“Uh… top ten should be manageable,” Lin Xiao shrugged, giving a vague response.
“Top ten? Do you think alchemy is as simple as refining Nine Flame Wood or fighting? There are already twenty or thirty third-grade spirit controllers participating in the competition. Do you think getting into the top ten is that easy?” Xuanxuan retorted, clearly skeptical.
The top ten were already figures of extraordinary alchemical prowess in the spirit controller world. While she didn’t deny Lin Xiao’s talent, his youth likely meant he lacked the experience to rank that high.
“Of course, if it were my Ye Yu brother, getting into the top ten would be a breeze. Not just the top ten—he could even win the championship,” Xuanxuan added.
“…” Lin Xiao.
Fanatics are impossible to reason with! The only way to convince them is through results.
“Haha, with Brother Hei Mu’s talent, there’s a good chance he could make it into the top ten. Xuanxuan, you shouldn’t judge people by their appearance… uh, cough…” Pang Po awkwardly coughed twice, realizing that telling Xuanxuan not to judge by appearance might imply that Lin Xiao was ugly.
He quickly added, “Actually, Brother Hei Mu’s appearance probably isn’t bad either. He’s just a bit tanned…”
Lin Xiao smiled without responding. Just because he wore a mask, did that make him a hideous monster afraid to show his face?
“Refining Nine Flame Wood to ten rotations—do you think he just got lucky? His alchemy skills are definitely not weak. Not just top ten, he could even make it into the top five!” Wu Meng’s voice chimed in.
Wu Sha nodded in agreement, turning to Lin Xiao. “I believe in you.”
“Haha, whether I can make it into the top ten isn’t up to us to decide. It all depends on how I perform in the competition. But Miss Wu Sha, it seems you’re also quite confident about making it into the top ten, aren’t you?” Lin Xiao asked with a faint smile.
“I can only do my best,” Wu Sha replied modestly.
However, Lin Xiao could see the confidence shining in her eyes.
Hearing the others praise Lin Xiao, Wenren Liang’s face was filled with a proud smile. Lin Xiao’s appearance had finally allowed him to watch the competition without a frown.
“Hmph, Wenren Liang, is this the disciple you’ve brought?” Just then, a mocking voice of an old man suddenly rang out.
Hearing this, everyone frowned and turned to look in the direction of the voice.
They saw a gray-robed old man and a gray-clothed young man slowly walking toward them.
The old man was about the same age as Wenren Liang, with white hair, while the young man was in his early twenties, with an average appearance but an arrogant expression. When he looked at Lin Xiao, his eyes were filled with disdain.
“Fan Renlou!” Recognizing the old man’s face, Wenren Liang’s brows immediately furrowed.
“Glad you still remember me, the ‘Alliance Leader’ of the Linshui City branch,” Fan Renlou said with a meaningful tone, emphasizing the words “Alliance Leader.”
Wenren Liang frowned and retorted, “Fan Renlou, didn’t you retire? What, are you thinking of returning to the Spirit Controller Alliance now?”
“Haha!” Fan Renlou sneered, his expression turning cold. “If it weren’t for you, would I have needed to leave the Spirit Controller Alliance?”
“Hmph, back then, you and I had our conflicts, competing for the position of Alliance Leader of the Linshui City branch. But those old fools were blind and gave the position to you!”
Fan Renlou’s face showed a hint of anger. “Now, I’ve returned to prove that the Spirit Controller Alliance’s choice back then was a mistake, a huge mistake!”
“Who is this person? How dare he speak to the Spirit Controller Alliance like this? He’s got some nerve!” a young man from the alliance said angrily.
“This man was once a deacon of the main alliance, with a fairly high status. But during the alliance’s election, the higher-ups chose Wenren Liang. He left the alliance in anger after failing to become the Alliance Leader of the Linshui City branch. If he wants to return, he can come back anytime. So, don’t stir up trouble, or you might regret it if you end up under him in the future,” an older spirit controller explained.
Hearing this explanation, the other young men wisely kept their mouths shut. A deacon of the main alliance held a position just below the few elders and oversaw most of the alliance’s affairs.
If he returned, they might end up under his command, and if he heard their earlier comments, their lives would undoubtedly become difficult.
At this moment, Wu Meng and Pang Po, standing nearby, remained silent. The conflict between the two was complicated, and it wasn’t their place to intervene.
Hearing Fan Renlou’s direct accusations, Wenren Liang snorted coldly and retorted:
“Back then, the alliance chose me because of my character. No one forced you to leave the Spirit Controller Alliance—you left on your own. You can’t blame anyone for that.”
“Also, after all these years of retirement, you’re still the same. If we’re really talking about right and wrong, they didn’t make the wrong choice,” Wenren Liang added.
“Didn’t make the wrong choice? Haha, how can you say that with a straight face?” Fan Renlou sneered. “The ability of a branch alliance leader is judged by how well they lead the branch and nurture spirit controller talents. Since you say they didn’t make the wrong choice, let’s compare whose disciple is stronger!”
He pointed to the young man behind him and introduced, “Let me introduce you. This is my disciple, Wu Gong. He’s twenty years old and a third-grade primary spirit controller.”
“I wonder, what kind of disciple has the Alliance Leader of the Linshui City branch produced?”
Fan Renlou looked at Lin Xiao and Wenren Liang with disdain.
At this point, Lin Xiao fully understood. This old man, Fan Renlou, had returned to prove his abilities to the higher-ups of the Spirit Controller Alliance and Wenren Liang, seeking to right what he saw as a wrong.
His method of proof was to compare this young man to Lin Xiao, mistakenly assuming Lin Xiao was Wenren Liang’s disciple.
It had to be said, this young man’s talent was indeed remarkable. Reaching third-grade primary spirit controller at this age was even more impressive than Wu Sha’s talent.
But for Lin Xiao, that might not be the case.
“Twenty years old and a third-grade primary spirit controller?” Wu Meng and Pang Po were stunned. Even Wenren Liang was taken aback.
Wu Gong’s talent was undoubtedly that of a super genius. They hadn’t expected Fan Renlou to produce such a disciple.
Seeing their reactions, Fan Renlou’s face showed a mix of pride and relief.
Wu Gong’s arrogant expression grew even more pronounced as he glanced disdainfully at Lin Xiao and interjected, “Hmph, comparing trash like this to me is an insult.”
Lin Xiao frowned, and the others’ expressions also tightened.
“My only opponent is Ye Yu!” Wu Gong crossed his arms, his face filled with confidence.
Before anyone else could speak, Xuanxuan was the first to react, angrily retorting, “Hmph, who do you think you are? Comparing yourself to my Ye Yu brother is an insult to him!”
She was relatively polite to Lin Xiao since she didn’t dislike him, but this Wu Gong was thoroughly unpleasant, so she didn’t hold back.
Hearing Xuanxuan’s scolding, Wu Gong’s eyes narrowed as he looked at her. Seeing that she was only wearing the attire of a second-grade intermediate spirit controller, he sneered, “And who are you? Just a second-grade intermediate spirit controller. Do you even have the right to speak to me like that?”
He then glanced at Wu Sha and added, “Even you don’t have the right to compare yourself to me!”
