NOVGO.NET Chapter 233 - 233
Chapter 233: The Three Hundred Forces Grand Tournament
"From this day forward, you are my Desolation Branch's Direct Disciple. Each year, you may use your Identity Token to claim one portion of Dao Source. Additionally, you may attend my Dao lectures with the other Direct Disciples once every hundred years."
Lu Daoqian returned the Identity Token to Lu Xunxian, his expression serious.
He then continued.
"Of course, if you're held up and can't make it, that's perfectly fine as well."
"Furthermore, as a Direct Disciple of the Lu Family, you have free access to the Dao Arts Pavilion to select any Dao arts and techniques."
"In addition, you're entitled to one Top-Grade Immortal Artifact. You may choose the style yourself."
"Understood. Thank you, Branch Master."
Lu Xunxian nodded.
But in truth, none of it held the slightest interest for him.
After all, he already had everything he needed. Naturally, nothing here caught his eye.
Nor had he forgotten his true purpose.
To uncover the truth of what had happened over two hundred years ago--why he had ended up on the Tiansheng Continent.
After breaking through to Immortal Emperor, he had attempted to peer into his own past.
But the period before his infancy was shrouded in an impenetrable fog, impossible to see through.
Even now, having broken through to the Dao Venerable Realm, the result was the same.
This only deepened Lu Xunxian's puzzlement. What exactly was buried in his past that even a Dao Venerable couldn't perceive it?
"Branch Master, if there's nothing else, I'll take my leave. I need to look into something."
Lu Xunxian was about to depart when Lu Daoqian stopped him.
"Hold on. Since you're only a little over two hundred years old, you'll represent the Desolation Branch in the Three Hundred Forces Grand Tournament."
"The Three Hundred Forces Grand Tournament?"
Lu Xunxian furrowed his brow and sifted through the memories he'd extracted from that Wang Family Dao Practitioner, quickly locating the relevant information about the tournament.
The so-called Three Hundred Forces Grand Tournament was, in truth, not all that different from the Tiansheng Grand Tournament or the Immortal Realm's Supreme Prodigy Competition.
The tournament had originally been initiated by the Wang Family--the foremost of the Dao Realm's top ten forces--who invited all forces in the Dao Realm that had at least a Dao Venerable presiding over them.
Any disciple under one hundred thousand years of age was eligible to participate.
The tournament was held once every five million years.
Over time, more and more forces joined, and the rules were relaxed--even Rogue Cultivators could now participate.
Most importantly, the rewards of the Three Hundred Forces Grand Tournament were exceptionally generous, offering tremendous benefits for Immortal Venerables and Immortal Emperors alike.
This was why Lu Daoqian wanted Lu Xunxian to represent the Desolation Branch.
There was also another reason: with Lu Xunxian's terrifying talent and strength, he might very well claim first place in the Three Hundred Forces Grand Tournament.
That would bring enormous prestige to the Desolation Branch.
Lu Xunxian furrowed his brow and asked.
"When is the Three Hundred Forces Grand Tournament?"
"Fifty years from now."
"Fifty years? Understood."
Lu Xunxian didn't refuse and agreed to participate.
Entering the Three Hundred Forces Grand Tournament wasn't a bad thing. It would be a good opportunity to see what kind of strength the prodigies of the Dao Realm's major forces possessed.
Besides, it would also give him a chance to assess the Wang Family's current power.
Though he and the Wang Family hadn't openly gone to war yet, they were already in covert conflict.
After all, the Wang Family would never willingly break the seal on the Immortal Realm. When the time came for him to shatter that seal, he would inevitably have to confront the Wang Family.
And knowing the Wang Family's temperament, they'd likely resort to force immediately.
So if it came down to it, he would destroy the Wang Family.
"Branch Master, Branch Master--what about me?"
Lu Fenggu hurriedly spoke up from the side.
After all, he was also under a hundred thousand years old and naturally wanted to participate in the Three Hundred Forces Grand Tournament.
"You can go too. But be careful--from what I've heard, several of the major forces have produced prodigies with extraordinarily terrifying talent. Some have even broken through to Immortal Emperor before the age of ten thousand."
Lu Daoqian spoke with a grave expression, then seemed to remember something and glanced at Lu Xunxian. His expression immediately relaxed.
If they were talking about terrifying, who could compare to Lu Xunxian?
"All right. Fenggu, take Xuanxian and arrange a residence for him. In fifty years, have him accompany Tianyang and the others to the Three Hundred Forces Grand Tournament."
With that, Lu Daoqian waved his hand and teleported both Lu Xunxian and Lu Fenggu to the base of the mountain, sparing them another three-day descent.
At the foot of the mountain, feeling his cultivation return, Lu Fenggu's face flooded with relief.
Next time, they'd have to kill him before he'd voluntarily go see the Branch Master again.
"Let's go. I'll get you settled in first. Consider this your official welcome as a member of the Lu Family."
Lu Fenggu offered his congratulations to Lu Xunxian.
Though internally, he was somewhat stunned. Granting Lu Xunxian Kin Disciple-level status right off the bat--was that really appropriate?
Had it not been for the rule that Core Disciples must possess Lu Family blood, he'd have suspected the Branch Master was planning to make Lu Xunxian a Core Disciple directly.
But then, considering Lu Xunxian's monstrously abnormal talent... it actually seemed perfectly reasonable.
Shaking his head, Lu Fenggu stopped overthinking and led Lu Xunxian toward the eastern end of the Desolation Branch's territory.
Before long, an expanse of towering mountains appeared before them, stretching endlessly across the horizon.
"Here we are. This is where the Desolation Branch's Kin Disciples and Direct Disciples reside. You can pick any Dao Peak you like as your dwelling."
"With the caveat that it must be one nobody's already claimed."
"That one over there is my Dao Peak, so I suggest you pick one next to mine."
Lu Fenggu pointed to his own Dao Peak nearby, then began dropping increasingly unsubtle hints.
But Lu Xunxian wasn't in any rush to choose. Instead, he surveyed the surroundings and turned to Lu Fenggu with a curious question.
"How many Kin Disciples does the Desolation Branch currently have?"
"What do you want to know that for?" Lu Fenggu was puzzled but didn't hold back. "Our Desolation Branch currently has a total of fifteen thousand three hundred and sixty-two Kin Disciples."
Hearing that there were only fifteen thousand three hundred and sixty-two, a flicker of surprise crossed Lu Xunxian's face.
"That few?"
Lu Fenggu bristled. "What were you expecting?"
"You have to understand--becoming a Kin Disciple requires meeting at least one of two conditions: either you're an Immortal Emperor, or you possess exceptional talent."
"Even me--if it weren't for my outstanding talent, I might not have become a Kin Disciple."
"I see."
Lu Xunxian murmured, an expression of dawning understanding on his face.
He'd been overestimating the Lu Family.
He'd originally assumed that a force as powerful as the Lu Family, having ruled in the Dao Realm for who knew how many eons with a Peak Dao Venerable at its helm, would have at least a million Immortal Emperors to its name.
But the reality fell far short of his expectations.
As if reading Lu Xunxian's thoughts, Lu Fenggu couldn't help but retort.
"Don't go thinking of Immortal Emperors as some dime-a-dozen commodity."
"While it's true that Immortal Emperors aren't quite the pinnacle in the Dao Realm, that realm still stops plenty of people dead in their tracks."
"Don't assume that just because you become an Immortal King and gain infinite lifespan, you can keep breaking through indefinitely."
"Otherwise, why wouldn't those Immortals just hide somewhere after reaching Immortal King, train until the end of days, and come out invincible?"
"At the end of the day, the later realms demand resources and exceptional talent."
"So our Desolation Branch having fifteen thousand three hundred and sixty-two Kin Disciples is already quite impressive."
"Even adding up every Immortal Emperor across the entire Lu Family, the total doesn't reach a hundred thousand."