77: Chapter 76 Unusual Movements, Family Competition

Eastern Territory, Yao Province.

The far east of Yao Province is the Forbidden Ground, the Emperor-Burying Abyss of Guixu.

There are no mountains, no water, no vegetation, and no living creatures there.

There is only a massive rift that spans across the sky and earth.

Deep within the rift, pitch-black mist surges endlessly, and occasionally, fragmented shards of Law drift out, slicing even the Void Realm.

At this moment, a hundred miles outside the abyss.

Two figures are flying forward cautiously, skimming the clouds.

They are Cultivators from a Sect on the edge of Yao Province. A few days ago, the Sect Elder detected unusual fluctuations in Spiritual Qi in the far east, so he sent them to investigate.

Of course, it sounds nice to call it "investigating," but to put it bluntly, they are just cannon fodder.

"Senior Brother, do we really have to get close to that place?" the young Cultivator asked, his face full of nervousness.

The older Cultivator glared at him: "Who said anything about getting close? We'll just take a look from the perimeter."

The young Cultivator swallowed hard and didn't dare to speak again. The two flew forward for several more dozen miles.

"Senior Brother, are... are we still going forward?" The young Cultivator's voice trembled, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead.

He could already feel the heart-palpitating pressure. The older Cultivator wasn't faring much better, his face pale, but he gritted his teeth and said: "Let's go a bit further... just a bit further. The Elder said that as long as we discover the anomaly, we can go back and report."

The two steeled themselves and flew for another incense stick's worth of time. Suddenly, they both stopped.

The concentration of Spiritual Qi in the surrounding area was several times higher than normal. Moreover, that cold, sinister aura was growing stronger, making one's entire body shiver.

The young Cultivator finally couldn't hold on any longer: "Senior Brother, I can't do it... I really can't take it anymore! Let's go back..."

The older Cultivator was silent for a moment before nodding. "Let's go."

The two turned around and fled without looking back.

What they didn't know was that just a few miles from where they had stopped, two shadows were hiding in the Void Realm, quietly watching them.

"Should we take action?" one of the shadows asked.

"Forget it."

"What are you afraid of? They're just Cultivators from some small Sect; killing them wouldn't matter."

The other shadow glanced back, its tone full of helplessness: "Are you stupid? If you kill them, what if you attract their Sect's Elders? Are you going to wipe out that Sect too? Wouldn't that cause an even bigger commotion?"

The first shadow fell silent.

"The Sect Leader has given orders: before he comes out of seclusion, no unnecessary complications are allowed," the other shadow said calmly. "As long as we don't show ourselves, outsiders won't be able to guess anything. Let them spread the rumors; the more outrageous they become, the less anyone will dare to come."

There was silence in the darkness for a moment, then the voice gave a low acknowledgment.

The two shadows quietly retreated and disappeared into the depths of the abyss.

Taixuan Sect.

In the Inner Sect Disciple courtyard, several figures were sitting together. Shi Man, Lei Yan, Gu Ruoxue, and Junior Brother Wang Teng—the four of them made a perfect table.

They had all passed the Outer Sect assessment together and promoted to the Inner Sect together. They were already very familiar with each other and would gather together whenever they had free time.

Shi Man looked at Lei Yan with a mysterious expression: "Junior Brother Lei Yan, I heard you're going back to Qing Province to participate in some Family Competition?"

Lei Yan was stunned: "Senior Brother Shi Man, how did you know?"

Shi Man chuckled: "I happened to pass by yesterday and heard you talking to Elder Yan. Take me with you! It'll be a good chance to go out and look around!"

Junior Brother Wang Teng, who was listening nearby, curiously leaned over: "Family Competition? What Family Competition?"

Lei Yan was silent for a moment.

A year ago, he was the famous "Trash" of the Lei Family in Black Iron City, Qing Province. He had once been a favored child of heaven, but later, for some unknown reason, his cultivation stagnated at the Peak of Qi Refining, unable to reach Foundation Establishment.

The Family invited countless people to examine him, all of whom said his Aptitude was exhausted and he had no hope in this life. Thus, he was abandoned. His resources were cut off, the attention he received vanished, and even his former kinsmen would take a detour when they saw him.

But what truly made him suffer was not the loss of resources or the cold gazes of his kin, but his parents. Every time his father saw him, he would always seem to have something to say but hold back, eventually only letting out a sigh. His mother had cried countless times in private, but in front of him, she would force a smile and only say, "It's fine, it will get better."

He knew how much pressure they were under within the Family. Their branch already had low status, and with him becoming "Trash," all those idle gossip and overt or covert mockery fell upon his parents.

In the end, it was he who proposed to leave. He was not reconciled; the Desolate Ancient Continent was so vast, he didn't believe he couldn't find a way to achieve a Breakthrough. That day, his mother, with red eyes, gripped his hand tightly and said over and over, "It's your parents who are useless." His father stood to the side, his back to him, his shoulders trembling slightly, never once turning around.

He remembered that on the day he left, no one saw him off. But he also remembered that as he walked out of the city gate, he looked back and saw two blurry figures on the distant city wall. They had come after all. They just didn't dare to see him off in person.

It wasn't until he accidentally activated the ancestral jade pendant and discovered the remnant soul of his Revered Master, that with his Revered Master's help, he successfully achieved Awakening of his Physique, and later, he even joined the Sect.

A year had passed; he had gone from being a mocked Trash to an Inner Sect Disciple of the Taixuan Sect, at the Middle Stage of the Spirit Sea. Now, the day of the Family Competition had arrived. He had to go back.

Lei Yan raised his head, met Junior Brother Wang Teng's curious gaze, and smiled faintly: "Black Iron City in Qing Province, the Lei Family's Family Competition."

"I used to be a member of the Lei Family, but later... some changes occurred, and I left. Now that the time has come, I should go back for a visit."

He said it lightly, but the few people present could all hear the weight behind those words.

Shi Man patted his shoulder and laughed: "That's perfect! Let's go together and let those blind fools see what kind of caliber Junior Brother Lei Yan is now!"

Junior Brother Wang Teng also got excited: "Yes, yes, yes, let's go together!"

Lei Yan looked at these two enthusiastic brothers, felt a warmth in his heart, and nodded: "Alright, then let's go together."

As soon as he finished speaking, a cold, clear female voice sounded from the side: "Then I will go too."

The group turned around; Gu Ruoxue was sitting to the side, holding a cup of tea with a calm expression.

Lei Yan was stunned: "Junior Sister Gu? Why are you joining in the fun? What about your Law Enforcement Hall..."

Gu Ruoxue set down her teacup, her tone remaining that same cold and detached cadence: "It's fine, Qin Feng is keeping an eye on things. I just happened to want to go out and gain some experience."

Shi Man chimed in, teasing: "Oh, it's rare for Junior Sister Gu to take the initiative; Junior Brother Lei Yan, you can't refuse!"

Lei Yan glared at him, then looked at Gu Ruoxue, hesitating for a moment. "Alright, then let's go together."

Shi Man slapped his thigh: "Great! The four of us together, it will definitely be lively on the road!"

Junior Brother Wang Teng had already started calculating how many Spirit Stones to bring.

Gu Ruoxue remained as cold and detached as ever, but the corners of her mouth curved slightly.