Chapter 47: 047 Part 2

Unwilling to waste time or argue, Wei Mingyi agreed readily. “Fine.”

Yun Wujiu hadn’t expected such a swift reply. Startled, she glanced at Wei Mingyi. After making a Dao Oath, she said nothing more, took out a Jade Slip, and transcribed all the text from the wall.

Wei Mingyi wasn’t idle either. She also copied the Soaring Void Mystic Chapter for herself. Though it had no immediate use for her, she’d bring it back to the sect for future disciples. Relics left by Primordial One sages—best not to destroy them if possible.

The Cloud Realm Daoist kept her word. After copying the Soaring Void Mystic Chapter, she gave Wei Mingyi a formal salute and directly activated her Reception Talisman. She moved so fast, Wei Mingyi didn’t even have time to ask about Cloud Mountain Herb before she vanished.

Wei Mingyi’s brows furrowed tightly. She sighed. “Forget it.”

She’d see if the final reward included Cloud Mountain Herb. If not, she’d feign joining Cloud Realm.

Based on past precedents, Cloud Realm would bring out their specialties to fill the prize pool.

Although the Three Sect Daoists had threatened her, saying she’d offended everyone too deeply for anyone to accept her—which was true. However, people in the Nine Provinces were always masters of hypocrisy. On the surface, they’d still give the Heavenly Dao Champion some face, wouldn’t they?

Only a few days remained until the end of the Heavenly Dao’s Paragon Debate.

On Supreme Peak, the atmosphere was far more oppressive than usual.

The prodigies of the Four Great Clans and the Three Sects had all come out early. Though they’d obtained some Penglai Purple Qi, according to the debate’s rules, their early withdrawal disqualified them from the final ranking and rewards. They weren’t even comparable to someone still inside with just one pot of Purple Qi.

The Guardian Perfected Ones kept repeating the name “Wei Wuwang.” Some went to seek out Wu Chongyun, to recruit her or cause trouble. The Perfected Ones of the Four Clans and Three Sects also tried to make contact, but gained no useful information. So they simply gave up and watched coldly. They wouldn’t break the rules personally, but there were those who’d do it for them. They’d just delay their own intervention a little when the time came.

For instance, the Blood Sun Sun Clan. After their scions had been sent back, their Guardian Perfected One hadn’t left. Because of the Sky-Severing Physique’s death, he harbored a deep hatred for Wu Chongyun. Earlier, restrained by the Major Clan Perfected Ones, he hadn’t dared act. But now, sensing certain signals, he decided to test the waters.

Wu Chongyun was thoroughly fed up with these trivialities.

She knew Wei Mingyi had crossed the Aristocratic Families’ “bottom line,” incurring the hostility of various powers. They wouldn’t act openly, but plenty of people would try to discern the higher-ups’ “intent.”

Yet, to contend for Head Champion, this step was necessary. Both of them understood that.

Wei Mingyi was fighting in the Eternal Cosmos Heavenly Realm. Then she, Wu Chongyun, would handle matters here on Supreme Peak.

She was already sick of the Blood Sun Sun Clan Daoist’s ugly face.

Though this man was Nascent Soul Stage 2, his cultivation wasn’t entirely his own—a Frankenstein creation cobbled together.

“So, they’re going to fight,” the Four Clans’ Guardian Perfected Ones said, seated calmly on the high platform.

“The Sun Clan is still a Prosperous Clan. This Sun Daoist cultivates an Earth Tier technique—hm, low-grade. But can a Rogue Cultivator compare?”

“If this person is connected to that one, she wouldn’t lack superior techniques. And didn’t the Sun Daoist already fail to gain an advantage earlier?”

Bright light to the side; flower shadows flickered in a blur.

The zither music didn’t form a full melody—only two harsh, rending-silk notes rang out.

Wu Chongyun intended to deal with the Sun Daoist and intimidate the rest. The instant she acted, she used a Dharma Talisman.

This talisman was one the clan’s matriarch had granted her long ago, shortly after she’d reached Nascent Soul, for slaying a millennium-old Great Demon terrorizing an area. The talisman was called “Double Brightness,” able to instantly amplify the power of a Dao technique. It was Primordial One legacy tech; no one could draw it anymore, one use less each time. She hadn’t used it then, and no opportunity to use it later, so it had lain abandoned in her Qiankun Pouch, buried deep along with old memories.

A moment later, the Blood Sun Sun Daoist’s sharp howl echoed.

His bloated form suddenly froze.

All around was silence, only the grass and trees swaying in the wind, creating a faint rustle.

Spiderweb-like cracks spread across the Sun Daoist’s body. Like a sand tower in a gale, he silently crumbled.

The four Guardian Perfected Ones, who had been so composed, shot to their feet. The smug smiles were gone from their faces.

The Sun Daoist was Nascent Soul Stage 2, having already cultivated the Earthly Dharma Body. The zither-playing Daoist was merely at the First Stage.

How had she killed him with just two zither notes?

“Hm? She used some kind of profound and mysterious talisman?”

“Private fighting on Supreme Peak warrants punishment. But the Sun Daoist struck first, so it can’t be considered provocation.”

“A Zither Cultivator… Could it be another strong contender for the Zither Paragon’s title has appeared? I wonder what Wu Jianchan would think if she were here.” The speaker cast a glance at Wu Jianhuan.

Wu Jianhuan no longer wore her usual gentle smile. She watched the scene below, her mind racing. “The greatest sound is silence… Chan’er?” The Heaven Tier zither manual of Spirit Mountain was called Heavenly Wind Blowing Sea Manual. Zither cultivators traditionally used music to emulate all creation. In most people’s understanding, the more rousing and surging the music, the greater its power. Chan’er had once discussed with her: Though it was Heaven Tier, it wasn’t truly good; not the sound of the ultimate Dao. She’d asked what the ultimate Dao was, and Chan’er had replied: no strings, no sound.

The Sun Clan’s Nascent Soul Daoist died in the space of a breath, terrifying those who’d hoped to curry favor with the Four Great Clans through this.

Pleasing the higher-ups first required being alive. Instantly, those people suppressed their restless, stirring thoughts.

Within the Eternal Cosmos Heavenly Realm.

After the final obstacle vanished, “Reclamation” succeeded.

The Eternal Cosmos Heavenly Realm appeared on Wei Mingyi’s map. But this realm wasn’t connected to any location—a true “flying island.” It was a secret realm blessed land the Four Great Clans had refined from the Primordial One’s ruins. Entry and exit relied entirely on special “tablet talismans.” Now, however, the control permissions had silently transferred to Wei Mingyi. She didn’t even need to install a Mountain Protection Array; she could control access directly… Roughly equivalent to saving twenty thousand Achievement Points in one go.

The drawback was that it had no Teleportation Array and was far too distant from her home base.

After some thought, Wei Mingyi decided to leave it alone for now.

Whether useful or not, she’d pocketed it first.

Within the Eternal Cosmos Heavenly Realm, a few Daoists with cultivation lower than hers remained, not classified as obstacles. Wei Mingyi played the good Samaritan and very kindly sent them out. Rather than issuing a “mass kick,” she evicted them one by one, to avoid alerting the Guardian Perfected Ones outside.

And outside, the Four Clans’ Perfected Ones were indeed distracted by Wu Chongyun. Although they held the tablet talismans controlling the realm’s opening and closing, nothing abnormal had occurred inside, so they hadn’t noticed the talismans gradually dimming, their light fading.

First day of the ninth month.

The Heavenly Dao’s Paragon Debate officially concluded.

The expressions of the Heavenly Dao Alliance Deacons were unspeakably grim. This was an unprecedented situation.

Name after name of the cultivators was struck from the registry, leaving only one.

There was no need to count the Penglai Purple Qi. The Head Champion was undisputed.

Normally, the Heavenly Dao Alliance would handle the rankings, the Deacons vying for the chance to get close to the favored prodigies—future Grotto-Heavens, if they matured well. But this time, the Heavenly Dao Jade Register in their hands felt heavier than a mountain. No one dared to touch it; no one dared to speak amidst the deathly silence.

On Supreme Peak.

Timing her exit perfectly, Wei Mingyi drifted out from the Eternal Cosmos Heavenly Realm.

All around were eyes burning with hatred and fury.

The Three Sects and the Four Great Clans had all been toyed with by her. These usually smooth-sailing prodigies had never swallowed such bitter defeat.

But Wei Mingyi ignored them all. Her gaze fell upon Wu Chongyun, and she strode quickly towards her. As if no one else existed, she smoothed out Wu Chongyun’s perfectly straight lapel and stared at her intensely, firing off questions: “How has Shizun been lately? Did anyone bully you? Have you been taking your pills on time? Have you slept well? A full three months—did Shizun miss me?” Without waiting for an answer, she added dreamily, “Within the Eternal Cosmos Heavenly Realm, not a single day passed that I didn’t think of Shizun.”

Wu Chongyun blinked. The three months on Supreme Peak had been extremely unpleasant. But seeing Wei Mingyi safe and sound, that lingering irritation in her heart dissipated completely. Even her originally weary eyes brightened a little. She whispered, “Very annoying.”

Wei Mingyi ground her teeth. “I’ll remember those people!” When she reached Grotto-Heaven, she’d avenge her Shizun! She reached out and hugged Wu Chongyun, taking a deep breath. Hearing Wu Chongyun add a soft “Missed you,” she immediately beamed with joy.

The surrounding Daoists who hadn’t yet departed stared, utterly dumbfounded.

The title of Heavenly Dao Champion was supremely illustrious, yet now taken by an unknown, nameless Daoist—a complete loss of face for both the Aristocratic Families and the Three Sects. Someone with such an achievement, who didn’t put the Aristocratic Families and Three Sects in her eyes, must be arrogant and untamed. Upon emerging, she should have been like a scorching sun or fierce flame, sweeping across all directions.

They’d imagined all sorts of scenarios. But no one expected that, under everyone’s gazes, the master and disciple would simply embrace.

A real master-disciple pair?

Murmurs arose.

Wu Chongyun nuzzled Wei Mingyi’s neck gently, then raised her head.

Her cheeks were slightly flushed, realizing the setting was perhaps somewhat inappropriate.

Pushing Wei Mingyi away, she said, “You are the Head Champion.”

“Yes, I am the Heavenly Dao Champion. Shizun, that makes you the Teacher of the Heavenly Dao Champion,” Wei Mingyi declared.

Wu Chongyun laughed softly. Swinging her whisk forward, she addressed the Heavenly Dao Alliance Deacon, whose forehead was beaded with cold sweat. “Announce the name!”

The Deacon Daoist looked helplessly towards the Four Clan Guardian Perfected Ones, but they only wore stern, cold expressions, or stared into space, offering no word.

Wu Chongyun knew the Deacon was afraid. Whoever announced the result might later face retaliation from the Aristocratic Families. She said “Come” to Wei Mingyi and led her, under the scrutiny of countless eyes, towards the Heavenly Dao Alliance’s platform. The watching Daoists only snapped out of their daze after a moment, angrily denouncing Wu Chongyun’s audacity—some even moving to attack.

“Shizun!” Wei Mingyi’s expression changed.

She knew these people weren’t truly outraged by their “rudeness.” They just wanted to make a final, desperate struggle before everything was set in stone.

Whisk into Zither.

One note—those advancing halted.

Another note—Daoists with inadequate cultivation who had recklessly shown themselves coughed blood across the area; others had their protective tablet talismans shatter.

She had already killed one. She could kill a second.

She knew that if they refused to announce the Head Champion and instead chose to silence her, the Aristocratic Families would truly become a laughingstock.

That was something even more intolerable than losing the top spot.

Wu Chongyun led Wei Mingyi to stand directly before the Deacon Daoist. In a voice that brooked no refusal, she commanded coldly, “Read!”

The Deacon Daoist, merely a Golden Core cultivator, was trembling violently.

Just as he was at a complete loss, a fair, clean hand reached out.

Wu Jianhuan, who’d been lost in thought earlier, her figure abruptly flashed forward. She took the Heavenly Dao Jade Register and brought this Heavenly Dao’s Paragon Debate to its heavy, solemn close.

“Heavenly Dao Champion—Wei Wuwang.”

The stone in Wei Mingyi’s heart finally dropped.

Aside from this Heaven Dao-recognized title, the cheat item also responded: an achievement, “Heavenly Dao Champion,” along with a badge granting a one-time lump sum of Achievement Points.

Before, it had always been a miserly hundred points at a time. Now, it gave ten thousand all at once, converting to a hundred Talent Points. How had the cheat item become so generous? Wei Mingyi was both startled and delighted, finding it unbelievable. But on second thought, a single Heaven Tier technique manual required thirty-six Talent Points just to get started. This hundred points wasn’t even enough to fully learn it. For her cultivation, it could allow a painless condensation of the Dan Seed, but beforehand, she’d need to polish her cultivation herself, gather all the external elixir ingredients… Beyond that, the Talent Points needed would be even more astronomical.

It wasn’t that her gains this time were huge; it was that her past earnings had been pitifully small.

Her thoughts strayed for a split second. As she took the Jade Register, a very soft voice suddenly reached her ear: “Chan’er… is that you?”

Chan’er? Who was that?