Early morning.
The thin Spiritual Mist had yet to disperse when the morning sun's radiance already painted the mountaintop red.
A melodious bell rang out.
The disciples of Spirit Void Grotto-Heaven began another day of life.
They meditated and refined their qi, practiced martial arts, attended the elders' lectures, sparred, then continued meditating and refining their qi.
They repeated the same things day after day, until the monotony became unbearable.
"It's the same every day. Can't there be something new for once?"
The disciple standing guard at the mountain gate let out a long yawn. Life felt so utterly dull that it seemed completely devoid of meaning.
"Stop complaining!"
The other guard rolled his eyes. "We've got it pretty good already. Those Immortal Seedlings are the pitiful ones. Every day, apart from eating and sleeping, all they do is cultivate, cultivate, and cultivate. At least we get to come outside for some fresh air!"
"Everyone says cultivation is wonderful, but who knows its hardships? You envy me for riding the winds and soaring through the clouds, free and unrestrained, yet I only wish to spend my days with a beautiful woman."
"Huh? Spend your days together? Brother Tan, you're truly one of us! Some time ago, I took on an external assignment and traveled to Yan State's capital. I was fortunate enough to visit Cloud Mist Pavilion. That feeling...!"
"Stop talking! Someone's coming!"
At the mountain gate.
A figure drifted over. In the faint morning mist, the figure flickered in and out of view, yet moved with astonishing speed. Before long, he had arrived nearby.
He was a young man clad in embroidered robes and wearing a golden crown. He stood as still as a deep pool and as firm as a mountain, his bearing extraordinary.
This person was Zhou Yi.
"Stop right there!"
"This is Spirit Void Grotto-Heaven. We do not receive outside guests. Leave at once."
The two disciples guarding the mountain gate shouted at Zhou Yi.
"I am Zhou Yi, and I have come to issue a challenge!"
Zhou Yi clasped his hands in salute to the two gate guards and spoke loudly.
"What did you say?"
The two guards stared blankly for a moment, exchanging looks.
A challenge? Someone had come to Spirit Void Grotto-Heaven to issue a challenge? Was that even a thing?
The two guards were stunned at first, then immediately grew excited.
"Someone's challenging us! Someone came to kick down our doors! This is wonderful! Something new is finally happening! It won't be boring anymore!"
"Since you've come to challenge us, according to the rules of the martial world..."
One of the guards seemed to have spent time in the martial world, and he immediately launched into a string of jianghu talk.
"Get lost!"
The other guard found it too embarrassing and hurriedly cut him off. How could a dignified disciple of an immortal sect speak with such bandit-like jianghu manners?
"Since you have come to challenge us, Spirit Void Grotto-Heaven naturally cannot back down. In that case, please enlighten us."
This disciple was clearly much more composed. His words were neither servile nor overbearing, and he spoke with complete confidence.
"Well..."
Zhou Yi glanced at the two of them and shook his head. "With your cultivation... if I attacked... that would be too much like bullying. I really can't bring myself to do it."
"Pfft!"
Watching this through the System connection, Li Yu could not help laughing aloud.
These two disciples were not highly cultivated. They had only just opened their Bitter Seas, and their strength truly left much to be desired. But weren't Zhou Yi's words practically fanning the flames? Anyone would be unable to endure such contempt.
"Bastard!"
"Damn you!"
The two disciples were indeed enraged. Roaring, they charged forward and swung their fists.
Their Bitter Seas had only just been opened. At most, they were somewhat stronger than mortal martial artists. They had no divine abilities, no magical power, and certainly no magic artifacts. Naturally, all they could do was trade blows with their fists.
"Excuse me, then!"
Zhou Yi had expected this. Seeing the two men attack, he smiled and swept his sleeve.
A powerful gust burst forth, instantly sending the two disciples flying.
"Ow!"
"That hurts!"
They crashed heavily to the ground, grimacing in pain.
Struggling to their feet, the disciple who had mingled in the martial world clasped his hands and said, "Your martial skills are formidable. I willingly admit defeat. The green mountains remain..."
"Shut up!"
The other disciple roared, flipped to his feet, rushed to the mountain gate, and yanked the alarm bell.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
A rapid series of bells rang out, shaking all of Spirit Void Grotto-Heaven.
"The alarm bell is ringing? What's happening?"
"Could someone have attacked our gates? Who could be so bold?"
"Are the demon clans from the ruins attacking the mountain gate?"
As the alarm sounded, streaks of escaping light rose from Spirit Void Grotto-Heaven and shot toward the mountain gate with whistling cries.
"Who dares trespass upon Spirit Void?"
A streak of light arrived at the mountain gate. An old man in purple robes let out a furious shout, his thunderous voice making the surroundings hum.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Several streaks of light followed close behind, landing at the mountain gate almost simultaneously.
"What happened?"
The purple-robed old man glanced at Zhou Yi, then turned to glare at the two gate guards and sternly demanded an explanation.
"Reporting to the Sect Leader, this man came to challenge our school!"
The gate guards hurriedly pointed at Zhou Yi and reported to the Sect Leader.
"Hm? Challenge our school?"
The Sect Leader was briefly stunned. He turned back toward Zhou Yi, anger rising in his eyes. "This old man is Li Dingyuan, Sect Leader of Spirit Void Grotto-Heaven. Which sect are you from? How dare you cause trouble at Spirit Void Grotto-Heaven?"
"I am Zhou Yi, a disciple of the daoist sect."
Zhou Yi clasped his hands toward Sect Leader Li. "I have long heard of Spirit Void Grotto-Heaven's great reputation. My hands were itching for a fight, so I came here to issue a challenge."
"The daoist sect? What kind of sect is that? Why have I never heard of it?"
Hearing Zhou Yi announce his affiliation, Sect Leader Li was clearly taken aback. What obscure little sect had this fellow emerged from? Or was it some hidden sect that never revealed itself?
This was obviously not the time to investigate that. Setting aside his doubts, Sect Leader Li gave Zhou Yi a cold glance, and anger already began to rise in his heart.
"Spirit Void Grotto-Heaven's reputation is illustrious. How can we allow others to humiliate us? You actually dared to come to our gates and provoke us. You truly do not know the immensity of heaven and earth! Have I gone so many years without taking action that any stray cat or dog now dares to bully us at our door?"
With that thought, a chilling light rose in Sect Leader Li's eyes. Spiritual radiance faintly glimmered in his hand as he prepared to slap this fool, who did not know the immensity of heaven and earth, to death.
Just as he was about to attack, Elder Liu suddenly cried out in alarm beside him.
"Ah! Young Master Zhou, it's you?"
Elder Liu stared at Zhou Yi, his face filled with shock.
"The Celestial Venerable's disciple came to challenge our school? Is he trying to kill us all?"
A storm churned in Elder Liu's heart, and he felt like dying. What did Spirit Void Grotto-Heaven ever do wrong?
"Elder Liu, what is this..."
Sect Leader Li had served as Sect Leader for many years and possessed an exceptionally keen mind. Seeing that something was wrong with Elder Liu's expression, he immediately became cautious and halted the attack he had been about to unleash.
"Ah! Sect Leader, don't!"
Elder Liu suddenly noticed the spiritual radiance that had not yet dispersed from Sect Leader Li's hand. Terrified out of his wits, he rushed before Sect Leader Li, grabbed his hand, and cried, "Don't attack!"
"Elder Liu, you..."
Seeing Elder Liu's actions, Sect Leader Li was deeply surprised and hurriedly asked what was going on.
"Sect Leader, the Immortal Seedlings at the edge of the forbidden grounds were divided equally among our six sects, but there was one more who was taken away by that person."
At this point, Elder Liu signaled toward Zhou Yi with his eyes. "He is the one who was taken away."
"What? He is..."
Sect Leader Li jumped in shock. Remembering that he had nearly attacked just now, cold sweat instantly poured from his body.
"That was close! That was close!"
Sect Leader Li's heart pounded wildly.
"Fortunately, I didn't attack. Otherwise, the calamity of sect extermination would have been right before us."
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