Mountain Venerable and Sea Immortal

Outside the window of the "Linjiangxian" inn on the outskirts of the city, there was a cacophony of voices, with cultivators carrying their competition tokens coming and going.

Four young monks sat around a square table in the corner of the hall.

"Among the formidable fighters on the training grounds, I have high hopes for that young man from Laoshan. Although I haven't seen him make a move yet, he gives me the impression of being unfathomable."

The male cultivator, dressed in a short blue robe and with an iron sword hanging at his waist, took a sip of tea, his tone full of apprehension.

"The Mohist disciples are not to be underestimated either. They possess both offensive and defensive skills with their personal mechanisms. And the Wang family members are also very agile and difficult to deal with..." The square-faced man opposite him hadn't finished speaking.

Four dark figures suddenly leaped down from the second-floor railing, their bodies shrouded in a thick, lingering, chilling black mist. Their auras were violent and malevolent, and the fluctuations in their spiritual energy carried a bone-chilling cold. Before the people in the hall could react, the evil cultivators had already made their move. Their pitch-black poisonous claws and bone blades gleaming with an eerie light were aimed directly at the four people who were discussing in the corner.

"Who!" the monk in blue exclaimed in surprise, and stood up abruptly.

The evil cultivator's malevolent spiritual energy struck him directly in the chest, sending him flying and crashing into the corner of the table. He coughed up blood, and his spiritual energy instantly became chaotic. The remaining three hurriedly activated their cultivation and summoned their magical artifacts to resist, but in their haste, their spiritual energy flowed sluggishly. Just as their artifacts began to glow, the tea table overturned, shattering the teaware on the ground. Amidst the billowing black mist, the four cultivators lay unconscious on the ground.

Qinglao Courtyard was enveloped by a light blue spiritual energy barrier, isolating it from the outside noise and protecting the Laoshan people inside. In the courtyard, the shadows of green bamboo swayed, and Master Xuanyang sat in the main seat, with disciples such as Lin Yan, Chen Dagang, Yun Xi, and Yi Ashi standing on either side, their expressions calm.

"The alliance meeting is over. There are still three days until the start of the Mount Tai Grand Competition, plus tonight, making a total of four days." Master Xuan Yang spoke, his voice calm yet carrying an undeniable authority. His gaze slowly swept over the four people. "These next few days will not be peaceful in Haodu. Various forces will stop at nothing to secure the secret realm slots. Our Laoshan has no foundation here. Remember, stay behind closed doors and cultivate diligently. Do not go out, do not make friends, do not cause trouble. Protecting yourselves is the most important thing."

Chen Dagang couldn't help but speak up: "Master, are we just going to let those people cause trouble in the shadows? What if someone comes knocking on our door...?"

"Endure." Master Xuan Yang uttered a single word calmly, his fingertips lightly tapping the table. "We have come here for two reasons: first, to investigate the unusual movement of the earth's veins; and second, to win the grand competition. All other disputes can be disregarded."

He paused, his tone slightly somber, and revealed the secret: "Laoshan has a long-standing alliance with Qingyun Sect and Shuiyue Pavilion. This time, the two sects are unable to participate and therefore cannot compete for the spots. Only if we win the championship and obtain the qualification to bring five people into the secret realm can we transfer the extra spots to our allies and live up to our promise from back then. Before that, we must not cause any unforeseen complications and ruin our plan."

Lin Yan understood and bowed his head in agreement. He had been extremely clear-headed from beginning to end. From the resonance with the aura of the Imperial Ruins of Mount Tai during the sacrificial ceremony to the undercurrents of various forces at the alliance meeting, everything told him that this competition was far more complicated than it appeared on the surface.

"Lin Yan, you are calm and composed. Pay close attention to the movements in the courtyard at night. If anything unusual happens, report it immediately," Master Xuan Yang said to Lin Yan, giving him a special instruction.

"Disciple obeys." Lin Yan bowed and replied.

Afterwards, Master Xuan Yang waved for everyone to leave and rest and cultivate diligently. He then entered the inner room, set up a soundproof barrier, and with a flick of his finger, sent a hidden spiritual transmission through the air towards Laoshan. He communicated with the sect leaders of Qingyun Sect and Shuiyue Pavilion, telling them to wait patiently and not to have any doubts, lest they miss the important matter and allow evil forces to shake their foundations.

Inside the Hao family's detached mansion in Haodu, armored soldiers stood in rows, exuding a chilling aura of iron and blood. In the main hall, Hao Qingyue sat in the main seat, his tight-fitting clothes unable to conceal his murderous aura. His gaze swept over Hao Jingchuan, Hao Lie, Hao Lei, and the elite members of the clan, and his voice was like the clash of metal, making everyone's eardrums hurt.

"Listen up, all of you! In the grand competition three days from now, only victory is allowed; defeat is not permitted!" Hao Qingyue slammed his fist on the table and stood up. "Our Hao family will secure the most spots at the Shaohao Ruins, and the champion's position must belong to Jingchuan! Anyone who obstructs our Hao family will be eliminated!"

"Father, rest assured, I am determined to win the championship!" Hao Jingchuan stood up, his fighting spirit surging, his eyes arrogant, and his whole being exuding an air of dominance. "Anyone who dares to stop me, I will defeat them fair and square on the field!"

Hao Lei, standing to the side, clenched his fists, his eyes filled with resentment and rage. Having been humiliated twice in front of Lin Yan, he already considered him a thorn in his side. Hearing this, he immediately spoke up: "Grandpa, Father, that Lin Yan from Laoshan is too arrogant! I will definitely avenge him before the competition and cripple him!"

"Nonsense!" Hao Qingyue shouted sternly. "Before the competition, anyone who dares to fight privately and cause trouble, ruining the family's grand plan, will be punished according to family law! If you want revenge, do it openly and fairly on the competition field. If you can't even win on the field, you are not worthy to be a descendant of the Hao family!"

Hao Lei's face turned pale and then red, but he didn't dare to argue. He could only grit his teeth and agree, but he secretly planned that even if he couldn't take action openly, he would find a way to cause trouble for Lin Yan and prevent him from participating in the competition smoothly.

Hao Lingjun strode in from outside the hall, bowed and clasped his hands: "Patriarch, I have already found out that the people of Laoshan have been staying in Qinglaoyuan and have not come out; the Langya Wang Clan is contacting various forces everywhere, and it seems that they are trading quotas; the small sects such as Danxia Valley and Qingmu Sect have secretly formed an alliance, wanting to join forces against us and the Hao Clan."

Upon hearing this, Hao Qingyue's lips curled into a cold smile: "A bunch of clowns, daring to try and contend with my Hao Clan? Jingchuan, keep an eye on the clan's members and prepare for war with all your might; Lingjun, continue to keep a close eye on the movements of all sides, especially Laoshan and those small, banded-together sects. Report any unusual activity immediately. As for the Wang Clan, if they want to make a deal, let's play along. As long as they can make way for my Hao Clan, a little benefit for them is no problem."

The people in the hall received their orders and dispersed, some going into seclusion to cultivate, others secretly making plans. The entire Hao family mansion was shrouded in a tense atmosphere of preparation for war.

Inside the Wangzhu Garden of the Langya Wang Clan, however, lay a completely different scene.

Incense wafted through the courtyard, adorned with pearls and jade, exuding the refinement and wealth of a merchant family. Wang Jizhou sat upright in the main seat, toying with a jade thumb ring in his hand. His eyes were shrewd, and his face wore his usual amiable smile, but his eyes were full of calculation.

"Jingxing, Shiya, you two will split up and act separately." Wang Jizhou said slowly. "Jingxing, take the prepared generous gifts and visit the elders of the Hao clan and the leader of the Mo family. Keep these two families in check and ensure that our Wang clan members will not be deliberately targeted in the competition."

"I understand, son." Wang Jingxing bowed and replied. He was calm and composed, skilled in business, and most adept at maneuvering for profit.

"Shiya, go and contact the participating disciples from those small and medium-sized sects, as well as the powerful rogue cultivators." Wang Jizhou looked at his daughter, his tone resolute. "Our Wang Clan has no shortage of spirit stones, spiritual materials, or pills. Anyone willing to relinquish their spot in the secret realm after the competition, whether before or after, will be rewarded handsomely by our Wang Clan. In addition, we have secretly reached an agreement with the Hao Clan: during the competition, the Hao Clan will protect our Wang Clan's disciples, and after the secret realm opens, our Wang Clan will share 30% of the spiritual materials with them."

Wang Shiya smiled charmingly, a glint of shrewdness flashing in her eyes: "Father, rest assured, I will definitely handle this matter well. Which of those small sects and rogue cultivators can resist the temptation of resources? As for the Hao family, they covet our resources and will surely agree to this deal."

The father and daughter exchanged a smile. In their eyes, if they lacked strength, they could make up for it with resources. As long as there was enough profit, nothing was off-limits for trade, and the Wang family was determined to seize the opportunity presented by the Shaohao Ruins.

The Mo family's ingenious courtyard in Jimo was unusually quiet.

Intricate mechanical parts can be seen everywhere in the courtyard, and the soft sounds of gears turning can be heard one after another. Mo Shouchuan sits upright at his desk, looking at the blueprints of the mechanisms and the diagrams of the forbidden secrets in front of him, his expression focused and serious.

"Acanthus, a skillful mind."

"Disciple is here." Mo Cangzhu and Mo Qiaoxin quickly stepped forward.

"Have the protective mechanisms at the stadium been tested and adjusted?" Mo Shouchuan asked, looking up.

"Reporting to the Grand Master, everything has been adjusted. The arena barrier is stable and can withstand the full force of a Foundation Establishment cultivator's attack, as well as prevent the fighting in the arena from affecting the spectators," Mo Cangshu replied in a deep voice. He was a man of few words, devoted to studying mechanical arts, and extremely cautious in his actions.

Mo Qiaoxin then added, "Master, we will not participate in the conflicts between various parties. We will only focus on preparing for the battle. On the field, we will only seek to protect ourselves, strive for a spot, and explore the ancient craftsmanship inheritance in the secret realm. I have politely declined all the offers of the various forces to win us over."

Mo Shouchuan nodded in satisfaction: "That's right. Our Mo family only values ​​craftsmanship and does not get involved in power struggles. Protecting ourselves and seizing the opportunities that belong to us is enough. Remember, stay away from the Hao family's tyranny, avoid the Wang family's schemes, and protect yourselves."

Compared to the open and covert struggles among the four major families, the small and medium-sized sects around Haodu, such as Danxia Valley and Qingmu Sect, as well as various independent cultivators, were even more uneasy.

Their strength was weak, and they were no match for the four major families. In order to compete for the few spots in the secret realm, they were forced to band together for survival. The sect leaders of several sects met secretly overnight and made an alliance. They agreed not to attack each other on the field, to work together to exclude the scions of the powerful families, and if anyone won a spot, it would be distributed according to the strength of their forces, all in an effort to get a share of the spoils in this competition for opportunity.

Those rogue cultivators, left without support, each harbored their own ambitions. Some sought refuge with the Wang family in exchange for resources and protection; others took risks, planning to secretly ambush other participating disciples during these three days to weaken their opponents; still others lay low, observing the situation and hoping to reap the benefits.

Haodu seemed to have become a huge vortex, drawing in all forces. Beneath the surface calm, there was an undercurrent of killing intent, scheming, interests, and alliances, which could erupt at any moment.

Inside Qinglao Courtyard, Lin Yan sat cross-legged under a bamboo grove, meditating with his eyes closed. He wasn't completely immersed in cultivation; his mind remained focused outward, paying attention to everything around him.

In the dead of night, several subtle fluctuations of spiritual energy quietly approached the barrier of Qinglao Academy, carrying a hint of malicious intent. Lin Yan slightly opened his eyes, a cold glint flashing in them, but he did not act rashly. Instead, he secretly circulated his spiritual energy to protect himself while keeping an eye on the movements of those fluctuations.

Those figures lingered outside the barrier for a moment, but upon sensing the protective restrictions set up inside the courtyard and knowing the strength of True Person Xuan Yang, they dared not rush in and could only retreat unwillingly in the end.

Lin Yan frowned slightly as he looked in the direction where the figures had disappeared.

Over the next three days, the undercurrents in Haodu will only intensify. All he can do is remain calm, prepare for the battle with all his might, and strive for victory on the field three days later, fulfilling the sect's covenant and protecting those around him.

As night deepened, every inch of Haodu seemed to be brewing a storm, and a bloody battle was quietly about to begin.