These words caused everyone’s faces to chill.

“What’s the meaning of this?” Gao Ye’s whole complexion was ashen: “Senior Branch Master didn’t go to the Xingtian Legion’s Inauguration Ceremony, but instead to the Signing Ceremony of a new agent? Isn’t this an obvious slap to the face?”

This was one such attitude. To tell everyone, the old guard, that their time had already passed. We care about the new recruits, the potential of new talent, potential even greater than the old guard! The suppression of ancient cultivators was not to grant a good arcane effort or a place to cultivate. Modern-day suppression seemed elegant, but in truth, it was even crueler.

It was to completely disallow someone the opportunity of rising to prominence! To erase a genius from the memories of the people! His anger gradually flaring, Chu Zhaonan studied Lu Gandang and said with a shred of obvious and visible killing aura: “Listen up.” He leaned in close so that the both of their faces were only separated by ten-odd centimeters and said, stressing each word: “I’m not! Going! To fucking! Do you! The honor!”

Lu Gandang’s expression instantly grew ugly.

“Fellow Daoist Chu…” Lu Gandang inwardly grinded his teeth and said, seemingly sincere: “Fellow Daoist Xu’s appearance has robbed you of your limelight. Originally, a single lone branch has transformed into Nantong’s Twin Dragons. How can you continue to endure this slight?”

Gao Ye and Luo Sanfeng looked at him like he was a ghoul. This kid… sure had guts.

And yet, by their expressions, Lu Gandang believed himself to have spoken the words within their hearts. Raising a brow, he continued to speak: “Especially since Fellow Daoist Xu also chose Mingshui Province. Isn’t this a clear strike against your face, Fellow Daoist?”

Chu Zhaonan pitifully brushed an eye over Lu Gandang and said icily: “Beat it.” After he finished speaking, he paid no heed to him and walked over to the elevator.

“What’re you actin’ cool for?” Looking at the closed elevator door, Lu Gandang fiercely spat on the floor and said hatefully: “I don’t get it, what the hell are you scared of? Branch master is supporting us. Didn’t you smash that Xu a few years ago like an egg?!”

“Bunch of spineless wimps!” His chest heaving up and down, he headed towards the other elevator. Trash… All of them are trash! Not a single person from the last graduation is worth admiring! All of them are fuckin’ chicken-livered! All they can say is yes and no! Sucking in deeply, he adjusted his watch and went into an elevator.

“Hiss…” In their elevator, Gao Ye gnashed his teeth: “Brother Chu, the branch master’s way of handling things is too unvirtuous! Brother Xu was the last graduation’s paragon! For him to achieve the middle stage so quickly and unleash his neurons, even a blind man can see he’s got a lot of outstanding talent! He assailed the middle stage of Qi Condensation in the Unrivaled Beneath the Heavens Arena! If it weren’t for someone disturbing him…”

Chu Zhaonan glared at the other briefly, and Gao Ye suddenly recalled who the disrupter seemed to be… and immediately skipped over this topic: “Who was it? I never heard a damn thing about it!”

“If he can get an edge on brother Xu, I’ll kowtow to him!” Luo Sanfeng gritted his teeth: “If he can send me flying with a kick, I’ll fucking acknowledge him! It’s not that I’m looking down on him, but just by himself? No way he can match up to the me of that year!”

Gao Ye’s gaze deepened by a few shades: “Without having experienced the last graduation, they really believe that time of mountains of corpses and seas of blood can be bragged about.”

Chu Zhaonan didn’t speak, but he locked his teeth so fiercely that his flesh tensed. How ruthless… Is this the final hand? Only he understood Daomaster Floatingcloud’s Black Kill Order, a dream to consume Xu Yangyi and then elegantly wipe him away from the mouth. Xu Yangyi’s prestige wouldn’t disappear in a day, so they would continue eating away with bloodied maws. In case this affair transformed into a confrontation between the Cultivation Court and a Core Formation cultivator, Daomaster Floatingcloud wouldn’t be able to bear the consequences of this layer of responsibility.

Thus, the other party was patiently waiting for an opportunity. Waiting for a definite one-shot-kill chance.

Xu Yangyi had left seclusion… so he would have to carry out a mission… Once a mission was executed, there were far, far too many ways that Thousandedge could make Xu Yangyi disappear. As the provincial master of all matters for the Featherwood Guard, he could do it without so much as a sound or echo. This occasion was Thousandedge’s first probing.

As for a name… Thousandedge didn’t even want to grant Xu Yangyi one to be left behind. He wanted to completely obliterate all traces of his existence on this Earth. Even if Xu Yangyi died, the cultivation world’s reaction would only be a “Oh, another legion commander has died in the line of duty. Alright, everyone continue eating”, instead of a “What? The legion commander of the Xingtian Legion has fallen? How could that be possible?!”.

“He’s not coming?” At the same time, in a hall lounge downstairs, Thousandedge was in a well-tailored suit, playing with two glossy walnuts in his hand. He looked at the half-kneeling Lu Gandang before him and asked indifferently.

“Yes, branch master. Not only is he not coming, but he even spouted nonsense. He said that wherever he goes isn’t of the branch master’s concern, sir.”

Thousandedge’s gaze faintly sparked, and he chuckled as he looked at Lu Gandang who hadn’t lifted his head: “Oh?”

Lu Gandang didn’t speak. He was envious! Why?! In comparison to himself, on what basis was Xu Yangyi able to obtain such treatment five years earlier? He saw that in the latter’s Signing Ceremony, his number of spirit stones had been computed with tons. Why was Xu Yangyi able to gain this?

Rank one? He was also rank one! However, it was nothing more than Xu Yangyi being born a few years earlier! If Xu Yangyi was placed in the same graduation as him, he would be capable of forcing the other to lick his shoes in willingness and delight.

Thousandedge faintly smiled: “Remember…”

“In this place, I am the master.”

“You thirsted for privilege, so I granted you privilege. You demanded resources, so I gave you resources.” He leaned back in his chair: “I even personally came to lend to your prestige!”

“However.”

“You say to me that Xu Yangyi is doing no more than holding sinecure. Nothing less than the dictation of fate. Thus, you face me this time for an opportunity to challenge him in battle. I granted this to you, as well. You wish for the Featherwood Guard to campaign for you, so take this mediocre disciple that only understands seclusion and defeat him… I promised all of this.” [1]

Thousandedge looked into Lu Gandang’s eyes, devoid of emotion: “I promised all that you required. Your legion engineered your Signing Ceremony. For your Signing Ceremony, I aided you in establishing connections and requesting all the cultivation media outlets. I then helped you arrange a lounge, unknown as to how much more extravagant and grand it is to the Legion Inauguration Ceremony upstairs… If you cannot achieve your own demands, then what of elsewhere?”

“Senior.” Lu Gandang finally raised his head, a wisp of longing for abundant cultivation resources, fame, and favor flashing through his eyes. He said heavily: “We cultivators defy the heavens in the struggle of fate. No matter whether it’s resources or connections, both depend on our own hands to vie and fight for them! Xu Yangyi only knows of seclusion, not even daring to fight over these things! Why was such a cowardly cultivator who idles his time away, eating and waiting in a mountain, able to gain such great treatment?!”

“If junior can’t even overcome such a chicken-livered person, I am willing to accept punishment!”

Thousandedge studied Lu Gandang for a long time and waved his hand: “Remember your words.”

Ding dong… At the same time, the sound of an elevator gently rang out. Chu Zhaonan walked out and glanced over to the ceremony meeting place.

“T-this is the ceremony stage?” Gao Ye looked at the lounge in shock, somewhat daring not to believe his own eyes: “Is brother Xu playing us?!”

“Was he… so frugal in the past?” Gao Ye dumbly looked at the gathering stage, likewise in a state of disbelief.

This gathering place… was not big. It was even… a bit wretched. There were no precious treasures of the cultivation world exhibited all around and there was moreover no spirit tea or spirit fruit respectfully presented. There were only cups of green tea, a few cultivator reporters, and ten-odd people that he didn’t recognize.

It was too… simple and crude.

Chu Zhaonan’s thoughts couldn’t help but begin to grow incensed. Did they lack wealth? No. Presently, the Xingtian Legion was very much rich! Then this was Xu Yangyi simply not taking this event to heart! When all customs and rites were observed, was Xu Yangyi aware of how many things were related to the Legion Inauguration Ceremony?

“You’ve come?” Xu Yangyi caught a glimpse of Chu Zhaonan: “You should still remember these Fellow Daoists, right?”

Chu Zhaonan choked on his belly full of anger and walked before a few people. Glancing, it was Vulture and Lilac. He cupped his hands and said, controlling his voice: “What are you doing? Are you not even treating this seriously? Don’t you know what that damned runt is doing downstairs?!”

“What’s up?” Vulture looked at the duo, startled: “Downstairs?” What’s happened?”

“Nothing.” Chu Zhaonan gritted his teeth in hesitation: “There’s a son of a bitch holding his Signing Ceremony down there. Branchmaster Thousandedge is personally participating!”

“What?!” Lilac’s brows nearly went vertical: “What does he mean by this? Is he telling everyone that Fellow Daoist Xu’s talents are inferior to that other guy’s? Is he telling everyone that Fellow Daoist Xu’s Xingtian Legion is just a joke?”

“I just found out, too.” Xu Yangyi laughed indifferently: “What’s there to be worried about?”

“You may not be worried!” Chu Zhaonan took a step forward: “But I am! This is our honor as the students of the sixteenth Nantong Province graduation! If you withdraw from here, I can decorate things ten thousand times better than that guy’s stuff in two hours!”

“Not necessary.” Vulture laughed grimly: “A Foundation Establishment Senior personally came to campaign, eh… It really is an extravagant showing. I dare not provoke him, but an insignificant new agent? With my status as a hall master, he still ain’t enough to fill my eyes.”

“Pass on my words.” Vulture swept an eye at the assistant behind him: “Bring up two hundred medium-grade spirit stones. Today, those who arrive will have a share.”

“All Fellow Daoists.” At this very instant, a female secretary walked over, bearing a smile. She walked slowly and gracefully, as if she was treading on lofty clouds high above, unconsenting to lower her head and glance at the mortals below. In the same vein, she was the initial stage of Qi Condensation, however, she was Thousandedge’s third secretary.

“The branch master wanted me notify everyone that in an hour, Fellow Daoist Lu’s Signing Ceremony and Fellow Daoist Xu’s Legion Inauguration Ceremony will begin at the same time. Oh… Is Fellow Daoist Xu still not done preparing? How could there be so few people?” She laughed, feigning amazement: “There’s already mountains and seas of people downstairs… If there are a few people that don’t find the right way, I hope Fellow Daoist Xu can timely notify them.”

“A Legion Inauguration Ceremony is a grand affair. The age where a fragrant wine needn’t fear a dark alley has long since passed. The future personnel recruitment for the Xingtian Legion and legion expense financing will begin here. If there’s such a pittance of people, won’t Fellow Daoist Xu certainly have to hire some people to fill the stage floor as the time approaches?” [2]

These words were cutting. The new generation exchanged the old, and Thousandedge was evidently telling everyone that he didn’t view Xu Yangyi optimistically, and moreover didn’t favor the Xingtian Legion! He prefered to participate in a new recruit’s Signing Ceremony rather than take part in an well-known cultivator’s Legion Inauguration Ceremony.

She had touched upon her master’s intentions, so why would she be afraid of offending Xu Yangyi?

“Where are you coming from with this nonsense?!” Her voice just fallen, Gao Ye and Luo Sanfeng were unable to restrain themselves from shouting angrily. However, their voices were stopped by a hand.

Xu Yangyi raised his right hand, his left hand holding a cup of tea. “Go back and tell your master.” He held his teacup and made a motion for her to see herself out: “In the struggle of living things, it is the heavens that chooses. The superior will eliminate the inferior. It is not the most outstanding or even the one wearing new clothes that gets the last laugh.”

“Yes.” The secretary smiled as she bowed: Indeed, if not the most excellent cultivator, how could one possibly be confirmed by the Grand Dao. Those incidentally set high above are no more than flowers in a mirror or the moon reflect in water, unrealistic in their romanticism.”

Xu Yangyi’s smile deepened: “Go.”

The secretary laughed as she departed, and Chu Zhaonan glared at Xu Yangyi: “In the few years I haven’t seen you, you’ve become more and more…”

“More and more what?” Xu Yangyi set down his teacup: “Afraid of the head and terrified of the tail, frightened of the slightest thing? Like a mouse mired between hesitation and indecision?”

Chu Zhaonan snorted and spoke no further.

“You’re wrong…” Xu Yangyi curbed his smile, a wisp of cold light arcing through his eyes: “I will allow everyone to know who it is that laughs the last.” He turned his head to look over to the bustling Peony: “Prepare to notify everyone that the Legion Inauguration Ceremony will immediately convene in a half hour.”

“Huh?” Peony was dazed.

“If he won’t give me face, why should I hold Thousandedge as branch master?” Xu Yangyi sneered coldly: “He wants to make me disappear? I’ll let him see that even if he desires to block my path and is a Foundation Establishment Senior, so long as I fancy the End of Days’ resources, he won’t be able to obstruct me all the same!”

[1] The specific word for mediocre is an idiom that originates from the texts of Sima Qian, known as “The Grand Historian”. It is an idea that one is average without accomplishment.

[2] “The age where a fragrant wine needn’t fear a dark alley has long since passed” - The idea that if a wine is good, even if the location sucks, people will still find it.