Chapter 32

At the foot of Tai Xuan Peak, Gu Fei met Dongfang Chen. The two were on the verge of a confrontation, but just as they were about to engage, Dongfang Chen suddenly reined in his overwhelming aura and left the mountain.

This left Gu Fei stunned, but he soon realized that Tai Xuan Peak was the place where the disciples of the nine sects cultivated, a place of great importance. Fighting here would be a blatant disregard for the disciples of the Tai Xuan lineage.

Moreover, the competition was scheduled for the next day; there was no need to rush.

"Hmph!" Gu Fei watched Dongfang Chen's figure disappear down the mountain, and he couldn't help but sneer. Although Dongfang Chen was a tough opponent, with his powerful body and the Five Elements Combat Techniques that rivaled any daoist art, Gu Fei was confident he could defeat him.

At this moment, Gu Fei's tense body gradually relaxed, and the strength that had condensed in his muscles and bones dispersed back into his flesh and blood.

One characteristic of Gu Fei's ancient cultivation technique was that before a fight, no one would know his true strength, as most of his power was hidden in his flesh and blood, only to be unleashed during combat.

"Tomorrow... who knows who will end up on the ground!" Gu Fei was unconcerned. Dongfang Chen was a good opponent, but he was destined to be a stepping stone for him.

Gu Fei stroked his chin, pondered for a moment, then shrugged and left Tai Xuan Peak. Among the younger generation of Tai Xuan Sect, there were only a few he truly respected.

Inside the grand hall of Tai Xuan Peak, the vast hall was spacious. The sect leader, Xuan Tian Dao Ren, sat on a white jade throne in the center, while seven old daoists sat on either side. These were the heads of the seven lineages.

"Senior Brother, are we really going to send the top ten winners of the competition down the mountain? They are the most promising disciples of our sect's younger generation!" Xuan Fa Dao Ren, the head of Bi Yun Peak, broke the silence in the hall.

"Hmm! The Xu Tian Realm is a special place. We cannot risk sending our sect's experts there," Xuan Tian Dao Ren said calmly.

Xuan Cang Dao Ren of Wang Yue Peak glanced at Xuan Tian Dao Ren, who was seated on the throne, and frowned. "The Xu Tian Realm is filled with unpredictable dangers. No disciple has ever returned unscathed. If a few of the ten disciples are lost, it would be a great loss."

The top ten young disciples of the nine lineages of Tai Xuan Sect had an average age of less than twenty. They had shown exceptional talent from a young age. While they might not be geniuses, they had boundless potential.

In the world of cultivation, any great cultivator who achieved success had been unmatched in their youth, surpassing their peers. These top-ranking young disciples were the focus of the sect's cultivation, as they might become influential figures in a few decades.

Outstanding individuals naturally attract attention. For example, the eldest disciple Li Lingfeng of Tai Xuan Sect and Dongfang Chen of Bi Yun Peak were unquestionably the strongest among the young disciples.

In the cultivation world, potential is highly valued. No sect would risk the lives of their most promising disciples, let alone allow them to perish.

These people are the future of the sect.

Xuan Cang Dao Ren's words made everyone in the hall exchange glances. The heads of the seven lineages naturally did not want their outstanding disciples to take such risks.

Long Hongxue, the head of Zizhu Peak, pondered for a moment and then said to Xuan Tian Dao Ren, "Senior Brother, for the sake of the item in the Xu Tian Realm, it is worth the risk for the ten disciples to undertake this journey."

"Immortality Grass! If I can obtain the Immortality Grass, I have confidence in breaking through to the Demigod realm," Xuan Tian Dao Ren, who was usually calm, could no longer maintain his composure.

Cultivators at the Void Mastery realm condense their spirit and form a Daoist spirit embryo, granting them a thousand-year lifespan. However, this does not mean they can achieve true immortality.

To truly achieve immortality, one must break through the Void Mastery realm, shed their mortal body, and refine an immortal body. The bottleneck of the Ninth Heaven has constrained Xuan Tian Dao Ren for hundreds of years. The thousand-year limit is approaching within the next two to three hundred years. If he obtains the Immortality Grass, his lifespan can be extended by two hundred years.

With this additional time, Xuan Tian Dao Ren is confident he can break the constraints of heaven and earth and become a legendary being—a Demigod!

"Immortality Grass!" The eyes of the seven lineage heads all lit up, as if they had seen a rare treasure, and they could no longer hide their excitement.

Immortality Grass, a legendary celestial essence, can transform an ordinary person, granting them longevity and the potential to live for one or two hundred years without incident.

"The Immortality Grass has been growing in the Xu Tian Realm for countless years since its discovery. No one knows if it has reached maturity," Xuan Cang Dao Ren no longer insisted on his stance, as the Immortality Grass was crucial to the sect's prosperity.

A Demigod! If a sect has a Demigod, as long as the Demigod does not fall, the sect can thrive indefinitely. A Demigod is a truly immortal and terrifying existence.

In the Tenglong Continent, a Demigod is synonymous with invincibility, but Demigods have been extinct for centuries. The Tenglong Continent has not seen a Demigod for a thousand years.

The seven lineage heads, all cultivators at the Void Mastery realm, also yearned for the Immortality Grass. Its allure is irresistible to Void Mastery cultivators.

"According to ancient texts, the Immortality Grass should have reached maturity within the next one or two hundred years," Xuan Tian Dao Ren said, looking around at everyone.

"But... the other two major sects... are not easy to deal with!" Long Hongxue of Zizhu Peak said worriedly.

"Yes, the Shangqing Sect and Guangcheng Immortal Sect are also determined to obtain the Immortality Grass. The Xu Tian Realm was discovered by the three major sects, so the Shangqing Sect and Guangcheng Immortal Sect must know about the Immortality Grass," Xuan Fa Dao Ren said, frowning.

"Hmph! Open conflict and secret struggles are inevitable. It will come down to who has the greater ability," Xuan Tian Dao Ren's voice suddenly turned cold, and his eyes flashed with sharp, piercing light.

The seven lineage heads were startled, feeling a chill. This senior brother, who usually kept a low profile and cultivated in the Tai Xuan Hall, still had a strong competitive spirit.

"Very well, I will arrange the competition for tomorrow. Only those at the Enlightenment realm can enter the Xu Tian Realm without being affected," Xuan Fa Dao Ren said, standing up and bowing to Xuan Tian Dao Ren before leaving the hall.

The other six lineage heads also stood up, each bidding farewell to Xuan Tian Dao Ren. Initially, they had been secretly hoping to avoid sending their outstanding disciples to the Xu Tian Realm, but now they were eager for their disciples to secure more spots, as this would increase their chances of obtaining the Immortality Grass.

The three major sects were engaged in open and covert struggles, and the nine lineages of Tai Xuan Sect were no different.

After the seven lineage heads left, Xuan Tian Dao Ren remained seated on the sect leader's throne, his gaze deep and unfathomable, looking out of the hall. Suddenly, he seemed to remember something and called a young daoist attendant into the hall. "Go to Cui Ling Peak and bring Gu Fei to see me," he instructed.

The young daoist attendant bowed and left the hall, heading down the mountain toward Cui Ling Peak.