Chairman Feng, How About We Join Forces?

Mount Longhu, Lu Jin's residence.

"That's everything for the Threefold Reversal. Have you memorized it?"

"I have."

"All right, go on. Remember the promise you made."

"Yes."

After teaching Wang Chuan the first two stages of the Threefold Reversal, Lu Jin said no more, sinking into memories of the past.

Seeing this, Wang Chuan said no more either. It wasn't right to disturb an old man reminiscing about the past.

Besides, Zhang Chulan's famous moonlit bird-walking scene was coming up. He'd look pretty ignorant if he didn't go see it for himself.

"Let me show you."

"Oh!" everyone chorused.

He arrived just in time for the famous scene. Wang Chuan thought his luck was pretty good.

"Senior brother, what do you think?"

"I've learned something."

"Come on, let's record a video. Later, I'll use it to blackmail him into teaching me Qi-State Origin-Flow."

"Senior brother, isn't that a little wrong?"

"It's fine. I'll teach it to you afterward too."

Wang Ye wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. If they really learned Qi-State Origin-Flow that way, the Old Celestial Master might just plant them in the ground.

"Oh, Daoist Wang Chuan is here too! Come have a drink."

"Sure."

Wang Chuan took the cup.

Austere cultivation on the mountain required rules and precepts, but once off the mountain, there generally weren't so many concerns.

Emboldened by the alcohol, Zhang Chulan began asking questions.

"By the way, hic, Daoist, how did you reach this level of cultivation at your age? Hic. You look about the same age as me."

"My cultivation? I relied on myself."

At that, the people around them fell silent. Could someone do whatever they pleased just because they were talented?

Zhuge Qing, who was sitting a little farther away, spoke up.

"Speaking of which, aren't you interested in the Heaven-Reaching Talisman, Daoist?"

"The Heaven-Reaching Talisman? I am. You don't need to set up an altar or perform a ritual. Once you've mastered it, you can casually draw a talisman with a stroke. It's very cool. Who wouldn't want it?"

"With your strength, no one at this Luotian Grand Ceremony could stop you, right?"

"So that's what you wanted to ask. I made a deal with the Old Celestial Master. I'd be a referee, and he'd help me get the Threefold Reversal."

"Elder Lu's Threefold Reversal?"

"That's right."

"Daoist Wang Chuan, you gave up the Heaven-Reaching Talisman just like that for the Threefold Reversal?"

"The Threefold Reversal suits me better than the Heaven-Reaching Talisman. Of the Eight Extraordinary Skills, Qi-State Origin-Flow and the Six Treasury Immortal Thief suit me best."

"Don't talk nonsense. I didn't learn that thing from my grandpa."

"I didn't say you learned Qi-State Origin-Flow from Senior Zhang Huaiyi, either."

Seeing the half-smile on Wang Chuan's face, Zhang Chulan sobered up a little.

"Why is everyone so sure I must have Qi-State Origin-Flow?"

"Don't worry. With the Old Celestial Master around, no one would dare snatch your Qi-State Origin-Flow."

"Is that so?"

"If anyone objects, just tell them to take it up with the Old Celestial Master."

After a round of revelry, everyone went their separate ways.

The next day.

In the round of sixteen, Wang Ye faced Zhuge Qing.

After a fierce battle, Wang Ai and Lü Ci, who were watching from the stands, seemed to have guessed something.

"Have you two figured something out?"

"Kid, it's you again."

"A word of advice: don't go sticking your hands where they don't belong. Someone might hit you."

"You arrogant junior."

Lü Ci was the first to lose his patience. He threw a punch, sending an invisible force hurtling toward Wang Chuan.

Wang Chuan casually deflected it with a flick of his hand.

"Stop these pointless probes. My Taiji Perfect Harmony Realm isn't so easily broken."

Suddenly, the two of them seemed to sense something and fell quiet instead.

"Oh, right, Elder Lü, is the Soul-Brightening Technique really an innate ability of the Lü Family?"

Leaving them with that baffling question, Wang Chuan headed toward Lu Linglong's match. He had only gotten the Threefold Reversal yesterday, so he ought to look after her a little. At the very least, he could keep her from getting struck so badly.

"Old Lü, what did that kid mean?"

"Just a child's nonsense. You believe it too?"

Though that was what he said, Lü Ci truly felt an almost uncontrollable urge to kill. No matter who it was, anyone who learned of such a thing had to die.

Elsewhere, at the match between Lu Linglong and Zhang Lingyu.

When Wang Chuan arrived, the Yin Five Thunders began to rage.

The Taiji Perfect Harmony Realm covered the entire arena. An invisible force enveloped Lu Linglong, preventing the black lightning from striking her directly.

Then Wang Chuan spoke.

"Zhang Lingyu versus Lu Linglong. Zhang Lingyu wins."

"Miss Lu, you have no objections, do you?"

"No. Thank you, Daoist Wang Chuan. If it weren't for you, I'm afraid I would have been struck."

With that, she left the arena of her own accord. She had seen what happened to Zang Long. Giving it a try was one thing; suffering injuries like his was another.

Zhang Lingyu glanced at Wang Chuan but said nothing more and left as well.

As for the referee for the match, he didn't say much either. Wang Chuan was a referee too, and his own junior martial uncle had won, so there was no need to object.

The day's matches ended smoothly once again. As for Feng Shayan's match with Jia Zhengliang, Wang Chuan didn't interfere.

There was nothing wrong with the beginning of two young people's romance being a little unusual. It definitely wasn't because he envied other people being together as couples. Definitely not.

The third day, the quarterfinals.

For today's match, Wang Chuan intended to do only one thing: save Feng Xingtong in advance.

And now, two people were facing off in the arena.

In the arena, just as Wang Bing was about to devour Wang Zizhong, Wang Chuan made his move.

Taiji Force separated Wang Bing from his target. Then Wang Chuan announced, "Wang Bing wins this match."

"Hey, what are you doing? Are you looking to die?"

"I've already declared you the winner. What else do you want?"

"Damn it."

Wang Bing charged straight at him, only for Wang Chuan to send him flying with a kick packed with Taiji Force.

"The old one's treacherous, the young one's arrogant. Is there something wrong with the Wang Family's feng shui?"

"Cough, cough."

Wang Bing knelt on the ground, coughing up blood, his vision blurred. Having Taiji Force enter his body was no pleasant experience.

"You... bastard?!"

"Elder Wang, if you don't take this kid away soon, I'm afraid I won't be able to hold back."

"Hmph!"

"Let's go."

Wang Ai ignored Wang Bing's clamoring for him to kill Wang Chuan. He really wasn't confident he could handle Wang Chuan.

He said no more. He wasn't the sort to make threats, so he took Wang Bing away for treatment.

The spectators were a little bewildered by this turn of events, but there was one thing they could see.

Wang Ai, one of the Ten Elders, was wary of Wang Chuan. Recalling the rumors of Wang Chuan's earlier fight with the Old Celestial Master, this representative of Wudang Mountain was probably stronger than they had thought.

Meanwhile, because of Spirit Restraint and General Dispatch, Feng Zhenghao met with Wang Ai under the pretext of visiting Wang Bing and learned the truth of what had happened years ago.

His grandfather had been suppressed by Wang Ai back then and had been forced to hand over Spirit Restraint and General Dispatch, along with the method of Spirit Devouring. This method was highly effective against Spirit Restraint and General Dispatch.

Upon learning that his family's technique was countered, Feng Zhenghao, a man who knew when to yield and when to stand tall, immediately knelt and declared that he would follow Wang Ai's lead from then on.

Even someone as deep and calculating as Wang Ai was startled, but he didn't care. With the method of Spirit Devouring at his disposal, Feng Zhenghao couldn't escape the palm of his hand.

After a show of false affection, Feng Zhenghao walked out of the hospital room. Before long, he ran into Wang Chuan.

"Chairman Feng, how about we join forces?"