Connections that strong?

At the foot of Azure Cloud Peak, Lu Changsheng wandered around for a long time.

He wanted to go up and have a word with the patriarch, and even felt an urge to go up and beat him up.

All he wanted was to quietly lie low in the sect, yet the patriarch wanted him to compete. And this was the outcome after the sect master had repeatedly remonstrated, fretting himself into a state.

Having cultivated for ten years, he knew how terrifying the outside world was. Peaceful, harmonious havens like the Cangyun Sect were few and far between.

What was the Divine Firmament Sect? A place that devoured people!

How could a delicate greenhouse flower like him withstand the grinding torment of a place like purgatory?

Finally, he made up his mind to ascend Azure Cloud Peak. Even if he had to suppress the patriarch today, he would not compete.

Wasn't this just making trouble for him?

Steeling himself, Lu Changsheng immediately set off, only to see a figure approaching from afar.

It was none other than Luo Tian!

Looking at the sect master, he broke into a grin and was just about to greet him.

But Luo Tian wore a thunderous expression.

"What bewitching potion did you feed the patriarch to make him insist on giving you one of the already scarce slots?"

"Sect master, what do you mean by that?"

"What do I mean? Don't you know perfectly well?" Luo Tian snorted.

Lu Changsheng frowned. "Sect master, that's slander. Do you think I want to go?"

"You don't want to go? Then go tell the patriarch yourself!"

With a quiet snort, Luo Tian swept his sleeve and left.

"Hey, that little old man!"

Lu Changsheng frowned. He hadn't wanted to go in the first place, yet Luo Tian was still giving him attitude.

"Just you wait. I'll give you some proper help with your cultivation later!" Lu Changsheng said, about to set off.

Just then, however, the patriarch's voice came from Azure Cloud Peak.

"Changsheng, come up!"

As the voice faded, Lu Changsheng stopped hesitating. He had to get this straightened out today. He couldn't suffer this injustice for nothing.

But when he reached the grand hall at the summit, the patriarch's iron-tower-like figure stood bathed in the sunset. A smile touched his lips as he turned to look at him.

"Patriarch!"

"You're here!"

The patriarch spoke, motioning for him to sit.

He stood on no ceremony and sat beside the patriarch.

Before he could speak, the Cangyun Sect Patriarch spoke first. "Don't blame Luo Tian. He wasn't targeting you. He meant well and didn't want you taking risks. After all, if something happened to you, he'd have trouble answering to that girl Xianling!"

"I don't blame him!" Lu Changsheng continued, "What I wanted to say was..."

"You want to know why I'm sending you to compete?"

"Yes, why?"

"Because I have faith in you. If it's you, you'll definitely get into the Divine Firmament Sect!"

As his words fell, silence settled outside the grand hall.

A flicker of surprise crossed Lu Changsheng's eyes. Looking at the patriarch, he saw a smile touching his lips as he sized him up, his eyes filled with warmth.

His heart tightened. Had I been discovered?

Impossible. I'd hidden myself for ten years without anyone knowing. This old man had only looked at me a few times. How could he have discovered it?

Could I have let something slip when I made a move back then?

"Changsheng!"

As he pondered, the patriarch spoke, interrupting his thoughts.

"Patriarch, you can't joke about something like this. With my cultivation, wouldn't going there be throwing my life away? How about sending someone else to their death?" Lu Changsheng probed.

The patriarch shook his head. "Someone else would have trouble passing too, unless they had Qingyu's talent and aptitude!"

"So you think I do?"

"You don't need them!"

"Why?"

The patriarch smiled. "You don't want to go because you know you won't be selected and don't want to waste your time. Since that's the case, I won't keep it from you anymore. You've actually already been selected behind the scenes!"

"Selected behind the scenes? Through the back door?"

"Yes!"

For a moment, the youth was utterly bewildered.

When did this happen? How did I know nothing about it?

The patriarch continued, "You have a powerful backer in the Divine Firmament Sect. As long as you go, no matter your results, even if you lie there until the very end, you'll be fine!"

"My connections are that strong?"

The youth stared blankly at the old man, his gaze rather strange!

I had such a powerful backer? Why hadn't anyone told me?

"That strong indeed! I didn't tell you before because you were young, and I was afraid you'd get carried away flaunting it!" the patriarch said earnestly.

Silence swept over the grand hall once more.

After a long time, Lu Changsheng slowly said, "So you think I've grown up now?"

"Yes!"

"Patriarch, honestly, I feel like you're lying to me, but I have no proof!"

"At my age, would I really lie to a youngster like you?" The patriarch frowned.

Lu Changsheng shook his head. "That's hard to say!"

The two looked at each other.

The patriarch continued, "If you didn't have these connections, why would I send you?"

"Because you've got nothing better to do!"

"You..."

The patriarch was speechless. He knew the brat was a rascal, but hadn't expected him to be this much of one. He wouldn't even give his patriarch any face.

Lu Changsheng pondered for a moment. "You sound so serious, Patriarch. Could my backer in the Divine Firmament Sect be my long-lost father?"

"More or less!"

Lu Changsheng: "..."

Had he not heard that both his parents had died when he was little, he might almost have believed this rotten old man's words.

"Enough. My mind is made up. You're going whether you want to or not!"

As he spoke, the patriarch stood and reached out to pull Lu Changsheng to his feet.

By the time he reacted, a brand had already appeared on his body.

It was a mark of participation.

Only those bearing the mark were qualified to participate in the Dynasty War, and once it was applied, it could not be erased.

If someone insisted on removing it or replacing its bearer, the Divine Firmament Sect would send people to investigate thoroughly, fearing that someone with sinister intentions was trying to infiltrate the sect.

There was also a strict rule: anyone bearing the mark had to compete, or the trouble would be considerable as well.

"Patriarch, you can't do this!" Lu Changsheng's brows knitted tightly.

The patriarch patted his shoulder and said kindly, "Now you're going whether you want to or not. Prepare well. I have faith in you!"

Hearing those gentle words, the youth stood in the wind, utterly bewildered.

How was this any different from forcing a duck onto a perch?

With things having come to this, he had no choice. He left Azure Cloud Peak and plunged into the mountains.

Just as the patriarch had said, he had to go now, whether he wanted to or not. At worst, he would make a trip and come back. He could treat it as seeing his eldest senior brother off. As long as he was a little cautious, there shouldn't be much of a problem.

Still, he needed to prepare beforehand. There were a few months left until the Dynasty War, so he would see whether he could improve his cultivation some more.

If something really happened, a little more strength meant a little more security.

After all, the patriarch's mouth was a lying devil. If he really had a backer, would he have ended up in this lousy state?

Meanwhile, on Azure Cloud Peak, Lin Po stood beside the patriarch. Watching the youth disappear, he finally couldn't resist speaking.

"Patriarch, does Changsheng really have a backer in the Divine Firmament Sect? Has he really been selected behind the scenes?"

Hearing this, the patriarch raised his brows slightly.

"You could say so!"

"Could?" Lin Po asked. "Then why did you insist on giving him a slot?"

A trace of embarrassment immediately appeared on the patriarch's face. "Actually, that girl Xianling begged for this slot for him. The Divine Firmament Sect's supreme elder dotes on her and agreed to her request, telling me to provide this slot. She promised the sect some compensation..."

"Didn't you say you don't bow to power?" Lin Po was shocked.

The patriarch said, "Not bowing to power doesn't mean I'm stupid. Gleaming resources in exchange for a single slot-why wouldn't I make the trade? Aside from Qingyu, how many of the others do you think have a chance of making the cut this time?"

"But..."

"But what? Giving Changsheng a slot won't affect the final outcome in any way, but it can make the sect stronger. Is there a single downside?"

"True!" Lin Po roughly understood. Recalling their earlier words, he couldn't help remarking, "That brat Changsheng really is lucky. He can get into the Divine Firmament Sect without doing anything!"

"Not quite. He won't get in!" The patriarch shook his head.

Puzzled, Lin Po asked, "Didn't you say he'd been selected behind the scenes?"

"Without a little deception, would someone with his temperament go? The Divine Firmament's Four Venerables oversee the disciple selection. They're famously unbending. Besides, I reckon that supreme elder doesn't want a slacker like him entering the Divine Firmament Sect either..."

He had heard something of Lu Changsheng's exploits, after all.

"Isn't this just making a fool of Changsheng?"

Lin Po sighed. He had just been marveling at his good fortune, only for it to turn out that he was being led out for a pointless stroll.

Still, although that supreme elder couldn't interfere with disciple selection, having someone look after Lu Changsheng, keep him safe, and let him wait peacefully until the selection ended would be no problem.

Ultimately, Luo Xianling simply wanted to fight for an opportunity for Lu Changsheng.

The two old fellows were merely fulfilling a young person's wish along the way!

After all, in everyone's eyes, whether Lu Changsheng participated made no difference!

The patriarch was helpless too. Since there was no danger anyway, he would leave it at that and compensate him after he returned.