The term "Cultivation World" was clearly unfamiliar to everyone, as Zhong Shenxiu had never brought it up. But regardless of what kind of place it was, they absolutely refused to be separated from Zhong Shenxiu again!
The real reason Zhong Shenxiu intended to return to the Cultivation World wasn't just intense homesickness; a portion of his memory remained unrecovered. Zhong Shenxiu had discovered that the restoration of his memories was directly proportional to his level of comprehension regarding the "Heavenly Dao."
Three months later, everyone from the "Ethereal Mercenary Group" finally embarked on the journey to the "Cultivation World" with Zhong Shenxiu!
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It felt as though everyone had woken from a prolonged dream. When they finally cleared their heads, they realized their surroundings had distinctly changed.
"Young Master, where is this place? Why do I sense such low spiritual energy?" Mako Xin inquired, sporting the expression of a curious toddler.
"This is the 'Cultivation World'!" Zhong Shenxiu stated with a touch of nostalgia. Though every tree and blade of grass around him felt alien, it still resonated with the feeling of coming home!
"Young Master, since this place is called the 'Cultivation World,' does that mean there are many cultivators here?" Mercedes asked while sweeping her gaze across the landscape.
Scarcely had the words left her mouth when several figures passed overhead, soaring on swords, appearing quite hurried.
"There really are! Look quickly!" Tiya exclaimed, pointing excitedly in the direction the figures had vanished, behaving as if she had never witnessed sword-flight before.
"Yueshan Sect disciples!" Zhong Shenxiu suddenly uttered a name that struck everyone as odd.
He hadn't expected that after so long, the attire of the Yueshan Sect disciples would remain unchanged, which is how Zhong Shenxiu managed to recognize them!
"Brother Xiu, what are 'Yueshan Sect disciples'? Are they another mercenary group?" Tiya inquired.
Zhong Shenxiu offered no reply, merely smiling, and began walking slowly forward along the winding dirt path.
The location where Zhong Shenxiu and the others currently stood seemed to be a mountainous region. While it boasted dense trees and vegetation, there wasn't a single rare or exotic herb in sight, and the area within a radius of dozens of li was sparsely populated.
"Young Master, where are we going?" Charlotte couldn't help but ask. Being here gave her the feeling of Granny Liu entering the Grand View Garden—everything was so unfamiliar!
"To eat!" Zhong Shenxiu’s reply was curt, causing Robin, who was clinging close beside him, to visibly brighten!
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After walking for several hours, Zhong Shenxiu and the group finally found a rather modest tavern at the foot of the mountain. Unbeknownst to them, their arrival immediately drew the attention of several Shu Mountain disciples.
This area fell under Shu Mountain's jurisdiction, and coupled with the once-a-decade "Cultivation Competition" about to be held there, security was much tighter than usual. Any suspicious characters were to be reported immediately to prevent any disruption!
Given Shu Mountain’s prestige across the entire Cultivation World, few dared to cause trouble here, but one must guard against the unlikely. The disciples overseeing the checkpoints were several times more numerous than normal, with extra personnel stationed at common gathering spots!
Zhong Shenxiu's group was simply too conspicuous; it was hard not to be noticed!
Setting aside their eye-catching attire, the mere facial features marking them as Elves and Orcs were enough to draw many stares.
The moment Zhong Shenxiu and the others stepped inside the tavern, the previous hubbub instantly died down, and every gaze locked onto them!
"G-guest, what would you like to order?" A young man resembling a server rushed over in a fluster.
Tiya chuckled lightly and inquired, "Do you have private rooms?"
Private rooms? The server looked momentarily bewildered before asking, "Miss, do you perhaps mean a secluded room?"
Subsequently, under the server's guidance, the group was led to a secluded room upstairs. The dishes soon covered the table.
While Zhong Shenxiu and the others ate with gusto, numerous Shu Mountain disciples gathered outside the tavern, conferring amongst themselves—they were there specifically because of Zhong Shenxiu's party!
"Senior Brother, why don't we just rush in?"
"No need to rush. We’ll deal with them when they come out, to avoid injuring any innocents!"
About half an hour passed before Zhong Shenxiu and the others emerged from the tavern. The moment they did, the waiting Shu Mountain disciples surrounded them, wielding various magical artifacts.
This wasn't an overreaction on their part; the characteristics of Zhong Shenxiu's group immediately made them suspect some sort of heretical faction! As a righteous sect, Shu Mountain could not tolerate such evildoers causing chaos here!
Zhong Shenxiu surveyed them with composed leisure. It had been quite some time since anyone actively sought trouble. To think he could enjoy some entertainment so soon after returning to the Cultivation World brought a knowing, intriguing smile to his face.
"Who are you, and what is your purpose in coming to our Shu Mountain?" A youthful man with an energetic bearing stepped forward.
"We are the 'Ethereal Sect,' here for a tour!" Zhong Shenxiu replied with a smile.
"Ethereal Sect?"
These Shu Mountain disciples were slightly bewildered; they had never heard of such a sect. They had heard of the 'Ethereal Palace,' but the people from the 'Ethereal Palace' were nothing like the strange individuals before them!
"Stop this nonsense! Set up the 'Seven Star Sea-Treading Formation'!"
As the command was given, the Shu Mountain disciples immediately sprang into action!
Alas, one hardly knew what to say about them!
The previous Zhong Shenxiu alone had been enough to keep the entire Cultivation World from making trouble; the current him was far more monstrous, capable of turning the world upside down! It seemed Shu Mountain was in for it this time...
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Within Shu Mountain Sect, the atmosphere was electric. Representatives from various sects had arrived, keeping the Shu Mountain disciples constantly busy!
In the Great Hall of Shu Mountain, Sect Master Xue Zhanpeng was hosting the Elders from the four major sects—Kunlun, Wudang, Emei, and Huashan—to discuss matters pertaining to the "Cultivation Competition"!
Wudang Elder Wu Yazi, a close acquaintance of Xue Zhanpeng, glanced at the young man standing next to Xue Zhanpeng and asked with a smile, "Brother Zhanpeng, this must be Martial Nephew Xuan Yan? Truly a fine young man. It seems Brother Zhanpeng is aiming for nothing less than victory in this year's 'Cultivation Competition'!"
"Brother Wu Yazi, you are too modest. The one beside you should be Martial Nephew Yu Xuan, chosen by you elders, yes? Truly a dragon among men, possessing extraordinary bearing!" Xue Zhanpeng laughed.
Wu Yazi chuckled heartily, "Brother Zhanpeng, let's stop flattering each other. Look at the one beside Nun Nanwu; surely that is the newly accepted genius disciple?"
"Fengyu, come and pay respects to Elder Wu Yazi!" Nun Nanwu nodded, her expression as placid as ever, addressing a young girl beside her.
Just as Wu Yazi surmised, this young girl was indeed a newly recruited disciple of Emei named Ouyang Fengyu. Despite her youth, she was a heaven-sent prodigy, surpassing senior sisters who had joined years before her in just six years, having even mastered the seventh layer of Emei’s 'Profound Maiden True Scripture'!
"Greetings, Elder Wu Yazi!" Ouyang Fengyu maintained an air of detached serenity even under the gaze of so many venerable seniors, bearing a certain resemblance to Robin.
As the group engaged in lively discussion, a Shu Mountain disciple rushed in from outside, his expression panicked.
Xue Zhanpeng's brow immediately furrowed, and he reprimanded, "Can't you see I am receiving guests? Retreat!"
"Wait a moment!" Wu Yazi quickly interjected, "Brother Zhanpeng, calm your anger. The look on his face suggests urgent news. Perhaps we should hear it?" The Wudang Sect Master added with a faint smile.
"Speak!" Xue Zhanpeng conceded, addressing the disciple sternly.
"Sect Master, people are causing trouble at the foot of the mountain, and several disciples have already been injured!"
At this announcement, the expressions of everyone present shifted slightly. To dare cause trouble at Shu Mountain at this time—the audacity of these people was astounding! Did they not know that numerous masters had gathered here?
"Sect Master, I request permission to go and investigate. It might just be a misunderstanding!" Wu Xuan Yan stated, cupping his hands.
"Good!" Xue Zhanpeng had great confidence in his disciple, and besides, such a minor issue didn't warrant his personal attention.
"Brother Zhanpeng, how about I send Yu Xuan along to check things out? They can look out for each other if trouble arises!" Wu Yazi immediately suggested.
"That is excellent!" Xue Zhanpeng did not refuse.
"Fengyu, you should go along too. It will be a good chance to learn from your senior brothers!" Nun Nanwu turned to her beloved disciple.
Finally, these promising young talents left with the Shu Mountain disciple.
Xue Zhanpeng hadn't taken the matter too seriously, resuming his previous conversation with his Daoist friends.
Not much time had passed when Wu Xuan Yan and the others returned, every one of them bruised, battered, and covered in dirt—a truly comical sight!
Xue Zhanpeng and the elders from the other sects were startled. How could they have been reduced to such a sorry state in such a short time? What exactly had happened?
Nun Nanwu saw her beloved disciple's hair disheveled and robes torn—the ethereal jade maiden image was gone. Fury instantly surged within her, and suppressing the anger about to erupt, she demanded, "Fengyu, what happened? Who did this to you?"
Ouyang Fengyu, however, remained silent, wearing a look of frustration and inner turmoil, which greatly alarmed Nun Nanwu!
Xue Zhanpeng also felt his temper rising. If such a thing happened on Shu Mountain grounds, it reflected poorly on their sect's competence! His face darkening, he sternly questioned Wu Xuan Yan, "Just what happened? Tell me in detail!"
Wu Xuan Yan dared not conceal anything, quickly recounting the events that had just transpired.
After hearing Wu Xuan Yan's account, Xue Zhanpeng's rage transformed into shock, and the other elders widened their eyes in disbelief!
"You... you said the combined force of all of you couldn't withstand a single move from one young woman?"
How could this not astound them? These individuals were the cream of the younger generation, and they acted in concert, yet they couldn't block one move from a single girl. Just how powerful was that girl?
"Sect Master, I was incompetent; I failed to subdue those people!" Wu Xuan Yan looked utterly ashamed. He had always considered his own strength formidable, but today he finally understood the meaning of 'there is always someone stronger beyond the heavens, and there is always someone better beyond men'!
"Hmph, I want to see exactly who dares to cause trouble at my Shu Mountain Sect?"
The others exchanged glances, and almost simultaneously, they rose to their feet and followed out!
They needed to see who possessed such immense courage and power!
However, before they could even exit the Great Hall, a placid voice drifted in: "No need to go out. We've arrived!"
The speaker was none other than Zhong Shenxiu!
The "Genius" has arrived!!!
(End of Book!)V