"Make way, make way, Master Shen, please!"
At the official clan registration office, the queue stretched to another street, and there were many soldiers maintaining order, with very few cutting in line. However, some people had special privileges and were led into the hall as soon as they arrived.
"Hey, isn't that Leader Shen of the Pingyang Sect?"
"Indeed, they are a major sect, how could we possibly compare?"
"I heard that all of Pingyang Sect's top disciples have come this time. Who knows, they might just win the championship this time."
"What nonsense are you talking about? Shimizu-mon was the champion of the previous competition, and their strength is obvious to all."
"I have high hopes for the Rushan Sect. Their array formations are amazing. If they could catch the eye of Sect Master Yuan Chongshan and become his personal disciple, they could walk sideways in the martial world without having to worry about anyone else's feelings."
"With your qualifications, you should just participate in the grand competition. How can a small sect like ours compare to them? Speaking of which, the girls from the Clear Water Sect are truly stunning beauties. If you could catch the eye of any of them, it would be great to marry them."
"Come on, would she even look at you? I heard that last time a disciple from a small sect went to propose marriage, but he was scared out of his wits by the gatekeeper ghost before he even saw her. He lost all face. If you don't have the ability, all you can do is dream about it."
Following the crowd in line, Xiang Wan overheard this bit of gossip and found it quite interesting, so she stayed put and continued listening to their chatter.
"Hey, have you heard? Pingyang has produced a formidable figure. Do you know who it is?"
"Shen Beiming, the son of the cult leader Shen?"
"You're out of the loop, aren't you? Let me tell you, it's Yang Sheng!"
"Yang Sheng? Which Yang Sheng? Could it be the only heir of the Yang family who was harmed by the vengeful spirit?"
"That's him! He's young, decisive, and a disciple of Shen Guang. He's far more capable than Shen Beiming."
"Two tigers cannot share one mountain. Just wait and see. Sooner or later, Shen Beiming will have to cause trouble for Yang Sheng. Otherwise, the position of sect leader will probably fall into someone else's hands."
"Not necessarily. Yang Sheng is only focused on killing ghosts and has no intention of fighting for power or profit."
"That's because it hasn't come to that point yet. If he were really that powerful, would Shen Beiming let him go? How can one tolerate another snoring beside one's bed? I think a fight is only a matter of time."
This man's words were quite interesting, and Xiang Wan felt a desire to talk to him, so she asked, "May I ask, brother, why are you so certain that Shen Guang's son will instigate a conflict?"
The speaker sized up Xiang Wan and asked warily, "Who are you, and why are you asking about this?"
"I am a member of the Three Pure Ones Sect. Because of my practice of magic, I have not entered the world for a long time. I was very curious about what you said just now, so I asked this question. I have no other intentions." Xiang Wan's attitude was very calm.
The man cupped his hands and said, "So you are a Taoist priest. My apologies for not recognizing you earlier. As for what I said earlier, it wouldn't hurt to tell you."
Shen Guang had a son, Shen Beiming, late in life, whom he doted on immensely, giving him almost anything he wanted. Shen Beiming possessed considerable talent, but under Shen Guang's indulgence, he became arrogant and self-important, unable to tolerate anyone being more capable than him. Years ago, a murder occurred in the Yang family, which the authorities couldn't handle, so they sought help from the Pingyang Sect. It was during that incident that Shen Guang took in Yang Sheng, who had miraculously escaped being possessed by a ghost, and took him under his wing, carefully training him to cultivate a capable assistant for Shen Beiming. However, more than a decade has passed, and Yang Sheng's swordsmanship and magic have surpassed Shen Beiming's. How could this not incur Shen Beiming's resentment? It is said that Shen Beiming has tested Yang Sheng both openly and secretly many times, only to be sent away each time. In this sect competition, Shen Beiming is aiming for the championship, but with Yang Sheng present, the outcome is truly uncertain.
Shen Beiming is petty. If Yang Sheng loses, it's fine, but if he wins, it will likely ignite Shen Beiming's bloodlust. Yang Sheng is single-mindedly devoted to exterminating ghosts, but he's not one to be easily bullied. He might have tolerated it before out of respect for Shen Guang, but once Shen Beiming sets his sights on killing, Yang Sheng will not surrender easily. Therefore, a fight is inevitable. No matter how much Shen Guang tries to stop it, he can only stop it temporarily, not forever. Unless one of them is willing to remain subservient forever.
"Ha, a submissive position? How could that be?" Xiang Wan sneered inwardly.
One killed the original owner for fame and fortune, while the other killed Tu Hongye to eliminate any future troubles.
These two people are both ruthless and have impressive backgrounds. They are unwilling to let go of someone as unknown as the original owner of this body. This shows how deceitful and fraudulent the Pingyang Cult is.
After thanking the man, Xiang Wan lowered her eyes and silently continued her cultivation while waiting in line.
Ever since being spurred on by Tu Hongye's cultivation speed, Xiang Wan has been cultivating whether she's walking or sitting, and has also managed to cultivate the Frost Technique to a certain level.
The task is arduous and the road ahead is long; we must not give up halfway.
The thought of hanging inevitably brings to mind the death of Tu Hongye.
In his past life, he died seeking revenge for the original owner of this body. Because he didn't receive proper guidance, his rare magical physique was wasted, which was truly a pity.
However, if one shines brightly in the competition, one will become the target of major sects, or one's outstanding talent will be blown down by the wind. In such a situation, it is better to hide one's shortcomings.
Once she made up her mind, Xiang Wan started to complain inwardly. Tu Hongye had been waiting in line for a while, but then he said he had a stomachache and needed to go to the toilet. Why hadn't he come back yet? How could she, as his mentor, be allowed to wait in line?
Turning his head and looking around, he saw a commotion not far away, and soon he saw officials going over to maintain order.
"Master, what are you looking at?"
Suddenly, she felt a warm breath on her ear. Xiang Wan turned around, patted Tu Hongye on the shoulder, and nimbly took two steps to the side to make way for him.
Where did you go just now?
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