Shennong Dao Master
Chapter 612 - 3: Dragon Horse Guard and the Competition of Ten Thousand Beasts (16000)_2

Chapter 612: Chapter 3: Dragon Horse Guard and the Competition of Ten Thousand Beasts (16000)_2

If nothing unexpected happened, this position would be Princess You Ruo’s after her mother’s death.

Unfortunately, the old witch later gave up this position and actually accepted a marriage alliance, marrying into the Holy Light Royal Court of the Southern Desolate. I really don’t know what she was thinking.

"Your teacher Liu Tianning fought with people from the Daoist Academy; were those the conservatives?" Long Xiao asked.

"It wasn’t a fight, it was a kill," Zhao Xing said. "The most brutal mode of competition between the various Daoist academies is named ’Great Taoism Competition.’

"In this mode, not only is the outcome decided, but also life and death, with one advancing by stepping on another’s Dao. It is a common way of sparring in the Ancient Sect World."

"The Grand Ancestor was warlike and preserved this tradition. During the Emperor Wen period, it was abolished for a while."

"But later, it was restored. The current Majesty is very fond of this tradition; he himself fought in seven ’Great Taoism Competitions.’"

"Oh?" Long Xiao said. "The Majesty also fought?"

"Yes," Zhao Xing said. "In the first six rounds, he killed thirty-seven vice deans of six Daoist academies. The reason, well, you understand."

"I don’t understand," Long Xiao said earnestly.

"Didn’t Zhao Xing just say those old geezers were unwilling to pass on their spells?" Chen Shijie said irritably. "You’ve been in Gucheng for so long that your brain has dulled."

Zhao Xing laughed, "Yes, since those old geezers wanted to take their secret techniques to the grave, what’s the point of keeping them around? His Majesty personally sent them off so they could enter the grave sooner."

"I see," Long Xiao said. "What about the seventh match? What happened in the seventh match?"

Zhao Xing shrugged, "After the seventh match, the Bishui Sect Master entered the harem, and Princess You Ruo was born."

"Quite a character,"

"..."

The three of them chatted as they wandered around the first level.

The first level was mostly filled with those in the Ninth Grade Gathering Essence Realm and Eighth Grade Spirit Bridge Realm.

The Magic Walls were distributed in all eight directions, incredibly tall, and the space was large enough to allow people to move around freely.

Zhao Xing looked around. There were many parts of the Magic Walls, and they were categorized as well.

For example, by occupation, there were martial skills, spells, music techniques, soul skills (here, soul skills refer to specific priest skills, not the common meaning of life soul cultivation attacking methods), dance skills, and arrays.

For example, categorized by Five Elements Wind and Thunder.

The Minister of Agriculture Dao, being an important cultivation path, naturally had its own exclusive section.

"Comprehending the Seasonal Order, the Earth Return Secret Scripture, and the spells self-created from them, are all very weak," Chen Shijie commented. "The first level is only for novelty."

"Indeed," Zhao Xing said. "There aren’t even any spells from the Self Sect here. The people who have comprehended the All Things Growth Map and the Yin Yang Self Scripture are very few, among the eighth and ninth grades."

"The first ten levels have nothing worth seeing. Let’s go straight to the eleventh level," Long Xiao scoffed. "Those martial skills are very crude."

"The Daoist Academy students would do anything to graduate."

"Obviously, the same set of sword techniques, and some students just changed the starting stance. That also got through. What a genius."

"..."

Zhao Xing, Chen Shijie, and Long Xiao communicated telepathically with each other as they ascended the cloud ladder.

Between the levels, there were ’cloud ladders’ everywhere. White clouds floated, moving up and down between the sky and the earth. They were a fantasy version of ’elevators.’

...

Riding the cloud ladder, they ascended to the tenth level.

When they went to the eleventh level, there were no cloud ladders anymore; they had to rely on their own ability to fly.

The Daoist Academy used this method to prevent low-realm students from going up and seeing powerful spells and martial skills and consequently losing themselves.

People like Feng Qiu, who was extremely specialized and got stuck in a dead end, weren’t uncommon here either.

If one couldn’t fly, they could only wander around the lower ten levels.

Starting from the eleventh level, many mid-tier spells and martial skills appeared.

Zhao Xing and the others stayed a bit longer at these levels.

Mid-tier spells were still somewhat worth seeing for them, and besides, these were all new techniques.

By observing new techniques, they could gain insight into others’ ways of enlightenment, which could verify their own learning as well.

Eight hours later, Zhao Xing and the others had reached the thirtieth level.

At this level, they encountered a test.

At the junction of the thirtieth and thirty-first levels, there was a guardian.

The person guarding was none other than the Yellow Robed Taoist they had seen earlier on the first level.

He not only served as a guardian but also as a preacher, with many people listening to his teachings.

"Brother, who is this gentleman?" Long Xiao inquired to a middle-aged man beside him.

The middle-aged man looked at Long Xiao, found him imposing, and then cupped his hands in respect and answered,

"This is Mr. Dao Ming, the Doctor of Governance at our academy."

"Mr. Dao Ming is currently explaining the Li Fire Scripture, and he also governs this scripture," he said in a low voice, fearing that Long Xiao, an outsider, might not understand the significance. "There are countless Daoist scriptures in the world, but the Li Fire Scripture is ranked among the top ten. Those who can govern this scripture are indeed extraordinary talents."

"Mr. Dao Ming has just come out of seclusion and is here to preach. A hundred years ago, he had already reached the Primordial Soul Realm Perfect, achieving great success with his Li Fire body."

Long Xiao was startled. "Reached Fourth Grade Perfect a hundred years ago? By now, he might have entered the Third-rank Primordial Soul Realm!"

He had earlier mentioned not seeing a single high-grade expert, but unexpectedly, he had encountered one back on the first level.

"For an outsider to ascend to the thirty-first level, they must first obtain the title of Honored Master of Hundred Arts," Zhao Xing read from a notice stone tablet nearby.

"Honored Master of Hundred Arts, requires leaving behind a new mid-tier technique."

Zhao Xing beckoned, "Let’s quickly find a Magic Wall and complete the test."

"Alright,"

The three of them approached a Magic Wall.

"Buzz~"

The Magic Wall emitted a faint blue glow, enveloping the surrounding area.