Newcomer Competition Roster

Lin Chen had just walked a short distance when the token at his waist suddenly vibrated.

He picked up the token, swept it with his Spiritual Sense, and his expression shifted several times.

It was a message about the sect's Newcomer Competition.

A total of three hundred and sixty people had signed up.

They were ranked according to their cultivation level.

First place, Han Bingxue, Earth Grade Spirit Root, Return to Origin Realm Layer 1.

Second place, Lin Chen, Five Elements Perfectly Balanced Spirit Root, Qi Condensation Realm Layer 9.

Third place, Jin Yuanbao, Dual Element High Grade Spirit Root, Qi Condensation Realm Layer 5.

Fourth place, Wei Shuangliang, Triple Element Mid Grade Spirit Root, Qi Condensation Layer 5.

Seeing this message, Lin Chen was only slightly surprised.

He had cheated his way up and still hadn't reached the Return to Origin Realm.

Yet Han Bingxue, taken away by Green Mountain Ancestor, had been the first to achieve it.

Earth Grade talent—terrifying as such!

However, if it was only Return to Origin Realm Layer 1, it shouldn't be a concern.

Jin Yuanbao's advancement didn't surprise him either.

With all the Spirit Stones they had earned, if Jin Yuanbao had remained unknown, that would have been the real shock.

Given his cultivation speed, even if he couldn't break through to Return to Origin Realm before the competition, he could still reach Qi Condensation Realm Layer 9.

As for fourth-place Wei Shuangliang, relying on his Triple Element Mid Grade Spirit Root talent to catch up to Jin Yuanbao—this guy had something going for him.

At that very moment, all the new disciples were staring at the information on their tokens.

Every single one of them fell silent.

First place, Han Bingxue—they could understand that.

But what the hell was second-place Lin Chen?

A Five Elements Waste Spirit Root, able to cultivate to Qi Condensation Realm Layer 9?

This was simply unbelievable!

A worldwide marvel!

Something was definitely fishy!

All the new disciples, including Han Bingxue, were baffled by Lin Chen's information.

Even Jin Yuanbao's eyes went wide, his face full of disbelief.

"My bro Chen is actually this terrifying?"

Especially fourth-place Wei Shuangliang—he was the one who had earlier declared that in the Newcomer Competition, he would show Lin Chen why the flowers bloomed so red.

He stared at Lin Chen's information for a full half hour, his eyes bloodshot, but the information still didn't change.

"This is cheating! How could a Five Elements Waste Spirit Root cultivate to Qi Condensation Realm Layer 9 in less than a month?"

"Then what the hell does all my effort and hardship amount to?"

He roared at the sky, looking like a madman.

It wasn't just him—basically all the new disciples doubted this result.

Some even ran to the sect's Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion to verify.

In the end, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion confirmed that the information was true.

At that, the disciples became even more skeptical.

"There must be some inside dealing here!"

"Right, just because he's the Sect Leader's disciple, he can cheat so blatantly? We won't accept this!"

"Let's go, we'll head to Sect Leader Peak and demand an explanation."

A large group of disciples set off in a mighty procession, heading toward Sect Leader Peak.

In the end, they couldn't even get up the peak.

They simply sat down at the foot of the mountain to wait.

Before, it was the elders blocking the mountain; now it was the disciples.

To be honest, Sect Leader Peak had never been this lively.

Just at that moment, the Sect Leader returned with two disciples, travel-worn and weary.

Seeing a large crowd of disciples gathered before the peak, his expression immediately soured.

"Bufan, go see what they want." Zhao Qingshan gave the order, then took Jian Rushuang back up the peak.

"Master, you're back!"

As soon as they entered the mountain peak, Qi Ruming sensed their presence and immediately came up to greet them.

"Useless thing. With so many people down the mountain, why haven't you dealt with them?"

Zhao Qingshan scolded with a dark face.

Qi Ruming's smile froze, his face full of grievance. "Master, I've been focused on refining artifacts the whole time. I didn't know..."

Zhao Qingshan snorted coldly. "That's no excuse for your negligence. Go summon your junior brother."

"Junior brother?" Qi Ruming looked up with a bitter smile. "He went to investigate He Yiliang's matter. He should be at the Outer Sect by now."

"Then what are you still standing here for? Go find him!" Zhao Qingshan said irritably.

"I..."

Qi Ruming opened his mouth. "As you command!"

He hung his head low and trudged off the mountain peak.

After walking a good distance, he slapped his forehead. "Am I brain-dead? I could've just used a sound transmission, but I came running myself... Forget it, I'll go anyway, so the old man doesn't beat me."

At this moment, Lin Chen had already found He Yiliang's master.

This was the Cave Mansion of Outer Sect Elder Hao Youcai.

He stood outside, taking a look around the dwelling, and clicked his tongue in wonder.

"Going by the sect's Cave Mansion rankings, this must be the lowest-grade one in the Outer Sect, right?"

Lin Chen stood at the door and said loudly, "Are all Outer Sect Elders this poor now?"

The Cave Mansion before him was nothing but a tattered thatched hut.

The roof had holes, the walls had cracks, and it looked so rickety that even a strong gust of wind could blow it over.

Even the Green Mountain Sect, as shabby as it was, had no such Cave Mansion.

Cough, cough!

Just as Lin Chen was lost in thought, coughing came from inside the Cave Mansion.

Immediately after, an old man in a tattered yellow robe walked out.

This broken Cave Mansion, paired with these worn-out clothes.

This Elder was definitely worthy of being called the Green Mountain Sect's most miserable Elder.

"Who are you?" Hao Youcai's face was ashen, but his eyes were sharp and piercing.

Lin Chen couldn't help probing with his Spiritual Sense, and that was when he noticed the trick.

This guy was wearing a disguise mask.

Behind the mask, his face was ruddy and plump, round with fat.

Seeing this, Lin Chen felt confident. "Elder Hao, I'm Lin Chen. On He Yiliang's behalf, I've come to retrieve his money."

"Lin Chen?" Elder Hao sized him up for a long moment before saying, "You, the Sect Leader's Inner Disciple, meddle in Outer Sect affairs?"

"It seems Elder Hao knows who I am." Lin Chen took a few steps forward. "I've been in the sect a short time, but I enjoy making friends. He Yiliang is my close friend, and since he entrusted this matter to me, I naturally have to do my utmost."

"Hmph!"

Hao Youcai snorted coldly, clasped his hands behind his back, and faintly released his aura.

"What business between master and disciple requires an outsider's interference? Besides..."

He looked down at himself, then back at the Cave Mansion. "Do I look like I have any money?"

"I understand, I understand it all."

Lin Chen circled around Elder Hao. "Corrupt officials, right? They all ride bicycles, eat noodles, wear old clothes, live in broken houses..."

"What are you talking about?" Hao Youcai had no idea what he meant.

Lin Chen didn't mind. He started circling the dilapidated Cave Mansion again.

"Elder Hao, you mean to say that all this junk is yours, and if I find any Spirit Stones or treasures, they definitely aren't yours, right?"

Hearing Lin Chen's words, Hao Youcai's face darkened slightly. "Naturally!"

Seeing how confident he was, Lin Chen let out a light laugh. His Spiritual Sense instantly covered a hundred meters in every direction.

Above ground and below, he saw it all clearly.

Beneath Elder Hao's shabby Cave Mansion, there was an invisible Barrier.

The Barrier's formation wasn't advanced, and ordinary mental power couldn't penetrate it at all.

But Lin Chen's Spiritual Sense could easily slip inside.

He clearly saw a Treasure Vault beneath the Barrier.

The entrance to the Treasure Vault wasn't under the broken Cave Mansion.

That was Elder Hao's cunning trick.

He actually opened the tunnel entrance fifty meters northeast of the Cave Mansion, right on a medicinal field.

"Elder Hao, I suddenly remembered I have something to take care of. I'll take my leave."

Lin Chen's lips curled into a cold smile as he turned and walked away.

He hadn't gone far before he suddenly looked back. "Elder Hao, He Yiliang is already gone. Did you know?"

Hao Youcai's expression shifted slightly. "Nonsense. He Yiliang went out on a mission and sent me a Crane Message just yesterday. How could he be gone?"

This statement was clearly a lie.

He Yiliang had been dead for over half a month now.

By all logic, Elder Hao should have received the news long ago.

Yet now he was using lies to cover it up—there was clearly something fishy behind this.

Lin Chen said nothing more and turned to leave.

He retreated to a distance, concealed his aura, and watched Hao Youcai from afar.

Sure enough, it didn't take long for the old man to change his attire and slip out quietly.

"He Yiliang, what kind of master is this of yours? Could he be the one who harmed you?" Lin Chen asked, speaking to Small Mirror.