Chapter 663: Chapter 656: The Grand Competition

Ye Fangxian’s abnormality caused Chen Hai, who was sitting cross-legged near the Black Water Myriad Spirit Pool, to stand up immediately.

“Having been in the Ten Thousand Spirit Pond for nearly ten two-hour periods, I saw no movement, and I thought his acceptance of the Black Water True Technique inheritance would end in failure,”

“It looks like I worried for nothing on behalf of the ancients; this guy’s reaction clearly means he’s had good fortune and has successfully obtained the inheritance.”

“However, I don’t know which of the Black Water True Techniques he has acquired!”

Chen Hai glanced at Ye Fangxian, taking in his appearance for a while before letting out a slight sigh of relief, and reflected,

Before entering the Black Water Myriad Spirit Pool, Ye Fangxian had made a solemn promise that if he failed to obtain the inheritance, he would rather die within…

The churning black water in the pool wasn’t real water but was formed from eerie black mists.

These mists shared a certain resemblance to the vast Black Water flowing in unknown depths.

It was precisely because of this similarity that the Ten Thousand Spirit Pond was vaguely linked to the true Black Water in unknown depths, making it possible for those within to have a chance at receiving a True Skill inheritance.

White Mountain or Black Water, both were considered the most sinister and evil places in the world.

The rolling black water of the Ten Thousand Spirit Pond had a strong corrosiveness that could assimilate a person’s body, and if one didn’t stay too long, it would not have a significant effect.

However, if someone of weak strength stayed too long in the pool, it was not impossible for them to die there.

Ye Fangxian, this fellow, after destroying his Tao Foundation, had strength equivalent to only that of Sixth Realm Sky Control.

With such limited strength, he had stayed in the Black Water Myriad Spirit Pool for nearly ten two-hour periods, and frankly, Chen Hai was a bit worried that this second disciple of his might really die inside by accident.

At this moment, upon seeing the trembling Ye Fangxian with a shadow of a black toad riddled with pustules beginning to slowly take shape behind him, he finally breathed a little easier.

No matter how severe the side effects of the waters in the Ten Thousand Spirit Pond, once a person successfully received an inheritance, the water could no longer affect them.

Finally, the newly formed shadow of the black toad, like the sea receiving a hundred rivers, surged into Ye Fangxian’s body, and his tightly shut eyes slowly opened.

Eyes shining coldly, he burst out of the Ten Thousand Spirit Pond and landed not far from Chen Hai.

“Master, Fangxian has not let you down and has ultimately succeeded in obtaining the True Skill inheritance.”

“The technique I have inherited is the Black Water Poison Toad Technique.”

“Originally, I had a Medicine Jar Holy Body, which allowed me to enhance my strength by constantly taking medicine.”

“The Black Water Poison Toad Technique I have obtained is ingeniously unfathomable; once successfully practiced, I can become immune to all poisons.”

“From now on, not only can I take medicine, but even if I consume poisonous substances, I will be able to continuously improve my strength.”

…

With clear joy on his face, Ye Fangxian respectfully bowed to Chen Hai and reported,

“Obtaining the Black Water Poison Toad Technique means you have good fortune, Fangxian.”

“With this technique to help, you should be able to quickly recover the strength you’ve lost.”

“Return to your cave mansion and focus on cultivating, and I believe it won’t be many years before you can step back into the True Immortal realm!”

Chen Hai nodded with slight satisfaction and gave Ye Fangxian a few comforting words as he gestured for him to leave.

“Mhm! I will definitely not let Master down again.”

“I’ll go back to my cave mansion and immediately enter closed door cultivation. Until I reattain the level of True Immortal, True Demon, I will not come out!”

With a resolute look in his eyes, Ye Fangxian nodded emphatically.

After greeting Chen Hai, he turned around and flew towards the direction of his cave mansion.

…

West Barbarian Calendar, the ninth day of the ninth month, marked the day of the Sect competition that the Bloodthirsty Sect hosted every five years.

Within the sect’s gate, a vast valley surrounded by several large mountains served as the ground for this competition.

The Bloodthirsty Sect currently boasted a total membership near five thousand.

Only in terms of numbers, it was hard to find a handful of sects within the entire West Barbarian Mountain Territory that could match this scale.

Of course, membership aside, the actual number of disciples participating in the competition was merely around a thousand.

Some were of an older age, while others possessed self-awareness, knowing that with their strength, the likelihood of standing out and ranking among the top was virtually nonexistent.

The notice issued by the Bloodthirsty Sect stated that all who had joined the sect within the previous fifty years must participate in the Sect competition, but those who had exceeded this time limit were not forced to do so.

Considering the varying lengths of time spent on cultivation by those participating in the Sect competition, the participants were divided into tiers every ten years. Those who had joined the sect for more than fifty years were placed into a separate and higher tier altogether.

There were only twenty spots available for the chance to ascend to Black Water Immortal Mountain and enter the Black Water Myriad Spirit Pool.

For the first five tiers, the top three from each would be selected, while from the group of members who had exceeded fifty years within the sect, the top five from the competition would be chosen.

Up until now, including Ye Fangxian, a total of three people had obtained True Skills from the Black Water Myriad Spirit Pool.

However, as of today, the only one who had actually begun formal cultivation and started to channel strength back to Chen Hai was still only Zhang Tianci.

Could it be that each person practicing the Black Water True Technique would feed back strength while cultivating?

Chen Hai himself could not be entirely certain.

The use of the Sect competition to allow some to enter the Black Water Myriad Spirit Pool and receive the inheritance was just a small experiment.

He preferred a targeted and limited trial rather than haphazardly amassing numbers.

Even if every person practicing the Black Water True Technique could feed back to him, he would only recruit the elite; not just anyone would be allowed to enter the Black Water Myriad Spirit Pool.

As the morning sun began to rise, and the twilight of dawn had not yet fully faded, the valley designated for the competition was already brimming with people, densely packed by the hundreds.

Dressed in the simple attire of an ordinary disciple and appearing utterly unremarkable, Chen Hai made his way unhurriedly into the valley.

Zhang Tianci was still immersed in arduous cultivation. Ye Fangxian, having recently obtained the Black Water Poison Toad Technique, had gone back to his cave mansion and entered closed door cultivation.

Arriving here, Chen Hai was alone and did not rashly disturb them.

This competition would select twenty people to enter the Black Water Myriad Spirit Pool, and if they were successful in obtaining the inheritance, they would become his nominal disciples.

His purpose for coming here this early in the morning was straightforward: merely to watch and see, nothing more.

“Fellow disciples, who do you think will stand out in this competition and make it into the top twenty?”

“Isn’t that obvious? Senior Brother Yuan Fang from Qinglan Peak, who joined our Bloodthirsty Sect barely twenty years ago, has already entered the Sixth Realm with Sky Control. Among those in the same tier, if he claims second place, no one would dare claim first. His spot is as good as secured.”

“Law Enforcement Hall’s Senior Brother Qin Tian is no less remarkable. He has been with the sect for over forty years and has reached the Eighth Realm Primordial Spirit, just a hair’s breadth away from the Nine Realms’ Heavenly Tribulation.”

“What’s the use of a high Realm? To get one of those twenty spots, you need to have real combat prowess. That Qin Tian you’re talking about lost to Senior Brother Zhou Yuan a half-year ago. If I’m not mistaken, wasn’t that right after Zhou Yuan had just broken through to the Seventh Realm Manifestation?”

…

The competition had not yet officially started, but the Bloodthirsty disciples who had rushed to the valley were already gathering in groups, eagerly discussing among themselves.

Of course, their discussions were all somehow related to the competition.

Strolling leisurely through the valley, Chen Hai roamed about.

Back when he served as a Guest Elder in the Bloodthirsty Sect, he had a passable familiarity with the internal affairs of the sect, but in the blink of an eye, more than a hundred years had passed.

The Bloodthirsty Sect of today had changed entirely; those individuals being discussed, Yuan Fang, Qin Tian, Zhou Yuan, and the like, were all completely unknown to Chen Hai, not a single one ringing a bell.

Nevertheless, the conversations of the crowd managed to pique his interest nonetheless.