Translator: CinderTL
Luo Yu gazed deep into the heart of Ten Thousand Demons Mountain, pointing a finger toward its depths. "Hidden within are five Holy Son Tokens. Retrieve one and return alive to the sect gate, and you'll have succeeded!"
The assembled disciples exchanged uneasy glances. Finally, one couldn't resist asking, "Senior Brother Luo, if all twenty of us return safely, what about the Holy Son positions...?"
There were only five Holy Son positions. Would the Sect Leader truly eliminate the remaining fifteen?
Luo Yu slowly shook his head. "Of course, the Sect Leader hopes all of you will return. But it's not that simple. Each token bears a mark that becomes visible to everyone upon acquisition. Once claimed..."
Luo Yu suspected that even securing the minimum quota of five Holy Son candidates might prove challenging.
Though unspoken, his meaning sank into their hearts, adding a heavy weight to their resolve.
These tokens represented not only a chance at survival but also the coveted Holy Son position itself. Driven by desperation, every disciple would risk everything to claim one.
Becoming a Holy Son granted access to the sect's Holy Scripture, widely considered a golden ticket to the Soul Refining Realm. Even those with mediocre talent could break through this crucial barrier.
"How are we supposed to find those five tokens in this vast mountain range...?" Chi Yu's face paled.
Luo Yu sighed deeply. "This won't be resolved in a day. We must prepare for a long and arduous battle."
While there were indeed five Holy Son Tokens, there was no guarantee they would all be found. If only one token surfaced, everyone would be vying for it, leading to unimaginable bloodshed.
Noticing the somber mood, Luo Yu changed the subject. "In this Holy Son Competition, there are three individuals we should avoid at all costs. First is Qi Liang from Harmonious Heart Mountain. He commands the largest following, over forty people, including a Foundation Establishment Perfection cultivator."
The group's expressions turned serious. A Foundation Establishment Perfection cultivator? Why would someone so powerful willingly serve another?
"Second is Tu Wanshan of the Blood Refinement Branch. He achieved Foundation Establishment using a Heavenly Earth Treasure, granting him extraordinary combat prowess. Moreover, he is the son of the Blood Refinement Hall Master."
Xu Sanyan frowned. Another cultivator who used a Heavenly Earth Treasure for Foundation Establishment?
Each Heavenly Earth Treasure granted unique abilities. Xu Sanyan's own physical resilience and blood mist, which weakened enemies' spiritual power, made him nearly unbeatable in close combat. He wondered what powers Tu Wanshan possessed.
Xiang Tan frowned. "Does that mean we can't kill him?"
No one dared offend a Hall Master. Even becoming a Holy Son wouldn't grant enough power to challenge such a figure.
"Hmph..." Luo Yu shook his head in frustration. "We should avoid them as much as possible."
"Could the third one be the Dream Butterfly Demoness?" Chi Yu asked.
Luo Yu nodded. "That's right. She's a disciple of the Joyous Union Lineage's Hall Master, known for her unpredictable and treacherous methods. We can't afford to underestimate her."
Xu Sanyan spoke slowly. "So, three Holy Son Tokens are already spoken for? That leaves only two for the rest of us to compete for?"
Qi Liang had gathered the largest group of followers, including one at Foundation Establishment Perfection. Luo Yu refused to believe he had no powerful backing. Then there were Tu Wanshan, the son of the Blood Refinement Hall Master, and the Dream Butterfly Demoness, a disciple of the Joyous Union Hall Master—neither of whom could be trifled with.
Luo Yu tilted his head back to gaze at the treetops, clenching his fist tightly. "If we find a Holy Son Token first, they can't blame anyone but themselves when we snatch it. At most, we'll spare their lives."
Everyone present was at Foundation Establishment Perfection. Luo Yu was confident in his own strength. The Holy Son Competition had only just begun, and the victor remained uncertain!
This position... it's mine for the taking!
"Excellent!" Chi Yu cheered loudly, boosting morale. "The Holy Son position belongs to the capable! Senior Brother Luo, with your exceptional talent, care for your junior brothers, and camaraderie with your fellow disciples, you deserve a place among them!" The others echoed his enthusiasm.
Xu Sanyan's heart stirred, and a talisman seal slowly materialized in his eyes, gradually imprinting itself on Luo Yu's forehead.
This seal carried Xu Sanyan's intention of "trust," but given their similar cultivation levels, its effect would likely be less pronounced than Chi Yu's.
To date, Xu Sanyan had conjured three talisman seals: "Master" for Meng Zhuer, "Friendship" for Chi Yu, and now "Trust" for Luo Yu, each imprinted upon their respective hearts.
He now felt a slight fatigue in his divine soul, indicating that conjuring these seals came at a cost. At his current cultivation level, he could likely create no more than two more.
Luo Yu remained oblivious to the seal on his forehead. After surveying the group, he nodded lightly at Xu Sanyan and declared, "Junior Brothers and Sisters, return now to prepare. We will convene tomorrow at Harmonious Heart Mountain."
"Yes," the disciples replied, taking their leave.
Xiang Tan, her almond eyes shimmering with sultry allure, gently stroked Xu Sanyan's hand. "Junior Brother Xu," she purred, "Senior Sister will be waiting for you tonight..." She then revealed the location of her cultivation cave before slowly departing, casting frequent glances back.
Chi Yu watched with amusement. Once Xiang Tan was out of earshot, he remarked, "That woman is quite the seductress."
"Indeed," Xu Sanyan agreed.
As they walked, Xu Sanyan asked, "Senior Brother Chi, are there no Dao Seeking Realm cultivators participating in this year's Holy Son Competition?"
Chi Yu shook his head. "None. The competition is restricted to those under seventy years old. Reaching Foundation Establishment Perfection by that age is already considered a remarkable achievement, let alone the Dao Seeking Realm."
"Take Elder Qin Manyang, for example. She only broke through to the Dao Seeking Realm in her eighties, a testament to her exceptional talent. Yet, despite her innate aptitude, she's been stuck in that realm for thirty years without making any progress. It's truly a pity..."
"If the Holy Son Competition had been held a few decades earlier, Elder Qin might have had a chance to contend for the position. If she had mastered the Holy Scripture, she wouldn't have wasted those thirty years in stagnation." Chi Yu shook his head slightly, a hint of regret in his expression.
Calculating mentally, Xu Sanyan realized that the seemingly pure and lovely Qin Manyang was already over a hundred years old. He clicked his tongue in surprise. Truly, one can't judge a book by its cover.
"Is the Holy Scripture really that miraculous?" Xu Sanyan asked, puzzled. "Can it truly help one smoothly transcend the Dao Seeking Realm?"
Chi Yu chuckled wryly. "Junior Brother, you overestimate me. As a mere mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, how would I know the scripture's mysteries? What I know is just secondhand rumors, fragments of hearsay."
Xu Sanyan nodded in understanding.
They reached a fork in the road, bid farewell, and Xu Sanyan returned alone to his cultivation cave.
Meng Zhuer rushed to greet him, pouring tea, fetching water, and massaging his shoulders with eyes full of adoration.
Xu Sanyan leaned back lazily in his chair, watching her bustle about with quiet satisfaction.
This Demonic Seed is truly effective, he thought. The longer it remains implanted, the more completely it fuses with its host, until they become one. By then, she will act entirely according to my will.
It truly lived up to its name—the Demonic Seed!
As night deepened, Meng Zhuer stripped naked and slipped under the covers to warm the bed, her eyes fixed on Xu Sanyan with longing.
Xu Sanyan ignored her. "You'll sleep alone tonight," he said as he rose to leave.
He had an appointment with Xiang Tan.
"Yes, Master," Meng Zhuer replied obediently, though her eyes couldn't completely conceal her disappointment.
Xu Sanyan headed alone to Xiang Tan's cultivation cave. Of course, his purpose wasn't merely carnal; he had other plans.
(End of the Chapter)
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