Chapter 334: The Sect Competition Begins

Seeing the three pairs of hopeful eyes staring at him, Gou Guangming was just about to speak.

Before he could say anything, his parents spoke first. "Ming’er, I want to participate too!"

"As the parents of a Peak Master, is it really acceptable for us to register?" Gou Guangming’s father asked worriedly. "Will the Sect Master allow it? We won’t embarrass you, will we?"

Standing nearby with his usual cold expression, Gou Guangyan looked at his younger brother. "The cultivation technique Senior Brother taught me to heal my injuries requires a great deal of time before I can fully recover."

The meaning was obvious.

He also intended to compete for a place in the Time Pavilion.

Gou Tian glanced at his master in surprise.

It was rare for Gou Guangyan to say so many words at once.

As the captain of his personal guards, even Gou Tian found himself looking toward Gou Guangming with anticipation.

"Don’t worry about any of that." Gou Guangming replied with a grin. "This competition is open to everyone, regardless of identity, status, or whether you’re an inner or outer disciple. As long as you finish among the top ten in your cultivation realm, you’ll qualify for the Time Pavilion. Of course, the higher your ranking, the longer you’ll be allowed to cultivate inside."

"I’m Senior Brother’s assistant and one of the organizers, so I know the rules very well."

Hearing this, a fiery gleam flashed through Gou Guangyan’s eyes. He spoke briefly, but with unwavering determination. "Then first place in the Spirit Transformation division belongs to me."

Gou Tian, Gou Di, Gou Xuan, Gou Zhi, Gou Heng, and Gou Yue exchanged glances.

None of them wanted to miss this opportunity.

Sparring with their master was one thing.

They had done it countless times before.

But competing against him seriously.

That was an entirely different matter.

"You don’t need to hold back." Gou Guangming reminded them earnestly. "Fight with everything you’ve got. Senior Brother sees through people as easily as if he could read their hearts. If he realizes any of you are deliberately holding back and becomes unhappy because of it, that would be far worse."

At the entrance to the formation surrounding Snow Cave Mountain.

"Wow! Lord Qilin, is this really your territory? It’s enormous!"

"The spiritual energy here is even denser than in the territories of those Great Demon seniors!"

"It’s almost liquefied!"

"As expected of a Divine Beast Qilin. You’re amazing!"

"May I let my favorite food animals graze over there on that grassland?"

"Lord Qilin! My food likes eating bamboo. Can I release them into that bamboo forest?"

"My food lives underground. Can I let them out now?"

A group of men and women, old and young alike, dressed in simple and revealing clothing that reflected their wild, primitive lifestyle, surrounded a little child who looked only three or four years old. They all began talking at once.

"Lord Qilin, is this all your territory?"

The Water Qilin tilted his head awkwardly.

"Not all of it. Only Eternal Divine Beast Peak belongs to me. As for letting your food roam freely, let me ask first..."

After saying that, he sent out a communication talisman.

A short while later, another communication talisman flew back to him. He caught it with his chubby little hand, opened it, and read its contents. "That... Ahem... That lord said your food may only be released outside the Inner Six Peaks and the Outer Six Peaks. Under no circumstances are any strange creatures allowed to enter either the Inner Six Peaks or the Outer Six Peaks."

"Lord Qilin, who is this ’that lord’?"

"Someone who can actually command a Divine Beast?"

Before the strange group could continue asking questions, the Water Qilin kicked both of the speakers to the ground.

At the same time, the overwhelming pressure of a Divine Beast spread from his body.

"Watch your manners. That lord is one of the masters of this entire mountain range. He is incredibly powerful and unimaginably formidable. If you anger him, even I won’t be able to save you. Remember that well."

"Yes!"

"We understand!"

"Please forgive us, Lord Divine Beast!"

"If we can live in such a rich land, we’ll definitely follow all the rules."

"Even though we’re low ranking demons and half demons, we’re very obedient."

The transformed demon beasts and half demons that the Water Qilin had gathered from the barren lands all hurriedly voiced their agreement.

...

For several days, everyone throughout the Eternal Prosperity Sect eagerly awaited the start of the competition. Yet as the seventh day drew near, neither the competition venue nor the starting time had been announced.

Many disciples gradually became anxious.

Some even began wondering whether the competition had been canceled altogether or if it had merely been an unfounded rumor.

Then, at dawn on the seventh day, just as the first rays of sunlight rose above the lowest peaks of Snow Cave Mountain and illuminated the horizon, the disciples who had risen early for their morning cultivation suddenly sensed an intense fluctuation of spiritual energy.

Looking toward its source, they were astonished to see Fu Young, the rarely seen Senior Disciple of the Sect Master, soaring into the sky until he stood above the Heavenly River.

The spiritual energy surrounding his body surged outward like a boiling ocean.

Circling around him nonstop was a tiny green haired creature no larger than a bee, its delicate wings fluttering rapidly as it flew around him.

Why had Senior Brother appeared above the Heavenly River so early in the morning?

Why was he releasing such an enormous amount of spiritual energy?

Had something happened?

Before anyone could think any further, they saw Fu Young summon a small umbrella that radiated brilliant spiritual light.

In the blink of an eye, the umbrella expanded at an astonishing speed.

Within only two breaths, it had grown large enough to cover most of Snow Cave Mountain.

Its enormous size allowed everyone to clearly see its appearance.

The umbrella canopy was crimson red and covered with profound blue patterns.