"Anyone want food? If you do, come and get it; it won't wait forever."
On the mountain path outside the building, an armored soldier shouted, with several comrades carrying food boxes beside him.
Shi Chun, lost in thought in front of Bian Weiying, suddenly snapped out of it and looked back. Together with Wu Jinliang, they jogged over.
They weren't particularly hungry, but they had never tasted the food of the Imperial Capital, let alone on this Immortal Mountain. Naturally, they didn't want to miss out.
Each took a box and even asked about the meal times. They were told that meals would be delivered on time, and if you wanted to eat, you could; if not, it didn't matter—finished boxes should be left by the roadside for collection.
After waving goodbye to the meal delivery people, Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang eagerly opened their boxes, tasting and commenting, grinning widely as if they had never eaten before.
Bian Weiying, Gan Tangyu, and Xiang Lan'er watched their synchronized actions in a daze.
As soon as they cleaned out their boxes and left them by the road, more soldiers arrived to distribute materials: one copy of the competition's rules and rewards for each participant, and a map booklet for each person that was actually a map marking the form and explanation of Insect Essence Crystals.
The rules were straightforward; the focus was on the rewards from the Royal Court of Shengshen Continent. The rewards were for participating sects and individuals, with no rewards for the prefectures below. For the prefectures, gaining more Xun Gates was considered the greatest reward.
After the conference, the top ten sects and all their disciples would receive free passage through all publicly accessible Xun Gates within Shengshen Continent for a certain period. It was specifically noted that this excluded Xun Gates used exclusively by the Immortal Court.
The first-place sect would receive permanent free access to Shengshen Continent's Xun Gates. The second would have three hundred years, the third two hundred years, and those from fourth to sixth would have one hundred years, while the seventh to tenth would have fifty years.
This reward was indeed substantial for the sects. The cost of passing through Xun Gates individually was not low, and during collective sect actions, it could become a major expense. The larger the sect and the more disciples, the greater the benefit.
As for the representatives of the sects attending, their efforts would directly benefit everyone in their entire sect.
The individual rewards were even more concrete and immediate.
The top ten would receive one million sandalwood gold as a reward, with all receiving this base amount. For those from fourth to sixth, an additional two million was added to their reward, totaling three million sandalwood gold.
The first to third place were rewarded with a real estate contract in the Royal Capital of Shengshen Continent, the value adjusted according to the rank.
Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang could only watch with eyes glistening. Making it to the top ten meant one million on its own, with even more for the top three, not to mention a residence in the capital. Just comparing it to the reward for fourth to sixth place was enough to imagine its worth.
Shi Chun casually flipped through the map booklet of the competition site, pondering for a moment before asking Bian Weiying in public, "Senior Sister, with three days left until the competition begins, shouldn't the talismans given by the sect be distributed among us?"
That "Senior Sister" caught everyone by surprise, even Wu Jinliang was taken aback by it.
He knew Shi Chun very well and knew this marked change in tone meant something was shifting in the situation.
After a moment of hesitation, Bian Weiying realized she was a bit out of character. After all, they had entered the sect and were disciples under Elder Ke, thus, calling her "Senior Sister" was appropriate. She laughed and replied, "Junior Brother, you two always cause trouble; you're too rash. I'll keep the talismans for now. If you behave, I'll distribute them accordingly. Act out, and that might not be the case."
Shi Chun wanted to say more.
Bian Weiying raised her hand to halt him, "We'll talk more once the competition starts."
Fine. Shi Chun had no choice but to hold off. While others were studying the competition rules, he nudged Wu Jinliang with his elbow, and the two went to his room.
Once the door was closed, Wu Jinliang asked mysteriously, "What's up?"
Shi Chun whispered, "Do you want to take revenge on that Bai Zhuchuan?"
Wu Jinliang gritted his teeth, "Of course, how?"
Shi Chun replied, "Those on the Demonic Path have too many schemes, and Bian Weiying is negotiating with wolves; they can't be trusted. We need to rely on ourselves. When the competition starts, how about we go solo?"
Wu Jinliang widened his eyes, "Solo? Just the two of us?"
You might as well ask him outright if he's dreaming.
Shi Chun picked up the map and tapped it, asking, "Don't you think this place looks familiar?"
Wu Jinliang asked, "Where?"
Shi Chun answered, "This place is sealed; once the competition starts, everyone there will be trapped. Their skills aren't particularly high. Doesn't this situation seem familiar to you?"
Wu Jinliang stood there dumbfounded. This idea was vaguely familiar. He mumbled, "The Exile Lands?"
Shi Chun nodded, "Indeed, this is our specialty. Who are we to fear? We should be feared here. I've realized that following Bian Weiying won't get us anywhere—that's leading us to our death. We can only branch out on our own. If we do something, let's do something big. Didn't you want a house in the capital? There are rewards available. We're good at heisting; if we're going to rob, let's rob for first place!"
Wu Jinliang was carried away for a moment by his words but quickly faced reality, "Boss, that's a nice thought, but things are different. Those willing to fight are all at the Advanced Martial Realm, and many are skilled at even higher levels, like Bai Zhuchuan's five."
Shi Chun replied, "You're in the Advanced Martial Realm too, aren't you?"
Wu Jinliang wryly smiled, "But you're not, Chun. Relying solely on my strength won't do. It's also likely to make it to the top ten; each prefecture sends ten thousand participants, Shengshen Continent has a hundred twenty-seven prefectures, so over a million people are participating. Although the majority probably don't want to compete for supremacy, the difficulty is still obvious.
Moreover, if we aim for first, we'd be making too many enemies. Wukang Mountain will have issues. We're currently Wukang Mountain disciples. If we bring a bunch of enemies to Wukang Mountain, they'll split us apart for sure."
Shi Chun passionately said, "If the blade is dull, we sharpen it. If we're outnumbered, we recruit more. Wukang Mountain is nothing; they can't even handle a proxy and juggle their schemes. With such a disposition, they might as well stay home, make a few talismans, and call it a day. Do they really think they can suppress the heroes of Eastern Nine Plains?
If I, Shi Chun, make a mark in this world, with Wukang Mountain's limited capabilities, they surely can't touch me. The higher we rank, the safer we are! Wu Jinliang, if you won't do it, then I'll do it alone. Do you believe I can snatch the first place on my own?"
Go solo for first place? Wu Jinliang mumbled inwardly. You're just boasting—you're still a mere worm in the Initial Martial Realm.
But after thinking it over, he sighed reluctantly, "You're right. That woman, Bian Weiying, is good at scheming but in the wrong spot. I really don't understand what Wukang Mountain is thinking. They have the capacity to avoid turmoil but insist on being on the front lines of danger, acting as pawns for others. What's there to gain? Shifting blame in Bian Weiying's strategy is certain death especially for us two—we'd be dead at the very front. Left or right, this is a life-and-death game. It's better to die by our decisions rather than be suppressed."
Clearly, like Shi Chun, he was skeptical about collaborating with Stone Cloud Mountain.
Shi Chun grinned, having a reliable partner was better than going solo. He patted Wu Jinliang on the shoulder, saying, "In three months, let's go see our house in the Capital together."
Wu Jinliang couldn't help but grumble with a wide grin, "Chun, you're giving me false hope again."
Yet, deep down, there was a hint of expectation—this Boss's promises often came true. If his plans never worked out, Wu Jinliang wouldn't agree, as they'd be as good as dead.
Xiang Lan'er also seemed to favor the scenery of the Immortal Mountain, often strolling along the paths to view the grand sights of the Capital.
Her gaze fixed on a small painted plum blossom on a roadside stone railing, and she casually wiped it clean with her fingertip, heading in the marked direction.
She continued wiping away plum blossom markings along the way, eventually reaching a secluded pavilion concealed by trees. A robust man in a yellow shirt was standing there, his face was rugged and mean, the type who looked like trouble.
Xiang Lan'er entered the pavilion and glanced around. The man in yellow spoke quietly, "No worries, we have people watching nearby."
Only then did Xiang Lan'er walk up beside him, gazing into the distance together.
The man in yellow said, "I'm Sun Shigang, a disciple from Falling Moon Valley in Sheng Prefecture. I'm at the Advanced Martial Realm. The Falling Moon Valley team is under my leadership on this mission. Sister Feng put me in charge of connecting you with others. We have twelve groups here to support your actions. Moreover, there's a task we're assigned to complete once inside the Western Extreme Contest Grounds, and we'll need your cooperation."
Xiang Lan'er asked, "What task?"
The man in yellow replied, "We need you to find an opportunity to lure Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang away from the group. Our goal is to eliminate Wu Jinliang in front of Shi Chun."
Xiang Lan'er was shocked and turned to look at him, "Why?"
The man in yellow explained, "If Shi Chun has some hidden backing, they won't sit idle if he meets trouble during the tournament. To observe their reaction, we need to put on a convincing act. Hasn't Wukang Mountain teamed up with Stone Cloud Mountain?"
After a brief silence, Xiang Lan'er nodded slightly.
The man in yellow continued, "We'll talk with Bian Weiying on this matter soon with our Falling Moon Valley team. You'll need to stay alongside Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang. Then I'll act allured by your beauty. When they intervene, I can use it as an excuse to provoke them, giving me a justified reason to act later. Killing Wu Jinliang without cause might raise suspicion. Once you signal, I'll follow up with action."
Xiang Lan'er remained silent for a while.
Noticing her hesitation, the man in yellow looked at her intently. After a moment, she said calmly, "Understood."
With that, she turned and left.
Events unfolded as planned. Xiang Lan'er led Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang out to admire a spectacle of the Capital. Meanwhile, Sun Shigang and his team from Falling Moon Valley met with Bian Weiying to discuss cooperation. Unsuccessful, they departed feeling disgruntled. Spotting Xiang Lan'er's beauty, Sun Shigang began his lecherous advance.
He initiated a flirty exchange with Xiang Lan'er while Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang stood by as spectators, surprisingly unmoved. Sun Shigang had to deepen his flirtation, going so far as to place his hand on Xiang Lan'er's waist.
Unexpectedly, Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang simply bolted. Yes, just like that, they ran. After sizing up Sun Shigang and his entourage, they turned away and hurried off, chatting as if nothing happened, picking up speed as they walked away.
What just happened? Sun Shigang and Xiang Lan'er were left standing there, utterly befuddled and at a loss for words.
(Chapter End)