Disciple Competition (Part One)

"Wang Beichen..."

Zeng Fan repeated the name aloud. The name alone made him feel pressured. If he wanted to place in the Disciple Competition, he might end up facing its owner.

"A disciple of the Earth Vein with Body Tempering Muscle Perfection? But if my luck is truly that bad and I run into him, I'll still have to fight and see," Zeng Fan said with a smile to Murong Xue. A trace of resolve surfaced on his face. Having lived two lifetimes, Zeng Fan naturally had his own principles. A disciple of the Earth Vein with Body Tempering Muscle Perfection was not enough to make him afraid!

Murong Xue looked at the youth before her. He carried a fierce, unyielding spirit, and the golden sunlight shone upon his handsome, refined face, making it seem to glow.

For a moment, the girl stared blankly.

"What's wrong?" Zeng Fan asked when he saw Murong Xue gazing straight at him.

At his words, Murong Xue suddenly came back to herself. "Nothing, nothing. You're covered in leaves and branches. Hurry up and tidy yourself up. Your clothes are tattered too. What a mess!"

Murong Xue's voice was somewhat flustered and exasperated. Zeng Fan found it strange, but after hearing her words, he looked down at himself and suddenly understood. He patted the dead branches and leaves from his body, then walked into the woods, took a change of clothes from his Storage Ring, and put them on.

"He is a little messy, but he's kind of handsome," the girl said with a quiet giggle, whispering to herself inwardly.

After tidying himself up, Zeng Fan walked out of the woods. His cultivation during this period had also come to an end. "Senior Jade Spirit Flood Dragon, I won't be coming for a while. I need to focus on preparing for the competition," Zeng Fan said to the massive Jade Spirit Flood Dragon.

He was still very grateful to the Jade Spirit Flood Dragon. Without its training sessions during this time, he would still have been unable to grasp the Fish Dragon Dance, let alone cultivate it successfully so quickly.

Upon hearing this, the Jade Spirit Flood Dragon narrowed its eyes again and waved its huge claw at Zeng Fan, indicating that it understood. After all, it still had the temperament of a child; a little coaxing was enough.

Zeng Fan then left with Murong Xue. A trace of reluctance flashed through the Jade Spirit Flood Dragon's eyes. After all, they had spent some time together. It shook its enormous head as if it had thought of something, then suddenly let out a low growl.

Zeng Fan and Murong Xue had just turned around when two white objects flew into their arms. Zeng Fan reached out and caught one. It was a white scale.

"This is... a scale from the Jade Spirit Flood Dragon? Is it giving them to us for protection?" Zeng Fan raised his head. The Jade Spirit Flood Dragon nodded at them, swayed its body, and slipped into the water, leaving behind only ripples across the surface.

Zeng Fan and Murong Xue exchanged a glance, feeling somewhat ashamed. To the Jade Spirit Flood Dragon, the two of them were practically friends, yet they had originally approached it for the sake of their own cultivation. Neither of them harbored any ill will toward it, but their intentions had not been entirely pure. And now, this foolish flood dragon had even given them its scales.

The Jade Spirit Flood Dragon was now equivalent to a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Its scales were impossible for anyone below Foundation Establishment to damage, making them excellent protective treasures for the two of them at present.

"Give me yours too," Murong Xue said, holding out her hand to Zeng Fan. "I know a senior sister who refines artifacts. This size is just right for making a Heart Protection Mirror. I'll see if she can make it during the competition. Once it's finished, I'll bring it to you."

Zeng Fan had no objection. After spending this much time together, the two had grown much more familiar with each other, so there was no need for empty courtesies anymore.

Seeing Zeng Fan hand over the scale without hesitation, the girl felt delighted. To ordinary people, these scales were treasures and would not be handed over lightly. The trust Zeng Fan placed in her stirred something in her heart.

After leaving the woods, Murong Xue waved to Zeng Fan and ran lightly into the distance. A breeze gently stirred her hair, and her robes fluttered. Her departing figure carried an indescribable liveliness and grace.

After watching Murong Xue leave, Zeng Fan turned and took the road back to his residence, silently calculating matters concerning the competition. Along the way, he constantly recalled the cultivation methods and techniques he had learned, considering strategies for dealing with various opponents.

As for Murong Xue, she tightly clutched the two scales, her steps light. Full of joy, she thought about finding that senior sister to forge a Heart Protection Mirror. Humming a little tune, she made her way back to her residence, leaving behind only a faint fragrance, as if even the air had been infected by her happiness.

When he returned to his residence, Zeng Fan knocked on Yuan Jin's door, only to find that he was not there. He was probably also undergoing bitter cultivation for the competition. After Yuan Jin learned that Zeng Fan had gone to practice the Fish Dragon Dance, he had shouted that he wanted to undergo special training as well, but he had not told Zeng Fan where he was going.

"The competition should begin within the next few days. I'll wait peacefully for the notice. For now, I should consolidate my cultivation." With that thought, Zeng Fan closed his eyes and began cultivating.

The next morning, the sect's notice arrived.

"To encourage disciples of the Body Tempering Realm to cultivate, the Body Tempering Disciple Competition will begin tomorrow. Each level of the Body Tempering Realm will compete separately. The matches will be arranged by drawing lots, with contestants battling in pairs. The top ten will be permitted to cultivate in the Quenching Body Pool, which will greatly benefit their Body Tempering Realm cultivation. We hope all disciples will cultivate diligently and contribute to the sect at an early date!" At the Disciple Hall, an elder finished reading the sect's decree and left immediately. After saluting the elder, the disciples began discussing among themselves.

"How have you prepared? You broke through? Holy crap, have you cultivated your killing move yet?" Yuan Jin threw an arm around Zeng Fan's shoulder and fired off a string of questions. He had hurried over only after the assembly was announced, and no one knew where he had come from.

"I broke through to Body Tempering Muscle Mastery, and I successfully cultivated the killing move too. Don't hold me so tightly," Zeng Fan said, somewhat helplessly. However, after carefully sensing the fluctuations from Yuan Jin's body, he discovered that Yuan Jin was also much stronger than before.

"You broke through too? What kind of wonderful place did you run off to?" Zeng Fan asked in surprise. After all, Yuan Jin's cultivation was higher than his, so his breakthrough should have taken longer.

"Can't say, can't say. Hahaha, I was just lucky, just lucky." Hearing Zeng Fan's question, Yuan Jin seemed to recall something and shuddered before answering with a forced laugh.

Zeng Fan knew Yuan Jin did not want to answer, so he stopped asking. Everyone had secrets they could not reveal. The two returned to their residence, exchanged insights about cultivation, and waited for the competition to begin.