Chapter 97: The Ostracized Sect

For this year's Grand Tournament of the Spirit Realm, most of the disciples of the Beast Taming Sect had already given up hope.

The team was to be led by Zhou Damao, Jiang Zhengqing's most cherished disciple, and Fei Yuming, the personal disciple of the Fourth Elder. The remaining disciples were not particularly strong and were certainly not seen as the hope of the sect for this competition.

However, among the list of participants, the missing Lin Yun still occupied one spot.

On this day, Second Elder Duan Wuya was tasked with personally leading the team.

"Sigh, what a thankless job this is," Duan Wuya complained to Ning Changkong as they were leaving. "I have no idea what the Sect Master is thinking. That Lin Yun is clearly dead, yet he still insists on holding a spot for him? We've become the laughingstock of the entire cultivation world!"

Placing one's hopes on a dead man was, naturally, a source of amusement for many. Yet this time, Jiang Zhengqing was being unusually stubborn, refusing to listen to anything they said. The other elders had no choice but to follow his orders. After all, Jiang Zhengqing had even brought out the previous Sect Master's command token, staking his own position on this gamble. If the Beast Taming Sect did not achieve a good result in this year's tournament, he would renounce his position as Sect Master.

Only because of this did the other elders relent and agree. But in their hearts, they all believed Jiang Zhengqing had gone mad, betting the entire sect's future on an obscure boy. Expecting him to emerge from the Ancient Forbidden Land alive was less realistic than praying the Flowing Cloud Sect wouldn't participate in the tournament at all.

"You have my sympathies," Ning Changkong said, patting Duan Wuya's shoulder. "But after this is over, you can rest for a long time. Just treat it as a journey. The Sect Master has indeed gone too far this time, but he will pay the price for his madness!"

He shook his head with a sneer. "Since we know there's no hope of winning, there's no need to try so hard this time. It won't make a difference anyway."

Never mind that Lin Yun was missing. Even if he were alive, so what? To expect someone to improve so drastically in such a short time was simply unrealistic.

After bidding farewell to his fellow elders, Duan Wuya departed with the group of disciples. Each of them rode a different exotic beast, streaking across the sky at great speed.

The entrance to the Spirit Realm was located at Nether Cave Mountain, on the border between the Daye and Wuqian Dynasties. Within a secluded valley surrounded by mountains, numerous camps had already been set up. These were the disciples participating in the Grand Tournament. In addition to the four great sects, the tournament now also allowed various smaller sects to send a few people, a small benefit granted to these vassal states. After all, if they found a treasure in the Spirit Realm, it could lead to a meteoric rise. But everyone knew that such an occurrence was incredibly rare.

By the time Duan Wuya arrived with his people, the other great sects had nearly all assembled. Many sects from the Wuqian Dynasty were also present. Everyone was prepared. All that was left was to see who would have the last laugh.

"Well, well, why is it Elder Duan leading the team personally this time?"

Duan Wuya had just arrived when a grating voice sounded in his ear.

It was Zhou Zeming, the Second Elder of the Constant Sun Sect, a sixth-stage Myriad Law Realm expert. He held considerable prestige in his sect, but to think he was an easygoing person would be a grave mistake.

"Elder Zhou is here as well," Duan Wuya replied, long since immune to such passive-aggressive mockery.

Zhou Zeming, with a thick-skinned, shameless grin, sidled up to him. "Elder Duan, what's going on with your sect this time? I heard Sect Master Jiang actually gave a spot to a dead kid? Isn't he just screwing you all over?" he asked with a beaming smile.

Nearby, many others were pointing and whispering about the Beast Taming Sect.

"Did you hear? The Beast Taming Sect's hope for victory this time doesn't lie with Zhou Damao or Fei Yuming."

"I know, right? I don't know what their Sect Master is thinking, but he seems to place great importance on that traitor from a while back, Lin Yun!"

"Exactly! That Lin Yun deceived his master and betrayed his ancestors! He's not fit to be a cultivator!"

The group grew more and more agitated as they spoke. Just then, a man with shifty, rat-like eyes chuckled. "Your news is outdated. I heard that Lin Yun was too eager for success and went into the Beast Taming Sect's Ancient Forbidden Land. He still hasn't come out. Sect Master Jiang Zhengqing tried many methods to rescue him but failed. The situation is likely more ominous than auspicious."

A look of dawning realization spread through the crowd. "So that's how it is. But it makes sense. This is karma!"

Listening to the hushed discussions around him, Duan Wuya's face grew darker and darker. Even with his composure, it was hard to endure such a scene.

Zhou Zeming just laughed and patted his shoulder. "Elder Duan, sometimes I really have to wonder if you have some kind of grudge with your Sect Master. Why is it that whenever there's a humiliating affair, he always sends you to the front lines?"

Duan Wuya stared at him, his eyes cold. "If you have nothing else to say, I'll be on my way. I am very busy, unlike your Constant Sun Sect, where all you have to do is kiss the Flowing Cloud Sect's ass."

After saying this, he flicked his sleeve and walked away.

He could hear Zhou Zeming's mocking voice call after him: "Putting on airs? Do you really think your Beast Taming Sect is still the number one sect it used to be? The times have changed, old man! You're nothing but trash now. This time, we'll make sure you're kicked out of the Four Great Sects for good!"

The representative sent by the Flowing Cloud Sect this time was Shangguan Wan. She had wanted to refuse, but for some reason, when Gu Xiande had stated his request, she had agreed as if compelled by an unseen force.

Only after arriving at Nether Cave Mountain did she learn that the disciple the Beast Taming Sect had placed such high hopes on was missing, his fate unknown. For a moment, she was struck by a feeling that words couldn't describe.

Qin Xiyan hadn't come this time. She had been in closed-door cultivation at the sect, and Hong Xiu was paying particularly close attention to her growth, handling every aspect of her training personally. As a result, Qin Xiyan had no idea that Lin Yun had been expelled from the sect, let alone that he had now gone missing from the Beast Taming Sect.

"Sigh."

Shangguan Wan sighed, listening to the clamor outside. Eight out of every ten people were mocking the Beast Taming Sect. After all, it was once a powerful sect that had dominated the entire cultivation world. Now that it had fallen on hard times, everyone wanted to kick it while it was down.

Moreover, as the representative of the Flowing Cloud Sect, Shangguan Wan knew what today signified. The Flowing Cloud Sect was going to join forces with the Constant Sun Sect and the Marvelous Sound Sect of the Daye Dynasty, as well as the Xuan-Kun Palace of the Wuqian Dynasty, to make a move against the Beast Taming Sect. Their goal was to completely expel the Beast Taming Sect from the ranks of the Four Great Sects and prop up one of their vassals, a sect called Hualuo Gate, to take its place.

It was a dirty move, to be sure.

But this… was the law of the cultivation world.