Chapter 29

Time did not allow Meng Hao to think much. The door of the pavilion opened silently, revealing a pitch-black interior that exuded a faint chill.

"Still not coming in?" With Shangguan Xiu's cold voice, Meng Hao hesitated for a moment. A sharp glint flashed in his eyes, and he knew he had no way out. After some thought, he felt reassured and stepped into the pavilion.

Inside the pavilion, the dim light gradually brightened, though it was still dim enough to see the surroundings. Shangguan Xiu, dressed in a golden robe, sat expressionless, coldly watching Meng Hao as he entered.

Almost the moment Meng Hao stepped in, Shangguan Xiu's eyes suddenly flashed. He raised his right hand, and a needle instantly shot out, pricking Meng Hao's finger. As the needle flew back, Meng Hao's storage bags uncontrollably flew away, landing in front of Shangguan Xiu.

A drop of blood was on the flying needle, which Shangguan Xiu held and licked at the corner of his mouth.

"No taste of heavenly treasures..." Shangguan Xiu frowned, his eyes scanning Meng Hao as if he could see all the secrets within him. However, the demon core in Meng Hao's body moved slightly, easily evading the gaze without Shangguan Xiu noticing.

Meng Hao's face changed, and he showed a look of fear, opening his mouth as if he didn't know what to say.

Shangguan Xiu frowned as he opened one storage bag after another, searching through them. He didn't even glance at the numerous flying swords or the bronze mirrors, and found nothing unusual, frowning even more deeply.

"Uncle Shangguan, what are you looking for?" Meng Hao appeared fearful, but inwardly he was smirking. He had been cautious about this, hiding the wooden sword, large spirit stones, and medicinal pills with the little fatty.

"Tell me, why has your cultivation advanced so quickly?" Shangguan Xiu's eyes were like lightning, staring at Meng Hao.

"It's thanks to Senior Sister Xu and Elder Ouyang, who gave me some medicinal pills..." Meng Hao's body trembled, trying to remain calm, but he felt somewhat relieved, guessing that Shangguan Xiu wasn't here for Wang Tengfei but was suspicious of his rapid cultivation advancement.

Shangguan Xiu frowned again. He knew that Elder Ouyang had favored Meng Hao, which was why the search had been relatively gentle.

At this moment, Han Zong's voice came from outside the pavilion.

"Reporting to Uncle Shangguan, Meng Hao's cave dwelling is empty."

"Leave." Shangguan Xiu pondered for a moment, dismissing Han Zong. He then looked at Meng Hao, remaining silent.

Time slowly passed, and as dusk approached, Meng Hao's expression grew increasingly tense and fearful. He finally spoke in a trembling voice.

"Uncle..."

"Enough, you can leave." Shangguan Xiu, looking impatient, waved his hand.

Meng Hao quickly stood up, bowed, and left the pavilion, feeling a great weight lifted from his heart. Once he was down the mountain, he suddenly sped up, heading straight for the Southern Peak.

Meanwhile, shortly after Meng Hao left, Shangguan Xiu's expression changed. He suddenly picked up the silver needle, examined it closely, and licked the dried blood on it again. His eyes immediately flashed with a sharp glint.

"Something's wrong. There's a large amount of low-grade demon core aura in his blood. The aura was previously masked by Elder Ouyang, but now it's very obvious. He must have swallowed no less than hundreds of low-grade demon cores. How did he get so many? Meng Hao has a secret!" Shangguan Xiu's eyes flashed with a killing intent, and he leaped up, chasing after Meng Hao at high speed.

Meng Hao moved quickly, feeling a great weight lifted from his heart, but still felt uneasy, sensing something ominous. As he rushed to the entrance of the Southern Peak cave dwelling, he saw the little fatty appear from the distant forest. The little fatty immediately ran over upon seeing Meng Hao.

"I was so scared, Meng Hao. You were taken away for the whole afternoon..." The little fatty visibly relaxed, taking out a storage bag and handing it to Meng Hao.

"Fortunately, I hid this storage bag, and no one found it."

Meng Hao's expression was serious as he nodded and took the storage bag. Just as he touched it, a sudden whistling sound came from a distant peak. A rainbow streaked toward them at incredible speed, and within it was an old man in a golden robe—Shangguan Xiu.

He was actually flying! Only Foundation Establishment cultivators could fly. Below that level, even with the help of magical treasures, one could only glide, not for long. Senior Sister Xu was an example of this.

This scene shocked Meng Hao, but he quickly realized that Shangguan Xiu wasn't truly flying but gliding from the peak, similar to how he used a flying sword.

Shangguan Xiu immediately saw the storage bag the little fatty had given Meng Hao. His eyes flashed with a sharp glint, and without any words, he rushed toward Meng Hao. He was confident that Meng Hao would not escape his grasp today and that he would uncover his secret, which might be beneficial for his future plans.

Meng Hao's face changed, and his mind raced. Time was short, and he couldn't think much. Without hesitation, he put away the storage bag, grabbed the little fatty, and leaped up, landing on a flying sword that carried them away.

The speed was so fast that even Shangguan Xiu's eyes widened. He coldly snorted and pursued Meng Hao.

The little fatty was pale with fear but remained still, not wanting to affect Meng Hao. He trusted that Meng Hao would not abandon him.

Indeed, Meng Hao was not that kind of person. He knew that if he left the little fatty behind, Shangguan Xiu would take it out on him.

"Damn, to this person, Outer Sect disciples are like ants. Only Inner Sect disciples are considered true pillars of the sect."

As he ran, he saw Shangguan Xiu getting closer. Meng Hao landed and ran, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. His mind raced, and he suddenly had an idea.

His eyes lit up, and he leaped into the Outer Sect, ignoring the cultivation restrictions, and used his flying sword again. The whistling sound echoed, and the Outer Sect disciples were stunned.

Shangguan Xiu's face darkened, and he pursued Meng Hao. Just as they were about ten feet apart, Shangguan Xiu's expression changed. He realized Meng Hao's plan but it was too late to stop him.

Meng Hao approached the Outer Sect square, where nine stone pillars surrounded a platform. Elder Ouyang was meditating with his eyes closed, and Wang Tengfei was the only one sitting cross-legged on the square.

This was the registration area for the Inner Sect disciple trials!

"I want to register!" Meng Hao shouted as he stepped into the square.

"I want to register too!" The little fatty, pale-faced but quick to react, shouted as well.

Shangguan Xiu stopped at the edge of the square, his eyes flashing with a dark killing intent, which quickly turned into a smile. At the same time, Elder Ouyang opened his eyes and looked at Meng Hao, surprised by his cultivation but still showing his usual approval.

Wang Tengfei remained with his eyes closed, seemingly indifferent to Meng Hao's arrival.

"Since you've registered, stay here and don't leave. The trials will begin in two days." Elder Ouyang spoke calmly, his gaze briefly sweeping over Shangguan Xiu, making Shangguan Xiu's heart sink, but his smile became even more amiable as he looked at Meng Hao, seemingly approving.

Meng Hao turned to look at Shangguan Xiu. Their eyes met for a moment, and Shangguan Xiu's anger surged, but he had to suppress it. After a while, he laughed dryly and left.

Not long after, Han Zong strode into the square, his eyes filled with killing intent as he scanned Meng Hao, a cold smile on his lips. He also registered.

"Offending Uncle Shangguan, if you have the ability, don't leave. The moment of the Inner Sect trials will be your moment of death." As he passed Meng Hao, Han Zong whispered.

Meng Hao's eyes flashed with a sharp glint as he coldly watched Han Zong leave.

As the registration deadline approached, only Wang Tengfei had been there before Meng Hao's arrival. Now, after Han Zong, four more people entered the square.

Meng Hao recognized these four people. Besides Yin Tianlong and Zhou Kai, the other two were in their thirties. One was extremely muscular, and the other was thin with a fierce scar on his face. Both exuded a killing aura, being the other two at the Fifth Stage of Qi Condensation.

These four people looked at Meng Hao and the little fatty with unfriendly expressions, their killing intent obvious and intimidating.

The little fatty immediately became nervous, and Meng Hao's eyes narrowed, assessing Shangguan Xui's influence.

Time slowly passed, and two days later, with only half an hour left before the registration deadline, the square was crowded with Outer Sect disciples. They didn't come to register but to watch Wang Tengfei's performance in the Inner Sect trials.

They immediately noticed the eight people in the square, especially the little fatty, who had the lowest cultivation.

As the deadline arrived, a bell rang nine times, the sound lingering. Elder Ouyang slowly opened his eyes and looked at the eight people in the square. He waved his sleeve, and the platform beneath him glowed with seven colors, expanding to a hundred feet.

Then he waved his right hand, and eight jade slips flew out, landing in front of each person. The numbers on the jade slips ranged from one to eight.

"No one is allowed to withdraw. The competition for the Inner Sect is a matter of life and death, but you can admit defeat if you are defeated. The first match: one versus eight." As Elder Ouyang spoke, Wang Tengfei opened his eyes, picked up the jade slip marked with the number one, and lightly stepped onto the platform. The wind blew his hair, and he stood there in a snow-white robe, looking perfect, handsome, and gentle, with a friendly smile. This immediately drew cheers from the surrounding cultivators, though no one could see the pain and frustration behind Wang Tengfei's perfect facade.

At this moment, Shangguan Xiu appeared among the crowd, looking at Meng Hao with a cold gaze.

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Thank you all for your support. We are number one on both charts. I can't burst into action due to the rules of Qidian, but I promise that in the month of going public, I will update more than ever before! Today is March 13th, and I promise that after this 28th chapter, if you come back to read this chapter in the future, you will see if I have kept my word!

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