At the summit of Myriad Star Peak.
Behind the Myriad Star Peak main hall, within the rear courtyard of the Myriad Star Peak Lord's residence.
A refined middle-aged man in a blue robe patterned with Star Marks was speaking with Wang An, the phoenix-eyed young man Fang Hong had seen at the apprenticeship ceremony.
Throughout the conversation, Wang An behaved with utmost respect.
Even while speaking face-to-face, he kept his body slightly bent.
Wang An was Myriad Star Peak's number one True Disciple.
Within Myriad Star Peak, his status could truly be described as below one person and above ten thousand.
Yet this refined middle-aged man in blue had Wang An treating him with such respect.
His identity was naturally self-evident.
This refined middle-aged man in blue was none other than the current Peak Lord of Myriad Star Peak, Gao Xin'ang!
He was also Wang An's master!
"The Sect Grand Competition?"
"And it's only half a month away?"
"Why did the Sect Master suddenly decide to hold the Sect Grand Competition?"
Wang An looked at Gao Xin'ang in surprise and asked.
At that, Gao Xin'ang let out a scornful sneer.
"What else could it be for? Naturally, because of Zhao Tianchen's newly accepted disciple."
Wang An frowned. "Fang Hong?"
"What does this have to do with him?"
Gao Xin'ang shot him a glance. "Someone saw Zhao Tianchen go to see the Sect Master last night, and today the Sect Master announced that the Sect Grand Competition would be held in half a month."
"Would you believe it if I said it had nothing to do with that old bastard?"
"And besides that new disciple he places such high hopes on, who else could make that old bastard Zhao Tianchen personally seek out the Sect Master?"
Gao Xin'ang snorted coldly, his voice carrying a chill.
"Then what does Master intend to do?"
Wang An looked at Gao Xin'ang and asked cautiously.
"Hmph. I don't know exactly what that old thing is planning."
"But that old thing's disciple has only just entered the sect. His strength is still weak, and even if he participates in the competition, he cannot possibly achieve a particularly high ranking."
"And the top ten in this Sect Grand Competition will all qualify to enter the Star Pool for cleansing."
"If things are manipulated properly behind the scenes, a place in the top ten is not entirely impossible. That is most likely his goal."
Gao Xin'ang said coldly. As he spoke, a glint of icy cold flashed through his eyes.
Even though he had been the Myriad Star Peak Lord for so many years.
In the hearts of many elders, and even the higher-ups of the other two peaks, he was still merely the man who had picked up the advantage Zhao Tianchen left behind.
They all believed that if Zhao Tianchen had not suffered that incident back then, severely damaging his mind and causing him to withdraw directly from the competition for Peak Lord.
Then the position of Peak Lord would never have fallen to him.
Even after all these years, those people would still occasionally reveal a trace of disdain whenever they interacted with him.
Though, due to his current status, identity, and strength, they concealed that disdain very well.
He could still sense it with absolute clarity.
Over the years, every trace of concealed contempt had been like steel thorns stabbing endlessly into his heart.
Like a fishbone stuck in his throat, he wished he could get rid of them at once!
"Hmph, Zhao Tianchen, weren't you so arrogant back then? Didn't everyone think I was inferior to you, that I only picked up the position that should have been yours?"
"Then this time, I'll make that disciple you hold such high hopes for properly disgrace you, Zhao Tianchen!"
Gao Xin'ang snorted coldly in his heart, filled with resentment.
At that thought, Gao Xin'ang's icy gaze landed directly on Wang An.
"In half a month, during the Sect Grand Competition, I will make arrangements behind the scenes."
"First, I'll have Fang Hong face opponents who are all too weak to amount to anything."
"In the end, I'll arrange for you to face Fang Hong. When that happens, you will teach him a proper lesson for me."
"Make him properly disgrace his master Zhao Tianchen before everyone!"
"Then all their arrangements in the shadows will merely make a wedding dress for you."
Gao Xin'ang instructed coldly.
"Yes. This disciple will definitely make that brat lose face before everyone!"
Hearing Gao Xin'ang's icy voice and seeing his cold gaze, Wang An's body trembled. He immediately answered loudly.
"Mm." Gao Xin'ang gave a faint hum, calming his emotions somewhat.
"I have already laid out the path for you. But if you fail to meet my expectations then, if you fail to act out this play properly for me."
Gao Xin'ang looked at Wang An with a calm gaze. "Then you should know what kind of outcome awaits you."
At those words, Wang An became even more terrified.
"This disciple will certainly give it his all!"
"Hmph, not give it your all. You must do it, or I'll skin you alive!"
Hearing this, Wang An was so frightened that he immediately dropped to his knees.
"Yes, this disciple obeys!"
Seeing Wang An's terrified appearance, Gao Xin'ang seemed to see his own former shadow in him, and disgust immediately welled up in his heart.
"Enough. Stop putting on that useless look."
"From today onward, prepare for the Sect Grand Competition half a month from now with everything you have!"
"Stop all those messy little tricks of yours and cultivate properly!"
"You entered the sect earlier than that fellow from Bright Moon Peak, yet he has already broken through to the Heaven Realm. Meanwhile, you're still stuck at the eighth level of the Earth Realm, struggling bitterly without a breakthrough!"
"You truly are trash!"
Gao Xin'ang rebuked him in disgust.
"This disciple is terrified. I have caused Master to lose face," Wang An apologized fearfully.
His kneeling body lowered even further, and his head bowed deeper still.
Seeing Wang An cower like a quail only caused Gao Xin'ang's nameless fury to surge higher, making him even angrier.
"Enough. Get out!"
The reason he had accepted Wang An as his disciple in the first place was because he had seen traces of his former self in him.
But now, the reason he so sincerely loathed this disciple.
Was also because Wang An carried his shadow—indeed, he even seemed to be growing more and more like Gao Xin'ang had been back then.
At the thought of this, a nameless fire rose within Gao Xin'ang, leaving him exceptionally irritated.
"Zhao Tianchen, back then you overshadowed me at every turn, causing everyone to look down on me."
"This time, I want to see how your newly entered disciple can still overshadow my disciple!"
Gao Xin'ang looked toward the back mountain in frustration, his eyes filled with resentment.
However, what he did not know was.
After leaving the courtyard, Wang An turned back to look in the direction where Gao Xin'ang stood.
His eyes, too, were filled with endless resentment and fury.
That gaze was exactly like the gaze he had once cast at Zhao Tianchen while hiding in the shadows.
Like master, like disciple indeed.
They were cut from the same cloth!
Naturally, Fang Hong and Zhao Tianchen knew nothing of their scheme.
But even if they had known, neither of them likely would have cared.
Because of what had happened back then, Gao Xin'ang had always hated Zhao Tianchen so deeply.
But what he did not know was that Zhao Tianchen had never considered him worthy of notice in the first place.
Over all these years, Zhao Tianchen likely had not even realized that Gao Xin'ang hated him so much.
But even if he had known, he likely would have merely laughed it off.
Because from beginning to end, he had never regarded Gao Xin'ang as worth his attention.
But Fang Hong was different from his master, who was in truth arrogant to the marrow of his bones.
Once he learned of Gao Xin'ang's conspiracy.
He would only look for an opportunity to slaughter both master and disciple, eliminating future trouble once and for all!
Before you continue