At first, the crowd only watched the Wushuang Sect's display with blank expressions.
But the moment they heard that slogan, many faces twisted with mocking smirks.
Wushuang Sect disciples?
Invincible among peers?
Who taught them to boast so shamelessly!
This sect was nothing more than a patchwork of unwanted loose cultivators and Imperial cultivators thrown together in haste. Sure, they had managed to scrape their way into the threshold of the super sects. But everyone here knew exactly where their so-called experts came from.
Even if the Wushuang Sect truly had heaven-defying methods to turn trash into treasure, did that not take time?
Their sect emphasized grasping the Dao, and understanding the Dao was precisely what required the most time.
How long had these disciples even been in Wushuang Sect? Weren't they all wastes who couldn't even get into a low-tier sect just a short while ago? And now they dared claim invincibility against equals?
It was laughable enough to choke someone. Most people, wary of Yun Jin's notoriously vengeful temper, kept their ridicule to themselves and simply smirked.
But Wen Fu, Sect Master of Yuehua Sect, let out a cold laugh and mocked openly. "Sect Master Yun, are you serious about that slogan of yours? You claim your disciples are invincible among their peers?"
Yun Jin gave him a calm glance and replied lightly. "Of course."
Wen Fu could not hold back. He burst into laughter, shaking his head as he spoke between chuckles. "Now I see Sect Master Yun has quite a talent for comedy as well. Just those disciples? Invincible? You've put them so high on a pedestal—when they lose, won't they just cry their eyes out?"
Although his words were ridiculing, Wen Fu kept studying the expressions of Wushuang Sect's disciples. What surprised him was…
Even under such direct mockery, not a single one of them looked nervous or guilty. Their faces radiated unwavering confidence.
Wen Fu frowned.
What was this?
They were supposed to be a bunch of wastes, so where did this confidence come from? What kind of brainwashing had Yun Jin done to them?
"Sect Master Wen, no need to rush," Yun Jin said with a cheerful squint. "Unless your disciples lose too quickly, ours will eventually face yours. At that time, you will naturally understand what 'invincible among peers' truly means."
From today onward…
The disciples of Wushuang Sect would become synonymous with that phrase. Yun Jin would make sure every single person remembered it.
"We'll see if you have the ability to back that claim." Wen Fu sneered again, but stopped arguing further.
Wushuang Sect had signed up for the challenge among the contenders for super sect seats.
This competition for a super sect position included the ten established super sects automatically, plus the upper sects who dared to register. Counting Wushuang Sect, there were five challengers.
That made fifteen sects in total. They would be ranked through a point system, and the top ten would retain or ascend to super sect status. But success in such challenges was notoriously rare. The resources and privileges given to super sects were leagues beyond what upper sects could muster.
In the last hundred years, only one upper sect in the Qingxiao region had managed to break through into the super sect ranks—and they now sat at the very bottom of that list.
All other attempts had ended in failure. Each sect fought in different zones according to their tier. Wushuang Sect and the other challengers were naturally placed in the super sect zone.
Here, Lin Xiao personally presided, while the sect masters of the other fourteen sects each had their own seat. Yun Jin glanced at the arrangement of seats, then casually plopped down right beside Lin Xiao.
"Pavilion Master Lin, there are so many people here, but I feel closest to you. Besides, I'm still young, I need a senior like you to look after me. Sitting next to you means we can chat a bit, don't you think?" She grinned impishly.
What a crafty little fox.
Lin Xiao clearly provided more Emotional Value than the others. Naturally, she had to sit beside him—it was the prime position for harvesting it. The seat at Lin Xiao's side was traditionally reserved for the first and second ranked super sect masters. That was an unspoken rule.
But when faced with Yun Jin's brazen disregard, what could anyone do?
Lin Xiao did not bother quibbling over such trivialities. His face remained expressionless as he said, "Sect Master Yun, do as you please."
"Good!" Yun Jin cheerfully pulled out a pouch of sunflower seeds, kept one bag for herself, and shoved another at Lin Xiao.
He ignored it.
Yun Jin frowned, then promptly stuffed the bag into his lap.
"Pavilion Master Lin, why be so polite? These spirit sunflower seeds aren't even worth much—one bag costs just a single low-grade spirit stone. If it were something more expensive, I'd be reluctant to share. But if you really feel guilty about it, then just give me one low-grade spirit stone and we'll call it even."
Lin Xiao: "…"
Yun Jin's grin widened.
At that moment, crisp notifications rang out in her mind—five consecutive bursts of Emotional Value.
[+100 Emotional Value]
[+100 Emotional Value]
[+100 Emotional Value]
[+100 Emotional Value]
[+100 Emotional Value]
Five hundred points in one go!
Pavilion Master Lin really was generous.
"Pavilion Master Lin, don't keep that stiff face. Even if you don't give me a spirit stone, you can just take it directly. I said I'm giving it to you as a gift. That's the kind of generous person I am." Yun Jin chattered on endlessly.
Lin Xiao clenched his jaw, feeling as if his ears were being tormented by a swarm of buzzing mosquitoes. If it really were mosquitoes, he could have just swatted them dead. But Yun Jin was one mosquito he couldn't squash, at least not right now. Unable to endure it any longer, Lin Xiao tossed a high-grade spirit stone at her.
"Take it. Just shut your mouth."
"Got it!" Yun Jin accepted happily.
Lin Xiao thought it was finally over.
But Yun Jin immediately pulled out a large pile of sunflower seeds and handed them out to the other sect masters, one bag each.
"Everyone, eat up! These melon seeds are courtesy of Pavilion Master Lin. Let's all thank him together!"
The other sect masters: "???"
Yun Jin's eyes narrowed in mock anger.
"What's this? Why aren't you saying anything? Do you all secretly hold a grudge against Pavilion Master Lin? He kindly offered you seeds, and you won't even say thank you? Pavilion Master Lin must be disappointed to see such ungrateful wolves!"
The crowd turned their gazes toward Lin Xiao.
He was dumbfounded.
What nonsense was this?!
When had he ever treated them? Even if he did want to, would the mighty Pavilion Master of Qingxiao Pavilion be reduced to handing out sunflower seeds? Where was his dignity?
He was about to speak when Yun Jin raised her loudspeaker and shouted.
"Today, sunflower seeds for the entire audience are courtesy of Pavilion Master Lin! Everyone can head to the stall in the western corner to pick up a free bag. This is Pavilion Master Lin's kindness to you all!"
The audience below looked over in confusion, only to actually spot a young man in green robes selling from a stall.
In an instant, they understood.
Ah?
That must be Pavilion Master Lin's subordinate running the stand, right?
Well then, they had to support it.
Sure enough, while the sunflower seeds were free, the stand sold all sorts of drinks and dried plums at cost. It even had custom little flags for each sect, perfect for cheering on their disciples.
Before long, the disguised Yue Zhao was raking in spirit stones like a storm.
The sect masters on stage were fuming but couldn't scold their disciples in such a setting, so they could only pinch their noses and watch the stall's business grow hotter and hotter.
After directing a whole wave of customers to Yue Zhao, Yun Jin finally returned to her seat. She looked at the increasingly sour-faced Lin Xiao and said sweetly.
"Pavilion Master Lin, I just borrowed your name to do a little business. You wouldn't seriously argue with a child over something so small, would you?"