“Six places for me?”
Ding Hao immediately understood the reason for the strange expression on Li Jianyi’s face. Yes, it was unclear why Inspector Ding Honglei repeatedly gave him special treatment. Leave aside Li Jianyi, Ding Hao himself did have the slightest idea why she would see him differently.
After a moment of silence, Ding Hao asked, “So Brother, you have seen the Inspector today?”
Li Jianyi shook his head with a bitter smile. “No. You may be the only one in the whole of Snow Province to have seen the new inspector. The Heads of the other eight sects and I thought we could see him today, but the messages were passed through the old servant named Elder Chen as before. Today, in front of many Heads, the School Master of Tranquility Academy asked to see him again, but he was relentlessly reprimanded… The strange thing is His Excellency Ding Honglei volunteered to come to Snow Province, yet he was reluctant to see the sect heads. It doesn’t make sense!”
Ding Hao was silent.
From beginning to end, that proud woman never had any respect for the martial arts vassals of Snow Province.
Seeing no good in breaking the truth, Ding Hao changed the topic and asked, “All fifty hidden geniuses of Snow Province are on the list. Does this mean that Mu Tianyang and others have also been qualified for the Sage Battlefield?”
Li Jianyi nodded. “This is what I want to say. The sect library kept records of various legends about the Sage Battlefield in some scriptures. I believe you have read them, but I still feel obliged to remind you that though the Sage Battlefield offers timeless possibilities, it is also full of crises and mixed with demons and humans. Geniuses from Demon Tribe will also join in. Lives are all hanging by a thread. Now you have caused the fear of the entire Snow Province. Tranquility Academy will not let go of this opportunity, and will attack you on the battlefield. The Demon Tribe will also intervene. Even those who appear as your friend now may plot against you. For tens of thousands of years, the human geniuses who have entered the battlefield must be no less than ten thousand, but less than a tenth of them walked out alive.”
“I know this.” Ding Hao nodded and said firmly, “Since Mu Tianyang is on the list, I must enter the battlefield. If I give up this opportunity out of fear and Mu Tianyang survived the Sage Battlefield, I will definitely lose the battle of the Frozen Peak next year. Not to mention I was named by the inspector personally, dare I refuse?”
Li Jianyi sighed and said, “It would be best if you have thought it through. I was overthinking. Now, about the six places …”
“About this, I have to consider carefully. I haven’t decided on any candidate yet.” Ding Hao told the truth.
He knew very well that in addition to the fifty places for those on the List of Hidden Genius of Snow Province, Ding Honglei only spared an extra twenty for the whole Snow Province. These twenty places would undoubtedly invite hassle. It was enough for the nine sects and other human tribes. In this sense, the six places in his hands would surely be conspicuous, and countless people would come for it.
“This may be an opportunity that is worth taking advantage of it.”
Li Jian paused and said with a little embarrassment, “Junior Brother Ding, can you give me a place out of the six you have?”
“Of course. As long as you need, I can give you two or three, my Senior Brother.” Ding Hao did not hesitate at all. Although the spots were precious, Li Jianyi had always cared for him. Ding Hao was very grateful for this. Even before Ding Hao became the disciple of Qi Qingshan and before he rose in status in the sect, Li Jianyi had been secretly protecting Ding Hao. This kind of kindness was much stronger than the spots.
“Thanks a lot.” Li Jianyi nodded.
When the Head left Strolling in the Moon Palace, he was overcome with emotions.
He looked back at the pavilion in the twilight. It was merely a year since the young man smiling at the door and waving his hand. He remembered that when he first met Hao at the main hall of the sect head, he was just a disciple of Martial Disciple Realm, and now, this young man was not only his equal but also the one that could decide the fate of the sect.
He was indeed a hidden dragon. After a moment of dormancy, it was his time of rocketing the sky.
For this boy, the Sage Battlefield might truly be a chance of fame, like the legend of carp leaping over the dragon’s gate, or even into the sky. After all, Snow Province was too small. It was just the remotest of the dozen frontiers of the North Region: too small and too closed. A genius like Ding Hao could not stay in this place forever. The outside world was vast and magnificent, and that should be the stage for real geniuses.
Li Jianyi took a deep breath, thinking of the place he had secured from Ding Hao.
This was the first time that he asked favor as the head of a sect. He was a little unaccustomed to it, but Li Jianyi did not regret it as he knew it was for her. He strolled along the bluestone path by the lake, looked at the water under the twilight, and whispered to himself. “Child, I hope you won’t blame me, your father. It is difficult enough just to survive in this world, yet you have to shoulder these many responsibilities … Your mother will forgive me someday.”
…
…
“Hahaha, excellent opportunity. Excellent. I never expected that the Sage Battlefield would be opened at this time… All grievances and hatreds in the Battlefield would remain in the battlefield. Even if we kill Ding Hao in it, the Holy Palace of Mysterious Frost will not intervene and defend him!”
This was where the Leiyin Sect was stationed.
“Wind Thunder Heaven Voice” Tie Zhan, the Head of the Leiyin Sect, laughed.
His iconic ruby beard trembled, like blood flowing along the corners of his mouth and cheeks. Although he was laughing, his eyes were filled with rancor. Tie Zhan could not help gnashing his teeth at the mention of the name Ding Hao.
Ding Hao was the reason for the comedown of the Leiyin Sect, for the loss of its position in the Nine Sects. If Ding Hao had not captured Bi Xia and Xia Nishang, or if Ding Hao had not revived one of the three treasures of Heavenly Sound Valley, or if Ding Hao had not…
“I will definitely kill him if Ding Hao dares to enter the Sage Battlefield.”
Tie Zhan ground his teeth.
A dozen of Leiyin masters and elders around him all felt an eerie cold killing intent of the Sect Master.
However, some people appeared to be sullen. They obviously did not agree with Tie Zhan. For a long time, this Sect Master had put too much trust on his ally, the Tranquility Academy, but instead became the pawn in the hands of Fang Xiaoan. Leiyin Sect should have been merely the assist in the assassination of Ding Hao led by Tranquility Academy. However, in the end, it was Leiyin Sect that suffered heavy casualties and fell to the bottom at the Sect Grading Meeting. Now that the Swordsmanship-seeking Sect was powerful, it would be wise to avoid direct confrontation and plot carefully. Now Tie Zhan attempted to kill Ding Hao in the Sage Battlefield. How could things be this simple?
Sadly, Tie Zhan had already wielded too much power in the Leiyin Sect. Even if people had different opinions, they were afraid to speak out.
“Our sect can send Bi Xia and Nishang to enter the Sage Battlefield. Hmm, no matter what, there are 20 places beyond the Hidden Genius List. I must get two places for Leiyin Sect. Tranquility Academy owes us that. Send someone here. Follow me to find School Master Fang Xiaoan.”
Tie Zhan made up his mind and marched towards Tranquility Academy.
Seeing Tie Zhan leave with confidence, a few elders could not help but shook their heads secretly and sighed in the heart. Under the leadership of this reckless Master, the Leiyin Sect gradually became a mere appendage of Tranquility Academy and lost its geniuses. Taking the failed assassination of Ding Hao as an example, if Leiyin Sect had not had trouble finding Blood Battle Body disciples these years, it would not have lost so much to rescue Bi Xia and Xia Nishang and made so many compromises to Swordsmanship-seeking Sect…
…
An hour later.
“Two places? OK. Head Tie, rest assured, I will certainly get these two places for you.” Fang Xiaoan smiled, lift the lid off the cup and took a sip of tea. He said with confidence: “Although Tranquility Academy had a little trouble at the Grading Meeting, it should not be a big problem for us to get two places in the Sage Battlefield.”
“Thank you, School Master Fang.” Tie Zhan looked a little relieved.
To say that Tie Zhan held no grudge against Tranquility Academy for the failure at the Sect Grading Meeting would be a lie. However, he knew clearly in his heart that once he made the choice, there was no turning back but to ally with Tranquility Academy. Like an arrow, once it leaves the bow there is no other way around. Now Fang Xiaoan’s attitude assured him to some extent.
“You are welcome, Head Tie.” Fang Xiaoan smiled and said, “Sage Battlefield is a rare opportunity. Now Leiyin Sect has four places and Tranquility Academy six. That is ten in total. Why don’t we take this opportunity to get rid of Ding Hao? Otherwise, it will be more difficult for us two Sects to rise again in the future if he walks out of the Sage Battlefield alive.”
“That is what I had in mind. We will follow School Master Fang’s arrangement.” Tie Zhan agreed.
The two discussed in the hall for a while. Tie Zhan left contentedly with his disciple.
Fang Xiaoan sat on the redwood master’s chair. A smile lingered about the corner of his mouth as he watched Tie Zhan and his disciple disappear. He sat quietly holding a cup of tea and seemed to ponder on something. After a long time, he nodded thoughtfully. “You’re back?”
“Master.”
A white figure emerged from the void unexpectedly and appeared in the hall like a pile of crystal silver snow. The air in the entire hall instantly chilled. This man was the top genius of Snow Province, Mu Tianyang, the Child Prodigy.
“Well, have you found anything? Who exactly is Ding Honglei? What’s her relationship with Ding Hao?” Fang Xiaoan took a sip of tea and asked.
“Ding Hongle is of very high status. Even Yu Haoran, the commander of the Mysterious Frost Holy Guard, did not know the origin of this person. One thing is sure that there is no connection between her and Ding Hao. It is said that she arrived in the Northern Region a year ago. Before that, she has never been to Snow Province.” Mu Tianyang said lightly, “Given my status in the Holy Palace of Mysterious Frost, there are many things I am not qualified to know.”
“Anyway, to know this is enough.” A trace of contentment appeared on the corner of Fang Xiaoan’s mouth. He said, “Tianyang, I want you to go all out and kill Ding Hao in the Sage Battlefield so that we could end it once for all. To avoid future troubles, don’t act impulsively. You have let him off again and again for the promise of Frozen Peak battle. If Ding Hao died in the Sage Battlefield, people would not dishonor you.”
Mu Tianyang agreed and spoke no more.
Fang Xiaoan made no further instruction. He paused and asked, “How well does the other thing go?”
“It’s already been done. After no more than four days, people from the Holy Palace of Mysterious Frost will come to Snow Province to announce this.”
“Hahaha, okay, great. Li Jianyi thought he could easily beat me by winning the Sect Grading Meeting, but he would never expect that I could fight back so soon. Hahaha!”
