Chapter 154

After Chang Chun left, Wang Chen returned to his own estate.

Pondering the exchange with the Purple Mansion Superior, he still felt anxious.

The situation was precarious before.

If the other party had shown even a trace of malice, Wang Chen would not have gotten through this so easily!

This made him feel that Chang Chun wasn’t as incompetent as others claimed.

As a cultivator of the Purple Mansion tier, Chang Chun’s reputation in the Inner Sect of the Cloud Sun faction had always been poor, with mocking or even derogatory aliases like “Spirit Stone Superior” and “Tofu Superior,” staining his esteem considerably.

Especially during that lecture, when Huang Yuxiu from Mingxiu Peak publicly demanded debts, leaving him in an extremely awkward position.

He had lost face and respect completely.

In the eyes of the Sunset Peak disciples, his status plummeted!

After that incident, Chang Chun disappeared from everyone’s sight for a while, even putting a halt to his Purple Mansion lectures.

That was rather frustrating too.

Although Wang Chen held no prejudices against Chang Chun, he inevitably felt the influence of public opinion.

Now he understood that no Purple Mansion cultivator should be underestimated!

Not to mention, Chang Chun’s demeanor was quite extraordinary.

The Purple Mansion Superior noticed that Wang Chen had gained an opportunity but did not show covetousness.

Even though his proposal to take Wang Chen as a direct disciple was puzzling.

But after Wang Chen refused, the Purple Mansion Superior didn’t persist and left straightforwardly.

He never once used his status to pressure Wang Chen.

The last words he said held no threat.

They sounded more like a warning!

Nevertheless, Wang Chen was not going to give up his Sword Control Technique practice just because of the other party’s comment.

His Sword Control Technique was only a few points away from reaching the Great Achievement level, and he had already reserved the necessary Human Virtue points.

How could he possibly give up halfway!

Wang Chen surmised that the noise he made during his practice must have affected the Purple Mansion Superior.

So he decisively went downstream to the creek and found a secluded spot to continue refining his sword technique!

Without advancing his Sword Control Technique to Great Perfection, Wang Chen would not stop!

Days went by.

Wang Chen’s secluded cultivation didn’t encounter any accidents, and Chang Chun didn’t appear again.

Then, at the end of November, the Sunset Peak Lecture Platform began.

The Cloud Sun faction had Nine Peaks and Nine Veins.

Apart from the main peak, Taihao, the other eight veins would hold an internal martial arts competition every year.

To select the top ten disciples as representatives.

For attending the Nine Peaks Deliberation.

Which is the faction’s grand competition!

According to the Inner Sect’s rules, unless in special circumstances, disciples from all eight peaks must participate in the Lecture Platform competition.

As for going onto the platform to fight for the status among the top ten disciples.

That was purely voluntary.

Of course, the rewards for the top ten disciples were generous, with Cultivation Techniques, Pills, Magic Artifacts, and various high-quality cultivation resources enticing many cultivators, making the competition fierce every year.

As for the Nine Peaks Deliberation, that was even more significant.

The performance of the eight peaks’ representatives in the grand competition determined the resource allocation ratio for each vein in the following year.

Therefore, even a weak peak like Sunset Peak had to strive hard!

On the day of the Lecture Platform, Wang Chen left his house early in the morning, summoned the Willow Leaf Flying Boat, and headed straight for the top of Sunset Peak.

He was one of the early arrivals.

But upon reaching the arena, he found the area around the Lecture Platform was already filled with a dense crowd of people.

At least a thousand Inner Sect Disciples!

Clearly, everyone attached great importance to this vein’s martial arts competition.

Just as when Wang Chen used to attend lectures at the daoist arena, these Inner Sect disciples all had their respective groups.

They were clearly segmented.

Wang Chen was long accustomed to this; he habitually found an inconspicuous corner to sit down in.

Considering the peak lineage lecture would last for an extended period, Wang Chen took a chair and some books out of his Storage Bag, along with a big handful of sunflower seeds. Then he started reading leisurely while cracking seeds.

Of course, he didn’t forget to strengthen the effects of his Stealth Breath Technique, making himself a transparent presence on the fringe of the crowd.

This way, he felt quite comfortable.

“Junior Brother…”

To Wang Chen’s surprise, just as he had cracked about two ounces of pumpkin seeds, a meek voice came from behind him, “Could I buy some seeds from you?”

Wang Chen looked back and saw a slightly plump young cultivator sitting to his side and a little behind him.

A big head, little eyes, wide nose, thick lips, his appearance was indeed honest and simple.

The Stealth Breath Technique was no invisibility spell, and Wang Chen’s Great Perfection level Stealth Breath Technique could only greatly reduce his presence. If one remained fixed in someone’s line of sight, then it wouldn’t be very effective.

“Sure thing,”

Wang Chen handed over a bag of pumpkin seeds, “They’re not worth much as Fragmented Spirit Stones, so I’ll give them to you.”

His manor included a few mu of vegetable garden, where the previous owner had planted some pumpkins.

After Wang Chen took over, he had taken care of the vegetable garden and by the Mid-Autumn Festival, had harvested a good number of ripe, large pumpkins.

These pumpkin seeds came from them.

Wang Chen had roasted them himself.

“Thank you!”

The slightly plump cultivator hurriedly came forward to take the seeds and also brought over his own mat to place next to Wang Chen.

He sat down and happily started cracking them.

As he cracked away, his gaze drifted towards the book in Wang Chen’s hands and gradually lost focus.

After a while, the slightly plump cultivator couldn’t hold back any longer and leaned in to ask softly, “Junior Brother, what kind of books do you have there? Maybe we can share and discuss them.”

What books?

Of course, it was “The Tale of Ruyi”, “The Jade Beauty”, “Tales of Leisure”, “Joyous Foes”, “The Completed Romance”…

Wang Chen silently turned the cover of the book he was holding to show the other—”The True Interpretation of Talismans”.

His progress in the art of talismans depended entirely on self-study, so he had purchased quite a few related books to reinforce his theoretical knowledge.

Hacking the cultivation panel was great, but without some self-accumulation, advancing one’s practice would be much less efficient.

Wang Chen planned to attempt mastering intermediate-level Talisman Crafting Techniques after advancing to the ninth level of Qi Cultivation.

So, early accumulation was necessary.

“The True Interpretation of Talismans” covered content involving second-tier Spirit Talismans and third-tier Treasure Talismans and was considered a standard textbook.

But the slightly plump cultivator lost interest at the sight, “Oh, it’s that kind of book.”

Wang Chen smiled, “What’s your esteemed surname, Senior Brother? My name is Wang Chen.”

The slightly plump cultivator replied, “No need for esteem, my surname is Pang, Pang Zitong.”

“So, it’s Senior Brother Pang.”

Wang Chen greeted with a bow, “I am Wang Chen.”

Pang Zitong turned out to be quite an interesting figure, speaking and bearing himself unlike most Inner Sect disciples.

He didn’t seem to come from a lower background, but he also lacked the arrogance of someone from a Noble Clan.

All in all, Wang Chen had a good impression of him, and the two of them started to chat casually while cracking seeds.

As the seeds made their mouths dry, Wang Chen took out a basket of Spirit Peaches to share with Pang Zitong.

All grown by himself.

Pang Zitong was rather embarrassed.

Then he ate most of the peaches, repeatedly praising their delicious taste.

Thud–

Accompanied by the sounding of the 9 a.m. bell, this year’s Sunset Peak Lecture Platform had officially commenced!

———–

The second update is delivered.