Xu Baiyang said that the Boundless Bright Day Treasure Boat could travel thirty thousand kilometers in a day. Lin Shuguang did not say he doubed him, but in less than fifteen minutes, all the participating disciples of Baojian Sect had crossed half of Central Province and arrived at the competition venue, Jade Void Palace.
"This Jade Void Palace is the Imperial Lineage of the Great Gan Dynasty. Every province has a Jade Void Palace to manage the many affairs of the cultivation world." Xu Baiyang and Lin Shuguang disembarked and walked among the crowd, speaking in low voices.
The one leading the group this time was the seventh elder of the Main Hall, Yun Yangcheng. His face was stern, but he did not suppress Lin Shuguang, treating him the same as every other disciple.
Fortunately, his sternness forced even some of the sect's arrogant Heavenly Prides to act cautiously, afraid of offending this elder who treated everyone equally. Luo Zixu, for example, had stared at Lin Shuguang countless times, but in the end, certain misgivings caused each of his plans to fizzle out.
Lin Shuguang looked around at the Jade Void Palace, which resembled an immortal's domain. "Are they competing too?"
Xu Baiyang shook his head, his face full of emotion. "They are the ones who make the rules. They won't participate in the competition. That is the Imperial Lineage. Back then, even our Baojian Sect was..."
Lin Shuguang had not expected the words "Imperial Lineage" to carry such weight in the Great Gan Dynasty. No wonder the people of Baojian Sect worked themselves to the bone trying to regain their position as an Imperial Lineage.
Unfortunately, the Baojian Sect Supreme trapped in the Demon Domain was far from home and had no idea what was happening to his own sect.
At that moment, within Baojian Sect's forbidden grounds.
The current sect master, dressed in a plain and unadorned robe, appeared there without anyone else knowing.
"Disciple Zhang Wuhao pays his respects to the patriarch."
As his shout rang out, the thick fog filling the forbidden grounds seemed to receive some kind of response. It quickly rolled toward both sides, revealing bronze flooring etched with mysterious patterns.
Sect Master Zhang calmly stepped onto the bronze floor. As he entered, the dense fog once again filled the space behind him.
A stone's throw away, yet worlds apart.
In the blink of an eye, Sect Master Zhang appeared inside a thatched cottage whose surroundings looked nothing like forbidden grounds.
A white-browed old man sat cross-legged inside. Countless rays of radiance shrouded him, and even his veiled aura was enough to make anyone wary. Rather, he gave the impression of an ancient giant beast lying in wait.
Before Sect Master Zhang could speak, the white-browed old man did not open his eyes or move his lips, yet his voice rang out across the entire world. "I already know what happened outside. If he can enter the top ten of the State Selection, that means he will have the strength to protect himself. At that time, bring him here. I have my own arrangements."
"This disciple obeys." Although Sect Master Zhang was the master of a sect, before this Supreme, he remained willing to undertake any task without complaint.
The white-browed old man slowly opened his eyes. They were clouded and murky, yet filled with boundless tranquility. "I have only five years of life left."
Sect Master Zhang's entire body trembled. "Patriarch!"
Baojian Sect had its current status entirely because this patriarch was holding it up. The reason Xuanyuan City had spared Baojian Sect back then, allowing it to struggle on, was also because of this patriarch.
But if the patriarch really... died, then Baojian Sect would truly be in danger.
His cultivation was only at the peak of the Spirit Transformation Realm. Without entering the True Fate Realm, he would not even catch the eyes of the people from Xuanyuan City. If he wanted to lead Baojian Sect back to glory, it would probably...
The patriarch slowly spoke again. "Where Baojian Sect goes after five years will depend on whether this person truly possesses the patriarch's final decree..."
Although this surviving patriarch of Baojian Sect bore the title of "patriarch," compared to the patriarch who had given Lin Shuguang the Supreme Token, the difference between them was simply too great.
One had existed for tens of thousands of years; the other had lived for only several hundred.
Even though the current patriarch's cultivation had reached the True Fate Realm, in his heart, the Guardian Supreme was still an insurmountably lofty mountain.
"I have already rejected two consecutive invitations from Xuanyuan City. They have probably begun to suspect something. The road Baojian Sect must take from here on out will likely not be easy."
Everything the patriarch said caused Sect Master Zhang Wuhao's expression to change again.
"Patriarch, Baojian Sect already went through a life-and-death battle back then. Those people... are they still refusing to let go? What does my Baojian Sect have that they want so badly?" Zhang Wuhao truly did not understand.
The patriarch let out a distant sigh. "After several hundred years of development, my Baojian Sect has long since shed its former state of decline. Over the years, we accepted disciples on a wide scale and eventually secured our position among Central Province's top powers, seizing many resources... If I fall, many people will naturally leap out. If you cannot stop them, some things will naturally be handed over to others. The path of cultivation has always been the survival of the fittest."
"This disciple understands. As long as I still have breath in me, I will never allow those petty villains to run wild!" Zhang Wuhao's face was filled with killing intent.
The patriarch slowly said, "Over the years, I have also made friends with some powerful figures on the continent. The people of Xuanyuan City will have their misgivings, and they will not go too far with certain matters... But you must not let your guard down because of that. My Baojian Sect hides a heaven-shaking secret. As long as we wait for our ancestor to arrive, everything will be worth it."
Zhang Wuhao did not dare ask about the ancestor, much less inquire into the secret of Baojian Sect.
In theory, as the master of Baojian Sect, he naturally ought to know the sect's secret.
Yet he happened not to know.
The patriarch said indifferently, "The days ahead will trouble you, Wuhao."
Zhang Wuhao bowed with clasped hands. "It is this disciple's duty. You flatter me, Patriarch."
"Wait for his news."
The patriarch let out a distant sigh.
It was unclear whether he was waiting for news of those Guardian Supremes or for news of Lin Shuguang.
Zhang Wuhao had already been transported back into the forbidden grounds shrouded in dense fog.
His face was calm. He looked up at the white mist ahead, then silently withdrew his gaze and turned back toward the sect.
The moment he entered the Main Hall, an external-relations elder hurried over. "Sect Master, something's wrong. The merchant associations of the three southwestern provinces have all announced that they are suspending future cooperation. We've clearly maintained very friendly relations with them these past few years, but this change seems far too sudden."
Zhang Wuhao seemed hardly surprised. "The southwest belongs to Shalong Sect. Shalong Sect wants to take control of Xuanyuan City this time, so what they've done is understandable. Issue an announcement directly: from today onward, sever all cooperation with the merchant associations of the three southwestern provinces, and cooperate with the merchant associations in our own province at ninety percent of the original price."
"Shalong Sect..." The external-relations elder hesitated. Shalong Sect's reaction seemed overly extreme, almost as though it regarded no one else. "Understood."
Zhang Wuhao entered the Main Hall alone.
Thinking of everything the patriarch had said, his heart grew even heavier.
A storm was probably brewing.
He did not know whether they could withstand it at Jade Void Palace.
Jade Void Palace.
After the bone-age test, Lin Shuguang parted ways with Xu Baiyang. A few Baojian Sect disciples remained by his side, but none were disciples of Clear Sword Peak, so they had little to talk about.
Other than Lin Shuguang, they stood together in groups of two or three.
Dozens of large arenas stood scattered across a vast, empty square.
Tall walls surrounded the square. Their smooth surfaces seemed designed to prevent something from escaping.
Compared to the crude spectator stands for participants like Lin Shuguang, the opposite side had a spectator stand radiating brilliant light. It was made of a special material.
It prevented outsiders from spying on the people inside the spectator stand.
Such a design inevitably made people feel that it represented a division.
Status and rank were laid bare.
"No one has ever known who appears in that spectator stand, but there was once a rumor that it was prepared for the people of Xuanyuan City."
"If we perform well, we might even earn the favor of the people inside. Then we'll truly soar to the heavens in a single bound."
"Xuanyuan City..."
The crowd buzzed with discussion.
Lin Shuguang casually glanced at the unusual spectator stand and then paid it no further attention.
His purpose was simple.
To seize the best cultivation resources, cultivate the strongest techniques, and imprint more Dao Patterns.
The spectator stand did not attract Lin Shuguang's attention for long. Instead, the disciples of the various sects who possessed Core Realm cultivation drew his gaze.
The disciples of dozens of sects had been assigned positions according to bone age.
Many familiar acquaintances gathered together and whispered among themselves.
"The people from Jade Void Palace have arrived."
In unison, everyone turned to look.
Many people even stood up with a clatter, while the senior figures of some sects took the initiative to welcome them.
"It's Elder Wang of Jade Void Palace, a True Fate Realm expert!"
An exclamation came from not far away.
Following everyone's gaze, Lin Shuguang saw a burly young man in splendid robes walking over step by step, surrounded by people coming to welcome him.
"So young?"
Many disciples seeing Elder Wang's appearance for the first time cried out in surprise.
"Idiots. The more abundant one's lifespan, the younger one appears. This shows that Elder Wang is in his prime."
Elder Wang of Jade Void Palace continued walking closer.
The many disciples felt that this Wang powerhouse seemed carved from jade, as though he were the most dazzling existence beneath the heavens. His eyes glittered like a river of stars.
This was a true True Fate Realm expert.
A true expert who knew the Mandate of Heaven!
Wang Yuanzhi walked to the seat of honor. An invisible might spread in all directions. In the prime of his life and having cultivated to the True Fate Realm, no matter how arrogant this Elder Wang of Jade Void Palace was, no one here would feel the slightest resentment or dissatisfaction.
Countless disciples around them looked on with blazing fervor.
"Hm? Who's that?" Someone noticed the white-clothed youth standing beside Wang Yuanzhi and could not help voicing his surprise.
"Who is he? I don't think I've seen him before."
"Senior Brother Luo, do you know?" On the other side, a disciple of Fire Sword Peak asked Luo Zixu.
Luo Zixu had been coldly staring at Lin Shuguang and had not paid much attention to the white-clothed youth beside Wang Yuanzhi. Only after someone reminded him twice did he impatiently withdraw his gaze. He hurriedly glanced at the white-clothed youth, frowned, and said, "I don't know him."
A trace of doubt also rose in his heart.
He had memorized all the young talents of Central Province. He truly had never seen this white-clothed youth before.
"That person seems to be looking at you?" Lin Shuguang raised his brows as he looked at Su Beichen, who had approached at some point.
This fellow was as arrogantly aloof as ever.
He had pushed through the crowd and come to Lin Shuguang's side by himself, yet stubbornly refused to say a word. He insisted on waiting for Lin Shuguang to notice him and speak first before letting out an arrogant nasal hum.
"Huo Yuyang, Elder Wang of Jade Void Palace's personal disciple. I fought him two years ago."
"You lost?" Lin Shuguang struck straight at the heart.
Su Beichen's brows instantly shot up as if he had suffered some humiliation. He glared at Lin Shuguang. "I won!"
"Oh."
Lin Shuguang's indifferent reply made a vein bulge on Su Beichen's forehead as he once again flew into a rage.
"Hey, you're in the same group as me. I won't hold back."
Su Beichen was silent for a while before speaking again.
"I thought we were fighting ferocious beasts? We won't even encounter each other, so what do you mean by holding back?" Lin Shuguang looked over strangely, thinking Jade Void Palace had changed the competition's contents this year.
Su Beichen's face darkened again. He turned away as though in exasperation, apparently angry that this fellow had made him lose face.
Lin Shuguang gave him a strange look.
What a show-off.
At that moment, Elder Wang of Jade Void Palace stepped forward a few paces, looked around, and said loudly, "Everyone, the State Selection is held once every three years, as decreed by the dynasty. Its purpose is to temper the young Heavenly Prides of the various sects, allowing them to fight vicious ferocious beasts in advance before truly setting foot into the cultivation world, and to experience the might of ferocious beasts firsthand."
"This time, you will mount the arenas and fight ferocious beasts. If you discover that you cannot withstand them, you need only jump off the arena to live. Killing or driving the ferocious beast off the arena will count as success. After succeeding in a challenge, you may continue challenging. Five consecutive successes will qualify you with full marks."
"In addition, no outsider may interfere on the arena. If you cannot do it, admit defeat early. Once you do, even dying in battle will be your fate. These are the rules of the State Selection. No one may violate them."
Naturally, no one was willing to give up.
This State Selection would determine whether they could enter Xuanyuan City in the future. That was a true sacred land of cultivation.
If they abandoned this opportunity, the entire Central Province would laugh at them.
"With that, this year's State Selection shall begin."
Wang Yuanzhi waved his hand. After speaking, he returned to his seat.
This year's State Selection officially began.
The gate slowly opened, revealing an upright Ox Demon. The Ox Demon stood roughly two meters tall, its body covered in developed muscles. Its eyes fixed on the many disciples outside the iron gate, brimming with hatred and killing intent.
"Roar!"
The Ox Demon entered the arena and let out an enraged roar.
"The first selection has begun. Don't delay." A middle-aged man responsible for supervision urged the youth about to enter.
The youth's legs had already gone weak with fear, and his face was pale.
"You're this frightened by a mere Profound Connection Realm Ox Demon? This is your final chance. Otherwise, you'll be judged to have failed!" the middle-aged man said coldly.
Everyone present was watching the youth. Little did they know that because of his performance, even his fellow senior disciples felt humiliated.
"I...I...I surrender."
The youth was eventually helped away, and the first battle ended before it began.
The second person to enter the arena was a blue-clothed youth wielding a long sword. Although he also looked frightened, he had ultimately summoned his courage and charged forward.
It took him more than ten minutes to barely kill the Ox Demon.
Immediately afterward, a second Ox Demon entered the arena.
The competition proceeded in an orderly fashion.
"Boring." Su Beichen spat out two words from behind Lin Shuguang.
Lin Shuguang did not turn around.
Su Beichen: "..."
After a while, he said, "A mere Profound Connection Realm. Too weak."
Lin Shuguang still did not turn around.
Unable to hold back, Su Beichen leaned forward and discovered that Lin Shuguang had actually fallen asleep. His face darkened on the spot.
This guy!!!
Before you continue