I'll Snatch the Opening Prize First

"Sect Master Lin."

At this moment, Elder Zhou of the Peach Blossom Sect could no longer stand by and watch. Yet he no longer dared to underestimate Lin Fan.

Though this kid was a fool, damn it, fools were the hardest to deal with! Especially fools backed by a few old fellows. So the moment he spoke, he addressed him as Sect Master.

"Although the Golden Eagle Sect's disciples were somewhat impulsive, you were in the wrong first. Acting like this, aren't you afraid of provoking a war between sects? Your Moon Embracing Sect is caught between the old and the new, with neither enough veterans nor rising talents. I'm afraid you cannot withstand such turmoil, can you?

"You have gone too far."

"Too far?"

Lin Fan sneered. "If I led people to your doorstep and, without a word, beat your Peach Blossom Sect disciples into pig heads, would your Peach Blossom Sect accept such humiliation?"

"That... cannot be compared across the board."

"What cannot be compared across the board?"

Lin Fan refused to entertain that nonsense. "Say no more!"

"Instead, let me ask you something. Haven't you heard an old saying?"

"What old saying?" Elder Zhou frowned.

Damn my luck.

This little bastard is like a piece of gristle—neither soft nor hard methods work on him. Why did I speak up for the Golden Eagle Sect? What does it have to do with me? It isn't my Peach Blossom Sect's disciples who suffered losses.

He secretly regretted it.

"Since you have come, be at peace."

Elder Zhou: "???"

"Have you never studied? Why do you look so confused? You don't understand?" Lin Fan folded his arms. "Then I'll reluctantly tell you. It means that since you have come, you should be buried here."

"Let me ask you—do you all think the Moon Embracing Sect has good feng shui, and that you all want to be buried here?"

Fuck me!

Elder Zhou's old face instantly turned the color of pig liver.

That was what the saying meant?!

Even if I had never heard that saying, I could tell something was wrong with it, all right?

No, I regret it!

Why did I bother with this piece of gristle?

When his divine sense noticed that the "light" in the eyes of the disciples behind him was gradually dimming, Elder Zhou inwardly cried that things were bad.

Fortunately, at that moment, an elder from the Eight Swords Sect stepped forward.

He also felt that this would not do.

The three sects had come together to make trouble and demand an explanation. Yet after only one exchange, they had instead been suppressed by the Moon Embracing Sect. Seeing their own disciples becoming increasingly agitated, how could they allow matters to continue like this?

Did they not care about their faces?!

Besides, the ones losing face right now were the Golden Eagle Sect, not the Eight Swords Sect!

It would be better to skip past this matter quickly.

The Eight Swords Sect elder said blandly, "Sect Master Lin's words make some sense. But now that you have slapped faces, should we not discuss the real matter?"

"More than a month ago, your Moon Embracing Sect interfered with our sect's recruitment. You must understand that a sect's successors are its future at all times—the utmost priority. What you did was no different from pulling the firewood out from under the cauldron!"

"If you do not give us an explanation, this matter will not be allowed to pass."

"Oh?"

Lin Fan still had his arms folded as he said faintly, "Then what explanation does this elder want?"

"..."

Elder Wang of the Eight Swords Sect's mouth twitched.

What kind of words were those?!

At a time like this, shouldn't you be showing weakness, saying some pleasant things, compensating us with cultivation resources, then serving us food and drink like honored guests?

That indifferent, even ready-to-fight attitude of yours makes this very difficult for me!

For a moment, Elder Wang had no response.

"Fine. Since you are in a hurry, this elder will not prattle on!" The Golden Eagle Sect elder stepped forward indignantly. "I have an idea."

"Speak."

Lin Fan gave him a faint glance, as though he did not think much of him at all, angering him badly.

"Hmph!"

"Since you snatched disciples from the three of our sects for the sake of recruitment, let the newly admitted disciples on both sides fight several matches, regardless of life or death!"

"Victory or defeat aside, once these battles are over, this matter will be settled."

"Do you dare?!"

The elders from the Peach Blossom Sect and Eight Swords Sect both nodded, indicating their approval of this proposal.

Lin Fan nearly laughed aloud.

You little minnows wanted your newly admitted disciples to fight Xiao Ling'er?

Did you even understand what a Protagonist Template was?!

"The details."

Rather than refusing, Lin Fan pressed for the details.

This proposal was actually quite good—at least, for the Moon Embracing Sect.

Since that was the case, why refuse?

At worst, he could simply have Xiao Ling'er hold back and avoid being too ostentatious.

"The three of our sects will each send three people. Your Moon Embracing Sect will send nine!"

Elder Wang laid out the terms. "After the battles, regardless of victory, defeat, life, or death, the karma of this matter will be settled!"

"I heard that more than ten thousand people came to your Moon Embracing Sect to pay respects at the mountain this year. Surely you can produce a mere nine disciples?"

Elder Zhou snorted. "Have your Moon Embracing Sect's new disciples come down!"

They naturally assumed that the Moon Embracing Sect disciples present were all "old-timers."

With the Moon Embracing Sect's meager foundation, could new disciples possibly advance to the Core Condensation Realm in just one month?

What a joke!

Lin Fan smiled. "I have no objection to the method of resolution you proposed. However, the Moon Embracing Sect only recruited one new disciple this year. If we are to fight, it can only be a wheel battle."

"I do not mind. I presume my disciple does not mind either."

"I wonder what the three sects think?"

He smiled warmly, but his heart was ice-cold.

Once this battle ended, regardless of victory, defeat, life, or death, the karma would be settled?

But whether that karma was truly settled was not for them to decide.

"???"

The elders and disciples of the three sects, whether new disciples or old, were all somewhat dumbfounded upon hearing this.

Out of more than ten thousand people, you accepted only one. Since when did your Moon Embracing Sect have such audacity and style?

That alone would have been one thing, but you had even proactively proposed a wheel battle—one against nine—and were asking whether we agreed???

Where did you get such confidence?!

And...

Were you looking down on us that much?

"Brat, do not be so arrogant!" Elder Wang's expression darkened.

Naturally, they knew there had to be something wrong with Lin Fan's proposal.

But regardless of what the problem was, they could not refuse.

If they were afraid even of nine against one...

They might as well stop calling themselves sects!

And build up their disciples' resolve? Build up my ass—it would be more like their Dao Hearts collapsing on the spot.

"Since you are seeking death, how could we refuse?!" Elder Zhou also let out a cold snort.

They even wondered whether Lin Fan had finally admitted defeat.

Was he planning to use the death of a new disciple to settle the karma?

"Hmph."

"Since that is the case, have your disciple come down the mountain." The Golden Eagle Sect elder said grimly, "My disciple will go first. I am in a hurry."

"Come down the mountain? What mountain? Hasn't she been here the whole time?"

"Ling'er, come out."

"You have heard the cause and effect of this matter. Come out and exchange pointers with the outstanding disciples of the three sects. As for whether you live or die, that will depend on you."

Lin Fan spoke calmly.

Right here?!

The elders of the three sects frowned deeply.

Could this newcomer have already reached the Core Condensation Realm?!

They could not help looking toward the seven mascots, trying to guess which one was this year's newcomer.

Yet Xiao Ling'er took several steps forward, then turned and bowed to Lin Fan. "Yes, Master."

The elders of the three sects: "Σ(⊙▽⊙"???"

Core... Core Condensation Realm Fifth Level?!

Are you fucking trying to fool ghosts!?

The Golden Eagle Sect disciples, however, were immensely excited. One of them strode forward. "I'll go first!"

"A mere Moon Embracing Sect disciple—senior brothers and junior brothers, watch as I suppress her with ease! I'll snatch the opening prize."

Suppress my ass!

The Golden Eagle Sect elder's eyelids twitched wildly.

"Sect Master Lin!"

He hurriedly spoke. "You are at least the master of a sect. How can you be so dishonest?!"

"How could this girl possibly be a newly recruited disciple of your sect?!"

Core Condensation Realm Fifth Level in one month, even on the verge of the Sixth Level—let alone the Moon Embracing Sect, even in a first-rate sect, she would be a Saintess-level figure!

Even if she had joined with prior cultivation, she could not possibly have advanced so quickly. Why would someone like her choose your Moon Embracing Sect?

"Hmph."

Li Changshou spoke at that moment. "I, Li Changshou, hereby make a Dao Heart Oath. If Xiao Ling'er is not the Moon Embracing Sect's only disciple recruited during this year's Grand Opening of Mountain Gate, then may my Dao Heart immediately collapse, may I suffer deviation, and may I die violently on the spot."

The elders of the three sects were instantly shocked.

Holy shit!

A Dao Heart Oath!

You were serious?!

This... what were they supposed to do now?