Chapter 40: The Grand Sect Competition

"Let's see what the excitement is all about, old ox."

"Moo."

Chen Xun pulled the reins and ran with the crowd. The location of the competition was on another peak, and was quite far from here.

The more they approached the peak, the more and more disciples started to appear. And the trailing mists and white clouds swam near the peak. It was ethereal.

There were not only confident senior brothers but also charming junior sisters with chiming laughter, and many of the disciples were forced to swallow dryly a few times looking at them.

On the other hand, with his straw hat and black ox, Chen Xun didn't attract any second glances.

A stage bordered with nine stone pillars laid out on the peak. Atop each pillar sat an elder. They all eyed at the disciples with unmatched grace.

"Wow!"

The pair walked around and watched the disciples who were scattered around and sitting with golden tokens that had their respective names inscribed on them.

The square was noisy and full of people, but it didn't appear crowded at all.

"Moo~" The big black ox nudged Chen Xun, wondering why they weren't registering.

"Let's see how things go this year, there is no rush." Chen Xun smiled.

He wanted to see the skill level of the top five hundred in the rankings.

The big black ox nodded and turned its head to observe the disciples around. Strangely, its nose was sniffing for something.

Three days later, the major peaks began to emit radiant light, and a loud bell rang throughout the mountains.

Then, low chants started to rise from the disciples around.

**_Boom..._**

**_Boom..._**

Several people soared into the sky, flying without any magical tools under their feet.

And with their arrival, the annual sect's grand competition had officially begun. It was an opportunity for many disciples to see the high-ranking figures of the sect.

They didn't know when, but the mist surrounding the path leading up the peak was dispelled and it was long before all the disciples moved their feet to climb up. They didn't dare to use their flying swords out of respect.

Before long, they reached the apex of the mountaintop, and a sea of people appeared in their view. It was a sight that caused their scalps to tingle.

Chen Xun led the black ox and walked behind the disciples. He didn't dare make a sound.

_My god! These guys were flying with no artifacts!_ Chen Xun though.

The vast and boundless spiritual power emanating from these individuals made both Chen Xun and the black ox sure that they could crush them with a thought.

They broke out of their stupor and noticed that observation platforms were erected around and oversaw the hundreds of combat stages.

Every three combat stages had a Foundation Establishment elder standing beside them.

These elders sat cross-legged, waiting patiently for the younger generation to come on stage.

"We pay respects to the elders and the Sect Master!"

"We pay respects to the elders and the Sect Master!"

All the disciples cupped their hands and bowed. Their thunderous voices echoed, stirring up the clouds and mists and imposing a suffocating aura.

On the observation platforms, thirteen prominent figures stood up. Each carried a different expression and wore a unique attire. Their ethereal aura stood out even in the most bustling of crowds.

They all scanned the thousands of disciples down below with their eyes.

"The young sure are impressive! The Five Elements Sect's grand competition is officially underway!" Sect Master You Yuanhua smiled faintly and his deep voice spread all around. His robes fluttered about without the wind.

Immediately, the disciples shook and their faces flushed with excitement. The spiritual power inside their bodies surged.

The Foundation Establishment elders' eyes gleamed as a jade slip flew into the sky.

"In the sect's grand competition, life and death are a matter of fate. If you are on the stage and can't match your opponent, you can admit defeat."

The Foundation Establishment elders stepped on their magical artifacts and rose into the air, but they dared not go above the Observation Platform.

They looked at the disciples stoically, and with a wave of their hands, the jade slips in the hands of the registered disciples started to shine.

More than a hundred inner disciples stood at the forefront. They were dressed in white robes, and their eyes gleamed as they looked at the combat stages.

The gazes of the thirteen prominent figures on the observation platform also swept in all directions. These juniors were the future of the sect, and they didn't want to see any talents go to waste.

Soon, the disciples took to the stages, and the battles were officially in play.

When the eyes of the thirteen prominent figures scanned over a particular stage, its contestants would bubble with excitement and their battle would heat up in hope of showcasing their skills and talents.

On one platform, two disciples in white robes faced each other.

One of them broke out in a cold sweat and felt his heart tremble. How did he end up facing _him_...?

"Senior Brother Bai... please guide me." He was only at the eighth stage of Qi Refinement, but that didn't mean that he was completely helpless. He wouldn't go down without a fight!

"Don't be discouraged if you lose, Junior Brother. There is always another chance next year." Bai Shi smiled warmly.

His affable smile coupled with his sharp features was a deadly combo. In fact, he was perfect.

Cheers and applause erupted from many of the junior sisters who were infatuated with him. They yelled and called out "Senior Brother Bai!" There were also many junior brothers who seemingly idolized the man, similarly cheering for him.

"Oh, my, seriously?" A voice that dampened the mood suddenly appeared. Chen Xun, leading the black ox, arrived under the shade of a tree, observing these infuriated junior sisters.

He sighed with amazement. "He's handsome and powerful; he'd be popular anywhere."

"Moo moo!"

The black ox shook its head and nudged Chen Xun. In its opinion, Chen Xun was the most good-looking, he only never took care of himself.

Chen Xun leaned against the shade of the tree, fanning himself with a straw hat. He would occasionally pick his nose in leisure and glance at the stages with interest.

Bai Shi's gaze suddenly turned sharp. He used a wind-walking technique and took a firm step forward, causing the platform to shake.

The surrounding spiritual power sent ripples outward, and an aura of suppression washed over the opponent as Bai Shi drew his slender sword.

However, the opponent was not slow either. With a wave, he activated a talisman and several white lights suddenly appeared under Bai Shi's feet.

" An Earth Spikes Talisman, Junior Brother, you're really going all out."

Bai Shi smiled slightly and his eyes remained calm. His body moved in a bizarre manner, perfectly avoiding the earthen spikes.

"What?!" The opposing disciple couldn't believe his eyes. He hadn't even managed to touch Bai Shi's robe.

**_Clang!_**

A silver arc appeared as a sword propelled with spiritual power struck out.

The disciple took a deep breath, bit his lip, and forcefully blocked the sword aura. He was pushed back several steps and a mouthful of blood rushed out of his throat. But he clenched his teeth and swallowed the blood back before balancing his body again.

Eyes bloodshot, he activated another talisman. "Giant Strength Talisman!"

The disciple was unwilling to lose. Since he couldn't compete in spiritual power, he decided to rely on physical strength.

His muscles swelled all over his body, and an ominous aura emanated from him. He let out a loud roar and charged forward with his sword.

Bai Shi's eyes turned serious. He retrieved another flying sword from his storage pouch and released it with a sharp whistle.

However, it stopped half a foot in front of the disciple, blocked by a curtain of golden light.

He chuckled, "Diamond Talisman!"

Under the tree shade, Chen Xun and the big black ox widened their eyes. Others were battling with their spiritual powers, and here is this guy! Fighting with money!

"A rich disciple, huh?" Chen Xun blinked and looked at the black ox. "When can we have this many spirit stones?"

This onslaught of talismans seemed to cause frustration in Bai Shi.

"Moo~" The big black ox made a dismissive noise and its eyes widened, finding it hard to keep up with all the peculiar ways these people fought.

"But Bai Shi's agility is really amazing too." Chen Xun became interested. He actually wanted to learn some agility techniques himself to maximize his speed.

In the arena, Bai Shi didn't engage in direct confrontation with the opponent. He used his agility to evade the attacks, waiting for the Giant Strength Talisman's effects to wear off.

Soon, the disciple suddenly felt exhausted under the effect of the talisman wearing off.

As expected, Bai Shi won the battle without any surprise.

But naturally, this wasn't his true strength; his real opponents were the inner disciples.