The dicine Gate plaza was packed with people, except for the stone platform reserved for the competition. Internal competitions at the dicine Gate were not an annual event, so even non-mbers ca to watch.
So ca for the excitent, while others saw it as an opportunity to et the new generation of outstanding pill refiners.
In one corner of the open space, Zhou Ting looked around. Not seeing any sign of Ghost Guest, he smiled brightly, his grin growing wider by the second.
"What are you so happy about?" asked a girl in a red dress beside him.
Before Zhou Ting could respond, a handso young man next to him explained with a smile, "If that Ghost Guest misses the hour, Zhou Ting can take his place."
The girl in the red dress suddenly understood and teased, "Still not convinced, huh? I heard his alchemy skills are quite good, at least better than yours. Otherwise, why would Amanda choose him? Whether you participate or not, you don't really need the reward."
Zhou Ting spat angrily, "He's only at the second level of Qi Refinent and hasn't been cultivating for long. How good can his alchemy skills be? He only took my spot because he's a personal disciple. I'm not convinced!"
"Well, whether you're convinced or not, it has nothing to do with ," the girl in the red dress said, scanning the surroundings. "Strange, why isn't Amanda here either?"
The handso young man laughed, "The first round is simple. She probably has confidence in us and didn't bother to co."
Zhou Ting looked at the handso young man with a half-smile, "Cui Mu, you're usually smart. How co you beco so dumb when it cos to Senior Sister Han? You don't know, do you? Senior Sister Han went to pick up that useless guy. Tsk tsk, such treatnt, you and I can't compare. I guess in her eyes, that useless guy is the most likely to win."
Cui Mu's smile instantly disappeared, his face turning extrely ugly, "Why him?"
"I think the sa," Zhou Ting said through gritted teeth, "I want to see why he took my spot."
"Silence!"
On the high platform to the north, a young man with thick eyebrows and big eyes leaped into the center of the field. "I am Timothy Yuan, the steward of the dicine Gate. The competition is about to begin. Participants, enter the field."
In an instant, nurous cultivators participating in the competition leaped high and landed on the stone platform in the center of the plaza.
Zhou Ting, along with two companions, jumped onto the platform and stood in Ghost Guest's spot, smiling even more brightly.
Timothy Yuan scanned the area, cleared his throat, and announced loudly, "I declare the dicine Gate competition, begin!"
"Wait!" Amanda Han flew to the platform with Ghost Guest, quickly landing and cupping her fists in salute. "Greetings, Brother Yuan. I'm sorry for the delay on the way. This is Junior Brother Ghost Guest, one of my recomnded candidates. We arrived at the last minute, but we shouldn't be late, right?"
Timothy Yuan frowned, "Junior Sister Han, this is inappropriate."
Amanda Han smiled apologetically, "I know Brother Yuan always follows the rules, but there's no rule against arriving at the last minute, right?"
Timothy Yuan fell silent, and the people around the platform started to murmur.
"What's going on? Can you be late for this kind of competition?"
"Not really late, they arrived just in ti."
"Even so, for such an important competition, they should have co early. It's disrespectful."
"But they're personal disciples. What can you do about it?"
Zhou Ting laughed loudly, shouting, "Being late for the competition is a great disrespect to the dicine Gate. Get out, get out of the dicine Gate!"
"Yes, get out!" the crowd imdiately echoed loudly.
On the high platform to the north, a lazy-looking cultivator in a green robe saw Amanda Han and his expression beca complicated. He turned to the blue-robed cultivator sitting upright beside him, "Brother Xiao, Timothy Yuan just sent a ssage asking what to do. I can't make this decision. You're the Deputy Gate Master, you decide."
"Li Qing, what do you think?" the blue-robed cultivator asked back.
Li Qing averted his gaze from Amanda Han, trying to appear relaxed, "It's not a big deal. The competition hasn't started yet. Since they're personal disciples, let's give them a break."
"No," said a cold woman beside him. "Rules are rules. Even if they're Master's personal disciples, they can't be so arrogant. Being late ans disqualification."
Li Qing teased, "Lan Qian, can you stop harping on your rules? It's not a big deal. With your attitude, you'll never find a Dao companion."
Lan Qian replied calmly, "I am devoted to the Dao and do not need a Dao companion."
"Is it that you don't need one, or you can't find one? Honestly, with your temper, who could stand you?"
"Better than you, always being frivolous and only good at arguing."
The blue-robed young man listened to their argunt turning into a quarrel and rubbed his forehead helplessly.
These two, always bickering like this. Were they enemies in a past life?
"What are you arguing about?"
A playful voice suddenly sounded, and a thin young man appeared before them without warning, arms crossed, looking at the center of the field with interest.
The group imdiately stood up and bowed, "Greetings, Brother Wang."
Those who noticed the commotion couldn't help but be shocked. The high platform was occupied by the top echelons of the dicine Gate, especially Xiao Shenghe, who had reached the ninth level of Qi Refinent and was the Deputy Gate Master. Even in front of the Gate Master, he wouldn't bow so deeply. Who was this thin young man to deserve such respect?
On the high platform, Xiao Shenghe and the others broke out in a cold sweat upon seeing the thin young man.
Others might not know his true identity due to joining late, but they knew him well. Rembering the things he did in the past still filled them with fear.
Wang Sui, the forr Hall Master of the Law Enforcent Hall, had reached Foundation Establishnt ten years ago when Xiao Shenghe was only at the fifth level of Qi Refinent.
Even now, having reached the ninth level of Qi Refinent, it made no difference in front of Wang Sui.
Xiao Shenghe wiped the sweat from his forehead and pointed to his seat, "Brother, please sit."
Wang Sui waved his hand, "I've been sitting too long in seclusion. I'll stand. You all carry on. By the way, where's your Gate Master?"
"Still in seclusion," Xiao Shenghe replied respectfully.
"I see." Wang Sui smiled mysteriously, then changed the subject, "I just ca out of seclusion and heard from Senior Brother that Master accepted two personal disciples, one nad Ghost Guest, who is participating in today's competition. I ca to see. Which one is Ghost Guest?"
"That one," Xiao Shenghe pointed to Ghost Guest beside Amanda Han, then transmitted his voice clearly to Timothy Yuan, who was still in a standoff with Amanda Han.
Having cultivated to this level, they were all highly perceptive. Wang Sui didn't need to spell it out; Xiao Shenghe understood his aning.
Wang Sui ca to watch Ghost Guest compete. If Ghost Guest couldn't participate, how could he watch?
Li Qing and Lan Qian, who had been arguing, also wisely chose to stay silent and watch.
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On the platform, Timothy Yuan's ears twitched slightly. He looked up at the high platform in confusion, then waved to Amanda Han, "This won't happen again. Step down and don't affect the competition."
Amanda Han's face lit up with joy. She gave Timothy Yuan a grateful look and quickly retreated from the platform.
This left Zhou Ting in an awkward position.
Timothy Yuan waved his hand, and herbs flew out from his storage bag, landing accurately in front of each participant. "The pill furnaces and ingredients for this competition are provided by the dicine Gate. Any violations will result in disqualification. Junior Brother Ghost Guest, return to your spot. Junior Brother Zhou, please step down."
Facing the mocking gazes of the crowd, Zhou Ting bit his lip until it bled, brushed his hand over the herbs, and walked off the platform in disgrace.
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