Translator: CinderTL
The next morning, Xu Sanyan followed Luo Yu and a large group of people toward Harmonious Heart Mountain. The Holy Son Competition was about to begin in earnest.
Harmonious Heart Mountain was bustling with activity. The spacious plaza was crowded with people, gathered in clusters according to their respective factions.
At the forefront stood three prominent groups. The largest, with roughly forty members, was likely the Harmonious Heart Mountain faction led by Qi Liang.
To their left stood another group of about thirty men and women, all clad in blood-red robes that radiated a chilling, sinister aura. These were undoubtedly the Blood Refinement Mountain faction led by Tu Wanshan.
On the opposite side was a group of just over twenty, mostly women of diverse styles. Some exuded seductive allure, while others possessed an ethereal grace. This was likely the Joyous Harmony Mountain faction led by Mengdie.
Behind these main factions were smaller groups, each numbering between eight and fifteen people.
Xu Sanyan stood in the center of the crowd, gazing up at the three figures facing them: two men and a woman. One of the men was none other than the Mad Daoist who had abducted him and brought him to the mountain, now guzzling wine straight from his gourd.
These three were the Hall Masters of the Harmonious Heart Demonic Sect: Venerable He Yu of the Blood Refinement Branch, Aunt Hua of the Joyous Union Lineage, and the Mad Daoist of the Crimson Heart Faction.
They would oversee the Holy Son Competition. As for the Sect Leader, Xu Sanyan had never seen him. According to Chi Yu, the Sect Leader hadn't made a public appearance in nearly a century.
The Mad Daoist kept chugging wine from his gourd, seemingly never emptying it. Aunt Hua was engrossed in admiring her manicured nails, even beckoning a disciple to her side. The two huddled together, whispering and giggling as they examined her fingernails.
Venerable He Yu sighed helplessly at his unreliable companions. Raising his voice, he announced, "I trust you are all familiar with the rules. I won't belabor them. There is only one restriction for this competition: the use of Mystic Treasures is strictly prohibited."
Xu Sanyan whispered to Chi Yu beside him, "Senior Brother Chi, what exactly are Mystic Treasures?"
Chi Yu replied softly, "Extremely powerful magic artifacts. Our Holy Sect's prized possession, the Demon Suppression Pagoda, is one example."
"The Demon Suppression Pagoda?" Xu Sanyan blinked. Aren't we a demonic sect? Why would we suppress ourselves?
Chi Yu seemed to sense Xu Sanyan's confusion and explained, "The Demon Suppression Pagoda originally belonged to the Heaven's Will Demon Subduing Temple. We seized it from them, which is why we're still at odds with those bald monks."
Xu Sanyan understood. You steal their most prized treasure, then expect them to treat you with courtesy?
"The Holy Son Competition will conclude in one year, regardless of the final outcome," Venerable He Yu announced, waving his hand dismissively. "Go now."
"Yes."
The group descended the mountain in orderly fashion. Xu Sanyan spotted familiar faces in the crowd—the same tall and short pair of inseparable friends he'd first encountered when joining the sect.
Leading the group was a man in a gray robe, appearing to be in his forties. His features were somewhat gloomy, and his eyes darted around restlessly, as if preoccupied with some hidden thoughts.
Since the tall-and-short duo had guarded Crimson Dragon Mountain back then, they must belong to the Crimson Heart Faction. Their presence here confirmed their participation in the Holy Son Competition. Given that they weren't aligned with Luo Yu, they must belong to Zhou Longsheng's faction. It was a simple deduction.
Xu Sanyan, on a whim, turned to glance at the three Hall Masters. His gaze inadvertently met the Mad Daoist's. The Daoist's eyes were unfocused, yet a faint, almost imperceptible smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he met Xu Sanyan's gaze.
Xu Sanyan quickly turned away, avoiding eye contact. Offending such a powerful cultivator would be a fatal mistake, and he'd have no one to blame but himself if it led to his demise.
At that moment, Qi Liang, who had been leading the group, stopped and turned to face them. All eyes fell on him, wondering what he intended to do.
A wild arrogance flashed across Qi Liang's handsome face. Unfazed by the intense stares, he declared, "I only want the first Holy Son Token. I suggest you all look out for yourselves."
The crowd exchanged uneasy glances. While Qi Liang's faction undoubtedly possessed the strongest overall power in the Holy Son Competition, his arrogance seemed excessive.
Tu Wanshan curled his lip in disdain. "Hmph... We weren't born yesterday. What's the point of this bluster? Do you actually expect someone to hand you a Holy Son Token?"
Mengdie covered her mouth with her sleeve and giggled softly, finding Tu Wanshan's retort amusing.
Qi Liang remained unperturbed. A faint smile played on his lips as he turned and walked away.
His purpose in making this declaration was clear: by stating he only wanted one token, he hoped to deter the others from uniting against him. While his apparent strength was unmatched, even he couldn't withstand a coordinated assault.
Though the participants appeared young, only Xu Sanyan was truly so; the others were all in their fifties or sixties, their outward arrogance likely a facade.
As team after team ventured into Ten Thousand Demons Mountain, the Holy Son Competition officially began.
Xu Sanyan and his group followed Luo Yu deeper into the mountain. Despite its vastness, the three Hall Masters couldn't have hidden the Holy Son Tokens too well; if none were found, the competition would lose its purpose.
Luo Yu produced a compass from his robes. Xu Sanyan glanced at it and saw three needles of varying lengths pointing in different directions.
Chi Yu, who had been with Luo Yu the longest and knew some of his methods, whispered to Xu Sanyan, "This is Senior Brother Luo's prized treasure—it can sense the presence of demonic beasts. Ten Thousand Demons Mountain is teeming with them, so we should avoid them whenever possible."
Xu Sanyan nodded. The competition had just begun, and no one wanted to deplete their strength prematurely.
As long as the Holy Son Tokens remained undiscovered, a fragile peace held. But the moment the first token was found, the struggle would escalate dramatically.
Xu Sanyan followed the group, his gaze frequently drifting toward Xiang Tan. He was curious to see what she was up to.
Xiang Tan noticed Xu Sanyan watching her. She licked her lips with her rosy tongue and winked playfully.
Luo Yu stopped, turned, and walked toward the other side. "Junior Brother Chi Yu," he said to the junior brother behind him, "mark this down on the map. There's a Foundation Establishment Realm demonic beast ahead."
"Understood, Senior Brother," Chi Yu replied, making a note on his rudimentary map.
As they ventured deeper into the Ten Thousand Demons Mountain, Luo Yu grew increasingly cautious. The mountain's depths teemed with countless demonic beasts, including many Dao Seeking and even Soul Refining Realm creatures. They had to be extra vigilant.
Demonic beasts were roughly classified into eight tiers, corresponding to the Qi Refinement Realm through the Void Harmony Realm. Cultivators typically referred to them by their own cultivation realm, finding it more intuitive.
Xu Sanyan glanced at the sky. Daylight was fading quickly, plunging the mountain into deeper gloom. Several demonic beasts flew overhead from time to time.
Luo Yu whispered, "Demonic beasts become more active after dark. We should find a place to hide for the night."
No one objected. When their safety was at stake, caution could never be excessive.
"This clearing should do, Junior Brother Chi Yu," Luo Yu said, pointing to a nearby open space.
Chi Yu nodded, retrieved a square Formation Plate from his storage pouch, and recited a magical incantation. The plate emitted a soft white glow that instantly enveloped the group before gradually fading.
Chi Yu's face visibly paled. He hastily took out a medicinal pill, swallowed it, and sat cross-legged with his eyes closed to regulate his breathing.
Xiang Tanxun lingered at the back of the group, her eyes darting around. She stealthily pulled a nail-sized piece of jade from her storage pouch, flicked her wrist, and sent the jade stone flying far away.
Had Xu Sanyan not been watching her so intently, her subtle maneuver would likely have gone unnoticed.
(End of the Chapter)
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