The shadow of the dragon roared wildly, accompanied by the powerful aura of Yu Mu as the scene came to a close. At this moment, the aura around Yu Mu remained turbulent.
This was the first time since his return... that he felt so unrestrained.
However, it didn't matter, for not far from him was Elder Yun.
"Clap, clap, clap."
Elder Yun applauded and laughed: "Your cultivation is solid and your spearmanship is exquisite! Little Mu, you truly are a prodigy."
"Master, you are too kind." Yu Mu put away his Heaven's Question, bowing in respect, and his turbulent aura instantly calmed. He appeared gentle and warm yet possessed an air of detachment.
"However… Little Mu, why is your killing intent so strong?"
This aspect puzzled Elder Yun.
In his heart, Yu Mu had always been approachable, devoted to the sect, and broad-minded, making him well-suited to be the successor of Yunhe Sect. Moreover, he had not gone through life-and-death battles, and his training in the sect had been smooth, so where did that overwhelming killing intent come from?
"It's due to my spearmanship; Master need not worry."
Yu Mu gently massaged Elder Yun's shoulders, who looked quite pleased: "As your teacher, I trust you, but such fierce spearmanship should be used cautiously in non-lethal confrontations.
"You are the designated young master of Yunhe, and Yunhe Sect has always been righteous."
"Righteousness…"
Yu Mu smiled and replied: "The righteous path in the world is full of hardships."
"You're so young yet speak with such wisdom!"
Elder Yun pretended to hit him, but then a young boy rushed into the training grounds, sliding to his knees: "Supreme Elder! The Sect Master summons you!"
As he spoke, the boy glanced at Yu Mu, surprised that he could be so close to the Supreme! Unconsciously, the boy's attitude became more respectful, calling Yu Mu "senior brother."
"Understood." Elder Yun waved his hand, realizing the Sect Master's summons was urgent.
"Little Mu, shall we go together?"
"Let's go." Yu Mu nodded indifferently.
Now, with the Northwest Sect Competition approaching, the timing was indeed right. The summons at this moment was likely to select participants for the competition.
In the Yunhe Great Hall, the Sect Master, two Supreme Elders, and five Hall Masters gathered again, each accompanied by their proud disciples.
Fairy Zi Li was also present, followed by Xiao Yu and Ye Tian.
However, she looked at Yu Mu behind Elder Yun with a hint of heartache in her beautiful eyes. In recent days, she had been troubled by her inner demon that she couldn't comprehend.
The inner demon invaded her dreams, revealing more and more images that became increasingly blurry... she only knew that the blood belonged to Yu Mu, but why was that? Because of this, Fairy Zi Li appeared much more haggard compared to before.
Xiao Yu looked at Yu Mu with hatred; in her heart, he was nothing but a traitor.
Only Ye Tian, after glancing at Yu Mu, quickly lowered his head, filled with surprise and wariness.
How is this possible! How could he possess such immense fortune? And his cultivation…
Meanwhile, the Sect Master of Yunhe was in a good mood.
Old Deng had been paying attention to the movements of the Xingyun Hall, and not long ago, he sensed Yu Mu's powerful aura dissipating! Not only did he not fall in rank, but he also broke through to the Golden Core stage!
This was indeed a blessing for Yunhe.
It seemed that with Yu Mu in the upcoming Northwest Sect Competition, Yunhe Sect was secure. Thinking this, the smile on the Sect Master's face widened.
"There's no need for you all to be formal. With the Northwest Sect Competition approaching, I have called you here today merely to confirm the participants."
As he waved his hand, another young boy presented spiritual tea.
Then, his gaze returned to Yu Mu: "Hmm… Yu Mu, your cultivation has advanced rapidly. You truly are the top genius of our Yunhe Sect. Are you comfortable living in Xingyun Hall?"
"Replying to the Sect Master, everything is fine." Standing behind Elder Yun, Yu Mu cupped his hands in a polite yet distant manner.
"That's good. Your decision to join Elder Yun's faction must have been well thought out. We can hold a ceremony later. If you need any help from the sect, don't hesitate to ask; there's no need to feel embarrassed."
The Sect Master noticed the distance in Yu Mu's eyes and couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
But it was fine; as long as he was in Yunhe Sect.
At his young age, once he matured, he would surely understand the sect's good intentions. Moreover, it was already established that he was the young master of Yunhe, and they could not neglect him.
"It's the same as before; there are thirty-two sects in the Northwest, but only nineteen will participate in this competition, with each sect sending seven elite disciples under fifty years old." The Sect Master began to speak slowly.
The Northwest Sect Competition had always been a tradition in the northwest of the continent, held every three years without interruption. It served to showcase the sect's strength, highlight its prospects, and most importantly, to allocate resources in the Northwest.
The Northwest of the continent is considered a barren land, with limited resources. Coupled with many wolves and little meat, no one wanted to provoke war, so they could only proceed this way.
In the last competition, Yu Mu was still under twenty years old, and his Golden Core cultivation had already shocked everyone, defeating those in the late Golden Core stage, bringing great honor to Yunhe Sect.
This time, with him at the Golden Core stage, everyone naturally felt secure.
"Yu Mu, are you still willing to participate?"
As expected, the Sect Master's gaze first locked onto Yu Mu.
Golden Core cultivators under fifty are already rare, and with Yu Mu's combat power… what could they possibly lose?
At this moment, everyone's gaze fell back on Yu Mu. Among them, Ye Tian's gaze was filled with intense defiance, especially upon sensing that Fairy Zi Li's frailty stemmed from Yu Mu. That jealousy nearly consumed him entirely!
"Just a Golden Core cultivator? Just wait... I will soon completely refine the energy of the Earth Veins, and I have the assistance of ancient great demons! You... are destined to be trampled under my feet!"
On Yu Mu's side, facing the Sect Master's expectant gaze, he instead looked at Elder Yun.
In his previous life, during this Northwest Sect Competition... he was eager to prove his innocence, to show that the loss of the earth vein energy had nothing to do with him. How many people thought he had gone mad? He didn't even get that spot.
In contrast, Ye Tian, who had absorbed the Earth Vein energy, had surged ahead in the competition, completely replacing his position upon returning to Yunhe Sect.
In this life, Yu Mu did not want to fight for anything; he only wished to cultivate peacefully, to protect himself and those he loved.
But he could not ignore Elder Yun's feelings.
"Go ahead, you are the young master of Yunhe. Bringing glory to the sect is your duty." Elder Yun patted Yu Mu's hand, his smile kind.
With Yu Mu's cultivation and combat power, securing the top spot was almost guaranteed. Recently, there had been no outstanding talents emerging in the Northwest, so he wasn't worried about safety.
However... he wanted Yu Mu to become even stronger, to achieve a higher status! That way, with himself protecting him, he would never again have to suffer the slightest injustice.
As soon as those words were spoken, the entire hall fell silent for a moment.
Then the Sect Master deeply looked at Elder Yun and Yu Mu.
"Alright, since Elder Yun has made this clear, I will not hide it. Little Mu, if you secure the top spot in this competition, you... will truly be the young master of Yunhe! Your status will be equal to that of the Hall Masters!"