In front of the Hall of Merit.
A figure plummeted from between the clouds.
"Your Highness Daozi!"
The elder of the Hall of Merit, seeing Zuo Mingqiu arrive in such a hurry, assumed something major had happened and immediately went to greet him.
However, Zuo Mingqiu simply accepted a mission and then immediately leaped from the side into the valley, his face filled with anxiety as if he were fleeing from something.
The elder's expression grew grave. He grasped his sword and said sternly to a middle-aged Daoist beside him, "You guard here. I'll go down and see what's wrong!"
With that, he too leaped into the valley.
Upon landing, the elder of the Hall of Merit was astonished to find the valley packed with people, all wearing jade tokens at their waists, clearly having accepted missions.
They had accepted missions but were not entering the Thunder Pool.
What were these people doing?
"Zuo Mingqiu, you lost."
A clear, cold voice rang out. The elder of the Hall of Merit started, then followed the sound. He saw that the speaker was a short-haired woman in a plain white gown, holding a thin red sword.
The elder immediately guessed the woman was Zhao Qingdong, for throughout Tianshi Mountain, only she dared to speak to Zuo Mingqiu in such a manner.
Furthermore, the chilling intent emanating from the thin red sword was too potent.
Zuo Mingqiu, facing Zhao Qingdong who was using her extraordinary ability to block his path with a torrent of sword intent, spoke with a headache:
"What exactly do you want?"
Zhao Qingdong's expression was serious as she said:
"I want to defeat you."
Zuo Mingqiu sighed:
"I told you, I'm not fighting."
"Besides, you already won. You were faster than me, everyone saw it."
Zuo Mingqiu said helplessly. He had entered the sea of clouds before Zhao Qingdong, and she had followed closely. Although he had dallied for a few seconds accepting the mission, Zhao Qingdong had already reached the Thunder Pool before that.
In terms of speed, he was truly no match for Zhao Qingdong.
But this meant nothing.
Because last time, Zhao Qingdong had been faster than Zuo Mingqiu, yet in the final match, she had lost.
Zhao Qingdong's eyes turned cold as she said:
"I want to defeat you, not just in speed, but I want to crush you!"
Zuo Mingqiu was getting annoyed. He frowned and said:
"Stop messing around. I won't waste my time dueling with you."
"Today is the monthly Great Storm Period for the Thunder Pool. The lightning in the Heavenly Tier zone will be even more ferocious. It's the perfect time for me to temper my physical body."
"Zhao Qingdong, I really don't have time to indulge your antics."
Zuo Mingqiu's tone was icy. He had lost to Xu Mu last time due to Xu Mu's physical strength. Although Xu Mu's swordsmanship was reportedly even more formidable, he hadn't personally experienced it. Therefore, Zuo Mingqiu now only wished to forge his body to be as strong as Xu Mu's, or even stronger.
As for Zhao Qingdong, no matter how powerful she was, she was merely one of his many defeated opponents. He had no time for a challenge.
Zhao Qingdong looked at Zuo Mingqiu and said coldly:
"You mean fighting me is a waste of time?"
Zuo Mingqiu nodded.
"Yes."
"I never fight defeated opponents a second time, especially when you are a realm lower than me now. It makes me even less interested."
"Unless you can prove your own strength, I won't fight you."
Hearing that she had to prove her strength to challenge him, many of Zhao Qingdong's young followers behind her became enraged, but dared not show it.
The elder from the Hall of Merit who had followed them frowned deeply, thinking that His Highness Daozi was perhaps too arrogant, not even showing respect to Lord Qingdong...
"How do I prove it? Do you want me to just pick two random people and fight them for you to see?"
Unexpectedly, Zhao Qingdong did not fly into a rage and attack on the spot. Instead, she narrowed her eyes and calmly asked Zuo Mingqiu.
In reality, she was not calm at all. The trembling sword aura in her right hand was aimed at Zuo Mingqiu's throat, indicating that she could lose control at any moment and lunge to kill him.
However, even if she could kill him, Zhao Qingdong was unwilling to do so, because she wanted to win honorably.
Zuo Mingqiu replied:
"Picking two random people is obviously not acceptable."
"The top ten positions in the Ten Thousand Races Alliance. Defeat any one of them, and I will fight you."
Zhao Qingdong heard this and shook her head:
"They are too far away. Not acceptable."
"Sacred Sun Peak, Immortal Roam Peak. Pick any one."
Zuo Mingqiu heard this and thought of the strength of his fellow disciples. Although they were also geniuses, they wouldn't even rank in the top hundred in the Ten Thousand Races Alliance, let alone be a match for Zhao Qingdong, who was close to his own level?
He shook his head.
"Not acceptable."
"You know them too well, but they don't know you. Winning would be an unearned victory."
Zhao Qingdong's expression turned slightly cold as she asked:
"Then what do you want?"
Zuo Mingqiu pondered for a moment, then said:
"That strange person."
"The one who disturbed your seclusion and breakthrough, is suspected of killing Cao Guang, and exchanged blows with me. He will do."
"Find him, and defeat him. Then I will fight you. Otherwise, do not disturb me again."
Zhao Qingdong heard this and fell silent for a long time.
She was well aware of the existence of that strange person, for he had disturbed the ancestral tomb and her own quiet cultivation.
As soon as she descended the mountain, she had unceasingly investigated the person's identity, but to no avail.
Fighting was possible, but how to find him?
Zhao Qingdong raised an eyebrow and asked:
"What if I can never find him?"
Zuo Mingqiu said calmly:
"That would be your problem."
With that, Zuo Mingqiu slowly walked towards Zhao Qingdong's sword intent, holding his jade token, as if he would calmly enter the Thunder Pool.
"In any case, I've shown you the way."
"As a challenger, you must have the resolve of a challenger. If you break this rule and attack directly, then so be it. I will not retaliate."
"However, I guarantee you that we will never have a fair chance to fight again in this lifetime."
"Zhao Qingdong, think carefully."
Zuo Mingqiu spoke as he walked out of Zhao Qingdong's sword intent's coverage. The sharp, crimson sword intent pulsed countless times, but ultimately subsided, not blooming with brilliance.
Zhao Qingdong slowly retracted her sword, the red vanished, and the world returned to clarity.
She gazed at Zuo Mingqiu's receding back as he entered the Thunder Pool, her expression calm, lost in thought.
"Alas, what a pity."
The crowd lamented, many of them. They had deliberately not entered the Thunder Pool, going so far as to carve out spots on the cliff face to squat and watch the fight between Zuo Mingqiu and Zhao Qingdong, to see who among them was the strongest of this generation on Tianshi Mountain.
Who was worthy of being the Daozi.
But they did not fight.
The elders watching from the shadows also breathed a sigh of relief.
This fight between the two involved too many matters, even concerning the succession of the next generation of Heavenly Masters. It was far more than just a simple contest between them.
In other words, if they were to truly fight, the elders might have had to intervene, making it a battle that was destined not to happen.
"What a shame, couldn't feast my eyes."
In the valley, Xu Mu also clicked his tongue.
Then, he turned and followed a large group of onlookers back to the cliff, preparing to accept a mission to enter the Thunder Pool.
...
In front of the Hall of Merit, it was packed with people. Young geniuses from various peaks gathered there, with groups forming to accept missions at several times the usual rate.
The reason, naturally, was that the Thunder Pool was undergoing its quarterly three-month storm, which would not only intensify the heavenly lightning but also spawn many thunder-attribute great demons within the pool. Their inner cores were treasures for cultivating thunder techniques, and their conversion into merit points was incredibly valuable.
"There are too many people." Xu Mu scratched his head. Just as he was about to queue for a mission, he suddenly remembered that missions to enter the Thunder Pool required five people to accept.
Who could he team up with?
Looking at the teams of five surrounding him, Xu Mu felt a bit lost. Most people were already in pre-formed teams, and those who weren't were almost all outstanding individuals with apparent strength, who were sought after by others.
"Stop looking."
"No one will team up with a weakling like you. You won't get into the Thunder Pool."
Not far away, Li Yuan and others approached. The one who taunted Xu Mu was Ning Yuanchen from Biyun Peak.
Zhe Hao also chimed in with a laugh, "Only those who can stay in the Cloud Thunder Zone are thinking of entering the Thunder Pool when the storm is coming. You're truly brave. Aren't you afraid of dying?"
Xu Mu's expression remained unchanged upon hearing this.
Mu Yunshu and Li Yuan both glared at the two men, but Ning Yuanchen did not back down. Instead, he became even more arrogant, saying to Xu Mu:
"Kid, if you really want to get into the Thunder Pool, I can help you find a team."
"My junior brother, Yang Chang's team, is still missing one person. If I speak to him, he will definitely give me face."
"But the corresponding price, heh heh, is that you have to hand over three thousand merit points."
Ning Yuanchen looked at Xu Mu, a mocking smile on his face. Last time, he had only asked Xu Mu to hand over two thousand five hundred merit points, but this time, he wanted three thousand.
This was exactly the amount that would drain all of Xu Mu's merit points.
"You're going too far," Mu Yunshu frowned. She didn't understand why Ning Yuanchen, with whom they had once been teammates, showed no regard for their past relationship.
Xu Mu smiled slightly and walked to the front of the Hall of Merit. He said something and then took out a jade token, throwing it directly to Mu Yunshu.
"Senior Sister, for you."
"Thank you for your help last time. This contains a thousand merit points, consider it a token of my gratitude."
Mu Yunshu took the jade token. After sensing it with her divine sense, her expression became slightly surprised. She looked at Xu Mu and said:
"Junior Brother, this won't do."
"I only want my own share. I'll exchange the excess back to you."
Xu Mu waved his hand:
"Senior Sister, there's no need to be polite with me."
"It's better to give you the merit points than to let them fall into the hands of scoundrels later."
Ning Yuanchen, standing nearby, said with a grim expression, "What do you mean by that!"
"I'm telling you, Xu Mu, without my help, no one here will team up with you. You won't get into the Thunder Pool!"
"Xu Mu, come team up!"
Just as Ning Yuanchen, full of confidence, finished his threat, and the crowd of onlookers grew larger, a woman's voice rang out at a most inopportune moment.
"Who is it!?"
Ning Yuanchen's face turned ugly as he turned his head. He had some status on Biyun Peak, and had recently aligned himself with an elder, no longer fearing even Li Yuan. Who dared to provoke him at this moment?
The crowd parted like a tide.
A short-haired woman, wearing a plain robe and a red sword at her waist, walked out.
She stopped three steps in front of Xu Mu and said, "Team up."
"I want to enter the Thunder Pool."
Xu Mu was taken aback, then nodded and smiled:
"Alright."
Zhao Qingdong nodded, ignoring Ning Yuanchen's shocked gaze. She turned and surveyed the crowd, then asked:
"Who wants to team up with me."
"Three more people are needed."
The maiden asked, her voice calm.
But to the crowd, it was like thunder.
"I'll do it!!!!!"
In front of the Hall of Merit, countless youths scrambled, clutching their waist tokens, their expressions fanatically eager as they pushed towards them.
On Tianshi Mountain, no male disciple would refuse Zhao Qingdong. Although her temper was occasionally bad, and she often seemed eager to kill with her red sword... her features were refined, and she was indeed exceptionally beautiful.
Her temperament, in fact, inspired worship.
Therefore, they vied to be the first.
In an instant, the team was full.
Countless people were disappointed.
Xu Mu stood beside Zhao Qingdong, enjoying the attention of the multitude, but his expression was calm, with only a slight smile on his lips. He looked at Ning Yuanchen and said:
"Senior Brother, the team is full."
"See you in the Thunder Pool."
...