Volume 1: The True Purple Void Dragon – Chapter 19: The Realm of Non-Action

After taking their seats, everyone once again paid their respects to the sect leader. The Mad Scholar calmly accepted their greetings and introduced Tianyu to them. In fact, before arriving here, they had already heard that this gathering was a martial trial arranged specifically for the future sect leader, overseen by the Martial Hall of Xuanji Sect, serving as a test of each successor’s martial skills.

On the way here, the Mad Scholar had already explained in detail the arrangements and the specifics of Xuanji Sect to Tianyu.

Xuanji Sect is currently divided into two parts: the Martial Hall and the Merchant Guild. The Martial Hall is further split into the Green Hall and the Red Hall. It is the core of Xuanji Sect’s military strength. The Green Hall handles external affairs, led by Hall Master Xiao Zhenyue, with four departments: Heaven, Earth, Lord, and Hero. The Red Hall deals with internal affairs, protects the sect leader, and ensures the smooth operation of the merchant guild, currently led by Hall Master Qiu Churan, with two departments: Punishment and Spirit.

The Merchant Guild does not have as many departments; it only has a headquarters that coordinates, manages, oversees, and supervises the operations of its commercial agencies across the country, as well as handles personnel appointments. There are three presidents—Qian Dao, Han Ran, and Xuan Yuqing—who jointly manage the guild’s affairs. It is known externally as “Qianfeng.”

In addition, there are the four remaining great elders—Qiu Baiyu, Tong Xuyan, Yu Hong, and Wang Chongzhi—whose status is supreme. They rank even higher than the Mad Scholar, with their martial skills having reached a perfected state. They are all devoted to cultivation and aligned with the Way of Heaven, and ordinary matters hardly disturb them.

This time, except for Xuan Yuqing from the merchant guild who couldn’t return due to matters abroad, everyone else was present. After all, this was a crucial event for selecting the next sect leader of Xuanji Sect, even drawing the attention of the four great elders.

Tianyu also met each of them one by one under the Mad Scholar’s introduction. Tianyu knew that these were the core forces he would soon work under at Xuanji Sect. The powerful aura emanating from them made the Purple Void Dragon energy within him stir.

Especially when facing the four great elders, as the Mad Scholar bowed as a junior, the faint internal energy emitted by the four caused Tianyu’s Purple Void Dragon energy to surge violently. His own energy began to resist their pressure, ready to counterattack. Tianyu could barely hold back, his face turning red…

Just then, the oppressive energy that had been pressing on Tianyu suddenly vanished, along with the four great elders who had been sitting before him. At the same time, an aged voice came from the air: “Jianfeng, take him to the quiet room…”

The mad scholar wasn’t surprised by this turn of events. He simply glanced at the people in the room and said slowly, “Everyone, go rest for now. The plan stays as before!” With that, he pulled Tianyu Huan up and vanished through the door.

Watching the four elders and the sect master leave one after another, the others looked at each other in confusion. Many of them had also come from various places, just arriving slightly earlier than the mad scholar. The Xuanji Sect had held few such gatherings in recent years. Especially with the decline of martial arts cultivation, the role of the sect’s martial hall had become increasingly insignificant—many matters could now be resolved through trade rather than force. Therefore, in the eyes of the martial hall leaders, the martial arts test for the new sect master, conducted personally by the sect master, would surely be of high quality. What mattered most was the opportunity to spar and exchange skills with each other. After all, they had spent years practicing qi cultivation; this was a perfect chance to test their skills and showcase their latest advancements and unique techniques. So, mutual sparring and knowledge exchange were what truly mattered to them.

“Did you see? The sect master only scheduled five days for this gathering?” Xiao Zhenyue, the leader of the Qing Hall, suddenly said, looking at the schedule.

“What? Only five days? That’s not enough! There won’t even be enough time for sparring!” The leaders of the other halls immediately started arguing.

Qiu Churan glared fiercely at his subordinates until they realized they had overstepped and fell silent. Then he turned to Xiao Zhenyue and said, “That’s impossible! According to tradition, the sect master’s martial test should take at least two months! My master said that even the sect master himself, despite his natural talent, spent fifty-two days going through this test…”

Xiao Zhenyue nodded. “Not to mention the competitions among the various halls, just facing the four elders alone would be tough. The previous sect master spent twenty-two days in battles and thirty days resting and recovering—something that already amazed the elders! Could it be the sect master has other plans? Or is this new successor not yet skilled enough? But that doesn’t make sense either. If that’s the case, why bring us all here under the guise of a martial exhibition…?”

The remaining hall leaders were in an uproar, speculating among themselves.

Inside the quiet chamber, the four elders sat around Tianyu, pulling back their hands that had been used to sense his energy with surprise. They all sighed in amazement, saying, “Tsk tsk, truly miraculous! There really is dragon energy in this world. Back in the day, our Xuanji Sect’s mystic brothers sensed the existence of dragon energy. Hehe, who would have thought that sixteen years later, the ruler of the Dragon Realm would become the successor of our Xuanji Sect? Hehe, is everything predestined?”
In front of the four elders, theMad Scholar put aside his usual aloofness and spoke respectfully, “Indeed. But this successor wasn’t obtained easily—he was snatched away by force. Yet precisely because of this, Jianfeng decided to have Tianyu practice our sect’s path of turning to evil…”
Elder Qiu Baiyu, the leader, nodded in agreement. “Yes. The Shaolin Mind Techniques and the Yunmen Secret Practices are both time-honored and authentic methods passed down for thousands of years. With such a foundation, it shouldn’t be too difficult for him to embark on the path of evil. But Jianfeng, after the combat drills, you must teach this boy well. Although Zenhe and Xianyun are skilled at strengthening their disciples’ foundations, the disciples they train are too upright. That won’t do. Teach him more of your dark arts so he won’t suffer losses and embarrass our Xuanji Sect!”
TheMad Scholar quickly agreed, “Jianfeng already has that in mind…”
“Hmm, that’s good.” After saying that, Qiu Baiyu turned to Tianyu and said, “Tianyu, spend these five days with your master going through the combat drills. Given your current level, it’s mostly just a formality. The main goal is to get familiar with how to counter and analyze moves, gain some practical experience, and learn more about adaptability from your master. Don’t be too stubborn, just like your two senior masters! As for passing these drills, we old folks won’t interfere anymore. Hehe, in terms of internal strength, Tianyu is already on par with any of us. The continuation and prosperity of Xuanji Sect are just around the corner!”
Tianyu replied with respect, “Thank you, my uncles. I will not disappoint your expectations…”
After leaving the quiet chamber, theMad Scholar didn’t let Tianyu rest right away. Instead, he took him to his own room. After all, the combat drills the next day were a necessary trial for all successors of Xuanji Sect. Although he was confident in Tianyu’s strength, Tianyu lacked experience fighting opponents. During his time training with Xianyun, he had mostly fought beasts, and this was his first time facing a cultivator head-on. So he was still a bit worried and called Tianyu to his room to give him a few more instructions.

“Heavenly Domain, the core techniques of our Xuanji Sect are far inferior to your Purple Void Dragon Energy. In fact, they can’t even compare to those of your other two masters. But when it comes to martial skills and combat experience, they are utterly outmatched. Do you still remember those simple martial arts techniques your masters taught you?”
Heavenly Domain nodded firmly. “Yes, I remember. Both the first master and the second master urged me to practice them.”
“Good. Remember, don’t get nervous during tomorrow’s match. Just use the techniques your masters usually taught you.”
“Understood, third master. Do I have to use the martial arts you taught me? Can I use those of the first master and the second master? Also, what if I lose control and hurt them? Back then, the second master told me not to use my techniques rashly for fear of harming innocents.”
“Of course you can. Adapt as needed as long as it complies with the rules of the competition. As for getting injured in the match, you don’t need to worry. For your demonstration, I’ve specially gathered many spiritual herbs to treat internal injuries. As long as you don’t use all your strength in your energy techniques and focus only on the movements, it should be fine.”
“Hmm, I understand, third master. My Purple Void Dragon Energy hasn’t progressed since reaching the third level, and I feel again that inability to fully utilize its power. Especially when competing with those four uncles earlier, I almost couldn’t suppress it and wanted to use all my strength. Third master, could you arrange for me to fight against those four uncles?”
With such words, theMad Scholar, being as clever as he was, naturally understood. He hadn’t expected Heavenly Domain to feel that way when facing the four elders. Although he knew they were testing him, he didn’t anticipate it would trigger a backlash from Heavenly Domain’s Dragon Energy. If Heavenly Domain hadn’t suppressed it fully, things might have gotten interesting on the spot. No wonder these people were so agreeable today. Normally, upon meeting the ruler of the Dragon Domain, with their competitive natures, they would have been eager to test their skills. How could they let it go so easily and even speak so nobly? It turned out they had already suffered at the Dragon Domain’s hands!
Thinking of this, theMad Scholar’s eyes gleamed as he smiled secretly, thinking, “Back when I went through this demonstration trial, those four were still the heads of their sects and made me suffer a lot. Now that I’ve become the sect leader, they’ve become elders with profound skills. I’ve never had the chance to test them again. This is a perfect opportunity. Hehe, there’s no way I won’t have a match. I’ll go find them right away…”

The next day, on a large open platform behind the villa, surrounded by artificial hills on two sides and facing the sea, two people stood there early in the morning, dressed in similar casual sportswear, facing each other.
“Tianyu, the first to enter is Xiao Zhenyue, the leader of Qingtang. He is skilled in hand combat, with ‘Sun-Shattering Stele-Breaking Hand’ being his famous technique. His internal energy is also extremely profound, with a long and steady flow. His opponents are either quickly defeated by his fierce techniques or exhausted by his relentless internal energy—showing both strength and flexibility. But you don’t need to worry too much. Just unleash five layers of your power. Your first and second masters are experts in these aspects—use your second master’s flexibility to counter his strength, and use your first master’s strength to break through his flexibility. You need to confront him head-on and completely suppress him, making him feel utterly helpless. Then you can claim a complete victory. Do you have the confidence?”
After hearing this, Chu Tianyu nodded firmly and said, “Yes!”
TheMad Scholar’s words completely dispelled Chu Tianyu’s initial nervousness. Calming down, he carefully considered his master’s words before slowly channeling his energy, feeling the sea breeze in the early morning and listening to the sound of the tides. Unconsciously, his mind merged with the scene, immersed in the wonderful rhythm of the sea—the sound of waves, crabs digging in the sand, his master’s steady and rhythmic breathing—all in perfect harmony with nature. It was as if the universe was him, and he was the universe. With a “boom,” the energy within him burst forth, spreading outward instantly. Seizing this opportunity, Tianyu broke through obstacles, entering a state of emptiness and non-action. Even the Purple Void Dragon Energy, which had long struggled to advance, finally reached its fourth layer.
TheMad Scholar, standing beside Chu Tianyu, felt this change most acutely and struggled the most to resist it. Sensing the strong, pure, and steady energy radiating from Tianyu, and seeing him with closed eyes, a slight smile on his lips, and a serene expression—as if he belonged there—he knew from experience that this was another breakthrough in Tianyu’s martial arts under pressure. This only strengthened his confidence in the plans he had made for him.
In fact, anyone with a certain level of cultivation in the villa could sense this energy fluctuation.
The quiet room…

The four elders, who were meditating with their eyes closed, suddenly opened them and exchanged astonished glances before remaining frozen in place. After a long while, one of them slowly said, “He has actually reached the state of doing nothing—something we’ve struggled to attain after a hundred years of cultivation. And yet it appears in a young boy. Is this the power of the Dragon Realm? Lao Qiu, were we too hasty in agreeing to that brat Jianfeng’s proposal last night? Do we really have to sweat profusely just for a teenager?”

“That brat Jianfeng is truly full of schemes. I wondered why he seemed to change his attitude last night—it turns out he wanted to make fun of us old folks,” said another.

“Hmph, it’s still you. At your age, you’re easily swayed by that kid’s sweet words and provocative remarks. You immediately agreed. You’ve seen the power of the Dragon Realm before—during the trial, it almost backfired on you. We’re not afraid of that little successor, but that Dragon Core inside him? You’ve tried it too—it grows stronger the stronger its opponent is. If we can’t control it, the four of us won’t be able to withstand it. If word gets out that four hundred-year-olds can’t even deal with a teenager, well… I wonder what face you’ll have left?” said Yu Hong, the only female elder among them, irritably.

“I, I… Sigh, it’s still that brat Jianfeng’s schemes causing all this trouble!” the scolded elder said, his face red.

“Mm, mm…” Two sounds came from them. The three turned to see that it was Lao Qiu Baiyu, who had remained silent until now, speaking. Knowing he had something to say, they quickly quieted down and listened attentively.

“Oh, my apologies, everyone. I suddenly remembered that this time of year is when I go on a fast, take a bath, and enter seclusion. It’s really not the right time for fighting or violence. I must leave now. I’ll have to ask you all to handle the combat training. If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave. Oh, and please pass my regards to that mischievous brat Jianfeng.” With that, Elder Qiu got up, opened the door, and walked away…

Leaving the three of them staring at each other in shock. After a long while, they finally reacted and inwardly cursed, “What an old fox!”

…

When the competition with the other sects was over and Kuang Ru brought Tian Yu to the quiet room, they found nothing but a note with just a few words written on it: “We’ve gone into seclusion together!” The room was already empty. Seeing this, Kuang Ru also cursed inwardly, “What four old foxes…”