Refining the Bee Venom, Securing a Place, Going All Out

The five elders among the clouds exchanged glances and set the matter aside for now, turning their divine sense back to the matches on the other arenas.

The moment Mo Chen landed in the clearing below, a crowd of grinning cultivators surrounded him.

Defeating Wu Zhengxin meant that Mo Chen had secured a place as an elder's final disciple, which naturally drew plenty of ordinary disciples eager to curry favor.

"Fellow Daoist Mo, you truly are formidable! You even beat Wu Zhengxin. You've really lifted the spirits of us cultivators without a Lineage!"

"That sword move you used to flick aside the three Silver Rings was incredibly sharp!"

As one flattering remark followed another, Mo Chen was left rather speechless. Too disinclined to deal with them, he merely cupped his hands and offered a few casual replies.

Although Mo Chen disliked being surrounded like this, it was a perfect opportunity to gather information. He took advantage of it to ask, "May I ask, fellow Daoist, how has the sect arranged the matches after the final eight?"

The cultivator paused, then smiled. "You've only just returned, so you probably haven't heard. The quarterfinals are scheduled for the day after tomorrow. You won't know your opponent until tomorrow's matches are finished. The full schedule has already been posted at the sect gates, and Voice Transmission Talismans were sent to every Cave Abode half a month ago."

"Thank you for letting me know."

Shit. Those dozen-odd days I spent stranded in the mountains after that ambush really made me miss a lot.

The bee venom that pierced my palm during the match is still aching. I need to deal with it quickly.

The longer poison is left alone, the more troublesome it gets.

Mo Chen stopped entertaining the cultivators crowding around him to