First Among a Thousand Sects-I'll Take It!

Li Daochen?

The prodigies downstairs froze, and their faces immediately darkened.

They had just been discussing how to humiliate Li Daochen, only for him to pound them senseless in the blink of an eye. The slaps to their faces had landed with resounding smacks.

But how was this youth from a Lower Profound Sect so fierce?

Even if it had been a sneak attack, Li Daochen had knocked down nearly ten of them on his own. That was enough to prove how formidable he was—at the very least, he was no weaker than Jiang Hanluan or Yu Jinshan.

For a moment, none of them knew how to argue back.

The corners of Li Daochen's mouth rose as he sneered, "I'm here, but you've all gone limp. Looking like a bunch of sorry bears, you think you're worthy of pursuing Nangong Meng'er?"

His words sent the prodigies below into an uproar.

"What kind of skill is a sneak attack?"

"Fight us fair and square if you've got the guts!"

"You think we're afraid of you?"

Furious shouts rang out one after another!

Li Daochen sneered. "Then come on! One of you isn't enough—come at me together!"

"I'm enough on my own!" Yu Jinshan roared. Built like a black bear, his presence continued to soar.

But in the next moment—

"What are you making a fuss about? All of you, get back! The Thousand Sect Grand Competition starts tomorrow. Fight to the death then, and no one will stop you!" A furious shout rang out. Clearly, a powerful expert had spoken.

Yu Jinshan stiffened, and his presence faded, but he continued to glare fixedly at Li Daochen.

"Not convinced?" Li Daochen sneered. "Once we get to the Yunmeng Dragon Grotto, I'll be waiting for you at the Heavenly River Great Waterfall! Anyone who doesn't show up is a grandson!"

The Thousand Sect Grand Competition was held in a secret realm called the Yunmeng Dragon Grotto!

One of its sights was especially famous: the Heavenly River Great Waterfall!

"Li Daochen, was it? Just you wait!" Yu Jinshan growled.

Li Daochen raised an eyebrow. "You're not worthy!"

His expression grew increasingly insolent, putting his arrogance on full display. "I'll say it here and now: first place among the thousand sects is mine. All you Sacred Physique prodigies can get the hell out of my way! It's time the Upper Profound Sects stopped dominating the Thousand Sect Grand Competition!"

Everyone was speechless.

This time, not only Jiang Hanluan and the other prodigies, but even the passersby who had stopped to watch were dumbstruck.

Who was this guy, acting so arrogantly?

He even wanted first place among the thousand sects?

"Who the hell do you think you are? You think you're worthy of first place among the thousand sects?" someone shouted angrily.

"Not convinced? Then come pound me at the Heavenly River Great Waterfall!" Li Daochen shouted coldly. With that, he swept his sleeves and left.

"Young master, you'll need to pay compensation for the damage to the Beyond Heaven Tower..." A steward from the Beyond Heaven Tower came running over.

"Scram! I won the fight, and you want me to pay? You look down on people with those dog eyes of yours! Go get compensation from that bunch of trash!" Li Daochen scolded.

The prodigies' faces turned green, and they wished they could swallow Li Daochen whole.

But with a powerful expert having spoken, they didn't dare run after Li Daochen and stop him this time.

"I swear I'll smash his damn dog head!" one prodigy growled.

Li Daochen, who hadn't gone far, heard him, and the corners of his mouth immediately rose.

This was exactly the result he wanted!

Naturally, he hadn't come to participate in this Thousand Sect Grand Competition in his previous life, but he knew that there would be quite a few opportunities for good fortune in the Yunmeng Dragon Grotto this time that would make even him green with envy.

He didn't know where they were, though. He only knew who had obtained them!

The Yunmeng Dragon Grotto was also enormous, and those who entered were transported to random locations. It would be difficult for Li Daochen to keep track of where all these prodigies were.

So Li Daochen had put on this display in the hope of drawing the prodigies to the Heavenly River Great Waterfall, allowing him to keep track of their movements in advance.

"Hopefully, the three people who obtained the opportunities I value most will be among those who go," Li Daochen murmured to himself.

Unfortunately, he had been too pressed for time. Otherwise, he could have made an even bigger scene.

Just then—

"D-Dust Brother, acting so arrogantly, aren't you afraid they'll beat you to death?" Yun Qingshui swallowed.

First among the thousand sects?

Li Daochen really dared to say it!

"That's what makes it exciting," Li Daochen said casually.

That kind of excitement will get someone killed... Yun Qingshui didn't know whether to laugh or cry, but her restless heart began to stir too. If only she weren't so weak, she would have gone to the Yunmeng Dragon Grotto to join the fun.

I'm so jealous of the people who can participate in the Thousand Sect Grand Competition!

Li Daochen's eyes grew a shade colder.

People would indeed die!

As for who would die and how many, that depended on their own abilities.

Meanwhile.

Li Daochen's astonishing declaration also caused quite a stir.

A window in a tall building not far from the Beyond Heaven Tower suddenly opened. Nangong Meng'er stood there, frowning.

According to her plan, Li Daochen was supposed to be humiliated by Yu Jinshan and the others, and then she would run over to mediate and explain. On the surface, she would stop them from fighting, but in secret, she would inflame the conflict between them.

Then, once they reached the Yunmeng Dragon Grotto, Yu Jinshan and the others would surely go after Li Daochen to kill him.

And Nangong Meng'er would lend them a hand in secret. Wouldn't Li Daochen be as good as dead then?

But who could have known that Li Daochen would do everything himself, and with even greater ferocity and ruthlessness?

After he had so arrogantly provoked all the prodigies, Nangong Meng'er didn't know how Li Daochen could possibly leave the Yunmeng Dragon Grotto alive.

"Still, judging by what he did at the Battle Sect and the Supreme Qian Sect, he shouldn't be this arrogant. Could it be that his strength has soared recently, and it's gone to his head?" Nangong Meng'er had investigated Li Daochen thoroughly and knew he had formidable means.

But in the next moment—

Nangong Meng'er leaned against the window with both hands and gave a cold laugh.

"No matter what he's planning, I'll take his life to comfort Zongyuan's spirit in heaven."

Before long, Nangong Meng'er left and went to the Karmic Fire Lotus Sect's residence.

Compared to the residences of the other sects, the Karmic Fire Lotus Sect's was noticeably grander.

Nangong Meng'er walked in as though she were perfectly at home.

In one room, she met a woman.

A woman as fierce as fire and as sharp as a sword's edge.

Dressed in red with a longsword on her back, she had fiery red hair and eyebrows. Her features were delicate yet sharp, and she was cultivating with her eyes closed.

Nangong Meng'er didn't disturb her and sat quietly beside her.

After a long while.

The woman opened her eyes. A fire phoenix seemed to fly through them, an utterly frightening sight.

"Yezi, after this Thousand Sect Grand Competition, you should be ready to break through to the Dragon Gate Realm, right?" Nangong Meng'er was somewhat envious.

"That's about right. I've nearly built up enough foundation," the woman said, then asked, "What did you come to see me about?"

"I want you to help me kill someone," Nangong Meng'er said softly.

"You give me the name, and I'll kill them," the woman said without hesitation.

Her name was Zhu Lingye, the second person in the history of the Karmic Fire Lotus Sect to possess the Red Lotus Phoenix Physique!

"How arrogant! Even I, Lü Chunyang, am not that arrogant. Damn it, if I'd known, I'd have put on a show like that too! The Heavenly River Great Waterfall, right? Just wait till I come and take you down!"

"First I'll take you down, then those two Sacred Physiques. Then I'll be first among the thousand sects and set foot on the peak of life..."

A youth was howling wildly. The sect elders around him all shook their heads helplessly, thinking that although the boy was highly gifted in cultivation, he was truly beyond saving.

Elsewhere.

In a courtyard.

A youth stood in a lake with his hands behind his back.

The youth was handsome and noble, extraordinary and untainted by the mundane world. His long, brilliant golden hair was especially dazzling.

At that moment, fish in the lake swam circles around him, as though worshipping him.

A golden flood dragon circled overhead, its presence terrifying.

The sight made the youth appear all the more majestic and extraordinary.

An old man approached from afar.

Seeing this, the old man's eyes filled with amazement.

He was Xu Nantian, sect master of the Northern Nether Dragon Fish Sect!

As sect master of the number one sect in the eastern region, Xu Nantian had also been a prodigy who considered himself above all others in his youth.

But looking at the youth before him, he felt that his younger self had been nothing.

The youth was none other than Zhao Jiuxiao!

"Jiuxiao, take a break. Don't spend all your time cultivating." The longer Xu Nantian looked at him, the more pleased he became, and he couldn't help speaking up.

"Cultivation is like rowing against the current. If you don't advance, you fall back." Zhao Jiuxiao's voice was cold, and he didn't stop.

Xu Nantian was helpless, but then he smiled and said, "Something amusing happened tonight. A youth from a Lower Profound Sect beat several prodigies. He seems fairly strong, and he even declared that he'd defeat you and take first place among the thousand sects."

Zhao Jiuxiao didn't even blink, showing not the slightest interest.

To him, such attention-seeking was no different from the antics of a clown.

"Although I know you're powerful, that little girl from the Karmic Fire Lotus Sect also has a Sacred Physique, and her strength is first-rate. There are quite a few powerful young prodigies in this generation. You'll be the center of attention this time, so they'll surely target you. Be careful they don't gang up on you..." Xu Nantian went on and on.

But—

"Sect Master," Zhao Jiuxiao interrupted him and said calmly, "Our Northern Nether Dragon Fish Sect has taken first place among the thousand sects nine times in a row. This time, I'll take first place again and make it ten consecutive victories. That's why I'm still in the eastern region."

Xu Nantian froze.

There were rumors that a Saint Sect had tried to recruit Zhao Jiuxiao... but they weren't just rumors!

The youth before him was indeed so brilliant that his light had reached the central region.

A powerful expert there had taken a liking to Zhao Jiuxiao and had visited many times over the past few years.

"That way, our sect will have two places in a Saint Sect." Zhao Jiuxiao's gaze sharpened. "To me, it makes no difference whether they challenge me one-on-one or gang up on me! I no longer feel any pressure from the younger generation of the eastern region!"

"This time, I'll show them what a true prodigy is! If they leave me alone, so be it. But if they provoke me, I'll be their nightmare for the rest of their lives!"