The next day at noon.
Xianheyuan Residence.
Song Chen opened his eyes and twisted his stiff neck.
After several hours of hard work, he finally finished forging the defensive artifact he needed.
He made a hand seal, and the flames went out.
The furnace, which had been scorching hot all night, was glowing red-hot.
Cracks have appeared around the stove.
The forging furnace that had been with him for three years had now become a piece of junk.
Song Chen put the stove away, pondering when to buy a new one.
The room was quiet. He looked around and found that Zhao Ziyi was not in the room.
Song Chen was somewhat worried about Zhao Ziyi's safety, so he asked telepathically:
"Ziyi, where are you?"
Zhao Ziyi replied quickly:
"You're awake? I'll head back right now. I went out with Senior Sister Huang Li this morning!"
"Then I'll wait for you in the room."
In less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.
Zhao Ziyi pushed open the door and walked in.
He said excitedly:
"Song Chen, guess what I saw!"
"What?"
"This morning, I saw Mu Feng and the other two go to the hidden auction! And Qi Tai even secretly met with them."
Song Chen frowned; he knew Qi Tai was a man of ill intentions.
Today is the first day of the Celestial Realm Grand Competition.
Qi Tai's meeting with Mu Feng was definitely not for good purposes.
"Senior Sister Huang Li has been monitoring Qi Tai's movements recently. Qi Tai says he's doing this for the victory of Xianhe Garden, but he actually wants to harm you."
Song Chen frowned, puzzled, and said:
"I have no grudge against Qi Tai. I even sold him a Fire-Refining Grass to save his life. Why would he want to harm me?"
Zhao Ziyi smiled helplessly, "I've found out all the reasons."
It turns out that Qi Tai resented Song Chen for renting his land.
He also resented Elder Dan's appreciation of Song Chen.
Since the start of the academy competition, Song Chen's name has been constantly mentioned by the elders of Danfeng.
Qi Tai felt that his position as the senior disciple was threatened.
So he gathered those who also resented Song Chen, and prepared to make Song Chen lose face and reputation in the Immortal Realm Grand Competition.
This caused the elders of each peak to be disappointed in Song Chen.
After hearing this, Song Chen shook his head and sighed. He had always been a member of the Weapon Refining Peak, so how could he possibly go to the Pill Refining Peak?
However, people like Qi Tai have always enjoyed resources for free and cultivated by relying on the academy's charity.
They do care more about the elders' opinions.
He was even more worried that Song Chen would steal the resources that rightfully belonged to him.
Zhao Ziyi chuckled:
People like Qi Tai always look down on others.
They think free resources are good, so they assume that once you advance to the inner sect, you'll steal their resources.
Song Chen waved his hand and said:
"Never mind him. We've already made an enemy of Mu Feng and the other two. Now, adding Qi Tai won't make a difference."
"We'll be gathering and setting off soon, so let's distribute the equipment and magical artifacts now!"
"Okay. Let's go downstairs now."
Song Chen and his companion walked out of the pavilion and into the winding corridor.
Song Chen handed Zhao Ziyi a storage bag.
“Each cultivator with a talisman mark on their fingertip will be issued two sets of tenth-grade robes, ten talismans, and two pills.”
Zhao Ziyi nodded. "Okay."
The two were ready, and Song Chen shouted with all his might:
"Cultivators, assemble!"
On the day of the argument, all the Foundation Establishment cultivators sided with Song Chen.
As the leader of the Foundation Establishment stage team, Song Chen simply summoned the entire team.
First, distribute all the treasures to the Foundation Establishment cultivators.
The remaining Golden Core cultivators can be dealt with later.
Upon hearing Song Chen's shout, a series of footsteps echoed from the attic.
Everyone was obviously going downstairs.
Some monks couldn't wait any longer and simply jumped out of the window.
The monks stood together according to the colors of their academy robes.
They all stared at Song Chen with gleaming eyes.
Song Chen shouted loudly:
“Come one by one, verify the talisman marks here with me.”
"Go to Ziyi's place and collect the treasures. Let's start at the Weapon Refining Peak."
The cultivators lined up, excitedly receiving the treasures Song Chen had given them.
"Holy crap! A seventh-grade robe! And it's even made of second-grade golden silkworm silk!"
"—Mine is actually a ninth-grade robe!"
"I need to change into this right now! It's my first robe!"
"—There are even talismans! If I were to draw these ten talismans myself, it would take me at least two months!"
"Our robes are the same color as the academy uniforms. Song Chen is very thoughtful."
"The pills that Song Chen casually gave me were top-grade pills. I really admire him!"
Song Chen immediately gifted each person a treasure worth 500 gold coins.
Each of the tenth-grade robes alone is worth about 230 gold.
The cultivators around them excitedly exchanged ideas, all agreeing that supporting Song Chen was the right decision.
Song Chen quickly verified one talisman mark after another.
Suddenly, he saw a monk whose fingers were clean and bare.
He looked up and saw that it was Ren He, a cultivator from the Pill Academy.
They even competed in alchemy during the academy's grand competition before.
Song Chen frowned and asked:
"What happened? Where did the defense talisman go?"
Ren He's face turned ashen, and she cursed:
"It's that scumbag Qi Tai!"
Relying on his status as the senior disciple of Danfeng, he called me and Wang Sanjing to his room and asked us to act as his inside men.
We didn't agree, so he smashed our defensive talismans.
A mocking voice came from afar.
"Hmph, your cultivation isn't much, but you're good at tattling!"
Qi Tai strode over from afar with an imposing aura, followed by a group of Golden Core cultivators.
Zhao Ziyi's expression darkened upon hearing this.
He grew up in Xianhe Garden and, although he had been ridiculed and mocked, no one had ever seriously harmed him.
Qi Tai's actions broadened his horizons.
Zhao Ziyi said sarcastically:
"You can only act tough in Xianhe Garden, but when you meet Mu Feng, you're like a dog."
To describe you as a dog is an insult to dogs; you're a disgrace!
Do you think no one knows about your collusion with Mu Feng?
Now the entire Zhuoyangchuan region knows you're a traitor!
Qi Tai's face turned pale. He stood at a distance with his arms crossed, and he shouted nervously:
"What nonsense are you spouting! How did I collude with Mu Feng? What evidence do you have?"
Zhao Ziyi sneered:
"What an idiot! The Immortal Realm Grand Competition is only for students and Nascent Soul Elders."
Each faction has eight Nascent Soul Elders.
There are currently 48 factions stationed in Zhuoyangchuan.
You could easily hit a Nascent Soul cultivator by simply throwing a brick.
What you think is a conspiracy is nothing but a pointless fart!
You didn't even set up a soundproof barrier, you're really stupid!
Upon hearing this, Qi Tai's face showed a look of panic. "I, I didn't."
Zhao Ziyi scoffed disdainfully:
"Hmph, you can explain to the Enforcement Hall when we get back to the academy!"
Upon hearing Zhao Ziyi's words, Qi Tai's expression twisted.
He really didn't know what to do.
He originally thought his plan was flawless.
Was the result really that easily defeated?
He thought of the punishment from the Enforcement Hall, and then he thought of what Mu Feng had promised him.
Qi Tai gritted his teeth and said:
"Yes, I have partnered with Mu Feng!"
Since you already know, I won't pretend anymore.
Don't expect us Golden Core cultivators to protect you in today's team competition of the Immortal Realm Grand Tournament!
Zhao Ziyi gave a mocking smile:
"That's hilarious! We never placed any hope in you!"
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