Chapter 404: Immortal Island Trial

In an instant, the entire sect was in an uproar.

Countless rumors about how Shi Jing truly died began to circulate.

The official report claimed Shi Jing had been killed by the Demon Sect on his journey back, but given the critical timing, none of the sect's disciples believed it.

And so, the already vacant position of Pengze Island Master became even more shrouded in mystery.

One day, Shen Daoxing was sweeping the training grounds.

He looked up to see disciples flying in from the distance, one after another, each riding a different magical artifact.

Before long, the training grounds were packed with Inner Sect Disciples. Shen Daoxing glanced around and saw that nearly every disciple of the Cyan Nether Sword Sect's younger generation had arrived.

At that moment, the younger disciples on the plaza were buzzing with discussion.

"Why did the Grand Elder summon us here so early in the morning?"

"I don't know!"

"I heard there's an important announcement!"

"They say it has something to do with Senior Brother Shi Jing?"

"What I heard is that it's about the position of Pengze Island Master!"

"Huh? What does the position of Pengze Island Master have to do with us? It's not like the position could fall to one of us, is it?"

「At the same time.」

CREAK!

The massive doors of an imposing hall at the front of the training grounds slowly swung open.

An old man with a benevolent face then walked out. He had a portly build and a gentle, approachable demeanor. This was none other than the Grand Elder of the Cyan Nether Sword Sect, Wang Guyuan.

Within the Cyan Nether Sword Sect, the Sect Leader was in secluded cultivation, and the three Island Masters were busy with the affairs of their respective Immortal Islands.

As such, all of the sect's various matters, unless critically important, were generally left to Grand Elder Wang Guyuan's judgment.

After Grand Elder Wang Guyuan slowly stepped out, he surveyed the noisy training grounds, then raised a hand and gently pressed it downward. The entire area instantly fell silent.

Once all the Inner Sect Disciples had turned their attention to him, Wang Guyuan slowly began to speak. "The Great Dao is impartial, and life and death are natural. None of us could have foreseen Shi Jing's death. However, he was a disciple of our Cyan Nether Sword Sect, and we will thoroughly investigate his passing to give everyone a proper account."

"However, our Cyan Nether Sword Sect's Pengze Immortal Island cannot be without a master for even a day. Therefore, after discussions between the Sect Leader and the Island Masters of Fusang, Yingzhou, and Tan Yuan, a decision has been made. The next Pengze Island Master will be chosen from among our new generation of disciples. Any disciple of the younger generation, whether from the Fusang, Yingzhou, or Tan Yuan lineages, is eligible to participate."

The moment Grand Elder Wang Guyuan finished speaking, the disciples on the training grounds erupted in an uproar.

"What? The Sect Leader is actually going to choose the new Island Master from among us younger disciples?"

"That's the Master of an Immortal Island! Once you become its master, you can command all the power on the island at will!"

"And rumor has it that our Cyan Nether Sword Sect's Immortal Islands hold the secrets to attaining immortality."

The crowd couldn't help but break into excited cheers.

At that moment, Grand Elder Wang Guyuan waved his sleeve. A streak of light shot out, landing upon the Divine Altar in the center of the training grounds. It was the Celestial Mirror Order, the key to Pengze Immortal Island and the symbol of its master.

The Celestial Mirror Order floated slowly above the Divine Altar, emitting a soft, shimmering glow.

Then, a massive incense burner in front of the Divine Altar suddenly burst into roaring flames.

Grand Elder Wang Guyuan's voice rang out once more.

"Of course, to become the Master of Pengze Immortal Island, one must first earn the island's recognition. Only those who pass its trial are qualified for the position. Any of you who wish to accept this challenge, cast your Identity Jade Token into the incense burner before the Divine Altar. In three days, the Celestial Mirror Order will select the disciples qualified to enter the island for the trial."

"Furthermore, as long as you pass the trial of Pengze Immortal Island, even if you don't become the Island Master, you will still become an eighth-generation disciple of the Pengze Lineage. In this way, Ancestor Dan Chen's line will finally have successors."

At these words from Grand Elder Wang Guyuan, the Inner Sect Disciples on the training grounds grew even more excited.

After all, disciples from all the other Immortal Islands could participate in the selection for Pengze Island Master. They had little confidence they could stand out from so many geniuses to claim the Celestial Mirror Order. Moreover, with the Three Proud Lords of Qingming—Jun Wushuang, Gu Muyun, and Dugu Cheng—looming over the competition, none of the Inner Sect Disciples present believed they could defeat them.

But if merely passing the island's trial was enough to become a disciple of Pengze Immortal Island and receive the inheritance of the Pengze Lineage, then this was still a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

In the past, these Inner Sect Disciples had vied fiercely for a chance to become a disciple of one of the four Immortal Island lineages. However, the four islands' recruitment standards were notoriously strict; they would only accept the most brilliant of geniuses.

Instantly, the Inner Sect Disciples of the Cyan Nether Sword Sect began pulling out their Identity Jade Tokens and tossing them into the incense burner before the Divine Altar.

Shen Daoxing also saw his senior brother, Wan Hai, toss his own Identity Jade Token into the incense burner.

It was obvious that the Pengze Lineage was suffering from a lack of talent. The Cyan Nether Sword Sect was clearly allowing disciples from the other three lineages to participate in the trial in hopes of attracting more geniuses to Pengze Immortal Island and restoring its former glory.

However, as an Outer Sect Disciple, Shen Daoxing was not qualified to participate.

'But Elder Blood Dragon said there's something related to a Venerable Supreme on that Immortal Island,' Shen Daoxing thought. 'I have to go. Now that Pengze Immortal Island is sealed off due to Ancestor Dan Chen's death, this is the perfect chance for me to sneak in.'

'The only problem is, I need the Celestial Mirror Order to enter Pengze.'

Shen Daoxing's thoughts couldn't help but turn to the Jade Token that Bai Yi had given him.

And then there was that mysterious woman in yellow.

Shen Daoxing hadn't given up his search for her over the past few days, but the woman in yellow seemed to have some method of concealment. Even his Golden-Eyed Treasure-Seeking Rat, with its keen sense of smell, had been unable to find where she was hiding.

As Shen Daoxing was lost in thought...

SQUEAK SQUEAK!

Suddenly, the Golden-Eyed Treasure-Seeking Rat in his robes began to squeak.

Just then, a figure in yellow flashed across the training grounds—it was the mysterious woman.

The woman in yellow glanced at the Celestial Mirror Order on the Divine Altar, then mounted her sword and flew away from the main island.

Shen Daoxing quickly and quietly followed her, watching as she flew deeper into the Cyan Nether Sword Sect's Inner Mountain, in the direction of the Immortal Islands.

Before long, Shen Daoxing had followed the woman deep into the Inner Mountain.

There, a majestic island appeared before his eyes.

This Suspended Island before him was the largest sky island Shen Daoxing had seen since joining the Cyan Nether Sword Sect, even bigger than the main island.

Unlike the inverted mountains he had seen before, this sky island had a pointed base and was suspended high above Yun Meng Lake. A towering mountain soared into the clouds from the island's surface. A small river trickled down from its peak, flowing all the way to the edge of the Suspended Island before plunging over the side as a magnificent waterfall that emptied into Yun Meng Lake below.

And this sky island was none other than Pengze, one of the Five Great Immortal Islands.