Daoist Competition-Chapter 983 - 231: Fearing Heaven and Fate, Submitting to Zhao You (Part 2)

At this point, he sighed again and said, "Earlier, I made a move against you out of greed for the Dragon Carp beneath the sea, foolishly attempting to seize this demon. Upon reflection, this was truly wrong."

Zhang Yan gave a faint smile, indifferent and noncommittal, and said, "What do you wish to say to me?"

Daoist Xu bowed deeply and said, "I am willing to join you under your tutelage, True Master."

This sudden statement was something Zhang Yan had not anticipated.

Joining under someone did not mean becoming their disciple, but rather being willing to become a Guest Elder in their abode, acknowledging them as the master.

Such occurrences were not uncommon in the Xuanmen, often involving independent sect disciples who, finding no future in their current cultivation, would join a Great Sect disciple, hoping to be granted a Cave Mansion for cultivation or elixirs and treasures, and in turn, follow their commands.

In Zhang Yan’s case, the Bai Qiong Demon King Lu Mei Niang and the Jun Yue Demon King Jing Miaojun were examples. He provided them with a Cave Mansion within Zhao You Heavenly Pond to cultivate and delve into mysteries, but should he have any assignments for them, the two demon kings must oblige.

Zhang Yan raised an eyebrow and said, "Your cultivation is not much weaker than mine. Why would you wish for this?"

Daoist Xu raised his eyes and said calmly, "I fear death."

When he spoke these words, there was not a trace of embarrassment, instead, he seemed thoroughly matter-of-fact.

Zhang Yan was momentarily startled, then laughed. It was extremely rare to encounter a cultivator who so unabashedly admitted their fear of death.

He observed this person with interest and said, "May I know your name, fellow Daoist?"

Daoist Xu raised his hands and said, "I dare not. My surname is Xu, with the single given name You, a disciple of Chongyue True Temple. As for my Daoist name, since I now wish to join you under True Master, it is nothing but smoke and clouds, unnecessary to mention."

Zhang Yan chuckled lightly and said, "Aren’t you afraid of letting down your sect’s ancestor masters by transferring to another’s tutelage?"

Daoist Xu insisted confidently, "My master is dead, with no disciples left in the sect. I am merely admiring the profound mana of the Master Daoist and wish to seek refuge, not betraying my ancestors or renouncing my sect."

Zhang Yan nodded, fixing his gaze, and asked, "If I order you to slaughter your fellow disciples from Chongyue True Temple, what would you do?"

Daoist Xu sighed. While he feared death, he was unwilling to deceive his master and betray his ancestors. He answered with a wry smile, "If it comes to that, it would mean no way out has been given to me, leaving only the path of self-destruction."

Zhang Yan suddenly laughed heartily and said, "Rest assured, just having you alone outweighs your sect’s hundreds of disciples. If you truly join with sincerity, I will ensure you do not face your Chongyue sect members."

Daoist Xu rejoiced and bowed deeply, saying, "Thank you, True Master, for your care."

Zhang Yan had his reasons for accepting him. He had weighed it: with the Sixteen Sects Sword Competition imminent, having a Nascent Soul True Master under his command would be a great advantage.

One should know that whether in the Xuanmen or the Demon Sects, cultivators at his level usually have significant backing from powerful forces.

Therefore, attending the Dharma Assembly, they could not possibly go alone. They would surely bring along their disciples from their abode, to showcase their status. Noble family disciples, with deep foundations, might even be accompanied by veteran elders as protection against unforeseen events.

Though Zhang Yan was one of the Mingcang Sect’s top ten disciples, he had only joined the sect recently and had been in enlightenment for just over a hundred years, with shallow roots. If he took too few or inadequate disciples to the Dharma Assembly, he himself might not care much, but it would be a loss of face for the Mingcang Sect’s elders. Now that someone was willing to seek refuge, it was more than welcome.

As for what sect this person previously belonged to, or whether they were an enemy, those were not considerations. As long as an oath is made by him, there would be no worries.

Zhang Yan spoke seriously, "Have you thought it through? I am of the Mingcang Sect. Now that the Demon Tribulation has begun in East Splendor Continent, if you follow me, you might have to attend the Sixteen Sects Sword Competition. It would be nothing if you lost your life. If your divine soul is severed, returning as human will be impossible."

Daoist Xu chuckled. If he hesitated now, his life would be at immediate risk. There would be no opportunity to worry about the future. Without thinking, he said, "If it turns out like that, it would be my misfortune, and I would have no blame on the fellow Daoist."

"Good!" Zhang Yan flicked out a Golden Talisman and said, "Then make an oath."

Daoist Xu reached out to take it, made an oath without hesitation, then pierced his finger, letting a drop of essence blood fall onto the Golden Talisman.

He then bowed to the heavens, ripped the Golden Talisman into two halves, placed one half into his mouth, chewed and swallowed it, then held the other half above his head.

Zhang Yan gestured, collecting the half talisman, used his mana to transform it into a faint purplish aura, which drifted into his forehead and disappeared.

If Daoist Xu broke his oath, Zhang Yan could take his life with a mere thought.

Even if Zhang Yan did nothing, it wouldn’t take long before the Dharma Talisman executed him upon activation.

Seeing that his life was now secure, Daoist Xu let out a sigh of relief.

From this moment, he was under Zhao You Heavenly Pond, and he gave a respectful bow and said, "Pavilion Master, nearby are a few of my fellow disciples waiting. May I go and inform them?"

Zhang Yan smiled and said, "I am not an unreasonable person. I will not unduly restrain you when nothing is amiss. Feel free to go. I will return to East Splendor soon and will summon you then."

Daoist Xu gratefully said, "Thank you, Pavilion Master."

He summoned the Yin Blade and leapt onto it. In a flash of spirit light, he disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Though Zhang Yan watched him escape, he couldn’t discern where exactly he went, causing him to wonder how to handle such slippery and escape-skilled people next time.

He couldn’t make a big commotion every time. It was fine for dealing with one person, but if there were others giving aid, he couldn’t stop them.

A thoughtful look appeared on his face. The Sword Competition was fast approaching, and he had prepared almost everything he needed. The remaining time would be well spent refining the Five Elements Escape Technique to see if he could devise any solution.

...

...(To be continued. If you like this work, feel free to vote for it with recommendation and monthly tickets on Qidian (qidian.com). Your support is my biggest motivation.)