"Everyone quiet down," Protector Cai Wei said, smiling and waving at the crowd. "Sect Leader Su has something to tell you all."

The crowd parted, making way for Su Pei and her party to pass through.

"Young Master Su," Su Pei said as she walked up to Su Xuan. She glanced at Protector Cai and Elder Gongsun standing beside her before continuing, "After you left, we discussed the matter and came to a decision. Considering the condition of the sinkhole, we've agreed the trial rules need to be modified. As for you, your score is valid!"

"Great!"

"That's fantastic!"

"Valley Overlord is the deserving champion of this trial!"

"Now we can have a proper celebration! Haha, I've already got the wine ready!"

"Tonight, I'm drinking with Valley Overlord until I drop!"

Before Su Pei could finish speaking, the crowd erupted in cheers. A wide grin spread across Protector Cai's face; only Elder Gongsun, who had previously crossed swords with Su Xuan, remained expressionless.

Su Pei smiled and glanced at the crowd before turning back to Su Xuan. "However, we still need to verify the number of Blood Immortal Vines you've collected. That's the rule. The current registered record is three vines."

"Three?"

Ji Ning, who was standing nearby, perked up immediately. The highest number anyone has is only three? Su Xuan casually gave me three! Not to mention all the other treasures. Forget the first-place prize, the things Su Xuan gave me are worth far more than anything I could have gotten in the trial myself!

"Do we really have to count them?" Su Xuan asked, sounding a bit troubled.

As he spoke, he understood just how much effort Su Pei must have put in to make this happen. This stunningly beautiful Sect Leader might seem aloof, but she had a warm heart.

"Yes," Su Pei nodded. "It's a necessary step."

The trialists all stifled their laughter, waiting for Su Xuan to perform his magic trick and produce all the Blood Immortal Vines. They knew perfectly well that he had claimed practically every last vine from the bottom of the sinkhole. The number was frightening! It was sure to give Sect Leader Su the shock of her life!

Su Xuan scratched his head.

Then, with a wave of his hand, a beautiful cascade of colorful flowers appeared, followed by a mountain-like pile of Blood Immortal Vines. At a rough estimate, there were at least a hundred stalks!

And this was just a portion that Su Xuan had casually pulled out, not the full amount.

The real cousin, Ji Ning, was dumbfounded. How could he have known that Su Xuan had gathered so many Blood Immortal Vines? He seriously suspected Su Xuan had plundered every last one from the Valley of Thousand Snakes! He even felt that Su Xuan was a bit stingy for only giving him three…

Seeing the pile, Su Pei broke into a charming smile. She scanned the crowd and announced, "As Sect Leader, I hereby declare Su Xuan the champion of this trial. He is awarded one Golden Body Mystic Armor."

Of course, she knew exactly how many Blood Immortal Vines Su Xuan had obtained.

"Young Master Su, please accept this."

Protector Cai Wei presented a wooden box to Su Xuan with both hands. He winked and whispered, "I know it's not very formal to announce the results in the middle of the night, but shouldn't you perhaps dismount?"

Su Xuan just smiled and asked, "Does our sect have any wine? And maybe some snacks to go with it?"

The corner of Cai Wei's mouth twitched. "Of course, we have that."

Su Xuan gracefully slid off his horse and accepted the wooden box.

Su Pei felt a wave of relief wash over her. Firstly, this "troublesome matter" had finally come to a satisfying conclusion. Secondly, Su Xuan had referred to the sect as "our sect," indicating that he held no grudges against the Yu Xian Sect.

Su Xuan didn't inspect the fabled armor left behind by Ancestor Meng. Instead, he simply stored it in his sachet space along with the Moon Profound Stones.

Then, under Su Pei's guidance, the group headed for the Yu Xian Sect's dining hall, the traditional venue for celebration banquets.

On the way to the dining hall, Ji Sisi led Su Xuan's flying white horse, a gratified and sweet smile on her face. Her real cousin, Ji Ning, trailed behind her, carrying a large bag with a meek and deferential posture.

She couldn't help but feel disdain for her cousin. He was simply incomparable to Su Xuan.

What happened next made her feel even more ashamed of him.

After they arrived at the dining hall and were seated, someone asked Ji Ning about his relationship with Su Xuan. In truth, there was no real relationship, only that of an imposter.

But Ji Ning shamelessly claimed that he had voluntarily given his spot to Su Xuan because they were the best of friends. When a good buddy was in need, a brother naturally had to do everything he could to help!

This lie earned Ji Ning the respect of the other trialists. Many of them even proactively toasted him. He, in turn, brazenly toasted Su Xuan, putting on a great show of being his best friend. He decided then and there that from now on, he would tell everyone he and Su Xuan were great pals.

「That night」

Su Xuan drank a little too much. He couldn't refuse the crowd's enthusiasm and hadn't expected the Yu Xian Sect's wine to be so potent. It gave him a rare taste of true drunkenness.

Cai Wei secretly told him that Ancestor Meng had also loved this particular wine when he was at the sect. He also confided that Elder Gongsun had wanted to toast Su Xuan but was too proud to make the first move.

Su Xuan took the initiative and raised his cup to Elder Gongsun.

Elder Gongsun drained it in one gulp.

Though he couldn't bring himself to toast Su Xuan first, deep down, he respected the young man who had so easily defeated him.

The reason he had been angry at Su Xuan before… It was because Su Xuan bore such a striking resemblance to that man! But frustratingly, Su Xuan was not that man. If only he were…

Elder Gongsun was also quite drunk. As he looked at Su Xuan through a hazy, drunken gaze, it was as if he saw that man truly returning.

Elder Gongsun turned his head away. A single, turbid tear fell from his eye.

Witnessing this, Su Xuan for the first time wished he could meet that legendary figure with his own eyes. What charisma did the man possess to make everyone miss and admire him so much?

As the feast wound down and everyone was drunkenly staggering, Su Xuan quietly slipped away. He could never stand goodbyes.

「In the dead of night」

A white figure soared into the sky, leaving the Yu Xian Sect behind as it flew toward Hua Shui City.

"Truly beautiful."

Su Xuan lay on the horse's back, the cool night breeze caressing his face. The river of stars flowed like silk ribbons, shimmering with radiant light.

He couldn't help but feel that the world of the cultivators wasn't so indifferent after all; it had its charming places and its charming people.

After lying on the horse's back for a while, Su Xuan suddenly took out the wooden box and opened it.

A suit of soft armor, shimmering with a golden light, met his eyes.

Forget its properties, just from its appearance, you can tell it's a valuable piece of gear!

Unable to resist, Su Xuan shook out the golden armor and slipped it on. It was an unexpectedly perfect fit.

"Little White, do I look valiant?" Su Xuan asked the white horse cheerfully.

SNORT!

The white horse, straining its wings mightily in flight, snorted through its nostrils.

Su Xuan burst into laughter.

In the very next second, the unexpected happened.

SWISH!

A streak of blood-red light suddenly tore through the air ahead, slashing directly toward the horse's head!

"Little White, watch out!"

Su Xuan shouted a warning, yanking the reins to force the horse into a sharp turn, barely dodging the bloody gleam!

SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!

But it was immediately followed by a second, a third, and a fourth streak, all slashing toward them from the front!

Su Xuan sensed a hint of danger… Who on earth was playing tricks? Oh, this was no prank. This was someone trying to kill him!

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