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Chapter 238: Did they all go to the Cangwu Dojo?
The Heavenly Dao Assembly's Xuan Realm duels consist of a total of thirty matches, unfolding intensely over three days.

The first day featured ten intense matches, the second day also saw ten more, and the third day held the final ten matches.

The focus of everyone's attention, however, is on the schedule for the second day of the competition.

The participants on the second day are more interesting than those on the first and third days.

As the midday sun hung high in the sky, a powerful sword strike, as majestic as a mountain collapsing and the earth splitting, crashed down upon the Tianji Dojo. Lin Chuan, the only son of the Lin family, a thousand-year-old clan, trembled slightly with his hands, and a trickle of blood spilled from the corner of his ferocious mouth.

But before he could regain his footing, a sword strike carrying a chilling aura pierced through the air, its sharp energy instantly unleashing a shockwave that had not yet subsided.

Lin Chuan's pupils contracted sharply. In a haste, he raised his sword to parry. The sparks flying from the blade blocked most of the howling sword energy, but a wisp of sharp sword energy still grazed his left shoulder, instantly tearing open his brocade robe. Crimson blood gushed out, staining the luxurious fabric a glaring stain.

Lin Chuan was no nobody; on the contrary, he was a renowned prodigy in Yuzhou.

Moreover, the Lin family and the Shang family of the Daoist Sect are related by marriage. Although he did not enter the Immortal Sect because he was not under their control, the cultivation resources he actually possessed were no less than those of the disciples of the Immortal Sect.

Meanwhile, Zhuang Zixin, standing opposite him, couldn't help but breathe softly after unleashing a sword strike, then raised his cold, piercing eyes.

Surrounded by a full audience, Zhuang Zixin flicked his wrist, and a perfectly round sword shadow, like a silver moon in the sky, accompanied by a whistling wind, slashed down towards Lin Chuan.

With a clang, sparks flew...

On the other side, the Qiyun Dojo.

Li Yunzhao, the second son of the former royal family Li clan and younger brother of Li Yunlang, fought with an iron spear, like a cold dragon emerging from its cave. However, facing his opponent's strange and unpredictable twin swords, his rapidly spinning spiritual energy gradually began to deplete as he breathed in and out.

The sword aimed straight at his heart was deflected by his family's secret technique, the Sun God Technique, but he was then stabbed hard into his shoulder bone by the opponent's thrusting sword.

His opponent, Yan Hao, the grandson of the Heavenly Sword Peak Master, suffered minor injuries after a fierce battle, but was essentially unharmed. He then ended the duel with a heavy sword strike, and amidst the admiring gazes of the crowd, he adjusted his hair ornaments and stepped down from the round platform.

Yan Hao's battles have always been known for their speed and decisiveness. When he draws his heavy sword, it has the force of thunder and mountain collapse, suppressing all directions.

Many people have been watching his matches since the first round of the group stage.

They always felt that Yan Hao's sub-sword was not strong, and that its existence was purely to compensate for the disadvantage of slow movement speed caused by the heavy sword.

But after today's battle with Lin Chuan, everyone discovered that the lethality of his rapier was completely different from before; the lightning-fast strikes were simply impossible to react to.

On the other hand, the intense competition at Xingchi Dojo was no less fierce than these two matches.

At that time, Li Yunlang was imbued with magic, like a golden sun. His body was bursting with energy, and his steps were as swift as the wind. The gleaming sword in his hand was even more fierce and rapid. From the very beginning, he suppressed a disciple of an elder from Lingjian Mountain, making it difficult for him to draw his sword or gain any momentum.

The way of the sword is like this: if one cannot form a continuous momentum and gather sword energy, it is difficult to unleash its original power.

However, there are countless sword techniques in Lingjian Mountain, and this elder's personal disciple does have some skill. During the process, he changed his sword intent several times and almost succeeded in counterattacking, but each time he was suddenly suppressed by the opponent's iron spear and pursued.

Finally, he was whipped off the platform by the gun barrel and smashed around on the barrier of the circular platform, leaving him dizzy and disoriented.

However, the showdown between the Heavenly Dao Society will not unfold as everyone expects; there will always be unexpected events.

Just like in the afternoon duel at Qiyun Dojo, Wei Yingmeng, the daughter of the branch master of Shanhai Pavilion, was unexpectedly defeated.

There are many female cultivators in Qingyun Tianxia. Because of their delicate minds and keen observation skills, they are more insightful than men and their cultivation speed is also faster. However, female cultivators are often not very strong in combat and are not particularly outstanding among those of the same cultivation level.

However, Wei Yingmeng is a counterexample.

It is said that she has always dressed like a boy since childhood, and in both training and combat, she has never been inferior to anyone.

Many people made predictions about this Heavenly Dao Gathering, and Wei Yingmeng was predicted to be among the top ten.

In the second round, she encountered an opponent from the Zhu family of Qingzhou named Zhu Shun.

Zhu Shun was not well-known, far less so than his brother Zhu Yao, who had joined the Dao Seeking Sect. In fact, before the Heavenly Dao Assembly began, he rarely attracted any attention.

However, as the battle between the two began, everyone noticed that Wei Yingmeng seemed somewhat dazed and confused. After several clashes, she fell into a disadvantageous position and narrowly lost on the round platform.

This result caused an uproar among the onlookers, who all stood up and stared, momentarily feeling dazed.

“It turned out to be like this…”

"What kind of magic is that?"

"The Mingyang Techniques passed down through the Zhu family."

The biggest highlight of the subsequent battles was the two men named You Bai and Hao Feng.

The You and Hao families are not well-known in the Nine Provinces and belong to the lower-level families, but these two, like the previous Bayang, are both people who are about to break through to the next level.

In the second round of the Heavenly Dao Tournament, both of them won their duels, overwhelming their opponents with the difference in their cultivation levels, forcing them to leave the stage in disappointment.

Those who lost to them were not unknown juniors; one was a scion of a thousand-year-old family, and the other was a scion of a family related to the Chen Immortal Clan by marriage.

This shows that reaching a higher level truly involves many differences that are difficult to compensate for in other ways.

In stark contrast to the fervor throughout the entire Sage Garden, the mood of everyone at the Heavenly Academy was quite different.

Wang Gaocen lost.

His opponent today was a disciple of an elder from the Mountain and Sea Pavilion, and the two fought all the way to the third round.

Among the Tongxuan Realm cultivators at Tianshu Academy, Wang Gaocen was considered a formidable fighter. He was evenly matched with the disciples of Shanhaige, and the battle was fierce and fraught with danger.

He used the orthodox techniques of the Heavenly Academy to enhance his body. Although the power was not as great as that of his senior brothers and sisters who had reached the Fusion Realm, it was still worthy of the name of a disciple of the Immortal Sect. He moved like the wind and his sword strikes were heavy.

Unfortunately, in the third match, he was still one move behind his opponent and was directly pressed down on the stage by the disciple of Shan Hai Ge with his energy, almost being stabbed through the heart.

Fortunately, at the last moment, he used his defensive magic weapon, turned around and killed his opponent, but in the end he was still cut down on the stage.

At this moment, he walked out of the Lingxi Dojo, looking at the Sage Garden with a somewhat somber expression.

He is the grandson of the elder of the Heavenly Book Academy. He has been living a life of luxury since childhood and is considered a prodigy among his peers. His goal in participating in the Heavenly Dao Assembly is to compete for first place.

However, out of humility and caution, he has always publicly stated that he aims to be in the top ten.

Those who come here to participate in the duel are all aiming to enter the deepest part of the sacred land of the ancients.

But this duel was like a blow to the head, leaving him stunned and suddenly realizing that he was actually weaker and more mediocre than he had imagined.

Looking at the long, white marble road, he suddenly stopped in his tracks, intending to go back, because he didn't know how he should tell the others that he had lost.

However, just as he was in a daze, a group of disciples from the Heavenly Academy suddenly appeared in the Jade Palace, which was adjacent to the Lingxi Palace. They hurriedly ran out carrying a bamboo woven rattan frame and ran directly towards the gate along the white marble path.

Wang Gaocen was stunned for a moment, and his eyes widened involuntarily.

Because the man lying on the trellis covered in blood was none other than his fellow disciple, Gu Zetao.

After gazing for a long time, Wang Gaocen saw Wei Han, the head disciple of the academy who was following Gu Zetao, and saw that he also had a solemn expression and a gloomy look in his eyes.

Wang Gaocen snapped out of his daze: "What's wrong with Zetao?"

Wei Han pursed his lips: "Junior Brother Gu lost."

"I remember his opponent was from the Dao Seeking Sect?"

"Ye Qing of the Dao Seeking Sect lost both matches, and his All Laws Body was shattered by his opponent."

Wei Han had just witnessed the entire fight of Gu Zetao at the Yuyu Dojo.

Ye Qing attacked fiercely, displaying immense power from the moment he entered the arena. Moreover, his combat experience far surpassed that of Gu Zetao, and unsurprisingly, he emerged victorious.

At this moment, the head of the Imperial Household Department, who had heard the news, came to their side. After listening to Wei Han's report and glancing at Wang Gaocen's disheveled appearance with his hair ornament shattered, his face turned extremely ugly.

By this stage, all of the seven immortal sects except for the Pill Sect had suffered defeats.

For example, Chen Shuo of the Chen Clan, and the daughter of the branch master of the Mountain and Sea Pavilion.

However, only their Heavenly Academy lost two people in one day, and Gu Zetao even had to be carried off the stage, which was truly embarrassing.

Among the onlookers were some people from prominent families in the capital, such as the Chongwang group, who all came out of the Lingxi Dojo and Yuyu Dojo, and their expressions were somewhat tense.

They lived in Shengjing, which was only a few days away from the Heavenly Academy, and the people they knew were all cultivators from the Heavenly Academy. It was not surprising that they came here to watch the battle.

They simply hadn't expected that the Heavenly Academy would lose two matches in a row, and even have one member seriously injured and unconscious.

Looking back, they had all watched the preliminary selection of the Heavenly Dao Society.

They were unaware of the Elders' Council's involvement, but they all knew that Wang Gaocen and Gu Zetao were handpicked from among the top candidates in the academy, and this was the result?
Amidst the whispers, another group of officials from the Pro-Immortal faction arrived from Jingyang Dojo and joined them.

After learning that the two Tongxuan masters from the Heavenly Academy had lost, this group of newcomers brought another piece of bad news.

"On the side of the Fusion Realm, the disciples of Tianshu Academy almost lost as well."

"Who?"

"Xiao Hanyan".

"We almost lost, but we didn't lose. The second round was extremely dangerous. Winning is a real skill."

"Actually, they were going to lose, but at the last moment, Xiao Hanyan secretly threw out a magical artifact."

"The Heavenly Dao Society does not prohibit the use of magical artifacts, so this is not a big deal."

"The use of magical artifacts is not prohibited, but it is customary that if you want to bring a magical artifact into the arena, you still need to state it in advance. In short, this kind of covert approach seems to be an unfair victory."

"How could this be? It's clearly from the Great Xia Holy Sect..."

"The Holy Land of the Sages was where the sacred artifacts were passed down in the past. One year of cultivation there is equivalent to ten years of cultivation. It is normal to use some means to enter it. However, the reputation of the Heavenly Academy may not be so good in the future."

Spiritual energy flows like the sea, and the flash of swords is like lightning.

Back and forth, one win and one loss.

People came and went among the nine major arenas, some standing tall and proud, looking victorious, while others looked dazed and somewhat disheveled.

As for the onlookers, some of the young people felt their Dao heart was hindered by the incredible performances in the arena, and felt like they couldn't keep up. Some of the older people couldn't help but sigh, "I was definitely not as good as him when I was young."

In the past two years, there have been rumors that the human race's fortunes are about to run out, which has led to the barbarian and demon races harboring ulterior motives and making restless moves.

The attack on Han Tie Pass, the entry into Kyushu under the guise of trade, and the attempt to form an alliance—all these events occurred within the last two years. However, after witnessing the second round of the Heavenly Dao Assembly, many felt that the claim of impending doom was utter nonsense.

Look at this scene of a hundred flowers blooming; humanity should be ushering in a golden age.

The Sage's Garden is elegantly landscaped, with pavilions and towers arranged in a pleasing manner, but it is ultimately too large a garden and not quite suitable for heated discussions.

However, the teahouses and taverns surrounding Zhongxing County, which developed thanks to the grand gathering of cultivators, were extremely suitable.

As the sun set in the west, the restaurants in Zhongxing County were packed with people, their red lanterns gleaming. Among them, figures drank and talked endlessly about the day's battle.

"Li Yunlang of the Zhongzhou Li Clan has performed even better than I expected. I think he will definitely be in the top ten."

“I agree with that, but the Zhu brothers seem to be people not to be underestimated.”

"Don't forget Zhuang Zixin. His performance was also outstanding, and he's the right age. I do have a granddaughter who is still unmarried."

"Speaking of Zhuang Zixin, his elder brother Zhuang You is also astonishing. I heard that he defeated a disciple of the Xuan Yuan Immortal Mansion with only ten sword strikes at noon today."

"The most powerful one is Yan Hao from Lingjian Mountain. I've been watching the battle these past few days, and I always feel that he hasn't used his full strength yet."

"And there's Shang Zhou, the younger brother of Shang Xiyao from the Dao Seeking Sect, and Wen Song from the Xuan Yuan Immortal Mansion..."

"Don't forget, everyone. Besides the people you mentioned, there are also three people who are about to break through to the next level in this battle of the Tongxuan realm. Although it is only a small difference in realm, they have finally crossed the threshold of Tongxuan and Rongdao."

"In that case, it's really not certain who will get one of the top ten spots."

"In previous Heavenly Dao Tournaments, the top ten spots were basically determined by the second round, but this year it's still uncertain..."

"Hey, don't forget there are still ten games tomorrow, and the number of participants might continue to increase."

"Indeed, there must be some people who have been hiding their strength in the group stage. There is no doubt about that. After all, there are still some disciples of the Immortal Sects who have not yet faced off. However, speaking of the Immortal Sects, the Heavenly Academy seems to have had a rather embarrassing time this time."

"I heard they lost two?"

"Three is enough."

"How could there be three?"

"Someone secretly used magical artifacts, so the result was somewhat controversial. The Heavenly Dao Assembly isn't about whose magical artifacts are more powerful. You might win the battle, but you'll ultimately lose some reputation."

Ji You watched the matches all day, and only after returning did he learn that Tian Shu Academy had lost two matches that day, including the duel with Xiao Hanyan. Although they won, they seemed to be criticized by some people. He thought to himself, no wonder the academy was so quiet today and no one was drinking tea.

Wen Siyuan made a special trip over to talk to him, but they didn't mention the losing streak. Instead, he solemnly reminded him to be careful in the match the next morning.

This wasn't something he intended to say; rather, it was someone the head of the council instructed him to say.

Seeing that the three sect leaders, whose primary goal is to uphold the dignity of their sect, are already getting nervous, I imagine they won't look too good today.

This is understandable; among the seven great immortal sects, only the Heavenly Academy is hailed as a holy sect, so its achievements are truly somewhat undeserved...

Because the second day of the second round of the Heavenly Dao Tournament was exceptionally exciting, many people were eagerly anticipating the third day's showdown.

So early the next morning, countless people set off from their own gardens and inns to the Taoist temple in the Sage Garden.

Some people chatted with friends all night and still smelled of alcohol when they left.

Meanwhile, the restaurant manager stayed up all night, counting the overflowing silver while smilingly seeing the guests off.

Several disciples from Lingjian Mountain, several disciples from the Chen Clan, and several promising young talents from ancient families will all finish their matches today.

Among them, Zhu Yao, the newly promoted cultivation genius of the Dao Seeking Sect, Chen Ruiyang of the Chen Clan, and Murong Yu, the eldest daughter of the Murong family, have attracted much attention. In addition, some other people who performed quite well in the group stage have also been noticed.

Following the white marble path, the group headed towards the nine major dojos, passing by the Qiyun Dojo and the Tianji Dojo along the way.

As they passed by the Cangwu Dojo, some of them couldn't help but pause slightly before turning around and going inside.

Chen Ruiyang's match today is at the Cangwu Dojo, and this group of people came specifically for his match.

Lu Xiong, the head of the Lu family, also arrived at this time, looking around aimlessly, intending to find a place to watch the battle.

Three of the Lu family members lost in the first round, while the rest managed to advance to the second round by luck.

However, luck is not always on their side, so they all lost in the second round.

However, the Lu family also has some close ties with other prominent families, and with a showdown taking place today, he naturally wouldn't stay idle in the garden.

Just then, Lu Xiong encountered Lou Jingzhi, the head of the Lou family, in front of the Cangwu Dojo.

Although the Lou family and the Lu family are not close, they have some business dealings in spirit stones, and since they both live in Lianxing Garden now, they have met and chatted a few times.

Lou Jingzhi looked at Lu Xiong, cupped his hands slightly, and said, "Brother Lu, good morning."

Good morning, Brother Lou.

"Is someone from the Lu family going to have a duel today?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Xiong waved his hand and said, "The children in my family are not very promising. They were all defeated yesterday. I couldn't sit still, so I decided to come out and watch the battle."

Lou Jingzhi nodded, then couldn't help but say, "After meeting Brother Lu a few days ago, I suddenly remembered something and have been thinking of finding some time to have a good chat with Brother Lu about it."

"Oh? May I ask what brings you here, Brother Lou?"

"It's like this, I have a son who is not yet married, and I, as his father, am quite worried about him. Then I suddenly remembered that Brother Lu seems to have a daughter of marriageable age, Yunying, who is also waiting to be married?"

Upon hearing his words, Lu Xiong naturally understood that his subtext was that he hoped the two families could have the opportunity to become related by marriage. After pursing his lips for a while, he said softly, "So that's what Brother Lou means. I do have two daughters who are of marriageable age, but this matter still needs to be discussed with my wife."

Lou Jingzhi smiled after hearing this: "Then where is Madam Lu?"

"My wife left when I went out, and I don't know where she went."

"Perhaps he went to watch the game."

Lu Xiong chuckled lightly: "She's just a woman, she's not usually interested in this kind of thing."

Lou Jingzhi sensed that he didn't seem very interested, but he wasn't annoyed: "The Heavenly Dao Society won't end anytime soon, so there's plenty of time. Since it's not a good time this time, let's find another opportunity. Brother Lu, farewell."

"Let's just say goodbye."

Lu Xiong watched him walk into the Cangwu Dojo, and suddenly realized that this eldest son of the Lou family seemed to be the one who withdrew from the competition a few days ago.

It was precisely because he withdrew from the competition that Ji You won the final game without a fight...

Lu Xiong gazed at the Cangwu Dojo for a long time, then suddenly his eyes narrowed as he saw a familiar figure, his expression slightly surprised.

Cultivators possess exceptional senses and perception; with careful observation, they can see even distant scenery at a glance.

As the Lou family entered the Cangwu Dojo, he was surprised to find that his wife had already taken her seat in the audience, her eyes fixed on the stage.

His conversation with Lou Jingzhi just now did have some evasiveness, but it was mostly serious.

He discovered that his wife had gone out when he got up this morning, and she was indeed not interested in fighting or killing.

Brother Lu originally thought she had arranged to go for a stroll with several other ladies from the Lingzhou Chamber of Commerce, but he never expected her to come here instead.

Moreover, judging from how close the lady was to the round platform, he felt that she had arrived early to reserve a seat...

In fact, Lu Xiong had just remembered that after Lou's son withdrew from the competition, he had been thinking of going to the Cangwu Dojo to watch the battle, but he still didn't understand why his wife was here.

After a moment's thought, Lu Xiong stepped into the Cangwu Dojo.

Near where Lu Xiong had just stood, a group of young ladies from prominent families were walking along the road.

One of them was Qiu Hanyue, the daughter of the Qiu family, and the others were her sisters and new friends she had met in the garden in recent days.

"What did Han Yue think of the young master she met at the restaurant yesterday?"

"Very good, gentle and refined, a true gentleman."

"I also think he's good-looking; he's handsome and capable."

Qiu Hanyue argued her case and successfully declined the arranged marriage with Fengzhou. She had already told her sisters about it, and they were all very happy for her.

However, she has reached marriageable age, and if she doesn't marry this man, she'll have to marry someone else.

Taking advantage of the gathering of talented young men at the Heavenly Dao Assembly, the Qiu family also found several new men for her.

Yesterday, Qiu Hanyue, accompanied by her sisters, went to meet someone

That's a young master from a prominent family. He's a really good person and very strong. He made it all the way to the second round.

Qiu Hanyue did think it was good, and when she heard her friends say the same thing, she thought to herself that her taste was indeed good.

"Cold moon."

"Ok?"

"It looks like Huang Rou."

Qiu Hanyue raised her eyes and looked at the woman who had spoken.

This is one of her best friends, named Sheng Xiyu. When she was troubled because she was going to marry into Fengzhou, it was Sheng Xiyu who gave her the idea to bypass the He family and the Qiu family and go directly to talk to Ji You.

At this moment, she looked in the direction Sheng Xiyu was pointing and immediately saw her other good friend Huang Rou in the audience of the Cangwu Dojo. Her expression was slightly stunned.

Huang Rou hasn't been with her sisters these past few days, spending more time alone.

She declined all invitations, including the leisurely stroll she took a few days ago and the banquet she was invited to yesterday.

Qiu Hanyue originally thought that Huang Rou wanted to spend time alone with her childhood sweetheart, but she later learned that her childhood sweetheart had already been seriously injured and unconscious during the competition.

So when she saw Huang Rou sitting there, her eyes couldn't help but look a little lost.

What puzzled her even more was that Huang Rou was still staring intently at the stage, her eyes revealing a hint of anticipation, as if she was looking forward to seeing her opponent.

(End of this chapter)