Chapter 45
In the stands were elders from various factions and the head of the Exorcism Bureau. On the arena, disciples from various factions wielded their swords and threw out several talismans. The clash of spells from different sects made the competition look particularly exciting. The reactions of the elders and the head of the Bureau also made the competition look particularly formal.
As a disciple who had participated in four Immortal Alliance Conferences, Xiao Mu was somewhat uneasy about this competition. This charade might fool laymen, but it was obvious to experts that they weren't putting in the effort. Normally, those who had been with the sect for less than twenty years weren't allowed to participate in the competition.
The most worthwhile and exciting matches to watch are those featuring disciples like Lin Jichen from the late Ming Dynasty.
As things stand, the main purpose of this competition is to discuss how the Demon Clan created the Ten Directions Barrier and how to deal with them in the future. But at least they should put on a show. Xiao Mu looked worried, but since the sect leaders and elders didn't seem to care, what did it matter to him, a mere disciple?
Lin Jichen frowned as he watched the competition on stage. They should have at least sent a few capable fighters up there. The doubts he had raised about not being allowed to participate in the days leading up to the event were now being answered exactly as he had predicted.
This was a sham competition. The disciples on stage were all very young; it could even be described as a martial arts contest. They just hoped that the laymen in the audience wouldn't be able to tell the difference.
However, to be fair, the Exorcism Division truly is the guardian of the capital. It seems their disciples undergo rigorous selection processes upon entering the sect, leaving only those with exceptional talent and ability. Even the smallest sect selects its disciples based on their aptitude; each one is one in a hundred.
The nobles in the capital probably wouldn't notice!
Gu Qingci saw that Lin Jichen had already stepped out of the screen's cover. Then she heard someone beside her ask, "Qingci, is that woman a disciple of Tianyu Mountain?" The person's voice was full of envy.
"Yes, I am a disciple of Nanyu Peak of Tianyu Mountain."
Another woman who overheard the conversation looked at Lin Jichen's back and said, "If I remember correctly, Tianyu Mountain is one of the four major sects. The disciples who can enter Tianyu Mountain are one in a thousand."
Lin Jichen could hear what the people behind her were saying, but she didn't turn around. Even if she did, she wouldn't know what to say.
Gu Qingci nodded and said, "She is indeed very capable. I heard that she is one of the top young disciples of Tianyu Mountain."
How many female disciples does Tianyu Mountain have?
I really don't know, and I haven't asked. "I haven't asked, so I'm not sure."
While everyone was talking, Murong Jing from the Exorcism Bureau appeared on the stands. Several women were paying attention to him.
This also includes Gu Qingci.
"Who is stronger, Lin Xiushi or Murong Jing?" a woman asked, patting Gu Qingci on the shoulder.
What kind of question is this? Gu Qingci shook her head: "I don't know."
"It should be Cultivator Lin! I just had someone inquire about him. Cultivator Lin has been cultivating for over two hundred years. How can Murong Jing, with less than fifty years of cultivation, compare to him?"
Of course, some people didn't want to hear this: "How can you diminish your own prestige? Isn't Murong Jing hailed as a genius?"
"But Tianyu Mountain also considers aptitude when accepting disciples. They can't be considered geniuses, nor can they be mediocre."
"Let's watch the competition!" Gu Qingci changed the subject. "Murong Jing should participate this year. Once he makes his move, we'll know whether he can compete with Lin Xiushi."
"He's not participating."
Gu Qingci paused, then nodded after a long while. Luckily, neither he nor Lin Xiushi were participating. Although Murong Jingqiang was strong, he was truly no match for Lin Jichen. If you included all the male disciples on Tianyu Mountain, you could count the number of people who could defeat her on one hand.
"What a pity," Gu Qingci said, echoing the man's words.
"Yes, otherwise our Exorcism Division would still have a chance of winning."
Of course, these days won't be all about competitions; everyone needs to rest. After all, this gathering wasn't really for the sake of a competition.
Some say that only this Immortal Alliance Conference deserves the name "Immortal Alliance" because its timeline has been stretched exceptionally long. This year's competition also features the most variety: two days of sword fighting, then two days of formation fighting, followed by a few days of rest to explore the capital. Then it's back to sword fighting and formation fighting, followed by another two days of rest.
It seems that the discussions among the leaders and elders of the various factions did not go smoothly. Every competition has an end date, but this official competition seems to be indefinitely postponed.
That day, the council members couldn't reach a conclusion. Despite checking various places, they couldn't find any loopholes. Fang Xiashen's memory seemed to be malfunctioning; she had even forgotten what she had told Shi Yunzhou about Jianye Town.
As Shi Yunzhou sat drinking tea by the window on the second floor of the inn, he felt uneasy thinking about the first day of the competition. "They might as well go and have a match on the arena themselves."
Zhou Xuanzhi, who was sitting opposite him, was also feeling uncomfortable. He sighed and said, "There are many sects participating in this conference. We need some time to discuss things."
All the immortal sects participated this time, numbering in the hundreds, large and small. The feasibility of each sect's opinions and suggestions was thoroughly discussed. The discussions were indeed lengthy, as they concerned not only the well-being of all people but also the interests of each sect.
"I heard that even the emperor wants to send someone to participate."
That's right, these are his people, and this is his realm. Naturally, he has to take it to heart, and also so that he can better monitor these immortal sects.
"Luckily he didn't come," Zhou Xuanzhi said with a wry smile.
The various sects are already finding it so difficult to negotiate, and then there's the influence of a human emperor. It seems unlikely that any results will be achieved this year.
Shi Yunzhou was sipping his tea when he glanced outside casually, as if he had seen something. He turned back and was astonished by what he saw.
Seeing his junior brother's expression, Zhou Xuanzhi followed his gaze. Hmm, he recognized both of them, but why were they together?
Seeing the man and woman chatting and laughing together, Shi Yunzhou felt conflicted. He pointed at the two people outside and said, "How did these two get together?"
Although I had heard of it before, seeing it today, I felt that something was not right.
Zhou Xuanzhi looked closely but couldn't quite make out what Gu Qingci was saying. Murong Jing was watching her and smiling. Because he was quite far away, he couldn't see it clearly, but he was definitely smiling. He shook his head and said, "I don't know."
"How come they're so familiar with each other?" Gu Qingci has never even smiled like this at her savior! How could she and Murong Jing have developed such a relationship in just a few days?
Watching the two figures disappear into the distance, Shi Yunzhou said in surprise, "So, you could say these two fell in love at first sight?"
Looking at their backs, they seemed to know each other but were also quite close. Yet, if their interaction truly reflected romantic feelings, it felt somewhat distant. This disconnect made Zhou Xuanzhi feel that their relationship might not be so simple: "Perhaps we're overthinking it, or maybe they're just friends."
Friends? He didn't know anyone like that in his own life, but Shi Yunzhou had also observed how friends interacted, and none of them seemed to be like that. "Anzhi doesn't know?"
Anzhi? Zhou Xuanzhi denied it, saying, "Miss Gu and Junior Sister Lin should be more familiar with each other."
Upon hearing the name Lin Jichen, Shi Yunzhou's expression stiffened slightly. It was her again.
"Never mind, it has nothing to do with us. Being with Murong Jing isn't so bad, at least I can protect her." Shi Yunzhou was no longer the nonchalant person he had been just moments before.
Murong Jing was a rare talent, and he was also the disciple of the head of the Exorcism Bureau. His strength should be considerable, so it shouldn't have caused trouble in the capital. Shi Yunzhou tried to comfort himself with this thought. He didn't even seem to realize that in the short time it took, a whole pot of tea had been poured into his own cup, and half of the tea had been drunk by the table.
Seeing his junior brother's state, Zhou Xuanzhi wanted to speak several times but was silenced. However, when he saw that his hands were unsteady even when holding a teacup, he couldn't help but say, "If you're worried, you can follow him."
Shi Yunzhou stood up, took a few steps outside, and then came back. This time, his expression wasn't as anxious.
"Why aren't you going?"
Looking at his senior brother's calm and composed demeanor, Shi Yunzhou sighed and said, "This is the capital city, and she has Murong Jing by her side. It's not a big problem."
"And who were you just now?" Zhou Xuanzhi's slow and deliberate tone was quite unpleasant.
"Aren't you worried?" The demons' plan has already begun. Although they don't know why she entered Guancheng before, this matter is inextricably linked to the demons. The aura on that bracelet will make them mistakenly believe it's the reincarnation of their master, and those with grudges or hatred will seize this opportunity.
Zhou Xuanzhi smiled helplessly, his arm sweeping across the table where the tea had vanished. He handed the pastries in front of him to Shi Yunzhou and said, "The demons aren't stupid. If you were a demon, would you still try to kill Miss Gu at this time? They must have gone through a lot of trouble to get out of the Ten Directions Barrier. They couldn't have come out just for revenge!"
Shi Yunzhou should have expected this long ago, but he was always too impatient when it came to his master's questions. Over the past two hundred years, he thought he had become less impatient and reckless, but even after two hundred years, upon learning this about his master, he was still the same. He really hadn't improved at all.
Yes, Shi Yunzhou was aware of his shortcomings. He lowered his head and said self-deprecatingly, "It seems I still need my senior brother's guidance."
"However, we still need to see Junior Sister Lin." Upon hearing Zhou Xuanzhi's words, Shi Yunzhou raised his head.
Looking out the window, Zhou Xuanzhi continued, "They can have feelings for each other, but it can't affect our plans."
"Lin Jichen?" It wasn't that he underestimated her, but he felt that this woman was completely oblivious to matters of the heart. Of course, he swallowed his words; after all, he was asking her for a favor, and he couldn't say anything bad about her.
Zhou Xuanzhi naturally sensed the dissatisfaction, but he couldn't act like that now. After all, Lin Jichen was the one who truly wanted to help them. He explained slowly, "Junior Sister Lin will help us in the future, so you should treat her better. Although she made a mistake, we must be patient at this time. At least her admiration for Master hasn't diminished in the slightest over the past two hundred years."
"You also think she's wrong, right? I didn't start anything! But you're really good at holding back." Lin Jichen always had to find an excuse for his patience.
Zhou Xuanzhi: ...
He shouldn't have said that. He genuinely thinks Junior Sister Lin is a really nice person. She's just a bit sharp-tongued, but she always ends up being speechless after being roasted. Oh well, let it be! These two aren't incompatible.
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