A Test of Fortitude

Inside the main hall of Spirit Mountain, Zhunti.

It is said that this second leader usually lives in another secret place to study, so his appearance this time is extremely rare.

The old Sect Master Jieyin looked miserable, while the Master Zhunti was somewhat hunched over and appeared to be a head shorter than the average person.

But no one dared to underestimate this cult leader.

A seven-colored peacock, ten feet long, lay prostrate beside him, while a long bamboo stalk shimmering with black light sat in his right hand, and behind him stood a precious tree half a person's height.

The main trunk of the precious tree is made of gold, while the branches are made of silver, and the fruits hanging from the branches are made of glass, crystal, giant clam shell, red pearl, and agate.

This precious tree may look like something a nouveau riche would grow, but it is the Seven Treasures Wondrous Tree, the Law Artifact used by the Master Zhunti to establish himself in the Three Realms.

As long as the Seven Treasures Wondrous Tree protects him, Zhunti will be invincible.

Listening to the Contemplator of Freedom Bodhisattva, Zhang Xuezhou couldn't help but nod repeatedly.

Before the main hall had even opened to the public, Zhang Xuezhou didn't rush inside, but instead chatted with people from time to time.

Such an outlier as him is extremely rare. Most participants stand behind their own team leaders, never like him, who is associated with a bodhisattva.

Xuan Nu didn't discipline Zhang Xuezhou, but coughed twice as they prepared to enter the hall to hear the two leaders explain the rules.

"Gentlemen, after I finish attending the grand event, I'll study with you for a few more days, and the reward will only increase!"

Zhang Xuezhou patted his chest and made a guarantee. After Contemplator of Freedom Bodhisattva and others awkwardly agreed, and with many monks looking at him, Zhang Xuezhou strode away.

"Holy Son, what should we do?!"

As Zhang Xuezhou rejoined the queue, Cai Ma asked a question with a look of utter despair.

Before the Kunlun home game started, Cai Ma was in despair. After all, she was expected to shoulder the heavy responsibility alone and was being instructed by the somewhat sullen Emperor, which put her under immense pressure.

Before the start of the main event at Spirit Mountain, Cai Ma was also in despair. This time, there was no Emperor to put pressure on her, but Cai Ma also knew that Zhang Xuezhou was about to be defeated, and things still fell to her alone.

Cai Ma felt she couldn't shoulder the heavy responsibility of the Kunlun Sacred Land; her only skill was dragging someone down with her.

"What do you mean, 'what to do'? Why are you so concerned about winning and losing? Can't we be more peaceful?" Zhang Xuezhou scolded. "Killing or injuring people is no good. If others give us a break, we must give them a much bigger break!"

"Oh!"

"So what if we lose? Everyone here at the Centennial Pact is a hero. Is it shameful to lose to them?"

"It's not shameful!"

"Don't bother arguing about being first, second, or third. It's useless to us, and you won't get any benefit even if you win!"

Knowing that his participation in the event would mean certain failure, Zhang Xuezhou could only make empty threats beforehand, doing everything possible to make Cai Ma and himself appear harmless.

If this grand event could be held again, Zhang Xuezhou would very much like to say that this is the first one.

Given Kunlun's record, his reputation among the contestants is clearly quite poor.

Some contestants listened intently, while others casually spat on the ground, clearly no longer believing any of this "old sage's" nonsense.

Zhang Xuezhou was also at a loss. If he had to fight each other in Spirit Mountain, Zhang Xuezhou hoped to lie down in Contemplator of Freedom Bodhisattva's thatched hut before logging off, and then lie there for twelve days.

This was the only relatively safe base Zhang Xuezhou had found in Spirit Mountain. Due to the entanglement of their interests, Contemplator of Freedom Bodhisattva and others would offer some assistance, at most allowing the Western Sect disciples to pass through.

Whether Cai Ma can withstand the pressure from the Buddhist disciples depends on his ability.

Zhang Xuezhou was making calculations in his mind while waiting for the opening ceremony in the main hall.

The time was short, and team leaders and participants from all over Spirit Mountain gradually gathered together, and some familiar faces also appeared.

"Kong Ning has come to Spirit Mountain. Would you like to become a protector under my command?"

As the musical instruments finished playing, the Zhunti voice of the Master Zhunti could be heard from inside the hall.

"Second Master, Kunlun Heavenly Court..."

"I'm asking about Kong Ning, so you white-feathered duck, don't interrupt!"

Just as the Demon King Feiyu was about to speak in response, a beam of dark light shot out from the main hall. The Demon King Feiyu's body immediately froze, and he stood there motionless, even though his mouth was still in the position of not finishing speaking.

Zhang Xuezhou's eyes narrowed involuntarily as he watched, a chilling feeling of being pricked by a sharp blade quickly rising in his heart.

He had always felt that the Emperor and Empress were somewhat domineering, and Zhu Jiuyin also had an autocratic style that did not tolerate opposition, but compared to the leader of the Zhunti, the attitude of the Emperor and others was undoubtedly extremely gentle.

Without equal cultivation and strength, someone Zhunti wouldn't even glance down.

As for what he might kill or what grudges he might cause when he strikes, Master Zhunti doesn't care.

"Zhunti, I have come here to defeat the Buddhist disciple of the Western Sect, and then use the victory to make demands to rescue my father!"

Kong Ning's eyes also showed a hint of panic, but as soon as she saw the seven-colored peacock crawling beside the leader of the Zhunti hall, her gaze calmed down and she tried her best to express her thoughts.

"I'm getting old and my health is failing, and I'm becoming increasingly dependent on the Peacock Great Wisdom King," said Master Zhunti a smile. "Your request won't count!"

"My request is not excessive, and it falls within the scope of the century-long agreement," Kong Ning said through gritted teeth.

"If we can't win, then we're not in the right category!"

The leader of the Zhunti shook his head, indicating that Kong Ning's wish would be difficult to fulfill.

After he finished speaking with the familiar face, he tapped the ground with the long bamboo stick in his right hand, and the dazed Demon King Feiyu came back to his senses as if waking from a dream.

After the brief instruction, no one dared to speak out of turn, and even the Mystic Maiden frowned.

"This was just a little joke among regular customers, please don't take it seriously. Now, I will announce the rules," the Sect Master Jieyin said. "The Kunlun Sacred Land has used 'luck' to pose a question, and we, the Western Sect, will use 'compassion' as our question!"

"This question is very simple," Master Zhunti nodded and said, "At the summit of Spirit Mountain, there is a wind cave. This wind cave contains a wisp of fierce wind, which is particularly detrimental to the physical body. Whoever can endure in the wind cave the longest will get the highest score in our Spirit Mountain home arena, and the rest will be ranked according to the length of time, which will determine the number of points awarded!"

The two leaders briefly announced the topic for the Spirit Mountain event, and their words drew considerable attention from the crowd.

Having prepared for battle and slaughter, they were then presented with a test of their composure, leaving everyone momentarily stunned.

"This is still a matter of direct confrontation. All we need to do is attack our opponents in the Wind Cave, making it difficult for them to hold on, and the remaining people will improve their rankings. This kind of confrontation will be much more direct!"

A few moments later, some people began to whisper among themselves.

Zhang Xuezhou also offered some reminders to Cai Ma.

It seems to test one's composure, but in reality, it tests one's practical skills.

This assessment is somewhat targeted at Cai Ma, meaning that Cai Ma, who is only skilled in Fate Technique, may face elimination in the early stages.

For Zhang Xuezhou, whose time was nearing its end, this also meant big trouble.