"Oh! So you're Li Xiaoya! You're too kind, Junior Brother Li!" Yang Zilin said warmly.
"You're both too kind." Li Xiaoya was no longer the foolish boy who loved showing off. Of course he knew why the two treated him so courteously, but outwardly, he remained very modest.
The group began chatting.
"Say, Junior Brother Li! How come I didn't see you at the last Sect Qualifying Tournament? There's a rumor going around that our Heavenly Dao Sect's entry slot went to you! Is that true?" Huang Hua suddenly asked during their conversation, fixing him with a gaze that already seemed certain of the answer.
"Well, that..."
"Disciples taking part in the Spiritlight Lake competition! Listen up!" Just as Li Xiaoya was about to speak, a booming voice cut him off.
Everyone turned to look. A tall cultivator wearing gleaming Bright Silver Armor stood at the entrance to the Heavenly Dao Hall. Seeing everyone turn toward him, he continued loudly, "Those who passed the test, listen up! Have your tokens ready and enter the hall! All uninvolved disciples, disperse!"
At his words, everyone headed over, but Li Xiaoya remained rooted to the spot. Tokens? What tokens?! I don't have any token! And he had not spotted Dong Santong anywhere in the crowd, either.
The other disciples lined up and approached one by one, taking a Green Token from their robes or Storage Pouches and handing it to the cultivator guarding the entrance. He inspected each token, returned it, and only then let its owner through.
Before long, all the disciples, including Huang Hua, Wang Ding, and Yang Zilin, had entered. Only Li Xiaoya remained, standing there all alone. Heavenly Venerable Daoling had merely told him the slot was his, without giving him any proof or telling him whom to find.