Sun Disc.

  “Yoh, I was hoping to see something interesting, but tis’ only slapping money around. No skill, no elegance. How disappointing...”

  Lazily leaning back, the younger Tai Yinsu reduced his presence and went back to idly rolling his gemstones.

  The rickety old Tai Yinjun nodded along. “Gah! That’s why I’ve always said—talisman should be banned.”

  The other elders all rolled their eyes inside.

  Grand Elder Jia Wunan didn’t even bother picking up that topic. Instead, he turned to the two ladies.

  “We’ll have to trouble Feng Elders to clear the field. One more or less drop of water can overturn a lion.”

  Feng Huajin giggled. “Sister, leave the area around the little boya to me.”

  Sporting a blank face, Feng Luping curtly nodded and her divine sense got to work.

  An invisible vortex spawned, whisking away what’s left of the puddles like a tornado...

  Seeing the corpse-packer half-stunned by the unseen walls boxing him in to block the natural disaster outside, Mo Badao gently blew on his tea and indifferently commented.

  “Why bother? Adapting to the environment is also a talent. That young sprout should do well in this aspect.”

  Ma Pei’s eyebrows shot up and he looked over at his partner with wide eyes.

  “Hoh, Old Devil, you- can you actually put in a good word for once today!”

  Mo Badao cast a sidelong glance over and went back to sipping his tea calmly.

  But that single glance made Ma Pei’s face scrunch up as if he just ate a fly. “No wonder… curse that stinky brat. Really knows how to bring this old man trouble…”

  Jia Wunan shot a sharp glance over. “Something wrong, Old Pei?”

  Ma Pei waved his dismissively. “No, no, just thinking about what’s around the corner. Hohoho…”

  Hollowly chortling, he passed another glance to his partner. That was enough to put a smile on the other’s face.

  Setting down his teacup, Mo Badao stepped in and shifted gears smoothly.

  “Hmm, the last fight... should be the young sapling from a small branch under the Wu Faction?”

  “He Guozhen, was it? I heard his older brother has been running around a lot lately to be a courier pigeon for their shop.”

  Tapping his armrest, Tai Yinjun slyly smiled.

  “Aye, that uncle of theirs is just like his father—an old fox who can see the situation clearly. Always making preparations for the worse. Gah, now that I think about it… I’m surprised your Mo faction hasn’t taken them in.”

  “That year... the rising Wu faction offered better conditions. A forced melon is not sweet...” Mo Badao poured out the rest of his tea. “Pity. Some choices can’t be taken back.”

  Ma Pei chortled. “Hoho, it all falls on the older brat’s performance tomorrow, doesn’t it? What do you think? Will they regret?”

  “Kahaha!” The bald Jia Gufan crossed his arms and scowled.

  “Regrets are everywhere. But as long as muscles are thick enough, nobody can touch the juicy fat! If one isn’t enough, then two!”

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  “I heard it’s only been a year since that little He kid entered the sect. Must be a wolf of Hua Street to reach this point...”

  Jia Gufan then glanced to the older man beside him. “Elder Brother, what do you think? Think this He kid’s got a shot?”

  Grand Elder Jia Wunan retracted his distant gaze and shook his head in disappointment. “There was hope before, but now? Pity...”

  “Huh? What happened?”

  “He Guozhen... abstains.”

  When the official announcement thundered down, Bubai looked up with a perplexed face.

  “Huh? Why give up? What’s the point of holding onto a top seat on the Sun Snake List if you’re not going to challenge?”

  It doesn’t make sense!

  He’s not the only easy target in this sect! If he, Grandpa Fang, is scary, then choose somebody else!

  What reason is there to just throw in the towel without even trying?

  Political climate? Some accident happened?

  Well, there were probably many unknown reasons floating in the background, but why did he get that weird feeling…

  It almost sounds like a plot hole just to fast-forward the plot?

  But hey, it seems like his cheeky little wish to dear Merlin came true?

  “Erm... that’s kinda scary to think about, but…”

  Holding the dirty, little pouch he dug out from the poor cheater’s plot hole, Bubai clapped his gloved hands together and softly prayed.

  “Dear Merlin, if you’re real, please bless me with a good harvest.”

  Bubai then peeled open the icky pouch and peeked inside.

  The space was less than a cubic meter in size.

  “Inferior-grade. Figures.” Bubai’s excitement deflated like a punctured balloon.

  But Bubai still held on to a sliver of hope because that little box was jam-packed like his old pre-expansion storage!

  Hemp-paper-wrapped medicine packets stacked over a heap of generic low-class outfits and even cheap make-up boxes.

  In that mess, Bubai easily spotted some chump change randomly scattered about, but… there was none of his favorite glow.

  “No way. Believe. Believe! There must be…”

  Bubai didn’t believe in evil and eagerly started digging through the mess…

  Finally, in a patchwork pocket of a coarse, moth-eaten gown buried at the very bottom, he fished out something solid.

  Holding that single single stone that almost lost all its luster, Bubai almost cried. “What’s this? A consolation prize?!”

  After getting face-slapped in the last five fights, Bubai thought he finally got the dumbed-down cannon fodder who came to deliver freebies, but in reality?

  Dear Merlin really doesn’t exist! Or even if he does, at least his influence doesn’t reach here.

  Bubai didn’t know if dear Merlin exists somewhere out there, but this little hiccup won’t change his habit of calling out that name.

  After all, it was definitely better calling out to dear heavens.

  Grandpa Heavens above is way, way too close!

  Heavens forbid. What if he accidentally blurts out something wrong and gets a heavenly oath forced upon him?

  Or worse… what if he gets blessed not only with loot, but a whole train of trials like those protagonists?

  By Merlin’s beard, that’s even scarier than Merlin answering his call!

  Scary stuff aside, the pitiful loot this round really gave him that uncomfortable feeling…

  All build-up, no pay-out. It was like a reader getting stuffed full of info dumps but still saw no reward chapters ahead.

  Dear Merlin, if his life really is a story, then the chapters penning down this fight was probably packed with info dumps, huh?

  How can anyone be bored by such a fight?! Right? Deshou?!

  Ack! Bored or not, life goes on...

  With beard billowing like a banner, the Grand Elder stepped back up to the skies high above.

  Spreading his arms as if embracing the setting sun, his booming proclamation rolled out once more.

  "Disciples and honored elders, the opening ceremony concludes with the sun departing for the other heavens!"

  "Today, the sun bore witness to the rise of great geniuses. But... this is just the prologue to the real hunt! Tomorrow, the sun will rise again. The hunt begins anew!"

  "Everyone is welcomed to return to witness true tigers clash and dragons soar! May all your burning spirits be everlasting like the sun! That is all! Dismissed!"

  Watching the beams of light flying off from the sun disc and into the horizon, Bubai let out a long sigh.

  “That’s right... today’s just the beginning.”

  Tomorrow marked the start of the true Inner Sect Exchange!

  And what comes next... definitely won’t be a walk in the park.

  Even Bubai isn’t sure about his fate, but one thing was certain…

  “Day’s over, I’m out! That’s already a win!”

  The barrier boxing him was gone, and Bubai walked out with a bounce in his steps.

  Knowing that he survived and can go home made the dark corridor feel all the more brighter!

  Even the journey back to the lounge seemed shorter.

  But when Bubai spotted the redhead beauty restlessly pacing in circles by the mouth of the tunnel, his heart sank.

  Yup, knew he shouldn’t have raised the flag too early.

  Dear Merlin, can’t they even let him enjoy his little victory walk for five more minutes?

  Still, Bubai straightened his back and walked over to the red flag. “Yo, what’s got my Xiao Hong all worked up?”

  Miss Hong spun over almost immediately and her arms hugging her vulnerable self squeezed tighter.

  Seeing his calm face, she suppressed her panic, and a voice transmission reached his ears.

  “The elders have summoned us. We are to report to the Mo Clan main hall by sundown or… face the consequences.”

  One thing ends, another begins.

  Bubai looked up at the ceiling and let out a heavy sigh. “What’s meant to come finally came...”