The rear courtyard of Star River Sect Master Zhong Wanyang's residence.
Zhong Wanyang faced Zhao Tianchen with a wistful expression.
"Brother Zhao, logically speaking, you have rendered great service to the sect and have never asked anything of me. This time, you are asking for your disciple's sake, so I should agree."
Zhong Wanyang said, "But I am, after all, the Sect Master of Star River Sect now."
"As the head of a sect, I cannot show favoritism in my actions. I must consider the feelings of all the sect's disciples."
"Opening the Star Pool solely for your disciple would certainly provoke discussion from everyone."
"I'm afraid it would not be appropriate for me to agree."
At those words, Zhao Tianchen frowned.
The next moment, Zhao Tianchen's old eyes widened, and he immediately began to lash out with flared brows and glaring eyes.
"Zhong Big Face, have I given you too much face or what?!"
"When we besieged the Third Elder of Crimson Spirit Sect back then, if I hadn't saved you, you'd have died by his hand long ago. The grass on your grave would be three yards tall by now."
"I'm rarely asking you for help, and you're telling me no? Are you planning to turn your back on me and deny knowing me?"
"I'm not dead yet, and you..."
Zhao Tianchen furiously opened fire, acting like a completely different person from usual.
Hearing Zhao Tianchen call him Zhong Big Face, Zhong Wanyang's expression sank, and the corner of his eye twitched slightly.
As he listened to Zhao Tianchen's following words, the helplessness and gloom on his face deepened further.
"Enough!"
Zhong Wanyang directly interrupted Zhao Tianchen's furious tirade with a low shout.
"Zhao Monkey, I think I'm the one who's given you too much face. Do you know who you're talking to?"
"I'm the Sect Master now. I advise you to watch your mouth!"
"With you looking half-dead like this, believe it or not, I can beat you to death with one punch!"
"Fine, fine, you sinister big-faced bastard. I knew you'd turn your back on me and deny knowing me. Beat me to death? Now that no one's around, you can brag all you want, huh?"
"Come on, do it! Let's see who beats whom to death! I never should have saved you back then!"
"Heh, what a joke. What kind of dog-fart nonsense are you spouting? Who needed you to save me? I was about to beat that old bastard to death, then you stuck your foot in it and claimed you saved me. You get old and shameless, is that it?!"
"Damn it, Zhong Big Face, you shameless bastard..."
After that, Zhao Tianchen and Zhong Wanyang immediately launched into a passionate verbal brawl.
The reason Zhao Tianchen dared to so boldly and recklessly trade insults with Zhong Wanyang, the Sect Master of Star River Sect, was naturally because they had once shared an exceptionally close relationship.
They were inseparable friends. Other than not swearing brotherhood, they had been about as close as blood brothers from different families.
Otherwise, how could Zhao Tianchen have come directly to Zhong Wanyang for help now?
Though they looked furious at the moment, dredging up each other's dirty laundry and dark histories,
neither of them was actually angry.
After another lengthy, passionate exchange of spittle-flying insults and mutual exposure of old scandals, it finally ended with one heart-seizing killing move from Zhong Wanyang.
"Enough. Do you still want your disciple to enter the Star Pool for the baptism or not?!"
Zhong Wanyang gave a low shout, and Zhao Tianchen's casting was immediately interrupted. He choked on his words at once.
Seeing this, a smug look immediately appeared on Zhong Wanyang's face.
You little brat, I'm the dignified Sect Master of Star River Sect. Could I not handle an old fool like you?
"You... what do you mean by that?"
Seeing Zhong Wanyang's smug expression, Zhao Tianchen immediately felt as uncomfortable as if he had swallowed a fly.
Yet this fellow had him by the weak spot, leaving him unable to lose his temper. He could only ask in extreme frustration.
Zhong Wanyang's expression became much more serious. After pondering for a moment, he said,
"What I said before was correct. As Sect Master, I must consider the feelings of all the sect's disciples."
"It is absolutely impossible to open the Star Pool solely for your disciple."
Zhao Tianchen's brows knitted tightly. "I know that. Then what exactly do you mean?"
The corner of Zhong Wanyang's mouth lifted. "Opening the Star Pool for your disciple alone won't work, but what if we add several other disciples and open it for them all to undergo the baptism together?"
"Half a month from now, I plan to hold a Sect Grand Competition. The top ten will all be allowed to enter the Star Pool for the baptism."
Hearing this, Zhao Tianchen raised his brows, then grabbed Zhong Wanyang and said angrily,
"You damn bastard, and you still say you're not turning your back on me and denying knowing me?!"
"Among the Inner Disciples, many have already reached the Earth Realm."
"My disciple only entered the sect one day ago. You want him to compete against those Earth Realm Inner Disciples—how could he possibly win?!"
Zhao Tianchen shook Zhong Wanyang hard as he demanded an answer.
"Look at you, getting worked up again!"
Zhong Wanyang slapped Zhao Tianchen's hand away and said irritably, "I haven't even finished speaking. What are you getting so worked up for?!"
"Then say it!"
"It may be called a Sect Grand Competition, but who he faces is still up to me, isn't it?"
"When the time comes, I'll arrange several weaker opponents for your disciple, and he can make his way straight into the top ten."
"Then he can take tenth place. It won't be too conspicuous, so the others presumably won't have too many objections."
Zhong Wanyang said this after giving it some thought.
Hearing that, Zhao Tianchen nodded as well. "That is a pretty good method."
"But although I'll make arrangements for your disciple, I'll put the ugly words upfront first."
Zhong Wanyang suddenly said in a somewhat stern voice.
"Though the opponents he encounters will not be too strong, your disciple must still display sufficient strength!"
"I'm not asking for him to convince everyone, but at the very least, he cannot perform so poorly that everyone laughs at us."
"If your disciple's strength truly is so poor that no one can accept it,"
"then Brother Zhao, don't blame me for being heartless."
"I am the Sect Master now. I must take the reputation of our entire Star River Sect into account."
Hearing this, Zhao Tianchen nodded as well.
"At least you've finally said something human. I'll accept this competition on my disciple's behalf."
"I can also guarantee you directly that, so long as he does not truly encounter an opponent with an overwhelming gap in strength, my disciple's performance will definitely not disappoint you."
Zhao Tianchen gave this assurance with complete confidence.
He had watched Fang Hong cultivate for the entire day today.
His confidence in Fang Hong was now astonishingly strong.
With that freakish, practically monstrous comprehension,
how could his disciple's performance possibly be poor?
Even if Fang Hong had not possessed powerful means for fighting enemies before, it did not matter.
At worst, Zhao Tianchen would return tonight and teach him immediately.
There was still half a month left anyway. With Fang Hong's terrifying comprehension, there was more than enough time.
Besides, Fang Hong had broken through to the Organ Refinement Realm. His qi and blood, inner force, and even physical strength had all risen by another great margin.
His inherent strength was absolutely not weak.
Combined with the methods Zhao Tianchen would teach him, Fang Hong could probably put up a fight even against an opponent at the middle levels of the Earth Realm.
The Organ Refinement Realm against the middle levels of the Earth Realm.
Even if he lost, as long as he did not fall into a disadvantage in a short time,
such a performance would likely not convince everyone, but it certainly would not make everyone suspect foul play.
Thinking of this, Zhao Tianchen's confidence naturally grew even stronger.
"Oh? You're so confident. It seems that newly accepted disciple of yours truly is exceptional."
Seeing Zhao Tianchen's confidence-filled appearance, Zhong Wanyang became even more curious about Fang Hong.
Hearing this, Zhao Tianchen raised his brows, looking very smug.
"Of course. Just look whose disciple he is."
At this, Zhong Wanyang was immediately somewhat speechless. "Alright, then it's settled. Do you have anything else?"
"Hehe, no. On behalf of my disciple, I thank you, Sect Master."
"I always said the Sect Master was a man of loyalty who would brave seas of fire for righteousness, not the sort to turn his back on people and deny knowing them..."
Zhao Tianchen said with a flattering smile.
Zhong Wanyang's face darkened. "Get lost!"
"Certainly. Then this old man will take his leave first. Take care, Sect Master."
Having received a satisfactory answer, Zhao Tianchen happily bade farewell and left.
Watching Zhao Tianchen's departing back, Zhong Wanyang shook his head and smiled faintly.
"Brother Zhao, I hope that this time, you can truly get what you wished for and make up for the regret of the past..."
Before you continue