The Myriad Gold Merchant Association, Council Hall.
"I told you, we've already found someone better. Song Qing won't need to take part in this Immortal Pond Competition."
Inside the hall, Xia Zhilan addressed the two old men seated at the round table, pointing her delicate hand at the Blue-Robed Youth beside her as she spoke in a rather cold voice.
"Zhi Lan, I know you're a little prejudiced against me, but the Immortal Pond Competition is about to begin. Here in Yan City, I, Song Qing, might not rank among the very best of the younger generation, but I'm not someone just anybody can replace. Stop throwing your little tantrums."
The Blue-Robed Youth called Song Qing looked slightly grim at Xia Zhilan's words, but he quickly broke into a smile. His gaze flicked toward the alluring curves of the young woman before him, a trace of lechery stirring deep in his eyes.
Although Song Qing concealed that lecherous look extremely well, Ling Feng, who was watching from the shadows, caught it all.
He even noticed the bastard's gaze drifting, seemingly by accident, toward Xuan Su's full, jade-like legs beneath her skirt. Clearly, this fellow was also a scheming lecher.
Of course, no man was immune to lust, and Ling Feng was no exception. But he simply disliked Song Qing. Perhaps it was because he felt an inexplicable fondness for Xuan Su-he didn't like anyone coveting her, except himself.
This brat would be perfect for the Sunflower Manual. If I get the chance, I'll have Dongfang Bubai pay him a visit.
Ling Feng watched Song Qing with a malicious smirk. Inside the hall, Song Qing seemed to sense something: a sudden chill swept over his crotch, leaving him feeling inexplicably hollow.
Only after Ling Feng shifted his gaze away from him and back to Xuan Su did he return to normal.
Ling Feng seemed very interested in Xuan Su, paying her particular attention.
Compared to Ya Fei, this Xuan Su is every bit her equal. Just my type. Not bad, not bad...
Watching Xuan Su wrangle with the other two old fossils in charge, Ling Feng studied her from head to toe with an appreciative eye and immediately awarded her a resounding ninety-nine points in his mind.
He withheld the final point only because he feared she might get conceited.
Xuan Su's beauty went without saying. What was even rarer was that she possessed the efficiency of a powerful career woman yet appeared exceptionally gentle and graceful. She had her poise down to perfection, too.
Of course, what pleased Ling Feng most was her figure. She was an S-curved beauty, his favorite kind.
To put it poetically, she was a ridge viewed head-on and peaks viewed from the side, changing with distance, height, and angle-rolling rises and falls beneath one hand, more than the other could grasp.
In plain terms, Xuan Su was the voluptuous sort of beauty who was small where she should be and ample where she should swell, unable to see her toes when she looked down.
"Hmm?"
Just then, a flurry of snowy white suddenly drifted into view, making Ling Feng stare so hard that his eyes seemed to shine.
The next moment, Ling Feng impatiently whipped out the Creation God Pen, using heaven and earth as his canvas to perform Creation.
Soon, a pair of ultra-high-magnification Binoculars appeared in Ling Feng's hands. Crouching in a large tree directly opposite the Council Hall, he adjusted the angle, shifting left and right.
He looked just like the Pervy Sage "gathering material."
"Nice... These Binoculars have pretty good clarity, and the angle's just right... Whoa, those snowballs are so naughty. I love them, hehe..."
Holding his high-definition Binoculars, Ling Feng aimed straight at Xuan Su in the middle of the hall. From his lofty vantage point, the scenery was magnificent, with all the other mountains looking small below. For a while, he truly feasted his eyes, the corners of his mouth curling into an enormous grin.
Meanwhile, Xuan Su and the others, engrossed in their conversation, never noticed Ling Feng's presence.
Although Xuan Su had reached lesser perfection in the Dan Realm, she could not detect Ling Feng after he had used Spirit Imbuement with Kakashi Hatake, a Ninja who had once served as an Anbu captain.
"Chief Steward Su, Lin Dong is here."
Just then, a Guard suddenly entered the hall to report.
"Send him in."
"Yes."
Having received his orders, the Guard answered respectfully and withdrew.
Soon, a handsome youth in a white-and-cyan brocade robe appeared outside the hall.
"So this is Lin Dong?"
Ling Feng put away his Binoculars, rubbed his chin, and sized up the youth walking into the Council Hall.
"The destined protagonist of Martial Universe?"
At that thought, Ling Feng suddenly gave a disdainful snort. "Tch, protagonist, my ass. Now that I've come to this world, I'm the protagonist. Screw you. Leave me alone, and I'll leave you alone. Cross me, and I'll fucking kill you."
A brazen look flashed across his face, and Ling Feng pursed his lips, wondering whether he should kill the brat and steal his Ancestral Stone.
The laws of transmigration told Ling Feng that killing the protagonist, stealing his opportunities, and stealing his wives was the righteous path-the path to proving his Dao.
In short, everything good belonged to him. Anyone who dared obstruct him would die. Whether they were good or bad didn't matter; anyone blocking his path was bad.
"The Ancestral Stone seems to recognize its master, so that probably wouldn't work. Besides, it's still dormant. Not much use..."
After thinking it over, Ling Feng shook his head. "Forget it. Leave me alone, and I'll leave you alone. I'll just treat him like a patch of chives and harvest him when there's something worth taking."
Abandoning the idea of murder and plunder, Ling Feng shifted his gaze away from Lin Dong and back to Xuan Su.
Meanwhile, the instant Ling Feng stepped into the hall, he sensed that something was off about the atmosphere.
"Chief Steward Su, is this the better candidate you mentioned?"
The two elderly stewards in the Council Hall casually glanced at Lin Dong, then exchanged a look. One of them, a balding old man, deliberately spoke up.
"I don't see anything particularly special about him."
As soon as Lin Dong arrived, the two old men supporting Song Qing began confronting him. To ease the tension, Xuan Su introduced the two sides.
But it did no good. Song Qing's side continued provoking him, and Lin Dong accepted the challenge. In the end, just as in the original story, Song Qing was defeated by Lin Dong.
The outcome of the fight took many of those present by surprise. Watching Song Qing slide wretchedly down the wall, the Myriad Gold Merchant Association's two elderly stewards looked stunned. Immediately afterward, their expressions turned rather ugly.
Although surprised, Xuan Su quickly seized the opportunity to finalize the contestants for the Pill Immortal Pool. Song Qing still tried to launch a sneak attack on Lin Dong, but Xuan Su forcefully stopped him. Song Qing and the two elderly stewards left in disgrace.
"Come on. It's time to set out."
After chatting and laughing with Lin Dong for a few moments, Xuan Su said no more. She waved her delicate hand and led the way out of the Myriad Gold Merchant Association.
Lin Dong and Xia Zhilan followed close behind, still finding time to trade barbs along the way. At the Myriad Gold Merchant Association's entrance, they met Liu Yi, another contestant. The three chatted cheerfully for a while, then set off for the Pill Immortal Pool under Xuan Su's lead.
The Pill Immortal Pool lay deep within a mountain east of Yan City. Both the Myriad Gold Merchant Association and the Blood Wolf Gang had discovered it, but the question of ownership remained unresolved. As a result, both factions had stationed considerable manpower there, watching each other warily, neither willing to let its guard down.
The Immortal Pond Competition would take place at the Pill Immortal Pool itself. Once victory and defeat were decided, ownership of the pool could be settled on the spot.
After Xuan Su and the others raced along like the wind for roughly an hour, the group up ahead gradually slowed. Ling Feng, who had been secretly following them the entire time, noticed that men were already stationed on the mountaintop.
He knew they must have reached their destination.