Chapter 381 - 206: Acting in Response to Change

Chapter 381: Chapter 206: Acting in Response to Change

In the Profound Yellow Realm, it was the height of autumn, a time of clear skies and crisp air.

In front of the Beiji Pavilion, a young disciple with a tender face was holding a broom, sweeping the vast, empty terrace all by himself.

Suddenly, a deafening crash echoed from the sky, followed by a continuous rumble that startled the boy. He hurriedly looked up to see thunderclouds rolling in from all directions, blanketing half the Celestial Vault in an instant.

In a flash, the entire Beiji Pavilion seemed to be plunged into the gloomy atmosphere of an impending storm.

The boy wasn’t panicked, however. After all, what kind of trouble could possibly happen here in the Tai Su Orthodox Sect? He just pursed his lips. "Didn’t that old Daoist say the Celestial Hall predicted clear skies for the entire day?"

He shook his head. Just as he was about to return to the main hall, he suddenly saw the sloppy old Daoist appear outside the entrance, gazing at the sky and murmuring to himself:

"Stirring the winds and clouds, a convergence of dragon and tiger... Since when could someone achieve a Top-grade Golden Core through arduous cultivation in the Beiji Pavilion?"

"A Top-grade Golden Core!" The young disciple was taken aback. A moment later, his eyes seemed to sparkle with light. Perhaps due to his youth and naivete, he found himself asking aloud, "I wonder how long it will take for me to achieve a Top-grade Golden Core."

The sloppy old Daoist, who had been lost in a daze, couldn’t help but roll his eyes upon hearing this. He snapped, "Guan the Kid, focus on achieving a Perfect Daoist Record and entering the Inner Sect first. You can dream about a Top-grade Golden Core after that."

The boy was still unconvinced and about to argue back when a light chuckle suddenly cut through the cacophony of dragon roars and tiger growls filling the sky. A Daoist emerged from nowhere, placed a large hand on the back of the young disciple’s head, ruffled his hair, and smiled. "Having ambition isn’t necessarily a bad thing."

The boy looked at the Daoist’s face, and a sudden realization made him exclaim, "Junior Martial Uncle Zhou!"

Zhou Jun smiled faintly and asked, "What’s your name?"

Confirming that the person before him was indeed the sect’s most sought-after True Disciple, the boy immediately grew nervous and replied, "This disciple is Guan Jue."

"Guan Jue?" Zhou Jun looked the boy over and, for some reason, found him quite likable. He couldn’t help but ask, "Your cultivation is still low, but your foundation is solid. Has someone been teaching you?"

"No one has taught me," Guan Jue answered honestly. "I was originally a mortal. Because I yearned for the path of immortality, I came to Yunmeng Marsh alone to seek the Dao. I was taken in by the Void Form Temple and cultivated for eight years before I was able to join the outer sect."

"Oh?" Zhou Jun nodded and didn’t ask any more questions. He simply patted the boy’s shoulder and said meaningfully, "Cultivate well, and don’t be lazy."

Guan Jue acknowledged his words. Zhou Jun turned his attention from the boy, bowed to the sloppy old Daoist, and said, "My apologies for the interruption."

The sloppy old Daoist gave a knowing chuckle and said, "Martial Nephew, no need for such formalities. You must be here for this newly advanced True Disciple?"

Zhou Jun replied, "Indeed."

The sloppy old Daoist shook his head and said, "In all the years since the Beiji Pavilion was established, this is the first time someone has broken through to the Top-grade Golden Core realm within its walls. How strange."

Zhou Jun glanced at the sky. The celestial phenomenon was gradually dissipating. He smiled and said, "This junior is also here waiting on the Master’s decree. I do not yet know which of our fellow sect members it is."

Despite his words, he actually had a faint suspicion and couldn’t help but look toward the Beiji Pavilion. At the same moment, the sloppy old Daoist’s expression shifted, and he too turned to look.

A handsome Daoist who looked to be not even twenty years old walked slowly out of the hall’s entrance. As the thunderclouds parted, the falling sunlight seemed to leave him a bit dazed. After looking up for a moment, a faint smile suddenly appeared on his face.

’This person’s foundation is quite superior. The Tai Su Orthodox Sect’s fortune is truly flourishing.’

The critical commentary of the Five Elements Child suddenly popped into Zhou Jun’s mind. He ignored it, stepped forward with his hands clasped in a bow, and said in a clear voice, "Congratulations, Junior Brother, on achieving the Top-grade Golden Core. From this day forward, longevity is within your grasp, and the Great Dao is attainable."

The handsome Daoist smiled, nodded, and replied, "You must be Senior Brother Zhou. This humble one is Qin Dengxiao. I have long heard of your great reputation."

’Just as I thought,’ Zhou Jun said to himself. Although he didn’t know this person, he had recently heard from Yuan Hao that this man had been arranged by Junior Martial Uncle Dao Miao to cultivate in seclusion at the Beiji Pavilion. His ten-year term had already been overdue by two years, and for some reason, he still hadn’t emerged.

A smile appeared on his face as he replied, "Senior Brother Li and Junior Brother Yuan are both close friends of mine. I, too, have long heard of you, Junior Brother."

"I had heard that you were in seclusion at the Beiji Pavilion. When the auspicious purple qi rose from the east today and the Master sent me here with a decree to wait, I had a feeling. And indeed, it was you, Junior Brother, who has brought your cultivation to fruition and formed a top-grade core."

"I see." Qin Dengxiao nodded. Without further pleasantries, he changed the subject and asked, "And what is the Master’s decree?"

Zhou Jun said, "He summons you, Junior Brother, for an audience at the Cloud Palace. Please, follow me."

"Very well." Qin Dengxiao replied courteously. The two of them bid farewell to the sloppy old Daoist, and both soared into the sky on beams of escape light.

The old Daoist remained where he stood, clucking his tongue. "Ah, the Great Contention is truly upon us, and with it comes a flood of new talents." Shaking his head, he started to walk back toward the Beiji Pavilion, but suddenly rapped Guan Jue on the head. "Hurry up and finish sweeping this terrace!" he barked.

—

The two beams of escape light, belonging to Zhou Jun and Qin Dengxiao, flew at high speed, one after the other. Suddenly, Zhou Jun saw a pillar of golden light that connected heaven and earth flash in the distant sea of clouds. It took a long moment for the light to fade. Curiosity piqued, he couldn’t help but increase his flight speed.

Qin Dengxiao sensed the change and immediately deployed his Escape Technique, keeping pace perfectly right behind Zhou Jun. In just a moment, the two of them broke through the layers of clouds and arrived before the Cloud Palace. There, they saw a High Crown Taoist bidding farewell to Zhi Xing before riding away on an auspicious cloud.

’Is that... Junior Martial Uncle Han from the Upper Dharma Hall?’ After all, Zhou Jun had formed his core more than ten years ago and had since come to recognize many of the sect’s High-Achieving Cultivators he hadn’t known before. He secretly raised an eyebrow, then landed his escape light before the Cloud Palace, bowed, and said, "Greetings, Zhi Xing."