With a roar, Wan Zhenyuan quickly emerged from behind the cabin, followed by two fair-faced female Daoists in robes, both carefully carrying a massive calligraphy brush almost two meters long and nearly half a meter thick.

Those present immediately noticed the impossibly large brush, and some ignorant ones couldn't help but laugh, "Sect Master Wan, what is this thing?"

Someone from the opposing faction, louder than the rest, shouted, "Sect Master Wan, what are you trying to fool us with using this thing? Isn't this just a giant mop?"

A burst of laughter echoed through the crowd.

Wan Zhenyuan felt a grinding hatred for this Dang Qiang, gritting his teeth internally, yet his face was wreathed in smiles. He chuckled, "True Master Dang Qiang is truly humorous! Fellow Daoists, do any of you know what formidable artifact this is?"

Some cultivators in the assembly began to examine the gigantic brush closely. Zi Yuan vaguely detected something and whispered to Li Yundong, "It looks like the Immortal Scribe Pen?"

"The Immortal Scribe Pen?" Li Yundong scrutinized it for a moment and nodded slightly, "It does bear some resemblance!"

Su Chan, standing nearby, suddenly straightened up and lowered her voice, "Could it be the magical artifact used by Zuo Ci during the Three Kingdoms period, the Immortal Scribe Pen?"

Zi Yuan glanced at her with a slight smile, "It seems so!"

Su Chan's eyes widened into saucers, exclaiming, "Could it be the Immortal Scribe Pen capable of freely inscribing talismans for everything under heaven, easily conjuring Five Elements Divine Thunder?!"

Li Yundong laughed and pinched her nose, "It does look like that Immortal Scribe Pen!"

Su Chan immediately grew excited, "Oh my goodness, Yundong, this is a treasure! We must obtain it, absolutely must obtain it!"

Although Zhou Qin had successfully reached the Foundation Establishment stage, her knowledge of such artifacts was nearly blank. She couldn't help but ask Su Chan, "What treasure is this that has made you so agitated?"

Su Chan instantly grabbed Zhou Qin's arm and asked with wide eyes, "Sister Zhou Qin, you know who Ge Hong, the author of the Baopuzi, is, right?"

Zhou Qin nodded, slightly confused, "Of course! He's the cultivator who wrote the book telling the world that while becoming an immortal is difficult, cultivation towards it is possible!"

Su Chan continued, "Then you know who Ge Hong's master was?"

Zhou Qin had also read many Daoist classics, and this knowledge posed no difficulty. She grew more perplexed, "I do, it was Zheng Yin!"

Su Chan pressed, "Then do you know who Zheng Yin's master was?"

Zhou Qin laughed, "Naturally, it was the Supreme Grand Unity Immortal Master Ge Xuan, who is Ge Hong's grandfather. Su Chan, are you testing me?"

Su Chan’s eyes snapped open wide, and she asked again, "Then do you know who Ge Xuan’s master was?"

Zhou Qin paused, then replied, "It was... Zuo Ci?"

Su Chan excitedly shook Zhou Qin's arm, "Exactly, yes! Zuo Ci was the master of the Supreme Grand Unity Immortal Master! He is also the founder of the Pill Cauldron Sect! This Immortal Scribe Pen is his personal artifact! Think about how powerful Fahai’s personal artifact was—wouldn't this Immortal Scribe Pen be even more formidable?"

Zi Yuan nodded in agreement, adding, "Indeed. Legend says the Immortal Scribe Pen can freely inscribe any talisman. If you write the character for 'Thunder,' it can summon Heavenly Thunder from the skies!"

Seeing that Zhou Qin still didn't fully grasp the mystery of the Immortal Scribe Pen, Li Yundong smiled and explained, "Zhou Qin, your True Essence is currently abundant, akin to a great master with immense internal energy in a Wuxia novel. However, if you don't know any specific martial arts moves, you might lose a duel against cultivators with less True Essence but who possess many combat techniques. This is especially true for cultivators who utilize talismans, as their spells, being deployed via talismans, possess the three characteristics of being fast, precise, and ruthless."

"Su Chan once gave me a Heavenly Thunder Talisman before. When I used that talisman to cast a spell, it took only seconds; I could strike whomever I pleased without worrying about striking myself. But if I forgo the talisman and use my own True Essence, the process takes at least a minute, perhaps more, and the most crucial point is still the risk of striking myself!"

Zhou Qin suddenly understood, "Ah, I see! Are those talismans usually very rare?"

Zi Yuan took over the conversation, nodding, "Extremely rare. Describing them as worth a thousand pieces of gold is no exaggeration!"

Only then did Zhou Qin look at the Immortal Scribe Pen with horror, "So, if someone possessed the Immortal Scribe Pen, wouldn't that be equivalent to having an infinite supply of talismans?"

Zi Yuan chuckled lightly, "Not exactly. To use an artifact like the Immortal Scribe Pen, even writing a single talisman consumes a massive amount of vital essence. I estimate that writing two talismans would completely deplete all my True Essence."

Zhou Qin frowned, "Then what use is such a divine tool?"

Su Chan interjected with a smile, "Sister Zhou Qin, you are too dense! You write them to keep them for self-defense! Moreover, not everyone knows how to write talismans! The process of learning them is incredibly complex and profoundly obscure. Even my master only knows how to write the Heavenly Thunder Talisman; I only know the Invisibility Talisman—nothing else!"

Zhou Qin smiled, "I see now; it was my ignorance." With that, she turned to Li Yundong, urging him, "Master, why don't you snatch this Immortal Scribe Pen? If you held it, it would truly be like adding wings to a tiger."

Li Yundong had expected Wan Zhenyuan to present the Earth Core Spirit Pill or the Medicine King Cauldron, but he never anticipated the Immortal Scribe Pen. Although it was an exceptionally potent artifact, Li Yundong found himself lacking the interest.

Li Yundong smiled and replied, "I have sufficient artifacts; why gather more? Besides, like spells, artifacts are valued for their refinement, not their quantity! I haven't even mastered my Finger-Burning Bowl, and now I’m supposed to take on an Immortal Scribe Pen? Am I trying to invite trouble?"

Zi Yuan opened her mouth as if to say something, but she held back, remaining silent.

Su Chan persistently urged, "Yundong, I recall you visualized the wrathful form of Acala. You hold six artifacts in your visualization, one of which is this very Immortal Scribe Pen! This implies that this treasure is destined to be yours sooner or later!"

Li Yundong chuckled, "If it is destined to be mine sooner or later, then I have even less reason to rush! Haven't you seen how many people here are eagerly eyeing this Immortal Scribe Pen? Since so many people want to seize it, I won't join their chaotic scramble! If it truly belongs to me, even if I don't fight for it, it will find its way into my hands!"

Ruan Hongling, who had been quiet until now, snorted and muttered softly, "You have artifacts you can use, but what about Senior Sister Zi Yuan..." She didn't finish before Zi Yuan stomped on her foot under the table and glared at her, silencing the rest of her statement.

Li Yundong heard it and looked at Zi Yuan with confusion, asking, "Zi Yuan, what's wrong?"

Zi Yuan smiled, about to speak, when suddenly there was an uproar among the crowd. Someone shouted loudly, "Sect Master Wan, this is the Immortal Scribe Pen! This artifact hasn't appeared in over a thousand years; how did you obtain it?!"

Wan Zhenyuan looked smug, stroking his goatee, "Indeed, this is the Immortal Scribe Pen used by Daoist Zuo Ci! Any Daoist friends who doubt me may look!"

Saying this, he pressed his hand onto the enormous brush, and instantly, the brush automatically shrank, reducing in the blink of an eye to a small brush only twenty centimeters long.

Wan Zhenyuan picked up the Immortal Scribe Pen. A beautiful female Daoist from the Gezao Sect obediently held up a cup of tea with both hands. Wan Zhenyuan dipped the brush into the tea water and then drew the character for "Flower" in the air.

The character "Flower" floated in the air, solidifying without dissipating. After a moment, it rapidly emitted a dazzling multicolored radiance, then swiftly transformed into blossoming, vibrant flowers before the eyes of the crowd.

Wan Zhenyuan burst into laughter, flicked his sleeve, and shattered the suspended flowers. Instantly, petals drifted throughout the cabin, and the fragrance of flowers filled the air.

Zhou Qin watched, dumbfounded, exclaiming, "Just writing the word 'flower' can conjure actual flowers?"

Su Chan also gazed at the Immortal Scribe Pen with greedy envy, saying, "What about writing the word 'Money'?"

Li Yundong couldn't help but laugh heartily, flicking Su Chan's forehead with his finger, "Money-grubber, all you think about is money!"

Zi Yuan also struggled to contain her amusement, "Flowers are the fruit of Wood. The Immortal Scribe Pen can only write characters representing the five elements—Gold, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth—as well as natural phenomena like Wind, Thunder, and Lightning, and transform them into reality. If you write the character for 'Money,' it cannot conjure actual money!"

Su Chan was extremely disappointed, pouting while holding her forehead.

At this point, everyone in the cabin finally believed that the brush was indeed the Immortal Scribe Pen. Their gazes became intensely eager and excited; they were all secretly sharpening their knives, waiting for the Lotus Gathering Assembly to begin so they could display their might and seize the treasure!

Zhang Ling of the Orthodox Unity Sect, despite her vast experience, couldn't help but be shocked by the reward Wan Zhenyuan presented. She couldn't help but ask, "Sect Master Wan, you are actually willing to offer such a treasure as a reward?"

Wan Zhenyuan laughed heroically, "For the prosperity of my Daoist culture, for the renewed flourishing of our cultivation world, I, the Gezao Sect, would not hesitate even to face destruction!"

His words drew a chorus of cheers from the crowd, who exclaimed, "What spirit, Sect Master Wan!" and "What magnanimity, Sect Master Wan!"

Zhang Ling frowned slightly, thinking to herself: No, Wan Zhenyuan is not the type of person to sacrifice himself for the greater good. If he offers such an important artifact, his scheme must be grand! But what is he aiming for? Could it be... he is trying to win people's hearts? But the price seems far too high!

As Zhang Ling pondered in secret, some cultivators in the cabin grew impatient and started clamoring, "Stop the nonsense, let's start the duels quickly and see who can take the Immortal Scribe Pen!"

Wan Zhenyuan pressed his hands down and shouted, "Everyone, hold your urgency! Listen to me for a moment!"

Whether it was the awe inspired by Wan Zhenyuan's previous heroic speech or the sheer presence of the Immortal Scribe Pen that silenced them, as soon as he spoke, the clamoring subsided.

Wan Zhenyuan stated, "Fellow Daoists, we are all reputable cultivators; we certainly cannot fight like common thugs. Even if we must fight, we need established procedures!"

At this, a cultivator laughed, "Sect Master Wan, you worry too much. Whatever procedures the previous Lotus Gathering Assemblies had, we shall follow those!"

Wan Zhenyuan countered, "Not this time! Previously, the Lotus Gathering Assemblies were held deep in the mountains, and even if we fought earth-shatteringly, no one would know. But this time, we are holding it in a bustling city. The banks of the moat are lined with residential areas, shopping centers, and entertainment venues. If we start fighting, the noise will carry outside. Do you all wish to turn this place upside down?"

The two hundred or so cultivators in the cabin were stunned. Some quickly asked, "Sect Master Wan, if we can't fight fiercely, then what is the point of the duels?"

Wan Zhenyuan chuckled sinisterly, "Therefore, the procedure this time is: You must duel, yet ensure that the secular mortals outside remain completely unaware! What do you all think?"

The cultivators from various sects exchanged glances. Those with lower cultivation secretly thought about backing out, while those confident in their high cultivation loudly declared, "Sect Master Wan, we agree to your terms!"

As the leaders agreed, responses quickly followed. Before long, the vast majority of cultivators nodded in assent.

Wan Zhenyuan nodded and smiled, "Very well, since everyone agrees, which True Master would like to step forward first and demonstrate?"

As soon as his voice fell, a young man wearing a Tang suit stood up and cupped his hands, "Sect Master Wan, let me go first!"

Wan Zhenyuan looked up and saw the man possessed piercing eyes and a formidable bearing. He cupped his hands in return, "It turns out to be True Master Chen Yunyan of the Qingwei Sect; my apologies, my apologies!"

Chen Yunyan swept his sharp gaze around the surroundings and asked, "Sect Master Wan, may I specifically call out and challenge an individual by name?"

Wan Zhenyuan nodded and smiled, "As long as it adheres to the established procedures, certainly!"

Chen Yunyan nodded, then sharply turned his head, his eyes piercing like lightning as he fixed them on Li Yundong. He pointed at Li Yundong like a sword, "Li Yundong, do you dare to accept the challenge!"

============================================ A sincere apology to all my book friends~ I had some personal urgent matters and just flew back to Shenzhen from Suzhou~ which is why yesterday and today were delayed~~ I will have one more update tonight, and I will strive to make up for yesterday's missed update tomorrow. Again, I apologize deeply~ C