Chapter 21: The Top of the Outer Sect

Chapter 21: The Top of the Outer Sect In the Outer Sect’s Central Plaza, people gathered and murmured in anticipation as a smiling young man stepped forward from behind the Mechanized Bamboo Dragon. Lín Jìng recognized him instantly—it was the Senior Brother Guardian from the Spirit Bamboo Forest. The young man took a step forward and announced loudly, "Greetings, everyone! I am Fang Yonghao from the Inner Sect, at the ninth level of the important cultivation stage, here on behalf of Elder Yu to preside over the Beast Fighting Competition of the Ascending Dragon Festival!" "From this moment onward, any Outer Sect disciple may challenge the Mechanized Bamboo Dragon. Once a challenger is ready, I will activate the Bamboo Dragon, which will autonomously detect and seek out its opponent within a set range to engage in combat." "Any junior brother interested in taking on the challenge? Today and tomorrow, each person is limited to one attempt per day, and the reward will be given based on the best score achieved." As Senior Brother Fang finished speaking, the crowd fell silent; no one was eager to step up first, wary of the Bamboo Dragon's unfamiliar attack patterns. Rushing in blindly could only lead to failure. After about ten seconds of silence, someone finally broke the quiet with a resolute, "I'll go." Lín Jìng, who had been about to step onto the stage himself, paused, looking over alongside his Pine Leaf Mouse. The crowd parted to reveal a dark-skinned young man, followed by a strong and intimidating ape. Unlike the rest of its scruffy white fur, the ape's hands and feet had a distinctive metallic sheen, exuding a powerful aura. This was none other than the Battle Ape, one of the five foundational spirit beasts of the Beast Taming Sect! Notably, this Battle Ape carried a long-handled weapon wrapped in white cloth on its back, giving it the air of a master fighter. "It's Senior Brother He!" "Senior Brother He Yiming—the number one of the Outer Sect!" The youth’s presence caused a stir, as he was evidently a well-known figure in the Outer Sect. "Senior Brother He has been ranked first in the Outer Sect’s Beast Fighting Arena for years." "After him, Senior Brother Ziran and Senior Sister Caixin hold the second position." "Who would have guessed that Senior Brother He would open up for us by testing out the Bamboo Dragon!" The disciples murmured amongst themselves. Even a youth leaning against a tree reading My Sword Spirit Bride and a sickly-looking girl surrounded by female disciples turned their attention toward the top disciple of the Outer Sect. "Greetings, Senior Brother Fang. I am He Yiming, at the sixth level of the important stage, accompanied by my spirit beast, Battle Ape, who is at the seventh level. We are here to challenge the Mechanized Bamboo Dragon!" Senior Brother Fang smiled in return. "Greetings, Junior Brother He. I have heard of your reputation in the Outer Sect. It seems certain that you’ll be among the next group of disciples to join the Inner Sect." Sёarch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Thank you for the compliment, Senior Brother Fang." He Yiming cupped his fists, then moved forward with his Battle Ape, glancing up at the Mechanized Bamboo Dragon. "In that case, I will activate the Mechanized Bamboo Dragon. Junior Brother, prepare yourself," Senior Brother Fang said, taking out a small bell strung with bamboo cords. As he shook the bell, a white light flickered in the Bamboo Dragon’s eyes, and the winds around it began to swirl with renewed vigor. The moment the bell rang, He Yiming's Battle Ape unwrapped its weapon, revealing—surprisingly—a mining pickaxe! Though it looked rather unassuming, none of the Outer Sect disciples laughed. "It's a spirit weapon!" The pickaxe was forged from spiritual ores by a craftsman, making it a genuine spirit weapon! "It's said that Senior Brother He Yiming once discovered a 'Bright Jade Stone' while on a sect mission in the mines. To reward him, the sect gifted him this spirit weapon pickaxe. So, it seems to be true." Seeing the impressive pickaxe, several disciples looked on enviously. With this tool, He Yiming's mining efficiency would skyrocket, allowing him to gather resources at double the usual pace. It was no wonder he held the top spot in the Outer Sect! Lín Jìng and the Pine Leaf Mouse remained silent as they listened to the crowd's chatter, absorbing the unexpected scene. "Ha!" As soon as the spirit pickaxe was unsheathed, the Battle Ape was seemingly empowered, bursting forth with an intense strength. Enveloped in a spiraling aura of spiritual energy, it leapt up, propelling itself directly to the Bamboo Dragon's head, and brought the pickaxe down in a powerful blow! Its speed and explosive force were exceptional, comparable to that of a body cultivator at the same level. With a loud "bang," the pickaxe struck its target, and many Outer Sect disciples let out a collective gasp, impressed by the Battle Ape’s rapid speed, which seemed to outmatch the Bamboo Dragon's response. Seeing this, He Yiming smiled. The Bamboo Dragon's mouth opened as the Dragon Pearl within it changed colors rapidly—from white to red, orange, yellow, and then green! Green? Just green? Despite the impressive strike, the Dragon Pearl only reached the fourth tier of rewards. Moreover, the Bamboo Dragon barely budged, not even tilting its head. It was worth noting that the Battle Ape was also at the seventh level, but the Bamboo Dragon’s reaction seemed almost unperturbed. Moments later, to the Outer Sect disciples’ surprise, the Bamboo Dragon appeared to come alive as it responded to the blow. Its massive tail whipped forward in an instant, striking the Battle Ape squarely and launching it dozens of meters away! Bang! Bang! The Battle Ape and its pickaxe crashed to the ground, with the former knocked unconscious. Despite its reputation as having "bones of steel," the Battle Ape couldn't withstand even a single blow. The sight left many disciples visibly shaken. He Yiming himself looked incredulous, unable to accept the outcome. "Green Dragon Pearl. Junior Brother He, better luck tomorrow," Senior Brother Fang consoled him. "Senior Brother, is this Bamboo Dragon really only at the seventh level?" He Yiming asked in disbelief. Senior Brother Fang nodded. "Yes, but this Bamboo Dragon is configured to be at the peak of the seventh level. Consider yourself fortunate; I’ve heard that the Mechanized Bamboo Dragon used for the Inner Sect’s Ascending Dragon Festival even reaches the Foundation Establishment level. Just the thought of it makes me shudder," he said, grateful for his assignment. Otherwise, he would have had to face the Foundation Establishment Bamboo Dragon, a challenge that he could barely imagine. "Is there no one else?" Several minutes passed as Senior Brother Fang replenished the Bamboo Dragon’s energy with Spirit Stones, but still, no new challengers emerged. Rather than encouraging confidence, He Yiming’s defeat had sown even deeper seeds of hesitation among the disciples. "Come on now, you’re already here," Senior Brother Fang said, smiling at the junior disciples' reluctance. “Is it ready? We’re up,” came another voice from the crowd. The disciples parted once more, revealing a clear path to a young man with a delicate appearance, accompanied by a Pine Leaf Mouse perched on his shoulder. Compared to He Yiming, fewer people recognized this youth, though there were still a few familiar faces. Notably, Senior Brother Ziran from the Mission Hall and Senior Brother Fang Yonghao looked over in mild surprise as they saw it was Lín Jìng. "Outer Sect disciple Lín Jìng, at the second level, accompanied by my spirit beast Pine Leaf Mouse, at the fifth level. We’re here to challenge the Mechanized Bamboo Dragon!" Lín Jìng declared, moving toward the center of the arena with his Pine Leaf Mouse. "Who is that?" "Second level? Fifth level?" The crowd was taken aback. Although such levels weren't disqualified from participating, especially with rewards available at even the lowest tier, the sheer strength of the Bamboo Dragon had everyone astonished by Lín Jìng’s boldness. "You..." Senior Brother Fang gave him an odd look. "Are you sure you want to challenge it?" The instigator… had appeared! "Nice to see you again, Senior Brother. Thanks for your ‘hospitality’ last time!” Lín Jìng said with a smile. "Squeak, squeak!" The Pine Leaf Mouse glared at him as well. Had it not been for his meddling, they might have been able to chop down Spirit Bamboo for another two days. "Ah, I see," Senior Brother Fang replied, puzzled by the sentiment. "Since that’s the case, I'll activate the Bamboo Dragon again. Junior Brother, please be cautious." With that, he shook the bamboo bell to start the Mechanized Beast once more. Most onlookers assumed this unfamiliar Outer Sect disciple was merely going through the motions. As the Bamboo Dragon whirred to life, Lín Jìng reached into his bag, drawing out a red maple leaf that the Pine Leaf Mouse caught in its tiny paws. With a flick, the red leaf shot forth like a crimson comet, far faster than the Battle Ape’s earlier explosive move. "My god, that’s so fast!" Another disciple who trained a Pine Leaf Mouse gasped, astounded by the technique's sheer speed. "Did he stop training everything else just to practice this flying leaf technique?" The other disciples exchanged surprised glances. The leaf struck the Bamboo Dragon, embedding itself like a dagger driven into a dragon’s hide. “ROAR!!!” Though it felt no pain, the Bamboo Dragon let out a metallic roar, as if agitated by the intrusion. The Dragon Pearl changed colors rapidly, reaching blue this time, indicating that the damage from the Pine Leaf Mouse’s Flying Leaf technique exceeded that of the Battle Ape’s spirit weapon by at least two ranks! The unexpected scene defied all expectations, as the Pine Leaf Mouse was not known for combat techniques. "Blue?!" He Yiming, who was treating the Battle Ape with healing pills nearby, looked up in shock. "Could it be something special about that leaf?" some guessed, suspecting the leaf to be an unusual item. "It must be a rare malignant plant worth even more than a spirit pickaxe! And that Pine Leaf Mouse can handle it so well!" But as impressive as the attack was, the Bamboo Dragon’s reaction was even more intense. With green spirit flames suddenly engulfing its body, it didn’t resemble an ordinary wood-based Mechanized Beast. As the flames consumed the red maple leaf, the disciples gaped, completely thrown by the Bamboo Dragon’s unexpected fire skill. For disciples who had just entered the Beast Taming Sect, a Bamboo Dragon capable of both wind and fire techniques was truly an insurmountable challenge. "It opens its mouth after taking damage, exposing the Dragon Pearl." "Its initial actions are slow and its attack patterns limited, giving challengers a chance to strike first, followed by a counterattack." "But relying on external attacks to break it from the outside would be challenging." "The key must be to make it open its mouth and then..." "Its weak spot must be inside." "To disable a Mechanized Beast, one would need to dismantle its intricate mechanisms. Elder Yu wouldn’t make the Bamboo Dragon invincible." While many disciples shuddered at the Bamboo Dragon’s toughness, Lín Jìng was muttering to himself. As they watched in confusion, he took out ten more red leaves from his bag. The crowd was speechless. Not only did the Pine Leaf Mouse take five leaves in each paw, but it also launched all ten at once in a dazzling flurry of crimson streaks aimed straight for the Bamboo Dragon’s head. Disciples with Pine Leaf Mice were baffled, while others marveled at the sheer precision. Even though the Bamboo Dragon moved, there was no way a direct hit could... The Bamboo Dragon tilted its head slightly, causing the leaves to veer off target, with most aimed toward its face at best. But then, in an instant… "Object Manipulation!" Lín Jìng formed a hand sign, guiding the leaves. With Lín Jìng’s command, the Pine Leaf Mouse directed the leaves with pinpoint accuracy into the Bamboo Dragon’s open mouth. Crack! Crack! The sound of mechanisms breaking echoed as the Dragon Pearl turned purple, then shattered. With the Bamboo Dragon’s wind and fire extinguished, it fell to the ground in pieces. Thud! Silence fell over the crowd. Seeing this, the Pine Leaf Mouse practically squealed with joy. Was it really that fragile? Now it didn’t need to use its Spiritual Bean bomb! It ran forward eagerly, ready to retrieve its precious leaves. "Who is he? What’s his story?" This was the question on every disciple's mind. Lín Jìng, who had been in the Beast Taming Sect for some time, had finally caught the attention of the entire Outer Sect. "Senior Brother, does this... count as a successful challenge?" Lín Jìng turned to the Senior Brother Guardian. Senior Brother Fang’s mouth twitched, thinking, "You harvested the bamboo for it, and now you’ve dismantled it, all without a trace of true energy. Do you have a grudge against bamboo? And your Object Manipulation technique—why is there no spiritual fluctuation at all?!"