On the way up the mountain, there was a mountain pavilion. A few people sat inside, engaged in animated discussion. Their clothing was a mixed bag. Apart from one or two individuals, they did not appear to be disciples of Kunling Mountain.
Yu Qing and the others noticed the people inside, and those people also noticed them, clearly sizing them up.
The leading disciple waved his hand. The only person in the pavilion wearing Kunling Mountain attire stood up and came over to hand over duties. The former was only responsible for escorting guests, while the latter was the one in charge of settling guests within this district.
Under the gaze of everyone in the pavilion, Yu Qing and the others followed the latter and continued ascending the stone steps.
The escorting disciple turned around, about to hurry back to continue waiting for guests, when he suddenly heard the sound of something breaking through the air. He swiftly turned and dodged, tilting his head to look. He saw that it was merely a pebble flicked out by a man in a pale yellow long robe sitting in the pavilion. Seeing that he had attracted his attention, the man beckoned him over.
He recognised this person. He had also escorted him here. His name was Chan Shaoting.
His looks were average, his cheeks fleshless, his facial lines cold and hard. His bearing in the pavilion had an unmistakable air of superiority, meaning his face wore an obvious expression of arrogance.
To be honest, the escorting disciple did not like this way of greeting either, and he silently cursed the man’s ancestors, but he still quickly put on a smiling face.
There was no helping it. The man had the qualifications to be arrogant. The master of the famous “Guijian Mountain Villa”, a renowned top sword sect in the entire cultivation world, was his grandfather.
Guijian Mountain Villa counted as one of the top sword dao sects in the entire cultivation world. It was not something a mere Kunling Mountain disciple could easily slight. The reason he had arrived early was because he had brought a personal letter from his grandfather to the Kunling Mountain Sect Leader two days prior. Upon arrival, he was able to meet the Sect Leader immediately. This was not the kind of background ordinary attendees possessed.
Furthermore, the master of Guijian Mountain Villa was also one of the notaries for this grand competition, one of the judges.
After the escorting disciple entered the pavilion, he asked with a smile, “What instructions does Young Master Chan have?”
Chan Shaoting lifted his chin towards the few figures ascending the mountain. “Who are they? Also here for the conference?”
The escorting disciple chuckled. “Young Master Chan jests. If they were not here for the conference, how could they be sent to this district? Idle people have places for idle people to stay.”
Chan Shaoting: “Did I see wrong? Why did I see someone carrying a Mystic-grade hard bow? Is it the ‘Qiu Long Bow’ used by Mystic-grade Grand Archers?”
The escorting disciple: “Nothing strange about it. Those four are originally disciples of ‘Longguang Sect’, all arrow cultivators. Four people bringing one bow is already quite polite.”
The people in the pavilion exchanged glances. A dark-faced man shouted, “Since when can Grand Archers participate in the Chaoyang Conference?”
He was also a disciple of Guijian Mountain Villa, named Zhao Qing. He had both accompanied Chan Shaoting to the conference and served as a guard.
The escorting disciple smiled bitterly. “No previous Chaoyang Conference has stipulated that Grand Archers cannot participate. Since they came to register, we cannot refuse them.”
Zhao Qing said in a deep voice, “Is this not a joke? Even if you do not consider other competitors, you must consider the spectators. If they fire a volley of arrows indiscriminately, without regard for what is in front of them, won’t the spectators be thrown into chaos? Are they supposed to carry steel plates as shields?”
Chan Shaoting interjected coolly, “Enough. He is just an escort disciple. He cannot make this decision. What is the point of lecturing him? You are only making things difficult for him.” He waved his hand at the escorting disciple, indicating there was nothing more.
The words were actually reasonable, but they did not sound pleasant when spoken. Perhaps people of his status and position felt there was no point in speaking in a roundabout way, but it caused the escorting disciple to leave with an awkward expression, cupping his hands.
“Brother Zhao, calm down, calm down. Even if they are Grand Archers, so what? In this kind of competition, close-quarters combat puts archers at a disadvantage. Grand Archers may not necessarily gain the upper hand.”
The one offering consolation was a long-faced man sitting nearby. He had unremarkable looks but eyes that flickered with sharp intelligence. His name was Xiao Changdao.
He was also an attendee. Like the short, thin man beside him, he was an unaffiliated rogue cultivator. Both had gotten to know Chan Shaoting after arriving here.
Zhao Qing immediately refuted him. “That is not how it is said. That is clearly a Mystic-grade Grand Archer. If he uses the technique of firing multiple arrows simultaneously, it will still be very dangerous at close range. Although the Chaoyang Conference has a rule that participants are not held responsible for life or death during matches, under the watchful eyes of everyone, most people come for fame and will stop at the appropriate moment. But arrows that have been shot are another matter. They can take a life at any moment.”
Chan Shaoting: “The sword in my hand is not necessarily inferior to their arrows.”
Xiao Changdao clapped his hands in praise. “Young Master Chan, this is true boldness.”
A short, thin man named Wu Ronggui suddenly let out a soft “heh”. “With Young Master Chan here, those few might also have to move elsewhere.”
At these words, the others stared at him, waiting for what followed.
However, his gaze wandered about, looking to the side and saying no more, giving the impression of a guilty conscience. It was very uncomfortable to watch.
Fortunately, the others had known him for a few days and understood it was not a guilty conscience. This fellow simply had this quirk. When speaking with people, his gaze always liked to dodge and evade. At times he would smile lightly as if he held pearls of wisdom. Yet when you truly wanted to hear his great insights, he could say nothing in public.
Moreover, his voice was not loud. It always gave the feeling of someone with their throat gripped, unable to speak freely, soft and gentle. If you did not listen carefully, sometimes you could not hear what he was saying at all. It seemed he could only speak normally when talking privately with someone one-on-one. He liked to whisper secrets behind people’s backs, giving the impression of insufficient yang energy and excessive yin energy.
It was strange that such a rare person liked to stick close to them. Even they themselves found it odd.
Seeing he had fallen silent again, Chan Shaoting cast a contemptuous sidelong glance and then said, “Those few disciples of ‘Longguang Sect’ do not count as tough opponents in this competition. This time, there may truly be formidable experts appearing.”
Xiao Changdao chuckled. “How formidable can they be? With cultivation restricted, they cannot possibly produce a Shangxuan realm expert, can they?”
Chan Shaoting’s expression became unusually grave. “It is not what you think. There may indeed be some unusual people appearing.”
Xiao Changdao and Wu Ronggui exchanged glances. Both could see that this young master did not seem to be talking nonsense. Xiao Changdao could not help asking, “What kind of unusual person could make Young Master Chan so cautious?”
Chan Shaoting glanced around slightly. Seeing no one else nearby, he cautioned, “You have heard that the Earth Mother has recently accepted two new disciples, have you not?”
Xiao Changdao was slightly startled. “Those two legendary female disciples?”
Chan Shaoting nodded.
The other three exchanged glances. Xiao Changdao hesitated. “Surely not. Would the Earth Mother’s disciples personally come to participate?”
Chan Shaoting: “They might come. It cannot be confirmed specifically. It is only because the elders in my family occasionally interact with the Sinan Prefecture that I heard some rumours. It is said those two might come to broaden their horizons, to gain some experience and practice, that sort of thing. After all, it is a grand event held only once every twenty years in the cultivation world. It is normal to come and see the excitement.”
Xiao Changdao clicked his tongue. “If it is true, think about it. With the strange and wondrous techniques they have cultivated from the Earth Mother, who on the field could compete with them? The top spot, what chance would anyone else have? They would undoubtedly be the ones to take it.”
Wu Ronggui beside them suddenly let out a soft laugh and softly muttered another sentence. “It is said those two have not cultivated for long either. They may not necessarily possess that much strength.”
Zhao Qing spoke up. “That is not how it is said. Their cultivation time may not be long, but their cultivation resources are right there. One year is enough to equal five to ten years of effort for others. Moreover, the Sinan Prefecture is filled with experts and numerous strange and wondrous individuals. What kind of sparring methods have they not seen? Those are all top-tier experiences.”
Chan Shaoting hummed in agreement. “Indeed. Although their cultivation time is not long, with such omnipotent conditions laid out before them, it is said that Zhong Ruochen’s cultivation aptitude is also one in ten thousand. She is extremely favoured by the Earth Mother. That is also the reason the Earth Mother accepted her as a disciple at first sight. She may be the one to inherit the Earth Mother’s true legacy. How could someone like that not be strong?”
Xiao Changdao sighed. “With such experiences, why run here to broaden their horizons? With those sisters coming, I fear the entire Chaoyang Conference will be shaken.”
Chan Shaoting waved his hand. “You are overthinking it. They will not participate under their real names. Even if they come, the vast majority will not know. After all, few have seen them. Those who recognise them probably do not have ordinary status. They will not make it known.”
Xiao Changdao asked in surprise, “Can the Chaoyang Conference allow people to participate under false names?” He then laughed at himself. “Indeed, some rules can constrain us, but they are invalid for people of that status. If it is not pointed out, so be it. If it is pointed out, it is for the good of other competitors.”
Wu Ronggui let out a soft laugh. “Naturally, lest those who fight against them hold back.”
Chan Shaoting, however, turned around with his hands behind his back, looking rather wistful and expectant. He sighed melancholically, “I truly long to fight her, even if I lose to her. It would not be a wasted journey.”
Zhao Qing: “You would have to encounter her first. They may not necessarily stay in this district. If they are in another competition zone, you would have to emerge from the local competition before having a chance to meet.”
Chan Shaoting pressed his lips together and nodded.
Wu Ronggui let out another soft laugh. “I wonder what kind of ghostly appearance that Zhong Ruochen has, to be discarded like worn-out shoes by that number one talent under heaven.”
Hearing these words, Chan Shaoting abruptly turned his head and shouted sternly, “What sort of thing are you? What do you know? Is she someone a piece of trash like you can mock?”
He had actually seen those two sisters before. It was during a trip with an elder from his family, a rare opportunity where he had caught a glimpse of them unintentionally. It was love at first sight. Alas, she was beyond his reach. Their statuses were far too disparate. He could only look up to her from a corner, not even having the qualification to approach her uninvited. In his eyes, she was truly like an untouchable celestial fairy.
Xiao Changdao hurriedly spoke to dissuade him. “Young Master Chan, do not be angry. It is merely private discussion. Among private friends, there are not so many rules.”
Wu Ronggui, however, smiled humbly and mysteriously, saying nothing more…
The few of them were still slowly strolling up the mountain stone steps.
When it came to choosing a house, Yu Qing, who was following them up the mountain, had experience. Especially given his current state was similar to when he went to the capital to take the imperial examinations back then. He intended to muddle through and did not truly wish to become famous throughout the land.
Precisely because the situation was similar, Yu Qing, who was looking around, had a moment of random thoughts. A sense of unease flashed through his mind. Could he end up taking first place again this time?
The next moment, a self-mocking smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. He silently laughed at himself, thinking he was overthinking things.
This time it was an open martial arts competition. If he felt his strength was insufficient, he could concede defeat and withdraw from the competition at any time. He would not force himself. It was completely different from going to the capital to take the imperial examinations last time.