Translator: CinderTL
The Old Daoist's murky eyes flickered, and his figure vanished abruptly. Xu Sanyan's heart skipped a beat; he hadn't even seen the old man move.
When the Old Daoist reappeared, he was less than a foot away from Xu Sanyan. The pungent, fishy stench intensified, yet Xu Sanyan dared not show the slightest sign of disgust.
This single display of speed made it clear that the difference in their cultivation levels was vast. If the Old Daoist wanted to kill him, he likely wouldn't need a second strike.
The Old Daoist scrutinized Xu Sanyan from head to toe, then began groping him, his hand tracing from the nape of his neck down to his shinbones. Xu Sanyan dared not resist, just as Wang Lulu had been helpless against him moments before.
As the Old Daoist's examination continued, his eyes lit up with increasing delight. He couldn't suppress his praise: "Good, good! To stumble upon such a promising seedling during a casual stroll... Heh, fortune truly smiles upon this old Daoist!"
"To have achieved such a cultivation level at such a young age... remarkable, truly remarkable!"
"Senior, what exactly are you...?" Xu Sanyan guessed the Daoist was assessing his bone age.
The Old Daoist ignored the question and burst into inexplicable laughter. "Heh heh... I'll ask, you'll answer. How old are you this year?"
Xu Sanyan paused briefly. "...Forty..."
Before Xu Sanyan could finish speaking, the Old Daoist narrowed his eyes, a dangerous glint appearing. Xu Sanyan quickly corrected himself, "This junior is twenty years old this year!"
The Old Daoist's smile returned. "Where do you hail from?"
"The Qi Kingdom," Xu Sanyan answered honestly.
"What sort of place is that?" The Old Daoist frowned, deep in thought. He had never heard of it.
"A small border kingdom."
The Old Daoist nodded. "What brings you to Ten Thousand Demons Mountain?"
"This junior admires the Holy Sect..."
"Enough with the pleasantries. Tell me the real reason."
"My cultivation method only allows me to reach Foundation Establishment Perfection. I came here seeking a subsequent manual."
"What cultivation method do you practice?"
"The Supreme Truth and Absolute Stillness Sutra."
"Hmm... not bad for a starter."
The Old Daoist hung his purple gourd at his waist, his eyes still half-closed with sleepiness. "This poor Daoist is the Hall Master of the Crimson Heart Faction within the Harmonious Heart Holy Sect. You may call me Mad Old Daoist or Hall Master, as you wish. From this day forward, you are a disciple of my Crimson Heart Faction."
"Huh?" Xu Sanyan was stunned. Was that all it took to join the sect?
Mad Old Daoist raised an eyebrow. "What? Don't you want to?"
"Willingly! This disciple greets the Hall Master," Xu Sanyan said, understanding that he had no choice in the matter.
"Follow me, then." With that, Mad Old Daoist began walking toward Ten Thousand Demons Mountain.
Xu Sanyan pressed his lips together and followed closely behind the Mad Old Daoist.
As they walked, the Mad Old Daoist spoke up, "Don't think joining my Crimson Heart Faction is beneath you. I'm going to make you the Holy Son!"
"The Holy Son?" Xu Sanyan was stunned. Is the Harmonious Heart Demonic Sect really this casual? Can they just pluck anyone off the street and make them a Holy Son? Is this some kind of bait-and-switch after just joining the sect?
"Of course, there will be a slight test," the Mad Old Daoist continued. "Pass it, and you'll become the sect's Holy Son, second only to the Sect Leader and the three Hall Masters. You'll even have a chance to contend for the position of the next Hall Master or Sect Leader."
Xu Sanyan sighed inwardly. Of course it wasn't going to be that simple. He feigned reluctance, "I've only just joined the sect and am still unfamiliar with many things. If I were to fail the selection, wouldn't that tarnish your esteemed reputation?"
"Heh heh heh..." The Mad Old Daoist glanced at him strangely, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "Failure merely means death."
Xu Sanyan froze. Is this old bastard trying to use me as a scapegoat?
"Alas..." The Mad Old Daoist sighed. "I have no choice. The rules stipulate that Holy Son candidates must be under seventy years old. Each of the Four Factions must nominate fifty candidates. Our Crimson Heart Faction has always been sparsely populated, and qualified candidates are even rarer. We have no choice but to find an alternative."
"Four factions?" Xu Sanyan recalled Qin Manyang mentioning that the Harmonious Heart Demonic Sect only had three.
"Outsiders only know of three factions," the Mad Old Daoist replied, "but they're unaware of the Sect Leader's Lineage."
"Of course, if you succeed, the benefits are immense. You'll not only gain access to the sect's Holy Scripture but also have the authority to command disciples to do your bidding."
"I've always been fair-minded," the Mad Old Daoist continued, turning to face Xu Sanyan, his expression solemn. "If you don't want to go..." He stared intently into Xu Sanyan's eyes. "...you're welcome to refuse!"
Xu Sanyan remained silent.
"This disciple will spare no effort, even unto death!" Xu Sanyan replied solemnly, his expression grave.
"Hahaha... Excellent!" The Mad Old Daoist threw his head back and roared with laughter. "I knew I hadn't misjudged you!"
Xu Sanyan sighed inwardly. What on earth is going on? I've been inexplicably dragged into this Holy Son competition!
"May I ask, Hall Master," Xu Sanyan ventured, gathering his courage, "hasn't our Holy Sect had a Holy Son before?"
"Of course we have," the Mad Old Daoist replied, his eyes glinting. "But... he was poorly trained and foolishly challenged Hua Gu, and was killed."
Noticing Xu Sanyan's bewildered expression, the Mad Old Daoist explained, "Oh, Hua Gu is the Hall Master of the Joyous Union Lineage."
"Is that even possible?" Xu Sanyan exclaimed in astonishment. "So this is the Harmonious Heart Demonic Sect? Even the Hall Masters are usurped by force!"
"Of course," Mad Old Daoist replied, uncorking his gourd and taking a swig. "If you ever think you can beat me, you're welcome to take my place."
"Two Holy Sons have already been killed by Righteous Path cultivators," he continued. "The last one disappeared deep within Ten Thousand Demons Mountain. That's why we're selecting new ones—to ensure this Great Sect doesn't run out of successors."
Being a Holy Son in the Harmonious Heart Demonic Sect sounds like a highly dangerous occupation, Xu Sanyan thought to himself.
"I have another question," Xu Sanyan said. "What exactly does the Holy Son trial entail?"
Mad Old Daoist rubbed the sleep from his eyes and flicked it away dismissively. "Simple. We'll drop everyone deep into Ten Thousand Demons Mountain. The last five survivors become Holy Sons. No restrictions on methods—anything goes."
Brutally straightforward! Xu Sanyan thought.
As they ventured deeper into Ten Thousand Demons Mountain, they encountered no demonic beasts. Xu Sanyan knew this was thanks to Mad Old Daoist's overwhelming aura, which terrified the creatures into keeping their distance.
Xu Sanyan couldn't discern the man's true cultivation level, but he guessed it was at least the Void Harmony Realm.
Foundation Establishment, Dao Seeking, Soul Refinement, Void Harmony.
To become a Hall Master of one of the Five Great Sects, one had to be among the elite at the very pinnacle of the cultivation world, at least at the Void Harmony Realm.
That was a full three major realms above Xu Sanyan's current cultivation!
The Old Daoist casually asked, "Where did you get that cultivation method?"
"I stole it," Xu Sanyan replied.
The Mad Old Daoist erupted in wild laughter. "Hahaha... I like you more and more, lad! Maybe you really could become the Holy Son after all!"
As they ventured deeper into the Ten Thousand Demons Mountain Range, waves of bone-chilling air pierced through their clothes and stung their skin. Though Xu Sanyan wasn't afraid of the cold, the discomfort was undeniable.
Suddenly, the Mad Old Daoist stopped, barking without turning around, "Wait for me here."
Before Xu Sanyan could reply, he vanished in a blur of motion.
Xu Sanyan lowered his head slightly, his eyes gleaming with inner conflict. Should I escape? he wondered.
His original goal had indeed been to join the Harmonious Heart Demonic Sect, but this unexpected turn of events—being forcibly dragged into the Holy Son competition by the Mad Daoist—promised nothing but perilous challenges. The thought of retreat stirred within him.
"Awooo!"
A monstrous roar shattered the silence of the mountain range. The furious bellow reverberated through the peaks, carrying equal parts fury and terror.
The sound of fierce combat erupted, then faded into silence moments later.
(End of the Chapter)
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