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Chapter 3 – Master’s Path

Lingxiao Palace and Xuanyue Pavilion had an unspoken agreement to hold a grand competition between disciples every four years, under the banner of friendly exchange. Any disciple above the Foundation Establishment stage could participate, and the top three winners would earn the opportunity to train inside the Tongtian Tower.

Originally, Xia Chenyu was supposed to compete in the next round, but given his recent surge in cultivation, it seemed impossible to hold him back.

This year’s competition was held in the training grounds in front of the Lingxiao Palace’s main hall.

The three elders were already at the palace gates to welcome the Xuanyue Pavilion’s sect leader and disciples. After exchanging greetings, the competition officially began.

Noticing Xia Chenyu’s excited expression in the Lingxiao Palace lineup, An Ran shook his head and sighed. After a moment’s thought, he devised a plan.

Each sect would send twelve disciples to compete one-on-one until the top three emerged.

The first round opponents were drawn by lot, and Xia Chenyu drew Group Five.

His opponent confidently stepped onto the stage and bowed. “Tao Zizhen of Xuanyue Pavilion, mid-Foundation Establishment stage,” he declared, taking his stance.

Whispers spread around the arena.
“Facing a mid-stage Foundation Establishment opponent in the first round? Xia Chenyu is done for.”
“Let’s see how arrogant he is now.”

Xia Chenyu didn’t respond, just gave a cold smile and returned the courtesy. “Xia Chenyu of Lingyun Peak, Lingxiao Palace. Mid-Foundation Establishment stage.”

Disciples from other peaks were surprised, impressed by his talent—advancing so far in just two years. But the Lingyun Peak disciples were shocked.

“Did I hear that right?” Xu Wenmin pointed at Xia Chenyu in a daze.

The other disciples erupted in disbelief.

“I swear he was only early-stage Foundation Establishment a month ago!”

“His cultivation speed is insane!”

An Ran sighed silently. If he hadn’t been suppressing Xia Chenyu’s cultivation, the boy would already be in the upper stage. The previously sealed spiritual power was rapidly recovering.

Zhuang Mingyuan glanced at An Ran, visibly displeased. “Master, how could you show such favoritism?”

An Ran opened his mouth to explain but found words inadequate in the face of reality. “He has a Heavenly Spiritual Root—his cultivation method is naturally different.”

Though both fighters were at the same level, Xia Chenyu had trained tirelessly under the pressure of bullying from senior disciples. The match ended swiftly.

With a sweep of the leg, Xia Chenyu knocked his opponent to the ground, sword pointed at the man’s throat.

“I yield,” the opponent said begrudgingly.

Xia Chenyu withdrew his sword with the demeanor of a victor and bowed. “Thank you for letting me win.”

Surprisingly, disciples from other peaks cheered even louder—defeating a Xuanyue Pavilion disciple was a win for all of Lingxiao Palace.

Seeing his own disciples clapping half-heartedly, An Ran felt exasperated. He realized he’d fostered a toxic culture and needed to correct it.

In the second round, Xia Chenyu again drew a mid-Foundation Establishment opponent and, unsurprisingly, won again.

Xu Wenmin sighed. “I really envy that Heavenly Spiritual Root.”

An Ran coughed. “Diligence makes up for lack of talent. If you know your aptitude is lacking, you must work harder.” He gave his disciples a stern look.

Everyone fell silent under his gaze.

When only six contestants remained, the rules changed. Each sect could now choose who to send for each match.

To maintain harmony in the past, both sects had developed an unspoken rule: match disciples with similar cultivation to avoid one-sided defeats.

But this year was different.

When Xuanyue Pavilion sent Jin Dan stage cultivator Xiu Wenyen to the stage, everyone watched as Immortal Zun Lingyun chose Xia Chenyu to face him.

Lingxiao Palace’s disciples were stunned. Especially Xia Chenyu, who stared blankly at An Ran. This was essentially a public declaration that he wouldn’t be allowed into Tongtian Tower.

“Wait!” Immortal Zun Qingyun, Yan Qinghong, called for a pause and pulled An Ran aside. “Third Junior Brother, what are you doing?”

Immortal Zun Ziyun, Lu Xiuyuan, also looked shocked. “That guy’s a Xuanyue Pavilion prodigy—already in Jin Dan stage after only six years! Isn’t Xia Chenyu guaranteed to lose?”

An Ran sighed inwardly. This was the only way to block Xia Chenyu from entering Tongtian Tower. That place held high-tier techniques—if Xia Chenyu got in, his cultivation would soar even faster.

But aloud, he simply said, “Do you two know the story of Tian Ji horse racing?”

At that, Yan Qinghong seemed to understand and let go.

Lu Xiuyuan also realized but still sighed. “Even so, this is just a friendly exchange. Do we really need to fight for first?”

Of the six finalists, each sect had three left. The strongest was Xuanyue’s Xiu Wenyen, and the weakest was Xia Chenyu. The rest were evenly matched, with Lingxiao Palace having a slight edge.

“Third Brother, this really isn’t like you,” Yan Qinghong said quietly but didn’t press further. After all, sacrificing a Lingyun disciple meant his own disciple got to enter the tower.

They returned and announced the match would proceed.

An Ran felt Xia Chenyu’s burning gaze. When he looked up, the boy was staring right at him.

He spoke solemnly. “Xia Chenyu, do you object?”

The boy gritted his teeth. “No, Master.”

An Ran didn’t want to say more, but after hesitating, added, “Don’t overthink. Just do your best.”

Lingyun disciples whispered among themselves.

“Did Master give up on him?”

Xu Wenmin scoffed. “Everyone else has higher cultivation. Might as well let him face the strongest to help the other two win.”

“He might have stood a chance against another Foundation guy. Now, no hope.”

Xia Chenyu clenched his fists and stepped onto the stage. His hopes of entering the tower were being crushed before his eyes.

Xiu Wenyen sneered. “Took you long enough. I thought you pissed yourself.”

Xuanyue Pavilion disciples laughed loudly. Their sect master coughed twice to silence them. “Enough!”

The field quieted.

Xia Chenyu bowed. “Xia Chenyu, Lingyun Peak of Lingxiao Palace. Mid-Foundation Establishment stage.”

Xiu Wenyen scoffed. “Mid-Foundation? Is your sect mocking me?”

Zhuang Mingyuan couldn’t stand it. “Enough talk! Just fight!”

“Yeah!” Lingxiao disciples echoed.

Both sides were fired up, and the tension escalated.

Just then, the Hall of Discipline’s head yelled, “Silence!”

Once calm returned, he said to the two on stage, “Begin when ready.”

Xia Chenyu glanced at An Ran, who nodded. He took a deep breath and took his stance.

But before he could make a move, a powerful stream of spiritual energy hit his abdomen and nearly knocked him off the stage.

Reeling in pain, he dug his heel into the ground and barely stood upright, only to be hit again in the shoulder. The blow came too fast to dodge, and he took it head-on.

Blood trickled from his mouth—just two moves and he was overwhelmed. This was the gap between Foundation and Jin Dan stage?

Whispers echoed.

“How’s he supposed to win?”

“He should just concede.”

Xiu Wenyen didn’t press, standing arrogantly with disdain.

Rage sparked in Xia Chenyu. He drew his sword and charged.

But no matter how fast he tried, it was like slow motion to his opponent.

Xiu Wenyen easily dodged and counterattacked mid-air, sword slashing toward Xia Chenyu’s neck.

Just then, Xia Chenyu stumbled forward—something had hit his ankle—and narrowly avoided the blow.

A voice echoed in his mind: “Strike the Shanzhong Acupoint.”

“Senior?” he gasped.

Before he could ask more, another strike came. Somehow, his body swayed out of the way like being guided.

Eyes brightening, he focused and channeled energy to his acupoint. Each incoming strike was somehow deflected—his hand lifted here, his waist nudged there.

Spectators were baffled.

“What technique is that?”

“Never seen it.”

Only An Ran noticed the truth. He summoned the Heaven’s Eye System to scan the arena, but found nothing.

“Expand the range,” he commanded mentally.

Heaven’s Eye: Expanding to five kilometers… ten…

Even at the limit, no trace. The person must not be physically present—just a soul fragment inside Xia Chenyu.

At that moment, Xia Chenyu felt a surge of warmth in his chest. He smiled slightly, then unleashed a wave of spiritual energy.

“Is that…?”

Everyone was stunned.

“He’s advancing again!” Zhuang Mingyuan shouted first, despite usually disliking Xia Chenyu. But against a hated Xuanyue rival, he hoped Xia would at least not lose too badly.

“Is he even human?!”

Others took years to go from Qi Condensation to Foundation Establishment. He jumped five stages in a month!

Xiu Wenyen froze. “He’s leveling up during a fight?!”

But quickly composed himself. “So what? Still Foundation level!”

Though only a stage apart, the levels were worlds apart.

Then another powerful wave of energy burst out—this one clearly Jin Dan-level.

The arena exploded in shock.

“He reached Jin Dan?!”

“How is this even possible?!”

Before anyone could react, Xia Chenyu dashed forward and, in a blink, landed a palm on Xiu Wenyen’s shoulder.

Still dazed, Xiu Wenyen flew off the stage and hit the ground with a thud.

Silence.

“He… won?”

Even the referee forgot to announce the match’s end.

Xia Chenyu calmly stepped down, stood before An Ran, knelt, and bowed. “Master, I did not disgrace you.”

As if all this wasn’t shocking enough, everyone watched Immortal Zun Lingyun frown, then place a palm on Xia Chenyu’s crown.

A flash of spiritual light—and the boy collapsed.

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