From a loser to an immortal sage

Chapter 46 Peak Showdown

A powerful pressure swept over us, and I immediately felt a tightness in my chest, making it difficult to breathe. Looking up, I saw several figures standing in mid-air, emanating powerful spiritual energy, creating an overwhelming sense of oppression.

"Who dares to trespass into the immortal's cave?" One of them, dressed in a blue Taoist robe and holding a whisk, looked down at us with a cold tone and an unquestionable air of authority.

“We have no ill intentions toward the inheritance of immortals,” said Master Wu, stepping forward and clasping his hands in greeting. “We just want to try our luck and see if we can obtain an immortal destiny.”

"A destiny of immortality? Hmph, you think you can compete?" Another man dressed in red, wielding a long sword, sneered. "Don't you even know yourselves?"

I secretly observed the group of people before me. The spiritual energy emanating from them far surpassed ours, clearly indicating that they were all experts who had cultivated for many years. Especially the Taoist priest in the green robe; I couldn't see through his cultivation level at all, suggesting that his strength was unfathomable.

"What, does your Tianyuan Sect intend to monopolize the immortal's inheritance?" Fairy Meng's beautiful eyes narrowed, her tone carrying a hint of coldness.

“You flatter me, Fairy Meng,” the Taoist in green robes said calmly. “Immortal caves are for those with the right destiny. How could my Tianyuan Sect dare to monopolize them? But this destiny is not something that just anyone can obtain.”

“That’s right,” the man in red echoed, “If you want to enter the immortal’s cave, you’ll have to get past us first!”

The atmosphere immediately became tense, with swords drawn and a major battle about to break out.

I looked around and noticed that besides the two from the Tianyuan Sect, there were several other cultivators also eyeing us warily. They came from different sects, but they all had the same goal—the inheritance of immortality.

I inwardly groaned; it seemed entering the immortal's cave would be no easy feat. Facing so many powerful opponents, a direct confrontation was clearly unwise.

I took a deep breath, stepped forward, and slowly said, "Seniors, the inheritance of immortals is indeed precious, but if we fight over it and damage harmony, wouldn't that go against the original intention of the immortals?"

My voice wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly. Everyone was startled, and their eyes all fell on me.

The Taoist priest in the green robe frowned slightly, his tone tinged with displeasure: "Who are you? Who gives you the right to speak here?"

I was not afraid at all. Meeting his gaze, I said calmly, "This junior, Xiao Yao, is merely a rogue cultivator. Senior is absolutely right. I am but a humble person with little influence. However, I believe that the destiny of immortality is predetermined. If we were to seize it by force, wouldn't that be against the will of Heaven? How about we change our approach and decide the succession based on strength and wisdom?"

My suggestion immediately sparked a lively discussion among the crowd.

"That's a good idea; it's better than fighting and killing each other," someone agreed.

"Hmph, that's easy for you to say. Who knows what tricks you might be up to?" some people questioned.

The Taoist priest in the green robe remained silent for a moment, seemingly weighing the pros and cons. He gave us a sharp look before finally speaking slowly: "How do you wish to conduct the contest?"

I was overjoyed, knowing my suggestion had a chance. After a moment's thought, I pointed to the misty mountain peak ahead and said, "The immortal's abode is on that mountaintop. Why don't we set up a few challenges? Whoever passes the tests first and reaches the summit will gain the right to enter the immortal's abode. What do you say?"

“Alright! As you say!” The man in red was the first to agree. He was impatient and couldn’t wait to have a match.

The other cultivators nodded in agreement, as no one wanted to give up this opportunity easily.

"In that case, let's begin." The Taoist in the green robe waved his hand and flew towards the mountain peak first.

I followed closely behind, joining the others on the challenging path to the summit.

The first challenge is a misty forest, shrouded in thick fog so dense you can't see your hand in front of your face, and filled with illusions and traps; a moment's carelessness and you'll lose your way.

With my experience from my previous adventures in the Misty Forest and my keen senses, I carefully avoided one danger after another and gradually moved to the front of the group.

The second obstacle is a single-plank bridge spanning a bottomless abyss. The bridge is swaying precariously, with howling winds that make one's heart pound with fear.

I took a deep breath, steadied myself, and carefully stepped onto the log bridge. Just then, a powerful gust of wind suddenly swept over me, pushing me towards the abyss.

I was startled and quickly circulated my spiritual energy to steady myself. I saw the man in red standing at the bridgehead, looking at me with a cold smile.

"Want to get past me? Not so easy!" he said, and swung his palm again, a gust of wind mixed with sharp blade energy sweeping towards me.

My gaze turned cold, and I calmly summoned the Azure Lotus Sword. With a flash of sword light, I completely neutralized the blade's energy.

"A mere trick!" the man in red sneered and launched another attack.

Undeterred, I brandished my Azure Lotus Sword and engaged him in fierce combat.

On the log bridge, sword light flashed and energy surged. I was locked in fierce combat with the man in red... The man in red's swordsmanship was sharp, each move aimed at vital points, but I was not to be outdone. I used the Azure Lotus Sword Technique to its fullest extent, the sword light as fluid as water, agile and graceful, and we fought to a standstill.

"Miss Xiao Yao, I'm here to help you!" A loud shout rang out, and Wu Daxia, wielding a long saber, joined the battle from the other side. His saber technique was wide and powerful, complementing my agile swordsmanship perfectly, forcing the man in red to retreat repeatedly.

"Hmph, what kind of hero bullies the few with numbers!" The man in red roared in anger at his defeat, and the long sword in his hand shone brightly, clearly indicating that he was about to use a killing move.

Just then, a clear, cold voice rang out: "Stop! With your cultivation level, even if you win, it won't be honorable!"

Clad in white, like a celestial maiden, Meng Xianzi gracefully landed on the log bridge, blocking the path of the man in red. With a flick of her whisk, an invisible force forced the man back several steps, neutralizing his attack.

"Fairy Meng, what do you mean by this? Do you intend to become my enemy?" the man in red asked with a gloomy expression.

“I don’t want to be your enemy, but I just can’t stand your behavior,” Fairy Meng said coldly. “This competition should be fair and just, but you have repeatedly violated the rules, which is really disappointing.”

The man in red wanted to say something more, but was stopped by a sharp look from Meng Xianzi. He gritted his teeth and ultimately chose to remain silent.

"Thank you so much, Fairy Meng and Hero Wu, for your help!" I said gratefully.

“Miss Xiao Yao, you don’t need to be so polite. We just can’t stand this despicable behavior,” Wu Daxia laughed heartily. “Let’s cross this single-plank bridge together!”

I nodded and was about to continue forward when I suddenly felt a powerful killing intent coming from behind me. I was startled and instinctively dodged to the side. A dark figure flashed past me and headed straight for the other side of the log bridge.

"Not good! Someone is attacking!" Chief Zhou roared, his long whip flying out like a serpent and wrapping around the ankle of the dark figure.

"Where did this villain come from, daring to plot against us!" Doctor Zheng also reacted, and his silver needles flew out, sealing the acupoints of the dark figure.

The dark figure was subdued by Chief Zhou and Doctor Zheng, unable to move. He struggled desperately, but to no avail. I looked closely and saw that the man was dressed in black and his face was covered, so I couldn't see his features. But from his eyes, I saw greed and ruthlessness.

"Who are you? Why did you ambush me?" I asked sharply.

The man in black did not answer, but struggled desperately, his eyes filled with ferocity.

"Hmph, sneaking around like this, afraid to show your true face, you're probably no good!" Master Wu sneered. "Speak, who sent you? What is your purpose?"

The man in black remained silent, but a resolute glint flashed in his eyes. He suddenly opened his mouth, as if to bite his tongue and commit suicide.

"Want to die? Not so easy!" Chief Zhou reacted quickly, striking the man in black on the back of the neck with a palm strike, knocking him unconscious.

“This person’s origins are unknown, so we must not be careless,” Fairy Meng said solemnly. “Let’s take him to the mountaintop first, and then make further plans after we find the immortal’s cave.”

Everyone nodded in agreement and were about to continue escorting the man in black when suddenly, a powerful pressure descended from the sky, enveloping the entire mountain peak...

"Who is it?!" Wu Daxia exclaimed in surprise, looking around warily.

The oppressive force was as heavy as a mountain, making it almost impossible for me to breathe. I looked up and saw a phantom figure dressed in a blue robe slowly emerge in mid-air. He had an otherworldly air about him, a gaunt face, and eyes as deep as stars, as if he could see through everything in the world.

"It's Immortal Chen! Immortal Chen has appeared!" someone shouted from the crowd, and immediately everyone knelt down, trembling.

The man in black stopped struggling, his eyes filled with fear. I noticed that even Fairy Meng, Hero Wu, and the others seemed to be struggling under Fairy Chen's oppressive aura.

Chen Xianren's gaze swept across the entire area, finally landing on me. He smiled slightly, and his voice, like a booming bell, resounded through the valley: "Xiao Yao, you have a strong will and are not afraid of hardships. You have finally passed my test."

My heart skipped a beat. Could it be that I had been undergoing a test from Immortal Chen ever since I stepped onto this mountain?

Master Chen seemed to see through my thoughts, and he continued, "The legacy I leave behind is not for those with wicked intentions who crave shortcuts, but for those who are truly talented, persevering, and kind-hearted."

After saying that, he raised his right hand and pointed at me, "Xiao Yao, come forward."

I took a deep breath and, amidst the awe-inspiring gazes of the crowd, walked step by step to stand before Immortal Chen.

“Child, there’s no need to be nervous.” Immortal Chen looked at me kindly, his voice becoming much gentler. “Everything you have experienced is an arrangement of fate. From today onwards, you will inherit my mantle and carry on my lineage.”

As soon as he finished speaking, a golden light shot from Immortal Chen's hand and entered my brow. Instantly, I felt a vast amount of information flood my mind: various cultivation techniques, secret manuals, cultivation insights, alchemy and talisman-making skills…

I closed my eyes, trying to process this information. I don't know how much time passed before I slowly opened my eyes, but Chen Xianren's figure had already disappeared.

"Congratulations, Miss Xiao, on obtaining the immortal's inheritance!" Wu the Hero said with a fist and palm salute, and the others also congratulated me.

I looked around, and those who had once looked down on me or even tried to trip me up were now looking at me with awe or even envy.

My heart is filled with countless emotions. I was once just a useless person without spiritual roots, suffering endless scorn and ridicule. But now, I have become a revered successor of an immortal...

I clenched my fists, my gaze resolute. I knew that obtaining the inheritance was not the end, but a new beginning; many more challenges awaited me in the future… I turned to look into the distance. “Everyone, I still need to continue my cultivation, so I’ll take my leave now…”

I turned to look into the distance. "Everyone, I need to continue my cultivation, so I'll take my leave now..."

Having said that, I flew away from the valley on my sword, leaving everyone to discuss amongst themselves. I knew that from the moment I received the inheritance, my destiny had undergone a complete transformation. I would no longer be the useless Xiao Yao who was bullied by everyone, but the successor of Immortal Chen, bearing the heavy responsibility of inheriting the legacy.

Back at my lodgings, I eagerly began to organize the flood of information surging through my mind. The legacy left by Immortal Chen was profound and extensive, covering all aspects of cultivation, alchemy, talisman making, and formations—each one enough to benefit me for a lifetime. Suppressing my excitement, I decided to start with the most basic cultivation techniques.

Time flies, and three months have passed in the blink of an eye. During this time, I devoted myself to cultivation and almost forgot about the existence of time. With the help of the inheritance from Immortal Chen, my cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds, and I soon broke through to the Golden Core stage.

"Hoo..." I let out a long breath and slowly opened my eyes. Feeling the abundant spiritual energy within my body, I couldn't help but smile with relief. Now, I possessed the power to protect myself.

At this moment, there was a knock on the door.

"Miss Xiao, are you there?" It was Wu Daxia's voice.

I got up and opened the door. "Master Wu, what's the matter?"

Master Wu looked somewhat anxious. "Miss Xiao, we've discovered a celestial abode, but there's a stone door at the entrance that we can't open. We'd like to ask you..."

A celestial abode? A thought struck me: could it be another treasure left behind by Immortal Chen?

I nodded in agreement, "Okay, I'll go with you to take a look."

The group returned to the valley. Led by Master Wu, we passed through a dense forest and arrived at a hidden cave.

At the entrance to the cave, there was indeed a huge stone door, covered with ancient runes and patterns, exuding a mysterious aura.

"This is it," said Master Wu, pointing to the stone door. "We've tried all sorts of methods, but we can't open this stone door."

I stepped forward and carefully examined the runes on the stone gate. These runes were ancient and complex, unlike anything I had ever seen before, but I vaguely felt that they resembled some kind of cultivation technique passed down by Immortal Chen…

I took a deep breath, channeled my spiritual energy, and gently placed my palm on the stone door.

Om-!

The stone gate suddenly trembled, and the runes on it seemed to come alive, emitting a dazzling light!

Upon seeing this, everyone's faces lit up with surprise and delight.

However, at that moment, I felt a powerful suction force coming from the stone door, and my body was uncontrollably pulled towards the stone door...

"Miss Xiao!"

I heard Wu Daxia's anxious shouts behind me, but I was already unable to react...

A white light filled my vision, and when I opened my eyes again, I found myself in an unfamiliar space...