Although Chen Chao's name might still be relatively normal among those prominent figures and not too many people would remember him, it had already become quite resounding among the younger cultivators. Except, his reputation was not of the positive kind.
He had won the Myriad Willow Convention, which had boosted his reputation. But among the foreign cultivators, there were rumors that he had used underhanded means to win the martial examination. Therefore, his reputation had always been tarnished. Moreover, many among the foreign cultivators had thought about how they would humiliate him when they saw that uncouth martial artist.
However, now that Song Changxi had said it, it made them calm down instead. Could that uncouth martial artist really have extraordinary abilities?
Song Changxi paid no attention to their thoughts. When the celestial boat landed, he walked in front and found a young daoist in a dark red daoist robe sitting beneath a tree in the mountains.
That daoist's once somewhat graying hair had gradually started to regain its black hue, and he did not appear as haggard as before
It was precisely Yun Jianyue.
As fellow geniuses of the Dao society, Song Changxi naturally recognized Yun Jianyue. Or should he say, his dream had always been to one day, surpass this daoist genius. However, over the years, Song Changxi had come to realize that overtaking this daoist genius was an exceedingly difficult task.
Yun Jianyue looked at Song Changxi and sensed the changes in his aura. He smiled and said, "You've improved again, not bad."
Song Changxi looked at Yun Jianyue and said, "That's why I want to give it another try."
Song Changxi naturally would not express his thoughts so openly in front of those ordinary cultivators, but he had no desire to conceal anything from Yun Jianyue and was very straightforward.
Yun Jianyue pondered for a moment before saying, "That young man is truly extraordinary. Looks like your defeat back then wasn't a fluke."
This was peeling open his scars in front of him; a situation that would likely anger most people. However, Song Changxi nodded and said indifferently, "During that lakeside battle, if it weren't for the heavy price he would have had to bear, he would probably have already killed me."
That battle was nothing short of being soul-stirring. If there really had been bystanders, Chen Chao's reputation would not have been so terrible.
Facing a Bitter Sea Realm with Divine Trove Realm cultivation, Song Changxi failed to win and nearly lost his life instead. It was a fact that few would believe.
Yun Jianyue said, "Now, he has already stepped into the Bitter Sea Realm."
Hearing this, Song Changxi fell silent for a moment, his expression becoming somewhat solemn. However, he soon felt at ease. By now, if he had not developed this mindset, then why had he come here?
"His talent isn't bad, but I don't understand why he chose to be a mere martial artist. If he cultivated daoist techniques, his progress might have been faster."
Song Changxi's eyes held some puzzlement. Up until now, he still could not understand why Chen Chao would choose to become a martial artist.
Yun Jianyue was not in a rush to speak. He took a moment to gather his thoughts before saying softly, "This time, it's best if you don't provoke him."
Yun Jianyue was aware of what happened on the celestial boat earlier. Although Song Changxi had already warned those cultivators, Yun Jianyue was still worried that Song Changxi might take matters into his own hands.
"If I encounter him, we can only fight."
Song Changxi displayed a clear hint of fighting intent between his brows.
Yun Jianyue shook his head. Cultivation could not be utilized inside that ruin, Song Changxi would be completely no match for that young martial artist with a purely physical confrontation.
Song Changxi said, "I'm not afraid of death."
Yun Jianyue smiled and said, "This way of dying is very worthless."
……
……
The arrival of the young cultivators at the Sublime Bright Mountain indicated that the time for exploring the ancient ruin was drawing closer. Prior to this, major forces led by the Great Liang Dynasty and the Infatuation Daoist Temple had arranged for cultivators from various major sects to be accommodated appropriately. Fortunately, the structures originally built by the Sublime Bright Sect remained undamaged, which was sufficient to accommodate these young cultivators.
The young cultivators had already received the news and many people started making preparations.
However, there were also many others who were thinking about something else.
"Heard that the young martial artist is presently Rainwater Commandery's warden."
"Then he should be in Rainwater Commandery."
"You mean..."
"I don't believe he's really that outstanding. He must have used some tricks to defeat Song Changxi!"
Many cultivators had gathered here. A tall qi refiner said in a cold voice, "He dared to kill members of my qi refiner lineage, what a bold act!"
This person was a young genius from the Northern qi refiner lineage and he held a grudge against Chen Chao for the killing of those qi refiners in Tianqing County. Back then, when the Myriad Willow Convention started, he missed it because he was in closed-seclusion. Now that he had exited seclusion and knew he could meet Chen Chao here, he had come for Chen Chao.
"Everybody, is anyone willing to join me? Watch how I teach that uncouth martial artist who doesn't know the immensity of heaven and earth a lesson!"
The qi refiner laughed loudly and many people could hear him.
Soon, several voices responded.
Many young cultivators wanted to follow this qi refiner to Rainwater Commandery to find Chen Chao.
"No need."
Suddenly, a voice sounded out from afar.
That qi refiner was taken aback and frowned slightly. He followed the sound and saw a black silhouette sprinting towards him with a strong sense of oppression.
The qi refiner quickly reacted, an aura emerging behind him. A dharma idol measuring several dozen feet tall manifested in the world. As soon as this dharma idol appeared, it threw a punch towards the approaching black silhouette.
This was a daoist technique that almost all members of the qi refiner lineage knew: Spirit Exorcism.
The dharma idol threw a punch, and a powerful aura spread out, creating a strong wind that swept through the area. The young cultivators nearby quickly flew towards the distance, afraid of being affected by this sudden clash.
The strong wind caused the trees in the vicinity to sway.
The strong gust made it difficult to keep one's eyes open.
When the people finally managed to open their eyes, they saw a young man in black appear in front of the dharma idol. Throwing both fists out, he forcibly exchanged a blow with that dharma idol.
Looking at the two figures with a vast difference in size, it seemed that the outcome was already determined.
However, in the next moment, the arms of the terrifying-looking dharma idol burst apart. Then, everyone could see cracks appearing on the dharma idol's body, spreading in all directions like shattered porcelain.
The qi refiner's expression turned ugly, and he took several steps back in disbelief. His complexion suddenly turned deathly pale.
He had a mental connection with the dharma idol, and as the dharma idol was damaged, he naturally suffered severe injuries to his own body too.
"Who are you?!"
After stabilizing himself, the qi refiner spoke with lingering fear in his voice.
He had no idea where this young man in black came from, and he certainly did not expect him to be so terrifying. The dharma idol he had cultivated with great effort had been shattered by the young man just like that. While it was not completely destroyed, forcibly shattering his dharma idol barbarically like that would severely damage his vitality too. It would take at least several years to recover.
The young man in black stood still, raised his head to look at the qi refiner in front of him, and said with a smile, "I heard you were going to find trouble with me. I thought that would be troublesome, so I decided to spare you the trouble."
Looking at the young man who was seemingly harmless to man and beast, then at the shattered dharma idol, the young cultivators were somewhat dazed. They found it hard to believe. Did the rumors not say that the young martial artist won using underhanded means?
Why was the strength he displayed so terrifying?
The cultivation realm that the qi refiner exhibited was clearly Bitter Sea Realm strength. The dharma idol he had summoned was even slightly stronger than the qi refiner himself. However, the young man before them had shattered the dharma idol in a frontal clash with a single punch.
With such terrifying cultivation and combat power, how many of them dared to say they could defeat him?
The young cultivators fell rather silent, and the qi refiner remained silent as well.
Among these young qi refiners, many had participated in the Myriad Willow Convention before and it was not their first time witnessing such a scene anymore. However, it was still deeply shocking now.
Previously, like many others, they felt that Chen Chao had some trickery involved in his victory in the martial examination. But at this moment, they dared not say anything. Although the qi refiner before them was not the cream of the crop among the younger generation, it was absolutely not an easy thing to defeat him with a single punch.
The cultivators remained silent. Some wanted to speak, but recalling how this martial artist was not only able to shatter the dharma idol with a single punch, he was also skilled in verbal insults that surpassed even these cultivators who cultivated all-year-round
The scene fell into heavy silence.
Yun Jianyue and Song Changxi were standing in the distance, looking at this scene from afar too.
Song Changxi was silent for a moment before saying, "He has indeed changed a little compared to before."
Yun Jianyue was also rather silent before he said, "It's not just different from the last time you saw him, he's also somewhat different from the last time I met him."
The last time Yun Jianyue had seen Chen Chao was on the Sublime Bright Mountain when Daoist Master Ironcloud died. The time gap between then and now was relatively short, yet he could already distinctly sense that the young martial artist before him had undergone significant changes. At least, his aura had become more vigorous.
This discovery made Yun Jianyue furrow his brows involuntarily, but he quickly relaxed his expression again without a care.
Song Changxi said, "Maybe you're right."
Yun Jianyue had previously cautioned Song Changxi not to provoke Chen Chao inside the ancient ruin. At that time, Song Changxi did not pay much attention to it. But now, he had no choice but to care. It was because the young man before their eyes was seriously growing too fast.
Within the ancient ruin where they could not use their cultivation, Chen Chao's identity as a martial artist already held an advantage. Now, he had made progress again. Song Changxi was naturally worried.
Yun Jianyue did not make a sound. He just glanced in the distance.
As his gaze extended toward the horizon, a tolling bell began to echo, approaching from a distant place, lingering for a long time.
Many times, the sound of a bell was a solemn announcement.
For instance, when the Myriad Willow Convention's martial examination had concluded, the tolling bell not only marked the end of the Myriad Willow Convention, it also announced the passing of the Empress.
The sound of that bell had left the Divine Capital in silence for a long time and left His Majesty the Emperor heartbroken for an even longer time.
But now, as this bell sounded out, it did not signify anyone's death. Rather, it was a message from the prominent figures hidden within the mountains: it had begun.
What had begun?
Of course, it had to do with the ancient ruin, it was starting at this moment.
In the wake of the bell sound, an indifferent voice also sounded out.
"Fellow Daoists, please go to the back of the mountain..."
Hearing this, the young cultivators' eyes lit up with excitement. They had no desire to stay here in the first place. Upon hearing the bell's toll, they quickly left, heading towards the back of the mountain.
In just a moment, most of the cultivators here had left.
Chen Chao was not in a rush to move, he just glanced at that qi refiner.
Then, his gaze landed far away. The two daoists standing over there were also looking at him at this moment.
Coincidentally, he had met both daoists before.
……
……
Sublime Bright Mountain's rear area was vast, filled with numerous peaks, creating a beautiful landscape of rolling hills and layered mountains.
The northernmost mountain peak was called Reputation Peak which stood as the pinnacle of all the peaks.
In the past years, this peak had borne the weight of numerous events, such as the centennial celebrations of Sublime Bright Mountain. These gatherings would typically be held on this peak. However, few would know that within the shadows of this peak, it was connected to a special existence.
That was the ancient ruin that the former Sublime Bright Sect's sect master discovered.
The young cultivators that came in the wake of the bell tolling arrived on top of the mountain.
There was a layer of white mist in the distance.
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