Vol 2 Chapter 4 Sect Competition News

Aditya placed their food orders, and they engaged in casual conversation. Riya and Siya were thrilled about participating in the Mystic Mountain sect competition. A few months ago, they couldn't have imagined they'd progress so rapidly, and they credited Aditya for his remarkable recovery from poisoning and his subsequent increase in power, which enabled them to compete.

Aditya smiled warmly at them, offering his opinions in the midst of their excitement. However, deep inside, he couldn't help but think of his Aunt Swati, who was now his wife. She had gone to the Central continent, and he was concerned for her. He had promised to visit the Central continent only when he reached the Heaven cultivation realm, and he intended to honor that promise.

Thoughts of Surbhi, his childhood friend and current wife, also crossed his mind. He longed for her presence, imagining sharing dinner and strolling through the new city with her. He missed her smile.

Aditya sighed and focused his attention back on the group of ladies in front of him. Riya and Siya looked radiant in their dark blue sarees, exuding a youthful energy. At 19 years old, they possessed striking features with triangular-shaped faces, big eyes, cherry lips, small, proportional noses, and rosy cheeks. Their medium-long, dark hair cascaded down their backs, and they stood at a height of 5 feet 6 inches.

Aditya deeply cared for these two girls who had been by his side since he was four. While they had initially served as his maids, Aditya always treated them like older sisters, and they reciprocated with familial love and care. The girls could see his sincerity and love in his eyes, and this made them smile with affection.

Aditya then shifted his gaze to Aditi, with whom he shared a somewhat passionate relationship. Aditi had been a widow for the past 10 years and Aditya had saved her from bandits, cured her of poison through dual cultivation, and, subsequently, they became attracted to each other. Their connection was built on fulfilling each other's desires and passions.

Aditi, as the matriarch of her clan, was a strong and independent woman. She accompanied Aditya because her daughter wished to explore the world, and she also found herself drawn to Aditya's company. The progression of their relationship towards marriage or concubinage would depend on how their relationship developed, but for now, they cherished their time together. Aditi playfully winked at Aditya, who was captivated by her seductive presence.

Aditya responded with a shy smile, and Riya and Siya, who had been watching his interaction with Aditi, couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy.

Their food arrived, and Aditya and his group began devouring their meal. The dishes were flavorful, spiced to perfection, and the refreshing juices added to their enjoyment. The group chatted and ate merrily.

Aditya also observed the other diners around them, overhearing an interesting conversation at a table on the far right. Three young men were engaged in a discussion.

"Have you heard the news? There will not only be the Mystic Mountain sect competition, but also the other three major sects are coming. They might even be selecting disciples here," one of the men said.

"What? How is that possible? There can only be one sect competition. Now you're telling me all four sects are selecting disciples?" another man inquired.

"Yes, something unusual must be going on. I don't know the reason, but I heard this news from one of the inner sect disciples of the Mystic Mountain sect," a third man added.

Aditya was taken aback by this revelation. Not only would there be a sect competition for the Mystic Mountain sect, but the other three sects—Star Fairy Sect, Red Sword Sect, and Blood Devil Sect—were also attending. The reason for allowing the other three sects to observe the sect competition and select disciples remained a mystery, even to these cultivators.

Aditya continued to scan the room, not hearing any further noteworthy news, but he did notice numerous beautiful women and powerful cultivators. The ladies came from various ethnic backgrounds, including Indian, Asian, Western, and even members of the monster species, such as Cat girls, Fox girls, Bat girls, Lion girls, and more. Many of them were remarkably beautiful, appearing either in groups or alone, and quite a few were young, suggesting their visit to the city was linked to the sect competition.

Among the powerful cultivators were experts in the late stage of the Spiritual Ocean realm. They primarily served as guardians or elders to the young cultivators present or had other specific purposes at the inn. Aditya didn't spot anyone in the Heaven realm in his vicinity, as Heaven realm cultivators were a rare sight, even in the bustling Blue Sea City.

"Brother Aditya, I wish I could participate in the sect competition, but my cultivation is only at the Qi Condensation stage. Can't you do something?" Aakansha asked Aditya, her eyes brimming with hope. She had witnessed his incredible progress, from Mortal Shelling to Nascent Soul, and believed he had the power to accomplish anything.

"Alright, I'll see what I can do. If I manage to secure a spot in the sect competition, I'll try to recommend you as well," Aditya assured her.

"Hahaha, did you guys hear that? This young man thinks he can get this young lady, who's only at the Qi Condensation realm, into the Mystic Mountain sect. That's the funniest thing I've heard today," a young man's voice resonated loudly from a table a few meters away from Aditya's group.

Aditya turned his attention to this young man, who appeared to be of East Asian descent, possibly Japanese. He was tall, standing at 6 feet with a muscular build, donning traditional Japanese attire and a sword attached to his belt. He was accompanied by six other cultivators, comprising two women and four other men. Their group erupted in laughter after the man's comment.

Aditya felt a pang of annoyance. The man's cultivation was only at the late stage of the Core Formation realm, and Aditya could easily overpower him. Even his two guardians, positioned behind him, were in the early stages of the Spiritual Ocean realm. Aditya, with his body cultivation or Spirit Qi cultivation alone, could effortlessly defeat a Peak Spiritual Ocean expert.

Aakansha, still naive, glared at the young man and retorted, "So what if he said he could help me join a big sect? Why does it concern you? My brother is powerful and capable of great things."

"Hahaha," the man laughed again, "Hey, girl, you may not be able to join as a disciple, but if you agree to become my maid, I'll bring you to the sect as a servant. All you'll need to do is keep my bed warm."

The man's group burst into laughter once more, looking down on Aditya's group with disdain. Aditya was prepared to respond, but Siya placed her hand firmly on his right hand, squeezing it for reassurance.

"Let me handle this," Siya said. She had reached the 1st stage of the Core Condensation realm and was more than capable of facing the man.

Siya stood up and walked over to the man's table. "You can't insult my fiancé and expect to get away with it. He's too powerful for you. Let's have a duel and see if you're all talk or if you can actually fight."

After speaking, she pointed to the back of the dining hall, where there was a raised platform with several small duelling stages enclosed by transparent formations. Out of the five duel stages, two were unoccupied and available for cultivators to rent. While they were allowed to fight on these stages, they were strictly forbidden from causing permanent harm or killing each other, in accordance with the inn's rules.