Muye City's great square bustled with activity. Today was the day of the competition between the city's lineages.
Participating were the Ji Family, Wang Family, and Zhang Family, three first-rate lineages; and the Xiao Family, Bai Family, and Lan Family, three second-rate lineages!
There were also several third-rate lineages.
These so-called first-, second-, and third-rate rankings applied only within Muye City. Outside it, they all belonged to the same rank-not worth ranking at all!
An enormous fighting platform had already been erected in the middle of the great square.
The entire square was a sea of people, with nearly twenty thousand spectators and more still arriving.
After all, this competition would determine the balance of power in Muye City for the next twenty years.
"The Ji Family is here!"
Someone shouted, immediately drawing many people's attention. Everyone turned to look into the distance, and the crowd even cleared a path of its own accord!
The Ji Family had brought a little over ten people, with three competing: Ji Wuchang, Ji Bing, and Ji He!
Ji Wuchang walked beside Ji Ping, his expression calm.
Before they left that morning, Ji Ping had already ordered Xiao Mei's tongue gouged out and both her feet chopped off.
Her entire family had also been seized the night before, nineteen people in all!
They would all become fertilizer for the Ji Family's rear garden, while the few with decent looks would be sent to brothels!
Ji Wuchang calmly swept his gaze over his surroundings, immediately drawing cries from the young women.
"Young Master Ji looked at me! Young Master Ji is so handsome!"
"They say Young Master Ji is a disciple of the Longevity Sect. First place in today's competition is bound to be his!"
"The Ji Family is already the foremost lineage in our Muye City, and Young Master Ji is a dragon among men. It's only natural for him to take first place!"
Discussion rippled through the crowd! Everyone lavished praise on Ji Wuchang without reservation!
Though Ji Bing and Ji He were a little jealous, even the family head had to smile ingratiatingly around him. How could they dare object in the slightest?
At a seating area not far away, where the Xiao Family was gathered, five people had arrived in all. Xiao Fan stood among them in coarse hemp clothing.
Hearing the discussion around him, Xiao Fan sneered inwardly.
A bunch of ignorant country bumpkins. I'll make your jaws drop soon enough!
Xiao Fan secretly clenched his fists, then assumed an exceptionally calm expression!
Yet his eyes held a haughty gleam.
The thought of the secret realm map he had obtained from Xiao Mei two days earlier filled Xiao Fan's heart with burning excitement.
Even he had never imagined that an idle piece he had casually placed on the board back then would yield such a great harvest!
Ji Wuchang's gaze swept over the Wang Family, Zhang Family, and the other lineages before pausing briefly on Xiao Fan of the Xiao Family. A faint smile could not help appearing on his lips.
Under his clothes today, he wore inner armor available only to the Longevity Sect's inner disciples. It could withstand an all-out attack from someone at the Qi Refining Ninth Layer!
Having lived his life anew, Ji Wuchang had understood one crucial truth: staying alive mattered most.
As for pride, it wasn't worth a damn!
Ji Wuchang withdrew his gaze and sat down in the Ji Family's seating area.
System, check in!
[Ding! Check-in at Muye City's great square successful. Reward: three years of cultivation! Fortune Points +3.]
Ji Wuchang was overjoyed. He had deliberately saved today's check-in opportunity for this place.
As Muye City's great square, this was the most popular place in the city. Checking in here would certainly be far better than at the Ji Family.
The facts proved that Ji Wuchang's thinking was correct.
Feeling a stream of pure spiritual power pour into his body, Ji Wuchang did not hesitate and channeled all of it into his limbs and bones.
The instant this power merged into him, thunder rumbled continuously within Ji Wuchang's body.
Ji Wuchang distinctly felt a peculiar golden sheen appear on his skin.
Ji Wuchang touched it with his hand. It was soft, yet possessed boundless resilience.
Ji Wuchang had a feeling that ordinary blades and swords could not harm him in the slightest.
"Is this what golden skin feels like?"
Ji Wuchang murmured to himself, his eyes shining.
After breaking through to golden skin, he felt that his overall strength had at least doubled.
Moreover, his body felt light, free of dust and impurity. It was a peculiar state of mind.
Ji Wuchang was exceptionally delighted. At this moment, compared with his previous life, his strength was as far apart as heaven and earth!
Ji Ping glanced at Ji Wuchang in surprise. Sitting closest to him, he had just sensed a terrifying power coming from Ji Wuchang!
But the sensation vanished in an instant, and Ji Ping did not know whether he had imagined it!
The drawing of lots for the competition took place. There were only a little over twenty participants.
The first round was an elimination round. Ji Wuchang's opponent had not changed; it was still someone from the Lan Family.
They were the fifth pair to take the stage!
Just as in his previous life, the Lan Family disciple conceded immediately. The two never exchanged a blow!
The match after Ji Wuchang's was Xiao Fan against Wang Cun of the Wang Family!
Wang Cun's cultivation was at the Qi Refinement Third Layer. Seeing Xiao Fan take the stage, contempt appeared in his eyes.
Ji Wuchang watched the two fighting with a smile. Wang Cun attacked fiercely, forcing Xiao Fan to retreat continuously.
The Wang Family cheered, and the surrounding spectators encouraged Wang Cun as well.
In his previous life, Ji Wuchang had closed his eyes upon seeing this scene, feeling there was no need to keep watching.
Now, however, Ji Wuchang watched with relish. Xiao Fan appeared to be retreating constantly, but control of the entire battlefield lay within his calculations.
Wang Cun's attacks seemed fierce, but Xiao Fan was actually making a monkey of him.
In the blink of an eye, the two had exchanged over a hundred moves. Wang Cun was already panting with exhaustion, and the cheers around them had quieted.
Just then, Xiao Fan moved. Swift as lightning, he appeared before Wang Cun and, before Wang Cun could react, drove a fist straight into his stomach.
Wang Cun's face twisted in pain. He staggered backward repeatedly before falling straight off the fighting platform!
"Xiao Fan of the Xiao Family wins!"
Wang Cun glared viciously at Xiao Fan. Even now, he thought it was because he had been careless; otherwise, Xiao Fan could not possibly have defeated him.
Ji Ping glanced at Ji Wuchang, then asked, "Wuchang, what do you think of this Xiao Fan?"
Hearing the familiar question, Ji Wuchang still clearly remembered his answer in his previous life: Not worth mentioning!
Now, hearing Ji Ping's question, Ji Wuchang could not help smiling faintly. He said calmly, "He's someone who knows how to bide his time. The final showdown will be between him and me!"
Ji Ping was momentarily stunned. He had not expected Ji Wuchang to think so highly of Xiao Fan!
Ji Ping had originally thought Xiao Fan's victory over Wang Cun owed something to luck. Hearing Ji Wuchang say this, he could not help recalling the match.
The more he recalled, the more alarmed he became. From beginning to end, Xiao Fan had been controlling the pace!
At that moment, a vicious gleam flashed through Ji Ping's eyes as he looked toward the Xiao Family!