Dongfang Sansan rolled his eyes as he scoffed, "After you asked him those questions, Dong Changfeng didn't dare to answer and told you to co and ask , right?"
"Yes."
"After that, Dong Changfeng and the others all sparred with you, right?"
"Yes."
"You sparred with them while emulating the battle styles and techniques of the top warriors of the main church like Duan Xiyang, right?"
"Yes."
"They all improved from the sparring session, right?"
"Yes."
"All three of them went into seclusion after you left, right?"
"Yes."
"Well, there you go! You already know everything, so why are you still asking ? If I didn't entrust you with the task of asking Dong Changfeng for that na, what would you have done when you saw Duan Xiyang?"
"I would've pursued him."
"So you wouldn't have gone out drinking with Bu Chou and the others, right?"
"No."
"So they wouldn't have had the opportunity to spar with you and improve, right?"
"That's right."
"Need I say any more?"
"But you still haven't explained to why you didn't ask Dong Changfeng for the na yourself!"
"......"
Dongfang Sansan could feel a bout of depression coming on.
***
The next morning, Fang Che erged from his room to discover the thirty-five Kings sitting in the courtyard in an orderly fashion, having already cleaned up everything from the festivities of the night before.
They were all cultivating with their eyes closed, cherishing this rare opportunity.
Ye ng was busy in the kitchen. There was a special type of rice here that couldn't be found anywhere else, and it grew on the special vines in the courtyard.
Fang Che told Ye ng to empty out the entire jar of rice and cook it up into two buckets of congee.
One portion of congee was left behind in the room for Ye ng, while the rest was split up evenly into thirty-nine bowls.
Fang Che delivered three bowls of congee to Old Man Shen's trio, and upon his return, the thirty-five Kings were still pretending to cultivate.
"Quit pretending!" he snapped. "Hurry up and co have so congee!"
Everyone instantly opened their eyes with sheepish expressions before taking a bowl of congee each.
"My wife made this for all of you."
"Boss Wife is the best!"
"You're a lucky man, Boss Fang."
Everyone imdiately began to dig in, and so cherished was the congee that they were licking their bowls clean to ensure that not even a single drop was left behind.
The past night of cultivation coupled with this bowl of congee had provided them with benefits equivalent to three months' worth of arduous cultivation, and they had also reaped other additional profound benefits that couldn't be derived from cultivation.
Even for the likes of Feng Xiangdong and Yu Zhongkuang, who were direct lineal descendants of second-tier clans, they did not have access to such precious resources as resources of this caliber were reserved for the seniors and patriarchs above them.
Hence, everyone was extrely touched by this gesture of generosity from Fang Che.
"We will never forget what you've done for us, Boss Fang!"
Everyone extended grateful bows to him in unison.
"It's no big deal, it's just a bit of rice. I don't know what it is, but I figured it was being kept in the kitchen for guests," Fang Che said in a nonchalant manner.
No one was convinced.
Even if he didn't recognize that the rice had been grown on those special vines, the abundance of spirit qi within it was a clear sign of its worth.
"Master Bing won't be angry with us for eating all of his rice, will he?" Xue Wanren asked in an uneasy manner.
"He wouldn't have arranged for to stay here if he didn't want this to happen."
It was clear to Fang Che that Bing Qianshan was going out of his way to give him preferential treatnt.
He didn't know why Bing Qianshan was doing this, but he was confident that Bing Qianshan wouldn't say anything even if he were to loot this entire deluxe courtyard.
In any case, there was nothing else of value in here aside from that jar of rice.
Old Man Shen's trio had also already finished their congee, and they approached the group of young Kings with satisfied expressions.
"What're you all still standing around for? Hurry up and cultivate to digest the congee!" Zhao Shanhe urged. "The King tier selection trials will start soon!"
"It's fine," Fang Che said. "As long as we don't show up, the selection trials can't begin."
Everyone instantly erupted into laughter.
Indeed, all thirty-six King tier candidates were gathered here, so there was no way for the selection trials to start if they didn't go.
"I'm sure Master Nine will appreciate all of you boycotting the selection trials," Old Man Shen scoffed with a roll of his eyes.
Everyone hurriedly sat down to cultivate at this grim warning.
"Do you not feel ashad accepting that bowl of congee, Zhao Shanhe?" Old Man Shen sneered. "If you continue to oppress Fang Che, then you may just be the most ungrateful scoundrel in all of history."
Zhao Shanhe could only turn away with a glum expression because he knew that his oppression of Fang Che had to continue.
He simply didn't have a choice in the matter!
***
Early in the morning, the group set off together, with Zhao Shanhe leading them to the venue for the King tier selection trials.
Ye ng was walking along beside Fang Che, feeling a little shy and uneasy.
Tan Dashi snuck his way to her side, then quietly asked, "Boss Wife, where is your younger sister right now?"
Everyone else imdiately began listening intently.
"My younger sister?" Ye ng exclaid with a surprised expression.
"Yes, your younger sister!"
Ye ng turned to Fang Che with a raised eyebrow.
Clearly, he had gone off spouting nonsense again.
"Ye ng doesn't have a younger sister," Fang Che said. "There must be so type of misunderstanding."
He couldn't keep up this lie forever, so it was ti to reveal the truth.
Everyone imdiately turned to Ye ng with dumbstruck expressions.
"You don't have a younger sister, Boss Lady?"
"I don't. Who told you all I have a sister?"
"......"
Everyone was silent for a mont before turning to Fang Che with murderous looks in their eyes, only to discover that he had already fled the scene.
"Fang Che! Get back here!"
***
The King tier selection trials were set to take place on a stage on a hill.
There weren't many spectators, and the proceedings were overseen by an assistant supervisor of a certain departnt.
Occasionally, so high-ranking figures would co and take a brief look before departing.
This was no surprise. After all, these were just so glorified sparring matches between so Kings, so it made sense that no one of any importance would display any interest.
However, unbeknownst to everyone, the two highest-ranking figures in the Guardians were itching to co and watch.
Even though there weren't many spectators, the battles were not lacking in intensity.
The first round of battles quickly concluded, and eighteen victors erged.
However, all thirty-six Kings were still in contention, engaging in a second round of eighteen battles.
This was because so who were strong enough to make the final nine could be unfairly eliminated by an unlucky draw in a single elimination format, so more care had to be taken.
The upcoming friendly matches concerned the glory of the continent and the Guardians, so it had to be ensured that the nine strongest Kings were selected.
There was no sense of animosity between the candidates, and so of the ones who had been defeated were even discussing details of their battle with the victors, candidly exchanging ideas and advice.
These battles were much more of a struggle than the ones during the southeastern selection trials.
His opponents were much more formidable, and they also possessed superior battle experience.
There were a few who Fang Che genuinely felt like he wouldn't be able to take down unless he revealed so of his trump cards.
However, all Fang Che wanted was to secure a spot in the top nine, not necessarily to put on a dominant display, and all of his opponents could sense that he was hiding his true power.
Of the final nine to erge, Fang Che wasn't the only one who had been holding back. As a matter of fact, all of them had unrevealed trump cards up their sleeves because those trump cards were too destructive and were not reserved for allies.
The final nine were Fang Che, Feng Xiangdong, Yu Zhongkuang, Xue Wanren, Dongfang Zhe, Luo Shishui, ng Wuhen, Tan Dashi, and Chu Wuqing.
The remaining twenty-seven Kings all chose to stay, and it was clear that they were not in very high spirits, but Fang Che and the others carried their hopes and dreams on their shoulders, so the twenty-seven Kings were determined to support their nine triumphant counterparts.
***
Zhao Shanhe's trio returned to the southeast.
There were still eight days until the friendly matches were set to take place, and they couldn't just stay here for eight days.
In particular, Zhao Shanhe and An Ruoxing still had to tend to their official duties back at the southeastern headquarters.
At night, Fang Che invited everyone to the deluxe courtyard once again, but everyone refused to go.
"We've already shalessly stayed there an entire night, we can't go again," Feng Xiangdong chuckled. "You're the one with the jade tablet, so all of the spirit qi in that courtyard should belong to you. We all know what you did for our sake the night before. We can't just keep taking advantage of your kindness. We can already brag to everyone that we spent an entire night in Master Bing's deluxe courtyard, so there's no need for us to go back."
The thirty-five Kings were all extrely grateful to Fang Che and Ye ng.
Each of them was carrying a jade tablet that granted them entry into the courtyard, but neither of them had chosen to use it to cultivate the night before, choosing to let everyone else harness the spirit qi in the courtyard when they could've easily chosen to take the selfish route.
"It sounds like all of you no longer bla for lying about my sister-in-law," Fang Che chuckled.
"Of course we do!" everyone yelled in collective fury. "You have to make ands for your deception! You and Ye ng have to find wives for all of us, and we won't take no for an answer!"
"But I really don't have a sister-in-law," Fang Che said in a resigned manner.
"That's not our problem! You gotta take responsibility for all of us!"
"It doesn't have to be Ye ng's sister, we'll settle for any other female relatives or even close friends of hers as well! As long as they're beautiful, smart, supportive, and possess decent aptitude, we don't mind even if they don't co from the most privileged background."
"Get away from !" Fang Che scoffed in disdain. "You're all pathetic!"
With that, Fang Che stord away, while everyone erupted into laughter.
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