Daoist Competition
Chapter 113 - 20 Ming Qi 2nd level, Immortality 3rd path_2

Chapter 113: Chapter 20 Ming Qi 2nd level, Immortality 3rd path_2

Zhang Yan spoke unhurriedly, "There are still nine months until the Water Country King’s birthday. The peace here is rare, so why not let me cultivate for a few more months? It won’t be too late to reach Ming Qi Third Realm and then head over."

Half a month ago, he had relied on the Evil Qi within his Qi Acupoint to break through to Ming Qi Second Realm. He owed this progress largely to the "Moonlight Jade," which allowed his nightly cultivation to be far superior to the norm, speeding up his refining pace more than twofold. During the latter stages, he could refine a stream of turbid Qi in just one day.

Now, he was advancing toward the Third Realm of Ming Qi, the "Heavenly Rain Descending." Within his chest, three streams of clear and turbid energy had already congealed into one. Once this tangible yet amorphous energy fully integrates, Yin Yang transformation would emerge. From that point onward, the spells he could wield would no longer be as simple as before.

Luo Xiao asked curiously, "If that’s the case, then why must fellow Daoist Zhang go to the Water Country?"

Zhang Yan did not respond.

He was well aware in his heart that if he wished to return to the Mingcang Sect in the future, going to the Dang Domain Water Country was unavoidable. At the very least, he needed to make a brief appearance. Otherwise, as a member of the embassy, alive and well yet refraining from attending the birthday celebration, it was inevitable that Ji Jiushang would seize this opportunity to cause trouble for the Mingcang Sect.

As for explaining his reasons to the sect upon his return—that would merely be a joke. His loyalty to the Mingcang Sect was far from unwavering.

Moreover, even if he risked his life to return to the sect and thoroughly disrupted the Su Family’s schemes, it would merely provoke them to exhaust all their resources in dealing with him, bringing nothing but loss.

Luo Xiao’s beautiful eyes glimmered as she asked, "Daoist Zhang, since you’re so close to Ming Qi Third Realm, have you decided which path of the Great Dao you will follow in the future?"

Zhang Yan pondered for a moment before replying, "I’ve caught glimpses of hints within the Daoist Books, but everything there seems shrouded in clouds and mist. It’s far from clear. I would appreciate some guidance from Luo Daoist."

Luo Xiao smiled charmingly and said, "Daoist Zhang, you human cultivators always revel in these mysteries. Allow me to clarify for you. When a cultivator reaches Ming Qi Third Realm and condenses the Xuan Guang Seed, they must choose their future path forward along one of three primary routes to immortality."

Zhang Yan’s attention was instantly piqued. "Which three routes are they?"

Luo Xiao drew back her sleeves and extended three jade-like fingers one by one. "The first is Power Dao. Power Dao cultivators rely on external medicines for nourishment and inner cores for refining, forging an Undamaged Golden Body. Those who reach the pinnacle can overturn rivers and seas and swallow heaven and earth."

"The second is Qi Dao. Qi Dao cultivators breathe in Essence Qi, focusing entirely on absolute Dao, ultimately achieving harmony with the cosmos. At the apex, one’s avatar becomes infinite, immortal, and indestructible."

"The third is Dharma Dao. Dharma Dao cultivators discover secrets and comprehend virtues, attaining powers aligned with the Creation and probing the Xuanli of heaven and earth. Those who reach the peak can transform boundlessly, moving stars and shifting moons at will."

Zhang Yan contemplated deeply, nodding slowly. Then he asked, "Luo Daoist, which path have you chosen?"

Luo Xiao chuckled bitterly and sighed, "We Demon Cultivators have limited access to literature and scarce Mystical Skills, so many exponents among us favor the Power Dao. However, I came across a Daoist Book by chance and have now embarked on Qi Dao. I still remain unsure where the next step of my journey will lead."

Though the three Great Dao paths ultimately lead to the same goal, those who choose Qi Dao require superior cultivation techniques passed down from great sects, noble families, or factions. Most ordinary cultivators cannot pursue this path, and even among the Demon Race, those who take this route are few.

As for Dharma Dao, most cultivators only dabble because progressing through this path to achieve Dao is extraordinarily difficult; it demands comprehension of supreme truths within the world and mastery of the Great Dao that permeates all creation. Even among human cultivators, those who succeed are one in ten thousand.

The Daoist Books state, "Sixteen units comprise one spell."

This means that to cast a single spell, a cultivator requires sixteen streams of Spiritual Energy.

If your cultivation technique is of lower grade and falls short of providing those sixteen streams, unless you switch to an advanced Mysterious Skill for retraining, you will never be able to perform Daoist Skills in your lifetime. As for those legends of cultivators who can cast a spell with just one Qi, instantly wielding Divine Skills—that remains hearsay from myths.

Thus, most cultivators only dabble in Dharma Dao while primarily forging ahead on the Qi Dao path, and those among Demon Cultivators who embrace Dharma Dao are even rarer.

Conversely, the Power Dao is distinct. It focuses entirely on tempering the physical body, which aligns seamlessly with the innate advantage of Demon Cultivators. Furthermore, at its advanced stages, practitioners can resist Dharma Treasure Flying Swords. It is undoubtedly the optimal choice for them.

If Zhang Yan advanced further, he too would reach this crossroad, making it imperative for him to deliberate on the matter ahead of time. He stood on his cloud, lost in deep thought.

Luo Xiao unfolded her Xuan Guang like a scroll painting, seamlessly connecting with the dense clouds beneath Zhang Yan’s feet. She sauntered over and playfully waved her hand in front of his eyes, smiling as she said, "Daoist Zhang, if you do go to Water Country, you needn’t worry about it interrupting your cultivation. Do you know that Lord Ji’s grand birthday celebration is centered on an Elixir Conference, with the ’Yuanjin Mingguo Book’ as the prize? This Book contains superior techniques for cultivating through the Power Dao..."

Zhang Yan’s expression shifted slightly. "Does something else lie behind this? That doesn’t seem right. Most alchemists are human cultivators. If they were seeking to set a prize, wouldn’t it more likely be related to Qi Dao or Dharma Dao? Why Power Dao?"

Luo Xiao hadn’t expected Zhang Yan’s sharp intuition. She paused briefly before nodding. "Correct. Lord Ji has a young son named Ji Zhang. His mother is a human cultivator, and she refined away most of his demon blood while he was still in the womb. Thus, although he belongs to the Demon Race, his appearance is that of a human. He traveled abroad and learned exceptional Alchemy from a master. This competition..."

At this point, she stopped mid-sentence, merely smiling without elaborating further.

Zhang Yan had already grasped the underlying implications of her words. Laughing, he remarked, "I see. So, it’s not that Ji Jiushang is overly ostentatious—it’s merely to build momentum for his youngest son. Everyone else is nothing more than a backdrop."

Luo Xiao covered her mouth and giggled. "Exactly, Daoist Zhang. Upon hearing this, do you find it dull?"

With a faint smile, Zhang Yan replied, "Dull? Hardly. Since Lord Ji has issued an open proclamation, inviting Pill Masters across the land to gather together, it will naturally be a contest of skills and strategy. Who will emerge triumphant and claim dominance remains uncertain."

Luo Xiao widened her bright eyes, stepped back a pace, and scanned Zhang Yan from head to toe. "Daoist Zhang... Could it be that you intend to seize the prize and claim victory?"