Am I the old man who's always by my apprentices' side?

Chapter 76 Another Competition

The most crucial aspect of the 【Crane Pond Reflecting the Moon Lantern】is not simply the issue of "water source," but rather that as a product synthesized by a cheat system within the cultivation realm, even if it's just a decorative item, the water in the pond is very likely not ordinary water.

What if it's a source of water imbued with spirits?
If a pond is formed by spiritual spring water, wouldn't that mean great wealth?
This decoration can directly increase the concentration of spiritual energy in the environment, and then create a large-scale "spiritual energy revival"!
Moreover, it only requires 10 units of marble and 5 units of wax to make!

Neither of these materials is particularly rare. The former has a chance to drop when mining in the Stone Mine or Iron Mine, while the latter drops from shaking mulberry trees.

Although Zhang Chengdao hadn't saved up much over the years, it wouldn't be a problem for him to create a [Crane Pond Reflecting the Moon Lantern].

In just a few seconds, the [Crane Pond Reflecting the Moon Lamp] was completed.

Zhang Chengdao specially chose a propitious spot to display it, which is the most convenient place to draw water for irrigation among the many medicinal gardens surrounded by bamboo fences in Baiyao Peak.

A flash of white light appeared, and suddenly a pond appeared on the gravel ground. It was not very large, only about ten feet square, and was light blue-green, so clear that the bottom could be seen.

The pool is surrounded by low boulders forming a hill, from which a thin stream of water cascades down, making a tinkling sound.

The water surface shimmered, and several delicate lotus flowers grew in the center. The lotus leaves were as green as jade and the flowers as white as cream, shining brightly under the light of the lanterns arranged in the shape of cranes.

Whether it was an illusion or not, Zhang Chengdao felt that being by the spring made him seem to have sharper hearing and eyesight, and even his breathing became clearer.

'It must be the spirit spring water...'

With this in mind, he squatted down, scooped up a handful of water, and tasted it.

As expected, it was refreshingly sweet with a lingering aftertaste. A barely perceptible spiritual energy drifted down my esophagus and into my stomach, where it was absorbed in the blink of an eye.

It really is a sacred spring!

Zhang Chengdao was both surprised and delighted. Looking at the few materials left in his backpack, he gritted his teeth and crafted another [Crane Pond Reflecting the Moon Lamp].

This time, he didn't put it at Hundred Herbs Peak, but carefully considered it and put it in the Peach Garden.

The immortal peaches produced in Taoyuan are now the "miracle pills" that the entire sect relies on for cultivation. Without all sorts of fancy pills to replenish spiritual power and temper the body, they can only rely on these immortal peaches and many other spiritual foods to make up for it. Although the effects are definitely vastly different, it is better than nothing.

By the time all this was done, night had fallen, the sky was completely dark, and only the bright moon hung high in the sky.

Zhang Chengdao did not leave; instead, he sat down and began to meditate and cultivate by the pond in the peach orchard.

Unexpectedly, before starting his cultivation, he subconsciously opened his backpack and glanced at the cultivation progress bar, only to be pleasantly surprised to find that the time required to break through the realm had decreased again!

Originally, it would have taken 96 hours to advance to the seventh level of Foundation Establishment. After consuming the [Immortal Dew], there should have been more than 60 hours left. But now, there are only 57 hours left!
So the concentration of spiritual energy can affect one's cultivation efficiency?!
Zhang Chengdao was quite surprised, because he had tried cultivating in the wheat piles in the [farmland] before, but it hadn't been effective...

Or is it that the effects of this spiritual spring pond are even better than I imagined?

However, shortening the breakthrough time is a good thing. My eldest disciple, who is now the chosen one of destiny, has already skipped several levels of Foundation Establishment. If he skips a few more times, I, as his master, will lose all my authority!

With a heavy burden on his mind, Zhang Chengdao immediately stopped wasting time and closed his eyes to cultivate.

...The next day, Zhang Chengdao arrived at the Sword Casting Manor just in time for Chang Ping'an's match.

Having witnessed the first sight of "flying immortals" yesterday, the people in the Sword Wiping Garden were not so surprised to see it again today. Only those who missed yesterday's scene for various reasons started asking each other about it.

Chang Ping'an was in the eighth match. It was almost noon, and the sun was blazing. Although the north was not hot, the sun was so strong that people could hardly open their eyes.

There were only a few dozen participants in the entire tournament. Seven matches were held yesterday. Logically speaking, Chang Ping'an's match was against the rules—he should have fought against someone who was also a first-time competitor.

However, due to Chang Ping'an's special circumstances, Wan Qizhang, who helped him register, was also unsure of his level. Therefore, with his consent, he specially set up a rule that each rank group would compete separately.

Of all those who signed up for the championship, there were only seven sixth-rank martial artists. Ye Chengyu happened to be drawn to compete against Liu Zhanhai because he had a bye, which is why he was assigned to the first match.

These two contestants, whose cultivation levels were not low, were unfortunately eliminated on the first day. Ye Chengyu won the cross-rank competition, so he had to have a separate match with Chang Ping'an, which is why a match was temporarily added yesterday.

Today, in this eighth championship match, Chang Ping'an's opponent is the only sixth-rank martial artist among all the applicants who survived due to victory, a disciple from the Jade Void Sect.

The disciples of the Jade Void Sect are also skilled in swordsmanship, but they use soft swords.

This disciple of the Jade Void Sect is named Yan Wuqi. She has quite a reputation for chivalry in the martial arts world. She is upright and has a beautiful appearance. Because she killed several philanderers in her early years, she is known as the "Peach Blossom Sword" and is the dream lover of many young heroes in the martial arts world.

After the gong sounded, Chang Ping'an, as usual, did not attack first, but instead held a new tree branch and stood quietly on the platform.

Yan Wuqi spoke up first, "I heard you knocked the Eighth Young Master of the Ye family off the dueling platform in one move?"

Chang Ping'an nodded, puzzled. "Yes."

Yan Wuqi asked again, "That day I saw you only thrust out one sword, the move was unremarkable, I really couldn't tell what kind of swordsmanship you used."

Chang Ping'an hesitated before answering, "I only know a little about one sword technique called the Three Sword Styles."

Three Sword Techniques? Even the names are so ordinary?
If it weren't for the fact that a disciple of the Sword Forging Manor had mentioned before the competition that Chang Ping'an didn't practice martial arts and didn't possess true qi, Yan Wuqi would probably have thought that they had deliberately chosen a highly skilled Venerable to intimidate the Jade Void Sect.

I heard that more than ten years ago, during the martial arts tournament when the old master of the Jade Void Sect broke through to the Grandmaster level, Du Jingshan, the head of the Sword Casting Manor, suffered a crushing defeat and held a grudge against the Jade Void Sect. He avoided contact with the Jade Void Sect whenever he went out. Who knows if they will hold a grudge and resort to underhanded tactics at the martial arts tournament...

However, since they have clearly stated that Chang Ping'an does not practice martial arts, they should not be lying about this.

I just don't know how someone who doesn't practice martial arts or have internal energy could be so powerful, defeating Ye Chengyu, who has such high lightness skills, in one move, leaving him unable to even dodge...

Although many thoughts lingered in my mind, these convoluted ideas actually only lasted for a few breaths.

"Understand a little bit?"

Yan Wuqi's voice trailed off slightly, as if he were quite interested in Chang Ping'an. Then, with a swift motion, he drew a silver-white soft sword from his waist, poised to strike: "I only know a little bit myself, so please show mercy—"

As she spoke, she flicked her soft sword, and the silver-white sword, like a water snake, twisted and turned with blue-purple lightning, launching a sudden attack.

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(End of this chapter)