Cui Jiuyang nodded to the two of them and sat in an empty seat.
Before long, Li Mingyue came over as well. She had clearly won her three red beans with ease too. Wearing a faint smile, she sat in the empty seat beside him and said quietly, "You were quick."
Although quite a few people had come, the paired bouts on the six platforms kept the matches moving at a tremendous pace.
By noon, the five rows of large chairs behind Incense Master Wei were packed with winners who had collected three red beans.
Only after the dejected losers who had collected three black beans had all left did Incense Master Wei slowly rise. He clapped his hands and smiled warmly at the winners behind him. "Congratulations, everyone!
"From this day forward, you are guardians of our Divine Path Heaven!
"The leader and all our elders have high hopes for you. Gain more experience in the days ahead, and perhaps our next batch of incense masters will come from among you!"
After delivering these conventional words of encouragement, Incense Master Wei left first with several trusted followers.
Other followers then came to settle everyone in Big Water Well Village.
It turned out that the village had never been abandoned at all. Divine Path Heaven had taken over the entire place and converted it into a secret base for its activities in Guangzhou.
Divine Path Heaven had deliberately spread the rumors of hauntings as well, to frighten away ordinary people and keep them from disturbing the place.
Cui Jiuyang, Li Mingyue, and the other outstanding participants in the top ten were assigned the best rooms in the village.
The houses had gray-brick walls and tiled roofs. The rooms were clean, with fresh straw laid on the beds, and each had