The Divine Doctor of Waste Explodes the Heavens
The Divine启 Grand Gathering's elixir competition was arranged at the Carefree Fish Platform in Nügui City.
This was originally a fish-viewing platform built by the Lord of Yueqing Mountain for his beloved daughter. However, after twenty years, the platform had been abandoned and then remodeled by spatial array masters into a venue for competitions.
The original fish ponds were filled in, transforming into an immeasurably vast platform. Above the platform, spatial array masters had divided it into countless independent small spaces, ensuring that cultivators would not interfere with each other whether they were refining elixirs, drawing talismans, or carving arrays within them.
Around the platform, along the original viewing stands, layers of tiered seating were constructed, totaling nine levels. Cultivators could sit or stand on these tiers, each displaying their unique abilities to observe the competition.
At this moment, on the ninth level, in the center, Yue Yuan Gui, the son of the Lord of Yueqing Mountain, clad in a blue robe, was directing people to arrange tables and chairs.
"...Wait, change the Hao Bai Jade table at the first seating to a Top-grade Orchid Ice Jade table. Also, remove all the spiritual meat from the tables and replace it with spiritual fruits and spiritual tea..."
"Yuan Gui."
A call interrupted him. Yue Yuan Gui turned around and saw a group of people beside his father. He immediately bowed respectfully, "Master Ku Le, Your Highness the Demon King, Lord Hua Ling, Lord Qu Yu, Sect Leader Li, Sect Leader Xuan, this junior is impolite."
Master Ku Le clasped his hands together, "Amitabha, young friend Yue, you are too kind. I heard that young friend Yue has been busy all night; it is we who should be thanking you."
"Master Ku Le, you flatter this junior. This is what this junior should do," Yue Yuan Gui replied humbly. "Besides, it is fortunate for this competition that you and the esteemed seniors could attend."
Under normal circumstances, the leaders of the top sects, the two pavilions, and the three mountains would not have appeared for the first five days of the competition, only sending their junior disciples as representatives.
For instance, at yesterday's competition, only Yue Yuan Gui and Hua Xi, the disciple of the Lord of Hua Ling Mountain, were present.
"Young Master Yue is quite eloquent," Li Ting Yun said sarcastically.
Yue Yuan Gui appeared gentle and refined, like a refreshing breeze, but he was extremely adept at navigating social situations.
Originally, the Wushang Sect had firmly held the initiative in hosting this grand gathering, acting as co-hosts to the point where it was almost indistinguishable from being the primary host. However, yesterday, the Lord of Yueqing Mountain suddenly involved his son, Yue Yuan Gui, in the organization of this event. In just one night, Yue Yuan Gui seemed to have become the main orchestrator of this grand gathering.
Li Ting Yun felt that Yue Yuan Gui's actions were a direct affront to the Wushang Sect, thus his words were laced with barbs.
The Lord of Yueqing Mountain, Yue Bu Fan, was very protective of his own. Hearing this, he retorted with displeasure, "My son is simply polite. Li Ting Yun, who are you being sarcastic towards?"
A surge of anger welled up in Li Ting Yun. He impatiently retorted, "Whoever it concerns, they know!"
"Tsk..."
A mocking scoff came from the side.
Li Ting Yun angrily demanded, "Lin Qing Yu! What do you mean by that?"
Lin Qing Yu, fanning himself with a blue-gold peacock fan, gracefully walked towards the most ornate table and chairs at the main seat, speaking as he went.
"Oh dear, I simply couldn't hold back for a moment. Sect Leader Li, please, feel free. I wasn't laughing at you, truly. Pfft... Tsk..."
He couldn't hold back and laughed again.
It was truly hilarious. Li Ting Yun had always considered himself to be of a high status, yet now he couldn't help but bicker with a junior. One wondered if his cultivation had somehow eroded his brain?
Li Ting Yun was on the verge of exploding with anger, "You! You—"
Seeing that the two were about to escalate from verbal sparring to physical confrontation, the Lords of Hua Ling Mountain and Hu Yu Mountain quickly intervened to smooth things over.
Yue Bu Fan couldn't be bothered with such trivialities. He inspected his son's arrangements and casually surveyed the platform below. Suddenly, his gaze fixed on something.
"Shuxin?"
Yue Bu Fan hurriedly pushed aside Li Ting Yun, who was standing in front of him, and rushed towards the platform below!
Li Ting Yun, still fuming, was forcefully pushed by Yue Bu Fan, almost stumbling to the ground. Enraged, he cursed, "Yue Bu Fan, are you crazy? What's gotten into you?"
But Yue Bu Fan paid him no mind. He had already leaped down and was standing on the platform below, running forward. Yue Yuan Gui, having clearly heard his father's words, also ran down.
Today was the day with the largest crowd since Nügui City opened to the public. Bai Sheng Yi almost got separated from Qin Si. Towards the end, she simply held Qin Si's hand, weaving through the throng.
Feng Wu Ya and the others followed behind them, constantly exchanging meaningful glances and winks.
However, they soon reached the seats designated for Shenqi Academy.
"This spot is so out of the way, and directly facing the exit. People will be coming and going constantly, making it inconvenient for spectating. Is Wushang Sect doing this on purpose?" Feng Wu Ya grumbled.
Bai Sheng Yi scoffed, "Obviously, it has to be."
Qin San Xiang patted Bai Sheng Yi's shoulder, cheering her on, "Captain! You and Jing Fei must give it your all today and show these scoundrels from the outer continents how powerful our academy is!"
"What about me? What about me? I'm also participating in the competition; why aren't you saying anything about me?" Feng Wu Ya was displeased. Although his alchemy skills couldn't compare to Bai Sheng Yi and Jing Fei, he was more than capable of holding his own against others.
Perhaps because the seeds of this year's batch had all experienced the changes in the Sang Hai Secret Realm together, they were much more harmonious compared to previous years.
For instance, at this moment, Feng Wu Ya was being boisterous, yet Qin San Xiang didn't seem annoyed, smiling perfunctorily, "Yes, you too, you must do your best."
Feng Wu Ya didn't mind her perfunctory response and used a recording stone to capture scenes of the grand gathering, planning to show them to Luo Fei Hua and Zhu Wu upon his return.
As time was drawing near, Bai Sheng Yi said something to Qin Si and then, along with Jing Fei, Feng Wu Ya, and Wei Meng Long, headed towards the competition venue.
As soon as they left, Yue Bu Fan and Yue Yuan Gui came looking for them.
"Young brother, have you seen a woman wearing red clothes? About this tall, roughly like this."
Yue Bu Fan blocked Qin Si and waved his hand in the air. An image of a maiden in her early teens, wearing white clothes, materialized in mid-air.
The maiden was dressed in a goose-yellow, light-colored garment. Her smiling, upturned eyes were so radiant that they made anyone who saw them feel happier. Since the image was entirely composed of spiritual energy, it was somewhat blurry, allowing only a general outline of her appearance to be discerned. Yet, even so, Qin Si's phoenix eyes slightly narrowed.
This was because the woman bore a five to six tenths resemblance to Bai Sheng Yi.
A trace of contemplation flickered in Qin Si's gaze, but on his face, he said, "Lord of Yueqing Mountain, many cultivators are wearing red clothes today. This junior does not know who you are looking for."
"You recognize me..."
"Father!" Yue Yuan Gui tugged at Yue Bu Fan and stepped forward to inquire, "Dean Qin, please do not take offense. This portrait is of my sister. We have no ill intentions. We are looking for the female cultivator who was just speaking with you."
The positions of Bai Sheng Yi and the other three were not adjacent. Bai Sheng Yi was slightly ahead, with Jing Fei behind her. The moment the two had settled into their respective small spaces, they heard a cold snort from nearby.
"You are the abandoned slaves of Shenqi Academy, aren't you? I advise you to leave the stage now, lest you embarrass yourselves in front of more people."
Bai Sheng Yi had already sensed the malice from the person beside her. Facing his taunt, she calmly retorted.
"Is Xile Sect still the lapdog of that sect? You are so eager to urge our academy's contestants to forfeit the competition; it seems you are very afraid of our academy."