Cultivation Soars!

The center of Golden Ao Island.

Many Interception Sect disciples had gathered here.

Most of them were Outer Sect Disciples. After all, Lin Chuan had been an Outer Sect Disciple himself, and a nobody at that.

Yet somehow, he had become a Personal Disciple.

This left many Outer Sect Disciples with a knot in their hearts.

They had long been dissatisfied.

They were merely too angry to speak up. Not everyone was as bold as Zhao Gongming, who could rightly claim that over the past several million years, he had contributed more than anyone else.

If no explanation was given here,

it would chill his heart.

Fortunately, he now had a chance to prove himself.

This contest was the perfect opportunity to do so.

"How is Lin Chuan worthy of becoming a Personal Disciple? He went straight from being an Outer Sect Disciple to a Personal Disciple. It's simply unbelievable!"

"And he's a nobody, too. No matter who you asked, he'd be the last person you'd expect."

"Senior Brother Zhao Gongming contributed for millions of years, and it still wasn't enough to become an Inner Sect Disciple, but..."

"Lin Chuan, on the other hand, has risen to the heavens in a single bound. That demon must have used some unorthodox method. Otherwise, how could he have become a Personal Disciple?"

"Hmph!"

"We'll just have to take a good look at his true colors."

Many Interception Sect disciples were deeply dissatisfied.

They couldn't direct that dissatisfaction at Sect Master Tongtian. After all, no one else dared say a word about whom Sect Master Tongtian appointed as a Personal Disciple.

Even Duobao, the chief disciple,

didn't dare voice any complaints.

Naturally, all that resentment could only be directed at Lin Chuan.

And so,

dissatisfaction piled up into a river of resentment.

When word spread, many disciples immediately dropped what they were doing and hurried over. They all wanted to see the true face of this Personal Disciple.

Suddenly, the space in the Sky Vault rippled.

Duobao appeared, and the surrounding chatter died away.

All the disciples dropped to one knee.

"Greetings, Chief Disciple Brother!"

"Rise!"

Following Duobao were Zhao Gongming and Lin Chuan.

Everything had already been arranged.

Once the disciples had risen, their gazes turned toward Lin Chuan in unison, and a faint hostility showed in their eyes.

Feeling their hostility,

Lin Chuan felt a pang of bitterness.

That old scoundrel is wicked!

What on earth did he see in me? I'll change it, I swear—I'll make sure you never like me!

This is all I've got. I have no strength, no contributions. I'm just a good-for-nothing, a salted fish that'll never turn its life around.

Why push me into the fire pit?

Given Sect Master Tongtian's strength, he naturally knew everything. Even without appearing in person, he could learn what was happening.

Now, the corners of his mouth lifted slightly. Every time he saw the bitterness in Lin Chuan's heart, he felt thoroughly delighted.

Even without gaining anything tangible, and without even knowing whether he really had the ability to foresee the future, this alone was enough to lift his spirits.

Sect Master Tongtian felt it was well worth it!

"Go ahead!"

"You two will compete here, in front of all these Interception Sect disciples. Show us who wins!"

"Contributions and talent are the primary criteria for becoming an Inner Sect Disciple or a Personal Disciple. If those standards aren't met, the other disciples won't accept it."

Duobao spoke gently, maintaining a very approachable demeanor and a consistently neutral stance.

Zhao Gongming nodded silently.

Lin Chuan seemed to have caught the key point, and a gleam flashed in his eyes.

What does that mean?

If I lose this contest, does that mean I can't become a Personal Disciple? Then, if I'm humiliated, maybe I'll be able to leave this place of trouble?

Expelled?

Lin Chuan speculated inwardly. The more he thought about it, the more he felt it might work.

If things really were as he suspected,

then...

he absolutely couldn't win this contest.

Just then,

Duobao suddenly said, "If Junior Brother Zhao wins, that means he's qualified to become a Personal Disciple."

"And I, as Senior Brother, will report it to Master."

"If Zhao Gongming loses, then everything stays as it is."

Duobao thought he had understood Sect Master Tongtian's intentions. He offered his own interpretation accordingly.

Lin Chuan: "..."

His whole body stiffened. He had thought he'd spotted a loophole, and that if he lost, he might be able to get away from this place of trouble.

He would be expelled from the Interception Sect.

Because he would become a disgrace to Sect Master Tongtian.

But his thinking had been too naive.

So naive that he'd thought he would merely be expelled.

Heavens! This is too much! That old scoundrel Tongtian had inexplicably set his sights on me from the very beginning. What did I ever do to deserve your favor? You even made me a Personal Disciple.

Isn't this just setting me up?

If I lose, he'll kill me to cover it up!

He thinks I'm a disgrace, so now he wants to butcher me once I've served my purpose!

No, no... I haven't helped him at all. I just want to get away from this place of trouble!

That old scoundrel is wicked!

How could Lin Chuan fail to understand what Duobao meant? If he lost, he really would be a disgrace to Sect Master Tongtian.

And a disgrace...

had no place in this world.

Didn't that mean he would disappear completely?

Not just be expelled!

Good heavens.

Without another word, Lin Chuan immediately flew downward.

At the same time, he began raising the cultivation the system had given him, one level after another.

Good grief!

He absolutely couldn't lose this time. No matter how badly he wanted to leave this place of trouble, he couldn't do it now, or he really would become a disgrace to Sect Master Tongtian.

Wouldn't that be the end of him?

His cultivation surged!

Earth Immortal!

Heavenly Immortal!

Golden Immortal!

Grand Unity Golden Immortal!

In no time, he had reached the peak of the Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm. Then he stopped raising his cultivation, because breaking through that peak would create too much of a disturbance.

Sect Master Tongtian would definitely notice.

He'd been planning to coast, but now someone had a knife to his throat.

If he didn't do something, he might really be done for!

He was finished!

Seeing Lin Chuan fly straight downward, Zhao Gongming followed after him.

A hint of doubt suddenly arose in Sect Master Tongtian's heart. Just a moment ago, he had felt a brief flicker of disorientation.

It was as if he'd had an odd misperception about Lin Chuan.

"What just happened? Why did I have such an unbelievable feeling? Could something happen now?"

"Besides, that kid definitely has a secret. It's as if he can foresee the future. Whether or not that's true, if he has a secret, and it's no small one..."

"Then it's worth digging into!"

"Run? Not a chance!"

A hint of a smile appeared on Sect Master Tongtian's lips as he watched, full of anticipation.