Chapter 256

Chapter 256 - End of the Second Stage

Lu ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Xuanxian could naturally tell that Lu Tianyuan's words were born from genuine concern for his safety.

The ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍only problem was that the Clan Elder knew nothing of his true strength.

"Clan ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Elder, I have my own plans. There's no need for you to worry."

Seeing ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Lu Xuanxian so firmly set, Lu Tianyuan sighed and turned his back.

"Xuanxian, ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍I know you have your pride. But sometimes, one must know when to pick their battles."

"Still, ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍since you have a plan, I won't say any more."

"But remember this — no matter what choice you make, I'll support you."

"Thank you, Clan Elder."

Lu Xuanxian offered a polite word of thanks, then returned to his quarters to rest.

This time in the Three Hundred Forces Grand Tournament, he was aiming for first place. Anyone who dared stand in his way would be erased without hesitation.

Elsewhere, aboard the Wang Family's Dao Vessel, Wang Teng gave a cold snort, his expression sour.

Beside him, Wang Daofeng furrowed his brow.

"Young Lord, it's not that I'm unwilling to arrange a matchup between you and Lu Xuanxian directly. It's simply that everything is under surveillance right now. We can't afford to make any moves."

Before the stage had begun, Wang Teng had discussed with Wang Daofeng whether they could pull some strings during the matchup process and set up a first-round confrontation between him and Lu Xuanxian.

Wang Daofeng had refused without a second thought.

This left Wang Teng deeply displeased.

After all, the Wang Family was the foremost great force in the Dao Realm. And yet they couldn't even arrange a single matchup?

"Young Lord, you must understand — though our Wang Family is indeed the foremost of the Dao Realm's Ten Great Forces, if the other nine were to unite against us..."

"Not even all nine. Even just two of them joining forces would be enough to put us in serious danger."

"And the Dao Realm is currently in a period of upheaval. Our Wang Family is at a critical juncture. It's best to cause as little trouble as possible."

Wang Daofeng's expression grew heavy as he spoke.

After a long pause, Wang Teng finally exhaled and nodded.

"Fine."

"But Lu Xuanxian had better survive long enough to face me."

"On that front, the Young Lord can rest easy. None of the prodigies sent by the other factions this time are particularly exceptional."

"As long as Lu Xuanxian doesn't forfeit voluntarily, he should have no trouble making it to his match against you."

Wang Daofeng spoke with confidence.

The Wang Family's intelligence network was exceptionally thorough. Or rather, all Ten Great Forces had a general understanding of each other's prodigies.

And aside from the Wang and Lu families, none of the other eight great forces had produced any outstanding prodigies — at least not this generation.

Hearing this, Wang Teng finally put the matter to rest and settled in to wait, looking forward to facing Lu Xuanxian in the final stage and ending him once and for all.

Nine days flew by in the blink of an eye, and the situation unfolded exactly as Wang Daofeng had predicted. Lu Xuanxian hadn't encountered any truly formidable opponents throughout, and neither had Wang Teng.

The one noteworthy distinction, however, was that the Lu Family was the only faction to have two prodigies advance to the final stage.

Lu Xuanxian and Lu Xuanyuan.

Even Lu Zhengfeng had only lasted until the eighth round before running into Lu Xuanyuan, who dispatched him decisively.

"I... actually lost."

Lu Zhengfeng's expression was ugly beyond measure, his eyes boring into Lu Xuanyuan's retreating back.

He had assumed that with his Immortal Emperor-level strength, he would at least make it to the final stage. He hadn't expected to be stopped in the eighth round of the second stage.

The blow to his Dao Heart was severe.

Watching this unfold, Lu Tianyuan sighed as the Clan Elder and walked over, patting Lu Zhengfeng on the shoulder.

"Your talent is already near the top of the entire Dao Realm. Keep honing yourself. You simply chose the wrong benchmark for comparison."

It was partly bad luck that Lu Zhengfeng had drawn the wrong opponent.

Every single contestant who had advanced to the final stage of this tournament could have claimed the championship in any previous edition of the Three Hundred Forces Grand Tournament.

Lu Zhengfeng's expression remained grim, but he gave the Clan Elder his due respect, rising and cupping his fists.

"I understand, Clan Elder. I won't let this setback affect my future cultivation."

With that, Lu Zhengfeng returned to his quarters to await the tournament's conclusion before heading home with the Clan Elder.

But watching his retreating back, Lu Tianyuan couldn't help but sigh.

He had done what he could. Whether the words had truly sunk in was up to Lu Zhengfeng himself.

Turning to look at the deck, he saw Lu Xuanyuan and Lu Xuanxian standing together.

"Congratulations, Brother Xuanxian."

Lu Xuanyuan stood before Lu Xuanxian, offering his congratulations with a smile.

Lu Xuanxian's expression remained placid. With his level of power, advancing to the final stage had been effortless — and even claiming the championship would be perfectly natural.

However, if he defeated Wang Teng at the Mid Immortal Emperor Realm, that would be far too shocking. He needed to find a way to publicly and legitimately "break through" to the Late Immortal Emperor Realm.

"Oh, I managed to get my hands on the full list of finalists. The other seven are all formidable. Of course, you probably don't need to worry, Brother Xuanxian, but it's still worth keeping in mind."

Lu Xuanyuan's expression turned serious as he handed Lu Xuanxian a document.

Lu Xuanxian accepted the list without objection and read through it carefully.

All seven were at the Immortal Emperor Realm.

Li Tianqi of the Li Family. Age: thirty-two thousand. Mid Immortal Emperor Realm.

Huang Wenjian of the Huang Family. Age: sixty-three thousand two hundred. Mid Immortal Emperor Realm.

Lin Fenglei of the Lin Family. Age: seventy-five thousand six hundred. Mid Immortal Emperor Realm.

Liu Zhenyuan of the Liu Family. Age: eighty-three thousand one hundred. Early Immortal Emperor Realm.

Qin Taigu of the Qin Family. Age: eighty-five thousand five hundred. Mid Immortal Emperor Realm.

Xu Wangyou, Holy Son of Liufeng Sacred Land. Age: fifty-three thousand. Early Immortal Emperor Realm.

Chen Daogu, Holy Son of Zhenfeng Tower. Age: sixty-five thousand. Mid Immortal Emperor Realm.

After reading through all seven entries, Lu Xuanxian's expression turned deeply grave.

After all, none of these seven great forces were to be trifled with. Each was a formidable power with a Peak Dao Venerable at its helm.

"Thank you."

Lu Xuanxian tucked away the intelligence and offered his thanks to Lu Xuanyuan.

He didn't actually need it, but since it had been offered, the gesture was still appreciated.

"Don't mention it. We're both members of the Lu Family — helping each other is only natural."

Lu Xuanyuan waved it off, then thanked Lu Xuanxian in return.

"Besides, if it weren't for you, Brother Xuanxian, I'd probably have died at Wang Teng's hands."