Seeing Teng Libin, Qian Duoduo sat up.
"Grand Elder, what a coincidence to see you here."
Teng Libin had shrunk back to his original short, stout appearance, his cultivation restored to the Golden Core Middle Stage; he closed his eyes, too lazy to bother with Qian Duoduo.
His chest heaved violently, indicating that Qian Duoduo had angered him considerably.
"Thank you, Grand Elder, for showing mercy. I will definitely repay you."
Qian Duoduo finished speaking in a voice that was neither too loud nor too soft, then quickly flew back to the stone platform.
Only Qian Duoduo and he knew the dangers of the competition with Teng Libin.
Qian Duoduo deliberately spoke this way to mislead the people of his peak, making them think that Teng Libin, coveting wealth or Magic Treasures, had secretly gone easy on him.
If you can create trouble for your enemies, then by all means, don't be polite.
Back on the stone platform, Guan Xuansheng asked Qian Duoduo in a serious tone:
"Senior Brother, what price did the Grand Elder offer?"
His voice was also neither too loud nor too soft, allowing the two or three dozen Protectors around to 'accidentally' overhear.
"Shhh!"
Qian Duoduo told him not to speak, but held up three fingers.
"That much! So greedy!"
Guan Xuansheng exclaimed, shaking his head.
Guan Xuansheng's cleverness was what Qian Duoduo liked most.
Their brief exchange once again threw a bucket of dirty water onto Teng Libin.
As time passed, the first round ended.
Of the one hundred Protectors who entered the elite battle, fewer than thirty remained. The eliminated Protectors stood below the stone platform, among them Wu Liao from Nose Peak.
Among Qian Duoduo's group of eleven, only Qian Duoduo, Guan Xuansheng, Ming Huanhuan, Pang Yunhan, and Fei Ming remained.
Xin Ying, Ji Chao, and six others were eliminated.
Sima Qiankun, Gong Dian, Qu Hui, and Ni Youmou were indeed excellent and, as expected, advanced to the second round.
That Qu Hui was a thin, monkey-like youth wearing a gray cloak.
This cloak seemed simple, but Qian Duoduo recognized it as a high-grade artisan artifact, the 'Chameleon Silkworm Robe'.
It could perfectly conceal one's figure and was an essential Magic Treasure for assassins.
"The first round is over. The second round begins, and you will have to withstand four moves."
Ancestor Zeng announced.
Many of the bamboo slips in the bamboo tubes in front of the eight Grand Elders were gone.
The Grand Elders stomped their feet in unison, and eight bamboo slips floated into the air.
"Qian Duoduo!"
Among the eight names called out, Qian Duoduo's was one.
Qian Duoduo flew onto the Martial Arts Stage.
The Grand Elder who called Qian Duoduo's name was from Left Eye Peak, named Xu Nanhong, with a pair of bushy eyebrows.
"Your guns are good."
Xu Nanhong opened his left eye and looked at Qian Duoduo.
With one eye wide open and the other tightly closed, his appearance was exceptionally strange and terrifying.
Qian Duoduo's heart trembled: "He said that, meaning he saw me selling and renting guns."
"Just a few small tricks, earning a little money, nothing worth mentioning."
"Hmm."
Xu Nanhong shook his head, "This 'trick' is not small. The face of Left Eye Peak has been slapped quite loudly by you. I can hear the 'slap, slap' sound even from this far away."
Qian Duoduo's head instantly swelled as big as a Golden Ox.
Isn't this a case of enemies meeting on a narrow road? How could he fare well after encountering a Grand Elder from Left Eye Peak?
Qian Duoduo's mouth moved a few times, wanting to explain that Sima Qiankun had targeted Qian Duoduo first.
But he thought about it and realized explanations were useless; how could Xu Nanhong take an outsider's side?
In Ba Ling Sect, it was always Left Eye Peak that could bully other peaks, while other peaks could not offend Left Eye Peak.
"Hey, Qian Duoduo, don't think you can bribe me with gold coins just because you can refine artifacts and sell goods."
Xu Nanhong took a step back, "I have principles, you know. Cheating in the elite battle will be punished by the sect."
Qian Duoduo quickly shut his mouth, not daring to make a sound.