vncnus Chapter 632, Phase 1, End
Chapter 632, Phase 1, End
Master Yu Ding let out a muffled groan, a trickle of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth, and staggered backward.
The apricot-yellow flag in his hand was dim and swaying precariously, as if it would collapse at any moment.
"I...I am powerless to activate the Apricot Yellow Banner any longer..." His face was pale, his voice trembled, and his eyes were filled with despair.
Upon seeing this, the great shaman opposite was overjoyed. After letting out a deafening roar, he raised his bone spear high and, with overwhelming force, fiercely stabbed at Jade Cauldron Immortal.
"Pfft!" The expected excruciating pain did not come. Master Yu Ding only felt a blur before his eyes and was back outside the Trial Tower.
His face was slightly pale, so he immediately sat cross-legged and began to close his eyes and regulate his breathing.
Although only consciousness entered it, it consumed a lot of mental energy.
Outside the Trial Tower, a light screen appeared in the sky, displaying countless names. Upon closer inspection, these names represented each disciple who had entered the Trial Tower.
The name of Jade Cauldron Immortal also appears above.
"Number eighteenth: Jade Cauldron Immortal of the Chan Sect!"
As soon as the name of Master Yu Ding appeared, it jumped directly into the top twenty.
In front of him were familiar names from the Jie Sect.
Not long after, Taiyi Zhenren returned to reality, and his expression was also not very good.
The two exchanged a glance, both seeing a knowing look in each other's eyes.
"Senior brother, you too..." Master Yuding spoke first.
Taiyi Zhenren nodded, giving a wry smile: "That great shaman's physical strength is too formidable; my Nine Dragons Divine Fire Shield is utterly ineffective against him. If I were to fight him head-on, I'm afraid..."
"Me too," Jade Cauldron Immortal chimed in. "The poison on that bone spear is incredibly potent. The Apricot Yellow Banner can hold it off for a while, but I'm afraid I won't be able to hold out for long. So, I..."
He shrugged, the meaning of which was self-evident.
There were some disciples of the Jie Sect nearby, and upon hearing this, a hint of disdain flashed through their minds: "As expected, the disciples of the Chan Sect are still inferior to those of our Jie Sect. Not a single one has even reached the seventh Trial Tower!"
Yu Ding and Taiyi Zhenren remained silent for a moment, and the atmosphere became somewhat awkward.
Time slipped away silently, second by second, like fine sand in an hourglass.
Half an hour later, the square gradually filled up with people, and disciples came out of the Trial Tower one after another, each with a different expression.
Some were excited, some were frustrated, and some were expressionless, as if they had just experienced a life-or-death ordeal.
As time went by, more and more disciples of the Jie Sect withdrew from the Trial Tower, and the square was bustling with activity. The disciples who successfully passed the trials were beaming with pride, boasting to each other about their "heroic deeds" in the Dao Seeking Realm, as if each of them were a peerless hero who had turned the tide.
"Let me tell you, when I faced that three-headed fire lion, I wasn't flustered at all! I directly used my Immortal Binding Rope and tied it up tightly in no time!" A disciple spoke with great enthusiasm, gesturing wildly, as if the fire lion was a lamb to the slaughter in front of him.
"Pshaw, what's a three-headed fire lion? In the fifth trial tower, I encountered the Five Poison Golden Toad! Its poisonous mist is absolutely unstoppable without the cultivation of a Taiyi Golden Immortal!"
The other disciple looked disdainful, as if only he was facing a real challenge.
Those disciples who had left early were dejected, like wilted eggplants, huddled in a corner silently licking their wounds, afraid that their "failure" would be noticed.
In the center of the plaza, the Seven Fairies and the three sisters Yunxiao, Qiongxiao, and Bixiao, who served as attendants, were surrounded by people like stars around the moon. Most of them had successfully climbed the seventh trial tower, and the strength they displayed left the surrounding disciples in awe.
"As expected of the Seven Fairy Attendants, they are truly remarkable!"
"The Four Holy Mothers and the Three Immortal Maidens are the most outstanding among their personal disciples, all having reached the seventh level of the sixth stage, and some even reaching the seventh stage!"
Exclamations of praise rose and fell as these disciples who had successfully reached the summit enjoyed their moment of glory.
Taiyi Zhenren and Yuding Zhenren stood on the outskirts of the crowd, looking at these spirited disciples of the Jie Sect, their hearts filled with mixed feelings.
Although they expressed disdain, their eyes betrayed a barely concealed shock.
"These people probably all possess the strength of a late-stage Great Luo Golden Immortal. Even if they rely on treasures, they are still incredibly powerful!"
Looking in the direction where the disciples of Sanxiao and others were, Master Taiyi said in a low voice, his tone carrying a hint of solemnity.
Master Yuding's expression was also not good. He took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "Among the disciples of the Chan Sect, only Senior Brother Guangchengzi has reached the late stage of the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm. Compared with these people from the Jie Sect, we have almost no advantage!"
"Furthermore, neither Duobao Daoist, the chief disciple of the Jie Sect, nor Zhao Gongming, one of the outer disciples, participated! I wonder which level of the Trial Tower they will reach!"
The two exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of worry in each other's eyes.
This grand competition of the Jie Sect made them deeply aware of the sect's power, and also made them feel a little uneasy about the upcoming competition.
The first stage is just a test of combat strength; the next stage is the key test of comprehension and mentality!
Just then, a fragrant breeze wafted by, and the Three Immortal Maidens of Sanxiao—Yunxiao, Qiongxiao, and Bixiao—appeared together. Their robes fluttered, and they looked like fairies descending to earth, instantly attracting everyone's attention.
They walked straight up to Taiyi Zhenren and Yuding Zhenren, smiled slightly, and said, "Senior brothers, how have you been?"
Taiyi Zhenren and Yuding Zhenren quickly returned the greeting with clasped hands, but were secretly on guard.
"My three junior sisters, how have you been?" Master Yuding said with a forced smile.
Qiongxiao covered her mouth and chuckled, her tone slightly teasing: "Senior brothers, why are you both stuck at the sixth trial tower? With your strength, you should be able to reach the seventh!"
Upon hearing this, the surrounding disciples of the Jie Sect burst into laughter, their eyes filled with mockery as they looked at Taiyi Zhenren and Yuding Zhenren.
Master Yuding's face immediately turned ashen. He was about to retort when Master Taiyi stopped him.
Master Taiyi took a deep breath, suppressing his anger, and said calmly, "Junior Sister is joking. Disciples of the Chan Sect have always been low-key and do not like to compete."
"Oh? Is that so?" Bixiao raised an eyebrow and said with a half-smile.
Bixiao Niangniang's words were full of sarcasm. She covered her mouth and chuckled, deliberately raising her voice as she said, "Could it be that my two senior brothers are afraid? Or perhaps they feel that their strength is simply not enough to compare with the disciples of my Jie Sect, so they have given up directly? This is not like the demeanor of a Golden Immortal of the Chan Sect."
Upon hearing this, the disciples of the Jie Sect around them became even more enthusiastic in their mockery, their words filled with disdain for the Chan Sect.
Most of the disciples of the Jie Sect felt resentful towards the disciples of the Chan Sect, so when they saw the Three Immortals of Sanxiao leading the way, they all started to make trouble.
"Exactly, is it because they're afraid of losing?"
"I think so too. They might not even be able to get to the sixth floor!"
"Hahaha……"
As various unpleasant sarcastic remarks reached his ears, Taiyi Zhenren's forehead veins bulged, and his heart burned with rage. He wished he could immediately teach these arrogant disciples of the Jie Sect a lesson.
But he knew that it was not the right time to act impulsively, so he could only suppress his anger and grit his teeth in silence.
He was about to retort when Yunxiao, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up. Her tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable authority: "Alright, junior sister, stop talking."
Upon hearing their senior sister's words, Bixiao and Qiongxiao immediately shut their mouths and remained silent.
Lady Yunxiao's gaze swept over the surrounding disciples of the Jie Sect, and they immediately fell silent, not daring to utter a sound.
Yunxiao's ranking is in the top three; he is among the best of all the disciples!
She then turned to look at Taiyi Zhenren and Yuding Zhenren, and said calmly, "My two senior brothers have come from afar. We apologize for any shortcomings in our hospitality."
Taiyi Zhenren and Yuding Zhenren quickly cupped their hands and said, "Junior Sister, you're too kind."
"I wonder why you two senior brothers stopped at the sixth trial tower?" Yunxiao's tone was calm, yet subtly sharp. "Did you encounter some difficulties?"
Taiyi Zhenren sneered inwardly, but remained outwardly calm, saying indifferently, "It's just a minor trouble, not worth mentioning."
"Oh? Is that so?" Yunxiao smiled slightly, but his gaze held a hint of inquiry. "I observe that both of you senior brothers possess steady auras, not like you've encountered a bottleneck. Could it be...?"
She paused deliberately, her tone playful, "Are you two senior brothers deliberately hiding your talents?"
Taiyi Zhenren felt a chill run down his spine. Yunxiao was so perceptive that he had actually seen through the clues.
He was about to speak when Master Yu Ding interrupted him, saying, "Junior Sister is joking. How could we dare to hide our abilities in the Trial Tower? It's just that..." He deliberately looked troubled, "...it's just that when we were on the sixth floor, we tried our best, but the gatekeeper was helpless against us. Instead, we were injured by the gatekeeper and had to withdraw early."
Yunxiao's gaze was like a deep pool, calm and still, yet seemingly containing endless meaning. She silently stared at Yu Ding Zhenren, making him feel slightly uneasy.
A moment later, Yunxiao smiled sweetly, like a hundred flowers blooming, making people feel refreshed and happy.
"I see!" she said softly, but with a hint of sharpness that was barely perceptible.
"It seems that this Trial Tower is indeed quite difficult. However, since you two senior brothers have already come to Jin'ao Island, why not take this opportunity to observe the demeanor of our Jie Sect disciples, so that we can learn from each other and make progress together?"
Taiyi Zhenren sneered inwardly, but remained outwardly calm, cupping his hands and saying, "Junior Sister is absolutely right."
Master Yuding quickly echoed, but in his heart he was thinking about how to investigate the true strength of the Jie Sect without leaving a trace.
Yunxiao said no more and turned to leave, with Qiongxiao and Bixiao following closely behind. Before leaving, Qiongxiao deliberately made a face at Taiyi Zhenren, which made him so angry that he almost couldn't help but curse.
After the Three Immortals of Sanxiao had gone far away, Master Taiyi could no longer contain his anger and muttered under his breath, "Those three brats, they've really gone too far!"
Master Yuding patted him on the shoulder and comforted him, "Senior brother, calm down. Don't fall for their provocation. We're on Golden Turtle Island now, so it's best to be careful."
Master Taiyi took a deep breath, suppressing his anger, and said, "Junior brother is right. Let's find a quiet place to discuss our next plan."
The two found a secluded grove of trees, set up a protective barrier, and then began to discuss their plan.
"Junior brother, what do you think the Three Immortals of Sanxiao are really after?" Taiyi Zhenren asked bluntly.
Master Yuding pondered for a moment and said, "In my opinion, they want to use the Trial Tower as a pretext to probe the strength of my Chan Sect disciples so as to gain an advantage in the upcoming Great Tribulation."
The Primordial Sage had also spoken to them about the upcoming great calamity, so they were making some preparations.
"Hmph, they've got a good plan!" Taiyi Zhenren sneered. "How could we let them have their way? This time, we must go all out and win first place in the Jie Sect Grand Competition to dampen their arrogance! With Master's bestowed treasure, I believe these Jie Sect disciples are nothing to fear!"
Master Yu Ding shook his head and said, "Senior Brother, I observe that Yunxiao's cultivation is unfathomable; he is probably not someone to be trifled with. Moreover, while our goal in this trip is also to compete for first place, the proper course is to investigate the strengths and weaknesses of the Jie Sect so that we can formulate countermeasures in the future!"
Taiyi Zhenren was somewhat unwilling and said, "Are we just going to swallow our anger and let them humiliate us like this?"
"Of course not." A glint of light flashed in Jade Cauldron Master's eyes. "We can observe them secretly, look for an opportunity, and deliver a fatal blow. This third stage is a real battle, a true fight between the two sides. Since it's a battle, there's a possibility of injury or even accidents..."
He leaned close to Taiyi Zhenren's ear and whispered his plan.
Upon hearing this, Taiyi Zhenren's eyes lit up, and he nodded repeatedly, saying, "Brilliant plan, brilliant plan! This way, we can not only investigate the strength of the Jie Sect, but also humiliate them. It's a win-win situation!"
The two exchanged a smile, everything understood without a word.
Time passed, and in the blink of an eye, the colorful glow that had enveloped the Trial Tower slowly dissipated, and the first stage of the trial finally came to an end.
All the disciples of the Jie Sect looked up at the huge light screen in mid-air, which clearly displayed the rankings of this trial.
As expected, the Golden Spirit Mother took the top spot with an absolute advantage, and she actually made it to the second level of the seventh trial tower!
Such strength would not be considered weak even among quasi-saints.
Following closely behind was Yunxiao, her graceful figure remaining on the first floor of the seventh trial tower.
The following figures, including the Holy Mother Wudang, Qiongxiao, Bixiao, and the Seven Immortals, also achieved remarkable results, demonstrating the powerful foundation of the Jie Sect.
Taiyi Zhenren stared at the name of Jinling Shengmu on the light screen, his face so gloomy it seemed as if water could drip from it.
He gritted his teeth and cursed under his breath, "Damn it! This Golden Spirit Mother's strength is terrifying! She's actually reached the second level of the seventh level!!"
Master Yu Ding frowned as well. He patted Master Taiyi on the shoulder and said in a deep voice, "Senior brother, it seems we need to adjust our previous plans. The strength of the Jie Sect far exceeds our expectations. It will probably not be so easy to ambush them in this competition."
Master Taiyi took a deep breath, trying to calm his anger, and said, "Hmph, even if this Golden Spirit Mother is powerful, we are not without a chance! Don't forget, we still have the magic treasure bestowed upon us by our master!"
A sinister glint flashed in his eyes. "Besides, this is only the first stage of the trial. The real test will come in the Illusionary Mind Realm and actual combat! Let's observe the situation and find the right opportunity to make our move."
Master Yu Ding nodded in agreement.
The two exchanged a glance, and both saw a barely perceptible ruthlessness in each other's eyes.
This grand competition of the Jie Sect is divided into three stages: the Trial Tower, the Illusionary Mind Realm, and actual combat.
The Trial Tower primarily tests a disciple's cultivation and combat skills; the Illusionary Mind Realm, on the other hand, tests a disciple's character, requiring them to resist the temptations of various illusions.
In actual combat, the disciples truly compete against each other, with the winners advancing and the losers being eliminated.
Soon, the second phase of the trial—the Illusory Mind Realm—began. (End of Chapter)