A Visitor to the Bamboo Grove, Guidance from the Grandmaster

As soon as the flying boat entered the Eight Gods Pavilion, a booming voice rang out from the distance:

"By order of the pavilion master: all elders are to meet at Purple Myrtle Peak to discuss matters. The remaining disciples may disperse."

The grand elder flew off the boat, followed closely by the other elders, while the remaining stewards arranged for the disciples to disperse in an orderly fashion. Qin Yi took a long look in the direction the grand elder had gone. According to the grand elder, the sect's resources would be made fully available after this meeting, so he needed to prepare early.

Qin Yi then infused his token with spiritual power and left through the teleportation array under the envious gazes of the other disciples. After he departed, another round of sighs rose from the disciples aboard the flying boat. Although no one had said who Qin Yi was, they weren't fools. Besides their eldest senior sister, the only person who could summon the pavilion master's divine sense was the final disciple the pavilion master had taken in a few years ago.

Back in the bamboo grove, Qin Yi had yet to enter his wooden cabin when light footsteps suddenly sounded behind him. The moment he sensed something amiss, he struck without hesitation, driving both flame-wreathed fists backward.

Boom!!!

A withered yet powerful palm easily blocked his flame-covered fists. Qin Yi used the force to put some distance between himself and the other person. Only then did he get a clear look at who had been behind him: a gaunt old man was calmly withdrawing his withered hand into his sleeve.

Qin Yi summoned Cangyuan and gripped it tightly. Though he didn't know who this man was, there had been no killing intent in his move. He probably wasn't from the demonic path; otherwise, that hand might already have pierced right through him.

"May I ask what brings you here, senior?" Qin Yi asked gravely. Since the old man could freely pass through the barrier Song Qi had set up, he was either stronger than Song Qi or had Song Qi's token.

But the Eight Gods Pavilion was so heavily guarded that if the demonic path could easily break into its main peak, the righteous path would probably have been wiped out long ago. This old man was likely an elder of the Eight Gods Pavilion, but Qin Yi didn't recall any elder who could freely enter and leave Purple Myrtle Peak.

Suddenly, Qin Yi seemed to realize something. He hurriedly put Cangyuan away and lowered his head to the old man. "Disciple Qin Yi pays his respects to the supreme elder."

"I was disrespectful just now. Please forgive me, elder." That was it. Qin Yi had nearly forgotten that the Eight Gods Pavilion had a supreme elder. His own Cangyuan had come from the man's hands.

The old man brushed back his somewhat unkempt hair and straightened his clothes before speaking. "You've got a good eye, kid. How did you guess who I was so quickly?"

After walking a circle around Qin Yi, the old man spoke in a measured tone. "Not bad, really not bad. This disciple Xiao Qi took in isn't half bad. I just don't know if you're all show and no substance."

Seeing that Qin Yi still had his head lowered, the old man stopped teasing him and said seriously, "All right, raise your head. I'm not that frightening. I'm Song Qi's martial uncle. By seniority, you should call me Grandmaster Cangsong."

"You're the Martial Uncle Cangsong my master spoke of? The supreme elder of the Eight Gods Pavilion?" Qin Yi was still a little surprised. His master was already at the Nascent Soul Middle Stage, so his martial uncle... Qin Yi silently made up his mind. He had to cling tightly to this thigh.

Cangsong didn't answer Qin Yi directly. Instead, he beckoned him over. "To tell you the truth, your master asked me to come today to test your cultivation and see whether you can earn my approval."

"Kid, make your move!"

Before Qin Yi could speak again, Cangsong used his fingers as a sword and sent a streak of Sword Qi at him. Qin Yi frowned slightly and flashed aside, dodging the featherlight Sword Qi. Now he understood: Cangsong wanted him to attack with all his might. Otherwise, if Cangsong got serious, he could probably kill Qin Yi with a single breath.

With a thought, Qin Yi summoned Cangyuan into his hand. Looking at the perfectly composed Cangsong a short distance away, he took a deep breath, shook Cangyuan in his hand, and charged at him.

For Qin Yi to think he could injure Cangsong with his mere Foundation Establishment Early Stage cultivation was nothing but wishful thinking. Though Cangsong seemed to dodge slowly, every time Qin Yi was about to touch him, he slipped away with ease.

As Qin Yi thrust his spear faster and faster, Cangsong dodged faster and faster as well. Spear shadows struck Cangsong's afterimages, but they couldn't touch his real body at all. Seemingly finding it dull, Cangsong suddenly reached out and flicked a finger. Qin Yi instantly felt a tremendous force coming from ahead, and the next moment he was sent flying dozens of meters.

Cangsong stood in the distance and dusted off his hands. "Kid, you know that's not the level of attack I want," he said disdainfully. "Show me what you can really do."

Qin Yi shook his head with a smile. Flames spread over his right arm, which held the spear, and bolts of lightning coiled around Cangyuan. At last, a faint smile appeared on Cangsong's face. A barely audible murmur escaped his lips: "Now this is interesting."

"Nine Shas, Mysterious Fire!"

Since Qin Yi's cultivation had risen to the Foundation Establishment Realm, the power of Nine Shas Mysterious Fire had greatly increased. The sky suddenly darkened, and a bolt of lightning shot toward Cangsong in the blink of an eye. Rather than dodge, Cangsong sat down on the spot. But when Qin Yi looked closely, he saw that Cangsong was already enclosed in a protective barrier.

The lightning struck above Cangsong's head, but it only made him shake his head disdainfully. Qin Yi's expression remained unchanged. Lightning flashed across the sky, and several bolts descended together, but Cangsong's expression didn't change in the slightest. As the lightning continued to bombard him, his expression suddenly shifted.

A red light flashed through Qin Yi's eyes. The next moment, flames erupted from beneath Cangsong and collided with the lightning descending from the sky.

Boom!!!

The two surges of violent spiritual power exploded the instant they collided, and thick smoke immediately billowed through the bamboo grove. Qin Yi didn't let his guard down, however. He knew an attack of that level couldn't hurt Cangsong.

Spiritual power surged through his body as Qin Yi flew into the air and hurled Cangyuan toward the thunderclouds overhead. "Roar!" The moment it left his hand, the spear transformed into a lightning dragon. It rolled freely through the thunderclouds, roaring from time to time.

Lightning flashed around Qin Yi, and the lightning dragon churned above his head. He looked like a thunder god descending into the world. "Grandmaster, forgive the offense."

"Roar!"

As Qin Yi's words fell, the lightning dragon roared and charged into the thick smoke where Cangsong was.

Boom!!!

The violent explosion thundered through the bamboo grove. Qin Yi slowly descended to the ground, his Dantian nearly depleted of spiritual power. He had cultivated a Buddhist body-tempering technique, which allowed him to expend spiritual power so rapidly. For someone else, their meridians would probably have been damaged before they could even execute the move.