Chapter 33

In front of the main hall, Li Xiangnan stood straight, his face as pale as paper, unable to speak for a long time. His eyes were dark and fixed on Zhuang Wudao.

Supervisor Wei sat beside him, his face showing no particular expression, but he secretly shook his head.

Zhuang Wudao, despite only having a fifth-grade cultivation aptitude and peak bone-marrow refinement cultivation, had already made the sect take him seriously by advancing the Dragon Subduing Tiger Roaring technique to the Dragon Roaring Tiger Howling stage. Such a person is rare, with fewer than a hundred in each batch of the Eight Hundred Dust-Free Academy.

Anyone who can advance a first-class martial art to the First Heaven realm before reaching the Qi Condensation stage is highly valued by the Dust-Free Sect. The sect has repeatedly emphasized and encouraged the disciples of the outer sect academies to try their best to advance their cultivation techniques to the entry level before reaching the Qi Condensation stage.

However, although everyone knows the benefits of the First Heaven realm, the number of people who can truly achieve it before the Qi Condensation stage is pitifully few.

This is because time is limited; if one cannot enter the Qi Condensation stage before the age of twenty, when the bones and flesh are fully formed, they will never be able to practice Qi. If one cannot achieve the Sixth Heaven of Qi Condensation by the age of thirty, they cannot enter the inner sect of Dust-Free.

This age limit is like a whip, constantly urging from behind. Therefore, those who can cultivate their life-bound mystic techniques to the Qi Condensation stage are extremely rare, with fewer than one in ten thousand.

Having such an outstanding disciple is a great honor for the sect. However, after today's incident, it has nothing to do with Li Xiangnan.

Supervisor Wei also secretly felt sorry for Zhuang Wudao. If this had happened in previous years, with such achievements, he could have directly recommended this young man to the Wu Jing Dao Hall during the grand competition. After the assessment, he could have been specially admitted to the main mountain. However, this year is the only exception.

The seventeen academies distributed in the cities of Eastern Wu, plus the Wu Jing Dao Hall, have a total of eighty inner sect quotas, which have already been coveted by various forces. Even the Dao Hall's true person can only sit and watch helplessly. Everything depends on Zhuang Wudao's own fate.

After the grand competition, if Zhuang Wudao is eliminated, it would not be a bad idea to increase his monthly medicinal allowance. At nineteen, he still has three years, which is not too late.

However, the difference between cultivating in the outer sect and the main mountain of Dust-Free is like heaven and earth.

In addition, Wei Que's palm strike just now also piqued his curiosity. Whether Wei Que held back at the last moment was naturally not hidden from his eyes.

"Primordial Magnetic Force, a cross-training technique. Could it be the Bull Demon Yuanba Body? To be able to withstand Wei Que's palm strike without injury, he must have at least reached the initial stage! But why hide it? Could there be some hardship?"

Wei Que fell into deep thought, then picked up his pen and drew a heavy red circle around the name 'Zhuang Wudao' on the roster.

In addition to supervising the small competitions, the supervisor also has the responsibility to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the disciples of the various academies.

In any case, a disciple who has advanced the Dragon Subduing Tiger Roaring technique to the entry level and may have a cross-training body cannot be taken lightly!

At the same time, in a corner of the training ground, a handsome young man in a plain white robe narrowed his eyes with an unfathomable look.

"Uncle Heng, my eyesight is still lacking. Did you see clearly? Was it the instructor who held back at the last moment, or did this person cultivate a cross-training body? Or was he protected by some treasure armor?"

"It must be a cross-training body!"

The old man in the brocade robe watched the young man who had already started his third round of combat with great interest.

"If I am not mistaken, it should be a cross-training technique of the Earth element, definitely a first-class martial art or higher, with profound cultivation. With the Primordial Magnetic Force outside his body, even if Wei Que used a fine steel saber to cut this person's back, it would be no problem. In addition, the First Heaven of the Dragon Subduing Tiger Roaring Fist, when combined, is no small matter. If the news from Wu Jing City is confirmed, this person could be a formidable opponent for the young master!"

"A formidable opponent?"

The young man murmured, then laughed. "He is not from a noble family and has no support. How can he be my formidable opponent? I will have someone investigate his background thoroughly. If he can be persuaded to withdraw from the competition, my Gu Yue family will compensate him. If he refuses, then break his legs and cripple him!"

The old man, known as 'Uncle Heng,' bowed and replied, then smiled lightly. "But doing so would be a loss of dignity."

"Dignity can't be eaten. I only wish for the prosperity of our family."

The young man in the plain robe waved his fan, unconcerned. "Our Gu Yue family is a thousand-year-old clan, descended from the imperial family. Why should I care what others think? Must I give him a fair chance to fight to maintain the dignity of a noble family? Competing with a commoner is truly beneath us."

The old man's face showed a hint of satisfaction. His gaze towards Zhuang Wudao was filled with pity.

Although he only has a fifth-grade cultivation aptitude, his talent in martial arts is indeed remarkable. If such a person were born into a noble family, he would certainly be treated with special favor and cherished by his clan. However, being born into poverty and placed in such a dangerous situation is truly a tragedy.

※※※※

Zhuang Wudao was unaware that several pairs of eyes with unclear intentions were scrutinizing him from outside the arena. He didn't care much about it.

After Zhuang Tong, there were five more matches. However, with Zhuang Tong's ankle torn apart by Zhuang Wudao, none of the subsequent junior disciples dared to face him head-on.

Often, they would concede defeat as soon as the match began. Zhuang Tong, with his pair of Flame Wind Boots, was defeated in ten rounds. These few naturally did not want to disgrace themselves.

With Zhuang Wudao's current proficiency in the Dragon Subduing Tiger Roaring Fist, no one had the confidence to last more than three rounds against him.

Only when dealing with Lin Han did it take some effort. They fought for over four hundred rounds, and the audience's booing did not stop.

Lin Han's sword technique was soft and weak, using only a fraction of his strength. His Wind-Sweeping Sword was incredibly slow. Zhuang Wudao had to accompany him, and his Dragon Subduing Fist was completely deformed. It was questionable whether it could even subdue a snake or a cat.

Only when Lin Han fully recovered his energy and left with a red face did the battle end.

In the next match, the unfortunate bone-marrow refinement disciple was cut down by Lin Han's relentless and endless slashes, forcing him to concede.

Lin Han won seven out of nine matches and ranked sixth after the small competition, surpassing the injured Zhuang Tong. Ma Yuan also performed well, ranking tenth in the loser's group, barely making it into the top ten.

Zhuang Wudao, on the other hand, easily secured the position of the top disciple.

After the small competition, the usual speech from the hall master and the supervisor followed. It was nothing new, just encouraging the disciples to keep up their efforts and not slack off.

Zhuang Wudao finally learned that the supervisor's name was Wei Huan. He felt he owed this person a favor and remembered it well.

If not for the supervisor's restraint, Li Xiangnan would have already acted when Zhuang Wudao crippled Zhuang Tong's leg.

After all these matters were settled, it was nearly dusk, and the three hundred disciples dispersed.

When Zhuang Wudao walked out of the Dust-Free Academy, his brows furrowed again, and a worried look appeared on his face.

Ma Yuan, always perceptive, immediately noticed. "Wudao, are you worried about Zhuang Tong's revenge?"

"Zhuang Tong?" Zhuang Wudao sneered. "Why should I fear him? If he really provokes us, we can destroy his entire family."

He had done such things before. Breaking into homes, robbing, and killing, he had committed three bloody crimes.

The Zhuang family was only slightly more powerful in wealth and influence. They had more guards, two Qi Condensation First Heaven cultivators, and ten bone-marrow refinement cultivators. More people would be needed to act, but as long as the job was done cleanly and most of the benefits were shared, with Yan Jun's help to cover it up, everything would be fine.

Ma Yuan smiled, but his heart was filled with more doubt. He and Lin Han exchanged glances. If it wasn't about Zhuang Tong, what was troubling Zhuang Wudao?

They immediately thought of the demoness from the Beiting family. Both were heavy-hearted. They didn't know what Beiting Wan'er had said to Zhuang Wudao, but from his expression, they knew it was not good news.

Zhuang Wudao was silent for a moment before speaking again. "This time, I might not give up on the grand competition. What do you two think?"

Ma Yuan was taken aback, understanding the weight of these words. It was not just about Zhuang Wudao's future but also the lives of many brothers in the Sword Robe Hall.

Without hesitation, Ma Yuan smiled. "I thought it was something big. With your proficiency in the fist technique, if you can't participate in the grand competition, I would feel sorry for you. We are brothers for life, with no next life. Whatever you decide, I will be with you. If it weren't for you saving me from the pile of corpses, I would have been dead long ago."

"Can't you see what's on your mind, Wudao?"

Lin Han also smiled. "Brother Wudao, you have the ambition to achieve the Dao, unwilling to waste time like Yan Jun. But is the Daoist path of Dust-Free Sect really that easy to traverse? Brother Qin has already made up his mind, saying that during the grand competition, no matter what means are used, he will prevent you from moving. We know you don't want to involve us, but how can Ma Yuan and I stand by and watch you go to your death?"

Zhuang Wudao's heart ached, his blood boiling. He was still a few months away from seventeen, still young. He could have continued cultivating in the outer sect for a few more years. Whether it was to reach the Sixth Heaven of Qi Condensation and enter the inner sect directly, or to participate in the grand competition three years later, his future was still bright. There was no need to take the risk of traversing the 'Daoist Path of Heaven.'

However, the difference between the inner and outer sects of Dust-Free Sect is significant. It is said that one year of cultivation on the main mountain is equivalent to five years of cultivation outside. The best medicinal pills, the best spirit realms, and the best cultivation techniques from the Tianyi countries are provided. There are senior masters to rely on, and one can become a superior person.

His lifelong wish is to have that person kneel before his mother's grave and say, "I was wrong." Therefore, he is unwilling to waste even a moment.

That person is now in a high position, and even his wife and children have achieved significant success. How can he afford to wait and waste time?

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