Chapter 241: Chapter 230: Gathering (Part 2)
"Lu Yuanxiu?"
Xiang Bao paused, chopsticks in hand, and blurted out, "Of course I’ve heard of him. Elder Lu was a man of extraordinary talent. He won the grand tournament twice before he was thirty."
"Later, he became the Sect Leader, reached the Innate Realm, and became a Grandmaster of his generation. The Celestial Frost Fist you practice was passed down by him."
Zhao Lin said in surprise, "He was that incredible?"
Xiang Bao’s expression turned serious. "Of course. Elder Lu was the most outstanding martial artist in the Great Yue for the past two hundred years. No one in the three major sects could surpass him."
"Amazing!"
A question suddenly occurred to Zhao Lin. "Brother Xiang, I remember seeing the memorial tablets of past Sect Leaders in the main halls of the Wuxiang Institute and the inner courtyard. Why isn’t Elder Lu’s name among them?"
Xiang Bao hesitated for a moment before answering, "Elder Lu was only Sect Leader for ten years. For some unknown reason, he suddenly went into seclusion in the prime of his life."
"They said he left to roam the world. He’s been missing ever since, which is why there’s no memorial tablet for him."
After hearing this, Zhao Lin asked, "After so many years, he must have passed on, right?"
Xiang Bao said, "He’s almost certainly gone. But since we never received news of his death, it wouldn’t be appropriate to erect a tablet. They decided against it, and instead only recorded his life’s achievements in the sect’s Qilin Pavilion."
He finished speaking and gave Zhao Lin a strange look. "Why are you suddenly asking about Elder Lu?"
Zhao Lin then told him about the characters Lu Yuanxiu had carved under the lounge chair.
"What a good omen!"
Xiang Bao slapped the table and laughed. "Isn’t that a coincidence? You were assigned to the same residence as Elder Lu—it must be fate! Maybe you’ll soak up some of his good fortune and take first place in one fell swoop!"
"I’ll take that blessing."
Zhao Lin also laughed. "But I wouldn’t dare dream of taking first place. I’m just hoping to make it off the tournament stage in one piece..."
Just then, a bald disciple walked into the dining hall. He spotted Zhao Lin at a glance and came straight over.
Zhao Lin and Xiang Bao stopped talking and looked toward the man.
Although the disciple was bald, he had sharp, sword-like eyebrows and bright, star-like eyes, a straight nose, and a well-defined mouth. He was quite handsome.
The more Zhao Lin looked, the more familiar the disciple seemed. Suddenly, he remembered: this was Liu Feiyang of the Southern Suppression Sect.
’This guy used to have long hair. Why’d he shave it all off?’
’Back then, Yang Lin had told me to teach him a lesson, and I ended up yanking out his hair.’
’Did that really mess him up?’
Zhao Lin remained seated, secretly on guard.
"Senior Brother Zhao, it’s been a while. I trust you’ve been well?"
Liu Feiyang arrived at their table, speaking with a gentle and composed smile, as if he had completely forgotten what happened between them.
Zhao Lin was slightly taken aback. ’What’s he playing at?’
"Brother Liu, what’s with...?"
Liu Feiyang’s smile vanished, replaced by a solemn expression. "If Senior Brother Zhao hadn’t set me straight that day, I would still be lost, stubbornly obsessed with pursuing a minor path."
He pointed to his bald head. "I shaved my head to show my resolve and have dedicated myself to arduous training. I’ve finally made some small progress in the last six months, so I came today specifically to thank you."
Zhao Lin could hear the sincerity in his voice and replied, "You give me too much credit. Speaking of which, I was a bit too rough that day."
Liu Feiyang quickly waved his hands. "Not at all. Without that harsh setback, I might never have come to my senses."
At this, he lowered his voice. "Senior Brother Zhao, may I have a word with you in private?"
Zhao Lin glanced at Xiang Bao and said, "This is Brother Xiang, a very close friend of mine. Brother Liu, feel free to speak openly."
Liu Feiyang hesitated for a moment, then took two folded pieces of paper from his sleeve and handed them over.
Zhao Lin took them curiously. When he unfolded them, he saw they were filled with cultivation insights on Wind Attribute techniques and how to apply body techniques. He couldn’t help but stare, stunned.
"How did you know I have Wind Attribute energy?"
Liu Feiyang smiled. "Senior Brother Zhao, your Qi and Blood has a light, nimble quality to it. Others might not notice, but since I was born with a Wind Attribute constitution, how could I not?"
"How can I accept this? Does your sect permit it?"
Though that’s what Zhao Lin said, his hands clutched the two pages tightly.
Although Liu Feiyang’s training had gone astray, he had spent so many years focusing solely on Light Body Skills that he had reached a state of perfection. The experiences and insights he had summarized were definitely worth reading!
"You can! It doesn’t involve any of my sect’s core techniques, just some of my own personal insights."
Liu Feiyang explained, "The grand tournament is imminent. I hope this can be of some benefit to Senior Brother Zhao."
"Thank you!" Zhao Lin said solemnly, clasping his fist.
"It’s a small matter. No need to be so formal."
After a few more words, Liu Feiyang took his leave.
Zhao Lin put the papers away and sat back down.
Xiang Bao stroked his chin, watching Liu Feiyang’s departing figure. "You know, I think he’s even more handsome with a bald head."
...
「That evening」
The Sect Leaders of the three sects summoned their disciples for a meeting in the great hall.
It wasn’t all the disciples, however. Only the twelve disciples from the Xingyun Sect participating in the grand tournament, along with eleven disciples each from the Li Yang Sect and the Southern Suppression Sect, were present.
Originally, the Great Yue only had thirty-two slots for the tournament. But then, Elder Huo Shan of the Flame Sect sent assassins after Zhao Lin and Basang. The attempt failed, and news of it leaked.
The Great Yue and Wuche forced the Flame Sect to pay a huge amount in silver coins and rare medicinal herbs. The Flame Sect also had to give up six of their tournament slots to appease the public’s anger.
The Great Yue received two of those slots, which were given to the Li Yang Sect and the Southern Suppression Sect, one each.
The great hall was clean and tidy. Many round cushions woven from cattail reeds were arranged on the floor. Disciples filed in and sat in their respective sect’s designated area.
Once everyone had arrived, Lu Chaohuan spoke up. "Everyone, I’ve called you here today to discuss a matter of great importance."
The disciples guessed it had to be about the grand tournament, but they didn’t know the specifics.
The three Sect Leaders said nothing more. Each took out a stack of booklets and, with a light toss, sent them flying toward the disciples as if they had eyes of their own.
The disciples caught them, and as they opened the booklets, a collective gasp of astonishment filled the hall.
Zhao Lin was also astounded. He hadn’t expected the three major sects to have gathered so much information on their opponents. It was incredibly detailed, even listing their weaknesses.
With this, they could devise targeted strategies before a match, playing to their strengths while avoiding their weaknesses. It would definitely increase their chances of winning.
He turned his head and asked Xiang Shaofeng, "Brother Xiang, have we ever had something like this before?"
Xiang Shaofeng replied, "We have, but never this detailed. It seems we’ve finally gotten smart."
The disciples treated the booklets like priceless treasures, praising them endlessly.
Jiang Tiancheng, the Sect Leader of the Li Yang Sect, said in a grave voice, "This matter must be kept in the strictest confidence. Do not speak of it to any outsiders. You have four hours to memorize this today."
"You will review it again tomorrow, and then the booklets will be collected and destroyed."
The disciples immediately stopped their discussions and began to read with intense focus.
The great hall fell utterly silent, the only sounds being the RUSTLE RUSTLE of turning pages and the faint sound of breathing.
A Martial Cultivator who has trained to the Blood Realm has sharp hearing, keen eyesight, and a memory far beyond that of an ordinary person. Zhao Lin calmed his mind and began flipping through the pages one by one, committing the contents to memory.
When he reached the final page, he saw the four chief disciples.
"Bolta, Mai Kun, Li Taiqing..."
Zhao Lin froze. ’Isn’t Li Taiqing the guy I had that pushing-hands match with at the weapons shop?’
For the past two days, Zhao Lin had been wondering if he could actually beat Li Taiqing in a real fight.
So, he was the strongest disciple from Xiu Zhao.
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