Chapter 114: Rumors

        Thanks to “Fleeting Solo Dance” for the generous reward!

        “That night, the Fuyang Inn was soaked in blood for eight hundred meters. Corpses piled up like mountains. Inside the inn lurked a white tower evil spirit, which devoured the life force of everyone within miles around. The entire sky was stained red with blood energy—it was truly terrifying!” A middle-aged man dressed in gray spoke with spittle flying, his face pale and shocked.

        Someone nearby asked, “Brother Zhu, you were so close at the time—weren’t you afraid of danger?”

        The gray-clad man took a sip of wine, patted his chest, and said confidently, “I have an ancestral hidden spirit talisman, so that white tower evil spirit couldn’t see me.”

        Another asked, “And what happened afterward?”

        “Hold on, hold on. What I want to say is that when that white tower evil spirit ran rampant, fortunately a young man appeared. He was like a black star descending to earth, his domineering aura forced everyone to kneel before him.”

        Smack!

        Without warning, the gray-clad man slapped the shoulder of a nearby young man who had been listening intently, startling him so much that his chopsticks flew from his hand.

        “At that moment, the Black Star Young Master engaged in battle with the white tower evil spirit. Later, it was revealed that behind the evil spirit was the true mastermind—the tyrant of Fuyang City, Wei Xiaotian of the Wei Mansion.”

        Everyone stared in disbelief. Fuyang City wasn’t far from here, and the local tyrant was well-known.

        “And then?”

        “Not quite the end. Wei Xiaotian commanded the white tower evil spirit to fight the Black Star Young Master fiercely. The battle was earth-shattering, filled with ghostly wails and wolfish howls. The entire Fuyang Inn and the surrounding three hundred miles were reduced to rubble. In the end, the white tower evil spirit’s power prevailed; the Black Star Young Master was ultimately defeated and vanished.”

        At this point, the gray-clad man paused, noticing his companions dumbfounded, and impatiently asked, “Why don’t you ask what happened next?”

        His captivated listeners then chorused, “What happened next?”

        He leisurely continued, “Although Wei Xiaotian won, many of his elite fighters were lost. Upon returning to the Wei Mansion, he flew into a rage and vented his fury on his own people, expelling many from the family. However, since he controlled the white tower evil spirit, numerous independent factions in Fuyang City flocked to him—such as the Fuyang branch of the Tianwu Workshop, and the Jinshi family, a Jiangnan Taoist robe clan that fled here with his sister-in-law.”

        “Now the Wei Mansion truly dominates Fuyang City!”

        Hearing this, Lin Zhan almost wanted to rush back to Fuyang City and give the man impersonating Wei Xiaoran of the Jinshi family a good beating.

        That guy had the audacity to mock his lifesaver to achieve his goals—absurd!

        He simply couldn’t stand it. Black Star Young Master? Black-hearted? This was probably a fabricated persona Jinshi invented to manipulate public opinion.

        Back then, no one dared remain around the Fuyang Inn to watch the battle.

        The tales about the white tower evil spirit devouring life force and turning three hundred miles around into powder were outrageously exaggerated!

        Lin Zhan inwardly sighed at the thought of unfortunate acquaintances, cough, cough.

        But he understood that when Jinshi left, he was no longer at Tianwu Workshop. He must have been doing what was necessary to be with Lian Fengying. Now such rumors spreading meant he had temporarily established himself in Fuyang City—halfway to success.

        Lin Zhan felt happy for him, but the matter of being labeled Black Star Young Master would not be let go easily. Next time, he would find an opportunity to get back at him. Haha.

        Friends or brothers, tricking each other also had its satisfaction.

        Meanwhile, at another table upstairs in a private room, voices were low and conspiratorial as they discussed the upcoming Fierce Flame Five Peaks tournament.

        A dull voice said, “This time, Fan Ning from Sword Burial Peak and Ji Mubai from Tian Gang Peak both suffered severe injuries in the same area. I don’t know what happened, but at least they paid for their arrogance. Thinking of their faces makes me sick.”

        “Yeah, what kind of peak masters’ disciples are they? Our Wangxi Peak’s disciples are the real deal. Brother Feng, you’re the only true disciple of the future strongest peak master!” another sharper voice chimed in.

        Perhaps due to a certain sealing enchantment on the room, Lin Zhan could only make out the voices and content but could not discern how many were inside or their appearances.

        At his own table, Lin Zhan’s companions were busy drinking competitively. While eating and drinking normally, he focused his spiritual awareness on the private room.

        Judging by their tone, the dull voice likely belonged to a disciple surnamed Feng, a direct disciple of Wangxi Peak’s master, just like Fan Ning and Ji Mubai. The other voice seemed to be a close junior apprentice brother.

        “I will definitely take first place at the 300-strong finals! When you enter, besides the seed disciples from each peak, watch out for these few people.”

        This was the most important piece of information—Lin Zhan’s primary opponents’ details, which he carefully committed to memory.

        “Lin Zhan and Ye Xiaoyao, winners of Area Two.”

        The first two names were his own! Damn it, Wangxi Peak must have had special arrangements for organizing this year’s tournament to give their disciples such privileged information. This was supposed to be top secret, yet they disclosed it first to their own participants.

        If fairness was the goal, then Lin Zhan’s group should have received this information too—but they hadn’t.

        “Shui Xinxin, winner of Area Five, is said to be a disciple of the Scarlet Refining Palace master of the Fierce Flame Peak. Her strength is unpredictable—must be cautious. Also, in Area Four’s top ten is a girl named Qin Qingxuan, reputed to be the most beautiful of the Shadow Wand Sect. Cough, if possible, capture her and find a private place.”

        Snap!

        Lin Zhan crushed a wine glass in his hand. Anyone who spoke like that was sentenced to death in his eyes.

        “Senior brother 186, are you alright?” someone asked.

        The shattering glass made everyone pause and look at Lin Zhan.

        He shook his head apologetically, “I’m fine. Ha, probably drank too much, cough cough.”

        Hearing someone intend harm toward Qin Qingxuan, Lin Zhan lost all interest in drinking.

        Still, he continued eavesdropping on the private room’s conversation.

        At last, he learned that the first-place prize would be a heavyweight treasure.

        Shortly after, the group left, evidently using a cover to avoid detection, so Lin Zhan failed to track their trail.

        When the banquet ended, feeling pressured, Lin Zhan decided not to join Liang Siqi and the others to stroll around Donglai City.

        Instead, he climbed the city wall stairs alone, hoping to sift through and process all the information he had gathered.