The thirteenth day of the Luo Yun Sect's internal competition — the final round of the selection trials had reached its conclusion.
But at that moment, in a pavilion partway up the main peak, seven or eight Core Formation cultivators had gathered together, discussing something.
Two among them were the Peak Masters of Heavenly Spring Peak — a middle-aged man surnamed Xin and a grey-robed elder with a somewhat fearsome face — while the rest appeared equally imposing in their own right.
"Is there still no one among you, my junior brothers, willing to volunteer as the team leader this time?" A blue-robed elder with flowing white whiskers and a face full of wrinkles said, his brows slightly furrowed.
"Hmph! Senior Brother Feng, the Sword Testing Assembly is supposed to be a joint competition among the three sects, but every time it's us two who return in defeat while the Ancient Sword Gate gets to show off. And their team leader this time will surely be that sharp-tongued Jiang Yun again. I have no desire to go and suffer his insults for nothing." A middle-aged man with a lazy demeanor and a thin mustache above his lip replied nonchalantly.
"Exactly! I've also heard that in recent years the Ancient Sword Gate took in a disciple with a 'Nine Spirit Sword Body.' They'll definitely bring him out for the assembly this time. If that's the case, what's even the point of competing? We do have some disciples with special constitutions on our side, but compared to theirs, the gap is enormous. And I've heard that the Hundred Crafts Institute also took in a direct-line disciple from the Shangguan family this time. Apparently, while still at the Qi Refining stage, he already defeated an elder of his own clan using a magical tool he forged himself. That's going to be hard to deal with too!" Another elder with a sallow complexion shook his head as well.
Hearing this, the white-whiskered elder's face showed his displeasure.
"You're not wrong, my junior brothers. The Sword Testing Assembly has indeed become a show of force by the Ancient Sword Gate against our two sects. But what can we do? They're more powerful than us. If our sect doesn't send disciples to participate, we probably won't even get our share of that quarter portion of the Pure Liquid. Besides, refusing would easily create hostility from the Ancient Sword Gate toward our Luo Yun Sect, which would be detrimental to our sect's long-term development in the Yunmeng Mountains. After all, there are quite a few other sects eyeing the three of us here. We can't afford to let them find an opening." The white-whiskered elder said gravely.
"Since Senior Brother Feng has put it that way, count me in as one of the leaders. I haven't seen Elder Chang Zheng of the Hundred Crafts Institute in quite some time anyway. It'd be nice to catch up." A red-robed elder with a square, dignified-looking face, seated across from the white-whiskered elder, suddenly spoke up and took on the task.
"Junior Brother Duan, as the Peak Master of Fire Cloud Peak with so many disciples under you, leaving like this might not be appropriate." The white-whiskered elder surnamed Feng grew somewhat hesitant upon hearing this person speak.
"That's fine. Junior Brother Li will remain at Fire Cloud Peak, so there shouldn't be any issues. Besides, I'm not leaving the Yunmeng Mountains — I'd just be flying from the eastern ridge to the western ridge. It's only a day's journey." The red-robed elder said matter-of-factly.
Hearing this, the white-whiskered elder dropped the matter and nodded in agreement. Then, as his gaze swept across the faces of the remaining cultivators, it finally settled on the grey-robed elder with the fearsome face. He asked slowly: "Junior Brother Yu, I know you don't have many duties at Heavenly Spring Peak. How about accompanying Junior Brother Duan on this trip? Junior Brother Xin, you have no objections, do you?" The white-whiskered elder's last sentence was directed at the middle-aged man surnamed Xin.
"Of course, no problem. As long as Junior Brother Yu is willing." The middle-aged man surnamed Xin replied with a faint smile.
The grey-robed elder's icy expression shifted slightly at these words. After a long pause, he gave the briefest of replies: "Fine. I'll go."
Hearing this, the white-whiskered elder's face lit up with delight. He nodded and continued: "For this trip, Junior Brother Duan will serve as the primary leader, with Junior Brother Yu and Junior Sister Song from White Phoenix Peak as his deputies. As soon as today's final round is over, gather those thirty disciples and give them some guidance. Perhaps we'll still have a chance at this assembly. After all, among this batch of disciples, there are a few candidates with considerable strength. They should be able to hold their own against the Ancient Sword Gate and the Hundred Crafts Institute."
"Junior Sister Song is also going to the assembly? How come I didn't know about this? If that's the case, I'll go in Junior Brother Yu's stead for this Sword Testing Assembly." A cultivator who had been lurking in the corner of the room the entire time, his face wearing a smooth, calculating expression, exclaimed in surprise.
The remaining cultivators in the pavilion stirred at these words, and two or three of them immediately showed expressions of regret on their faces.
"Hmph! Junior Brother Meng, what exactly do you mean by that? I was talking just now for quite a while, and I didn't see you step forward to say a single word. But the moment you hear that Junior Sister Song is going, you immediately jump out. Let me be honest with you — the condition under which Junior Sister Song agreed to lead the team was that I not reveal to everyone that she would be going. Otherwise, with her temperament, how could she so easily leave White Phoenix Peak?" The white-whiskered elder said darkly.
This elder's cultivation had reached the late Core Formation stage, while the smooth-faced cultivator appeared to be only at the early Core Formation stage.
Therefore, when the elder's expression changed, the cultivator immediately lowered his head and fell silent, not daring to argue further.
The few others who had been tempted exchanged glances, looking at one another, equally unable to muster the nerve to say anything more.