Chapter 623 - 53: Arrogant Before, Submissive After, The Situation is Settled
The terrain of Honglie Continent is peculiar, with towering mountain ranges encircling the area, rising a hundred zhang above the sea. In the midst of it lies a pure basin. At the moment, a grand tournament is taking place, and at each of the four cardinal directions stands an imposing thirty-zhang-high monumental archway. Behind each archway are rows of flag gates.
If disciples of the sect pass through them, they will be guided to the cliffside pavilions and winding corridors within the mountains, where they are seated separately, avoiding overcrowding.
When the Wang Sisters and Li Guozhi arrived, they heard the melodious chime of golden bells ringing from afar, resonating gently and soothingly, accompanied by waves of faintly audible musical notes. In the distant sky, rainbow light danced, auspicious clouds painted the horizon, and radiant halos shimmered as Spirit Bird Flying Boats soared back and forth, never ceasing.
As they approached the cliffside, a Daoist riding a White Crane came forward to greet them. Bowing with hands clasped, he said, "I wonder where my fellow sect members have come from? This humble Daoist can assist in arranging your seating."
At this moment, disciples from various sects and islands were arriving in droves, making the Deacon Disciples responsible for guiding them extremely busy.
Though busy, not all disciples are treated equally. There is always a distinction between high and low status. Those who hail from renowned masters’ teachings are often allocated prime pavilions. Not only is the viewing of disciples’ matches comfortable and enjoyable from these spots, but attendants and female servants may also accompany them, providing meticulous service to ensure no complaint of mistreatment arises.
However, those who do not possess significant reputation or come from less prominent sects are instead crammed together in shared pavilions accommodating dozens at once. Comfort, naturally, is out of the question.
Sometimes, disciples who don’t get along are even seated together. Such arrangements, however, are beyond the concerns of the Deacon Daoists.
If anyone violates sect rules, Powerful Warriors can be ordered to escort them out immediately.
This was Li Guozhi’s first time observing the grand tournament here. He had previously inquired about the customs and arrangements from his fellow members. Considering himself to be someone of status, he didn’t want the Wang Sisters and Tian Kun to look down on him. Noticing the Daoist’s cultivation, which didn’t seem much greater than his own, he took the initiative to step forward and said, "I am from the school under Yu Master of Yingxian Island. I trust the Deacon can offer some convenience and arrange us a favorable spot."
"Ah, so you are from Yingxian Island."
The Deacon Daoist listened to his words, cast him a sidelong glance, and lazily tossed over a token before pointing behind him, saying, "Do you see the flag gate at the Dui Position? With this token, you may go there. Hurry along."
"This..."
Li Guozhi’s expression subtly shifted. They were assigning him to the West Position?
Moreover, judging by the token’s appearance, it clearly wasn’t a promising location. Taking a deep breath, he replied, "Dear Deacon, might you reconsider? I am under the Yingxian Island sect. My teacher, Yu Chengyao, is a disciple of True Master Meng."
Fearing the Daoist would be unaware of his background, he reiterated his lineage. Unexpectedly, after hearing this, the Daoist frowned and shot him a few looks, his face displaying evident impatience. With a snort, he spurred the immortal crane beneath him and left, paying him no further mind.
Li Guozhi was left standing there, stunned.
Wang Caiting, quick-witted and perceptive, immediately grasped the situation. Seeing Li Guozhi’s embarrassed demeanor, however, she found it rather amusing and giggled, teasingly saying, "Senior Brother Li, it seems the token in your hand might lead to quite the luxurious pavilion."
Wang Caiwei gave her a slight tug, shooting her a reproachful look, then turned to Li Guozhi and said, "Senior Brother Li, my sister speaks nonsense; please don’t take it to heart."
Li Guozhi’s face grew slightly hot, and he could only respond with a bitter smile.
Tian Kun chimed in, "Does it matter where we go? Why make such a fuss?"
Wang Caiwei laughed, "Second Senior Brother is quite correct. We are Xuanmen Sect Disciples, not the sort of pampered people who can’t withstand hardship. After enduring three years of austere life, can we not overlook something as trivial as seating arrangements?"
Li Guozhi, hearing this, felt a slight sense of shame. Nevertheless, as this matter concerned his teacher’s reputation, he couldn’t openly express his thoughts and simply remained silent, nodding toward the three of them. Taking another glance at the token, he steered his flying boat toward the Dui Position’s flag gate.
The Deacon Daoist, visibly displeased, had already moved some distance away. Before long, a White Robed Daoist approached him, proudly displaying an object in his hand and said, "Pi Rong, take a look at this. What do you think it is?"
The Deacon Daoist glanced at it and immediately widened his eyes in shock, exclaiming, "Cloud... Cloud Sand? How did you acquire this?"
This Cloud Sand, plump and smooth, was undoubtedly of excellent quality. If exchanged, it could easily fetch over a thousand Spiritual Shells. His eyes were filled with envy as he stared at it.
The White Robed Daoist deliberately flaunted it a few more times before stashing it away. Smugly, he said, "I just escorted a Chen Clan member up the mountain earlier. Upon learning I also carried the surname Chen, and noticing that my service was satisfactory, they casually rewarded me with this. Hehe, looks like I’ll be able to wander in the Nine Cities for quite some time now."