Chapter 1702: Champion

“You're here,” Zu An said with an awkward laugh. “That Yun Jianyue is truly cunning; she actually kidnapped her in advance to secure her disciple's victory.”

Pei Mianman was also startled, instantly leaving Zu An's embrace. For some reason, seeing Chu Chuyan always made her flustered.

She then thought, *I've spent more time with Zu An, so why do I feel guilty?*

While logically it made sense, the feeling of guilt was undeniably real.

Yan Xuehen smiled faintly, “If that demoness knew you were talking about her like this behind her back, she'd probably come to settle scores.”

“With Sister Yan protecting me, I'm not afraid of her,” Zu An thought to himself. He still hadn't settled scores with Yun Jianyue; yesterday, they had indulged in passionate lovemaking in this very room, unlocking all sorts of difficult positions, yet she hadn't told him Mianman was also hidden there.

A hint of surprise flickered in Chu Chuyan's eyes. Although she had heard her master mention their experiences in the demon race, their tone with each other seemed far too familiar.

However, she didn't dwell on it. Instead, she went to help Pei Mianman up, asking if she had any injuries or ailments, as Pei Mianman was, after all, one of her few friends over the years.

Feeling the concern in Chu Chuyan's voice, Pei Mianman secretly sighed. *Chuyan, if only you were a little bit worse, I wouldn't have to be so conflicted.*

At that moment, other people from the Daoist sects also arrived. Grandmaster Huoling, having received the news, burst in frantically. Seeing Pei Mianman safe and sound, she rushed forward and hugged her tightly, too emotional to speak.

Seeing the faint tears welling in Grandmaster Huoling's eyes, Zu An thought to himself that he had previously harbored some dissatisfaction towards her, but she truly cared for Mianman.

Mianman's background was unique; although she was from the Pei clan, she had rarely experienced the warmth of familial affection.

“Now that the demoness of the Demonic Sect's plot has been foiled and Miss Pei has been found, everyone is delighted,” Guan Chouhai said with a smile. He quickly thought of another problem: “But how should we decide the champion of this grand competition?”

Grandmaster Huoling glared. “My Mianman has reached the finals, and her opponent, the demoness of the Demonic Sect, ran away. Naturally, the champion is Mianman's.”

At this point, Feng Wuchang said, “That doesn't seem right. In my opinion, the last person to fight the demoness should be the substitute. Wu Xiaofan's character and cultivation are well-known to everyone. I think it would be more appropriate for him to enter the finals in place of Qiu Honglei.”

Cave Master Mu said in a deep voice, “Shi Tingtian from our Taixuan Cave also only lost to that demoness. Why can Wu Xiaofan directly enter the finals as a substitute, but our Shi Tingtian cannot?”

Wang Wuxie finally spoke up: “We can have Wu Xiaofan and Shi Tingtian fight each other. Whoever wins enters the finals.”

At this, Wan Tongtian sneered, “What a joke. Everyone has an excuse. Can't I also say that Wan Guiyi lost to Wu Xiaofan initially because he was severely injured beforehand? In a fair fight, he might not have lost. Since we're restarting, why not let Wan Guiyi fight too?”

Hearing him, people from other factions also started clamoring. The room quickly became as noisy as a marketplace.

Xie Daoyun, huddled in a corner, quietly stuck out her tongue. Before coming to Purple Mountain, she had thought these Daoist elders were all serene and ethereal figures. After getting to know them, however, she realized they weren't much different from the common vendors and peddlers in a marketplace.

Li Changsheng lightly coughed, “In my opinion, why not let Chu Chuyan take the demoness's spot and fight Miss Pei?”

His disciple, Lou Wucheng, had previously lost to Shi Tingtian in a fair fight, so he had no standing to propose a rematch.

But Chu Chuyan was also from White Jade Capital. As long as the champion title and the Wordless Heavenly Book were brought back to their sect, it would still keep the prize within their own faction.

As soon as he said this, the scene immediately quieted down. They quickly realized that Chu Chuyan was indeed the most suitable candidate.

Firstly, her popularity among the Daoist sects had always been high. Secondly, everyone had witnessed her recent fierce battle with Qiu Honglei, so there was no doubt about her strength.

Just then, Chu Chuyan spoke up, “I don't want to participate in the competition. My previous task was to duel with the Demonic Sect's Saintess, and I have completed my task.”

Whether it was because of Zu An or her relationship with Pei Mianman, she didn't want to fight this match, as it would spoil their harmony.

Pei Mianman paused at her words, her gaze towards Chu Chuyan immediately becoming complicated.

Hearing that she didn't want to fight, many people immediately became anxious and urged her to change her mind.

However, Chu Chuyan remained as unyielding as ice. No matter how these people tried to persuade her, she showed no reaction.

“Since Chuyan is unwilling, don't force her,” Yan Xuehen said. She naturally understood her disciple's thoughts and mused that Zu An was quite fortunate; even though the women around him might squabble, at heart they were quite kind.

Hearing her words, the others backed down and no longer pressed the issue.

Only Guan Chouhai mumbled, “But if Miss Chu doesn't participate, it will be hard to find another candidate who will satisfy everyone.”

Zu An chuckled, “What's so difficult about that? Just let Miss Pei be the champion.”

Pei Mianman's face flushed. If not for everyone watching, she might have already tugged on his sleeve. She hadn't even thought about taking first place herself.

Guan Chouhai replied discontentedly, “Although Miss Pei's cultivation is not weak, her progression to this point has been entirely due to byes, relying on luck. That won't convince everyone.”

Grandmaster Huoling was displeased. “Hmph, her defeat of your disciple was a genuine win, undeniable. Are you implying your disciple is much weaker than the other chief disciples?”

Guan Chouhai immediately choked, while Zhi Yin's face was also full of resentment. He had just managed to recover from his previous defeat, only to have it dragged up again.

Zu An said, “What's wrong with relying on luck? Cultivation depends on personal effort, and also on luck. Miss Pei's defeat of Zhi Yin proved her strength, and her numerous byes demonstrate her extraordinary fortune, clearly indicating a boundless future. Choosing her as champion definitely won't diminish the prestige of your Daoist sects.”

Seeing others still hesitate, Zu An added, “If you let Wu Xiaofan, Shi Tingtian, and others who genuinely lost to Qiu Honglei become the champions of the Daoist sects, wouldn't the Demonic Sect mock you relentlessly afterwards?”

Hearing him, the Daoist adherents realized the truth and no longer harbored thoughts of contention.

Thus, Pei Mianman inexplicably became the champion of this Daoist grand competition. Perhaps because her victory wasn't achieved through actual combat, the award ceremony was noticeably subdued.

Everyone's reaction was less enthusiastic than expected. Many disciples were actually unconvinced by Pei Mianman's win, as she had only fought one strong opponent—Zhi Yin—from beginning to end, while other chief disciples had endured arduous battles throughout.

Sensing the resentment directed at her from all directions, Zhi Yin felt even more resentful. However, he then reconsidered: his only loss was to the current champion, which suddenly seemed less difficult to accept.

At the award ceremony, Wang Wuxie distributed various rare treasures and prizes to the top ten contestants. Although those items were precious, they held little appeal for Zu An in his current state.

Knowing that the Daoist sects had handed the Wordless Heavenly Book over to Biluo Palace, Zu An paid closer attention.

The book appeared unremarkable on the outside; its material was unknown, and it even looked like a book carved from stone. With his current divine sense, he could perceive the area around Pei Mianman.

Indeed, there wasn't a single word on the book, but its entire form exuded a profound and mysterious rhythm.

He pondered finding an opportunity to examine it up close, to see if he could gain any insights.

In contrast, the reactions of other Daoist individuals were much calmer. After all, the Wordless Heavenly Book had circulated among the Daoist sects for over a thousand years. Over these centuries, countless brilliant individuals had failed to unravel its secrets, and many even suspected that the book held no secrets to begin with.

The young monk Jie Se asked the old monk beside him, “Master, do you know the secret of the Daoist Wordless Heavenly Book?”

“If I knew, I'd be the leader of the Daoist sects,” Master Jian Huang said grumpily, seemingly annoyed that his disciple had asked such a foolish question.

“Does our Buddhist sect have anything comparable to the Daoist Wordless Heavenly Book?” Monk Jie Se asked, gazing at the distant Heavenly Book with immense envy.

“Of course,” Master Jian Huang's expression suddenly dimmed. “The Bodhi Leaf Sutra is an existence renowned alongside the Daoist Wordless Heavenly Book. It's just a pity that even I have only heard its name and never seen the actual item. In fact, it's likely no Buddhist disciple in this world has ever truly seen it.”