CHAPTER 393: CHAPTER 356 OLD FELLOW

Early in the morning, as the sky was just beginning to brighten, Phoenix Creek Sect was already bustling with excitement.

Rumors were circulating that Hong Yuan, one of the nine Phoenix Creek Tutelage, would grace the Martial Arts Field to watch the finals of this year’s annual competition!

Who was Hong Yuan?

He had started as a menial disciple and became a Martial Arts role model for countless other menial disciples. Moreover, within Phoenix Creek Sect, apart from those elusive Martial Saints and Supreme Elders, the nine Phoenix Creek Tutelage held the highest status and wielded the greatest power.

It was difficult for ordinary disciples to even catch a glimpse of an Elder from their own hall, let alone such prominent figures. To have close contact with such a prominent figure—if he took a fancy to you, it could be likened to an ascent to the heavens, bypassing a lifetime of detours!

Although the likelihood was very low, what if it happened? You wouldn’t know unless you tried, and trying didn’t cost a thing.

「Green Talisman Peak.」

「Sword Training Field.」

The swish of swords practicing filled the air, and leaves fluttered down.

A handsome young man was displaying his swordsmanship, his techniques exceptionally fierce.

On the corridor outside the training field, several middle-aged men were observing, commenting from time to time.

"Xianran has a good grasp of ’Sword Qi Runs Through the Rainbow,’ the lethal move from the ’Heavenly River Sword Scripture.’"

"But I’ve heard that Mo Yue’er has been meticulously cultivated by Hong Yuan; her Beast Control Skill and movement technique are both unparalleled. I don’t think we should underestimate her."

"Haha, the ’Sword Qi Runs Through the Rainbow’ is a lethal move capable of forming an incomparable Divine Power in Sword Tao. With this, Xianran will surely crush Mo Yue’er!"

"..."

The crowd exchanged views, offering their comments and occasionally looking towards their leader, Li Jianxiang.

Li Jianxiang, the Peak Master of Green Talisman Peak, wasn’t as talkative as them; he was silently observing Li Xianran.

In his eyes, his nephew was almost certain to defeat Mo Yue’er with ease, even though Mo Yue’er’s cultivation realm was higher and her methods more numerous. But Mo Yue’er was like a flower grown in a greenhouse, vastly different from Li Xianran, a Sword Cultivator who had been thrown among the dead to be cultivated since childhood, one who had fought his way out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood!

Still, one name kept echoing in his mind: Hong Yuan. Hong Yuan. Hong Yuan!

Li Jianxiang silently repeated Hong Yuan’s name in his heart.

Within Phoenix Creek Sect, Hong Yuan was almost equivalent to the high heavens. Any Martial Artist with a bit of ambition and aspiration wouldn’t ignore Hong Yuan. The pressure that Hong Yuan brought upon the many True Disciples was simply too great!

...

"The shrimp and noodle soup that little aunt made is so delicious, hee hee," Mo Yue’er said.

"Mmm, Yiru truly has good culinary skills. If she opened a small noodle shop in the outer city, it would definitely be packed every day, always busier than she could handle," Hong Yuan added.

「Rainbow Fire Peak, the Peak Master’s residence.」

Lin Yiru rarely cooked herself, but today she had made breakfast for Hong Yuan and Mo Yue’er. When she heard Hong Yuan’s and Mo Yue’er’s praises, her eyes curved into a happy smile. She felt very satisfied, thinking her morning’s efforts were completely worth it.

"Hee hee, I’m glad you two like it," Lin Yiru said with a beaming smile.

At this moment, the atmosphere in the room was harmonious.

Hong Yuan wore a smile, quietly enjoying this warmth. He was admittedly quite pragmatic and self-interested, often adept at making superficially impressive gestures, but this didn’t mean he was cold and unfeeling. He always possessed ordinary human emotions; he just knew better what to do and when.

「Breakfast ended.」

Hong Yuan then accompanied Mo Yue’er to the Martial Arts Field on Rainbow Fire Peak, observing her practicing movement techniques and controlling her tamed beasts like Fire Feather, Phoenix Feather Butterfly, and Red Dragon Carp.

These beasts were progressively more difficult to handle, especially Fire Feather. Fire Feather was a fifth-rank Fire Tao Variant Seed, arrogant by nature, and vaguely referred to as a spirit of fire. Currently, Fire Feather’s strength had already reached the third rank.

Moreover, Hong Yuan’s prowess in Refining Tao was extraordinary. He equipped these beasts with powerful gear, one after another. This allowed Mo Yue’er to adopt a "super-rich" combat style that left the younger generation of Phoenix Creek Sect in despair.

"Fire Feather, use Fire Dragon Roll!"

"Phoenix Feather Butterfly, use Mighty Gust!"

"Red Dragon Carp, use Dragon Ripple!"

"..."

Mo Yue’er issued commands one by one. Her tamed beasts each performed powerful moves, collectively demonstrating remarkable fighting capability. She herself was also clad in a set of gear specially crafted for her by Hong Yuan.

At this moment, she was dressed in a blue battle robe, with large wings on her back, and wielded a Fire Red Longbow. Peerlessly elegant, with silky black hair and skin fairer than snow, she was so breathtakingly beautiful she seemed like a Fairy Queen!

Yue’er’s cultivation realm is still too low; in this state, she can only maintain it for an hour, Hong Yuan thought, his gaze slightly lowered, feeling a bit of regret. He had plenty of fine items at his disposal, but it was a pity Yue’er’s strength was insufficient to fully utilize them.

After watching for a while, Hong Yuan recalled the information on Li Xianran and activated his Luck Tao Divine Power.

His vision immediately began to change.

In his field of view, Mo Yue’er was endowed with an aura of fortune, her blue luck reaching up to the clouds, stretching nearly a hundred zhang. Most peculiar of all was a cold moon shadow reflecting and protecting Mo Yue’er.

A cold moon shadow... is it due to my protection? Hong Yuan narrowed his eyes slightly.

The next moment, he moved his fingers.

"Luck Tao Divine Power—Fortune Shines Upon!"

A nearly white light drifted from Hong Yuan’s fingers, settling onto Mo Yue’er and her beasts.

Mo Yue’er’s blue luck immediately surged. The cold moon shadow also became more distinct, no longer an elusive reflection like the moon in water or a flower in a mirror.

...

Amidst the eager anticipation of thousands, the grand finals of the Phoenix Creek Sect’s annual competition finally began.

The vast grounds of Yenwu Hall were exceptionally lively. Almost every seat in the audience was filled, truly a full house!