Chapter 75: She’s just a vase, not worthy of being my opponent.
As time passed, the more than 100 people quickly drew their lots. Everyone was eager to know who their opponents were, but due to the majesty of the Immortal Alliance, no one dared to break the rules.
“Alright, I will now announce the rules for this Evergreen Convention. Number one will compete against number two, number three against number four, number five against number six, and so on. This competition will be a single-elimination format, meaning one match determines victory or defeat. Winners will advance, and losers will be eliminated. Those who receive a bye will directly advance until the strongest few Immortal Seeds are selected to represent this prefecture in the national Evergreen Convention.” Steward Cai announced the competition rules and then reminded everyone, “I want to remind all of you that the Evergreen Convention only recognizes numbers, not people. So please protect your lots.”
“Alright, if there are no questions, everyone return and prepare. Three days later, the Evergreen Convention will officially begin here.” Steward Cai then declared the drawing ceremony concluded.
As soon as he finished speaking, the HongHua Sect members were immediately surrounded. After all, they were considered weaklings, and everyone wanted to know if they were lucky enough. Although Ruan Lingyu quickly covered her lot with her sharp eyes and hands, she was still a step too slow, and someone saw it.
“She’s number twenty-seven, I saw it! She’s number twenty-seven! Who is number twenty-seven’s opponent?”
“What kind of genius are you? Number twenty-seven’s opponent is of course number twenty-eight!”
“Who is number twenty-eight? Has anyone drawn number twenty-eight? Hurry up and claim your gift package.”
“Damn it, why didn’t I draw number twenty-eight? This little beauty looks like a vase.”
…
The onlookers discussed amongst themselves, their faces showing envy, jealousy, and hatred.
“I… I am number twenty-eight! What gift package? Where is my gift package?” At this moment, a young man rushed through the crowd in a hurry.
“You drew the female disciple of the HongHua Sect, and she’s so beautiful, isn’t that a gift package?” someone said enviously.
“Haha… really? Thank Heaven! Our Feisha Sect is saved.” The man then laughed heartily towards the sky, tears streaming from his eyes.
“How… how dare they!” Ruan Lingyu trembled with anger, her teeth gnashing. Cheng Hong Ling couldn’t stand it any longer, so she gently took Ruan Lingyu’s hand. The other fairies also came forward to comfort her.
Next, the other three disciples of the HongHua Sect participating in the Evergreen Convention were also claimed as gift packages, except for Cheng Hong Ling’s opponent, who hadn’t appeared yet. The HongHua Sect members were starting to get anxious. After all, Cheng Hong Ling’s lot was the most important, as only she had obtained the pink bamboo water, which was crucial for the future of the HongHua Sect. The consequences would be unimaginable if the owner of the Golden Life Flower seed found them.
Qin Quan couldn’t wait any longer, so he led the members of the HongHua Sect to inquire about who number fifty-two was.
“Who is looking for number fifty-two?” Just then, a booming voice was heard. Driven by True Qi, it directly suppressed all other sounds in the venue.
“It’s the number one Immortal Seed of the HuXiao Sect, Lü Zhen!”
“I don’t know who drew him, they’re really unlucky, destined for a first-round elimination.”
“It seems to be a disciple of the HongHua Sect! The most beautiful one!”
“Isn’t this like an egg hitting a rock? Lü Zhen is not someone who cherishes the fair sex. He is extremely ruthless, always beating his opponents half to death in every match, regardless of whether they are male or female.”
“I heard that he treats matches as life-and-death struggles to hone his cultivation! He’s simply a battle maniac, what a pity for that little beauty.”
…
The surroundings were filled with hushed discussions and faces full of awe.
“What? The number one Immortal Seed of the HuXiao Sect?” Even Qi Huang, as an observer, felt a bead of sweat for Cheng Hong Ling. One must know that the HuXiao Sect is the largest Immortal Sect in Yongning Prefecture, and its disciples are the most outstanding in the entire Yongning Prefecture. To become the number one Immortal Seed in such a sect, the terror of one’s talent is truly unimaginable.
The members of the HongHua Sect were all stunned, thinking that Cheng Hong Ling’s luck was too bad. Was it really the heavens that wanted to destroy them?
“It’s us, we’re looking for number fifty-two!” Qin Quan, as the Sect Leader, had to bite the bullet and speak.
“You? Which sect are you from? Why are you looking for me?” Lü Zhen walked into the crowd. He looked about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, not very tall, but with very strong limbs, giving him a compact and energetic appearance.
“We are from the HongHua Sect, and this female disciple of mine is your opponent.” Qin Quan replied politely. Although the other party was just a disciple, the power behind him was enough for Qin Quan to bow his head.
“HongHua Sect? And a female disciple?” Lü Zhen glanced at Cheng Hong Ling, paused for a moment, and then his expression quickly darkened. The members of the HongHua Sect tensed up, except for Cheng Hong Ling.
“Who wants this lot!” Just then, Lü Zhen suddenly held up lot number fifty-three in his hand. As soon as his voice fell, a dead silence enveloped the surroundings. Although the lot was very tempting, no one dared to speak up easily, as no one could figure out Lü Zhen’s intentions.
“I came to participate in the Evergreen Convention to hone my cultivation, and she…” Lü Zhen said, looking at Cheng Hong Ling with contempt, “is just a vase, not worthy of being my opponent. So, whoever wants this Tooth Token, I will give it to them.”
“I, I, I! I want it!” Now everyone around who was watching the commotion understood, and they rushed forward one after another. To encounter Cheng Hong Ling not only meant good fortune but also was equivalent to a bye. Who wouldn’t want it?
The group from the HongHua Sect was dumbfounded. Others already looked down on them by treating the disciples of the HongHua Sect as easy targets, but this guy couldn’t even be bothered to “crush” them. The insult was far greater than any actual harm.
“Elder Lü! Ancestor Lü! Please, give it to me! Our Xiangyun Sect is out of ‘Cat’s Eye Tears,’ and our fellow disciples rely on luck for ghost suppression and demon vanquishing. We must get a spot in the prefecture-level Immortal Seed this time, otherwise, our sect will be destroyed!” A short and stout young cultivator, not wanting to be left behind, knelt directly before Lü Zhen and kowtowed repeatedly, begging. It seemed he was after the Cat’s Eye Tears.
“Seeing your sincerity, I’ll give it to you!” Lü Zhen casually threw the lot to the middle-aged cultivator, as if bestowing charity.
“Thank you, grandpa! Thank you, ancestor!” The short and stout cultivator kowtowed several more times, handed over his own lot with both hands, and only then dared to pick up lot number fifty-two.
“I was about to kowtow, but he beat me to it! What bad luck!”
“I don’t know who his opponent is, they are truly unlucky!”
“Why isn’t anyone stopping them? Is this open exchange of lots in accordance with the rules?”
“Are you stupid! Didn’t you hear what Steward Cai just said? It only recognizes lots, not people. What he meant was that such behavior is tacitly permitted.”
“Yes, after all, for the Immortal Alliance, they only want to select the strongest Immortal Seeds. The process itself is irrelevant.”
“Really? Then I’ll find an opportunity to snatch it! I must make that little beauty kick me a few times!”
…
The onlookers discussed animatedly, and many even harbored ill intentions, their sole purpose being for Cheng Hong Ling to “reward” them.
“These guys probably don’t know they’re courting death!” Qi Huang felt like laughing. It was clearly a low-grade lot, yet everyone wanted it.
After receiving the lot, Lü Zhen glanced at it casually, a look of disdain on his face, and then turned to leave. The members of the HongHua Sect looked at each other, their expressions extremely complex. Although they had been inexplicably insulted, this outcome was something they had hoped for, as they had avoided the strongest competitor. Cheng Hong Ling, being a young lady, did not challenge Lü Zhen on the spot. To others, she appeared even more like a weak and easily bullied little lamb.
