Daoist Competition
Chapter 330 - 32: Forcible Abduction_2

Chapter 330: Chapter 32: Forcible Abduction_2

She had not finished speaking when Xiu’er suddenly raised her voice and shouted, "Miss, why bother with such modesty? Without you, how could the Demon King have been vanquished? This Daoist was merely there by chance to lend you a helping hand."

Without waiting for Miss Shan to continue, she turned to Senior Sister Cai and said, "This Daoist is the Yin Family’s honored guest. By all accounts, he is heading to the outer sea alongside the Miss, and that is why he happened to board this vessel."

Senior Sister Cai remarked in surprise, "Oh, so my junior sister was acting so reserved because she owes him a favor. But truly, there’s no need for such humility, junior sister. At worst, we could ask Brother Chu to take him out to sea and return the favor on your behalf."

Miss Shan furrowed her brow and shot Xiu’er a glance, seemingly wanting to explain, but Senior Sister Cai cut her off and said, "Listen to your senior sister—I’ve seen all kinds of people like him. Besides, how could he coincidentally board your ship and then conveniently save you? Clearly, he must have received information in advance and secretly intervened. I suspect his motives are impure and that he seeks to leverage this ’favor’ in the future. Hmph! Does he think I can’t see through his schemes? If you continue entangling yourself with people like this for too long, you’ll eventually find it impossible to break free. It’s better to take him to Brother Chu another day and teach him a lesson."

Miss Shan couldn’t help but laugh bitterly and said, "Senior sister, it’s not as you imagine..."

"Enough, it’s settled then," Senior Sister Cai concluded. She then instructed Xiu’er, "Make sure to keep a close watch on your mistress. I’m going to meet a few fellow Daoists to find out where Brother Chu is, and I’ll return shortly."

Xiu’er hurriedly acknowledged her words.

Senior Sister Cai patted Miss Shan’s hand and then turned to leave.

After she departed, Miss Shan reproached, "Xiu’er, why did you stop me from telling the truth?"

Xiu’er anxiously replied, "Mistress, for you to vanquish the Demon King this time, the Sect Leader will surely pass down the great method. If you admit that it wasn’t you who killed the demon..."

While Xiu’er was indeed worried for Miss Shan, she also harbored selfish intentions. Only if Miss Shan rose in rank could she have a chance to enter the sect and become a disciple. She would never resign herself to being a maid for life, nor would she allow Miss Shan to reveal the truth.

Upon hearing this, Miss Shan felt a chill in her heart. After a moment of silence, she gently nodded.

Zhang Yan stood on the sea boat for a while longer. After finding no response from the jade scroll, he decided to disembark to investigate.

Taking flight in his tunneling light, he darted back and forth across the island for nearly a quarter-hour, exploring every corner. However, the jade scroll showed no further reaction, leaving him puzzled. "Could it be that the person has already left this place?"

Yet moments ago, he had seen no Flying Sea Boat departing nor any docked vessel leaving, indicating that the individual must still be on the island.

Just then, the green slip in his hand suddenly moved toward a certain direction. His eyes flashed, and a streak of tunneling light shot that way. However, upon arriving, the green slip fell silent again.

He glanced around and found himself in a Floating Pavilion Immortal Market. Both sides were lined with palace buildings bearing banners and signboards, seemingly places selling elixirs and magic artifacts.

He immediately realized the situation. These pavilion buildings had prohibitions set up, preventing outsiders from peering into their inner workings. Likely, the person he sought was moving among these buildings, causing the green slip to function intermittently.

He couldn’t help but secretly grumble. Bu Tian Pavilion was considered one of the Ten Great Sects of Xuanmen, yet they couldn’t even craft a reliable magic artifact for selecting disciples. If he missed his target, who knows how many years he would have to wait to repay this favor?

For him, finding this person without any unexpected complications would be ideal. If he were to confront someone in battle someday only to discover that it was the very person he sought, it would undoubtedly cause endless trouble.

With this thought, he decided to wait here.

After waiting for no more than the time it takes to finish a cup of tea, a group of male and female cultivators emerged from an eastern pavilion.

The dozen or so individuals walked out chatting and laughing. Their cultivation levels were unimpressive, but the expressions of the foremost ones carried an air of arrogance, and their robes were bright and well-crafted. Each carried a Dharma Sword, marking them out as disciples from notable sects.

In Zhang Yan’s hand, the jade scroll began to quiver and seemed on the verge of flying away. Unsure of which among them the scroll was targeting, he smiled faintly, released his grip, and allowed the jade scroll to move on its own.

The jade scroll shot into the air, transforming into a streak of green light that landed with a tap on the head of a delicate and charming young girl, perhaps thirteen or fourteen years old, with an innocent and endearing expression. It then flew back to Zhang Yan’s hand.

"Ouch!" the girl cried out softly, clutching her head and looking toward Zhang Yan with a forlorn expression.

The group of cultivators was momentarily stunned before glaring angrily at Zhang Yan. One young male cultivator stepped forward with a darkened expression, resting his hand on his Dharma Sword, and shouted, "Where did this Daoist come from, daring to attack someone without cause?"

Given his usual temper, he would have drawn his sword long ago. However, seeing Zhang Yan’s extraordinary appearance and sensing an invisible yet palpable aura of power emanating from him, he hesitated and refrained from acting recklessly.

Zhang Yan acted as though he hadn’t heard him, continuing to scrutinize the young girl. He was surprised. No matter how he looked, he couldn’t detect any extraordinary aptitude in her—perhaps she only suited Bu Tian Pavilion’s selection criteria?

The young cultivator grew increasingly furious at Zhang Yan’s disregard. He shouted angrily, "Do you think that we, disciples of Chongyue True Temple, are so easily bullied?"

"Oh? You are from Chongyue True Temple?"

Zhang Yan finally reacted, glancing over the cultivator and smirking coldly.

He hadn’t expected them to be disciples of Chongyue True Temple. If they’d been from a minor sect, revealing his identity as a Mingcang Sect disciple and demanding custody of the girl would have sufficed, as the smaller sects rarely dared to resist.

However, dealing with Chongyue True Temple required a different approach.

This sect, with its overseas foundation and a Cave Heaven True Master who had cultivated for millennia overseeing it, prided itself on being the foremost sea sect and often disregarded the Ten Great Sects of Xuanmen.

Thus, Zhang Yan didn’t bother with excuses. He shouted, "So what if you’re from Chongyue True Temple? Today, it’s you I’ve come for!"

With that, a streak of sword light as sharp as a bolt of silk shot out from between his brows.

...

...(To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your recommendation votes or monthly tickets. Your support means the world to me.)