Ch167 – Five Sects Gathered Together
Bai Yichen said, “The one you should actually envy is Lin Xuanzhi.”
Bai Wuya laughed, “It’s true, I envy him for his good looks. I thought I wasn’t a superficial person who judged people based on their appearance, but when I saw Lin Xuanzhi, I actually thought about hiding and keeping him all to myself.”
He spoke boldly and casually, but only because he never actually thought about carrying out this idea.
“Ideas are just that in the end. Ideas.” Bai Yichen didn’t take it seriously either. He asked lightly, “Have you noticed how long it took him to craft all those magic tools?”
Bai Wuya shook his head, “How would I know? He never told anyone when he was refining those items.”
Bai Yichen corrected, “I am not talking about every single magic tool, but how long has it been in total since he first became a craftsman?”
Bai Wuya paused, “I have yet to carefully investigate Lin Xuanzhi.”
“I have.” Bai Yichen knocked on the wheelchair’s armrest and looked at the winding mountain path in front of him. “In sum, less than six months.”
Bai Wuya’s hands trembled, and he exclaimed in disbelief, “In less than half a year, he actually refined so many magic tools, and many were even high-grade and top-grade ones? This, how is this even possible?”
Even the Bai Cangshu of the past, from when he first entered the craftsman’s Dao till when he made his first top-grade magic tool, took a total of eight years!
Eight years versus six months…No, it’s probably even less than six months — they’re not on the same level at all!
Bai Yichen closed his eyes slightly, “Therefore, Lin Xuanzhi really is a terrifying genius. Such a person can only be befriended and never made enemies of. In the future, the development of the entire Bai family, and even the overall situation regarding the Five Continents, may be tied to him.”
Bai Wuya was still in shock, unable to recover.
It wasn’t until they had almost reached the spectators’ platform that Bai Wuya came back to his senses and solemnly asked, “Young Master, don’t you think the punishment for those two brats is a little light?”
Bai Yichen closed his eyes in repose, “Light or not, at least our intention is there. Every one of the Bai family’s younger generation has ambitions higher than the sky. It’s about time they tasted some bitterness.”
Bai Wuya’s heart felt clogged, “Such a demon emerged out of nowhere. Now, Bai family’s status is in imminent danger.”
“Your vision should not be confined to only the Five Continents.” Bai Yichen retorted, “Outside of the Five Continents, there’s also the Nine Lands. Whether or not the Bai family can make further progress will depend on those demons. And yet in the Bai family…these years, besides one Bai Cangshu, there have never been any other talented geniuses.”
Bai Wuya’s entire body trembled, and he hurriedly bowed his head, “Young Master is right.”
Bai Yichen’s vision had never been confined to just the measly Five Continents alone.
What he wants…is an even broader world.
And Lin Xuanzhi is very likely the person who can help him open the passage to that broader new world.
Many distinguished families had taken this opportunity to network with each other. Among them, the craftsman Bai family and the Huangfu family, which was currently ranked in first place, were the most popular families.
Shortly afterwards, the Huangfu city lord stood on the high platform and cleared his throat. Once the voices below quieted down, he began, “Once again, it’s time for the Hundred Families Gathering that occurs once every thirty years. Welcome to all friends from afar — the Dao friends from the Five Great Sects, the talented participants from all one hundred distinguished families throughout the Five Continents, and Sky Peak Sect’s sitting elders and Young Sect Master…”
Hearing this, Yan Tianhen said wistfully, “One day, before Dage makes his appearance, I will speak for three days and three nights.”
Lin Xuanzhi, “…”
The Hundred Families Gathering was divided into three categories — martial arts, equipment crafting, and alchemy. However, due to the relatively small number of alchemists and craftsmen, changes in their rankings were usually very small unless someone from some family suddenly appeared out of thin air.
Consequently, most of the changes in ranking for every Hundred Families Gathering came from the martial arts category.
In the competition’s first category, besides Lin Xuanzhi, a craftsman, and Yan Tianhen, who held the entry permit, the seven other Lin family participants all had to compete in the first three martial arts rounds.
Due to the large number of contestants, just the first round alone will take three days.
Lin Xuanzhi and Yan Tianhen stood by the martial arts stage, and beside them stood other third-class families.
A family’s ranking determined where their family’s spectator seats are. Ranked 98th, the Lin family naturally did not have a good spot to view the competition, but that didn’t prevent them from watching the tournament though.
Before the competition began, Duan Yuyang and Ji Yunwei each sent someone over to especially invite Lin Xuanzhi to watch the match with them, but both were met with Lin Xuanzhi’s polite refusal.
Duan Yuyang probably just disdained Duan Yuhao too much. Thus after Lin Xuanzhi declined his invitation, he came over, squatted down beside Lin Xuanzhi, and refused to leave.
Yan Tianhen blinked, “Yuyang Gege, you’re here with us. Won’t the Duan family have objections with you?”
Duan Yuyang waved his hand carelessly, “I don’t have to compete. They can’t control me since I have an entry permit.”
Yan Tianhen looked at him, “People will want to hit you if you act like this.”
“I’ll just hold tightly onto Xuanzhi’s thighs,” Duan Yuyang grinned.
Lin Xuanzhi swept him a glance, “Which one’s thicker, my thighs or yours?”
“Don’t be modest, who right now doesn’t know that you’re a golden thigh? Taking advantage of the few days before the Hundred Families Gathering, you even had the time to craft a magic tool.” Duan Yuyang’s expression was full of admiration, “You’re the center of discussions. Nowadays, which family isn’t talking about you?”
Yan Tianhen was stunned, “Really? I haven’t heard much though.”
Duan Yuyang explained, “They won’t discuss this right in front of you. If they misspoke even one sentence and offended your Dage, wouldn’t that do more harm than good?”
Yan Tianhen blinked again and asked on a whim, “Are they saying that my Dage is very amazing?”
Duan Yuyang nodded, “Most of them say that.”
“What about the rest?”
“They say anything else that can be said.” Duan Yuyang smiled as he raised his hand and rubbed Yan Tianhen’s head, “But you don’t need to know what they’re saying.”
Anyway, it wasn’t anything good. For example, many were talking about how Lin Xuanzhi was pretentious to the point of seeking death for himself.
Yan Tianhen only needed to know that many people liked his Dage.
As expected, Yan Tianhen indeed looked very happy. In Duan Yuyang’s eyes, he couldn’t help but feel that this child was simple, innocent, and lovely.
Before the competition officially began, representatives from the five great celestial sects, who were invited as judges, entered the stage in succession.
The Profound Sky Sect rode in on Azure Luan Birds, which landed in front of the high judges’ seats in a well-trained and orderly fashion. Numerous cultivators dressed in Profound Sky Sect’s ceremonial robes descended in turn.
Immediately, cheers sounded from below.
“Profound Sky Sect, I saw the young peak master of Breaking Sword Peak, Yuan Tianwen!”
“Ahh, how handsome! I saw two of the Four Swords of Profound Sky!”
“What good are the Four Swords of Profound Sky? They’re nothing compared to Sky Peak Sect.”
Yan Tianhen looked up.
Although they were far away, he was a Refining Qi Seventh Layer cultivator, so his eyesight naturally couldn’t be compared to his vision in the past.
Thus when Yan Tianhen saw Yuan Tianwen, he spoke to Duan Yuyang excitedly, “Yuyang Gege, I saw Yuan Tianwen.”
Duan Yuyang naturally saw him too. He rolled his eyes, “Then, did you also see Han Yuran sitting beside him?”
Yan Tianhen, “….”
He just noticed.
Though Duan Yuyang no longer held any hopes about Yuan Tianwen, when he witnessed Yuan Tianwen sitting together with Han Yuran, talking and laughing, his heart still hurt.
From a long distance away, Bei Cangmo found Lin Xuanzhi from the crowded sea of people and nodded to him.
Yuan Tianwen also saw Lin Xuanzhi and Duan Yuyang. His gaze lingered on the two for a moment before moving away.
The current Du Qiying, who was now Broken Sword Peak’s young peak master, swept a glance over Lin Xuanzhi as the corner of his lips hooked upward, “Lin Xuanzhi has thoroughly dominated the limelight these days. I can hear people talking about him wherever I go. He’s this high-key now. It seems he felt very suffocated in the two years where there was no one to flatter and fawn over him.”
Several Profound Sky Sect disciples who followed Du Qiying all mockingly laughed.
But Yuan Tianwen defended, “Lin Xuanzhi does have the ability. He seems to have great talent as a craftsman.”
Han Yuran shook his head, “It doesn’t seem like he made them himself. Who knows how many magic tools Lin Zhan left for him back then. The amount is enough for him to squander them all.”
Hearing this, Tong Le asked, “You mean he’s cheating?”
“Very likely,” Han Yuran replied.
In any case, he did not believe that Lin Xuanzhi had really become as powerful of a craftsman as the rumors had it.
He would rather believe that Lin Xuanzhi had deliberately cheated in order to win the adoration of the masses.
Yuan Tianwen frowned, “He doesn’t seem like that kind of person. Besides, he really did take away four kinds of material from the Bai family.”
“You know the person and his face, but you don’t truly know his heart. I also heard people say that he knew the answers in advance, because he had a good relationship with the Bai family’s young master.” Han Yuran replied firmly, as though he had witnessed it with his own eyes.
Tong Le secretly breathed a sigh of relief as he commented with a sad expression, “I didn’t expect that after leaving Profound Sky Sect, Xuanzhi Shidi would fall to this level. It’s truly regrettable.”
Han Yuran nodded, “In fact, he was this kind of person before as well. He just knew how to disguise himself.”
“Of course you would know.” A sudden realization dawned on Tong Le’s face. He smiled, “I forgot that Junior Martial Brother Yuran was engaged to Lin Xuanzhi before.”
Han Yuran showed a helpless and aggrieved expression, “That was all decided by my parents. Fortunately, I met Brother Tianwen. Otherwise, I might have gotten together with Lin Xuanzhi in a muddled daze.”
A fellow disciple beside them sighed with admiration, “You really are easily bullied and also possess a kind heart. This waste…If it was me, I would have broken off the engagement with him a long time ago.”
Han Yuran smiled in embarrassment, “That would be too cruel.”
“So, the current situation is — after Lin Xuanzhi became a craftsman, he kicked you away?” Bei Cangmo, who had always remained silent till now, opened his mouth.
Han Yuran was stunned for a moment and subconsciously nodded, “Most likely, he didn’t think he needed me anymore.”
Bei Cangmo looked askance at him, “Oh, and here I thought he was too disgusted with you, so he couldn’t even wait a day before breaking off all relations with you.”
Han Yuran’s face instantly turned ugly.
Yuan Tianwen looked at Bei Cangmo as he asked, “Your relationship with Lin Xuanzhi should be very good?”
Bei Cangmo replied, “Not bad. At the very least, I have never thrown stones at him while he was down unlike certain people who took advantage of this opportunity to dig at the foot of the wall. Compared to that, I am much kinder.”
Yuan Tianwen, “…”
Yuan Tianwen did feel that digging up the wall was not very nice of him. However, for the one person he acknowledged, he will use every conceivable method to win him over, even if he has to go against the Dao of Heaven in the process.
Therefore, Yuan Tianwen did not open his mouth to counter Bei Cangmo’s scorching ridicule.
…Yuan Tianwen listened to his pointed words and glanced at Han Yuran beside him before withdrawing his gaze.
Tong Le tried to mediate, “Why should we hurt the relationship between fellow disciples just for an outsider who has already left Profound Sky Sect?”
“Yeah.” Han Yuran nodded.
At that moment, the atmosphere surrounding the Profound Sky Sect disciples became somewhat cold.