Shuro and his group were not the first to arrive at the Monument Sea.

Next to the Monument Sea stood an ancient temple. At least thirty cultivation sects from the Southern Domain had already gathered on the cliff tower of the temple, spaced apart from each other.

"Who goes there?" A gray-robed figure emerged from the temple, loudly inquiring.

"The Empty Mountain Sect. Damei Shitai." Damei Shitai rolled up her sleeves, retracted the transportation talisman, and said coldly.

"The Empty Mountain Sect has finally arrived."

"The five giants who came to participate in the Enlightenment Conference are all here, only Kunting Mountain is left."

"By the way, do you know about Kunting Mountain and that Lord Chuan? I heard that Lord Chuan is already an Inner Disciple of the Empty Mountain Sect and is also entering the Monument Sea."

"Lord Chuan? Hmph, now anyone can call themselves a lord. I heard that Lord Chuan is just lucky, blindly stumbling around."

"Wow, I didn't realize Damei Shitai was so young!"

Led by Damei Shitai, the group entered the ancient temple and went straight to the third-floor terrace. There, only three cultivation sects were present, each with about twenty people, slightly larger in scale than the Empty Mountain Sect. The leading cultivators from each sect nodded to Damei Shitai in acknowledgment, and familiar disciples from various sects greeted each other discreetly.

Shuro knew that these three sects were likely powerful forces on par with the Empty Mountain Sect. In this Monument Sea Enlightenment Conference, the top two ranked sects in comprehensive strength, Tianhua Palace and Nanyou Sect, did not send disciples. Apart from Kunting Mountain and the Empty Mountain Sect, the Snowdrift Sect, Boundless Cave, and Great Zen Head Sect all sent disciples.

The gray-robed hermit guarding the ancient temple came out and distributed waist plates one by one. Shuro received his waist plate, which was light blue, representing the status of a substitute, while the waist plates of Hua Xin, Lewis, and others were deep purple, representing the status of enlightenment.

After tucking the waist plate into his pocket, Shuro looked up and saw countless gazes directed at him. The expressions of the disciples from the three giant sects varied: some were indifferent, some curious, and some disdainful.

A rushing sound came from the distance.

"Kunting Mountain has arrived!"

"They're here, they're here! Now we can finally enter the Monument Sea."

"Wow, the cultivator from Kunting Mountain is riding a Wujiao, so imposing!"

The exclamations came from some low-ranked disciples below the terrace. However, the leaders of the four major sects on the terrace had unpleasant expressions, especially when they saw the Wujiao flying through the air. Damei Shitai couldn't help but clench her fists.

The leading elder from Kunting Mountain was none other than the Immortal Sword Tianying Andrea. With a flash, he landed on the terrace and walked towards Damei Shitai and the other four leaders. After exchanging a few pleasantries, they followed a gray-robed person and entered a side door.

"That Wujiao was a treasure obtained when the Empty Mountain Sect and Kunting Mountain joined forces to explore an ancient cave, and it was captured by Damei Shitai herself. But in the end, it was snatched away by Kunting Mountain." Qin Jiatian whispered.

"It's obvious that Kunting Mountain isn't very well-liked," Shuro nodded, then added, "But it seems like the Empty Mountain Sect isn't very popular either."

The five major sects were all present on the terrace, and the situation was clear.

The Snowdrift Sect, Boundless Cave, and Great Zen Head Sect were close to each other, intentionally distancing themselves from Kunting Mountain and the Empty Mountain Sect, which, in turn, kept their distance from each other.

"The fall of a wall pushes everyone to one side. I forgot to tell you that the Empty Mountain Sect has declined in recent years. The main reason is the lack of successors. If it weren't for a few old ancestors supporting them, they would have already fallen to the eighth rank." Qin Jiatian transmitted his voice.

Shuro also compressed his voice into a beam and transmitted, "But I feel like the disciples of the Empty Mountain Sect are not inferior to them."

"You only see the surface phenomenon," Qin Jiatian transmitted. "I've told you about the Ten Young Lords before. Although the Ten Young Lords are only the rankings of the true lineage disciples of various sects, in recent years, only Hua Xin from the Empty Mountain Sect briefly entered the rankings of the Ten Young Lords, and he was pushed out of the rankings by Diego last year."

"Moreover, the number of my peers in the Empty Mountain Sect is decreasing year by year compared to the other six sects. As far as I know, Kunting Mountain alone has nearly two thousand Inner Disciples, which is three times the number of the Empty Mountain Sect." Shuro looked at Qin Jiatian strangely. This guy was a disciple of the Empty Mountain Sect, so why was he always picking out the negatives?

"But the Empty Mountain Sect is still the oldest sect in the history of the Southern Immortal Realm. It's not bad to have it as a temporary reliance." Qin Jiatian blinked.

Seeing through his thoughts, Shuro just smiled faintly.

This Qin Jiatian obviously belonged to the same type of person as him, both having secrets unknown to others. But Qin Jiatian was indeed formidable; in his early thirties, he had already broken through to the True Pill Realm and became a disciple of the Dao. It seemed that he was highly valued as well.

"Oh, isn't this Lord Hua? It's been many days. I wonder if Lord Hua's injuries have healed." A melodious laughter came.

Shuro's gaze turned cold as he looked up, only to see "an old acquaintance" Diego walking over with a smile, his target this time being Hua Xin.

"Lord Hua," the three words came out, and a low chuckle emerged from Kunting Mountain's team, as well as some disciples from the Snowdrift Sect, Boundless Cave, and Great Zen Head Sect, who looked at Hua Xin with ridicule. On the other hand, the disciples of the Empty Mountain Sect, including Luis and Berta, showed anger and glared at Diego.

Although Luis and Hua Xin were at odds, they were still fellow disciples. If one was disgraced, the other felt the same disgrace. Hua Xin being publicly humiliated by Diego was like a slap to the faces of all the disciples of the Empty Mountain Sect.

However, Diego was one of the Ten Young Lords after all, a recognized genius in the Southern cultivation world. His status in Kunting Mountain was equivalent to that of the true disciples in the Empty Mountain Sect, and he was even one of the outstanding ones among them.

Luis and the others were only among the top-ranking disciples of the main peak. In terms of strength and fame, they were far inferior to Diego. They dared to be angry but not to speak.

Hua Xin looked up at Diego, the sadness in his eyes dissipating, replaced by a chill. Just as he was about to speak, an unfamiliar voice sounded from behind.

"Huh, defeated underlings? How come you're here too?"

The disciples of the Empty Mountain Sect turned around in surprise, looking at Shuro incredulously. Although Shuro had left a deep impression on everyone with his battle against Alan yesterday, there was no doubt that among all the disciples of the Empty Mountain Sect, Shuro's cultivation strength was undoubtedly the weakest.

But the way he spoke seemed to suggest that Diego shouldn't be here to participate in the Enlightenment Conference.

"You..." Diego's face twitched. He turned his head, glaring at Shuro hatefully, and after a long while, he spat out, "You're talking nonsense!"

"Didn't you lose to me yesterday?" Shuro asked, puzzled.

"I..." Diego's face turned red, showing embarrassment.

He was someone who cared greatly about his face. Even if it was just an auction, losing to Shuro made him feel extremely humiliated. But if he didn't admit it... The events of yesterday were now being widely circulated in Warden City. Even if he didn't want to admit it, he had no choice.

Diego's reaction relieved the disciples of the Empty Mountain Sect secretly. Alan and Berta looked at Shuro with much softer eyes, the sadness on Hua Xin's face eased a lot, and the other neutral disciples looked at Shuro with even more goodwill.

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Not far away, Damei Shitai nodded secretly. Although this kid was strange, he understood human relations and circumstances deeply. This advantage alone was far superior to Hua Xin and Luis.

"It's just an auction, is it worth making such a fuss?" A clear voice came from the Kunting Mountain team.

Shuro suddenly felt a blur before his eyes. A tall and slender young man seemed to appear out of nowhere, standing in front of him.

"You're Lord Chuan?" The young man was only in his early twenties, with sword-like eyebrows and a handsome face, but there was a hint of killing intent between his brows.

"Who are you?" Shuro asked calmly, while secretly evaluating the young man's strength.

"I'm Yue Qun, disciple of Kunting Mountain, under the mentorship of Andrea." The young man said indifferently.

As soon as he reported his name, the faces of the disciples of the Empty Mountain Sect changed simultaneously, and the disciples of the Snowdrift Sect, Boundless Cave, and Great Zen Head Sect nearby were also surprised.

"The seventh-ranked Young Lord, Yue Qun, is here too!"

"I thought there wouldn't be any powerful figures in this Monument Sea Enlightenment Conference, but unexpectedly, Kunting Mountain alone has brought two Young Lords."

"Although I don't want to admit it, it's likely that the first place in this Enlightenment Conference will be decided within Kunting Mountain."

Listening to the discussions, Yue Qun remained expressionless. He just stared quietly at Shuro, and suddenly, an invisible coercion burst out, heading straight for Shuro.

Blade Qi! It was Blade Qi again!

A surge of anger rose in Shuro's heart.

Although Yue Qun's Blade Qi was much more domineering than Diego's, raging like a storm and with multiple blade shadows, as if to shatter the ancient temple, Diego had already used it yesterday. And today, his senior brother used the same move again. Wasn't this an obvious sign of disdain?

Two completely different flashes of lightning flashed in Shuro's eyes, as his qi and blood surged through his body. The air around his body faintly showed signs of fracturing.

To the disciples at the Foundation Establishment realm, Shuro seemed to be petrified, as if he had been scared silly.

But for someone who had broken through to the True Pill Realm, like Qin Jiatian, he could see that Shuro's body and the surrounding air had formed a subtle harmony, as if a fish swimming in water.

Once the Blade Qi struck, Shuro would be able to use the gaps in the air to move instantly, causing Yue Qun to miss his strike publicly. It was like trying to hit a fish swimming in deep water with a stone. Unless the force was great enough, it would be impossible to hit the fish.

"It's only been two days, and he's already thought of a way to deal with Blade Qi. I didn't read him wrong." Qin Jiatian thought to himself.

"Yue Qun, don't go too far," a cold shout came from the side of the Empty Mountain Sect.

Shuro saw a blur before him, and Hua Xin had already stepped forward.

His robe billowed without any wind.

Still, it was the Little Qiankun Sleeve!

The sound of metal clashing echoed in the air, and each time it did, the air vibrated violently, sending out waves of force. Some disciples with insufficient strength involunt

arily retreated.

Blade Qi was invisible, and the hurricane in the Little Qiankun Sleeve was also impossible to capture with the naked eye. Only from the shattered air in mid-air could it be inferred how intense the battle between the two was.

Although it seemed that neither side had the upper hand, Shuro knew that Hua Xin's method of dealing with Blade Qi was ultimately inferior.

Qi momentum was divided into four realms: Breath, Intent, Image, and Momentum. Breath could be used to oppress the opponent, and the more it was used, the more it would enhance the power of martial skills. There were not many people who could comprehend Qi momentum. Even in the Tianchen continent, being able to comprehend "Breath" before the age of twenty was already a rare genius.

The so-called "Breath" was invisible and colorless, but it could swallow the clouds.

Unlike the time spent cultivating strength, comprehending Qi momentum relied on talent. Without talent, it was difficult to comprehend it even in a hundred years. With talent, one could comprehend it in a day after hearing about it.

Shuro silently observed the battle, suppressing the Qi momentum within his fist.

Although Qi momentum could be used to oppress and enhance the power of martial skills, it lacked substance and couldn't be used to resist martial skills for a long time.

Yue Qun snorted coldly, his left palm flipped, and the blade light swept out from his palm, rushing straight towards Hua Xin like thunder. Hua Xin activated the Little Qiankun Sleeve to block it, but with a "clang," his body trembled violently.

The Blade Qi attached to the blade light, making it more powerful. The blade tip swallowed the clouds and spat out fog, roaring like a dragon, shattering most of the air on the platform.

The two fought back and forth, the wind and clouds surging. In less than ten exchanges, Hua Xin was already at a disadvantage.

"The Seventh Young Lord is indeed extraordinary!"

"Hua Xin was once ranked among the Ten Young Lords. How come the difference is so big now?"

"Indeed, the Empty Mountain Sect is declining."

The disciples of the other sects discussed among themselves, paying no attention to the feelings of the disciples of the Empty Mountain Sect.

"Haha, among the true disciples of the Empty Mountain Sect, only Hua Xin is worth mentioning. The former Young Lord is nothing special. The Seventh Rank of the Empty Mountain Sect... soon it will be changed to the Eighth Rank."

Diego's voice was particularly harsh among them. The disciples of the Empty Mountain Sect blushed with anger, clenching their fists, but faced with this undeniable fact, they lacked the confidence to refute.

Hongyin Guniang had been holding back her anger for a long time. After hearing Diego's words, she was about to explode, but was pulled back by Qin Jiatian.

"Diego, what's the point of barking like a defeated dog?"

A young voice rang out leisurely.

The disciples of the Empty Mountain Sect were delighted and turned their heads, but then they were all stunned.

Diego suddenly turned his head, staring at Shuro with embarrassment and anger.

But Shuro took a step forward, straight into the only gap between Hua Xin and Yue Qun's fight, as if he had separated the two in an instant.

A domineering and almost brutal momentum surged from Shuro's body.

"Hum!"

In the high hall of the ancient temple, the giant bell, which had already rung nine times, was unexpectedly triggered by that momentum and rang for the tenth time!

Diego suddenly saw a giant fist like a flying mountain crashing down, overwhelming him. Between the fingers, the wind and clouds swallowed, rolling like a breath. Each breath turned into a fist the size of a bowl, like meteors from outer space, blasting towards him from all directions!

Diego's face was full of disbelief, his body trembling violently, blood oozing from his ears and nose, the light in his eyes instantly fading, his face pale, his whole body shaky.

His knees seemed to be about to break, as if he were carrying ten mountains on his back. Diego struggled desperately, supported only by his last bit of stubbornness.

"Apologize, you defeated underling!"

The force suddenly increased!

Diego couldn't bear the heavy pressure anymore. In despair, his knees bent, his body sank, and he knelt down heavily on the platform.

A change occurred. From start to finish, it all happened in the time it took Shuro to say two sentences.

"That's... Fist Qi?"

Looking at Shuro, who was slowly retracting his fist, Berta's face was stunned, Alan wore the same expression. They both looked at Shuro, their eyes becoming extremely complicated. Luis stood there in a daze, staring at Shuro in disbelief, his face pale.

The battle between Yue Qun and Hua Xin, Shuro didn't know when it ended. Hua Xin's gaze was very complicated, with gratification, envy, and finally a hint of sadness.

"As fellow practitioners, why resort to such ruthless means?" Yue Qun stared coldly at Shuro and asked.

Clearly, you struck first, but in the end, you blamed me. It seems that the disciples under Andrea's lineage are all like this.

Shuro ignored him directly, not bothering to respond.

The dejected Diego suddenly jumped up, and a powerful true element burst out from him, his eyes red, his hair disheveled.

"I'll kill you!"

Shuro slid to the left, his body floating, avoiding Diego's intense killing intent, his heart vigilant. After the battle with Alan last night, Shuro knew the strength of a Foundation Establishment Fourth Stage cultivator, and Diego's strength was obviously much higher than Alan's.

"What's all this commotion?"

At this time, the leaders of the five immortal families finally appeared. Damei Shitai was the first to step out, with a stern face, asking.

Andrea frowned and waved her long sleeves.

A stream of blue aura flew out and drilled into Diego's eyebrows. Diego's body trembled, his eyes gradually becoming clear, but the killing intent not only did not diminish, but became stronger.

"What's going on?" Andrea asked.

No one answered. The people from Kunting Mountain all kept their mouths shut, looking as if they were holding back their bowel movements, their faces ugly. Losing face was one thing, but if they said in front of several Dao leaders that Diego was bullied by a Foundation Establishment First Stage kid, then they would completely lose face. For the disciples of Kunting Mountain who had originally planned to show off, this was undoubtedly a slap in the face.

"It seems that the juniors are just sparring. Nothing serious," the Dao leader of the Boundless Cave said with a smile, dismissively.

"Winning and losing in a sparring match is normal," Damei Shitai nodded solemnly, her face always tense, and no one could guess what she was thinking.

Only those who were familiar with her, like Hongyin Guniang and Qin Jiatian, knew that she must be secretly ecstatic at this moment.

"Sister's words are reasonable," Andrea nodded solemnly, then her tone suddenly changed: "However, we practitioners value friendship and mutual assistance even more. Even in sparring, there should be a limit. This limit is also the limit of 'Dao'. If it deviates or exceeds, it is easy to go astray."

With that, Andrea turned to Shuro and lectured earnestly, "At such a young age, with only a cultivation base of the Foundation Establishment First Stage, you have already realized the first level of 'Qi Momentum', which is indeed very talented. However, Qi momentum is used in battles to clear obstacles on the path of cultivation. You have reversed the priorities, neglecting the cultivation itself and emphasizing the battles. In the long run, it may affect your mental cultivation..."

Andrea's words made the elders nod continuously, and except for the disciples of the Empty Mountain Sect, the disciples of other sects seemed to have some insights, showing gratitude and respect, looking at Andrea with full respect.

"Andrea's words make sense," Damei Shitai interrupted coldly, waving her hand, "How to teach our disciples in the Empty Mountain Sect is none of your business, Kunting Mountain."

"Andrea, you are overstepping. However, I have encountered Shuro twice, and what I have seen and heard has made me very worried, fearing that he may accidentally go astray in the future," Andrea sighed, showing a reluctant expression.

With Andrea's words, she was already questioning Shuro's conduct. After all, Andrea had the reputation of being a virtuous person. Today's words, if spread by someone with ill intentions, would undoubtedly tarnish Shuro's reputation throughout the Southern Heaven Immortal Dao world.

Damei Shitai frowned, pondering a countermeasure.

"So your Kunting Mountain's principle is to allow you to bully others but not allow others to resist. If others resist you, they become evil demons?" Shuro smiled coldly, not waiting for Andrea to speak, and quickly said, "Everyone present witnessed what happened just now. No matter how eloquent you are, you won't be able to change the facts!"

"The fact is, your disciple Yue Qun attacked me for no reason. If he can attack, can't I? Do I have to just wait to be beaten?"

"Your Kunting Mountain is really imposing."

Damei Shitai relaxed her eyebrows and unexpectedly glanced at Shuro. The best way was to be straightforward like Shuro, to clarify everything. Not only that, he also involved the other three major immortal families, putting pressure on Kunting Mountain.

"Hehe, give this Daoist some face, and let's just let this matter pass." The female Daoist of the Feixue Sect smiled, apparently unwilling to be used as a tool by Shuro.

The other two Daoists also nodded in agreement. Their gaze towards Shuro, from the initial indifference to now, became interested.

"Lady, you really have a good eye. Among our 1,500 inner disciples of the Great Zen Head Sect, only four have comprehended the 'Momentum' in Qi. Ah, my Unlimited Cave only has five disciples below the True Dan Realm who have comprehended 'Momentum'. Lady's trip to Warden City has really brought such an excellent disciple, it's indeed extraordinary luck."

Several Daoists chatted casually, Damei Shitai had no expression on her face, and the disciples of the Empty Mountain Sect were all red-faced, silent.

Among the inner disciples of the Empty Mountain Sect, not a single person has comprehended 'Momentum'. Among the more than 300 main peak disciples plus the true disciples, only one person has comprehended the Momentum.

Not to mention Kunting Mountain, just compared with the Great Zen Head Sect and the Unlimited Cave, the huge gap has already appeared.

Shuro's eyes lit up. Although Damei Shitai seemed stiff, she was not to be trifled with. With just a few words, she calmly resolved the burden in the hearts of the disciples of the Empty Mountain Sect, and her eyes began to shine again. Andrea also seized the opportunity to turn the situation around.

The art of war is always changing, and water has no constant shape.

Several Daoists in the Nascent Soul Realm had already engaged in several rounds of philosophical debates in their words, and each side refused to show weakness. Wasn't this also a manifestation of 'Dao'?

Shuro stood on the platform under the clouds, gazing at the distant Sea of Steles, as if he had realized something.

"In that case, let's enter the Sea of Steles." Damei Shitai waved her hand.