The Great Elder of Joyous Chan Sect sensed the unconcealed Nascent Soul Stage Aura. He looked at the Sword Immortal Fairy, who stood in mid-air with unparalleled grace, and a smile creased his aged face as he said,
“Congratulations, Sword Immortal Fairy, on your Breakthrough to the Nascent Soul Stage. The registration and drawing of lots for the Trial of the Dao Heroes Assembly have not yet concluded. If your Personal Disciple wishes to participate, it is naturally permissible.”
Luo Ningshuang heard this and remained noncommittal. Her Divine Sense swept across the entire venue, looking for a secluded spot to watch the competition.
However, a familiar figure appeared in her Sea of Consciousness. Sword Immortal Bu Yu’s ice-cold face suddenly curved into a smile. Her figure flickered like a sword light, and in the blink of an eye, she descended beside Zhou Fan, who was half-reclining in a rocking chair.
When Lin Xuanye and the other two saw their Master disappear into a Luoning Inn not far away, they thought their Master intended to watch their competition from there.
They immediately hurried forward to register for the Assembly and each received three wooden tokens.
After the three Disciples of Sword Immortal Bu Yu had collected their wooden tokens, the Great Elder of Joyous Chan Sect waited for a while longer. This time, no other Nascent Soul Stage powerful Cultivator brought their Disciples to participate.
The Trial of the Dao Heroes Assembly officially began.
The wooden tokens of the thousand-plus participants lit up, and the number 503 appeared on the front of each token.
A total of 1006 people participated in this Trial of the Dao Heroes Assembly. They were paired up, and those with matching numbers would sequentially go up to the arena to spar.
There were ten arenas within the main venue, each covered by a Tier 3 Formation, ensuring that the aftermath of the battles on the arena would not affect the outside.
The vast venue not only hosted participants and their Sect members but also many high-ranking officials from the Xuanyuan Dynasty and numerous Loose Cultivators who came to watch.
Since the Xuanyuan Dynasty royal family now only had Xuanyuan Qingyu remaining, the royal family did not send anyone to participate.
Xuanyuan Qingyu sat by a third-floor window with an excellent viewing spot, watching for a while with boredom.
Her Divine Sense then sensed that the scoundrel Zhou Fan not only didn't come to find her but was also having a tryst with the newly arrived Sword Immortal Bu Yu in a Luoning Inn not far away. She immediately couldn't sit still.
She put on a golden mask, hurried downstairs, then pushed through the crowd, rushing straight into the large room where Zhou Fan was staying.
Nangong Wan was currently in the venue with the Elders of Yin Yang Peak and dozens of Yin Yang Peak Disciples participating, including Qin Li.
She sensed the movements of Sword Immortal Bu Yu Luo Ningshuang and her good friend Xuanyuan Qingyu, and her heart also felt a little restless.
But then she thought that her bad Disciple Zhou Fan and Sword Immortal Bu Yu hadn't seen each other for a long time, and he hadn't even spent New Year's with Luo Ningshuang. Two women were already enough; if she went up to cause trouble, her bad Disciple would probably use his Yang Qi Diversion Spell again.
Nangong Wan's pretty face flushed. She recalled New Year's Eve, when many friends ganged up, intending to spar with Zhou Fan and make him deeply realize the disadvantages of having many friends.
Who would have thought that her bad Disciple would employ numerous tricks? He had learned a highly exquisite Yin and Yang Harmonization Spell from who knows where; Yin Yang Peak never taught such things.
In any case, that battle was very intense. Although Nangong Wan had the highest Cultivation Realm in the entire venue, she couldn't hold on for long either.
This man's profound strength was simply immeasurable.
...... (All deleted, kids ㅍ_ㅍ)
As Nangong Wan thought, she went to a deserted corner and sat down, casting a Spell to conceal her figure.
Qin Li also sensed that two people had entered the Luoning Inn where Zhou Dage was staying. He pressed his lips together, forcing himself not to imagine Zhou Dage and others having fun.
The wooden token in his hand lit up, showing the number 68.
Seeing that his turn was still far off, and the third sword move he had recently created was not yet perfected, Qin Li stood still and continued to deduce the sword move in his Sea of Consciousness.
His current Cultivation Realm was not far from the Late Stage of Core Formation. Barring any accidents, he would be able to Breakthrough in half a month.
......
The wooden tokens in the hands of Lin Xuanye and the other two lit up with numbers: Sun Nian was 7, Yu Xiaotang was 13, and Lin Xuanye was 92.
Sun Nian was about to go on stage now. After he ascended Arena No. 7, he sensed that his opponent was emitting a Tier 2 Aura, and he felt very anxious.
He turned his head to look at the Luoning Inn where his Master was, hoping to see his Master watching the battle to gain some encouragement.
However, the windows of the Luoning Inn seemed to have a Spell cast upon them, preventing Sun Nian from seeing what was happening inside.
He could only see a blurry figure, and he didn't know if that was his Master.
“You're on the arena, yet you dare to be distracted?”
According to the rules of the Trial of the Dao Heroes Assembly, once both parties ascended the arena, the protective Formation covering the arena would light up, signifying the start of the competition.
Now, the protective Formation of Arena No. 7 had already lit up, but the Disciple of Lingjian Peak was still looking outside. Sun Nian's opponent's expression brightened.
He was a Personal Disciple of the Sect Leader of the Core Formation Stage power, Golden Body Sect. His Body Refining Realm had reached the Meridian Opening Realm. After inwardly commenting on his opponent's foolishness, Jin Sanxuan stepped on golden light and cloud-treading steps, reaching Sun Nian in a single breath.
His two palms formed tiger claws, radiating golden light, and tore towards Sun Nian's chest in a cross pattern.
Sun Nian only felt a strong wind hitting his face. The person in front of him seemed like a fierce tiger descending from the mountain, intent on tearing him to shreds.
After regaining his senses, he quickly held his sword horizontally in front of him, activated the magical power within his body, and used the Defensive Sword Style, barely blocking Jin Sanxuan's tiger-like claw attack.
He retreated three steps, spitting out a mouthful of stagnant blood that hindered the circulation of magical power in his body.
Sun Nian was fully immersed in the battle. He was a Yellow-grade Earth Spiritual Root Cultivator and should not have chosen Lingjian Peak, the Ninth Peak, which did not suit his Spiritual Root.
But upon entering the Sect, Sun Nian accidentally saw the true face of the Lingjian Peak Master. He had never seen a woman with such exquisite beauty, and admiration immediately arose in his heart.
After learning that Lingjian Peak was on the verge of losing its Legacy and couldn't even recruit a single Disciple, Sun Nian unhesitatingly joined Lingjian Peak and successfully became the Lingjian Peak Master’s Disciple.
He admitted that he had a slightly unrealistic fantasy about his cold and beautiful Master, but if a Cultivator had no dreams, what was the difference between him and a Mortal?
Unfortunately, his Aptitude in the Dao of the Sword was truly ordinary. It took him decades after joining Lingjian Peak to barely Breakthrough to the Foundation Establishment Stage. On normal days, his Master did not give him, this Disciple of average Aptitude, any extra care, only offering a few pointers when he encountered a Bottleneck.
Sun Nian was very unwilling. He wanted his Master to see that even if his talent was ordinary, as long as he persevered in practicing the sword, he would definitely make the Dao of the Sword shine again.
He wanted to win. He wanted to achieve victory under his Master's surprised gaze.
But now, Sun Nian was already on the verge of collapse, and at the window of that Luoning Inn, his Master's figure was still nowhere to be seen.
