“That’s right. Whoever is stronger or weaker will be determined on the stage. Nanyang City branch, our Linshui City branch is looking forward to the competition, hahaha…”
Seeing the expressions on their faces, Wen Renliang was absolutely thrilled. He turned and walked into the Spirit Controller Alliance, feeling as light as a feather.
“How is this possible? He’s only sixteen!” Wu Meng muttered, swallowing hard, unable to contain his astonishment.
“Even Alliance Master Ye Fenghua didn’t reach the third-grade spirit controller level until he was nineteen, and that was already considered exceptional. This young man surpasses even Ye Fenghua’s nephew…” Wu Meng stared at the departing figure, his voice trailing off in disbelief.
“This time, we’ve really misjudged. Linshui City branch has truly struck gold this time,” Pang Po also exclaimed, his eyes gleaming with envy, wishing Lin Xiao were his disciple.
“Sixteen years old, a third-grade spirit controller. If he continues at this pace, he will undoubtedly become another Ye Fenghua, or even surpass him…” The thought alone made Wu Meng excited. “We must befriend this young man. If there’s an opportunity, we should try to win him over…”
As he spoke, his eager gaze shifted to Wu Sha, causing her to blush and say awkwardly, “Why are you looking at me? I have nothing to do with him.”
“Relationships can be cultivated, Sha Sha. In the future, you should spend more time interacting with this young man,” Wu Meng advised.
“Look at you all. He’s just a third-grade初级 spirit controller. Is it really worth such a big reaction?” At this moment, an inappropriate娇喝声 (shrill voice) rang out. Xuan Xuan scolded the group, causing all three to turn their attention to her.
“And even if his talent is high, he’s still not as handsome as Brother Ye Yu,” Xuan Xuan added with a huff.
“…” The three of them were speechless.
Pang Po suddenly felt the urge to strangle his own disciple.
Inside the Spirit Controller Alliance, Lin Xiao quickly landed, and the young spirit controller who had followed him led him to the VIP room arranged for them.
Originally, Lin Xiao didn’t care about the sarcastic remarks from the others, but he couldn’t ignore Wen Renliang’s feelings. To give Wen Renliang some face, he decided to showcase his strength.
This display undoubtedly shocked the two elders, and they would likely never dare to mock Wen Renliang again.
Similarly, Wen Renliang was in high spirits, grinning from ear to ear the entire way.
He knew very well that Lin Xiao’s level had stunned the two old men.
Moreover, if they were to see that Lin Xiao possessed spiritual energy, their expressions would be even more priceless. Even though he wasn’t entirely sure about Lin Xiao’s alchemy skills, having spiritual energy meant that Lin Xiao might not lose to Wu Sha.
Even if Lin Xiao were to lose, given his age, his talent would still far surpass Wu Sha’s. The two elders would never dare to mock him again.
This time, Lin Xiao had truly vented his frustration for him—a frustration that had been building up over several competitions. If Lin Xiao were to make it into the top ten, his frustration would be completely released.
Of course, Lin Xiao didn’t think that far ahead. After returning to his room, he quietly focused on his cultivation, paying no attention to the spirit controllers gradually filling the nearby courtyards.
The next morning, after the bright sun had risen for a while, a voice woke Lin Xiao from his cultivation. Stepping out of his room, he saw Wen Renliang and a middle-aged receptionist standing at the door.
Immediately, Lin Xiao followed the two of them toward the alchemy hall of the Spirit Controller Alliance.
This time, it was an internal assessment for the participants of the Alchemy Competition. Spirit controllers from various factions were gradually gathering.
Before long, the alchemy hall of the Spirit Controller Alliance came into view. Seeing the slightly crowded entrance, Lin Xiao was slightly surprised. In just a short while, two or three third-grade spirit controllers in light yellow robes had already entered.
As expected of the recommended participants from various factions, there were quite a few third-grade spirit controllers just based on their ranks.
“Wen Renliang, you’re here early!” At this moment, a familiar elderly voice rang out.
Lin Xiao followed the voice and saw two elderly men in dark yellow robes and two women approaching.
These four were none other than Wu Meng, Pang Po, Wu Sha, and Xuan Xuan.
The one who spoke was Wu Meng. This time, there wasn’t a hint of sarcasm in his voice, and both old men’s faces were slightly flushed.
Apart from the two elders, Lin Xiao’s gaze shifted to the two women. Xuan Xuan’s attire hadn’t changed; she was still wearing the bright orange robe.
However, Wu Sha’s outfit was completely different from the day before. She was now wearing a light yellow spirit controller gown, giving her a more refined appearance.
But her graceful figure and stunning beauty couldn’t be hidden, and as she walked, she attracted the gazes of many young men.
Of course, what shocked those young men wasn’t just Wu Sha’s beauty but also her attire. A third-grade初级 spirit controller at just over twenty years old was undoubtedly a genius among geniuses.
“Wu Meng, Pang Po?” Seeing the two, Wen Renliang was momentarily stunned, then laughed heartily. “Haha, what a coincidence!”
Now, Wen Renliang no longer felt annoyed when he saw them. Instead, he felt a sense of excitement. In the past, he dreaded running into them, but now he almost wished he could see them all the time. This feeling was incredibly satisfying.
“Ahem, it is quite a coincidence…” Pang Po awkwardly chuckled. This wasn’t a coincidence; it was a place everyone would come to.
His gaze shifted to Lin Xiao, and he asked, “May I ask, young friend, what is your name?”
Seeing their attitude, Lin Xiao knew they now held him in high regard. However, he didn’t care much for them and replied indifferently, “Hei Mu.”
“Young friend Hei Mu, may I ask who your master is?” Pang Po pressed further.
“Haha, Pang Po, don’t bother trying to probe. Let me be honest with you—he’s not my disciple. But don’t get any ideas. His master is not someone just anyone can compare to,” Wen Renliang coldly responded. He knew exactly what they were thinking—they wanted to find out if he was Lin Xiao’s master.
But being Lin Xiao’s master was something even he, let alone Wu Meng and Pang Po, wasn’t qualified for.
“My apologies. My master prefers a quiet life and doesn’t wish for his information to be disclosed by his disciples,” Lin Xiao politely declined to avoid further questioning.
“Haha, anyone who can take you as a disciple must be a true master, far beyond our reach,” Wu Meng also laughed, his attitude toward Lin Xiao vastly different from the day before.
Then, he glanced at Wu Sha and said, “Sha Sha, you young people should come over and have a good chat.”
“Me?” Wu Sha was stunned. Her grandfather’s words clearly hinted at trying to set her up with this young man. At the thought, her face immediately turned red.
“Hey,丑男 (ugly guy), what are you standing there for? Do you expect Sister Sha Sha to come to you?” At this moment, Xuan Xuan suddenly called out to Lin Xiao.
Hearing this, Lin Xiao was momentarily stunned. What did this have to do with him? Wasn’t it Wu Sha who was hesitating?
Originally, the conversation between Wu Meng and the others wasn’t loud, and the bystanders hadn’t heard what was said. But Xuan Xuan’s shout made everyone nearby curious. Who was this young man, and how did he manage to befriend a third-grade spirit controller genius like Wu Sha?
However, seeing how familiar the elders from both sides were, they assumed it was all thanks to the elders’ connections. They couldn’t help but sigh at the young man’s good fortune.
“Third-grade初级 spirit controller?” Just then, an astonished elderly voice came from not far away.
