Martial Nephew Jiang, Martial Nephew Bai
Yun Yao seized the opening to promote Jiang Lin, first praising him. "Elder Chu, there is no need to be so strict. Your daughter is already a fourth-grade formation master at such a young age, and her talent and skills are remarkable. Her future achievements in formations will surely be immeasurable. In the future, I will have that worthless disciple of mine exchange insights on formations with your daughter, so they can improve together."
Then he gently instructed Jiang Lin, "After the formation competition, make sure you share your experience with your junior sister Ling'er."
"Yes, I will be sure to exchange insights on formations with Junior Sister Ling'er." Whether Jiang Lin was willing or not, he agreed in a low voice.
"I don't want to. He only won by chance. I'll definitely beat him next time." Chu Ling'er turned her head away and gave a cold snort. Proud and prickly as ever.
But if that bare-bottomed incident had not happened to Jiang Lin, she would surely have been a little won over by his talent for formations.
Unfortunately, the bare-bottomed incident had changed Chu Ling'er's view of Jiang Lin entirely. After all, no cultivator would have a favorable impression of a cultivator with his bare bottom on display.
"We'll talk about the future when it comes. Let's continue the formation competition," Chu Lanqiu said coldly, then told Elder Meng to resume presiding over the contest.
Even knowing that Jiang Lin had considerable talent for formations, Chu Lanqiu did not want her daughter to have too much contact with him. Jiang Lin was simply too disgusting. She did not want people discussing whether her future son-in-law's butt cheeks were white or perky.
Besides, she had high hopes for Qin Chuan now. He was the formation genius her father had spoken of, and a disciple of the Glazed Glass Immortal Venerable. He was just right for her precious daughter.
After receiving Chu Lanqiu's order, Elder Meng first asked Jiang Lin, "Martial Nephew Jiang, do you need to rest?"
"No." Jiang Lin stood with his hands behind his back, a graceful figure in his black robes, but no one admired him. Everyone below was too busy wondering whether his butt cheeks were really white.
After confirming that Jiang Lin did not need a rest, Elder Meng immediately invited Qin Chuan onto the stage. Qin Chuan put on no airs and flew up.
"Martial Nephew Jiang, how about I defend and you attack?" Qin Chuan shamelessly tried to take advantage.
"Hehe, shouldn't you give your martial nephew a break, Martial Uncle Qin?" Jiang Lin, that old schemer, was not about to let Qin Chuan have his way.
"Shouldn't a martial nephew respect his elders? Your martial uncle is getting old. How about giving me a break, Martial Nephew Jiang?" Qin Chuan was equally unwilling to let Jiang Lin have the advantage.
Everyone had expected to see an exciting formation contest, but instead they first witnessed a war of words.
In the end, neither Qin Chuan nor Jiang Lin gave way. Under everyone's watchful eyes, each laid out his own formation.
"A fifth-grade formation, the Five Thunders Crown Formation! Jiang Lin actually laid out a fifth-grade formation. He's only twenty-four. His talent is truly terrifying!" A disciple who understood formations explained to those around him.
Like alchemy, formations were divided into nine grades. Seventh- and eighth-grade alchemists and formation masters could be called grandmasters, while those of the ninth grade were great grandmasters.
The Pure Void Sect had no formation great grandmaster. Its most accomplished formation master was Chu Xing, an eighth-grade formation grandmaster, while Chu Lanqiu was a seventh-grade formation grandmaster.
At that moment, there was appreciation for Jiang Lin in Chu Lanqiu's eyes, and Yun Yao seized the opening to promote him again. "Elder Chu, that worthless disciple of mine isn't bad, is he?"
It would have been better if Yun Yao had kept quiet. The moment he spoke, Chu Lanqiu remembered how Jiang Lin had been seen stark naked, and disgust welled up in her at once. She continued to brush him off. "The sect master's beloved disciple is naturally impressive."
She put on an air of not wanting to say anything more to Yun Yao, and he stopped pressing his warm face against her cold backside. He quietly watched Qin Chuan and Jiang Lin's contest on the stage.
By the time Jiang Lin finished laying out his formation, Qin Chuan's was already complete.
"Huh? Qin Chuan laid out the formation Jiang Lin used just now: the Five Elements Mutual Generation Formation."
"Jiang Lin laid out a fifth-grade attack formation, while Qin Chuan's is a fourth-grade defensive formation. Doesn't that mean Jiang Lin is going to win?"
"Yes, a fourth-grade defensive formation can't withstand a fifth-grade attack formation. Jiang Lin should win."
"Pah, what rotten luck! To think that disgusting Jiang Lin is going to take first place in the formation competition. I probably won't even be able to stomach my pills today." It was the same female cultivator from before; she was now one of Jiang Lin's haters.
"Who does Elder Chu think will win?" Seeing that Jiang Lin had victory in his grasp, Yun Yao deliberately asked.
"The outcome isn't for me to decide. We'll only know the result after they compete," Chu Lanqiu said coldly. She really did not want to respond to Yun Yao.
Besides, she was thinking. The disciples below and the elders who understood formations all said that Qin Chuan had laid out the Five Elements Mutual Generation Formation.
But she kept feeling that something was off. Qin Chuan's formation differed subtly from the Five Elements Mutual Generation Formation. Others could not see it, but she, a seventh-grade formation grandmaster, had noticed something amiss.
"Mother, Jiang Lin isn't really going to take first place in the formation competition, is he?" Chu Ling'er's voice was listless. She would rather Qin Chuan took first place in the martial competition than let Jiang Lin take it.
Otherwise, people would talk about her as the formation master who lost to a bare-bottomed man. Qin Chuan, at least, was the genius her grandfather had spoken of. Losing to a genius was better than losing to a bare bottom.
"Watch their contest carefully. Now you know there are people beyond people and heavens beyond heaven, don't you?" Chu Lanqiu lightly tapped Chu Ling'er's forehead.
"Mother..." Chu Ling'er clung to Chu Lanqiu's arm and acted spoiled.
"You..." Chu Lanqiu looked at her dotingly, and Chu Ling'er snuggled into her embrace, still acting spoiled.
Mother and daughter made a beautiful sight at that moment, one that had the flashy Wang Sang staring, his eyes fixed on them. He muttered to himself, Elder Chu is truly graceful.
But Wang Sang was the only one admiring the scene. Everyone else had their attention on Qin Chuan and Jiang Lin, who were competing on the arena.
Qin Chuan and Jiang Lin stood a short distance apart, looking at each other. Neither made the first move to use his formation.
"Martial Uncle Qin, it's not too late to concede. I could only just manage to lay out a fifth-grade formation. It would be unfortunate if I lost control of it and injured you." Jiang Lin, the scheming little bastard, smiled at Qin Chuan with ill intent.
"I'd really like to see how powerful a fifth-grade formation is. No need to hold back, Martial Nephew Bai," Qin Chuan shot back.
The words "Martial Nephew Bai" stunned Jiang Lin. He blurted out, "Martial Uncle Qin, my surname is Jiang. Where did this Martial Nephew Bai come from? You haven't been frightened senseless, have you? It's not too late to concede."
"Hehe, Martial Nephew Bai, one shouldn't talk so big." Qin Chuan lowered his gaze to Jiang Lin's backside, his meaning thoroughly mocking.
"Hahaha, Martial Nephew Bai!" Jin Pang burst out laughing below, followed by an explosion of laughter from the other disciples. They all understood what "Martial Nephew Bai" meant: a white bottom made him Martial Nephew Bai, didn't it?
"Pfft, Qin Chuan really is..." Chu Ling'er laughed out loud, all decorum forgotten. After a glare from Chu Lanqiu, she did not dare finish what she was saying.
The elders on the high platform wanted to laugh, but out of consideration for Yun Yao, the sect master, they did their best to hold it in.
But Zhang Daoyuan, the grand elder, really could not contain himself, nor did he want to. He laughed outright and jokingly asked, "Was it really that white?"
As soon as he said that, the elders on the platform could hold back no longer and all began chuckling under their breath. Yun Yao was angry, but there was nothing he could do. He could only clench his fists and, in a burst of anger, be angry for a moment.