Conflict Begins

The ruins surrounding the giant palm print were now teeming with people and radiating spiritual light, having practically transformed into a bustling temporary market and a holy sanctuary for Dao comprehension.

Cultivators in various attires and from different regions occupied clearly demarcated territories.

The eastern sector, an area relatively rich in Dao rhythm, was claimed by the disciples of the major local sects of Xuanzhou.

The Cold Moon Valley, Heavenly Evolution Sect, Jade Pure Sect, and Array Breaking Gate, among others, all had encampments here.

As Xiao Ruobai swept his gaze across the area, he also spotted the members of the Azure Mystery Sect. With several elders holding down the center, the disciples were cultivating in orderly silence, exuding an air of steady confidence.

The other areas were a chaotic mix of crowds, gathering factions from other domains and numerous rootless rogue cultivators.

Among them were many cultivators with formidable auras and strange clothing. There were even a few aloof disciples from Holy Lands scattered about, surrounded by faint halos of holy light; though few in number, no one dared to approach them easily, allowing them to form their own spheres of tranquility.

In the sky, streaks of light continued to descend from time to time as new faces joined this already crowded arena of contention.

The auras of conflict and breakthrough rose and fell, creating a surging undercurrent beneath the tranquil surface of Dao comprehension on this land.

Meanwhile, those foundationless rogue cultivators and disciples from minor sects could only squeeze together in twos and threes along the fringes where the Dao rhythm was thin.

They would either trade resources for slightly better spots or frequently break into verbal altercations and even small-scale skirmishes over a rock that offered a clearer sense of the Dao rhythm.

Flowing lights ceaselessly streaked across the sky as new cultivators continued to rush in from all directions.

Flying ships, jade carriages, and spiritual avian mounts arrived in an endless stream. Whenever a new powerhouse descended, it would trigger a wave of commotion and observation as people guessed at their origins and intentions.

Bang!

A muffled explosion accompanied by a surge of spiritual energy erupted within the crowd, interrupting the comprehension of several nearby cultivators.

Two cultivators could be seen fighting over a blue-black rock situated right on the edge of a fissure left by the giant palm print.

The surface of the rock was as smooth as a mirror, with faint streams of light swirling within it. Sitting upon it allowed one to more clearly perceive the pure Dao rhythm permeating from deep underground, making it obviously an excellent spot for enlightenment.

Fellow Daoist, I found this place first and have already set down warning array flags. Please look elsewhere!

A tough-looking middle-aged man dressed in gray martial attire said in a deep voice.

He did not release his full aura, but the faint spiritual energy fluctuations of the Cave Heaven Realm seeping from his body were enough to secretly alarm many surrounding cultivators, prompting them to consciously back away.

Hmph, you think a mere array flag claims it? The Dao rhythm here is ownerless; naturally, it belongs to whoever sits down first!

I see that this place has an affinity with me. You should be the one to go elsewhere, Fellow Daoist!

Another middle-aged cultivator, dressed in a brocade robe and looking slightly plump, responded with a cold sneer. He similarly made no attempt to conceal the cultivation fluctuations of the Cave Heaven Realm.

With a slight flick of his sleeve, a supple yet powerful force surged out, attempting to push the other man away.

Neither used lethal moves, but a clash of spiritual energy between Cave Heaven Realm cultivators was still no trivial matter. An invisible shockwave spread out from the two as the center, kicking up dust from the ground and causing more cultivators to frown and retreat to avoid being caught in the crossfire.

Though dissatisfied that this dispute had disturbed their peace, feeling the cultivation levels of the two men, no one dared to step forward and intervene.

Gentlemen, this is a place for Dao comprehension and quiet cultivation, not a fighting arena. Isn't it a bit inappropriate for you to squabble like this and disturb everyone's meditation?

However, before they could determine a victor, a heart-palpitating pressure suddenly descended, and an old man clad in a star-patterned Daoist robe appeared silently in midair.

"This is a place for comprehending the Dao, not an arena for your private duels. If you dare to cause another racket and disturb the peace, do not blame this old man for clearing you all out of here!"

The two fighting cultivators instantly turned pale. Sensing the unfathomable cultivation radiating from the old man, which was at least at the Deva Realm, they immediately ceased their hostility and resentfully withdrew their hands.

The gray-clad man was the first to retract his aura. He cast a cold glance at the brocade-robed cultivator, then turned and went to find another spot.

The brocade-robed cultivator also snorted and flicked his sleeves, dropping the matter. However, he did not leave immediately. Instead, he found a slightly inferior spot near that bluestone and sat down cross-legged, clearly unwilling to part with the Dao rhyme of this place.

Similar conflicts were a common occurrence here, accompanied by the joyous long howls and exclamations that rang out from all directions from time to time.

Occasionally, under the nourishment of the rich Dao rhyme, cultivators would break through their bottlenecks. Their spiritual energy would soar into the sky, drawing gazes full of envy and jealousy.

Even Gu Changge had never expected that his casual palm strike that day, which erased the cancer known as the Demon Heaven Sect, would create such a bizarre stage where dragons and snakes mingled, stirring up the winds and clouds from all factions.

They either had experts protecting them or possessed outstanding strength themselves, setting up barriers that made it difficult for outsiders to approach.

Xiao Ruobai stood quietly for a moment. His gaze swept past those conflicts and breakthroughs, ultimately landing deep within the massive palm crater.

Every day at the Purple Bamboo Peak, he could feel his master's aura, which was as deep as an abyss and as vast as an ocean, yet gentle and restrained.

But at this moment, feeling the power his master had once unleashed so directly and domineeringly through this residual palm print, that supreme might which leveled mountains and rivers, purified evil filth, and even left behind a Dao rhyme that endured to this day, stirred something profound within his heart.

It was a more intuitive shock and yearning that surpassed any verbal teachings.

"Let's go. We will move a bit closer."

Xiao Ruobai spoke softly, stepping toward an area rich in Dao rhyme.

The closer they got to the giant palm print, the more obvious the pressure in the air became, and the invisible boundaries drawn by the various factions grew increasingly clear.

The core area, where the Dao rhyme was so dense that it radiated a misty glowing light, had long been occupied by the disciples of Holy Lands and major sects. They either had experts protecting them or possessed tyrannical strength themselves, setting up barriers like invisible shields to keep outsiders at bay.

Xiao Ruobai's gaze swept across the area, eventually locking onto a vacant spot with some space remaining at the edge of the rich zone. He was just about to lead Fang Hanyu and Fatty Wang over.

"Halt!"

A cold shout suddenly exploded, full of arrogance and reprimand.

Several young cultivators with luxurious clothes and haughty auras stood up; at a glance, one could tell they hailed from major factions.

The leader, holding a jade-ribbed folding fan, pointed at Xiao Ruobai's trio with a look of disdain.

"Where did you rogue cultivators come from? Do you not understand the rules?"

The fan-wielding youth looked them up and down, taking in their plain clothes, and his mouth curled into a sneer.

"Are you even worthy of entering this area? Roll far away! Don't pollute the Dao rhyme here and become an eyesore to us young lords!"

An arm-crossing cultivator beside him followed up with a scoff, "What are you looking at? We're talking about you three!"

Another person directly took a step forward, unceremoniously crushing down on them with the spiritual pressure of the early Violet Palace Realm. "Can't you understand human speech? Take one more step forward, and don't blame us for being merciless!"

The moment the spiritual pressure touched the little fatty, he did not retreat a single inch. Instead, he let out a scoff and shook his head, effortlessly shrugging off the oppressive force as if simply brushing dust from his clothes.

"It really does not matter where I go, I always run into self-righteous idiots like you."

As his words fell, he took a sudden step forward. His seemingly bloated figure erupted with astonishing speed. Raising his hand, he launched a palm strike directly at the cultivator who had unleashed the spiritual pressure.

Before the cultivator could even react, the spiritual energy gathered in the little fatty's palm slammed into his chest. He was sent flying backward like a kite with a snapped string, coughing up a mouthful of blood as his aura instantly withered away.

"With your meager cultivation base, you dare to act tough in front of your grandpa?"

Fatty Wang dusted his hands off, his eyes brimming with absolute disdain.