Chapter 334: Dragon Tiger Immortal Sect
“How do you know that?” Mo Yu asked, his curiosity piqued.
Jin Fugui gestured toward the desk. “Besides the demon-hunting plan, there’s a meticulously detailed reward list right here.”
Jiang Chen moved closer to inspect it and saw that it was indeed a comprehensive list of prizes.
So, Zhao Qianyun is the type who plans every move in advance, he noted.
**First Place**
* **Basic Reward:** Water Spirit Source Crystal
* **Additional Rewards:** 50,000 Mid-grade Spirit Stones + 100-Year Fishing Rights in the Spirit Gathering Abyss + A Wave-breaking Boat personally gifted by the City Lord
**Second Place**
* **Basic Reward:** 30,000 Mid-grade Spirit Stones + 3 Hundred-Year-Old Profound Water Beast Inner Cores
* **Additional Reward:** One choice of the following five heavenly treasures: Gengjin Pith, Living Wood Heart, Lihuo Pearl, a Chunk of Xirang, or Profound Ice Marrow**Third Place**
* **Basic Reward:** 20,000 Mid-grade Spirit Stones + 10 Profound Crystal Dragon Carp Scales
* **Additional Reward:** One choice of the following five 5-Pattern Spirit Weapons: Armor-Piercing Spike, Staff of Verdant Growth, Blazing Flame Sword, Mountain-Suppressing Shield, or Freezing Ice Thorn
**Fourth Place**
* **Basic Reward:** 10,000 Mid-grade Spirit Stones + Water Pattern Grass, a specialty of the Spirit Gathering Abyss
* **Additional Reward:** One choice of the following five high-level cultivation arts: Gengjin Body Tempering Art, Verdant Growth Technique, Scorching Heavens Fire Art, Earthen Bulwark Technique, or Silkenwater Binding Art
**Fifth to Tenth Place**
* **Basic Reward:** 5,000 Mid-grade Spirit Stones + 10 Qinglin Pills
* **Additional Reward:** One choice of the following five high-grade materials: Ten pounds of Refined Iron Sand, 20 Spirit Wood Branches, 5 pouches of Fire-Kindling Tinder, thirty pounds of Clay Lumps, or 15 Water Algae Crystals
Long Ao stroked his chin thoughtfully. “While the rewards can’t quite compare to what our Cloud Sea Sect might offer, this is clearly the absolute limit of what the City Lord’s Mansion, the five great families, and their partners could possibly muster.”
Chen Bo and the others nodded in agreement. “Indeed.”
Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow. “They’re even putting up a Water Spirit Source Crystal. That alone proves this centennial Thousand Sails Event is going to be exceptionally brutal.”
Moreover, these weren’t prizes that would only tempt Loose Cultivators. Even disciples from major sects would find their hearts racing. It was a foregone conclusion that the number of participants would shatter all previous records.
“What exactly are these ‘fishing rights’ in the Spirit Gathering Abyss?” Mo Yu asked.
Long Ao explained, “The Spirit Gathering Abyss is located near an undersea dragon vein. The spiritual energy there is so dense that the marine life and underwater treasures are extraordinarily abundant. A hundred-year monopoly on fishing rights is enough to turn a lone Loose Cultivator into a tycoon overnight. It could elevate a small cultivation family into a major power or ensure a minor sect wouldn’t have to worry about resources for a century.”
Mo Yu sucked in a sharp breath, his eyes suddenly burning with a fervent glow. If he won first place, would he ever have to worry about finding a good fishing spot again for the next hundred years?
Jin Fugui saw the look and immediately burst his bubble. “Wake up, Old Mo. It’s a little early to be daydreaming, isn’t it?”
“I’m serious,” Mo Yu retorted. “I think we should all give it a shot. Even if we don’t get first, a spot in the top ten still comes with a reward. At the very least, the trip won’t be a waste.”
At his words, all eyes turned to Jiang Chen. The final decision rested with him. After all, there were seven of them, but they only had… one boat.
Jiang Chen met their gazes with a faint smile. “Participating is fine, but there’s a problem. Surely they won’t let seven disciples from a major sect team up to bully Loose Cultivators and members of small families and sects, right?”
In terms of cultivation foundation, the potency of their techniques, and the power of their Spirit Weapons, they were on a completely different plane of existence. It wouldn’t be a competition; it would be a slaughter.
Just then, a clear voice drifted in from outside. “According to the rules, each boat is limited to a maximum of two participants.”
Long Ao recognized the voice instantly. “Zhao Qianyun is here,” he announced.
A moment later, a figure appeared in the doorway.
Zhao Qianyun was dressed in a moon-white brocade robe that made his skin appear as luminous as jade. The hem was embroidered with the phantom of an Abyssal Serpent in silver thread, which seemed to writhe and flow across the fabric with his every step. A jade crown secured his hair, and a faint, almost imperceptible water-patterned mark on his forehead added a touch of ethereal grace to his already handsome features.
His pupils were a strikingly pale, glass-like color, devoid of the gentle warmth typical of a Water Spirit Root. Instead, they held a sharp, cold glint, like the edge of an icicle. Though his exact age was hard to guess, he seemed to be around the same age as Long Ao—thirty or forty years old, practically an infant for a cultivator.
He carried himself with the reserved dignity of a noble scion, yet there wasn’t a trace of arrogance about him.
Jiang Chen’s eyes locked onto the man’s. A mutated Water Spirit Root, he concluded instantly.
Long Ao stepped forward with a grin. “Well, look who it is. Finally decided to show your face, you busy man?”
Zhao Qianyun’s gaze swept across the room, taking in everyone present before he let out a light chuckle. “It’s only because you’re here, Brother Long. Had it been anyone else, even another sect disciple, I’d have let them wait.”
Long Ao rolled his eyes. “I’ll pretend I believe you.”
The voice of the steward, Lin Wufeng, sounded from behind them. “Young Master, esteemed Immortals, the Xianyu Dew is brewed!”
Zhao Qianyun took the tray from him. “You are dismissed,” he said, his tone polite but firm. “I will serve my guests personally.”
“Yes, Young Master!” Lin Wufeng bowed and departed without another word.
Holding the teapot of freshly brewed Xianyu Dew, Zhao Qianyun entered the room. “Brother Long, won’t you introduce me to your companions?”
Long Ao kept the introductions brief, simply stating their names. “Jiang Chen, Chen Bo, Jin Fugui, Mo Yu, Li Xianglin, and Tie Zhu. All disciples of the Cloud Sea Sect.”
He was being concise mainly because he didn’t actually know Li Xianglin or Tie Zhu. To avoid any awkwardness for them or the sect, he opted for a general introduction, planning to highlight Jiang Chen later.
“As expected of disciples from a great sect,” Zhao Qianyun praised with a nod. “Each of you has an extraordinary bearing.”
Hearing this, Jiang Chen’s expression turned slightly odd. So he can’t compliment our looks and has to settle for ‘bearing’?
He glanced over at Mo Yu and Jin Fugui and saw the two were beaming, their faces clearly saying, You’re damn right we do!
Zhao Qianyun gestured gracefully. “Please, have a seat. Make yourselves at home.”
He produced a set of delicate, thin-walled jade cups, polished from the vertebrae of an Abyssal Serpent, and began to pour the Xianyu Dew. He served each of them a cup, indicating they could have as many refills as they wished.
Jiang Chen accepted his cup, running a thumb over its smooth, cool surface as he examined the liquid within. The tea was a pale, bluish-green, the color of melted spring snow tinged with the first green shoots of life. It was so clear he could see the intricate patterns at the bottom of the cup. Curiously, it was cool, not hot. The aroma was subtle, carrying the crisp, clean scent of a deep, cold spring.
The first sip was cool on the tongue, like a sliver of early spring ice. As it melted, a refreshing sweetness bloomed in his mouth. A thread of coolness traced its way down his throat into his abdomen, but it was soon followed by a gentle, spreading warmth.
Within his Qi Sea, his Wood Spiritual Power stirred, becoming active and vibrant as if it had just been deeply nourished. In an instant, his body, mind, and spirit all reached an unprecedented peak state.
As he savored the tea, Long Ao spoke up. “This Thousand Sails Event you’re hosting is on a scale I’ve never seen before. The rewards are simply staggering. Even I’m tempted to join.”
A hint of pride touched the corners of Zhao Qianyun’s lips. “It hasn’t just attracted you. The famed Northern Cloud Fairy from the Inviting Moon Immortal Sect has graced us with her presence.” He paused for effect, his gaze sweeping over them.
“And even the infamous Zhao Wuji of the Dragon Tiger Immortal Sect is here.”