Rumble!
A sudden roar echoed from the distance as the mountainside collapsed into an avalanche.
In the next second, a blizzard surged, signaling the start of the trial.
The Snow Ridge terrain was divided by a Spiritual Qi Boundary set by the elders. Any disciple who wasn’t forced out within the time limit could enter the Cold Rain Blessed Land and be rewarded with a bottle of essence blood.
However, the things one usually needed to watch out for weren’t natural disasters or treacherous terrain, but rather their own fellow disciples playing dirty.
During the Sect Grand Competition, disciples were strictly forbidden from forming private teams. Those who violated the order would be disqualified immediately.
“Be careful on your own.”
Yun Mengyao reluctantly let go of Lin Wu’s arm and silently recited the Frost Art. A white spiritual qi barrier expanded from the lotus pedestal beneath her feet as she cleverly hid in a depression in the cliff wall to withstand the wind and snow.
Lin Wu lightly stroked the jade ruler. A crisp popping sound echoed in his mind, making his cerebral cortex feel as if it were stretching out in relaxation.
“It looks like a piece of ice, but it feels unexpectedly good. Very elastic.”
The Fairy’s brief cultivation career was full of regrets; it seemed she had never taken first place in the Sect Grand Competition. It was truly a pity.
But it didn’t matter. Since I’m here, let me help you make up for it through your disciple!
“Junior Brother Lin? What a coincidence!”
Before the avalanche could even arrive, a sinister voice called out from behind him.
A thin, small male cultivator from the White Lotus rank slowly approached on a flying treasure, clearly harboring ill intentions.
“And you are? Forget it, even if you tell me, I won’t remember.”
Lin Wu waved his hand dismissively.
“A mere early-stage Foundation Establishment, yet you have such a big mouth!”
The man’s mouth twitched as he let out a low, cold laugh, drawing a crystalline white blade from his waist.
Lin Wu’s arrogance was well-known, and there were more than a few fellow disciples who wanted to use the Sect Grand Competition as an excuse to teach him a lesson.
“It’s one thing to hide behind Junior Sister Yun and put on airs normally, but do you really think you’re qualified to step into the Cold Rain Blessed Land?”
“You’re talking as if I actually want to go in.”
Lin Wu rolled his eyes.
So, when I flirt with the little White Lotus, the Fairy isn’t the only one who gets angry?
Yun Mengyao wasn’t just a favorite of the masters; she had many suitors both inside and outside the sect.
Rising to power by being the Sect Master’s direct disciple was a dream many other disciples had fantasized about, but only one person had succeeded.
Recently, Junior Sister Yun had successfully formed her Core, her cultivation progressing by leaps and bounds. She had even refined a Grade 4 spirit pill, earning her even more respect from Elder Qinghan and making her the darling of Goddess Peak.
With such a beautiful pill-cultivating Dao companion, one could consume pills by day and practice dual cultivation by night.
How could others not be green with envy?
“Junior Sister Yun is still young; it’s inevitable that she’d be deceived by sweet talk. I advise you to stay away from her in the future to avoid bringing suffering upon yourself. The Snow Lotus Sect is not a place for someone like you!”
The man snorted coldly, releasing his sea of qi. He was at the late stage of Foundation Establishment.
“What kind of person am I?”
Lin Wu grinned.
So the Snow Lotus Sect didn’t just have fairies; it had “male fairies” too.
Since everyone was gathered here, weren’t they all the same kind of trash? Why act so noble?
“You know exactly how a Green Lotus Daoist boy who just entered the sect managed to squeeze into Winter Spirit Hall!”
“I don’t particularly like the sound of that. Naturally, I got in through my own vigorous and unrelenting efforts. Could it be anything else? In your eyes, is our Kunlun Snow Lotus Sect really such a dark and filthy place!”
Lin Wu looked full of indignation as he questioned loudly.
The man’s expression changed slightly, suddenly having such a heavy accusation of insulting the sect’s reputation thrust upon him.
“I… I never thought that! Don’t talk nonsense!”
“Then you’re questioning Elder Dongling’s judgment?”
Lin Wu’s smile turned playful. He then reached down, scooped up a pile of snow, and squeezed it into a solid, dense ball.
Aim, flick, fire.
Thwack!
The snowball hit the man right between the eyes. It was so fast that the opponent didn’t even have time to react.
“Go find somewhere else to cool off.”
Like a meteor streaking across the sky, the man was knocked right out of the boundary on the spot.
The White Lotus direct disciple from Cold Rain Hall had just finished striking a pose, and before he could finish his threats, he slammed into the mountain wall, foaming at the mouth as he fainted.
“…”
The spectating disciples were dumbfounded, and one after another, they began to move further away from the youth.
What kind of technique was Junior Brother Lin using?
Even though it looked different from the Snowfall Technique we learned, it looked pretty powerful!
At that moment, the elders of the Ten Halls were all observing from the sidelines, watching the performance of the disciples they favored.
Lin Wu’s one-hit knockout of the disciple who came looking for trouble exceeded everyone’s expectations, instantly drawing three pairs of eyes.
Elder Dongling looked surprised, becoming even more convinced that the Sect Master doted on him—perhaps she had even granted the youth a wisp of her own essence blood to boost his cultivation.
“Not bad. He’s good material for a spell cultivator. Why don’t you hand him over to me so I can instruct him properly, Junior Sister Dongling?”
Elder Qiuming took it all in and nodded with a smile.
The victim knew best how powerful the “villain” was. She only knew him as a rogue Hehuan cultivator of nomadic origin who had snuck into the Snow Lotus Sect to find a cauldron for cultivation.
This brat’s blood was quite sweet; if both parties took what they needed and improved together, it wouldn’t be a big deal.
Elder Qiuming, whose reputation was already compromised, could only comfort herself this way.
Dongling’s gaze was startled, but before she could respond, another senior sister spoke up.
“Are you blind? Where did he use a technique? This boy has vigorous blood and qi, and the strength to lift a thousand pounds. He is clearly better suited for artifact refining! Junior Sister Dongling, transfer him to my hall tomorrow!”
Elder Xiahe was tiny, but her youthful voice sounded world-weary and brooked no argument.
The “old loli” relied on her high seniority to abuse her power, and this wasn’t the first time.
“Lin Wu is, after all, a White Lotus direct disciple I just recruited into my hall. I’m afraid it wouldn’t be quite appropriate, senior sisters.”
Dongling looked troubled. Her seniority was shallow, and her words carried little weight.
“What’s inappropriate about it? I am willing to exchange a White Lotus direct disciple of equal spiritual root talent with you.”
“Wait, my Qiuming Hall is willing to offer two White Lotus direct disciples, plus a high-grade spirit vein. I hope Junior Sister Dongling will part with her treasure.”
“Are you intentionally trying to oppose me?”
Xiahe’s eyes flared with anger, and Qiuming responded with a cold laugh.
“Senior Sister, you’re overstating things. Talent belongs to those who are capable of nurturing it.”
The two were at each other’s throats. The Sect Grand Competition had just begun, and they were already fighting over another hall’s White Lotus direct disciple in public?
How ugly Qiuming and Xiahe acted in private was something the other elders knew all too well; they simply turned a blind eye.
For a moment, the protectors of the Ten Halls all looked at the youth in white with newfound interest, as if they could smell something intense lingering on him.
Lin Wu hadn’t even cleared up his own mess yet, and now two more elders had jumped in.
Dongling’s head hurt even more, yet she couldn’t expose the truth.
She couldn’t exactly say he was the little toy the Sect Master was keeping at her place, could she?
Soon, the expressions of the Red Lotus elders lost their composure, and they had no time to argue.
The number of disciples participating in the selection in the field was becoming fewer and fewer—they were being eliminated at a speed of nearly one person per second!
“What… what is he trying to do?”
Qiuming and Xiahe stared at each other in shock. Wasn’t he afraid of the Disciplinary Elders becoming suspicious?
Below, Lin Wu weighed a snowball in his hand. He had just knocked out a senior sister from Cold Rain Hall and was now eyeing another from Spring Sleep Hall.
A perfectly good Sect Grand Competition was being turned into a snowball fight by him.
Every snowball thrown meant someone was out. No one was spared.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Cries of pain echoed through the canyon as disciples were sent flying out of the blizzard’s range one after another.
Small snowballs, heavy impact, and terrifying accuracy.
Not a single White Lotus direct disciple below the Golden Core stage could block them. Some even had their protective spiritual qi pierced on the spot!
Soon, everyone realized that Lin Wu just seemed to have immense physical strength.
It was that simple…
For a time, everyone in the canyon felt they were in danger. Not only did they have to resist the blizzard, but they also had to dodge Lin Wu’s snipes from behind.
“This kid… what incredible brute force. Could he be a Body Cultivator who switched careers to join our Snow Lotus Sect?”
“What the hell is going on? If this continues, no one will pass!”
Watching their disciples being eliminated one after another without even getting a taste of the reward, the protectors of the various halls felt a surge of rage.
Lin Wu really was thinking exactly that.
If the Cold Rain Blessed Land hasn’t opened yet, and I’m the only one left in there with the little White Lotus for a sweet duo-run, wouldn’t the Sect Grand Competition become a joke?
Wouldn’t it be better to just have that big-booty Fairy come out and personally give the both of us the award?