of it were aware of the fame of this technique.

Unfortunately, the two cultivators who created it had perished in the internal strife, and the technique was lost to both sects.

They wondered what Elder Peng's intentions were in bringing this up.

The Golden Core elders exchanged glances, their eyes fixed on the white-haired elder.

He took out a jade box and smiled. "Recently, the Alliance cultivator who inadvertently discovered the ruins also obtained this refinement technique. As he did not want to come into contact with either sect, you were unaware of this matter. Fortunately, I brought it with me today."

Hearing this, both sects' cultivators showed delighted expressions.

It was indeed a cultivator from the Alliance who had first discovered the Wolong Mountain ruins. To avoid pressure from the two sects, the Alliance had temporarily taken responsibility for his protection.

However, they never expected that this cultivator would obtain such a legacy secret technique along with the ruins' discovery.

Elder Peng smiled and said, "Everyone knows the origin of this secret technique. For the artifact refinement contest, let the six participants watch the Nine Luo Refinement Technique, and then compete based on their understanding of the technique and the purity of the materials they refine.

Fellow Daoists, what do you think?"

"We have no objections!" Yu Changge and Ao Langtian almost spoke in unison.

They were both familiar with the Nine Luo Refinement Technique, which encapsulated the insights of two exceptional artifact refiners from their sects. In a sense, one's speed of absorbing and understanding this technique could indeed reflect their artifact refinement abilities.

"Very well," Elder Peng said upon hearing their agreement. "Then the artifact refinement contest is settled. We will provide the materials for the refinement process.

As for the final round of combat, it will be a test of their true abilities, and the extent to which they can push themselves...

"Of course, it will be a battle to the death!" Ao Langtian interjected.

Elder Peng shook his head at his words. "Your grievances and disputes are for you to resolve. However, since both sects are allies, let's avoid any loss of life. Aside from that, there won't be many restrictions.

Sect Master Yu, Elder Ao, what do you think?"

Yu Changge nodded. "We will follow Elder Peng's suggestion."

Ao Langtian laughed heartily. "That's perfect. I was just joking earlier. Remember to go easy on them."

Ao Xuan's gaze swept over Chu Ning, his eyes filled with hidden meaning. The other two Great Ro Sect cultivators also looked at Yuan Rongzhang and Lu Jiakang without any hint of kindness.

Seeing that both sides had agreed, Elder Peng announced, "In that case, let the contest begin!"

"For the first round, Lu Jiakang will face Gu Guanlin. Elder Li, please randomly draw a pill formula."

After Elder Peng finished speaking, the Taoist priest casually took a jade slip from Elder Peng.

"This is an intermediate-middle grade pill formula."

Elder Peng then took out two jade slips and showed them to Yu Changge and Ao Langtian. He let both sides exchange and verify the slips before allowing Lu Jiakang and Gu Guanlin to take their respective jade slips and the prepared spirit herbs and fly to the two pill refinement platforms above the arena.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end