Chapter 52: The Pavilion Tournament Begins

More importantly, from the moment he stepped into the Hall of Eternal Hope today, Lin Xiaobao had a premonition that this competition was far from simple. There seemed to be great danger lurking behind it. Though he could not say exactly what form this danger would take, he trusted his intuition.

Now, more and more disciples were entering the hall—personal disciples, official disciples, and even several elders had arrived. In one corner of the crowd, Long Xingtian watched Lin Xiaobao with cold eyes, his smile twisted and crazed.

“At last, I’ve registered!” Wang Dashan ran over, tucked his Wind and Snow Token into his chest, clenched his fists, and declared, “This time, I’ll definitely make it into the top five!”

Seeing Wang Dashan’s enthusiasm, Lin Xiaobao felt compelled to give him a word of caution. “Dashan, though you have the Body of the God of Strength, your cultivation time is still too short. If things get tough, don’t push yourself too hard. These people will all be beneath your feet sooner or later; there’s no need to rush.”

“I understand, Brother Xiaobao!” Wang Dashan nodded, but Lin Xiaobao still saw determination in his eyes and was unsure how else to advise him.

Suddenly, the entire Hall of Eternal Hope erupted. Nearly everyone’s gaze turned toward the entrance, and some disciples even let out starstruck screams.

“The Four Heroes of Wind and Snow…”

“They’ve finally emerged from seclusion! The competition among the personal disciples will be exciting this year!”

“Who do you think will win?”

“Song Hongzhi or Jiang Yuanwu?”

“I’m betting on Meng Weiqi and Geng Zhiyi!”…

As four handsome youths appeared at the doorway, the hall grew even more lively. Lin Xiaobao looked over; though he couldn’t discern their cultivation at a glance, he could sense the powerful aura surrounding them. Clearly, these four were the true formidable opponents.

Once, Lin Xiaobao believed that in the entire Wind and Snow Pavilion, only Long Xingtian was worthy to be his rival. He was confident that he could defeat Long Xingtian now. Yet, the sudden arrival of these four made him reconsider.

Thinking further, the Wind and Snow Pavilion was vast. If only Long Xingtian could stand out, it would have declined long ago. Surely, there were many disciples who had been cultivating in seclusion. He realized he’d been overly optimistic before; he must not underestimate any opponent in the competition.

After registering, the four surveyed the hall before heading directly toward Long Xingtian, ignoring the stares and exclamations from others.

Hm, what a show they put on! That was Lin Xiaobao’s first impression of the four. Regardless of their strength, their ability to draw attention was far beyond his own. Lin Xiaobao quietly memorized their gestures and expressions, determined to outdo them in style next time.

“Hmm…” Just as Lin Xiaobao pondered the art of making an impression, Elder Mo, who had been silent, seemed to notice something.

“What’s wrong, Elder Mo? Is there something amiss?” Lin Xiaobao knew Elder Mo would not sigh without reason.

“The Fate Pill…” Elder Mo replied. “It seems your real opponent in this competition is Long Xingtian. He has already taken the Fate Pill and now possesses the first stage of Spiritual Dao cultivation.”

“Is he mad?” Lin Xiaobao suppressed his shock, keeping his expression calm. After half a year of studying formations and pill techniques, he understood what taking the Fate Pill meant. For the minor grudge between them, Long Xingtian shouldn’t risk his life like this.

With his talent, it was only a matter of time before Long Xingtian broke through to the Spiritual Dao. Now that he’d taken the Fate Pill, his future was ruined.

“These four are, aside from Hua Xiaotian and Ao Wuchen, the strongest disciples of Wind and Snow Pavilion. Five years ago, they had already reached the ninth stage of innate martial artists. With five years in seclusion, even if they haven't entered the Spiritual Dao, they’re not far from it,” Cen Shuyah explained as she walked up to Lin Xiaobao.

“Why are you telling me this?” Lin Xiaobao asked, a bit puzzled.

A sly glimmer flashed in Cen Shuyah’s eyes. “Don’t you want to compete for the championship among the personal disciples? Naturally, you need to know who your opponents are.”

“Who said I want to be champion?” Lin Xiaobao feigned nonchalance.

Cen Shuyah shook her head, her mischievous smile unchanged, but her words stunned Lin Xiaobao. “Of the five elders, my grandfather remains neutral. The second, third, and fourth elders have united to support Ao Wuchen, while the Pavilion Master has only Elder Lin Tian as his sole supporter. The Pavilion Master’s two favored disciples died three years ago when their cultivation went awry. Now, their only choice is to place their hopes on you. That’s why you’ve risen so quickly; they must have invested a lot in you.”

The Pavilion Master’s two prized disciples dying from cultivation mishaps? Lin Xiaobao sensed something unusual. After digesting Cen Shuyah’s words, he suddenly felt that the mischievous girl before him was not as simple as she appeared. “Was it your idea to tell me this, or the First Elder’s?”

Seeing Lin Xiaobao’s question, Cen Shuyah became even more certain of her suspicions. “Grandfather has always remained neutral. He’s only interested in formations and cares nothing for who becomes Pavilion Master. I’m telling you this because I don’t want you to die without understanding why.”

It seemed she didn’t know about Lin Xiaobao’s relationship with Lin Tian. In her eyes, he was simply a talented disciple supported by Lin Tian and the Pavilion Master. “Thank you. I know what I should do.”

At that moment, the Pavilion Master and the five elders finally emerged from the inner hall. The First Elder carried a giant crystal sphere in his right hand, within which countless names rotated. Lin Xiaobao looked closely and saw his own name among them.

As soon as the six appeared, the hall fell silent. The Pavilion Master, Hua Zhengchun, spoke, “Today we welcome the decennial competition among personal disciples. This is not only a test of your cultivation, but an opportunity to learn from one another. I hope all participants hold dear the bonds of fellowship and strive to show your best…”

After a round of formalities, Hua Zhengchun continued, “Now, let’s ask the First Elder to preside over the first round!” With that, he and the other four elders retreated to the viewing platform.

“You all know the rules, so I won’t waste words. Though injuries and deaths are inevitable in battle, anyone who harms others maliciously will not be spared by the Pavilion’s laws!” The First Elder finished speaking and tossed the crystal sphere into the air, casting a spell. The names spinning within the sphere shot out, landing on the various arenas around the hall. “The first round begins now. Please proceed to your assigned arenas according to your name!”