Chapter 130: The Expectations of Elders

The swirl of public opinion had been churning for two days, leaving the common folk of the capital unsure of whom to believe. Initially, they had been burning with fervor, excitedly preparing to send their children to learn to read and write, hoping their descendants might participate in the upcoming imperial examinations. They saw it as a golden opportunity—a way to lift themselves out of poverty and bring honor to their ancestors. But now, they were lost in a maze of rumors and conflicting gossip.

However, this battle against illusory phantoms served as an excellent tempering of his Daoist heart and willpower. As he awakened from his disorientation, he was rewarded with ten points toward his Willpower talent.

"Oh? How did you two end up together?" Ling Duyun asked with surprise as he crossed paths with them.

Immediately after, Baili Dengfeng tossed the four rings to Diewu and absorbed the four sect master tokens. The material of the token already in his hand underwent a transformation, shifting from "black iron" to "dark steel."

The referees managed to call a halt to the match with great difficulty and summoned the contestant who had committed the initial foul. It was the number two contestant, positioned right next to Silitaios. Despite his desperate pleas, the presiding referee did not hesitate to eject him from the arena.

"It is too late for that, Senior. I was seen by two bald monks back in Emerald Bamboo City. I asked them for materials and immortal stones in exchange for refining pills, but they seemed displeased, as if I should have just handed over the lotus seat to them for nothing," Ling Duyun said with a bitter smile after sitting down.

Upon hearing this, Su Zimei cast an utterly bewildered look at Baili Dengfeng. Seeing the confusion on his face, which did not appear to be a joke at all, she felt quite helpless but had no choice but to explain it to him patiently.

By now, the light drizzle had ceased. The sky grew brighter, the mist dissipated, and the heavens appeared like washed jade. The sea was a vast, bottomless blue, and the gentle breeze brushing against their faces was truly refreshing.

A series of footsteps rang out, and the dozens of figures in blood-red robes who had just approached vanished swiftly into the night.

With a roar of rage, Xie Guanying, his figure enveloped in countless powerful auras, lunged toward Baili Dengfeng at breakneck speed.

Amidst the thundering impact of stone projectiles against the wooden wall, the two men exerted their strength in unison and finally pulled out the short spear. Fortunately, the belly-bow did not fire another bolt in their direction this time; otherwise, the long shield might not have held.

Moreover, human hearts are unpredictable. Who could say for certain if that man in black was good or evil? She had seen too much over the years.

"Is that a gold ingot? Where did you get that?" The fat man’s eyes lit up instantly, and he asked with bated breath.

Gan Jing carried a different air when wearing a security uniform versus a white shirt, though he did not pay much mind to such things himself.

In the stands above, the spectators were stunned, drawing collective gasps as they watched Liu Lu being driven into a corner by Tang Chen.

Despite the highly suspicious attitudes of the Seventh Elder and Kitajima Yuto today, despite the questionable nature of the attendant’s conversation this evening, and despite the fact that Nanhua Xin’s stance remained unclear, Yao Shuang could no longer afford to overthink. The longer they stayed in this godforsaken place, the higher the risk of something going wrong. The arrow was on the bowstring, and it had to be fired.

In the end, Pojun did not slaughter all the new students of the Muhua Group. It was not because he had suddenly developed a sense of mercy, nor because he feared the sudden arrival of the Academy Alliance Guards, but because the new students had found a justification for their own survival.

"Good. Let us split up now and head to the other main cities to find the rest of our guild members. Perhaps many of them wish to leave the guild just as I do," Captain Bingxin said excitedly to his supporters, moved to see he had so many people backing him.

Fan Moli’s friends also stopped in their tracks, waiting for the two to determine a victor.