Departing for Little Bamboo Peak

The day of the duel.

Little Bamboo Peak was covered in a type of bamboo no thicker than a forearm, entirely black but extremely tough.

This bamboo was called Ink Jade Bamboo, and mature stalks were considered a first-tier precious material.

However, it was unknown how this bamboo grew, but its material was exceedingly tough, to the point that ordinary magical artifacts could barely scratch it.

But besides its toughness, it had no other advantages.

Coupled with the remote location and scarce spiritual energy.

Little Bamboo Peak thus had few cultivators settling there, and few cultivators were willing to go through the trouble of collecting materials to refine magical artifacts.

The only remaining feature of this place was the flat and open terrain at the summit, which allowed for easy viewing of the sunrise.

After Little Bamboo Peak discovered a small spirit mine, the Azure Profound Sect, the Chen Family, and the Luo Family joined forces to build many houses and cave dwellings at the peak.

These were for the mortals and cultivators who worked to mine the spirit mine.

The location for the duel between the Chen and Luo families was set on the summit of this mountain, in a spacious clearing with a wide view.

At this moment.

In the surrounding forests and pavilions around the summit of Little Bamboo Peak, cultivators could be seen indistinctly, numbering in the thousands.

There were both local cultivators who originally lived on or near Little Bamboo Peak, as well as outside cultivators who had come specifically to watch the spectacle and join the excitement.

However, the best vantage point was a magnificent pavilion, which housed only a few people.

After all, it was specially prepared for Azure Profound Sect cultivators, and other cultivators wouldn't dare to enter rashly.

However, the duel was scheduled for the afternoon, so it was still too early.

At this moment, neither of the dueling parties, nor the relevant personnel from the Chen and Luo families, had yet arrived.

On the other side.

Jade Spring Mountain, Chen Family.

Chen Heng had already finished warming up his first-tier low-grade magical artifact, the Water-Fire Cudgel, which he would use in the duel, and had prepared ten first-tier low-grade talismans.

Besides these, no other external items could be used during the duel.

He tightened his grip on the Water-Fire Cudgel. He had worked for three months as free labor in the Chen Family's artifact refining workshop to get this magical artifact.

Only then was a first-tier mid-grade artifact refiner from the family willing to refine this Water-Fire Cudgel with hidden mechanisms according to Chen Heng's requirements.

Chen Heng carefully examined the Water-Fire Cudgel in his hand. As things had come to this point, he would give it his all.

Not long after.

The old servant, Uncle Fu, rang the bronze bell hanging on the wooden door and said with reluctance, "Young Master Heng, we should depart."

There was a hint of regret and sadness in his tone, perhaps a sense of empathy for the situation.

He likely knew in his heart that this action was no different from sending Chen Heng to his death.

No one in the Chen Family believed that the unremarkable Chen Heng could defeat Luo Yuyan, the pampered prodigy of the Luo Family.

However, Chen Heng's expression remained normal as he walked out of the wooden house.

The old man and the young man exchanged a look, and without a word, they walked one after the other directly towards the ferry crossing on Jade Spring Mountain.

This time, they would take the flying Yao Beasts specially raised by the family to travel to Little Bamboo Peak to participate in the duel.

At the flat and open ferry crossing, only four people were currently standing there.

Although Chen Heng arrived last, he was not late for the departure. It was just that the ferry crossing was located halfway up the mountain.

The others were all direct descendants of the Chen Family, and their cave dwellings were mostly on the mountainside, so naturally, they arrived earlier than him.

The two in the center were the burly, bald elder, Chen Xingzhou, the Chen Family's Grand Elder, and the lean but sinister-looking middle-aged man, Chen Xinshen, the Chen Family's Fourth Elder, whom he had met not long ago.

Both of their auras were as deep as the sea; they were undoubtedly both late-stage Qi Refining cultivators.

The person next to them, who was older, wore an ink-green robe, and his face was as calm as a still pond. He should be Chen Xingyuan, the Chen Family's Ninth Elder.

The other person, dressed in a green shirt with a face like jade and an imposing demeanor, was full of confidence. When he looked at Chen Heng, his eyes were filled with arrogance.

Without a doubt, this must be Chen Mingyun, the Foundation Establishment seed whom the Chen Family had placed great hopes on and who had joined the Azure Profound Sect early.

"Grand Elder, Fourth Elder, Ninth Elder, Cousin Mingyun!" Chen Heng said with a normal expression, cupping his hands in greeting to the four of them.

Grand Elder Chen Xingzhou nodded slightly, and Fourth Elder Chen Xinshen managed a faint smile.

Ninth Elder Chen Xingyuan heard this and looked Chen Heng up and down. He didn't speak, but his brow furrowed slightly.

He had been focused on his cultivation and was unaware of the elders' decision to back down and draw lots.

He felt that the person before him seemed unqualified to participate in a duel at the early Qi Refining stage.

However, the list of duelists had to be reported to Steward Li of the Azure Profound Sect, and it was already unchangeable.

Chen Mingyun, on the other hand, looked Chen Heng over with interest. Seeing that he was unremarkable, he lost interest.

A moment later, Chen Xingzhou saw that everyone had arrived and gave a speech to encourage morale, saying that they must not disgrace the Chen Family during the duel.

He wasted no more time and lightly patted the spirit beast pouch hanging from his waist.

With a flash of spiritual light, the wind churned, and a Yao Beast with wings spanning over three zhang, a massive body, and entirely green feathers appeared before everyone.

It was a late-stage first-tier Yao Beast, a Sky Wind Vulture raised by the Chen Family.

Elder Chen Xingzhou said, "Everyone get up here! Hmm... Chen Fu, you too."

Without waiting for Chen Fu to reply, he flashed and was already on the Sky Wind Vulture's broad, flat back.

The others leaped up one after another, without any hesitation.

Chen Heng, however, glanced at the old servant Chen Fu beside him before leaping up onto the Sky Wind Vulture.

He thought to himself, Bringing this old servant along, are they planning to collect my corpse? Do they think their hands will get dirty?

After everyone was on board, Elder Chen Xingzhou reminded them, "Hold on tight, the Sky Wind Vulture will be very fast."

Hearing this, Chen Heng dared not be careless; among the six people present, his cultivation realm was the lowest.

He silently circulated his true essence, his feet as if rooted, standing unmoving.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...

The Sky Wind Vulture flapped its wings fiercely a few times, as if gathering strength. Then, its legs pushed off powerfully, and it shot into the sky like an arrow, rapidly flying away from Jade Spring Mountain.

It disappeared into the high clouds, heading towards Little Bamboo Peak.

On the other side, the summit of Little Bamboo Peak.

A sizable white cloud slowly flew across the sky. Standing on it were only about six or seven people, all cultivators in the Qi Refining stage.

"They're here, the Luo Family from Golden Luo Mountain has arrived."

A cultivator with sharp eyes immediately recognized the origin of the white cloud; it was a commonly used flying magical artifact of the Luo Family—the White Cloud Pouch.

Judging by its appearance and the number of people it carried, this White Cloud Pouch should be a top-grade first-tier magical artifact.

The most striking figure on the cloud was the heroic sword-wielding female cultivator on the left, who seemed to blend in with the white cloud.

"Quick, look, that woman in the white dress on the left must be the Luo Family's pride and joy, Luo Yuyan, who possesses a high-grade wind spirit root!"

"Where? Where? Let me see..."

"Don't push me, old man! If you like her so much, why don't you marry into the Luo Family..."

"I'm afraid the Luo Family wouldn't fancy a toad like you..."

"Are you looking for your dead mother...?"

The arrival of the Luo Family, especially the appearance of Luo Yuyan, instantly caused a stir among the spectating crowd.

Not long after.

A low roar, passing through the floating clouds, reached the ears of the spectating crowd.

The next moment, a Yao Beast with wings spanning over three zhang, a massive body, and entirely green feathers broke through the clouds, appearing in everyone's sight.

"That's a Sky Wind Vulture, the Chen Family from Jade Spring Mountain has also arrived."

With the arrival of both competing parties, the atmosphere on Little Bamboo Peak immediately became lively.

Some even started setting up bookmaking operations, betting on which family would win and the score