The second day of the Eastern Martial Meet started early with the sun. Disciples of the main team gathered in the arenas on the seventh peak for the individual tournament draw. Fifty disciples entered and did their draws; the twenty-five matches ended within a few hours, much faster than last time.

Wang Yang watched from the special booth near the tiled square platform. Since he was from the reserve team, he wasn't allowed to participate in the tournament. However, he didn't blink and tried his best to capture every detail of the match.

Senior Chen is much more dangerous than I expected. He trapped that dagger user from the Purple Cloud Sect in a complex formation after using the simple mist formation. Did he already have it deployed? Or is he that fast at casting them? Another one of my predictions was wrong. Wang Yang crossed out the matchup in the book in his hand and wrote his observations, a task given to him by Li Muchen.

"This is sort of fun." Wang Yang jotted down what he understood and even added smaller notes about how he could face an opponent like Chen Liang.

Muchen, who stood near the booth's door, smiled at his disciple's eager actions. The booth had two seats, one for each of his disciples, but Sun Lingling decided to internalize the things she had learned from the trial, Grave of Swords.

There's a 60% chance she will break through to the Foundation building realm by the end of Eastern Martial Meet. Muchen mused. The explosive growth after Grave of Swords came as no surprise to him; it was a common occurrence, just rare this time. For someone like her, interactions with other sword cultivators and constant battles are more important than just cultivating.

Muchen tweaked his plans slightly to fit his disciple's growth path and pocketed his own booklet. After overseeing the trials on the first day, he had ample free time for the next three days, if he didn't know of the approaching danger.

His target had arrived in the arena; Muchen slipped out of the booth and closed the door. A little distance from him, a young man with a suave face walked down the bright, cream-coloured hallway.

"Senior Li, I didn't expect to run into you here." Hua Bo bowed with a martial salute and smiled like he had just met his family.

"Me neither, I thought you were still in the Cave of Eons." Muchen returned the greeting with a similar smile.

"I already checked the formation; the whole thing runs as smoothly as Xinag horses of the north. And Senior Fei is keeping an eye on it for the afternoon."

"Rather than keeping an eye, he might be drinking himself to sleep." Muchen shook his head. "Why did the alliance choose him as a representative this time? Last I knew, there was a lot of friction between him and the alliance leadership."

"Well… I am not quite sure either. The decision surprised not only me, but even Fei Chao." Hua Bo chuckled. "But because of that, I have few responsibilities this time. So, I am not complaining."

"You have been carrying a lot on your young shoulders this whole time," Muchen said as the two started stepping through the hallway. They took a left that led to the first-floor viewing dock.

"It's nothing compared to the work senior Li and others do." Hua Bo looked up at the fourth-floor viewing platform rather than the intense match in the arena. "That's why I can't stand those people. Even if senior Fei seems unreliable, he does his job. But these people… they are too drunk on peace and riches."

His eyes narrowed as he looked at the elders and the Temple representative. He scowled even at the elders from his camp. The group enjoyed extravagant food and drinks; the match below served as their entertainment.

"Their behaviour is questionable." Muchen leaned against the golden pillar that supported the roof over him with a smile. "But peace is meant to be enjoyed. Our ancestors worked hard so we could enjoy a carefree life, no?"

"I am sure that they didn't want us to be poisoned by it," Hua Bo said. "If they stay like this, the future of the major sects is looking grim."

"What do you suggest then?" Muchen asked.

"We have to cut the rotten parts off, and this isn't just for the major sects." Hua Bo's face went blank, his cold eyes turned to the group above.

"Seems like the alliance has more problems beneath the surface." Muchen stroked his chin.

"It's a disaster. The deeper I look, the worse the knot in my stomach becomes." Hua Bo looked around with caution before approaching Li Muchen and whispered. "The leadership in the alliance is aware of the demonic cultivators and has ties with them, too."

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

"Is this certain?" Muchen feigned surprise.

Hua Bo took out a stack of documents from his storage ring and handed them to Muchen under the shadow of the pillar.

"When I heard you were joining the Eastern Martial Meet, I decided to carry the evidence with me. It isn't everything, but I'll get the other reports soon when I get the chance." Hua Bo said.

Muchen flipped through the pages. Iron Palm Fortress. Divine Eyes Sect. Eternal Halberd Hall.

Not one of them touched demonic influence.

Too neat. Too targeted. Too convenient.

Hua Bo wasn't giving him the truth—he was giving him a weapon he hoped Muchen, no, the Major Sects, would swing blindly.

Muchen looked at the righteous glint in Hua Bo's eyes and couldn't help but smile inside.

A good number of higher-ups in the Hundred Sect Alliance are, without a doubt, corrupted. But they don't have all the power in the land. With this move, they want to destroy the sects that oppose his faction and consolidate control. Muchen pocketed the documents and patted Hua Bo's shoulder with a serious expression.

"It's a pity that you left Azure Sky Sect," Muchen really did feel it was a pity.

If you were still there, I could've twisted your neck with my own hands. He swallowed the scoff rising from the depths of his soul as his hand, right next to Hua Bo's defenseless neck, came back. But I need you alive for a bit, even rotten trash has its uses.

"Well…" Hua Bo looked away, his hands balling up.

"You don't have to explain. I understand you must have your circumstances. You were almost like a younger sibling to Huang Bai, and even the rest viewed you well, but then you suddenly left." Muchen smiled. "To let you in on a secret, Huang Bai still hasn't erased your name from the Peach Peak's records, so if ever you want to come back, the sect's door will be open."

"It's… more than what I deserve." Hua Bo looked at the ground, not showing his twisted face.

"Don't worry about that, I can see that you still care for the sect that saved you from that slum, isn't that why you gave me the evidence?" Muchen delivered the final blow and turned around. "I'll make sure others know of your righteous spirit and steadfast attitude in front of evil. It will be rewarded, I promise."

"You don't have to." By the time Hua Bo looked up, Muchen had left. Only then did the mask on his face come off.

That fox-like bastard, I still can't tell if he was poking fun at me or being serious. Hua Bo felt like he might break out in hives if he heard Muchen talk sweetly again. He was so gloomy back then, almost like a damned ghost. Looks like the change of attitude happened after he got his disciples.

Even though he felt like retching a few moments ago, a grin tugged at the end of his lips now.

I wonder what Li Muchen would do after losing his disciples? He covered his face, fearing someone would see his twisted smile, but his shoulders trembled ever so slightly. Would it be like the Jingyuan pass battle? I am looking forward to it, so entertain me, Li Muchen.

***

The third day of the Eastern Martial Meet started two hours after sunrise, painting the Qingliu mountains in an odd crimson light. However, the pumped-up disciples, some disappointed with their tournament results, made their way to the deepest guarded area of Qingliu Mountains, the Cave of Eons.

Wang Yang, alongside Sun Lingling, followed the flow of the disciples down a narrow ravine. Only two people could walk abreast, and the slippery, rocky floor below consumed all their attention. However, some disciples had enough leeway to observe others.

There are a lot of eyes on us. Are they looking at Senior Sun? Wang Yang noticed Emith, the elite from the Temple, who won the singles tournament against Hou Fei of Frozen Flower Holyland.

Hou Fei's icy blue eyes especially hurt him for some reason. And not just her, even Wei Long seemed to have his eyes their way.

"Confused by the sudden attention?" Chen Liang approached Wang Yang from behind by jumping over a few disciples; the Chang twins followed him.

"Sort of," Wang Yang said, even these three, the ones who won the team tournament by a landslide, had a change of attitude towards him. "But I think most of the attention is on my senior here."

"It's not just you two; they are also keeping an eye on Lei Feng and Zhang Jun. Both have achieved a top 10 ranking in one trial. They just want to see what's special with the new disciples of Azure Sky Sect this year," Chen Liang said. Although Li Muchen warned him, he couldn't help but approach them.

"They are finally taking us seriously, is what you mean?" Sun Lingling spoke, without so much as a twitch on her composed face.

"Indeed, and it goes for disciples of our sect as well. The brighter you shine, the attention you attract. So, they want to see how long that glow lasts." Chen Liang pointed at the upcoming cave with his chin. "Thankfully, we have a perfect stage coming up to see that."

"Seeing the look on your face, you have no idea what is about to happen." Chen Liang smiled at Wang Yang's quick nod.

"The Cave of Eons is the place we'll go through special training in. The sect elders have put us in the ranks of elites based on our spiritual roots and cultivation, but the ones who will judge our real potential will be the ancestors who have risen above countless elites like ourselves," Chen Liang said. "Didn't senior Chang explain this? I thought you were close."

"I didn't really ask." Wang Yang rubbed the back of his head.

Does that mean… I have a chance to meet Senior Shan Pei again? Wang Yang gulped.

Ducking under the cave's low entrance, he wondered if the Shan Pei he might meet in the training would remember him.

The moment his eyes adjusted to the dim light, the vast cavern, his eyes were drawn to the glimmering ceiling, which looked far more breathtaking than any other starry sky he had seen. The moist, almost sweet air settled in his lungs as the soft ripples of a stream rang in his ears.

The disciples fanned out on the flat, even floor of the cave and stood before a 10-meter-wide creek that seemed to flow with liquid crystal instead of water.

Li Muchen, Fei Chao, Qian Hei, Gen, Hua Bo, Shi Shun, and Hao Chang waited for them across the stream. Behind them was the formation centered around a bronze lamp, hovering in silence and mysticism.

"I hope you all have come prepared." Fei Chao smiled.

Unknown to Wang Yang, another test awaited him.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.