The next day.
The moment Qin Yu entered the central training grounds, he was swallowed by a sea of people. The sight genuinely startled him. Who knew the Tiannan Divine Sect had so many people?
He tried to push through to the waiting area ahead, but the crowd kept shoving and jostling. Instead of making his way in, he was pushed back out. In the chaos, he tripped over someone’s foot, lost his balance, and toppled backward.
He was done for! They were going to trample him flat.
He instinctively covered his face.
Suddenly, a pair of hands caught him firmly around the waist and pulled him back.
“Junior Brother Qin, are you all right?”
Looking up, he discovered that He Shen had caught him just in time. He used the support to straighten.
“Thank you, Senior Brother. If you hadn’t caught me, I’d probably be a pancake by now.”
He Shen withdrew his hands behind his back.
“Competitors can use another entrance.”
“What? Why didn’t I know that?” Qin Yu was both stunned and annoyed.
If he’d known there was another entrance, he wouldn’t have come here to be squeezed into a sandwich and nearly become a trampling victim.
“Let’s go that way together, then.”
He Shen led him through the other entrance, and they reached the waiting area without difficulty.
As soon as he sat down, Qin Yu sprawled gracelessly in his chair.
“Why are there so many people today?”
“It’s because…”
Before He Shen could finish, Tang Si approached and cut in.
“Because the elders, perfected lords, and even the immortal lords who rarely appear will all be here today. These people came to see them.”
He sat down on Qin Yu’s other side.
“Qin Yu, I’ve got a betting pool going. Interested?”
“A betting pool?” Qin Yu’s brow twitched. “Don’t tell me you’ve made me the subject of another bet.”
“Yep. I have.” Tang Si admitted it readily and even began explaining his reasoning to Qin Yu’s face. “Listen, since the Tiannan Divine Sect was founded, no sixth-level Qi Refining cultivator has ever made the top hundred. Everyone thinks you’re the weakest among them and will be eliminated in your first match, so they’ve all bet that this is as far as you’ll go.”
He Shen couldn’t stand listening any longer.
“Junior Brother Qin hasn’t been in the sect long. Reaching the top hundred through his own ability is already impressive. How could you use him for a betting pool?”
“You’ve got it wrong!” Tang Si gave him a knowing look. “Junior Brother, don’t forget that Qin Yu is Immortal Lord Yazheng’s personal disciple. How could he possibly have no tricks up his sleeve? Don’t worry. He definitely won’t lose.”
Qin Yu’s mouth stiffened and twitched at this elaborate analysis.
That’s because you don’t know that Immortal Lord Yazheng has barely taught me anything. Worse, he spends every day thinking up ways to kill me!
“So? Junior Brother Qin, would you like to place a bet…”
“Greetings, Immortal Lord.”
“Greetings, Sect Master and honored elders.”
While they had been talking, the sect’s dignitaries had all arrived. Tang Si had to abandon his sales pitch and join the others in paying his respects.
“You may rise.”
The moment everyone stood, they looked toward the distinguished figures they so rarely had a chance to see.
Qin Yu couldn’t resist looking up, either. Then he realized that everyone expected to attend had arrived—except his master.
For some reason, it left a faintly unpleasant feeling in his chest.
Reason told him he was better off without Yu Lancheng there. If that lunatic suddenly decided to sabotage him during a match, he would be finished. Yet seeing everyone else’s masters present, he couldn’t help feeling envious.
Others noticed the absence, too, and turned toward Qin Yu. Their eyes held pity, suspicion, and malicious delight…
“Do you think Immortal Lord Yazheng hasn’t come because he doesn’t care about Qin Yu at all?”
“I think he only accepted a disciple to satisfy the sect master. He never cared who that disciple was.”
“Exactly. Jiang Fu and Liu Yunbai became disciples on the same day he did, and they’ve both reached Foundation Establishment. He’s still at sixth-level Qi Refining. Maybe Immortal Lord Yazheng has already given up on him.”
“An illustrious reputation, only to take in a useless disciple like this. What a shame.”
The whispers grew louder. Irritated, Tang Si snapped at them.
“Whether the immortal lord comes is his business. Nobody needs your bullshit! If you’re so capable, make the top hundred at Qi Refining yourselves. If you can’t, shut your mouths.”
After scolding them, he turned to reassure Qin Yu.
“Immortal Lord Yazheng must have been held up by something else. Don’t take it to heart, Junior Brother Qin.”
He Shen was also worried that the remarks might affect him.
“You’ve already done wonderfully to get this far. They’re only jealous. Don’t let them bother you.”
But the disappointment they expected never appeared on Qin Yu’s face. Instead, he calmly asked Tang Si, “What odds are you offering on me?”
The abrupt change of subject nearly left Tang Si behind.
“Twenty to one. Why?”
“I’m betting on myself. Three hundred thousand high-grade spirit stones!”
He would empty those people’s purses and leave them too heartbroken to gossip!
“Holy shit.”
Startled, Tang Si leaned closer and whispered, “I had no idea you were this loaded!”
“Oh, that’s nothing!”
Please. As the young city lord doted on by his entire family, how could he possibly lack money?
Tang Si: “…”
The bastard had managed to show off after all.
Their little interlude did nothing to delay the tournament. After Wei Zhenghai announced a series of rules, the competition officially began.
Those whose names were called went up one after another. The winners stayed; the losers left.
Qin Yu had intended to study their fighting carefully, but he had practiced his swordsmanship too late the previous night and hadn’t slept enough. Before long, drowsiness carried him off.
As he dozed, he lost his balance and tipped sideways. Just before his head struck Tang Si’s chair, a hand reached over and drew him close, letting his head rest against its owner’s shoulder.
Tang Si watched the entire thing, feeling that something was off.
“You…”
He Shen motioned for silence and said softly, “Let him sleep.”
Tang Si opened his mouth, then ultimately chose to remain silent.
Just then, something unexpected happened.
An immense spiritual pressure appeared out of nowhere, pinning every disciple in the central training grounds in place. Even Wei Zhenghai and the others felt their energy fall into disarray and hurried to steady it.
A figure in snow-white robes materialized, walked to his seat, and sat down.
Immortal Lord Yazheng had always been serene and aloof. To see him arrive seething with anger left everyone both astonished and bewildered.
Yu Lancheng’s icy gaze settled squarely on the sleeping Qin Yu, who remained blissfully unaware.
An eerie tension held the gathering motionless.
Wei Zhenghai kept signaling frantically to Immortal Lord Lixuan. With little choice, Lixuan took the initiative and asked, “Yazheng, it’s rare to see you angry. Who has offended you?”
“Qin Yu!”
Still sound asleep, Qin Yu sprang to his feet and shouted, “Present!”
“Come here.”
Hearing that familiar commanding tone, Qin Yu finally opened his bleary eyes. Across the distance, he met Yu Lancheng’s chilling stare, and every trace of sleepiness vanished.
“M-Master, when did you get here?”
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