Three Cities Dao Discussion

Four Spirits Body Refining: the Azure Dragon is in the east, belonging to wood.

Jiang Wang savored the vitality and felt his qi and blood growing stronger. Whether it was an illusion or not, the newly formed Dao Essence in his Heaven-Connecting Palace seemed more lively, which made arranging the array points considerably easier.

Being able to invigorate the body with Wood Element Qi before opening the Heaven and Earth Gate was undoubtedly one of the advantages of the Military School's cultivation method.

The Four Spirits Body Refining Technique used Metal Element Qi to temper the bones, Fire Element Qi to refine the body, and Water Element Qi to nourish the flesh and blood. Add in Wood Element Qi to strengthen one's qi and blood, and it was an exceptionally complete method, one that did not stray from the Great Dao.

Jiang Wang had no intention of switching to the Military School's cultivation methods, much less of trying to open his meridians with his qi and blood. But the increased strength of his qi and blood could also nourish his Dao Essence, accelerating the pace at which he condensed Dao Vortices.

Originally, he could only practice opening his meridians two or three times a day. The rest of his time had to be spent honing his swordsmanship and studying the Dao Canon. But now, the Purple Qi Coming from the East Sword Art had reached a bottleneck. At least for the time being, devoting some attention to body refinement would not hold back his cultivation.

The prospects of the Circulation Starry Foundation Array Diagram seemed exceedingly promising, but it truly was too difficult and slow to cultivate.

Jiang Wang, however, was not anxious. When he was very young, his father had told him that a ginseng root grown for ninety-nine years could sell for a hundred taels of silver. If you were willing to wait one more year, a century-old ginseng root would be priced in gold.

Waiting was not futile. Some futures were worth waiting for.

So even though all sorts of rumors had spread through the Dao Academy—about how Fang Heling was on the verge of condensing his second Dao Vortex, or how so-and-so had already opened their meridians and would soon overtake everyone else—

Jiang Wang still followed his routine, unhurried and unruffled. He rose with the morning bell and rested at the evening drum, never letting up day or night.

The tenth month was also known as Dew Month. As autumn gave way to winter and dew grew plentiful, it had earned its name.

For the residents of Maple Forest City, the most important event that October was undoubtedly the Three Cities Dao Discussion.

As its name suggested, the Three Cities Dao Discussion was a joint martial and Dao competition between the academies of three neighboring cities, intended to let them exchange pointers and hone their skills against each other. In practice, it also served as preparation for the Prefecture Daoist Academy's annual trials in November. City Dao Academies throughout the Zhuang Kingdom held similar events, though the names differed.

Take "North Wind Snow Performance," organized in Daishan Prefecture by Qinglan City and White Deer City. Its name came from the line, "The first month of winter, the tenth month, the north wind circles and lingers." It was far more elegant and charming, and had even become a famous event throughout Daishan Prefecture, attracting many tourists each year. In reality, it was nothing more than a joint martial and Dao competition between five neighboring cities.

By comparison, "Three Cities Dao Discussion" was much simpler and more down-to-earth. There was no help for it: the three neighboring cities were Wangjiang City, Maple Forest City, and Three Mountains City.

There was no need to say more about Maple Forest City. Being down-to-earth was its style. The red maples outside the city blazed like fire, making for a lovely sight, but the only poem with any renown had been written by a cultivator from Qinglan City passing through.

Wangjiang City was all about profit at its core; it simply did not care whether something was elegant. Three Mountains City was even more straightforward. Its people were still disparagingly called Mountain Barbarians to this day.

That was how the three cities had always been. There was not much more to say. But as the years went by, the event gradually became more than just a competition between students. To some extent, it even reflected the relative strength of the three cities and affected how the Zhuang Court distributed resources, lending the event a competitive edge.

This year, it was Maple Forest City's turn to host. Everyone in the city, from the City Lord to ordinary citizens, was paying close attention. The major restaurants had already hung lanterns and decorations, the authorities had tightened security, and pickpockets had vanished for the time being.

Naturally, the Maple Forest City Daoist Academy was holding its own selection.

"That's how things stand." Wei Quji and Dong A were rarely seen together, but neither of them was willing to sit down, so they both remained standing on the platform.

"As usual, our City Daoist Academy will select two students each from the first, third, and fifth years to take part in this competition." Wei Quji had dark skin and a stern gaze. When he did not smile, he was genuinely intimidating. "I'll be blunt: we must win, and we must not lose. Anyone who loses had better not blame me, Wei, for making their life difficult."

The first-years were students who had been cultivating at the Dao Academy for about a year. In reality, the main candidates were usually selected from the previous year's intake, since they had already been cultivating for more than a year. The same went for the third- and fifth-years. Students who had studied for more than five years did not compete because, by then, those who had not made it into the Prefecture Daoist Academy had generally given up on cultivation and turned to enjoying wealth and status in the secular world.

With the City Lord speaking so bluntly, it was only natural that the Dao Academy students below felt tense. Some of those who had planned to stand out at the Three Cities Dao Discussion were already starting to hesitate.

"Each win earns a first-year ten Dao Merit points, a third-year twenty, and a fifth-year fifty." Dong A added the incentives to warm up the crowd, but his expression remained stern.

One had a black face, the other a cold one. They made quite a pair. The two most important figures in Maple Forest City had both, without a word between them, made clear how seriously they took the competition.

This was not only about the distribution of resources. It also reflected how well they governed and touched on their reputation.

Especially after an entire Small Forest Town had been reduced to wasteland, Maple Forest City urgently needed to make its voice heard.

"I'll call out the names now. If anyone believes they're not strong enough and wants to withdraw, speak up." Since this Dao Discussion was so important, Dong A was not going to use the usual self-nomination process. Instead, he called out names directly. "Zhang Linchuan will lead the team this time..."

Below the platform, Zhang Linchuan pressed a hand to his forehead, looking helpless. "I'm under a lot of pressure."

"You're under a lot of pressure?" Dong A's gaze had already fallen on him. With the cultivation of a fifth-rank expert, he could locate the owner of a muttered remark in an instant, let alone someone's fart.

"But I have plenty of confidence!" Zhang Linchuan immediately replied.

Only then did Dong A let him off and continue reading out the other names.

"As expected of Senior Brother Zhang! Even the Dean recognizes you as the best in our Dao Academy!" Huang Azhan fawningly praised him under his breath.

Zhang Linchuan had arrived at the academy late that day. Rather than head to the front, he had simply joined Jiang Wang and the others. Perhaps he had hoped the Dean would overlook him, but he had still been singled out right away.

"If Zhu Weiwu and Wei Yan could both take part, would I have to work myself to the bone?" Zhang Linchuan shot Huang Azhan a clear-eyed glare. He did not want Wei Yan showing up at his door with a blade the next day.

But then he covered his nose with a handkerchief. "When was the last time you bathed?"

"As a man among men, how could I waste my time bathing?" Huang Azhan declared righteously. Then he lowered his head and sniffed himself a few times. "I don't smell anything..."

Zhang Linchuan edged forward two steps, looking utterly disgusted.

Wei Yan belonged to the Ministry of War, so it was only natural he could not take part in the competition between Dao Academies. But why was Zhu Weiwu absent? Someone of his standing should not miss a moment like this, should he?

The question occurred to Jiang Wang, so he asked, "Why can't Senior Brother Zhu take part?"

"Oh, I think he went to hunt down the Heart-Devouring Demon," Zhang Linchuan replied casually.

"!!!"

"!!!"

Jiang Wang, Ling He, and Huang Azhan gaped in unison.

Hunt down?

What kind of fearsome reputation did the Nine Great Demon Lords command? They had wreaked havoc across the kingdoms and committed countless atrocities. They were, without a doubt, the most vicious criminals under Heaven. Even though Xiong Wen had earned his place among them through his cruelty and was the weakest of the Nine Great Demon Lords, he was still a sixth-rank expert who had opened the Heaven and Earth Gate—a man worthy of being called a Soaring Dragon cultivator!

A ninth-rank cultivator established a foundation by arranging array points with Dao Essence and forming Dao Vortices. When the Dao Vein True Spirit darted through the Dao Vortices, that was the Wandering Vein Realm.

An eighth-rank cultivator formed three Dao Vortices and built a Lesser Celestial Circuit within the Heaven-Connecting Palace. That was the Circulation Realm.

A seventh-rank cultivator formed three Lesser Celestial Circuits—Heaven, Earth, and Man—and completed the Greater Celestial Circuit. They then connected it to the body and cleansed the Heaven-Connecting Palace. Only then did the great dragon of the Dao Vein awaken, allowing them to glimpse the Heaven and Earth Gate. That was the Heaven-Connecting Realm.

The Heaven and Earth Gate sealed off the Heaven-Connecting Palace. It was also known as the first great barrier of cultivation. Only after breaking through it could a cultivator understand their true nature and send their Dao Vein soaring like a dragon.

Before reaching the sixth rank, the standard Dao Robe worn by every Dao Academy student could only be made of hemp. It symbolized a resolve to endure hardship and forge ahead through every obstacle.

But once they reached the sixth rank, experts of the middle three ranks could wear the Soaring Dragon Dao Robe. The Soaring Dragon, Inner Palace, and Outer Tower Realms differed only in minor details.

It was a symbol of status, a tangible mark of honor.

Any cultivator qualified to wear the Soaring Dragon Dao Robe could be called an expert.

And Xiong Wen was not just any notorious figure. He was a powerful cultivator of the Soaring Dragon Realm.

And now Zhu Weiwu, a mere student from a City Daoist Academy, was hunting him down?