Meng Hao approached the outer sect plaza, a place surrounded by nine stone pillars. Grand Elder Ouyang sat on a high platform with his eyes closed, while below in the plaza, only Wang Tengfei sat cross-legged.
This was the registration point for disciples participating in the inner sect trial!
"I'm registering!"
As Meng Hao stepped into the plaza, he shouted loudly.
"I'm registering too!"
The fatty's face was devoid of color, but his reaction was not slow; at this moment, he quickly yelled out.
Shangguan Tu stopped immediately, standing outside the plaza. His eyes revealed a dark killing intent, but it vanished very quickly, replaced by a smile. At the same time, Grand Elder Ouyang on the high platform opened his eyes and looked toward Meng Hao. Although surprised by Meng Hao's cultivation, his eyes showed continuous appreciation.
Wang Tengfei remained seated there with his eyes closed, paying no attention whatsoever to Meng Hao's arrival.
"Since you have registered, you should stay here. Do not go outside. Wait for the trial to begin in two days."
Grand Elder Ouyang spoke indifferently, his gaze seeming to casually sweep over Shangguan Tu. This single glance made Shangguan Tu's heart sink, but the smile on his face became even more amiable, looking at Meng Hao as if with a hint of appreciation.
Meng Hao also turned his head to look at Shangguan Tu. The two faced each other. Shangguan Tu's heart was filled with anger, but he could only endure it. He forced a few laughs before finally turning and leaving.
Not long after, Han Zong arrived. He quickly walked into the plaza, cast a murderous gaze toward Meng Hao with a smile on his lips, and then registered.
"You have offended Martial Uncle Shangguan. If you have the guts, don't leave. When the inner sect trial begins, that will be the moment of your death."
Han Zong walked past Meng Hao, speaking in a low voice.
Meng Hao's eyes flickered with a sharp glint. He coldly watched Han Zong's retreating back.
Soon after, as the registration deadline neared, where originally only Wang Tengfei had been present before Meng Hao's arrival, now, following Han Zong, four more individuals also entered.
Meng Hao was not unfamiliar with these four. Besides Yin Tianlong and Zhou Kai, the other two were both over thirty. One of them was extremely burly, while the other, though appearing thin, had a hideous scar on his face. A strong killing intent emanated from them; they were two more cultivators at the fifth level of Qi Condensation.
After these four entered the area, they all cast gloomy gazes toward Meng Hao and the fatty. The killing intent in their eyes was completely undisguised, and their oppressive aura was overwhelming.
The fatty immediately became extremely nervous. Meng Hao's eyes narrowed, and in his heart, he made a slight judgment about Shangguan Tu's influence.
Time slowly passed, and two more days went by. With only half an hour left until registration closed, quite a few outer sect disciples had gathered outside. These people were not there to register, but to watch this inner sect promotion trial and see Wang Tengfei's demeanor.
They immediately saw eight people in the plaza, and paid particular attention to the fatty, who had the lowest cultivation.
A flurry of discussions immediately erupted. Just as the time arrived, a bell rang out, echoing throughout the entire Kaoshan Sect, nine times in succession, its lingering reverberations endless. Grand Elder Ouyang slowly opened his eyes, glancing at the eight people standing on the plaza. With a flick of his sleeve, the platform beneath his feet emitted a seven-colored radiance, instantly expanding several times to a hundred zhang.
After he waved his hand, eight jade slips immediately flew out, heading straight for everyone. Gradually, everyone could clearly see the numbers on the jade slips, from one to eight.
"Forfeiting is not permitted. Promotion to the inner sect is a matter of life and death. Those who step onto the stage and cannot contend must concede. First battle, one versus eight."
As Grand Elder Ouyang spoke indifferently, Wang Tengfei opened his eyes and picked up the jade slip in front of him. His body flickered slightly, and he lightly stepped onto the high platform, standing there as the wind ruffled his long hair. Dressed in a white robe, he looked incredibly handsome, with a dashing appearance, a gentle demeanor, and a perpetually kind smile. All of this caused the cultivators from all directions to cheer endlessly, yet they could not see the profound agony of failure that lay beneath Wang Tengfei's perfect aura.
At this moment, Shangguan Tu's figure appeared before everyone, gazing coldly at Meng Hao.
Yin Tianlong's expression was quite grim. With his eyes fixed on the jade slip marked with the number eight in front of him, he reached out and grabbed it, then unleashed his Windwalk Art, soaring onto the martial stage.
Just as Yin Tianlong leaped onto the stage, Wang Tengfei's right foot also lifted. The entire high platform trembled continuously, as if a fierce, imposing aura was emanating from him. Even before his body moved, this invisible aura had already created a powerful pressure, forcing Yin Tianlong down.
This scene caused Yin Tianlong's expression to change drastically, because he realized that Wang Tengfei hadn't even made a move; merely his oppressive aura made it difficult for the spiritual energy in his body to circulate.
"I concede..."
Yin Tianlong spoke immediately without hesitation. He didn't even entertain the thought of making a move to test the waters. He simply clasped his hands, bowed deeply, then leaped down and walked straight out of the arena.
Grand Elder Ouyang's expression remained unchanged; he merely spoke slowly.
"Wang Tengfei wins. Second battle, two versus seven."
As soon as the words fell, the little fatty trembled, looking at the jade slip in front of him, where the number two was written. At the same time, a fifth-level Qi Condensation cultivator with a scar on his face gazed coldly at the little fatty, then stepped onto the high platform.
"Go up and concede immediately."
Meng Hao said softly, his right hand gently pushing the fatty forward. Instantly, the fatty's body rolled forward like a ball, shooting straight onto the martial stage.
The moment his body landed, he immediately wanted to speak.
"I concede..."
The little fatty didn't dare utter the full three words, only managing two. Suddenly, the scar-faced cultivator's eyes flared with killing intent. Raising a flying sword in his right hand, he lunged forward with a roar, striking at the little fatty. The flying sword was incredibly fast, reaching the fatty's neck in a flash. At that exact moment, the fatty had only just managed to squeeze out the single word, "Concede."
But it was still too slow. Meng Hao’s expression changed drastically, and he shot to his feet. Just then, Grand Elder Ouyang flicked his right hand, deflecting the flying sword right as it was about to pierce the fatty’s throat, leaving only a thin streak of blood on his neck.
The fatty's face turned deathly pale. He recoiled instinctively and fled. By the time he reached Meng Hao’s side, his legs had turned to jelly; in that split second, he had truly felt the cold touch of death.
Meng Hao stared at the fresh streak of blood on the fatty’s neck, a fierce killing intent flashing in his eyes. The opponent's strike had been vicious and cruel, clearly meant to kill. To unleash such lethal force against a fatty whose cultivation was so low was an act of utter, overbearing contempt.
Moreover, when Meng Hao looked over, he saw Shangguan Tu standing not far away, his face also cold with killing intent. A surge of anger welled up in Meng Hao's heart. He had never done anything to offend this Martial Uncle Shangguan, yet the man kept pushing him into a corner, even resorting to lethal schemes.
Meng Hao had been in the Reliance Sect for years and rarely showed his killing intent. But now, his eyes burned with an incredibly dense, murderous aura.
The spectating cultivators also sensed that something was amiss. They all turned their gazes toward Meng Hao, whispering among themselves.
“Next match: three versus six.”
Grand Elder Ouyang frowned slightly and spoke in a slow, measured voice.
“You aren't the only one who offended Martial Uncle Shangguan. He has to die, too.”
Han Zong, holding the jade slip marked with the number three, whispered as he walked past Meng Hao. After all, beneath the Sect Leader and the Grand Elders, Shangguan Tu was arguably the most powerful figure in the Reliance Sect.