"Loose Cultivator Alliance has someone as sharp as Qian Daoyou, so naturally there won't be any problems."
Hearing Jian Dan's compliment, Qian Wanguan beamed with joy. He grew even more fond of Jian Lu Daoyou, thinking this was someone worth befriending.
On the day of the competition, Jian Wu hurried back to Yunhai Sect, covered in dust from travel.
Jian Dan noticed him standing at the back of the Divine Transformation cultivators and waved him over before turning to Qian Wanguan.
"Qian Daoyou, you go ahead and enjoy the match. I'll be back shortly."
"No problem. Jian Lu Daoyou, take your time."
Jian Wu saluted Jian Dan, then followed her back to Yunyin Peak.
Jian Dan sent a voice transmission to Wu Siyuan, asking him to keep an eye on the tournament. She had other matters to deal with.
Seeing Jian Wu return, Wu Siyuan understood it must be a matter for the Law Enforcement Hall requiring Zhūnzhǔ's decision. He sent back a brief reply assuring her he would remain vigilant over the disciples of Heavenly Sword Sect.
Yunyin Peak
"Jian Wu, inform Senior Brother Jian Li to reassign another Zhūnzhǔ. Jian Yu has become a problem."
Jian Dan got straight to the point. She always did. Jian Wu, well used to her direct style, didn't ask questions. He simply nodded.
"What's the situation with the Fu family?"
"It's a bit chaotic at the moment. Jian Wan is still in seclusion and hasn't involved herself in any family matters."
"She's just avoiding it all. Can't blame her, though. The family's actions left her cold. With her vengeful nature, there's no way she'll intervene."
Jian Wu could only nod. Her words echoed exactly what Master Jian Li had said.
"Have you uncovered anything about the evil cultivators?"
"So far, none of the major cities under Heavenly Sword Sect's control show any issues."
"Then start looking into the more remote towns, the ones with poor communication. That group in Tianyue City followed Lu Xuanyuan into the main city. It wasn't a coincidence."
"Understood."
Jian Dan rubbed her brow, weariness showing for a moment.
"I've already clashed twice with that evil cultivator's main body from a distance. He lost both times and swore he'd come for me."
Jian Wu glanced at her. In his mind, he thought, "Like you'd be afraid of someone coming after you."
"I'm not afraid. But I've got a hundred people with me. What, should I just stuff them all into my sleeve pouch?"
Without looking up, she knew exactly what he was thinking and clarified her reasoning.
"That's why I told you to bring in another Zhūnzhǔ quickly. I need to deal with this without distractions."
"I understand. Zhūnzhǔ thinks ahead as always. Do we need someone to monitor Jian Yu?"
"I'm already watching. If she stirs, I'll tie her up myself."
Jian Wu had nothing more to say. He simply nodded and left to find reinforcements.
The next several days passed smoothly. The competition advanced without a hitch.
On the first day, the Golden Core stage cultivators underwent elimination rounds, leaving ninety contestants.
From the second day, one-on-one duels began. Winners advanced. After three days, forty-five contestants had moved on.
The fourth day brought the second round for Golden Core, and Nascent Soul cultivators began their own one-on-one matches.
After half a month, the top fifteen Golden Core and top ten Nascent Soul cultivators were decided.
Next came the Divine Transformation stage. This part of the tournament brought the excitement to a new level. The matches were also one-on-one eliminations.
Jian Dan had been attending almost every match since the Divine Transformation rounds began. Jian Yu, on the other hand, had vanished into her temporary cave dwelling and hadn't stepped out since.
Of course, with such a major event, gambling houses everywhere were taking bets. Jian Dan was mildly interested, so she gave Yue Liang a storage ring full of spirit stones and let her place wagers herself.
Wu Siyuan accompanied Yue Liang the first time, but once she got the hang of it, she started betting on her own.
The clever little one never placed bets at the same house twice. For each match, she picked a different venue. If she won, she had Wu Siyuan collect the spirit stones for her.
"You keep bothering Siyuan like that. That's not right."
Jian Dan cradled Yue Liang in her arms, gently rubbing her little ears. Yue Liang twitched them and pouted.
"I know I trouble Wu Daoyou, but I do pay him a fee for running errands."
"Oh? And how much?"
"Enough that he was smiling when he received it."
"You little rascal."
At that moment, Yue Liang jumped onto Jian Dan's shoulder and curled her tail around Jian Dan's neck, sending a voice transmission.
"Zhūnzhǔ, I think someone's been watching me the last few times I placed bets. So I didn't go at all yesterday."
"You didn't catch who it was?"
"No. Too many cultivators. The person's also very cautious. I couldn't pick up any spiritual fluctuations. Should I keep betting to lure them out?"
"It's too late. The moment you skipped betting yesterday, they probably realized you noticed. They won't act recklessly now."
"Ah! I should have told Zhūnzhǔ first!"
Yue Liang looked visibly upset. Only by luring out the one behind the scenes could they be eliminated for good.
"Don't worry. Since they're watching you, their real target is me. They failed this time. They'll try again. Just stay sharp."
"Yes, Zhūnzhǔ. I'll draw them out."
Jian Dan handed her a locator teleportation talisman.
"If you sense anything wrong, return to me immediately."
The following days remained calm. The matches grew even more intense. The Divine Transformation stage duels drew the largest crowds. In this regard, the Weapon, Pill, and Talisman Sects had a clear disadvantage. Without auxiliary methods to lean on, their strength took a serious hit.
Today marked the final match of the Divine Transformation stage. A sword cultivator from Heavenly Sword Sect was going head-to-head with a Loose Cultivator Alliance representative for first place.
Jian Dan and Qian Wanguan were both present to watch.
"Qian Daoyou, where did you find that saber cultivator? He's no slouch. I've seen all his matches. Wins far outnumber the losses."
Qian Wanguan beamed even brighter at the praise.
"His ancestors were from a martial family in the mortal realm. Their saber techniques were passed down through generations. He has great perception and mastered the techniques to perfection. He entered cultivation by using the saber as a path to the Dao. His early days in cultivation were hard, but I had the foresight to recruit him under my banner."
He spoke with pride. Investing a few resources to gain a loyal subordinate? Worth every stone.
"Qian Daoyou, I've never seen you make a losing deal. That saber cultivator is indeed worth cultivating. If he hadn't joined you, I would have pulled him into Heavenly Sword Sect myself."
"Haha! You flatter me!"
To be praised by Jian Lu of Heavenly Sword Sect showed the man's potential. Qian Wanguan silently decided that once he returned to the Loose Cultivator Alliance, he'd secure more resources for Dao Feng. He had already reached the top three. That was justification enough.
He was already running calculations in his mind.
The reason Jian Dan spoke so highly of Dao Feng was because this saber cultivator would later go on to forge his own path in the cultivation world. He would earn the moniker "Mad Saber."
In his early days, he cultivated within the Loose Cultivator Alliance. His unorthodox saber style meant he received limited resources. Though Qian Wanguan had invested in him, his approach was more about casting a wide net than targeted nurturing.
Dao Feng understood he couldn't rely solely on others. So he took on many high-risk tasks to earn cultivation resources through the Alliance's missions. It allowed him to gain both training and experience.
Because the missions became increasingly dangerous, he suffered many serious injuries, and his cultivation stalled at mid Divine Transformation. Even so, among others at the same level, his combat strength was easily in the top ten.
Jian Dan saw in him a blend of determination, perception, and most importantly, a steadfast Dao heart. His mind held only the saber, always striving for the pinnacle of saber mastery. That was why she chose to help him.
"Zhūnzhǔ, Tao Chengfeng and Cao Chenfeng, the two Jūnshàng, request an audience!"