As the bidding war reached a fever pitch, it started to feel less like a sect promotion and more like an auction house.
“Three Spirit Condensation Pills per month!”
“Five! And an Earth-Grade Technique!”
“A Profound-grade sword AND a Grade-3 spiritual beast mount!”
…
Lin Xuan was starting to feel dizzy just from keeping track of the offers. He could practically see the desperation in the Peak Masters’ eyes.
Some disciples in the crowd were practically foaming at the mouth.
“Shit, why wasn’t I born with Heaven-grade Dao Resonance?!”
“This bastard was cleaning toilets yesterday!”
“Bro, we bullied him last month—do you think he remembers?”
…
Many of the Outer Disciples who had just come to watch the Assessment Test for fun found themselves stunned by what was happening.
For one, Lin Xuan—whom they had looked down upon, and some had even bullied out of jealousy for his looks—had risen beyond what they could imagine.
And those same Peak Masters they tried so hard to please in hopes of becoming Inner Disciples were now fighting over the handyman they used to mock.
Just as Lin Xuan was getting overwhelmed by the flood of offers from the various Peak Masters—each more extravagant than the last—a slow, deliberate clap echoed across the arena.
Clap! Clap! Clap!
The sound wasn’t loud, but it carried.
The ruckus quieted slightly as a new figure stepped forward from the back of the group of elders.
He wore deep black robes with faint crimson embroidery—simple in design, but the authority it radiated made the air feel colder.
Elder Sheng.
Head of the Punishment Hall.
And one of the key figures of the anti–Sect Leader faction.
His eyes were half-lidded, his expression calm, but a faint smirk tugged at the corners of his lips as he slowly descended onto the platform.
“Impressive,” Elder Sheng said, voice low but cutting like a knife through silk.
“Heaven-grade Dao Resonance. Truly, the sect has been blessed.”
His gaze turned toward Tian Yuheng, the Sect Leader, just for a second.
Then back to Lin Xuan.
“Lin Xuan, I am Elder Sheng, head of the Punishment Hall,” he said, bowing ever so slightly.
“I don’t offer resources. I offer security… and power.”
The other elders immediately frowned. His tone was off. A bit too… suggestive.
But Elder Sheng kept going.
“In the Punishment Hall, you will have freedom unlike any peak. No petty squabbles. No need to curry favor with fellow disciples or worry about sect politics.”
He said that, obviously lying through his teeth.
Sure, the Punishment Hall was supposed to stay neutral and not get involved in sect politics—but Elder Sheng?
He was clearly siding with the anti–Sect Leader faction and neck-deep in political games.
Then he took a small step closer and added in a quieter voice only Lin Xuan could hear.
“I heard that Bai Zihan has wronged you! I can help you deal with him and even get your revenge. I oversee disciplinary matters in this sect. I have the authority to investigate, to punish. And you… would have my backing.”
The offer hung heavy in the air, laced with implication.
Lin Xuan’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly.
The idea of taking revenge against Bai Zihan?
Tempting!
It would’ve been—if the rumors were true.
But it was the exact opposite of what Elder Sheng thought.
Elder Sheng didn’t know that the rumors saying Lin Xuan was mistreated by Bai Zihan were made up by his own nephew, Shen Liang in hopes of dragging Bai Zihan’s reputation through the mud.
But Elder Sheng believed them to be true—and used them to try and lure Lin Xuan, thinking he wanted revenge.
“I appreciate Elder Sheng’s offer,”
Lin Xuan said, trying to sound polite, though those with keen eyes could tell he was truly displeased.
“But it seems there’s a misunderstanding.”
The arena fell silent again.
They didn’t know what Elder Sheng had said, but Lin Xuan’s tone made it clear—he wasn’t interested and even somewhat angry.
“I don’t need those things, and I won’t be joining the Punishment Hall.”
Elder Sheng’s expression didn’t change much, but the subtle twitch at the corner of his mouth said enough—he wasn’t giving up that easily.
Just as he opened his mouth to speak again, a stern voice cut in.
“That’s enough, Elder Sheng. We’ve already given you more than enough face by letting you speak this much.”
An elder with a long gray beard and sharp eyes stepped forward. It was Elder Wu from Ironheart Peak.
“You made your offer. Lin Xuan rejected it. You’re not the only one here, so don’t act like you are. Step back—it’s our turn now.”
Several elders nodded in agreement, clearly annoyed.
Some of them hadn’t even gotten a chance to open their mouths before Elder Sheng tried pulling his usual shady strings.
Elder Sheng narrowed his eyes, clearly displeased, but didn’t say anything.
He shot Lin Xuan one last look—hard to tell if it was pissed off or scheming—then turned on his heel and strode off, his robes trailing behind him.
The tension was thick, but before the other Peak Masters could start throwing their hats in the ring again, Lin Xuan took a breath and stepped forward.
“There’s no need,” he said calmly, voice steady but loud enough to be heard by all. “I already have a Peak in mind.”
A heavy silence dropped over the arena again.
Even the Sect Leader looked intrigued. He raised an eyebrow, then nodded slightly.
“Very well. Since Lin Xuan has already decided, there’s no need to waste time with more offers.”
That caused a wave of discontent to ripple through the crowd of elders.
“What?! I haven’t even spoken yet!”
“Just one chance! Let him hear what we have to—”
“Damn it, who got to him first?”
Even Elder Qinglan, who had remained silent the whole time, frowned slightly.
Her arms were crossed, her expression unreadable, but there was a faint trace of disappointment in her eyes.
Losing Bai Xinyue to Azure Cloud Peak was already bad enough—now she had to watch another Heaven-Blessed talent slip through her fingers?
But then—
“I want to join Mystic Moon Peak.”
The words rang out loud and clear.
Elder Qinglan blinked.
“…Huh?”
She stared for half a second before realization hit her like a lightning bolt.
A rare burst of emotion broke across her usually cool face. She took a step forward, visibly excited.
“You’ve made the right choice!”
Her eyes gleamed with something fierce and proud.
“Mystic Moon Peak will welcome you with open arms, Lin Xuan. You’ve made the best choice you possibly could!”
The other elders could only grind their teeth in frustration.
Tch! Although Mystic Moon Peak didn’t have a Heaven-grade genius, it was still full of talent.
They’d been relieved when Bai Xinyue didn’t choose Mystic Moon Peak—otherwise, it would’ve made Mystic Moon Peak too powerful.
But now Lin Xuan, the second Heaven-grade genius, had to go there?
Absolutely unfair.
They could only curse in silence as Elder Qinglan practically beamed, already stepping up to personally escort Lin Xuan to her side.