Chapter 175: Chapter 94 Unexpected Way to Break the Stalematei

The Peak of Qi Training Stage!

Xue Mingzhi stood rigid in place, with the arrogance that had arisen from his breakthrough to the Peak of Qi Transformation Stage instantly evaporating.

As for becoming Shen Yuan’s disciple in name, he dared not even entertain the thought anymore.

In this era where Spirit Energy Tidal Surge is just beginning to return, the Peak of Qi Transformation Stage is the highest realm that ordinary cultivators can reach.

The rules of heaven and earth are not perfect, the amount of elemental Qi scattered between heaven and earth is scarce, and it is almost impossible for one to advance to the Qi Training Stage on their own.

One can only wait for the arrival of the next Spirit Energy Tidal Surge, or with the help of sect’s secret methods and heaven-and-earthly treasures, to cross this threshold of Elemental Qi Absorption.

Given these circumstances, those who can advance to the Qi Training Stage are almost beyond the scope of the extraordinary, they themselves are the pillars of the sect’s family in the world.

Compared with the Spirit Refining True Beings in the grotto heavens sacred ground, their status is almost equal.

Mo Li of Mount Laojun, Gu Qianqiu of the Thousand Autumns Blessed Land, the three army masters of Great Xia’s Legion, and the Four Great Esteemed Emissaries of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, are such transcendent figures.

But even these great personalities haven’t reached the Peak of Qi Training Stage.

It can be said that the young girl in front of him, who is at the Peak of Qi Training Stage, could suppress all the major existing sects as long as she leaves this courtyard.

Such a great personality, however, did not choose to close off for cultivating to break through Spirit Transmutation earlier, nor appear on the sect’s battlefield to gain benefits for the sect.

Instead, she committed herself to this courtyard, becoming a disciple in name under Shen Yuan.

Even if Xue Mingzhi had known earlier about Shen Yuan’s extraordinariness, when he really saw this young girl at the Peak of Qi Training Stage could only become a disciple in name, he couldn’t help but be amazed at Shen Yuan’s unfathomable depth.

At this point, the pride on Xue Mingzhi was completely retracted, and he followed Gong Buyu humbly.

Stepping over the familiar stone steps into the courtyard, Xue Mingzhi saw Shen Yuan with a smile on his face at the stone table.

One month apart, Xue Mingzhi was somewhat surprised to find that the teacher seemed a bit different from a month ago.

The abnormal paleness on his face had disappeared, his condition had returned to normal, and there was a sense of transcendence that Xue Mingzhi had not detected on Shen Yuan before.

It was as if the teacher had detached from the world and was ready to tide over any time.

Xue Mingzhi speculated that this might be related to the enemy that Shen Yuan defeated in the Yunfu Mountains.

Although Shen Yuan only mentioned it briefly at that time, Xue Mingzhi had conducted a detailed investigation on what happened in the Yunfu Mountains for several days after he returned and knew that a Great Sun had landed in the mountains.

Xue Mingzhi knew that this was the trace left by Shen Yuan to kill that enemy.

The month-plus of recuperation not only completely healed his injuries, but even his cultivation had greatly improved.

This made Xue Mingzhi increasingly curious, just who was the enemy that was so important to Shen Yuan that he drew the Great Sun with a sword.

Withdrawing the thoughts flashing in his mind, Xue Mingzhi immediately bowed respectfully to Shen Yuan and said:

“Xue Mingzhi pays his respects to teacher!”

Shen Yuan nodded, and looked at Xue Mingzhi’s slightly fluctuating aura and said,

“The Peak of Qi Transformation, not bad.”

If this had been before, Xue Mingzhi would have felt a bit proud when faced with Shen Yuan’s praise, but at this moment, having just seen the true extraordinary talents, Xue Mingzhi had less of those thoughts in his heart, he just lowered his head respectfully and said,

“All thanks to your guidance.”

Shen Yuan looked at Xue Mingzhi’s expression, naturally he knew that he had been hit by Gong Buyu.

But this was also Shen Yuan’s intention. Xue Mingzhi had successfully built up his confidence through the improvement of his cultivation, but if he became arrogant because of this, it would backfire.

Let him realize how much difference there is between him and the real extraordinary talents, it might be better for him.

“No Talk, go make a pot of tea.”

Shen Yuan said casually to Gong Buyu who was waiting on the side.

Gong Buyu nodded and headed towards the room. Bai Xue, seeing this, eagerly hopped off the table and followed.

After Gong Buyu left, Xue Mingzhi quietly heaved a sigh of relief. Since he knew about Gong Buyu’s realm, he felt uncomfortable all over when facing Gong Buyu.

In contrast, Xue Mingzhi had no such restraint in front of Shen Yuan.

“Your disciple in name is truly extraordinarily talented, to reach the Peak of Qi Training Stage at such a young age.”

Xue Mingzhi’s words were filled with astonishment.

Shen Yuan helplessly shook his head, “She’s just a daughter of an old friend, all

I did was give her some guidance.”

The reason Shen Yuan was helpless was because Gong Buyu’s cultivation was too high, and the lack of Spirit Refining method brought him a lot of trouble.

However, this attitude fell into Xue Mingzhi’s eyes, and it was a completely different meaning.

“If her reaching the Peak of Qi Training Stage so young is not enough to catch your eye,

if you accepted such a talented person as a disciple in name for the sake of an old friend, then how high is the standard for your favored disciples who are taught secret techniques?”

Xue Mingzhi’s heart gave a violent jolt, and the little idea of worshipping as a disciple was instantly thrown to the back of his mind.

Not dwelling further on this topic, Shen Yuan looked at the Xue Mingzhi in front of him and said with a smile,

“Looking at you, you must have had a great time since you broke through to the Peak of Qi Transformation Stage.”

Xue Mingzhi showed a bitter face and said,

“How can you not know how 1 came about my current cultivation in this life, if it wasn’t for the Spiritual Tea you gave me, I’m afraid I would still be stuck at the Early Stage of Qi Transformation.”

Shen Yuan lightly shook his head, “I just gave you an opportunity, it was you who seized it.”

As he spoke, Shen Yuan asked the question he wanted to know most,

“In this past month, has anyone from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau come looking for you?”

Shen Yuan knew very well that what happened in the Yunfu Mountains was different from Lake Dongting. There were too many eyewitnesses and it must have fallen into the eyes of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau long ago.

Xue Mingzhi and Shen Yuan have had contact with the Heaven’s Pride Association before, and their identities could not be kept secret. If the Imperial Astronomical Bureau was intent on pursuing them, they would have found Xue Mingzhi a long time ago.

“The Imperial Astronomical Bureau? I heard that one of its esteemed emissaries went to Yunfu Street and protected that group of people from the Heaven’s Pride Association.”

“Maybe it was because I advanced to the peak of the Qi Transformation Stage that the Imperial Astronomical Bureau never came to me.”

Xue Mingzhi scratched his head in confusion.

Upon hearing that an emissary from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau appeared in Yunfu Street, Shen Yuan immediately understood that the Bureau must have been keeping an eye on him for a while.

Perhaps Gong Buhuo’s secret observation of the secret realm was also influenced by the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, but due to Shen Yuan, the Supreme Taoist who survived from ten thousand years ago, they did not dare to make contact rashly.

“Did they know about my identity as the Supreme Taoist early on?”

“When exactly did they find out?”

“At the Cloud Mist Mountain Range? The Ghost Market? Or perhaps Lake Dongting?”

In his mind, memories were being searched for, and Shen Yuan suddenly remembered that when he was leaving Lake Dongting, he felt a handsome middle-aged man spying on him.

At that time, Shen Yuan didn’t look into it further. Now upon recalling, it seemed plausible that he had made contact with the Imperial Astronomical Bureau at that time.

His brows furrowed slightly, but Shen Yuan was not panicked by this.

Holding the skin of Gong Buhuo, who had lived from ten thousand years ago to the present, in front of him, plus one more Imperial Astronomical Bureau, wasn’t much to handle.

As long as Shen Yuan’s identity as the Supreme Taoist was not exposed, everything was still under control, and it seemed that there weren’t many entities in the current world that could threaten Shen Yuan.

As time flowed, everything seemed to lead back to the main mission: the Sect Grand Martial Competition.

Shen Yuan’s eyelid twitched slightly, and his headache started to come back.

Just then, Xue Mingzhi suddenly spoke.

“Speaking of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, they are going all out to prepare for a grand event recently.”

“A grand event?”

“As the return of the Spirit Energy tidal surge accelerates, various spiritual veins and strange treasures have appeared in all the famous mountains and rivers.

As you know, sir, in Great Xia’s territory, the places that can be considered famous mountains and rivers are limited, and many sect territories adjoin each other.

Once a strange treasure or spiritual vein appears, it is easy to have conflicts due to disputes over interests. A slight inadvertence could result in the death of a disciple and set off a war among the sects.”

“The major sects are well aware of the harm of such conflicts, but with the interests at stake, plus the sects’ prestige that cannot be easily compromised, all the major sects are in a dilemma where it is difficult to call off the fight once they’ve mounted on a tiger.

The Imperial Astronomical Bureau is trying to hold a Dao Conference, inviting representatives from all major sects to attend.

Any issues related to unclear territorial divisions and disputes over interests between the sects can be solved through competition on the stage at the Dao Conference.

This competition is entirely voluntary. If after the Dao Conference, any sect does not want to accept the results of the competition, the Imperial Astronomical Bureau will be qualified to intervene and uphold justice.”

Upon hearing Xue Mingzhi’s words, Shen Yuan frowned subconsciously and remarked:

“Is the Imperial Astronomical Bureau trying to expand the influence of the court among the sects under the guise of the Dao Conference? Would these sects agree to hold such a conference?”

Xue Mingzhi laughed and said:

“Indeed, you hit the nail on the head about the issue of the Dao Conference.”

“These sects within the realm of Great Xia are not unified. Over the three thousand years of Great Xia’s rule, countless sects have been secretly bought over or annexed.

As for those so-called sect conflicts, who knows how many were instigated by the Imperial Astronomical Bureau.

The Imperial Astronomical Bureau’s so-called Dao Conference is not aimed at claiming all the grotto heavens sacred ground at once, but to expand the influence of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau in the sect world step by step through the influence of the Dao Conference and the support of some sects.”

“To put it plainly, this is just a play staged by the Imperial Astronomical Bureau.”

Xue Mingzhi said this merely because the Imperial Astronomical Bureau was mentioned, and he intentionally brought up a topic for conversation.

Unexpectedly, after listening to the story of the Dao Conference, Shen Yuan suddenly seemed stunned.

“You said, many sect representatives will participate?”

Xue Mingzhi was puzzled, but he still replied in a low voice:

“To my knowledge, at least more than ten sects will participate. The actual situation may be even higher.

As many more sects undoubtedly don’t want the Imperial Astronomical Bureau to interfere in their affairs, some are bound to come to stir things up.”

After hearing the first part, Shen Yuan immediately opened the sect’s grand competition mission in the system’s interface.

“The Sect Grand Martial Competition requires sect disciples to participate, and representatives of all sects to attend. It doesn’t say that the competition has to be hosted by the Falling Clouds Sect to be considered a Sect Grand Martial Competition.

With the participation of major sects from the whole sect world, disciples from various sects competing on the stage, and representatives of all sects attending, doesn’t this Dao Conference also count as a Sect Grand Martial Competition?”

Shen Yuan suddenly felt a clear understanding in his mind.

Without time to consider the remaining details, Shen Yuan turned to Xue

Mingzhi and asked seriously:

“Where and when is this Dao Conference?”

Xue Mingzhi was taken aback and stammered:

“Cang Province, at Qingping County’s junction of three rivers. The start time should be in a week.”

As soon as his words fell, Xue Mingzhi saw the night sky in the courtyard was suddenly brightened, and a great sun was smashed down from the sky above the entire courtyard.

Under the imposing power of the arrival of the great sun, Xue Mingzhi felt as though all his blood was evaporated, and his soul was burnt in flames.

Inside the room, Gong Buyu looked seriously at the descending great sun. Behind her seemed to appear a cold moon about to compete with the great sun.

Just then, a clear sound of sword whining rose from the great sun, and the radiant great sun immediately dispersed.

A rusted ancient bronze sword rushed out from the raging sun and landed in Shen Yuan’s hand.

Putting the Darkness-Light Sword on his waist casually, Shen Yuan turned to look at the room and said:

“Buyu, come with me to see this so-called Dao Conference..”