237: Chapter 236 The Mini-Competition Begins

The next morning, in front of the Red Fire Peak mountain gate, the morning mist had not yet fully dissipated.

When Jiang Hanzhou arrived, dozens of figures had already gathered on the square.

Those figures were scattered in groups of twos and threes; some were closing their eyes to regulate their breathing, some were talking in low voices, and others were looking up at the towering arena in the center of the square.

The arena was built from solid white jade, thirty zhang across and over a zhang above the ground, with a zhang-high stone pillar standing at each of the four corners. Dense Formation patterns were engraved on the stone pillars, shimmering with a faint golden light in the morning sun—those were protective Formations, sufficient to withstand a full-strength strike from a Dragon Elephant Realm Cultivator without any damage.

To the north of the arena, there was a high platform. Seven stone chairs were placed on the high platform, which were the seats for the Elders of the seven peaks.

At this moment, the stone chairs were still empty, with only a few servants busy on the platform, setting out tea cups and fruits.

Around the arena, a dense crowd of people was standing.

There were Inner Sect Disciples as well as Outer Sect Disciples. The Inner Sect Disciples either looked composed or had burning eyes; the Outer Sect Disciples mostly had faces full of envy, stretching their necks to watch.

Jiang Hanzhou's gaze swept across the crowd, silently calculating in his heart.

About fifty or sixty people.

These were the participants for this session's Inner Sect Minor Competition.

He withdrew his gaze, found a corner to stand in, and closed his eyes to regulate his breathing.

Inside his body, that great water-fire cycle was slowly operating. Tidal True Intent and Pure Yang True Intent alternated in his Meridians, while Golden Sharpness True Intent was like an invisible dividing line, separating the two, yet pulling them together at the critical moment.

Deep within his Dantian, that dark-golden three-colored flame burned quietly. Around the flame, the red and blue halo was more solid and stable than before.

Heavenly Fire True Intent, Minor Achievement.

After the tempering in the Ice Fire Two Energies Valley and the refinement of the dragon essence pearl fragments, these four types of True Intent had finally reached a true balance.

He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.

Just then—

A cold voice came from his side:

"You arrived quite early."

Jiang Hanzhou opened his eyes and turned to look.

Teng Yuzhi was walking over slowly. Today, she had changed into the black combat attire of a Black Tortoise Peak Inner Sect Disciple, with that sharp green sword hanging at her waist, and her long hair tied up, revealing her cold face. Her aura was more concentrated than before, and a faint layer of water-blue light vaguely surrounded her body—a sign that her Water True Intent had been refined to a certain level.

"Junior Sister Teng."

Teng Yuzhi walked to his side and stood shoulder to shoulder with him. Her gaze swept over the arena as she said indifferently:

"For the first round of drawing lots, there are over fifty people, divided into eight groups. The first in each group advances to the top eight, and then they face off in pairs to determine the top ten."

Jiang Hanzhou nodded. He had already seen these rules on the rule jade plaque.

"You are in the lower group." Teng Yuzhi continued, "The opponents in the lower group are mostly people from Bibo Pool and Heavenly Sword Peak. Over at Bibo Pool, there's someone named Senior Brother Su Jingyuan, at the Late Yuanxiang Stage, who Cultivates the 'Jade Wave True Scripture' and is skilled at suppressing others with the momentum of water. Over at Heavenly Sword Peak—"

She paused, her eyes flickering slightly:

"Ao Zhan is also in the lower group."

Jiang Hanzhou's brow twitched slightly.

Ao Zhan.

In the battle before the Yuelong Hall, he had forced the other party back three steps. But that was just a probe; the other party had not yet revealed his true strength.

"Interesting," he said indifferently.

Teng Yuzhi glanced at him, a flicker of complex light passing through those cold eyes.

"You certainly are calm."

"What if I weren't?" Jiang Hanzhou smiled slightly. "What's meant to come will come."

Teng Yuzhi was silent for a moment and then nodded.

"Then I'll head over first. I'm in the upper group."

She turned to leave, and after a few steps, she suddenly stopped and said without looking back:

"Jiang Hanzhou."

"Hmm?"

"Don't capsize in the gutter."

As she finished speaking, she strode toward the other side of the arena.

Jiang Hanzhou looked at her back, smiled slightly, and then closed his eyes again to continue regulating his breathing.

Time passed slowly.

An incense stick's time later, the seven stone chairs on the high platform were finally filled.

The person in the center had white hair and a thin face, wearing a black Daoist robe—the Grand Elder of Dragon Abyss Palace, Great Elder Xuanjizi.

To his left was the Red Fire Peak Elder, Fierce Sun Master, in a crimson robe with thick eyebrows and tiger-like eyes; to his right was the Heavenly Sword Peak Elder, Cold Frost Master, in a green and white Daoist robe with a lean face.

The other four seats were occupied by the Black Tortoise Peak Elder, Master Qingxuan; the Danxia Peak Elder, Fairy Ziyun; the Tianji Peak Elder, Elder Tianjizi; and the Bibo Pool Elder, Old Man of Jade Wave.

Seven Elders, seven gazes, swept over the fifty-plus Inner Sect Disciples below the platform.

Great Elder Xuanjizi slowly stood up.

His movements were very slow, so slow that it seemed as if every movement exhausted all his strength. But the moment he stood straight, an invisible pressure burst out from his body, covering the entire square.

Below the platform, the Disciples who were still talking in low voices fell silent instantly.

"The rules for this session's Inner Sect Minor Competition remain the same." Great Elder Xuanjizi's voice was old, yet it clearly reached everyone's ears. "The first round is the group drawing of lots. Eight groups, with six to seven people per group, competing in a round-robin format. The person with the most wins advances to the top eight."

He raised his right hand and gave a gentle wave.

Eight streaks of golden light shot out from his palm and landed in the center of the arena. The light dissipated, revealing eight palm-sized jade boxes.

"Draw your lots."

Below the platform, the fifty-plus Disciples stepped forward one by one to draw lot plaques from the jade boxes.

Jiang Hanzhou stepped forward and reached into a jade box.

What his fingertips touched was a warm jade plaque. He took it out and looked down—

On the front of the jade plaque, the word "Lower" was engraved.

On the back was a number: Seven.

Lower group, number seven.

He put away the jade plaque and turned to walk back to the corner.

Just then, a cold gaze shot from the crowd.

Jiang Hanzhou looked up and met a pair of deep blue eyes.

Ao Zhan.

He stood on the other side of the arena, holding a jade plaque in his hand, and the front of it also clearly bore the word "Lower."

The gazes of the two collided in the air, brief yet sharp.

The corners of Ao Zhan's mouth curled up slightly; the smile was very faint, carrying a bit of expectation and a bit of provocation.

Then, he withdrew his gaze and turned toward the arena.

Jiang Hanzhou also withdrew his gaze and took a deep breath.

Lower group.

As expected.