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Chapter 26: The Grand Outer Sect Tournament
🕑 Added 2024-12-08 08:57:10 +0000 UTC"What is it?" Gu An asked, silently praying it wasn’t something troublesome. He had no desire to get involved in the vortex of conflict within the Outer Sect.
Li Ya smiled and said, "You like farming, don’t you? I remember you mentioned before that you’ve helped a certain Outer Sect disciple manage his cave residence. Now, there’s an opportunity for you. The compensation is decent—work for a year and you’ll earn one mid-grade spirit stone plus a bottle of Spiritual Qi Pills."
Hearing this, Gu An was relieved.
If it was something that could earn him more lifespan, he naturally wouldn’t refuse. After all, he rarely trained and had plenty of time.
He began asking about the identity of the employer. Li Ya didn’t hide anything; the Outer Sect disciple was a friend of his, and his cave residence was near the Outer Sect city.
After agreeing, Gu An was immediately taken there by Li Ya.
Li Ya flew on his sword, with Gu An standing behind him, the two of them sharing one sword. Their airborne figures drew envious gazes from Xiao Chuan, Ye Lan, and the others.
Who wouldn’t dream of flying on a sword?
The tall and burly Tang Yu sighed, "If Master could learn swordsmanship from Uncle Li Ya and teach us, that would be amazing."
The slender and handsome Su Han, standing nearby, nodded. Even though he had been in Medicine Valley for four years, he still longed for the Outer Sect in his heart.
It wasn’t just him—Tang Yu and Zhen Qin felt the same.
Ye Lan didn’t say much and simply pulled Zhen Qin back to the courtyard to train.
Meanwhile...
High above the mountains, Li Ya flew at great speed, his gaze fixed ahead, his black robes billowing in the wind, his hair flying wildly, giving off a free-spirited, unrestrained aura.
"I noticed that your Medicine Valley has more servants than before. Junior Brother Gu, try to recruit fewer disciples in the future and invest more spirit stones into your own cultivation," Li Ya advised earnestly.
Even though Gu An always said his talent wasn’t good, Li Ya still believed there was hope for him.
He didn’t want a future where, after a hundred years, he would still be youthful, while Gu An had already grown old.
Although Li Ya had made a few friends during his years at Tai Xuan Sect, no one compared to Junior Brother Gu in his heart.
Gu An was the only person who treated him well without expecting anything in return. He didn’t want to lose this bond.
Gu An smiled and said, "Senior Brother Li, don’t worry. The reason I’m taking on more disciples is that the fields in Medicine Valley have expanded. Every year, I submit more herbs, and the Pill Hall is gradually improving my benefits. I won’t neglect my cultivation."
Hearing this, Li Ya smiled.
"That’s true. You’re always diligent; you’re bound to achieve something great."
"Not as great as you, Senior Brother. Your reputation in the Outer Sect is unmatched."
They began exchanging compliments. Normally, Li Ya hated this kind of polite banter, but for some reason, hearing it from Junior Brother Gu made him feel oddly happy.
Two hours later...
Li Ya dropped Gu An back at Medicine Valley before flying off.
As soon as Gu An landed, he was surrounded by Su Han and Zhen Qin.
They were curious about where Gu An had gone, and Gu An didn’t hide anything. After a brief explanation, he sent them on their way.
Lu Jiujia’s departure had greatly motivated the disciples of Medicine Valley, leaving the valley quieter than usual. Whenever they had free time, they would each retreat to their rooms to train, eager to catch up with Lu Jiujia.
Gu An returned to his room, picked up Yin-Yang Art, and began studying it. That night, Jiang Qiong was supposed to teach him spells, and he was looking forward to it.
What cultivator wouldn’t want to learn more spells?
Especially since Gu An lacked many basic spells.
...
Late at night, in the Eight Views Cave Heaven.
Under the Ancient Vine Tree, Jiang Qiong, dressed in white with her black hair flowing loosely, looked like an immortal descending to the mortal world. However, her stunning face was filled with frustration.
"Why are you so slow? I’ve explained the method of Qi circulation several times, and you still can’t remember it?" Jiang Qiong held back her anger as she scolded him.
She stood next to Gu An, her eyes fixed on the black mist swirling in his hands.
She was teaching him the Soul Capture Technique, a sinister method that could seize a person’s soul—a highly poisonous and dangerous spell.
Gu An replied helplessly, "Grandmaster, you’ve only just begun teaching me. Can’t you be a bit more patient?"
"It’s not that... It’s just..." Jiang Qiong suddenly didn’t know what to say.
Before she had regained her body, she had looked forward to teaching Gu An, considering him a prodigy in her eyes. But the reality turned out to be quite different.
This kid was strange.
When she taught him the Sword Control Technique, he understood it instantly. But when it came to anything else, it was as if he was a beginner in the path of cultivation.
In terms of swordsmanship, Gu An was undoubtedly the most talented person she had ever seen. The problem was that swordsmanship wasn’t her specialty.
"If I were so skilled at everything, would I have ended up as a servant disciple?" Gu An sighed.
Jiang Qiong hesitated for a long time before muttering, "But you’re not supposed to be this slow..."
Gu An’s hand trembled.
What else could he expect from someone from the demonic path? Her words were brutally hurtful!
Anger flared up in Gu An, and he said, "I have my strengths too! When it comes to swordsmanship, even you, Grandmaster, might not be as talented as I am!"
Jiang Qiong laughed, clearly amused. "Oh? Shall we test that theory? Let’s spar without using spiritual power, relying only on our sword techniques."
"Fine!"
Gu An released the black mist from his hands, stood up, and prepared to teach her a lesson.
Jiang Qiong took a few steps to the side, raised her right hand, and extended her index and middle fingers, holding them together. She smiled and said, "Since this is a friendly match, let’s not hurt each other. We’ll use our fingers as swords."
Gu An nodded, placing his left hand behind his back and extending his right hand in front.
Jiang Qiong squinted her eyes. For some reason, the moment Gu An raised his hand, she felt a sudden panic.
"What’s wrong with me? How could I be intimidated by a mere Foundation Establishment boy?"
Jiang Qiong cursed herself internally for being weak and losing the arrogance she once had.
She immediately thrust her fingers toward Gu An, using the speed of a Core Formation cultivator.
Gu An parried her thrust with two fingers, deflecting her hand as if plucking a string.
Jiang Qiong’s eyes narrowed. She stepped to the side like a phantom, her fingers aimed at Gu An’s ribs like a sword.
Gu An turned, thrusting his fingers downward and pressing them against the back of her hand, causing her a sharp pain, forcing her to retract her hand.
The two exchanged moves under the Ancient Vine Tree, parrying and countering each other.
Jiang Qiong’s attacks were fierce, but Gu An’s movements were fluid and effortless.
After thirty moves, Gu An noticed Jiang Qiong was becoming anxious. To end it, he deliberately left an opening, allowing her to strike his abdomen, after which he pretended to stumble backward, clutching his stomach.
Jiang Qiong didn’t pursue her advantage. She straightened up and fixed her intense gaze on Gu An.
Gu An feigned a pained expression but was startled by the look in her eyes.
What was that look?
It was as if she was ready to devour him.
Jiang Qiong took a deep breath and said, "Impressive. I underestimated your swordsmanship. Although your moves were unrefined, every strike was direct and aimed at my weaknesses. You’re a rare swordsmanship prodigy. With the right master, you could become renowned across the world as a sword cultivator."
Gu An shook his head. "I don’t care about becoming famous. That would just bring trouble my way. I hate fighting, let alone killing."
Jiang Qiong was stunned for a moment before finding it amusing.
This was the first time she had encountered such a timid genius.
"It was wrong of me to scold you earlier. Come, continue practicing the Soul Capture Technique. Even if you’re suited for the sword, there are some spells you must learn to be prepared for anything," Jiang Qiong beckoned him.
Gu An immediately stepped forward, resuming his practice of the Soul Capture Technique.
After their sparring match, Jiang Qiong’s attitude softened considerably, speaking to him in a gentler tone. At times, her words even gave him goosebumps.
And so, every night, Gu An went to the Eight Views Cave Heaven to practice spells under Jiang Qiong’s tutelage. Once he mastered a spell to the point where it appeared on his attribute panel, he would move on to the next one.
Jiang Qiong assumed he was just frustrated and didn’t force him. After all, she had plenty of spells to teach.
Teaching an apprentice while recovering from her injuries was surprisingly enjoyable for her.
Besides that, once a month, Gu An would visit the cave residence of the Outer Sect disciple to tend to the herbs.
...
As winter approached, snow fell thick and heavy, blanketing the land.
Wearing a straw hat, Gu An climbed halfway up the mountain and reached the cave residence. Just as he was about to take out his token, he sensed something amiss.
There were people inside!
And not just one!
Gu An instantly wanted to leave, but the voices inside the cave abruptly stopped. If he left now, it would reveal that he had sensed the presence of people inside, bypassing the cave’s protective barrier.
He had no choice but to press the token against the mountain gate. The gate opened, and he stepped inside.
Walking through the cave tunnel, he entered the cave hall. When he saw three people standing inside, he froze for a moment before quickly bowing and apologizing, "My apologies, I didn’t know the senior was back. I’ll leave now."
With that, he turned to leave.
The owner of the cave, Chen Li, appeared to be in his forties, with the scholarly demeanor of a refined gentleman. He raised a hand and smiled, saying, "No need. Do what you need to do. We’ll continue our conversation."
Hearing this, Gu An had no choice but to turn back, bow again, and proceed to the herb garden.
As Gu An worked, he noticed the other two people in the cave—a man and a woman. The woman was none other than Li Xuanyu, whom he had sparred with before.
The man, however, wasn’t Shi Yang. Instead, he was someone else—handsome, graceful, and as striking as a character from a painting. Even men couldn’t help but be captivated by his looks.
Li Xuanyu recognized Gu An but didn’t say anything.
Gu An discreetly used his lifespan ability to check the handsome man’s details.
[Xiao Chenjun (Core Formation Stage, Level 1): 58/621/1508]
Core Formation Stage, Level 1!
An Inner Sect disciple?
Chen Li, noticing that Gu An had begun harvesting the herbs, turned to Li Xuanyu and Xiao Chenjun and sighed, "The Grand Outer Sect Tournament is approaching, and this time, it’s being hosted by Tai Xuan Sect. The pressure is on us."
Xiao Chenjun chuckled. "What’s there to fear? The Outer Sect has many talents. Even if those other sects and schools join forces, it’ll be hard for them to surpass Tai Xuan Sect. Within the Tai Cang Empire, Tai Xuan Sect reigns supreme."
Chen Li shook his head. "I’ve heard that the Gu Hao Sect, Tianjue Sect, and Thousand Autumn Pavilion each have dual-spiritual root geniuses, and they’ve been deliberately holding back their breakthroughs just for this tournament."
He paused, glancing at Xiao Chenjun with a sigh. "Junior Brother Xiao, why didn’t you wait before breaking through? Your master surely knew about this."
Xiao Chenjun smiled. "Senior Brother Chen, the Grand Outer Sect Tournament is held at least twice every hundred years. How could cultivators like us be so concerned about victory and defeat? Besides, Tai Xuan Sect produces geniuses every year. Don’t worry—the burden won’t fall solely on you."
The three of them continued discussing the tournament, with Xiao Chenjun and Chen Li doing most of the talking while Li Xuanyu occasionally chimed in.
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