Chapter Fifty: Arousing Envy

"Are you ready?" Lin Xiaobao asked in a deep voice.

"Please, Senior Brother Lin!" As the eight spoke, Lin Xiaobao formed a hand seal with his left hand. The gravity array that had weighed him down a thousandfold was instantly sealed away. In the next instant, Lin Xiaobao became a streak of black shadow; a series of sharp cracks resounded, and before the eight finalists of the formal disciples’ competition could even react, they all fell to the ground without exception. Each bore a vivid crimson mark across their faces, clearly left by the flat of Lin Xiaobao’s Seven-Star Sword.

Lying on the ground, the eight were shaken beyond words. If the sword had struck them with its blade rather than its body, would any of them still be alive? They had foolishly dreamed of challenging Lin Xiaobao to make a name for themselves within the Pavilion of Wind and Snow.

Suddenly, they realized they had made a grave mistake. To challenge any personal disciple was reckless, but to challenge Lin Xiaobao was sheer folly.

The Frost Hall fell silent once more. Lin Xiaobao’s phantom-like movement was so swift that most present hadn’t caught a single detail. Some of the lower-ranking disciples even felt as if Lin Xiaobao hadn’t moved at all.

A wave of terror swept through the crowd. Where once there had been disdain in their eyes, now only fear remained. At this moment, Lin Xiaobao appeared to them as a demon incarnate.

Cold, icy eyes swept over them; anyone who met his gaze felt as if they had plunged into a frozen abyss. Lin Xiaobao spread his arms and leapt before Cen Shuyia.

"It seems it’s time to collect our spoils," he said, turning his gaze to Long Xingtian.

Long Xingtian stared back at Lin Xiaobao, realizing that this man he had never truly acknowledged now stood on equal footing with himself.

Prompted by Lin Xiaobao’s reminder, Cen Shuyia responded instantly. Smiling, she produced the Wind and Snow Token and said, "I trust none of you senior brothers would renege on your word?"

Long Xingtian and the others finally recovered from their shock. Remembering their earlier wager, some were tempted to default, but the thought of the Elder behind Cen Shuyia made them abandon the idea. Resigned, they handed over their Wind and Snow Tokens, transferring all their contribution points to Cen Shuyia, then turned and departed.

Lin Xiaobao did not wish to become entangled with this little witch. He took out his own Wind and Snow Token, transferred his share of contribution points, and prepared to leave.

However, Wang Dashan declared that he did not want the share he had won, gifting it to Nie Feiyan as a token of greeting from fellow townsfolk. This only confirmed Lin Xiaobao’s suspicions. Although he did not approve, he did not dwell on the matter—everyone has their own choices.

As Lin Xiaobao departed, the formal disciples who had come to watch the match also began to disperse, though their curiosity about the upcoming personal disciples’ contest remained unabated.

In a quiet corner among the formal disciples, Hu Dequan’s face was still pale as he muttered, "Is this really the Lin Xiaobao who entered the Pavilion of Wind and Snow with us?"

Standing beside him, Wu Mei and Meng Ying nodded as they watched Lin Xiaobao’s departing figure, unable to utter a word. They, too, were deeply shocked.

Returning to Songyan Peak and parting ways with Wang Dashan, Lin Xiaobao did not rush back into cultivation. The personal disciples’ competition was imminent; sharpening his skills now would do little good, so he decided to relax for a while.

Arriving at Songyan Hall, he saw Lin Tian waiting at the door. Lin Xiaobao said, "Father, I’m sorry."

"Foolish child, to have reached your current realm in just two years has surpassed anything I imagined. I never expected you to win that inner pellet," Lin Tian replied, understanding exactly what Lin Xiaobao meant. He had witnessed his son’s effort over the past two years. "From what you showed today, participating in the personal disciples’ competition will be good for you—it’ll give you valuable combat experience."

Strolling along the path before Songyan Hall, father and son talked at length. Lin Xiaobao seemed to savor the feeling of paternal kindness and filial devotion. As dusk fell, Lin Tian finally said, "Since you’re set on joining the personal disciples’ competition, rest well tonight. Do your best tomorrow!"

Lin Xiaobao agreed, returned to the backyard, and that night did not practice the Supreme Flame Technique nor the Divine Intent Wave. Instead, he lay down and slept soundly.

It was the first true sleep Lin Xiaobao had enjoyed in nearly three years since entering the Pavilion of Wind and Snow—deep and sweet.

Meanwhile, at Lexuan Peak, within the Hall of Discipline, Long Xingtian was not so fortunate. Upon returning, he was summoned by his master; the Third Elder was already aware of everything that had transpired in Frost Hall.

"Tian’er, you’ve seen the situation yourself. Lin Xiaobao has risen out of nowhere, and several other elders’ secluded disciples have emerged as well. If you wish to secure the greatest benefit in this game, you must be prepared to make sacrifices," the Third Elder said gravely.

Long Xingtian understood well what his master meant by "this game."

To gain full control of the Pavilion of Wind and Snow, the Third Elder had allied with others to support Ao Wuchen and Hua Xiaotian in their contest for the position of Pavilion Lord. Their rivalry would be decided after this Pavilion Tournament. The elders involved hoped their own disciples would win the championship, thus joining the competition for the new Pavilion Lord.

If the champion of the personal disciples’ competition entered the fray for Pavilion Lord, it would become a three-way struggle.

Though unlikely to win outright, the champion could aid Ao Wuchen, turning two against one. Should Ao Wuchen ascend to the Pavilion Lord’s seat, the contribution would not go unrewarded; tremendous benefits would follow.

But to guarantee victory, Long Xingtian would have to consume the Destiny Pill from his storage pouch.

The Destiny Pill: to go against fate, yet also to follow it. For those who have reached the ninth stage of Innate Martial Master, taking this pill allows them to step into the Spirit Realm within five hours—defying fate itself. Yet the cycle of the heavens demands balance; gaining one thing means losing another. Anyone who advances by this pill cannot add five hundred years to their lifespan, forever remaining at the first stage of the Spirit Realm—thus obeying fate.

With his talent, Long Xingtian would eventually break through to the Spirit Realm. But circumstances now forced him to accelerate, and he felt a deep resentment. Yet after witnessing Lin Xiaobao’s uncanny speed, he saw no other way to guarantee victory.

Moreover, he knew the Third Elder’s temperament well. If he refused, his fate might be worse than if he took the pill.

Long Xingtian blamed everything on Lin Xiaobao’s sudden rise. His master had never pressured him to take the Destiny Pill, which showed confidence in his abilities. But because of Lin Xiaobao, his master had urged him to take it today. If he could not have an easy path, neither would Lin Xiaobao.

Lin Xiaobao, you’d better pray you don’t encounter me in the competition, or you’ll regret ever coming into this world! Swearing silently, Long Xingtian finally took out the Destiny Pill and swallowed it.