Chapter 2061: Qianyang Tower and Ye Tianxue

"Since Fellow Daoist Chen cannot make it, young friends Wang and Wang, please stay a few more days," Grandmaster Taiyang said pleasantly. "Li Ni, please show them around." He and Chen Haotian were old acquaintances. Although Chen Haotian had reached the Void Refinement stage earlier than him, Grandmaster Taiyang had since advanced to the Integration stage, while Chen Haotian remained in the Void Refinement stage.

An eight-foot-tall, burly middle-aged man, with a broad back and strong physique, acknowledged this and agreed. He was the Deputy Sect Master of the Taiyang Sect, responsible for general affairs.

Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan respectfully accepted.

Representatives from other forces presented their congratulatory gifts, and Grandmaster Taiyang simply nodded in acknowledgment.

After receiving gifts from representatives of numerous factions, Grandmaster Taiyang raised his wine cup and declared, "Thank you all for attending my grand ceremony. I propose a toast to everyone."

Wang Changsheng and the other cultivators dared not be complacent and returned the toast, saying in unison, "We wish Senior Zhao further advancement and great progress in cultivation."

Grandmaster Taiyang flicked his sleeve, and a golden light shot out, materializing into a golden giant tower, over a thousand zhang tall, standing majestically in the plaza. The tower gleamed with spiritual light and pulsating runes, clearly a mid-grade Sky-reaching Spirit Treasure.

"This Qianyang Pagoda was personally refined by me," Grandmaster Taiyang announced. "It can conjure various demonic beasts to attack enemies, and it is also our Taiyang Sect's new guardian treasure. On this joyous occasion, any interested young friend may challenge it. The first-place winner will be rewarded with a set of low-grade Sky-reaching Spirit Treasures." His voice, though not loud, resonated across the entire golden plaza.

As per tradition, hosts of grand celebrations would organize a competition and offer prizes to participants as a form of reciprocation.

Having already advanced to the Integration stage, Grandmaster Taiyang was no longer the same as before; he naturally could not be too parsimonious.

The guests attending this congratulatory ceremony ranged from Core Formation cultivators at the lowest to Void Refinement cultivators at the highest.

He intended to use this opportunity to demonstrate the power of the Qianyang Pagoda and, by extension, signal to other factions that the Taiyang Sect's standing had significantly risen.

Possessing a mid-grade Sky-reaching Spirit Treasure as a sect's guardian treasure immediately placed them far ahead of many other forces. Established factions like the Deng family of Xuanyun Valley and Golden Ape Valley typically had cultivators no higher than the Void Refinement stage, and their clan or sect guardian treasures were only low-grade Sky-reaching Spirit Treasures.

"A set of low-grade Sky-reaching Spirit Treasures? Senior Zhao, is it open to everyone?" a red-robed elder with a round face and prominent ears asked with a smile. His mana fluctuations clearly indicated he was a mid-stage Void Refinement cultivator.

"Brother Yunfeng, you are too polite," Grandmaster Taiyang said with a chuckle, his tone firm and unquestionable. "We have known each other for many years, so there's no need for such formality. Cultivators below the Void Refinement stage are welcome to participate. As for those above Void Refinement, you already possess plenty of low-grade Sky-reaching Spirit Treasures, so let the younger generation take on the challenge! Our Taiyang Sect disciples will also be participating."

"I heard Senior Zhao recently took in a new disciple. Why haven't we seen them yet?" a tall, gaunt-faced middle-aged man politely inquired. A flood dragon emblem on his sleeve indicated he was a cultivator from the Dragon family. This was Long Qingyang, a late-stage Void Refinement cultivator.

"Tianxue, come out and greet everyone," Grandmaster Taiyang said with a benevolent smile.

As soon as he spoke, a young woman in a long white dress rose to her feet. She had a cascade of black hair, slender, jade-like arms, and a delicate waist cinched by a cloud belt, her ample bosom subtly apparent beneath the fabric. The white-clad young woman possessed a graceful oval face, delicate cherry lips, and eyes as bright as stars, complemented by pearly teeth. Her mana fluctuations clearly marked her as a late-stage Soul Transformation cultivator.

"This junior, Ye Tianxue, greets all seniors and fellow daoists," Ye Tianxue stated politely, exhibiting neither humility nor arrogance.

"Tianxue," Grandmaster Taiyang said in a clear, resonant voice, "these are elite young cultivators from various major forces. You must perform exceptionally later. While Tianxue is my disciple, this challenge judges only strength, not status. All of you, feel free to give it your absolute best."

"Yes, Master, your disciple will certainly perform well," Ye Tianxue readily agreed, her expression respectful.

Long Qingyang and the other Void Refinement cultivators, witnessing this, immediately understood that Grandmaster Taiyang was not only providing Ye Tianxue an opportunity to showcase her abilities but also formally introducing her as his disciple.

"Count me in. I also wish to see how formidable Senior Zhao's Qianyang Pagoda truly is," Lu Shisan declared, being the first to rise, his eyes gleaming with fervor. Achieving a good rank would significantly aid his succession as the Heavenly Saber Sect Master.

"May I ask, Senior Zhao, if it's possible for two individuals to challenge the pagoda together?" Long Yunxin politely inquired.

"Certainly," Grandmaster Taiyang replied, his expression grave. "However, the difficulty will be doubled. During the challenge, I will cast a spell to ensure everyone can clearly observe the process, so no one can accuse me of favoritism or malpractice. The demonic beasts in each level are identical, but the difficulty is doubled for a two-person challenge. Do not underestimate this treasure; I have traveled for a millennium, collecting numerous unique demonic beast souls. Even if they can only unleash eighty percent of their original power, they are still not to be underestimated." He knew he had to demonstrate complete fairness to gain the trust of those present.

Only a fool would fail to realize that this was Grandmaster Taiyang's way of providing Ye Tianxue an opportunity to shine. He did not want other Soul Transformation cultivators to intentionally hold back their strength, allowing her to claim first place. This was also one of the reasons he offered a complete set of Sky-reaching Spirit Treasures as the top prize.

A generous reward was sure to attract brave participants, and Grandmaster Taiyang also wished to assess the strength of Soul Transformation cultivators from other factions and compare them with those of the Taiyang Sect.

"To demonstrate fairness, this junior will begin the challenge," Ye Tianxue announced, transforming into a streak of white light and flying towards the Qianyang Pagoda.

The Qianyang Pagoda comprised seventy-two levels. Each level manifested demonic beasts of varying ranks, strengths, and divine abilities, ranging from the weakest at the Core Formation stage to the strongest at the Void Refinement stage.

Grandmaster Taiyang made a hand seal, and countless golden runes illuminated the thirty-seventh level of the Qianyang Pagoda. A transparent golden light barrier suddenly appeared, with runes flickering across its surface.

A soft white light enveloped Ye Tianxue's body, allowing her to pass effortlessly through the golden barrier.

Grandmaster Taiyang altered his hand seal, and the runes on the thirty-seventh level flared intensely, granting all cultivators a clear view of the interior.

The thirty-seventh level was revealed to be a spacious, brightly lit golden grand hall. Its stone walls and floor were golden, adorned with flickering runes that exuded powerful restrictive fluctuations.

Following an angry roar, a dazzling spiritual light illuminated the void, and a golden giant ape, as massive as a small mountain, suddenly materialized within the golden hall.

The golden giant ape possessed four golden arms and a single golden vertical eye situated between its brows.

"A Golden-Eyed Four-Armed Ape," Long Qingyang remarked, an intrigued expression on his face. "This is indeed a rare and unusual species. It's said that these spirit beasts possess a trace of the Mountain Giant Ape's bloodline, granting them immense strength. What's most remarkable is their exceptionally durable physical body; even Sky-reaching Spirit Treasures find it difficult to inflict any harm."

This particular creature was a fifth-tier, low-grade Golden-Eyed Four-Armed Ape, known for its colossal strength, thick hide, and resistance to damage from magic treasures.

Ape-type demonic beasts are inherently resilient, let alone a Golden-Eyed Four-Armed Ape that carries a trace of the Mountain Giant Ape's lineage.

The Golden-Eyed Four-Armed Ape let out an enraged roar and spewed a hazy golden sound wave that shot towards Ye Tianxue with extreme speed.

The eyes of all the cultivators were fixated on the thirty-seventh level, eager to witness the prowess of Grandmaster Taiyang's newly accepted disciple.