Inside the grand hall, silence hung heavy in the air.
Several people sat, their expressions solemn.
The atmosphere was awkward, with an undercurrent of tension that no one dared to break.
Qi Hao, dressed in pristine white robes, lifted the teacup by his side and took a slow sip.
"Ahem."
He cleared his throat lightly, his expression calm and composed—his face not even twitching.
Such control spoke volumes. He was a man who had truly mastered his cultivation of Qi, well-versed in both etiquette and manipulation.
"Hmph!"
Tian Buyi cast a glance at him and said in a flat voice, "It seems the water of Dazhu Peak doesn't sit well with the disciples from Longshou Peak."
Qi Hao stiffened. He had heard from his master, Cangsong Zhenren, that Tian Buyi might appear unimpressive—short, round, and unremarkable at first glance—but in terms of actual skill, he was an elite even his own master hesitated to challenge.
In the entire Qingyun Sect, aside from the head elder Daoxuan, it was Tian Buyi whom Cangsong feared the most.
Qi Hao quickly stood up, clasped his hands, and respectfully began, "Uncle Tian, I—"
Before he could finish, a young voice interrupted him.
"Disciple Lin Jingyu, under orders from my master, Cangsong Zhenren, comes to deliver a message to Uncle Tian"
Tian Buyi raised his brows, cutting him off with a cold snort. "Deliver a message?"
His tone turned icy.
"So now your master has become so dignified that he can't even come in person? He sends disciples as mere messengers?"
Lin Jingyu faltered, momentarily unsure how to respond.
Qi Hao, on the surface, remained composed, but deep inside he was grinning.
Good! The more Lin Jingyu makes a bad impression, the better it is for me.
Ever since Lin Jingyu had joined Longshou Peak, his incredible talent had outshone Qi Hao's own years of hard work.
Master Cangsong, once entirely focused on him, had begun pouring time and resources into Lin Jingyu instead.
It was clear the elder now intended to pass on his legacy to this younger disciple.
Lin Jingyu had reached the fifth level of the Jade Purity Realm in just three years.
If this continued, it wouldn't be long before Lin Jingyu completely outclassed him.
Even if Qi Hao managed to wait patiently for Cangsong's death a century later, there was no guarantee he'd inherit Longshou Peak.
So, the more Lin Jingyu was disliked by the other elders, the more pleased Qi Hao was.
He stepped forward and bowed again to Tian Buyi. "Uncle Tian, my master is currently entrusted by Headmaster Daoxuan to manage sect affairs across the Seven Peaks.
He couldn't come personally this time, but this is not simply to 'inform' you. We come to discuss something important."
Tian Buyi paused, looking closely at Qi Hao.
He might be young, but this Qi Hao was no fool.
Powerful in cultivation and shrewd in mind, he was clearly the strongest of Longshou Peak's disciples.
"We'll see what's so important then," Tian Buyi replied coolly.
Qi Hao nodded and calmly explained.
The upcoming Seven Peaks Martial Tournament had a new rule: each peak would now send nine participants, but Tongtian Peak, led by Daoxuan himself, would send ten.....making the total number of contestants sixty-four.
Tian Buyi's brows furrowed.
This change clearly favored the other peaks. Dazhu Peak had only eight disciples in total.
With this new requirement, they were now short a member.
As Tian Buyi was about to comment, the doors to the hall opened.
Zhang Xiaofan entered with Song Daren and Tian Ling'er.
Lin Jingyu turned, and the moment he saw Zhang Xiaofan, his face lit up.
A bright smile stretched across his face as he rushed forward.
"Xiaofan!"
His voice was filled with genuine emotion.
Zhang Xiaofan was stunned for a moment. Seeing Lin Jingyu's joy, he felt conflicted.
Despite Lin Jingyu's extraordinary talent, the boy had never treated him arrogantly.
From their childhood in Caomiao Village, the two had grown up like brothers.
After the massacre that destroyed their village, only the two of them survived—aside from a half-crazed old uncle.
For Lin Jingyu, Zhang Xiaofan was family. Closer than a brother.
He embraced Zhang Xiaofan tightly, a gesture not of formality, but of true affection.
---
As the two friends reconnected, Qi Hao's attention drifted elsewhere.
Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a girl in a bright red dress—Tian Ling'er.
Her figure was elegant, and her fair skin seemed to glow like snow.
She was breathtaking, easily comparable in beauty to Su Ru, the most admired woman of the older generation.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Qi Hao's heart thumped wildly. In that moment, he was completely smitten.
He had heard rumors that Tian Buyi's daughter was beautiful.
But seeing her in person—she wasn't merely beautiful; she was otherworldly, like a fairy descended to earth.
If Zhang Xiaofan could hear his thoughts, he would have scoffed and said, "Love at first sight? More like lust at first glance."
Still, he couldn't deny that Tian Ling'er was indeed stunning.
Among the six senior brothers of Dazhu Peak, only Song Daren treated her like a true sister.
The others secretly admired her.
Once Tian Buyi and his wife left the hall, Qi Hao saw an opportunity.
He approached Tian Ling'er with his most charming smile and bowed politely.
"I presume this is Junior Sister Tian?"
Tian Ling'er gave him a brief glance. Though she thought he seemed well-mannered, she didn't respond and looked away.
Qi Hao didn't give up. With a polite tone, he continued,
"Junior Sister Tian is widely known for her intelligence and talent. Everyone in Qingyun praises you."
Flattered, Tian Ling'er began to warm up a little. She had never left Qingyun Sect, and the farthest she'd traveled was Xiaozhu Peak.
Hearing such praise made her think Qi Hao was quite decent.
But Zhang Xiaofan had seen enough.