Translator: Moonlit
Editor: kiki
The Metaphysical World’s exchange conference is held every three years, lasting for three days each time. This year, it is taking place at the Jingkong Si.
Jingkong Si boasts a history of a thousand years and is one of the four famous Buddhist mountains in Huaguo. It has been around since the Tang Dynasty and has gained great renown. Many pilgrims visit here every year, making it a popular tourist attraction. With Jingkong Si opening up to the public, various tourism facilities on the mountain have also become more extensive.
Currently, Chu Ruochun is staying at the nearest hotel to Jingkong Si. Visitors need to book a month in advance to secure a room. During the three-day exchange conference, the hotel was not open to the public, and the roads leading to Jingkong Si were closed off. This is because the grand scale of the conference is not suitable for regular pilgrims.
After a night of rest, Chu Ruochun was in high spirits and ran into Feng Qi and Xu Mengying in the restaurant. The two big celebrities were standing there, and many young cultivators wanted to approach them for autographs. However, they eventually restrained their curiosity, considering their own identities and the senior members of their sects.
When Chu Ruochun appeared, he expanded the circle of celebrities in their Metaphysical world. Some cultivators from unknown sects privately murmured about how the Metaphysical world had started following the entertainment industry. They couldn’t help but think that the younger generations were not as competent as before. Little did they know that many had become celebrities to earn quick money, and the Metaphysical world was inevitably heading for a decline.
Xu Mengying had a relatively fiery temperament and almost went forward to confront a guy with half of his head shaved. However, Chu Ruochun and Feng Qi, sitting at the same table, turned a deaf ear to it. They felt that it was not worth their attention. Besides, the guy might just be jealous of them and want to see these celebrities embarrassed.
Chu Ruochun gave Xu Mengying an approving look when she managed to keep her temper in check, which comforted her. She then continued to have her breakfast peacefully.
She wasn’t familiar with the young people from other sects in her group, and they didn’t like each other either, so she had no interest in spending time with them.
After finishing her meal, she received a message from her sect’s group summoning her to assemble. She wiped her mouth and left first.
Once Xu Mengying had left, Feng Qi started talking more, “Are you going to join us later?”
Chu Ruochun ate a small piece of corn and replied, “I thought you weren’t going.”
“I don’t want to, but I can’t resist my parents. They might be waiting for me at the restaurant’s entrance right now,” Feng Qi complained. His parents were very persistent about his situation, even though he had no idea what was wrong with his body.
Chu Ruochun sympathized with his predicament and chuckled, “If they can’t find another master to help you with your problem, will you come to me?”
In the past, Feng Qi would have questioned why he had any problems since he was in great physical condition and had no issues at all. However, after witnessing Chu Ruochun’s incredible ghost-catching skills, he had to admit that there were indeed supernatural beings in the world.
“Do I really have a problem?” Feng Qi pondered, trying to take his parents’ concerns seriously, even though he felt perfectly fine.
Chu Ruochun remembered what Bai Yichen had mentioned, that Feng Qi might not live past thirty. However, he shook his head and said, “It’s not you who has the problem.”
Feng Qi ultimately trusted Chu Ruochun and let out a sigh of relief, saying, “That’s what I thought. What could possibly be wrong with me?”
Chu Ruochun was about to explain further when Yang Wenxin suddenly appeared and interrupted their conversation.
“Feng Qi, Ruochun, let’s go. The exchange conference is about to begin. Let’s find our seats first.”
The four of them headed to the venue of the exchange conference.
There were many sects from all over the country, large and small, and they all had young talents who came to broaden their horizons. Fortunately, Jingkong Si was spacious, and there were plenty of seats.
The Feng family held a decent position in the world of metaphysics, and they had younger generations as well. However, they had chosen to sit in different locations.
The exchange conference mainly served as a platform for young people to interact, while the elders came to observe. If it weren’t for their son, Feng Jiu and her husband wouldn’t have attended either.
Of course, this didn’t mean that the exchange conference was unimportant for the elders. Young people needed to interact, and the major sects needed to connect with each other.
Each major sect had its own impressive presentation, each with its own unique atmosphere and style.
As for the organizers, Jingkong Si was naturally represented by the monks.
Qingyue Sect made a grand entrance, with their members dressed in modernized Daoist robes, presenting a progressive image.
In comparison, Juxing Sect and Yufeng Men also had their unique features and styles.
Other smaller sects looked at these three major sects with envy.
Once most of the attendees were seated, the 30th Metaphysical Exchange Conference officially began.
Chu Ruochun had seen the conference’s schedule before, and the first hour was typically filled with lengthy opening speeches. The following three days would consist of various exchange activities, divided into different categories, with disciples from various sects participating. Even independent cultivators under the age of twenty could join the competitions in various categories.
After an hour of official speeches, the morning exchange competitions officially began.
The first event was a grand competition featuring young talents from all major sects.
QR codes were displayed in every corner of the venue, allowing participants to sign up for the hundred-person competition taking place half an hour later by simply scanning the code.
The competition would be held at the back mountain and streamed live in its entirety.
Jingkong Si had both the resources and space to arrange such an event effortlessly.
Chu Ruochun took out his phone and scanned the QR code to register.
Feng Qi was a bit worried and whispered, “My mom told me last night that disciples from several major sects are really talented. Are you sure you want to participate?”
Chu Ruochun nodded, “Yes, they haven’t mentioned the rules yet. I guess it won’t be a big deal.”
Feng Qi was still puzzled, “Why do you want to compete?”
Chu Ruochun thought for a moment, “To make a name for myself?”
Feng Qi couldn’t help but laugh at his words, “True, every circle has its own rules.”
As long as there are hierarchies, inequalities, and competition, there will be rules, winners, and losers.
A green box popped up on Chu Ruochun’s phone, indicating his successful registration and reminding him to go to the entrance to await the start of the competition.
Feng Jiu and his wife were called away to act as judges and later returned to pull Feng Qi away.
Feng Qi hadn’t had a chance to wish Chu Ruochun good luck before he disappeared, showing that his parents were genuinely concerned about him.
Chu Ruochun recalled some things.
Half an hour later, the exchange conference received a total of 100 registration applications.
All 100 participants were waiting at the entrance, standing in groups according to their respective sects.
Xu Mengying found Chu Ruochun, who was standing alone on the side.
“Together?”
“Sure.”
“I wonder what this competition will be about.”
The rules of the competition were published on the registration app, and for those without phones, the rules were posted at the entrance.
The competition would begin at 10 a.m. If a cultivator failed to exit the mountain within the specified time according to the rules, they would be considered to have failed the challenge and would not be eligible for subsequent competitions.
The entire mountain was a massive formation, and within this formation, various events might occur. Cameras were placed all around, and there were even drones patrolling.
The last rule emphasized that if disputes arose among cultivators, they should stop before it escalated to a life-threatening situation.
Each person had a corresponding number tag attached to them from their registration, and they also wore tracking devices to ensure the safety of all participants from different sects.
In the past, a participant had such low cultivation that they fell into a mountain ravine and couldn’t climb out. They were close to starving to death within the formation. Fortunately, with the collective efforts of various sects using divination and modern technology, they were located and rescued.
Feng Qi had managed to join his parents in a backstage livestream room near the front. All non-participants could watch the conditions of all contestants from here.
After hearing his parents talk about past unexpected incidents at the exchange conference, Feng Qi felt a bit regretful for not stopping Chu Ruochun.
But why did Chu Ruochun even want to participate in the exchange conference?
The competition had just started, and there were no dramatic moments yet. Feng Jiu and Yang Wenxin took Feng Qi to meet Master Huai Ci, the abbot of Jingkong Si.
“Master Huai Ci, our son…”
“I know why you’re here.” Master Huai Ci understood their purpose at a glance and shook his head. “This matter still requires fate; I cannot assist you.”
“Could you at least point us in the right direction for our son?” Feng Jiu asked with anxiety. “Where is his opportunity?”
Master Huai Ci spoke kindly, “Perhaps it’s here at this exchange conference. Let’s watch the competition first.”
Feng Jiu said, “But in recent years, there haven’t been any particularly outstanding celestial masters.”
Master Huai Ci agreed, “That’s true, but there’s always a chance.”
Feng Qi saw disappointment in his parents’ eyes countless times, and he didn’t want them to feel that way, but he didn’t know what to say. So, he sat with them and watched the hundred-person competition, searching for Chu Ruochun’s figure on the various screens.
However, most people’s attention was focused on the talented disciples of several major sects, with most discussions centering around Jingkong Si, Qingyue Sect, Juxing Sect, and Shunfeng Men.
Those watching from the outside found it relaxing, but the disciples of various sects who had entered the formation didn’t have as easy a time as expected.
Although they had made all the necessary preparations before coming, they were caught off guard by the sudden rain when they entered the formation. Who could have predicted that while it was sunny outside the formation, inside, there would be sudden torrential rain and fierce winds? Almost everyone got drenched, with not even a dry corner of their clothing left.
However, there were exceptions. Thanks to Chu Ruochun’s blessings, Xu Mengying remained relatively dry. As soon as they entered the formation, they found shelter under a large banana leaf. Initially, Xu Mengying thought Chu Ruochun was just avoiding the sun and couldn’t help but chuckle. But to her surprise, she soon realized that she was the one who needed shelter, so she obediently found a large banana leaf to hide under.
The two of them managed to avoid the heavy rain.
Xu Mengying asked, “Do you know what kind of formation this is?”
Without hesitation, Chu Ruochun replied, “It’s the Bagua Formation. Taiji gives birth to Two Forms, Two Forms give birth to Four Symbols, and Four Symbols give birth to Eight Trigrams.”
Xu Mengying asked, “If we want to leave, we just need to find the Birth Gate, right?”
Chu Ruochun nodded and directly gave her the answer, “Just keep walking east without looking back, and you’ll find the Birth Gate. You can get out in half an hour.”
Xu Mengying felt like she was getting the VIP treatment of a top student sharing answers with an underachiever, and for a moment, she didn’t know whether to believe it or not.
“Don’t worry; I won’t deceive you. I didn’t come here for the final rankings. I’m here to make their competition more challenging.” He looked towards a nearby camera. “I’m here to increase the difficulty for them.”
“Ah?” Xu Mengying listened as if something sounded off, but it also sounded like something a big shot would say.
“You should get out as soon as possible, but whatever you do, don’t look back, no matter what sounds you hear or what happens,” Chu Ruochun said.
“Do you need me to stay and help you?” Xu Mengying asked. Leaving now seemed a bit unethical; maybe it was too abrupt to just leave.
“This is my affair, and you can’t help,” Chu Ruochun shook his head. In fact, he and Xu Mengying weren’t close enough to warrant her assistance. Moreover, her cultivation level was too low. He appreciated that she had given him the invitation, which had prompted him to offer her some guidance and award her first place in this competition.
Xu Mengying wasn’t one to beat around the bush. Since she couldn’t help Chu Ruochun, she didn’t want to make herself look so disheveled. Instead, she decided to accept his offer. After all, she understood herself quite well. The skills were right there; she could go out, but she’d definitely face many challenges in the end.
Chu Ruochun, in a calm tone, told her that he was here to increase the difficulty. In other words, Chu Ruochun had his own agenda, and his words were so composed that they were convincing. He wasn’t joking at all.
Who exactly was he?
Following Chu Ruochun’s instructions, Xu Mengying headed east.
Half an hour later.
In this competition, the first contestant to break the formation appeared.
Xu Mengying felt like she was in a dream; she had actually made it out!
Chu Ruochun was truly remarkable. The top disciples of the other sects were all still trapped inside!
Even Xu Ruofeng, the Sect Master of Lingshui Sect, who had no expectations for his own disciple, was nearly dumbfounded.
His disciple was the first?
Could he really be unaware of his disciple’s cultivation level? Was that reasonable?
“Could it be a fluke?” someone doubted.
Not to mention others, even Xu Ruofeng, who understood Xu Mengying’s abilities the best, felt the same way. But his disciple was indeed the first to emerge. Besides joy on her face, there was nothing else. Luck was also a form of strength, after all!
Xu Ruofeng called Xu Mengying over and asked her how she managed to get out.
Xu Mengying had nothing to hide: “My friend guided me out.”
Xu Ruofeng was puzzled: “Then why didn’t your friend come out with you?”
Xu Mengying had no idea. She couldn’t exactly share Chu Ruochun’s rather cool and somewhat juvenile line.
“Master, I also wanted him to leave, but my friend said they wanted to play inside a bit longer,” Xu Mengying could only say so.
“What a confident kid. Doesn’t he know that there are many…” Xu Ruofeng paused when he saw his disciple standing in front of him.
The other person knew, otherwise, why would Xu Mengying run out?
Xu Mengying’s senior brother in business, who was over twenty-five years old, had low cultivation but was shrewd.
“Is it the young star who had breakfast with you this morning?”
“Yes.”
“Looks can be deceiving, junior sister. Your luck is really good.”
“It’s not bad, but compared to senior brother, your company is all listed.”
The senior brother and sister complimented each other.
Their sect’s cultivation might not be strong, but they prospered in various industries. It’s unknown whether their ancestors lived in poverty, and that’s why they’re thriving now.
Xu Ruofeng cleared his throat, and the two stopped their prepared praise.
Others just thought Xu Mengying was lucky.
At that moment, all the screens in the viewing area inside the room displayed snow, and all camera connections were cut off.
“What’s going on?”
“Could it be a technical issue backstage?”
“I told you, today’s high-tech isn’t reliable.”
“Quickly send someone backstage to see where the problem occurred and fix it.”
After a while, the technicians returned with a report. There was no issue with their camera connections, all the cables were intact, and the network signal was full.
At the Metaphysics Exchange Conference, there’s no need to delve into technological issues anymore.
Master Huai Ci looked at Gong Li Jiu, the Sect Master of the Qingyue Sect.
“This Bagua formation was personally arranged by Sect Master Gong. Who broke it?”
Gong Li Jiu had the appearance of a young man despite being around the same age as Master Huai Ci. His face showed no signs of aging.
“My disciples currently don’t have the capability to break my formation in half an hour.” Gong Li Jiu still had confidence in this aspect.
“Then, could someone have interfered with the transmission signal of the cameras?” Master Huai Ci suggested.
“It doesn’t seem likely.” Master Dai, the Sect Master of the Juxing Sect, who had an even shinier head than Master Huai Ci, touched his scalp and said, “Is it possible it’s some sort of ghostly aura?”
“There are no malevolent spirits inside the formation, so how could there be ghostly aura, Sect Master Dai?” Gong Li Jiu countered.
Sect Master Dai disliked being called by that title the most, with a smirk he said, “This is your formation, after all. I’m not familiar with it.”
It seemed like he was ready to make trouble.
Gong Li Jiu had no intention of arguing with Sect Master Dai. Instead, he looked at Master Huai Ci. “Master Huai Ci, you trusted me to set up this formation. Even if you don’t trust me, you should trust Master Huai Ci.”
With the conversation at this point, what else was there to doubt? They were probably just worried that Gong Li Jiu might cheat for his disciples. In the past, some sects had indeed resorted to such tactics to make their disciples stand out in major competitions, but Gong Li Jiu had no interest in such actions.
Master Huai Ci said, “Let’s take another look.”
After all, it was his territory, and he could still control it.
Just as they were speaking, all the screens in the hall returned to normal.
However, Gong Li Jiu could sense that the formation had become stronger.
Sect Master Dai suddenly burst into a mocking laughter, slamming his palm on the table. “Gong Li Jiu, didn’t you just say there wouldn’t be any ghosts or monsters in the formation? Look at what these kids are dealing with now!”
Gong Li Jiu himself was quite puzzled. “I don’t know. Someone tampered with my formation.”
Sect Master Dai taunted, “Your Qingyue Sect is proficient in formations, how could you not know? Could it be that you allowed malevolent spirits in to give your disciples an advantage?”
This question was rather unreasonable because the first person to come out was Xu Mengying from the Lingshui Sect, whose cultivation was quite ordinary.
Master Huai Ci also looked at Gong Li Jiu, hoping he could provide an explanation. It was impossible for the Jingkong Si to harbor malevolent spirits. Any spirits or ghosts that came here had already been purified. There was no way they could appear unless someone brought them in.
Gong Li Jiu couldn’t provide an explanation, but then they witnessed the Chief Disciple of the Qingyue Sect and Gong Li Jiu’s personal disciple, Gong Ming, being seized by a snake-like black shadow around his neck!
Fortunately, with the help of other disciples, he managed to break free from the black shadow, narrowly escaping disaster.
Where did this black shadow come from?
What truly shocked Gong Li Jiu was that someone had tampered with his formation. Now, someone else was in control of it.
Whoever he wanted to live, that person would live; whoever he wanted to die, their remains might not even be left behind.
Various opponents who could achieve this level flashed through his mind.
Did this person come from the Qingyue Sect?
Who could it be?
Not only were the disciples of the Qingyue Sect attacked by malevolent spirits, but the disciples of the other three major sects also couldn’t escape this calamity. They were all in a sorry state, and even their once clean and stylish Daoist robes were now covered in dirt, as if they had rolled in the mud.
Someone suddenly said, “This young man seems quite relaxed.”
Finally, Feng Qi found Chu Ruochun. He was sitting on a tree branch, one leg crossed, leisurely observing the panicked reactions of the sect disciples as they dealt with the malevolent spirits.
Yang Wenxin genuinely felt happy for him. “Ruochun’s performance is quite impressive, Feng Qi. Do you really not know which sect he belongs to?”
Feng Qi shook his head. “Mom, please stop asking. I really don’t know.”
However, Feng Jiu noticed something else. “Malevolent spirits have appeared. Can they handle it? In previous competitions, malevolent spirits never appeared.”
Realizing that no one responded to his words, she noticed that the atmosphere around him was off.
Chu Ruochun’s relaxed demeanor, in contrast to the others, drew the attention of the sect leaders and masters involuntarily.
Gong Li Jiu’s gaze turned toward the screen displaying Chu Ruochun, and their eyes met. He moved his lips towards the camera.
He said, “Long time no see.”
When Gong Li Jiu saw that face, that smile, he was instantly frozen in place. His head buzzed, and he felt a momentary daze. There was only one person in the world who could break his formation, but that person couldn’t be alive. He was dead, long dead.
Yet, the person on the screen waving to him was indeed his junior brother—Chu Ruochun.
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