Daoist Competition
Chapter 153 - 44: Gathering at Jiangben, Shouming Palace

Chapter 153: Chapter 44: Gathering at Jiangben, Shouming Palace

Zhang Yan returned to the mountain gate five days later. Upon entering his cave mansion, a powerful warrior presented him with a letter.

He received it and waved for the warrior to withdraw.

After opening the letter, he found it was from Xie Zongyuan. The letter mentioned the "item" had been acquired, assuring Zhang Yan to rest easy and promising to deliver it upon their meeting. They agreed to rendezvous ten days later at the Hongyan Platform on Jiangben Island, west of the Dragon Abyss Marsh, before proceeding to the Demon Cave together.

Zhang Yan understood the "item" referred to the Fire Cloud Sand, although the letter avoided explicitly mentioning it. With these five units of Cloud Sand now gathered, he felt his heart lighten completely.

However, after reading the main contents, he noticed there was more text below. Unable to resist, he brought the letter closer to continue reading.

In the letter, Xie Zongyuan explained he had originally planned to bring several talented members of his clan into the Demon Cave. However, upon inquiring further, he learned that everyone entering the cave would face devils attempting to corrupt and tempt them. The stronger one’s cultivation, the more formidable these devils would become. Armed with this information, he abandoned such plans to avoid counterproductive risks.

Zhang Yan smirked faintly. This situation was precisely what he had anticipated. After all, if entry into the Demon Cave were so simple, anyone could rely on their elders or hire experts for protection. There had to be specific reasons that rendered such strategies ineffective.

Moreover, he had heard that the female Immortal Peng Zhenren of Shouming Palace, with her profound cultivation, could discern individuals’ intentions thoroughly upon their arrival. Thus, this venture required him to go alone, and Luo Xiao could not accompany him.

Upon reading one particular passage near the letter’s end, Zhang Yan’s focus intensified.

The letter mentioned that within the Demon Cave dwell various kinds of devils, but the most common are Yin Demons. Xie Zongyuan urged Zhang Yan to procure additional Soul Calming Pills from the Elixir Cauldron Institute for future contingencies.

It turned out that the world’s Spirit Caves were divided into two types: clear and turbid. Clear Spirit Caves emanated vitality upward, nourishing their surroundings. Locations with such caves teemed with lush vegetation, spiritual birds, and exotic beasts—a flourishing landscape seen as a blessed land for righteous cultivators.

In contrast, turbid caves like the Demon Cave compressed spiritual energy into stagnant clusters. Over time, this energy nourished Netherworld Essence beneath the earth, eventually giving rise to various devils and demonic souls.

For a Ming Qi cultivator like Zhang Yan, encountering a Yin Demon would be the most likely scenario.

These demons are formless and indistinct, originating merely as wandering fragments of essence. When near living beings, they latch onto emotions such as the seven passions and six desires, transforming into spirits of malice. A cultivator practicing within a Demon Cave risks becoming vulnerable—if their heart falters even slightly, a devil could invade their Sea of Consciousness, causing light damage to their cultivation or severe changes in disposition. In the worst case, one might succumb to inner demons entirely and fall into the Demon Dao.

In the East Splendor Continent, only the Six Great Demon Sects possessed unique dharma techniques to cultivate such devils and harness their powers, using Demon Caves as their bases of cultivation.

To resist these devils, one needed resolute willpower and, additionally, protective elixirs to safeguard their spirit. Among such elixirs, the Soul Calming Pill was unparalleled, capable of clearing one’s mind and solidifying resolve. If consumed during cultivation while maintaining focus on the Spirit Platform, external influences would struggle to penetrate, making it difficult for Yin Demons to invade.

The next day, Zhang Yan visited the Elixir Cauldron Institute once again.

Though he had previously collected numerous pills, the life-or-death stakes of this journey led him to take further liberties without reservation. Apart from Soul Calming Pills, he also obtained a significant quantity of supplemental pills for replenishing energy and strengthening his spirit, nearly filling two Qiankun Pouches completely.

After preparing thoroughly, Zhang Yan calculated the remaining time and found it pressing. Satisfied with his readiness, he gave final instructions to Luo Xiao before releasing his Flying Boat and soaring westward toward Dragon Abyss Marsh.

Jiangben Island lay closest to Shouming Palace with no other islands nearby, surrounded entirely by vast water expanses. After five days and nights of flight, the island finally came into view.

From a distance, Zhang Yan observed several figures seated cross-legged atop a raised earth platform. Among them, the leading figure was Liu Tao.

Zhang Yan descended from above, flashing his token to retract the Flying Boat before walking forward.

"Brother Zhang has arrived."

Liu Tao rose first to greet him, smiling warmly. He turned to pull over a middle-aged cultivator nearby, saying, "Come, come, I’ll introduce you to Brother Zhang. This is Senior Cheng, Cheng An. For our journey to Sea Eye below, we’ll rely on his Chenxiang Boat. Senior Cheng, this is the Brother Zhang I’ve mentioned—a true disciple of our Mingcang Sect."

Upon hearing Zhang Yan’s identity, Cheng An’s expression showed slight unease. He hurried forward to bow respectfully.

Zhang Yan returned the courtesy before briefly studying the man. Cheng An had a round face and full lips, with a plain and honest look. He appeared taciturn, and true to form, after making his greeting, he stood silently off to the side.

Liu Tao then pointed to another cultivator in the distance. "This is Brother Zhao Zhen of the Suiding Zhao Clan. One of his elders has ventured into the Demon Cave, so I specially invited him to join us for this journey."

Zhang Yan’s eyes flickered slightly. Taking advantage of the salutation, he scrutinized Zhao Zhen.

Zhao Zhen had striking features, standing tall and lean with Daoist robes fluttering—it was a fitting image of inherent immortality and deep cultivation. However, his brows carried a trace of arrogance. Unlike Liu Tao, he showed only perfunctory politeness while introducing himself, his muted disdain faintly apparent.

The Suiding Zhao Clan was among the Twelve Great Families, though ranked at the lower end. Given Zhao Zhen’s association with Liu Tao, it was likely he hailed from a branch lineage rather than the direct line.

Zhang Yan surmised Zhao Zhen held his identity high and chose not to engage him further. Quietly, he withdrew to sit cross-legged, closed his eyes, and began meditating.

Everyone eventually settled into separate areas, leaving only Xie Zongyuan’s arrival pending. The earth platform fell into silence once more, interrupted only by the howling winds and the rumble of waves in the marsh below.

Yet, despite waiting an additional two days, Xie Zongyuan still had not appeared.

Zhao Zhen was the first to grow restless, voicing his complaint to Liu Tao: "Brother Liu, the Yu Xuan Xie Family truly treats us with disdain, leaving us to wait for him alone."

Liu Tao responded with a gracious smile, "Brother Zhao, patience. There remains one day before the agreed date. Let us wait a bit longer."

Zhao Zhen furrowed his brows but chose to stay silent thereafter.

Zhang Yan opened his eyes slightly, curiosity stirring. Despite Zhao Zhen’s noble lineage, he appeared subtly intimidated by Liu Tao. Could there be something in Liu Tao’s possession compromising him?

At that moment, Liu Tao abruptly stood, his gaze fixed on the horizon. He announced, "Brother Xie has arrived."

Everyone turned to look, spotting a black speck far away. Soon, a Flying Boat, thirty zhang in length, approached swiftly. Its dragon-shaped prow looked menacing, flanked by crocodile-tail rudders. A three-story pavilion towered midship, marking it clearly as the Dragon Tooth Flying Boat used by Xuan Guang practitioners of the Mingcang Sect.

Zhang Yan smiled faintly. It seemed Xie Zongyuan was determined to formally reassert his status as a Xuan Guang Realm cultivator upon returning to his family.

Standing atop the vessel’s pavilion, Xie Zongyuan bowed from afar and called out loudly, "My apologies for the delay, everyone. I am a step late. Please, forgive me."

Zhao Zhen let out an audible snort in discontent.

Liu Tao stepped forward with a smile to respond, "No need for such words, Brother Xie. You’ve arrived at just the right time."

Zhao Zhen stood apart, visibly impatient. "Shall we depart or not?"

Xie Zongyuan wasn’t offended by his tone and responded warmly, "Ah, this must be Brother Zhao. Senior Long has mentioned you to me several times. I’ve heard that an elder of your clan has been to the Demon Cave before. I’ll rely on you a great deal this time."

He treated Zhao Zhen amiably. Zhao Zhen forced a laugh and returned a half-hearted salute, mumbling, "Not at all."

Xie Zongyuan laughed heartily and said, "Everyone, please board my Dragon Tooth Flying Boat. Its speed is thrice that of a regular Flying Boat. Our journey to Shouming Palace will take but a single day."

Zhang Yan observed discreetly, noting Xie Zongyuan’s demeanor. Unlike most noble family disciples, he carried neither pretentious airs nor detached pride. He displayed a magnanimous spirit, accommodating both friends and strangers alike—a trait worthy of admiration. Compared to Xie Zongyuan, Zhao Zhen’s disposition was sorely lacking, with his arrogance and visible mood swings. Zhang Yan mused that if trouble were to arise during the trip, Zhao Zhen would certainly be at the center of it.

...

...

PS: A friend’s birthday celebration caused today’s update to be delayed. The word count is brief this time; I’ll update another Chapter soon. You can read it tomorrow morning.