Chapter 1473: The Grand Competition Begins

The process took an exceptionally long time. It wasn't until the eastern sky was fully bright that Zhang Jiuxiao slowly opened his eyes, a wise glint in their depths.

"How is it?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"Teacher, my primordial spirit has successfully deduced the cultivation method to the peak of the Saint 7-dan Void Realm," Zhang Jiuxiao replied excitedly. "If I start cultivating now, it shouldn't take long to raise my cultivation level!"

Although the Blood Pool could simulate a year within a month, this effect was only on the primordial spirit; it didn't actually slow down the flow of real time. Zhang Jiuxiao had now used the equivalent of twelve times the real time to thoroughly grasp the cultivation and abilities of the Void Realm. However, in reality, his own cultivation had not yet broken through; he was still at the early stage of the Domain Realm. Nevertheless, with his primordial spirit having gone through the cultivation experience, he should be able to advance rapidly once he begins. This was precisely how many geniuses of the Zhang clan surpassed others.

Zhang Xuan glanced at the sky, confirmed the time, and frowned. "It's daylight, and the competition must have already begun. You no longer have time to raise your cultivation here. Go out immediately! Absorb spiritual energy on your way and strive to break through before your match!"

If Zhang Jiuxiao had comprehended faster, there would have been enough time. But now that the night had passed and the competition had already begun, it was too late to focus on cultivation here. The only way was to cultivate on the go.

"Understood!" Knowing that time was of the essence, Zhang Jiuxiao nodded, gripped a supreme-grade spirit stone, and flew out, absorbing spiritual energy while closely following his teacher.

"The competition is held at the clan's martial arts field," Zhang Jiuxiao said, unable to help himself. "However... Teacher, as an outsider, you probably won't be allowed to enter!"

Zhang Xuan frowned. "Can servants enter this kind of competition?"

"Of course," Zhang Jiuxiao nodded. "It's easy to get injured in a competition, so servants are needed for care."

"Good then," Zhang Xuan said. "I'll disguise myself as your servant and go in with you!"

"But you are my teacher, how can I let you..." Zhang Jiuxiao hesitated, feeling conflicted.

"Even though your cultivation has gone through deduction, you'll still encounter many errors," Zhang Xuan explained. "If you truly want to advance to higher realms quickly, you'll still need my direct guidance on-site!" Although Zhang Jiuxiao's primordial spirit had experienced the Blood Pool and deduced his cultivation to the peak of the Void Realm, making his actual cultivation feel familiar, he would still encounter various problems during real practice. Only with his teacher's personal guidance by his side could he ensure a smooth and flawless progression.

"Alright," Zhang Jiuxiao understood his teacher's intention, paused for a moment, then nodded in agreement.

"Good." With a slight shimmer, Zhang Xuan's appearance changed completely from before, transforming into a slightly sallow, middle-aged man.

While his disguise technique was superb, the Zhang clan was teeming with experts. Disguising himself as a servant would likely go unnoticed, but if he were to disguise himself as Zhang Jiuxiao and enter the competition, he would surely be discovered quickly. The leading clan would have surely been annihilated long ago if they lacked such measures. For this very reason, despite his indignation at the Zhang clan's actions, he could only help Zhang Jiuxiao raise his cultivation and let him participate on his behalf, rather than rushing in himself.

Once the disguise was complete, Zhang Jiuxiao, seeing that even he couldn't discern Zhang Xuan's true identity, breathed a sigh of relief. He then immediately took the lead, flying straight towards the martial arts field.

"Oh, and by the way, your bloodline was ordinary before, but now it's incredibly pure," Zhang Xuan continued, instructing him. "It's best not to use it easily, or it will be impossible to explain!" Bloodline advancement could drive families across the entire continent into a frenzy. If word got out, it would truly be troublesome. Even bringing out Master Yang's name might not be enough to deter them. Since it was just a clan competition, sufficient strength would suffice; there was no need to reveal his bloodline power.

"Don't worry, Teacher!" Knowing the gravity of the situation, Zhang Jiuxiao nodded with a solemn expression. The two then quickly flew towards the martial arts field, one following the other.

At the Zhang clan's martial arts field, all the Zhang clan disciples had gathered. The Grand Elder sat regally on the highest platform, observing all the disciples whose spirit, energy, and vitality soared to the heavens, exuding an invincible aura. He nodded with satisfaction. Normally, over time, large clans would develop a mixed quality of members and become difficult to control. However, after tens of thousands of years of inheritance, while the Zhang clan did have some profligate disciples, the majority were still actively striving for improvement. It was precisely for this reason that they had been able to remain eternally prosperous, consistently holding the title of the leading clan, unshakeable by anyone.

"For this grand competition, auxiliary cultivation and personal talents don't matter; only strength does! Those strong in strength will advance, and those weak will withdraw... You may each employ your own methods. However, if anyone is found using despicable means forbidden by the Master Teacher Pavilion, such as potent poisons or witch souls, they will not only be eliminated but also punished!"

As his voice echoed, the Grand Elder's gaze was like lightning.

"Yes!" the disciples below responded in unison.

In a clan competition, those with Demonic Sound arts, Heavenly Crafts, or beast-taming skills could utilize them. However, poisoning and similar tactics were strictly forbidden, as they would undermine the very notion of fairness.

"Alright, let the competition begin!"

*Whoosh!*

As the call resounded, the eight arenas in the martial arts field simultaneously sprang to life. One by one, Zhang clan disciples, hearing the summons, leaped onto the elevated platforms.

After three matches had concluded, an elder in charge called out, "Ring D, match number four: Qing versus Zhang Jiuxiao!"

*Whoosh!*

Qing leaped onto the elevated platform, his body swaying as he released his power: Saint 6-dan, peak of the Domain Realm! He was one of the most peripheral core disciples and usually didn't receive many good resources. Yet, compared to Zhang Jiuxiao, he was still significantly stronger.

"Where's Zhang Jiuxiao? Is he afraid to show up?" Qing glanced around, his eyelids slightly raised. He had specifically inquired about this opponent beforehand. Zhang Jiuxiao was merely a collateral disciple who had somehow stumbled into the Saint Son Hall by sheer luck, only then receiving an invitation. Otherwise, with his status, he wouldn't even be allowed through the gates! Therefore, in his eyes, this match was merely a formality; he could easily advance without much effort.

"I know his strength; he's only at the peak of the Out-of-Body Realm. Hearing he's fighting Qing, he's probably scared stiff and doesn't dare to come out!"

"He's just a collateral disciple, not worth mentioning!"

"Elder Fengchen, I'm sure this guy won't dare to show up. Just declare him the loser directly!"

Seeing no sign of Zhang Jiuxiao, the audience below erupted in an uproar. "Even if a collateral disciple were to show up, it would just be a formality. It's better to just declare him defeated directly; there's no need to waste time on this."

"Wait for the time it takes to brew a cup of tea. If he doesn't appear by then, he will be considered to have forfeited!" Elder Fengchen, presiding over the match, extended a hand to quell the surrounding chatter and said indifferently. Each of the eight arenas had a presiding elder to ensure the fairness and impartiality of the competition. Since this Zhang Jiuxiao had registered for the grand competition, despite his current absence, they still needed to wait for a designated period before declaring a forfeiture.

"What more is there to wait for...? He's clearly too scared to show up!"

"Waiting a few minutes is nothing. Honestly, I'd rather see him show up and get a good thrashing..."

The core disciples below the stage all chuckled softly, each revealing a look of disdain. To them, collateral disciples held no status whatsoever and were not worth mentioning.

"It seems he truly won't dare to come..."

As discussions continued, time slowly passed. The tea-brewing time was nearly up, and seeing that the area was still empty with no one arriving, Elder Fengchen shook his head and loudly announced, "Zhang Jiuxiao forfeits, Qing is awarded the wi—"

"My apologies... I'm late!"

Just as his words were about to conclude, a faint voice slowly echoed from the arena. Immediately afterwards, a tall, lean, and handsome figure descended onto the stage.