Chapter 427: One Thing Subdues Another

This meant that Ta'e had recognized Shen Daoxing as its new master.

It seemed the old saying was true: there was always something to keep another in check.

The moment the Great Ming Demon Sparrow made its move, the once-stubborn Ta'e immediately submitted!

Shen Daoxing smiled faintly. He could clearly feel that the untamable arrogance that had defined Ta'e was now completely gone.

"CHIRP!"

With a soft cry, the Demon Sparrow flapped its wings and, with a WHOOSH, shot back into the Great Ming Demon Sparrow, disappearing from sight.

The Black Tortoise also transformed into a streak of light and returned into Ta'e.

Abruptly, Ta'e flew up from Shen Daoxing's hand, zipped over to the Great Ming Demon Sparrow's side, and cozied up to it affectionately, as if trying to curry favor.

However, the Great Ming Demon Sparrow just gave it a cold smack, knocking Ta'e away.

Ta'e wasn't angry in the slightest. It wobbled back into the air and flew over to nuzzle against the Great Ming Demon Sparrow again. It was so obsequious, acting just like a sycophant; all of its former untamable, domineering presence was gone.

But the Great Ming Demon Sparrow remained completely haughty and cold toward Ta'e.

"Little Junior Brother?"

At that moment, Wan Hai and Tang Yi, seeing that the commotion had died down, hurried over. Looking at the massive craters dotting the area, they were secretly dumbfounded. It was hard to imagine just how fierce the battle had been.

'If it were the two of them,' they thought, 'they probably wouldn't have lasted long against Ta'e, even if they worked together!'

Just then, the Great Ming Demon Sparrow, annoyed by Ta'e's pestering, let out a CLANG as it viciously knocked the sword away. Then, with a WHOOSH, it transformed into a streak of light and shot into Shen Daoxing's Sumeru Ring.

Ta'e wobbled back into the air, still not upset, and followed with a WHOOSH of its own, flying right into Shen Daoxing's Sumeru Ring as well.

Next, from within the Sumeru Ring, Shen Daoxing heard a continuous CLANG-CLANG-CLANG of a beating, followed by what sounded like the pained wail of the Black Tortoise.

Seeing this, Wan Hai and Tang Yi's eyes slowly widened. They exchanged a look. "Does this mean Ta'e has accepted Little Junior Brother as its new master?"

Both Wan Hai and Tang Yi were stunned. Ta'e was Ancestor Dan Chen's Lifebound Magical Artifact! Its spirit had been born from the Ancestor's lingering will. After Ancestor Dan Chen passed away, it had silently guarded Pengze Immortal Island. One could say it was the only, and final, piece of Ancestor Dan Chen's will left in the mortal world.

And now, Ta'e had actually accepted Shen Daoxing as its new master!

The significance of this was self-evident.

Wan Hai and Tang Yi were stunned once more.

'Wait!'

Wan Hai suddenly had another thought. 'Little Junior Brother has taken Ta'e, so what about our trial?'

Wan Hai and Tang Yi were suddenly stunned again.

While Wan Hai and Tang Yi were still dumbfounded, Shen Daoxing slowly raised his head to look at them and smiled faintly. "Let's go."

With that, Shen Daoxing started walking up the mountain.

Wan Hai and Tang Yi exchanged a look.

'Does this mean we've passed?'

A short while later, the three of them reached the summit of the Immortal Mountain. However, the area was still filled with jagged, bizarre rocks. As far as the eye could see, there was only dark brown earth and scattered, rusted Treasure Swords. Beyond that, there was nothing.

Only a hazy, indistinct mist shrouded the area.

The three of them looked around, their faces filled with confusion.

Suddenly, Wan Hai shouted, "Look up there!"

He pointed a hand toward the sky.

Shen Daoxing followed his finger and looked up. There, above them in the ethereal, misty sky, stone steps suddenly appeared before their eyes, floating in mid-air and rising tier after tier.

At the very top of the steps, they could faintly make out a massive, majestic palace situated on a floating island.

It seemed that was their destination.

Without hesitation, the three of them stepped onto the stairs.

...

At that very moment, within the palace high above, figures were scattered in twos and threes across a vast Martial Arts Arena. Some were meditating, some were resting against pillars, and others were whispering amongst themselves. These were all the Four Vein Immortal Island disciples who had passed the three trials.

There weren't many of them, only eleven or twelve in total.

The Four Vein Disciples already had their own Immortal Islands and didn't particularly covet the status of a Pengze disciple. Those who came for this trial were all aiming for the position of Island Master, so naturally, not many disciples participated.

Jun Wushuang, Gu Muyun, and Ouyang Cheng were all among them. The yellow-robed woman Shen Daoxing had been searching for was also there, standing with Gu Muyun.

However, the disciples who were originally from the Pengze Lineage did not look pleased.

After all, the matter of the Pengze Immortal Island's Island Master succession should have been their own Immortal Island's affair. Now, the other Immortal Islands were all sticking their noses in, which naturally displeased the disciples of the Pengze Lineage.

Unfortunately, their Pengze Lineage was simply too weak now. They had no one who could stand out. Among the younger generation, the strongest disciple of the Pengze Lineage couldn't compare to Jun Wushuang, and was even inferior to Ouyang Cheng.

But there was no way they were willing to just give up the position of their Immortal Island's Island Master like this.

Suddenly, a tall, thin youth from the Pengze Lineage stepped forward. He looked resentfully at a youth in the distance who had a stern face and sharp, well-defined features.

"Heh heh heh, Jun Wushuang, with your strength and talent, you'll probably become the Island Master of Fusang Immortal Island someday, barring any accidents. So why bother coming here to fight for our Island Master's position?"

Jun Wushuang, who was leaning against a pillar with his sword in his arms and his eyes closed as if napping, didn't even open his eyes upon hearing the question. He replied indifferently, "I have no interest in the position of Pengze Island Master."

Hearing this, the tall, thin youth who had spoken grew even more dissatisfied. "No interest? If you have no interest, then what are you even doing here?"

Jun Wushuang still didn't open his eyes. "I am only here on my master's orders."

"You..."

The tall, thin youth was left speechless. He then turned his dissatisfied gaze to Ouyang Cheng. "Ouyang Cheng, what are you doing here?"

Ouyang Cheng replied simply, "I heard there were fights here, so I came."

Faced with Ouyang Cheng, a known battle maniac, the tall, thin youth paused. He had nothing to say to that. He then turned to look at Gu Muyun.

But before the tall, thin youth could even ask, Gu Muyun spoke up coldly, "There is a power on Pengze Immortal Island that I wish to obtain."

The tall, thin youth faltered, clearly not expecting Gu Muyun to be so direct.

While the Four Vein Disciples were talking, up on a row of primary seats above the Martial Arts Arena, Grand Elder Wang Guyuan was seated in the very center. Flanking him were other elders of considerable age—the elders of the four Immortal Islands: Fusang, Yingzhou, Tan Yuan, and Pengze.

As for the Cyan Robe Steward Elder who had led Shen Daoxing's group up the mountain, he could only stand silently behind Wang Guyuan.

Grand Elder Wang Guyuan's eyes swept over the disciples below. He spoke slowly, his tone full of meaning. "Heh heh heh, for this contest over the Celestial Mirror Order, all the geniuses of our sect's younger generation have come. It seems things are about to get lively. Who do you all think will win the Celestial Mirror Order this time?"