The clamor outside the wood shed echoed like the cawing of crows, shattering the dawn's tranquility. Zhang Xiaoshan's expression tightened as he looked at Lin Xuan with concern. "Senior Brother Lin, it's Zhao Hu's gang! They're definitely up to no good!"
Lin Xuan's expression remained composed, yet a cold gleam flashed deep in his eyes. Zhao Hu had suffered a major setback yesterday, and his uncle Zhao Kun had also been rebuffed by Elder Li. For him to resurface so quickly, cloaking his actions under the banner of the "Sect Mini-Competition," clearly revealed his unyielding ambition. He sought to redeem himself on the arena stage—or worse, to strike a fatal blow.
"Monthly Minor Competition..." Lin Xuan searched the memories of his original body. This was a routine assessment by Qingyang Sect to motivate outer sect disciples in their cultivation and evaluate their progress. All outer sect disciples were required to participate in arena matches. Those ranking high could earn rewards like pills and spirit stones, while those consistently at the bottom risked being demoted to menial labor or even expulsion from the sect. Over the past three years, the original body had survived by constantly making excuses to avoid the trials or conceding defeat immediately upon stepping onto the platform, all due to his weak cultivation and constant bullying.
"Seems I can't dodge it this time," Lin Xuan remarked indifferently. He hadn't intended to avoid it anyway. This was the perfect opportunity to legitimately showcase his strength, secure resources, and see just how many "demons and monsters" lurked within the Qingyang Sect's outer sect.
He pushed open the wood shed door, squinting slightly at the blinding sunlight. Outside stood several slouching outer sect disciples. Leading them was a man with a hooked nose and monkey-like features—Zhao Hu's other lackey, Hou San. Seeing Lin Xuan emerge, Hou San's face twisted into a sneer:
"Oh? You actually dared to show up? Thought you'd hide like a turtle again! Let me tell you, Brother Hu specifically ordered us to 'take care' of you in this trial! Just wait to be beaten like a dead dog on the stage!"
Lin Xuan didn't even bother lifting an eyelid, as if he hadn't heard the barking. He turned directly to Zhang Xiaoshan and said, "Let's go to the Scripture Hall."
He needed a more systematic understanding of this world's cultivation systems, techniques, and divine abilities, as well as Qingyang Sect's foundations. The original host's memories were too fragmented and rudimentary. While the Nine Deaths Nirvana Technique was powerful, it was currently incomplete and possessed peculiar properties, requiring other knowledge to supplement and conceal its weaknesses.
Watching Lin Xuan completely ignore him and stride away with Zhang Xiaoshan, Hou San's face turned ashen with rage. Yet he dared not openly attack outside the arena. He could only spit venomously at their retreating backs: "Pah! We'll see how long you can keep up your arrogance!"
The Scripture Hall stood at the heart of the outer sect grounds—a three-story ancient pavilion with soaring eaves and ornate brackets, exuding an aura of scholarly refinement and timeless history. A drowsy white-haired elder sat at the entrance, his aura dull and obscure, clearly the guardian elder of this place.
Lin Xuan presented his identity token and paid the meager fee of a few low-grade spirit stones to access the first floor.
Stepping inside, a refreshing scent mingled with the aroma of books and sacred wood filled his nostrils. Tall bookshelves stood in orderly rows, holding countless jade slips and volumes categorized under labels like "Martial Arts Techniques," "Spellcraft," "Miscellaneous Lore," "Medicinal Herbs," and "Artifact Forging." Numerous outer sect disciples moved among the shelves, some seated in quiet study, others engaged in hushed conversation.
The atmosphere here stood in stark contrast to the outside world's law of the jungle, offering a sense of tranquility and order.
Lin Xuan had a clear purpose and headed straight for the sections containing "Continental History," "Sect Chronicles," and "Cultivation Overview." He picked up a jade slip titled "Chronicles of the Eastern Wastes," pressed it to his forehead, and let his divine sense sink into it.
A flood of information poured into his mind.
This realm was called the "Cangwu Realm," vast and boundless. The Qingyang Sect where he resided was located on the fringes of the Eastern Wasteland Domain, merely a minor sect of little renown. Above the Eastern Wasteland Domain lay the even more vast and prosperous Central Plains, where sects stood like forests and noble families were as numerous as clouds—a true sanctuary for cultivation.
The cultivation realms were largely similar to those he knew from his previous life: Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, and Spirit Transformation... Each realm further divided into early, middle, late stages, and even peak levels. However, the spiritual energy in this realm seemed far thinner than in his former world, making high-tier cultivators much rarer.
The founding patriarch of Qingyang Sect was said to be a Golden Core cultivator. Presently, the highest-ranked cultivator within the sect appeared to be the elusive Sect Master, rumored to possess late Foundation Establishment cultivation.
"Late Foundation Establishment..." Lin Xuan understood. No wonder Zhao Kun, merely a Foundation Establishment early-stage steward, could lord it over the outer sect disciples. In this small pond, Foundation Establishment was already considered elite.
He leafed through more jade slips detailing cultivation techniques and divine abilities. The outer sect disciples of Qingyang Sect mostly had access to ordinary, low-grade or mid-grade human-tier techniques. The spiritual power cultivated was mediocre, and the accompanying divine abilities were limited in power. Compared to the profound and domineering Nine Deaths Nirvana Technique, it was like comparing heaven and earth.
Nevertheless, Lin Xuan did not dismiss these foundational techniques. He understood that learning from others could sharpen one's own skills. Though inferior, these methods embodied the core principles and energy circulation patterns of this realm's dominant cultivation systems. Studying them carefully would not only help him better disguise himself but also foster broader insights, deepening his understanding of the Nine Deaths Nirvana Technique.
He paid particular attention to texts detailing techniques for manipulating spiritual energy, the fundamentals of basic spells, and catalogs of low-tier demonic beasts, spiritual herbs, and minerals. For his current stage, this knowledge proved far more practical than any profound yet inaccessible cultivation method.
Armed with the Demon Sovereign's vast knowledge and formidable soul power, Lin Xuan read and comprehended with astonishing speed. He grasped concepts instantly, retaining everything he saw and applying insights broadly. Like a parched sponge, he frantically absorbed the nourishing knowledge of this new world.
Zhang Xiaoshan watched in stunned silence beside him. He had never seen anyone "read" jade slips so rapidly, let alone remain utterly motionless for several hours straight, seemingly immune to fatigue.
Time slipped away unnoticed as the sky outside the window gradually darkened.
When Lin Xuan set down the final jade slip on "Fundamental Talismans Analysis," he exhaled a long breath. Though he had only skimmed the surface of the first level of the Scripture Hall, his understanding of this world and the Qingyang Sect had grown significantly clearer.
"Let's go," Lin Xuan said to Zhang Xiaoshan.
The two stepped out of the Scripture Hall, their shadows stretched long by the fading sunset.
They hadn't gone far when, in a relatively secluded corridor, three figures blocked their path.
Leading the group was none other than Zhao Hu, his arm still in a sling! His face was dark and sullen, his eyes filled with venomous hatred. Beside him stood not only Hou San, but also a burly, bald youth with a fierce aura—his cultivation level had already reached the eighth layer of Qi Refining!
"Lin Xuan!" Zhao Hu gritted his teeth. "Hiding in the Scripture Hall all day? Finally decided to show your face?"
The bald youth stood with arms crossed, looking down at Lin Xuan with a sneer that revealed his stark white teeth. "Kid, heard you're pretty cocky? Injured my brother and still don't give Zhao Steward any face?"
Lin Xuan's eyes narrowed slightly. This man was Zhao Long, Zhao Hu's older brother—a notorious brute within the outer sect, formidable in strength and ruthless in methods. He was Zhao Hu's greatest asset in this minor competition.
"The arena will decide," Lin Xuan replied, unwilling to engage further. He tugged at Zhang Xiaoshan, attempting to slip past them.
"Think you can just walk away?" Zhao Long lunged forward, unleashing a surge of eighth-layer Qi Cultivation spiritual pressure mixed with murderous intent that engulfed Lin Xuan and Zhang Xiaoshan. "Kneel and apologize to my brother! Then cut off one of your arms! Maybe then, during this competition, I'll let you lose gracefully!"
Zhang Xiaoshan paled under the pressure, gasping for breath.
Lin Xuan, however, stood immovable as a mountain. He lifted his head, meeting Zhao Long's fierce glare with calm eyes, even letting a faint smile curve his lips:
"So you're that certain you can win?"
Zhao Long froze, then burst into maniacal laughter as if hearing the most absurd joke: "Hahahaha! A worthless sixth-layer Qi Refining trash dares to speak so boldly before me? Looks like you need a lesson to learn your place!"
He unleashed a thunderous punch, the wind whistling around his fist as brute force surged toward Lin Xuan's face! This strike relied not on spells but on the raw fusion of physical strength and spiritual energy—a deliberate attempt to crush Lin Xuan with sheer power and humiliate him before everyone!
Passing disciples stopped in their tracks, their expressions brimming with anticipation for the spectacle.
Facing this ferocious punch, Lin Xuan didn't retreat—he advanced! The spiritual energy from the Nine Deaths Nirvana Technique surged within him. A force, though not vast, was incredibly condensed, carrying a hint of deathly stillness and new vitality. It gathered in his fist. Without flinching or dodging, he countered with a punch of his own!
A head-on collision!
"Boom!"
The two fists collided violently, erupting in a thunderous crash!
A shockwave radiated outward from the two combatants, kicking up dust from the ground.
The next moment, under everyone's stunned gaze, the savage grin on Zhao Long's face froze instantly, replaced by an expression of disbelief and agony! He felt a strange, overpowering force surge through his fist into his arm. Not only did it disperse his spiritual energy, but it also left his entire arm numb and aching, his bones feeling as if they were about to shatter!
He stumbled backward three steps before barely steadying himself. The arm that had clashed with Lin Xuan's fist now trembled slightly!
Lin Xuan, however, merely swayed before standing firm, his expression unchanged.
Silence.
Deadly silence.
Everyone was stunned! A Qi Cultivation Sixth Layer cultivator, clashing head-on with an Eighth Layer opponent, had actually... gained the upper hand?!
Zhao Hu and Hou San gaped, their expressions as if they'd seen a ghost.
Zhao Long stared at his trembling arm, then at the calm and composed Lin Xuan across from him. His face flushed red, then turned pale, then darkened to a deep crimson. Shame and rage boiled within him, threatening to erupt in flames!
"You... you're asking for death!" he roared, spiritual energy surging wildly around him as he prepared to unleash his true killing move!
Just as the conflict was about to escalate, a commanding voice thundered like a clap of lightning:
"Private combat is forbidden on sect grounds! Do you all wish to be sent to the Disciplinary Hall?!"
A powerful divine sense instantly locked onto everyone present, sending shivers down their spines.
Zhao Long's movements froze. He forced down his rage, glared fiercely at Lin Xuan, and ground out through clenched teeth, "Kid, you're lucky! On the arena stage, let's see who can protect you then! Let's go!"
With that, he led Zhao Hu and Hou San, both seething with resentment, away in a hurry.
Lin Xuan watched their retreating figures, his gaze deepening. Slowly unclenching his fist, he felt the faintly boiling spiritual energy within him, along with that thread of death energy from the Nine Deaths Nirvana Technique, now stirred to greater activity by the fight.
Far from feeling fear, a long-forgotten... fighting spirit surged within him.
Tomorrow's minor competition seemed to be getting interesting.