The breeze was gentle and the sun was bright—a perfect day for enjoying gossip and watching the drama unfold.
The competition between the Ten Thousand Swords Sect and the Divine Medicine Sect was scheduled for a month later.
Today was the Ten Thousand Swords Sect's internal competition, divided into Qi Refining, Foundation Building, Golden Core, and Nascent Soul divisions.
The cultivators who won would qualify for the competition between the two sects and face off against the Divine Medicine Sect's prodigies.
Tang Yan sat beside Xiao Jixue, with Li Mo, Feng Sheng, Cui Yishu, and the other senior disciples farther along.
At the head of the gathering, Fu Shouci and several Peak Masters sat on a raised platform. Liang Qiu, the Grand Elder of the Divine Medicine Sect, was there too.
[Strange. Didn't everyone else from the Divine Medicine Sect go home? Why is old geezer Liang still here? And in just a few days, he and Master seem to have stopped being so hostile toward each other.]
Tang Yan raised his brows slightly, took a small sip of spirit tea, and glanced at the harmonious atmosphere between Fu Shouci and Liang Qiu.
Liang Qiu, who had been talking to Fu Shouci, darkened and silently cursed.
Old geezer, old geezer! Your whole family is full of old geezers! And you, you little brat, are a little geezer!
That old bastard Fu's disciple is downright rude!
After shooting Tang Yan a resentful glare, Liang Qiu turned to Fu Shouci and sent him a message through divine sense.
"Old bastard, can't you keep that rude junior of yours in line?"
Fu Shouci remained perfectly unruffled. "My fifth disciple hasn't said anything. What are you getting worked up for?"
Liang Qiu was about to argue with him when a familiar voice rang in everyone's ears.
[Huh? There's actually a follow-up to the gossip about Master and old geezer Liang?]
An odd look flashed through Tang Yan's alluring eyes.
Fu Shouci's and Liang Qiu's hearts skipped a beat, then leaped into their throats.
Damn it! Why was it about them again? Was this never going to end?
The other spectators' eyes lit up, and they all stealthily pricked up their ears.
"I hereby declare the Golden Core competition officially underway," Fu Shouci announced hastily.
He had meant to divert Tang Yan's attention, but it was already too late.
[Master and old Liang actually saw through that male seductress Bai Yi's disguise?]
System: [His time management failed. He arranged to meet both Fu Shouci and Liang Qiu, so naturally, they ran into each other.]
The purple sea of stars shook its little body and launched into its usual fabrications.
Hehe~~ Its host hadn't been there anyway. Whatever it said had happened was what had happened.
Tang Yan nodded, never doubting the information the system had revealed.
After all, the system had already told him that its intervention would send the plot completely off the rails.
Meanwhile, dozens of Golden Core disciples had begun exchanging blows across several arenas.
A dazzling array of sword techniques swished toward their opponents.
Even as they fought, the disciples kept part of their attention on Tang Yan. Even the elders below the arenas were secretly slacking off.
Tang Yan was immersed in the gossip.
[Since Master and old geezer Liang both noticed something was off about Bai Yi, why the hell did he escape without a scratch?]
[Could it be... Master and old geezer Liang had fallen so completely in love with that gorgeous, burly man that they couldn't bear to hurt him at all?]
The others stole glances at their Sect Leader and Liang Qiu. Good grief! Even after finding out he was a gorgeous, burly man, the Sect Leader and Elder Liang still couldn't bear to let him go.
They really loved him!!
Tang Yan couldn't help looking up at Fu Shouci's stern face.
He laughed inwardly. [Who knew Master had such unusual tastes? Hahaha.]
Fu Shouci's and Liang Qiu's old faces reddened. Both watched the matches with stern expressions, ignoring the looks cast their way.
[Still, I never expected this incident to ease things between Master and old geezer Liang so much.]
[Maybe they won't become mortal enemies determined to kill each other in the future?]
[If they don't become mortal enemies, the Ten Thousand Swords Sect and the Divine Medicine Sect will stay as friendly as ever. They won't turn against each other over a little provocation and lose so many talented disciples.]
Fu Shouci's and Liang Qiu's gazes sharpened, and they instinctively looked at each other.
The same solemn look gathered in both their eyes.
Although they didn't get along, their disagreements had never gone beyond words. Their relationship had never caused a rift between the two sects.
According to Little Five—that little geezer Tang—someone with malicious intentions would sow discord between the sects in the future, causing both to suffer devastating losses?
Whether it was true or not, it was enough to put Fu Shouci and Liang Qiu on high alert.
Having finished feasting on his master's gossip, Tang Yan turned toward the arenas, intending to get a proper look at the Ten Thousand Swords Sect disciples' matches.
Suddenly, he sensed a gaze so intense that it was impossible to ignore.
He instinctively looked toward its source.
She wore flowing white robes that gave her an ethereal air, and her face was stunningly beautiful. Her calm gaze was fixed directly on him.
When she saw him looking over, she even curved her red lips into a smile.
Tang Yan smiled back and nodded to her.
[Sitting beside Xu You, beautiful, and dressed in white... could she be the famous female lead, Wei Lianyi?]
System: [Yep, she's the female lead.]
Tang Yan openly studied Wei Lianyi, looking slightly surprised.
[She's already at the early Golden Core stage? Wasn't she only at the peak of Foundation Building a little while ago? Looks like even without her exclusive opportunity at the bottom of Thoughtless Cliff in the Divine Seclusion Mountains, advancing is still as easy as eating and drinking for the female lead.]
Wei Lianyi's eyes flickered.
Thoughtless Cliff—wasn't that the cliff where her father had rescued her when Xu Zhenzhen was hunting her down?
If her father hadn't appeared, she had planned to jump off Thoughtless Cliff.
It seemed she would have to return to the Divine Seclusion Mountains once things here were settled.
With that thought, Wei Lianyi's eyes brightened as she looked at Tang Yan.
Her father was right. Junior Brother Tang Yan truly was her great benefactor.
Being reunited with her father and learning about the opportunity she had nearly missed were all thanks to Junior Brother Tang.
She would be sure to protect Junior Brother Tang from now on.
Wei Lianyi silently swore to herself.
I have to cultivate hard and keep Junior Brother Tang safe!
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