79: Chapter 79 The Grand Competition

"Junior Sister, this is merely a rumor; it's hard to distinguish truth from falsehood. There's no need for excessive worry." Sect Leader Xuanyangzi smiled and asked, "Tomorrow is the Outer Sect Grand Competition. Are you well-prepared, Junior Sister?"

"Rest assured, Senior Brother. The sixteen arenas in the Martial Arts Arena have already been constructed. The drawing tokens, recording materials, Medicinal Pills for healing, and other supplies for the competition have also been inventoried. They are all placed in the temporary side rooms on both sides of the Martial Arts Arena, guarded by specific personnel for easy access."

She paused and continued, "I have already selected the referees for this competition. They are all Elders and senior Disciples within the Sect who possess profound cultivation and are impartial. This evening, I will gather all the referees again to reiterate the rules and their duties to prevent any favoritism or fraud!"

Fairy Qingling spoke in a steady tone and with clear logic, explaining every preparation detail thoroughly and comprehensively.

"Is there anything missing?" Sect Leader Xuanyangzi asked again.

"Rest assured, Sect Head Senior Brother. I have repeatedly checked every step, and there are absolutely no errors. I can certainly ensure that tomorrow's competition will proceed smoothly."

Sect Leader Xuanyangzi listened quietly, his hand never ceasing to stroke his beard, as the look of approval in his eyes grew deeper.

He knew that Fairy Qingling had always been meticulous, cautious, and diligent. He was already quite at ease leaving the preparations for the competition to her, and now, hearing that everything was ready, he was completely relieved.

"Good, good, good!" Sect Leader Xuanyangzi said the word 'good' three times, a gratified smile appearing on his face. "You have worked hard, Junior Sister. With such meticulous preparation, I no longer have any concerns."

"Junior Sister, regarding the matter of the Ancient Divine Ability I asked you to investigate, are there any leads?"

Fairy Qingling shook her head gently and said, "In response to Sect Head Senior Brother, I have checked all the Outer Sect Disciples, and there are no clues at all."

Hearing this, a trace of disappointment flashed through Sect Leader Xuanyangzi's eyes, which he quickly concealed. He then waved his hand and said, "Alright, you may leave now!"

"I shall take my leave!" Fairy Qingling cupped her hands and withdrew.

"Sigh..." Looking at the departing Fairy Qingling, Sect Leader Xuanyangzi let out a deep sigh.

The reason Sect Leader Xuanyangzi sighed was because the Heavenly Sword Sect had reached a moment of life and death.

Currently, their Heavenly Sword Sect faced four major dilemmas.

The first and foremost was the threat of Yao Beasts on the front lines.

Recently, the Yao Beasts on the front lines had become increasingly rampant, and their numbers were growing by the day. Waves of Yao Beasts were frantically attacking the frontline fortresses of many Sects.

If this continued, the frontline fortresses would sooner or later be breached by the Yao Beasts. At that time, the Yao Beasts would strike directly into the heart of the Sect.

Although he was the Sect Head presiding over the main Peak, he was unable to leave his post. He could only continuously send Disciples, Medicinal Pills, and Magical Artifacts to the front lines. However, this was merely a temporary measure. There were too many Yao Beasts and their combat power was too strong; the predicament on the front lines remained difficult to alleviate.

Besides the threat of Yao Beasts on the front lines, the internal maneuvering and power struggles between the various major Sects weighed heavily on Sect Leader Xuanyangzi's mind.

The world of cultivation was one where the weak were prey to the strong. On the surface, the major Sects appeared to coexist harmoniously, but in reality, undercurrents surged as they plotted against each other, vying for resources, territory, and the right to speak in the cultivation world.

The Heavenly Sword Sect was once a leader with a profound Foundation, but now its power was declining day by day, and it had long since lost its former glory. Seeing this, the surrounding major Sects were all beginning to stir, secretly tripping up the Heavenly Sword Sect, snatching its cultivation resources, and poaching its Core Disciples.

Sect Leader Xuanyangzi was well aware of the ambitious designs of the major Sects. However, with the Heavenly Sword Sect currently facing internal and external troubles and an unstable Foundation, it simply lacked the surplus strength to contend with them and could only retreat step by step.

What chilled his heart even more were the "moths" within the Heavenly Sword Sect.

Within the Sect, not all Disciples and Elders were loyal and devoted to the Sect. Some were hedonistic and selfish, disregarding the Sect's safety for their own interests. They secretly colluded with external enemies, leaked Sect secrets, stole resources from the Sect's treasury, and disrupted the Sect's cultivation order and unity.

These moths were hidden in every corner of the Sect, pretending to be loyal while secretly causing trouble. Like a maggot in the bone, they were gradually eroding the Foundation of the Heavenly Sword Sect, causing its strength to decline day by day.

Although Sect Leader Xuanyangzi had long noticed this and conducted secret investigations, these moths had deep roots and wide-reaching connections. For a time, he found it difficult to completely eradicate them and could only watch helplessly as they continued to harm the Sect. His feelings of helplessness and anger were beyond words.

And what Sect Leader Xuanyangzi feared and worried about the most were the traces of the remnants of the Blood Demon Sect.

The Blood Demon Sect and the Heavenly Sword Sect had always been incompatible; they were an evil force in the cultivation world. Hundreds of years ago, the Heavenly Sword Sect had united with other major Sects to surround and suppress the Blood Demon Sect, annihilating its main force. The remaining forces scattered and fled, vanishing from sight.

It was thought that the Blood Demon Sect had long been completely wiped out, but recently, news had arrived that remnants of the Blood Demon Sect had quietly infiltrated the Southern Region.

The remnants of the Blood Demon Sect were ruthless, practiced evil Cultivation Techniques, and used bizarre methods. Their presence in the Southern Region was like a time bomb that could explode at any moment.

As the Sect Head of the Heavenly Sword Sect, facing the current predicament, he felt powerless and did not know how to break the deadlock.

That was why Sect Leader Xuanyangzi so desperately hoped to find the Disciple who had undergone the Awakening of an Ancient Divine Ability.

If he could find them and Cultivate them carefully, the Heavenly Sword Sect would not be so passive.

...

Heavenly Sword Sect Plaza.

In the center of the plaza, there were sixteen massive arenas.

All sixteen arenas were built from hard Thousand-year Spirit Wood, several meters high, with wide and flat surfaces.

The Martial Arts Square was already crowded with Heavenly Sword Sect Disciples, a sea of people jostling shoulder to shoulder, gathered here.

They all wanted to achieve good results in the Grand Competition.

And then receive rewards from the Sect.

These Disciples stood in small groups, lowering their voices as they discussed enthusiastically. Every topic revolved around today's Grand Competition, their tones full of excitement and curiosity, and their faces couldn't hide their anticipation.

"Who do you think will win the championship in this competition?"

"I bet on Jiang Lijuan! She's at the Peak of the Level 10 Qi Refining Stage and has mastered a High-level Secret Technique!"

"I don't think so! Lin Hao isn't bad either. He's also at the Peak of Level 10 Qi Refining, has mastered the Gale Sword Technique to Major Achievement, and has Elder Lin Zhentian backing him. In terms of strength, he might not be weaker than Jiang Lijuan. Maybe the champion will be him!"

"I'm not so sure. Senior Brother Wu Yong is Elder Qingxuan's Disciple, and he's also at Level 10 Qi Refining!"

The discussion about the potential champion became increasingly heated. Everyone held their own opinions and argued incessantly. Some were optimistic about Jiang Lijuan's steady and powerful nature, some praised Lin Hao's sword techniques and background, and others mentioned Wu Yong. Everyone had their own favorite to win, and their tones were full of certainty and expectation.

Besides the potential champion, the rich rewards of the Grand Competition were also a focus of the Disciples' discussion. Many Disciples' eyes flashed with a hint of greed and longing when they spoke of the rewards.

"I heard that the champion of this Grand Competition will not only receive Medicinal Pills and Magical Artifacts but can also take an Elder as their master!"

"I heard the champion can also enter the Heavenly Sword Sect treasury to choose a treasure!"

"And there are so many rewards!"

"As long as you make it into the top sixteen, you can get one hundred Spirit Stones!"

"One hundred Spirit Stones is enough for five years of my cultivation!"

In addition, the rules of the Grand Competition also became a focus of discussion among the Disciples, especially those young Disciples participating for the first time. They frequently asked the experienced Disciples around them, fearing they might misremember the rules and suffer a disadvantage in the competition.