Chapter 219: Continuing to Apply Pressure (3/3)

“Young Master Xiao.” Having listened to Xiao Yulu’s analysis of the contestants and the match dynamics yesterday, Mu Donglai held him in great esteem. He now seated himself nearby and inquired, “Regarding today’s matches, what are your insights?”

Hearing Mu Donglai’s inquiry, Lan Mo, Jun Yangzi, Li Haoran, Song Qingfeng, and the others in the vicinity all turned their gazes toward them.

Even several instructors from the Lingyun Academy, including Mu Hongzhu, along with the non-competing disciples from the other two academies, directed their attention over.

By this time, Xiao Yulu had clearly taken yesterday’s lesson to heart, resolutely refraining from casually predicting victory or defeat. As he popped a segment of spirit fruit into his mouth, he looked wistfully at the others who were devouring spicy sticks, and began to speak: “From what I gather, although Boss Fang established a rule dictating that no faction may recruit more than a single external aid—resulting in the expert players being dispersed, with no single team possessing absolute dominance—there remain a few teams of considerable caliber.”

“Within the Lingyun Academy alone, there are at least two formidable squads. One is the Lingyun Team, spearheaded by the young mistress of the Nalan clan. The other is the Lingyun Number Two Team, composed of the young master of the Xi clan from Mistress Nalan’s own class. This latter team has practically absorbed the remaining experts of the Lingyun Academy, such as Guo Xiong, who clinched the top spot on the Heavenly Rankings during the previous national examinations. These individuals belong to the very first vanguard of firearm players, and their proficiency in utilizing such weapons is unmatched.”

“And of a similar nature, there is a team composed of independent martial artists whose strength appears quite impressive, though I am not particularly well-acquainted with that side.”

“The team from our Liuyun Daoist Palace is, naturally, no slouch either!” Xiao Yulu added immediately after.

“What is your assessment of the Royal Team?” Mu Donglai inquired.

After all, he hailed from the imperial capital.

“The Royal Team…” Xiao Yulu snapped his folding fan shut and spoke with practiced eloquence, “Judging by my observations over the past few days, although they initially had scarcely any contact with firearms, their training during these few days has yielded some fruit…”

“However…” He shifted the tone of his words, “In today’s qualifiers, it appears one of their members has been replaced by a substitute?”

“…Indeed, someone failed to arrive.” Mu Donglai nodded, glancing at the time, noting that the imperial court session had only just concluded.

Xiao Yulu shook his head and remarked, “If this persists, I fear even securing a place in the top sixteen might be somewhat precarious.”

“Then… what of our Blue Flame Team?” Lan Mo, standing beside him, asked hurriedly.

A sudden spasm contorted Xiao Yulu’s handsome face: “…”

Only after a long pause did he manage to choke out: “I have not granted them my attention for the time being…”

…

As time marched forward, the rankings on the grand screen commenced displaying. Beyond any shadow of a doubt, the two teams from the Lingyun Academy occupied the uppermost positions, followed closely by the Liuyun Team from the Liuyun Daoist Palace. Miraculously, the team from the Yunhai Sect had surged all the way to the fourth position!

“Where is… the Royal Team?” Mu Donglai scanned the board, finding no trace of the Royal Team whatsoever.

Only after a considerable duration had elapsed did they see the Royal Team gradually clawing their way up from the lower ranks, reaching the sixteenth position. Yet before they could secure their footing, they were promptly displaced by the Blue Flame Team.

“…”

Mu Donglai and Lan Mo exchanged a glance…

In an instant, the atmosphere grew fraught with tension!

A flicker of murderous intent gleamed within the eyes of both parties, causing the surrounding air to turn chillingly cold.

“It appears our Blue Flame Team still possesses a glimmer of hope!” Lan Mo declared in a solemn tone.

“The final spark of the Great Jin Royalty must never be extinguished!” Mu Donglai’s expression likewise turned slightly grave.

In the subsequent moment, they cast their gazes toward the grand screen!

“Royal Team! Keep it up!”

“Blue Flame Team! Keep it up!”

“Go Royalty!”

“Go Blue Flame!”

Everyone else in the vicinity: “…”

“Xiaoyue, do you support the Royalty or the Blue Flame?” Dong Qili inquired as she munched on a spicy stick, her eyes fixed upon the grand screen.

At present, these two teams were essentially the only ones whose fates hung in the balance.

“Neither!” Jiang Xiaoyue replied, her cheeks puffed out. “Why doesn't the boss form a team of his own!”

“Nom!” She devoured half a spicy stick in a single bite.

At that very moment, a chorus of loud cheers erupted from the side:

“They made it! They made it!”

“The Royal (Blue Flame) Team made it!”

“Eh? How is it that both of them made it?”

Peer at the grand screen they did, only to discover that the fifteenth place had been squeezed out.

…

Meanwhile, far away in the Yundian Region.

In the southwestern reaches of the Great Jin Kingdom, nestled amidst those winding and magnificent mountain ranges.

Perched upon the very summits of the peaks, where birds dared not fly and apes could not ascend, only cultivators possessing the power to traverse heaven and earth could reach that grand and magnificent City Upon the Clouds, erected atop the precipitous cliffs.

To ordinary mortals, this place was an absolute wasteland, yet to cultivators, it was the focal point where the prosperity of the Yundian Region culminated—the most dazzling and affluent pearl of Yundian: Yujing.

Looking down from the highest vantage point of Yujing, one could see the mountains standing tall, with several flying vessels drifting among them. Rivers meandered downward, and within the mountain ridges, cities were situated, some radiating spiritual brilliance into the sky, others shrouded in swirling mist, presenting a thoroughly auspicious spectacle.

The Yundian Region harbored no ordinary mortals; cultivator factions of various sizes, as well as rogue cultivators, resided here permanently. Over the years, even martial artists were rarely seen; those who journeyed to and fro were mostly cultivators, grand masters, or the descendants of cultivators.

This land yielded an abundance of spirit crystal mines and various celestial stones and jade wares. This affluent territory could be said to be famous throughout the entire continent. In terms of relative resources, Great Jin was a barren land, with only a few elements worthy of note.

Yet almost no one dared to harbor designs upon this place, for the flesh and blood of those who had attempted to lay hands upon this land had long since become a part of its fertile soil.

Even when the late Emperor of Jin, Ji Xuantong, marched his western expedition years ago, it halted precisely here! He had personally arrived at the border to forge a treaty of mutual non-aggression.

The forest of aristocratic families in the Upper Yundian Region, spearheaded by the Gongyi Clan, had always been the beneficiaries of the Cultivation Realm. Every thirty years, they participated in the Grand Congregation of the Cultivation Realm and derived no small profit therefrom.

Setting other matters aside, that faint blue spiritual light shimmering faintly outside Yujing City, known as the Domain-Protecting Clear Brilliance, had been acquired from the Cultivation Realm!

With this object in hand, whether in the heavens or upon the earth, it was utterly impossible for any lowlife to infiltrate the city without permission.

The third greatest family of the Yundian Region was the Gongshu Clan, and the fourth was the Gongyang Clan. At this moment, the two leaders had listened to the reports of their subordinates, their countenances betraying a hint of displeasure.

“The Wuwei Daoist Alliance refuses to heed our counsel. Not only have they failed to sever ties with that establishment, but the major sects within the alliance have actually dispatched individuals to participate in some sort of competition hosted by that shop owner?”

“Brother Gongshu!” Gongyang Jun, the head of the Gongyang Clan, was a fair-faced Daoist appearing to be around fifty years of age. “In my view, if the Wuwei Daoist Alliance chooses not to participate, then let them abstain. What need is there to go to such lengths…”

“Brother Gongyang! After all these years, do you still fail to see clearly?” Gongshu Kuo was a middle-aged cultivator clad in a black-and-white robe, possessing a broad forehead and a wide countenance. “The journey to the Cultivation Realm, the Grand Congregation! Does not the ranking within the Cultivation Realm represent the order of cultivators across the entire continent?”

“If the Wuwei Daoist Alliance had truly withdrawn of their own accord, it would be well, but now, it is blatantly obvious that they have not.”

“Now they perceive that someone intends to disrupt this order. What say you…?”

Gongshu Kuo took a sip of tea and cleared his throat: “If they do not comply, we shall continue to apply pressure.”

“But… this is their affair. Why must we…?”

Gongshu Kuo adjusted his cuffs and cast a profound look at the other, saying, “So long as our major families must enter the Cultivation Realm for even a single day, we must expend this effort to consider the dignity of the Three Grand Sacred Sects… Furthermore, we too require this order.”

Of course, what he kept concealed within his heart and left unsaid was that a faction like the Wuwei Daoist Alliance, which they had never held in any regard, actually possessed the audacity to disregard the warnings of their Yundian Region. This was truly far too lawless!

This was the nature of order!