Xianye

Chapter 552 First in Dan Yuan
Amidst the uproar and commotion, a beam of shimmering jade light spread across the sky like water, and Chen Heng's figure slowly appeared, causing the roar to grow even stronger.

"Taiyi Divine Thunder..."

After Chen Heng was escorted into the golden boat by Xue Jing and other retainers, the main hall suddenly fell silent.

After a long while, the elder of the Plague Sect, whose face was grim, slowly shook his head, breaking the silence.

“Cultivating the Taiyi Divine Thunder is not easy. Even ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators find it difficult to grasp the secrets. It is truly remarkable that he, a Golden Core cultivator, has successfully entered the realm.”

The presiding elder of the Plague Palace gave a helpless wry smile, but seemingly mindful of their past relationship, he maintained his composure and was the first to congratulate Xun Bing, nodding in agreement.

"First Junyao, then Chen Heng, Elder Xun, your Yu Chen Academy is truly producing a string of outstanding talents lately!"

As soon as he spoke, breaking the silence, the hall gradually became lively.

Many of the presiding elders rose to offer their congratulations with smiles on their faces, and Xun Bing, of course, did not neglect them, and hurriedly returned their greetings one by one.

The presiding elder of the Plague Palace was named Yu Ce. He and Yin Wuji's master were from the same school, both being disciples of Daoist Wei Yu.

With such a connection, Yu Ce naturally had a clear understanding of Yin Wuji's background.

The first-grade Golden Elixir, the inner vision is perfected, the Divine Water of the Universe, the Primordial Jade Body of the sixth level of the Primordial Realm, and two kinds of supreme supernatural powers for beginners, including the world-suppressing technique of the Great Plague Light of the Ten Directions Illuminating the World.

Such skill, such methods—

No matter which world you look at, Yin Wuji deserves the praise of being a leader in the Dao.

One day, I will surely become the greatest ruler of the world and surpass even the Han Dynasty!
Especially considering that he had previously held back, he had still managed to achieve a great victory over Yu Huangshang of the Innate Demonic Sect.

In Yu Ce's view, even in the previous Dan Yuan Conference, Yin Wuji would not be inferior to those who were unparalleled Dao Seeds like Jun Yao and Ji Fakai!
But this time...

After a moment of quiet reflection, Yu Ce could only sigh that this year's Dan Yuan Tournament was indeed far too intense.

Many of the Dan Yuan True Persons who have passed away are the best in the world, including four First-Grade Golden Core cultivators who are rare in the Nine Provinces. This was truly unimaginable before!

Chen Heng, Yin Wuji, Lü Rong, Yu Huangshang, Wei Lingjiang, Zhou Fujia...

In most years, whether it was Yu Huangshang, Wei Lingjiang, or Zhou Fujia, they could have won the title of Danyuan champion with their skills.

But this time, Lü Rong and Yin Wuji stood in their way.

However, both Lü Rong and Yin Wuji were defeated by Chen Heng.

"..."

This thought, once it arose, was also found quite absurd by Yu Ce, and his expression inevitably turned bitter.

Amidst the lively congratulations, the presiding elder of Blood River seemed to be lost in thought, also somewhat absent-minded.

As if by unspoken agreement, Yu Ce and Yu Ce exchanged a glance, and after a few breaths, both of them shook their heads in secret.

After a while, the boy who had been waiting at the palace gate suddenly stepped forward to report, and several golden-robed stewards carrying a jade plate immediately bowed and entered the palace, which finally attracted the attention of the Dan Yuan elders.

The jade plate was radiant, with wisps of clear and turbid energy hanging down from it, and a layer of bright and radiant light above it, making it clear at a glance that it was no ordinary object.

There was nothing else on the plate except a golden list, which listed the names and origins of the top ten Dan Yuan cultivators.

The order of these top ten Dan Yuan cultivators is determined by the one who has obtained the most bronze fish.

In addition, if the number of fish caught is equal, then their performance and results in this competition will be the deciding factor.

Although the elders in charge had already prepared a plan for how to rank the top ten, they were perfectly clear about it.

However, the fate of Xudu is of utmost importance and cannot be treated lightly.

After some polite refusals, Xun Bing took the gold list from the plate first.

He smiled with satisfaction when he saw that Chen Heng's name was ranked above all the other cultivators, at the top of the list. He glanced down a few times and handed the list to the person next to him.

"Third?"

When Yu Ce received the list of successful candidates, he paused at Chen Heng's name, and then saw that Yin Wuji's name was listed third, below Lü Rong.

He showed no emotion on his face, only nodding slightly to indicate that he also had no objection.

Although Yin Wuji banished Gu Yi and Pei Zhi and obtained two bronze fish, Lü Rong also defeated Wei Lingjiang and Yu Huangshang.

Although the two men had roughly the same number of bronze fish, Lü Rong's two battles were of greater significance than Yin Wuji's.

Moreover, before the vapor dissipated, Lü Rong had fought against two veteran Golden Core cultivators, Chang Qingjue and Tang Xuan, and easily defeated them.

In contrast, Yin Wuji was deep in the Great Snow Mountain, harmonizing his magical power and adapting to the erosion of the Divine Water of the Universe, without taking any action.

Zhouguang Divine Water——

The divine water personally taught to him by the Daoist Kanli accelerated Yin Wuji's cultivation process by several steps, allowing him to master the Ten Directions Illuminating World Plague Light of the Plague Disease earlier.

However, the resulting erosion was quite troublesome and difficult to remove in a short time. Yin Wuji had to frequently regulate his internal energy and calm his mind to prevent the divine water from affecting his condition.

It can be said that Yin Wuji hid deep in the snowy mountains precisely to prepare for that final all-out battle.

Otherwise, given his temperament, he would probably have clashed with Chen Heng, Lü Rong, and the others much earlier!
However, even though Yin Wuji lasted a little longer than Lü Rong when facing the Taiyi Divine Thunder, he still ranked third, one step behind Lü Rong.

"Apart from the leader of Dan Yuan, the others can also get some considerable benefits, but for Wu Ji's status, these are nothing. Whether he is second or third, there is not much difference."

It's just a pity about that Xudu Great Pill..."

Yu Ce's eyes flashed with a deep light as he thought to himself.

With Yin Wuji's involvement, this year's Dan Yuan Conference is arguably the best chance for the Plague Huang disciples to win the Xu Du Great Elixir.

Yin Wuji, however, was destined to face Chen Heng.

Then the next time, the disciple of the Plague Patient might have a chance to rise to the top.

Yu Ce had no idea how long it would take...

Before long, the list of winners was passed around among the fourteen presiding elders. Since everyone had no objection to the rankings, it was time to use the seals.

However, when it was the turn of Liu Fu, the presiding elder of the Innate Demon Sect...

This elder, who was not of the same faction as Chen Yushu and even had some discord with him, suddenly smiled inexplicably, but his gaze remained fixed on Xun Bing.

"I wonder what Elder Liu's advice is for you today?"

Xun Bing was not surprised by this, and simply said in a calm voice.

"I dare not presume to receive your instruction. Your sect possesses such outstanding individuals, which is truly admirable. However, I have just recalled something and would like to hear your insightful opinions..."

Liu Fu, dressed in a bright red robe, slowly stroked his beard and said meaningfully:
"As you all should know, I entered the Dao quite late, only stepping onto the path of cultivation when I was almost sixty years old. After going through many hardships, I finally joined the Primordial Demon Sect."

Before this, I served as a minor official in a small, secular country on Earth. In my spare time, I read many absurd stories invented by ordinary people in those ancient books.

One of them is just like that…

Meeting Xun Bing's gaze, Liu Fu slowly began to speak:
"The book says that the dragon is an auspicious beast from ancient times. Raising it is a great fortune for the clan, and descendants can benefit from its blessings and prolong the prosperity of generations."

However, dragons possess the strength of the heavens and are not gentle by nature. Just as two celestial bodies cannot compete for brilliance in one space, forcing two dragons to be united in one clan will inevitably lead to conflict and strife over time. Auspiciousness will not be achieved, and there may be future troubles.

Fellow enthusiasts, what do you think of this story?

Lu Jie, the elder presiding over the China League Two, understood the implication in Liu Fu's words and turned his gaze away indifferently.

The other elders in the room also understood the other meaning behind those words, and their reactions varied, some smiling and others shaking their heads.

……

...Ji Fakai—

The young master of the Lecenji clan, and one of the six true disciples of the current Jade Emperor.

He was also a figure who was once on par with Jun Yao hundreds of years ago, and was personally praised as a "Kunxiang" by the current abbot of Wuyou Temple!

Wuyou Temple is located in Beihao Prefecture, and all the people in the temple are morally superior individuals from the eight schools and six sects.

The renowned "New Year's Day Appraisal" originated from Wuyou Temple, where the rankings were determined by the temple's venerable elders.

As for the abbot of Wuyou Temple, he has always been of extraordinary status. Even the Old Immortal of the North Pole had the interest to sit in the position of abbot for a period of time, until he found a new interest and "stepped down to a worthy successor".

The concept of "Kun" signifies vastness, boundless virtue, and the tangible form of things.

The name "Kunxiang" not only subtly corresponds to the supreme Dharma form "Hou Sheng Chui Hui" cultivated by Ji Fakai, but also represents the high hopes that the current Abbot Wuyou has for Ji Fakai!
However, although Ji Fakai was defeated by Jun Yao, he failed to seize the position of Yu Chen Daozi.

But the latter is truly an extraordinary anomaly in the entire land!
Even when he first showed his talent, the Jade Emperors had high hopes for him. After the news of Jun Yao's death spread, many elders of major sects even nodded in approval in secret.

Ji Fakai was defeated by this man by only a few moves, which is understandable. In fact, his performance was far superior to that of many other Daoist masters.

But if that's all there is to it...

Given the momentum of Chen Heng's successful cultivation of the Taiyi Divine Thunder in the Golden Core stage, Elder Liu didn't need to deliberately say those words.

But ever since Chongyutian returned, it is unknown what enlightenment Ji Fakai gained from that ancient Buddha relic.

And his performance in Yuqitian now is truly...

Hearing the hidden meaning in Liu Fu's words, Xun Bing merely smiled, seemingly unconcerned, and waved his hand, saying:
"Such careless words, Elder Liu, you still remember them to this day. No wonder you spent sixty years in the mortal world, and before entering the Dao, you were still troubled by wealth and status, unable to even obtain a position of power in the mortal realm."

Liu Fu raised an eyebrow upon hearing this.

Before he could say anything, the presiding elder of Taifu Palace, fearing things would get ugly, quickly stepped in to smooth things over.

Out of respect for this person, Liu Fu restrained himself somewhat, simply taking the seal in his hand and placing it on the list of successful candidates.

"Please."

Liu Fu and Xun Bing exchanged a glance and both smiled slightly.

At this time, all fourteen presiding elders had finished affixing their seals, and the golden list was hurriedly sent by the golden-robed stewards to the Forty-Nine Lu Shou Palace for Pei Shuyang, the judge of the competition, to review.

"Very good."

After confirming that everything was correct, Pei Shuyang didn't delay and immediately raised his hand to make a hand seal.

In an instant, a rumbling sound came from above, as if the sky above was slowly splitting in two, from which countless strange lights surged forth.

The colorful clouds and rosy clouds drifted erratically, sometimes scattering like flying clouds, sometimes gathering into a tapestry.

This grand commotion immediately drew the attention of all the cultivators in Yingjichuan, and many of them revealed a deep sense of envy in their eyes.

"here we go……"

Inside the golden boat, Chen Heng casually put the dossier that Xue Jing had just handed him into his sleeve and looked up at the sky.

The text was covered with tiny characters, with the characters “嵇法闿” appearing most frequently.

But at this moment, no one paid any attention to this place; inside and outside the golden boat, almost everyone was looking up at it.

"The fate of Xudu..."

Seeing that all the cultivators around him were focused, Qi Shang sighed inwardly.

As soon as the commotion at Yingjichuan was made, all eight sects and six factions responded.

Though separated by millions of miles, a faint spiritual light flashed out from the gate of Beijiyuan Mountain, moving as fast as a shooting star and as swift as a dragon or snake.

In the blink of an eye, the light traversed the vast sea frontier and plunged into the rear hall of the Lu Shou Palace, into the dew-collecting plate that Pei Shuyang had personally erected the day before.

As the light fell, a layer of ethereal smoke immediately appeared on the dew-collecting plate.

It seems to exist within all things, yet also transcends them, awaiting only refinement and solidification...

"Hey, so you're the fastest in the Arctic, Yu Chen—"

The Old Immortal of the North Pole chuckled at the sight.

Before he could finish speaking, three more beams of spiritual light shone from the east of Mi Prefecture, illuminating the clouds: Yu Chen, Chi Ming, and Hu Zhao.

This was as if some kind of grand curtain was slowly being drawn back!
Before half an incense stick's time had passed, beams of light rose from the mountain gates of the eight sects and six schools, crossing the sea from the horizon and landing one after another in the dew-collecting plate in the rear hall.

Divine Guardian, Yin Scenery, Blood River, Nine Truths, Plague—

Whenever a spark of light appears, it seems as if the pure and impure energies in the world are slowly evolving into primordial phenomena, the yin and yang of which are unfathomable, and even gods and ghosts cannot fathom their nature!

The surging essence of creation surged forth and lingered for a long time, leaving countless cultivators along the way in awe. At this moment, Ying Jichuan was even more inexplicably filled with falling flowers from the sky and gushing springs from the earth, just like a paradise on earth!

Meanwhile, within the Zhongyi Sword Sect, the short, Taoist-looking Minqiu Daojun, clad in a green brocade robe, inexplicably turned pale and looked quite unpleasant.

"That old bastard is still full of black water... He deserves to die, and I will never let him get away with this!"

He glared angrily in the direction of Xiaoming Daze, his hand repeatedly reaching for the peach wood branch at his waist, clearly indignant.

Finally, under the joking persuasion of the elders of Zhongyi, although he cursed Tongxuan a thousand times in his heart and wished he could spit on that old face, he still had no choice but to wave his hand and send a ray of spiritual light rising from the depths of Zhongyi Mountain.

And after this glimmer of inspiration appeared in the China League Two.

After a long while, light finally began to shine from Nanchan Prefecture, and they headed towards Yingjichuan.

"What the Patriarch did... why is Daoist Minqiu glaring at me again? This is truly an undeserved disaster."

At this moment, the old immortal from the Arctic, who knew the inside story, was already laughing so hard he was doubled over.

Pei Shuyang noticed a rather displeased gaze falling upon him from afar. He smiled and bowed in the direction of the China League Two, then, seeing that all fourteen sects were present, he decisively waved his hand and ordered in a deep voice:

"In the 2361st year of Zhenghong, the number one person in Danyuan..."

As soon as these words were spoken, the many burly generals outside the hall immediately began to beat their drums vigorously, relaying the message down the chain of command, and shouting in unison:

"In the 2361st year of Zhenghong, the number one person in Danyuan..."

The melodious strains of zithers rose from the left and right halls, the palace music magnificent, clear, and solemn. A golden talisman was first released from Pei Shuyang's hand, and slowly descended from the clouds amidst the eager anticipation of the cultivators.

Chen Heng stepped forward.

This is the day when the sun shines brightly on Fusang, its white light illuminating the clouds above and below, making the world transparent.

The announcements echoed back and forth, now resounding throughout the mountains and seas, with the echoes rolling in, as if millions of people were shouting together, their voices shaking the heavens!

In the twenty-three thousand and sixty-one year of Zhenghong's reign, he was the first person in Danyuan!
Chen Heng felt a little lost for the first time in a long time.

At this moment, the place was clearly in an uproar, but he felt as if the air around him had suddenly quieted down. He could only hear the whistling wind, as if it were coming slowly from a very distant place, crossing mountains and seas.

"..."

Chen Heng lowered his eyes slightly, and after a moment of silence, he reached out and grabbed the golden talisman that was about to hit him.

When he looked up again, his eyes suddenly shone brightly, revealing his sharp edge!

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Chen Heng chuckled, bowed respectfully, and solemnly said:
"Chen Heng is here!"

The moment those words were uttered, the silence around him was abruptly shattered.

All that could be heard was a sound like a tidal wave, surging in from all directions!
(End of this chapter)