CHAPTER 705: CHAPTER 94: SUDDENLY HEARING OF THE DEVIL’S TRACE HIDDEN IN XUANMEN

Mrs. Chen never would have imagined that the problem troubling the sect for seven years would be resolved so effortlessly by Zhang Yan. Shocked, she acted swiftly, promptly seizing the opportunity and sending Jin Minzhang—this troublesome soul—away at once.

Not long after, this news spread beyond the mountain gate. Upon receiving the Flying Sword Transmission, Chou Kun was surprised but also secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Having confronted the great Chen Family within the Mingcang Sect for seven years, even as a True Disciple of the Shaoqing Sect, he began to feel the strain. If things truly escalated to an irreconcilable point, creating discord between the two families, he would struggle to account for it within his sect.

The next day, he personally brought Jin Minzhang to Zhao You Heavenly Pond to pay a visit to Zhang Yan. As soon as they met, he offered a salute and apologized, "Little brother originally came to congratulate Brother Zhang on becoming one of the Top Ten Disciples, but unexpectedly, such an incident occurred, burdening Brother Zhang in the process."

Jin Minzhang stood to the side, feeling somewhat embarrassed. They both assumed Zhang Yan had been forced to interrupt his seclusion practice due to these events.

It is well known that cultivators are highly averse to interruptions during seclusion. Severe cases can doom years of painstaking cultivation to scrap, so a sense of guilt lingered in his heart.

Yet Zhang Yan smiled freely, waved his hand, and said, "Brother Chou, what are you saying? You and I are old acquaintances. For you to visit personally this time, yet due to my seclusion, I did not properly welcome you—if anything, I have been remiss. Why not stay here for a few days?"

Chou Kun shook his head and sighed, "Zhao You Heavenly Pond is as renowned for its majestic scenery as it is for its importance. I would be willing to linger here for a few days with you, fellow Daoist. But I have not returned to my mountain gate in seven years, and my heart longs for my fellow disciples and elders; thus, I am compelled to leave now."

Jin Minzhang also raised his voice and said, "Brother Zhang, I’ve been delayed for seven years here, and I’ve fallen behind in my studies. Even now, I fear several of my junior brothers may already have surpassed me. If I tarry further, they’ll surely leave me far behind."

Shaoqing Sect’s disciples cultivate techniques under extremely demanding conditions; some Dao Techniques must be practiced from a young age. If one misses the age threshold, it becomes impossible to learn them.

Jin Minzhang was just fourteen when he became trapped, and after seven years, he found himself unable to practice more advanced Upper Grade techniques. As a result, he decided to use a secret Dao Skill to bind his physical body.

This technique is profoundly mysterious and can only be utilized once in a lifetime. Though it does not prolong lifespan, it has one major advantage: while seven years passed by, he only aged one or two years physically. Thus, he had not entirely missed the prime years for cultivation.

Zhang Yan nodded lightly, regretting, "That is indeed unfortunate. I cannot persuade you both to stay any longer."

Truthfully, Chou Kun had initially intended to spar with Zhang Yan, yet knowing that Jin Minzhang caused Zhang Yan’s seclusion to be interrupted, he felt too embarrassed to suggest it now. He merely pondered how he might offer compensation. After some thought, he looked up and asked, "Fellow Daoist, what are your thoughts on the Sixteen Sects Sword Competition?"

When Zhang Yan heard this unexpected question, he realized it must carry a deeper meaning. Becoming attentive, his gaze sharpened slightly, and he replied, "If there’s something on your mind, fellow Daoist, feel free to speak."

Chou Kun straightened his tone and said seriously, "Brother Zhang, the Sixteen Sects Sword Competition has historically been contested among the Ten Sects of Xuanmen. The Six Great Demon Sects typically send one or two representatives merely as spectators. But now, with the Demon Tribulation looming, there’s no certainty that this time we won’t cross swords with the Demon Sect disciples during the competition."

He paused, seeing Zhang Yan was listening intently, and continued, "Brother Zhang, as you know, Shaoqing Sect’s disciples have always been fond of challenges. There was once a senior brother of mine who ventured alone into the Demon Sect’s territory. From him, we learned that among the Six Demon Sects, many brilliant disciples have emerged in recent years who rival our Xuanmen cultivators. My senior brother had crossed swords with one disciple of Jiuling Sect multiple times, each bout resulting in a draw. More intriguingly, this disciple let slip a detail: Jiuling Sect has a prodigious talent greatly esteemed by their sect elders. This individual supposedly created avatars and managed to infiltrate several of our Ten Sects as a disciple. Rumors say he now holds significant influence within those sects."

Zhang Yan furrowed his brows slightly, pondering this revelation. On the surface, it seemed plausible, but more likely it was deliberate misinformation, an effort by the Demon Sect to sow discord and confusion.

Naturally, Chou Kun also considered this possibility. Therefore, he added, "This matter lacks substantiation and shouldn’t be sensationalized. However, little brother feels that, even with a slim chance of such a scenario, we must remain vigilant. Brother Zhang, what do you think?"

Zhang Yan smiled faintly, agreeing, "If this matter is blown out of proportion, the Demon Sect needn’t lift a finger—we would scatter into chaos ourselves. That would be most unfortunate."

He cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, Brother Chou, for sharing this information."

Chou Kun likewise smiled, rose to his feet, and cupped his hands in return, saying, "Brother Zhang, you’re too kind. As we are pressed to return to the mountain gate, we cannot linger here. Farewell for now. I hope to host you at Shaoqing Sect someday, where I shall personally prepare to receive you."