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Tian Feiyu had been somewhat annoyed recently due to the trouble his disciple had stirred up, engaging in a verbal spar with Azure Wind. However, more than that annoyance, he felt a sense of surprise and unexpected joy. No one in the Wuhua Sect had ever managed to move the meridians of the Bronze Man since its founding. He had heard tales of Xunuo's innate strength but never imagined it would be so extraordinary.
It was no wonder that Jiang Tiesuo and others spoke of how Xunuo could contend with opponents of profound Inner Strength at the Qingyang Boxing Hall. With such divine power, even ordinary masters of internal martial arts would struggle to match him.
When Xunuo arrived, Tian Feiyu merely advised him to focus on practicing his punches in preparation for the Outer Sect Competition, refraining from any harsh reprimands.
Hearing his master's words, Xunuo understood that the troubles he had caused previously were now forgiven.
Upon returning to his room, he found Sister Nangong sitting in the hall and hurried over to thank her. Nangong Wan chuckled lightly, "I only lent a little help. Over these past months, the other brothers have taken turns waiting outside Broken Heart Cliff every day. They didn’t want me to go because it would be inconvenient for a woman like me. To be honest, it was the other brothers who contributed much more. I just took advantage of the situation."
Xunuo sighed and said, "I know that everyone has worked hard these days. I will remember this kindness and not forget it for a moment."
Nangong Wan replied, "If you can achieve something in the Outer Sect Competition and help restore the reputation of our Seven Star Sword Hall, that would be the best reward for us. Expressing gratitude is secondary."
Xunuo nodded in agreement but then recalled something and said, "I feel guilty for involving Senior Brother in guarding the spiritual spring down the mountain; it weighs heavily on my mind."
Nangong Wan's eyes sparkled as she thought for a moment. "I can't say much about this matter, but I can ask Third Senior Brother to mediate. Only Zigong is familiar with Senior Brother."
Upon hearing this, Xunuo quickly said, "Then I must trouble Sister Nangong."
Nangong Wan stood up and said, "You just focus on settling in; I will do my best to ensure that Junior Brother has no regrets."
With that, she took her leave.
After seeing Nangong Wan off, Xunuo paced around the courtyard and thought of Guo Shujiang. It seemed Guo Shujiang had something left unsaid today, and since he had just returned to Seven Star Sword Hall, it wasn't convenient for him to go out.
It would be better to find someone to call him over so they could discuss things thoroughly instead of leaving him guessing.
Xunuo headed out towards the Training Ground.
Halfway there, he spotted a familiar face—Lin Zhixuan, a disciple of Zigong Changhe. Xunuo called out to him and asked him to go to the Outer Gate and summon Guo Shujiang. Lin Zhixuan had suffered at Xunuo's hands before and knew that Xunuo's reputation had grown fearsome lately. Not daring to delay, he quickly agreed and ran off.
Seeing Lin Zhixuan so eager to help made Xunuo feel satisfied as he returned to his courtyard.
Not long after, Lin Zhixuan brought Guo Shujiang along.
In this back garden, ordinary disciples of the Seven Star Sword Hall were not allowed to enter without reason. Guo Shujiang, being a country bumpkin, had never heard of it. Upon entering, he felt as if he had stepped into a fairyland, overwhelmed by sights he couldn't take in. It was still winter and spring; if it were autumn or summer with the garden full of exotic flowers and fruits, along with the picturesque lake and mountains, he would surely be left speechless.
Seeing Xunuo, Guo Shujiang forgot to put on a pretense of formality. His small eyes darted around, and he couldn't stop exclaiming in wonder. Xunuo paid him no mind as he sent Lin Zhixuan away and entered the hall to sit down.
Guo Shujiang stood in the courtyard for a while before entering the room and saying, “Lu Shidi is truly blessed to be in such a heavenly place; I envy you so much.”
Xunuo shot him a glance and said, “Even if you are surprised, there’s no need to act like such a bumpkin. I feel embarrassed for you.”
Guo Shujiang immediately jumped up and retorted, “You’ve got it good but look down on me for being a bumpkin. Have you forgotten how you were when you were just as clueless?”
The two exchanged playful insults before sitting down to talk.
Xunuo then asked, “Today at Broken Heart Cliff, I noticed you seemed to have something more to say. Now that we’re here, Brother Guo, feel free to speak your mind.”
Guo Shujiang sighed and said, “There is indeed something I need Lu Shidi’s help with, but whether it can be resolved depends on fate.”
Xunuo replied, “If there’s any difficulty, just say it. Brother Guo doesn’t need to sigh like that.”
Guo Shujiang’s expression turned serious, completely losing his earlier jovial demeanor. He said, “Lu Shidi only knows about the Outer Sect Disciples and the Outer Sect Competition as an opportunity for advancement but is unaware of some underlying issues. Every time there’s an Outer Sect Competition, it is divided into five venues held simultaneously. Each venue selects the top twenty or so participants; in total, over a hundred will become that year’s Newly Admitted Inner Sect Disciples. At that point, each venue has to compete again to determine the top fifty. The top fifty must be assigned to various halls; these are the elite of Wuhua Sect. The remaining participants will be chosen by each hall; those selected will truly become Outer Sect Disciples. The last ones left will be sent to Divine Mechanism Hall for three to five years of martial arts training before being assigned as Managers.”
Xunuo chuckled and said, “Brother Guo is clever enough to be a Manager; what’s there to worry about?”
Guo Shujiang forced a smile and replied, “If it were based solely on skill, I might have some hope of making it into the top fifty. If I can’t make it into the top fifty, being a Manager is acceptable too. However, every year during the Outer Sect Competition, there are always some instances of favoritism and manipulation behind the scenes. If I compete according to the rules, I fear I might encounter unexpected troubles in the second round.”
Xunuo was puzzled and asked, “The list for the Outer Sect Competition is predetermined. We disciples who made it onto the list are evenly distributed across five venues. Even if there is cheating involved, they would still need a way to defeat us Ranking Disciples.”
Guo Shujiang explained, “That’s true in theory, but things change during the competition. Wuhua Sect has a rule that third-year disciples who lose in the first round can choose another arena for the next round. This is supposedly giving older disciples another chance; however, it’s actually a method for some Hall Masters to manipulate outcomes. Some Hall Masters and Vice Hall Masters have relatives among the Outer Gate disciples. Those with high skills don’t need this method; however, there are many who are less capable and have little hope of even making it into the top hundred. These Hall Masters secretly coordinate with certain Ranking Disciples in one venue by promising them advantages if they lose in the first round. This way, that venue lacks strong competitors. Their relatives also lose in the first round but choose that venue for further competition. With no strong contenders left, these less capable disciples have a much better chance of succeeding and are unlikely to be eliminated. Those Ranking Disciples who pretended to lose in the first round end up mixing into the other four venues. Normally speaking, Ranking Disciples from the same venue shouldn’t face each other in the first three rounds to avoid eliminating those on the list too early. However, this disrupts the original competition process entirely. Disciples on the list may end up facing each other in the second round; given your skills, if you encounter someone from that list, you might not make it into Inner Sect and could end up failing miserably.”
Seeing Guo Shujiang frowning deeply with worry, Xunuo thought for a moment and asked, “What’s so difficult about that? Brother Guo could also pretend to lose in the first round and enter that venue.”
Guo Shujiang replied, “The difficulty lies in not knowing where that venue is located. We have to wait until all participating disciples register for the Outer Sect Competition; only then will each venue's disciples be determined before those Hall Masters intending to cheat can act accordingly. They certainly won’t leak any information or leave behind evidence. Only after each First Round Match concludes can we see any clues.”
"Given the circumstances, it seems difficult to find that location," Xunuo sighed.
"If we can catch wind of things in advance, the problem will naturally be resolved," Guo Shujiang replied.
After saying this, Guo Shujiang fixed his small eyes on Xunuo.
Xunuo shot him a glare and said, "You don't need to look at me for this; I don't have that ability."
Guo Shujiang continued, "Then we can only act according to the situation during the Outer Sect Competition. In fact, the first two matches should reveal some clues. I've already asked a few fellow disciples to keep an eye out for any abnormalities in the competition locations and notify me. However, the selection of the competition venue must be decided right after the matches. If we miss the opportunity, there won't be another chance."
Xunuo nodded and said, "If we act on the day of the competition, I have some confidence. At worst, I can send more disciples from the Seven Star Sword Hall to monitor each venue. I'm just afraid that if your match is early and we haven't figured anything out yet, you might finish before we get any leads."
Guo Shujiang murmured, "That's exactly what I'm worried about. We can only do our best and leave the rest to fate."
He thanked Xunuo and left with a heavy heart.
After seeing Guo Shujiang off, Xunuo sat down and thought for a moment. If he were to release his Divine Sense to probe around, he might be able to uncover the truth. However, being in the Seven Star Sword Hall made him hesitant to act recklessly. Although he had never discovered Divine Sense in others, he couldn't be sure that no experts from Wuhua Sect possessed it. If he exposed himself, there were certainly others who would covet what he had.
Nevertheless, on the day of the Outer Sect Competition, if he sent more disciples from the Seven Star Sword Hall to investigate, it shouldn't be too difficult to uncover the truth. With that thought in mind, he felt more at ease.
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