Chapter 46

A cold sky blew a chill wind, and snowflakes fell without warning.

At the foot of the mountain, one after another, figures leaped up, followed by a long line of shadows. On the mountain, Wang Chongyang, Huang Yaoshi, Duan Zhixing, Hong Qigong, and Ouyang Feng each occupied a position, looking at each other from a distance. When someone climbed up the mountain, the five would glance at them, but then turn their gaze back to the other four.

Behind Wang Chongyang, Bai Xiaosheng and Zhou Botong sat quietly, their eyes lingering on each person. Bai Xiaosheng knew little about these martial artists, so he quietly asked Zhou Botong. Although Zhou Botong was playful, he knew a lot, especially since he was by Wang Chongyang's side. Among those who came up, he knew eight out of ten, which was quite rare.

"The one coming up now is from the Qin Family Fort, led by Qin Bo, a descendant of the Five Tigers Disrupting the Gate style."

"That one is from the Tang Family of Sichuan... I didn't expect the Tang Family to come..."

"Quick, look at that woman, she's from the Miao Region..."

Zhou Botong pointed out each person, his mouth like a lotus in full bloom, making Bai Xiaosheng find it quite interesting. Suddenly, Bai Xiaosheng thought of someone and something, and asked Zhou Botong, "Zhou Botong, do you know the Hengshan Sect?"

"Hengshan Sect?" Zhou Botong blinked his eyes and said, "I've heard of it. But the Hengshan Sect was almost wiped out by the Iron Palm Sect, so they shouldn't send anyone." Hearing this, Bai Xiaosheng smiled bitterly. In the "Legend of the Condor Heroes," the Iron Palm Sect's Qiu Qianren became famous for crippling the Hengshan Sect. "Strange, why didn't Qiu Qianren from the Iron Palm Sect come?" Zhou Botong muttered, puzzled, and Bai Xiaosheng also lost interest in his own words.

In "The Smiling, Proud Wanderer," he inherited from Hengshan, and he suddenly thought of Hengshan, wanting to take a look. Unfortunately... He shook his head. Seeing another group of people come up, Bai Xiaosheng put aside his thoughts and continued to observe the people on the mountain peak.

The mountain peak was not large, and in a short while, it was almost filled with people. Below, a circle of people had gathered, and at a glance, there were at least four to five hundred people. At this point, fewer people were coming, and it was almost dark.

"Wang Chongyang, most people have arrived. Aren't you going to start?" A harsh, metallic voice sounded, not loud but spreading far, making many frown.

Everyone looked, and it was none other than Ouyang Feng from the Western White Camel Mountain, known for his ferocity. Seeing him, everyone fell silent. He was a ruthless killer.

Wang Chongyang opened his eyes and slowly looked at Ouyang Feng, who met his gaze without flinching. After a long moment, Wang Chongyang slowly stood up and said, "Fellow martial artists, Wang Chongyang has fortuitously obtained the 'Nine Yin Manual.' I dare not be greedy for this great secret manual, nor do I wish for my fellow martial artists to fight over it. Therefore, I have spread the word to decide the ownership of the manual on the peak of Mount Hua."

"Today, many skilled martial artists have gathered here. As martial artists, we will decide the winner by combat. Whoever is the best in the world will receive the 'Nine Yin Manual'!"

Boom... His words instantly ignited the enthusiasm of the crowd. The best in the world, the 'Nine Yin Manual'—this was a double win of fame and fortune. For a moment, everyone's hearts were on fire, and their gazes were filled with killing intent.

"Master Wang, there are four to five hundred of us. How will we decide the best?" Hong Qigong stood up and said from a distance.

Wang Chongyang smiled slightly and said, "With so many people, it's hard to have a fair match. Let's test our footwork and palm strength. We will have two rounds: from here to the foot of the mountain and back. The top one hundred will pass, and the rest will be eliminated. For fairness, the top one hundred will then test their palm strength. Whoever can leave a palm print on the stone will pass. The final selection will be decided by combat. What do you think?"

Hong Qigong thought for a moment, found no issues, and nodded, "Fine! The old beggar has no objections."

Hearing this, Wang Chongyang looked at the other three, who all nodded in agreement. The remaining crowd was also asked, and they had no objections, as the most powerful had already agreed.

"Good! Fellow friends, my seven disciples will not participate in this competition. They will serve as judges." Wang Chongyang carefully instructed the Seven True Disciples and then said to the crowd, "The competition will begin at the full moon. Now, everyone can eat and rest, to prepare for the competition with full energy!"

With Wang Chongyang's words, everyone quietly moved to the side, sitting together with those they knew, eating and discussing the upcoming competition. Behind Wang Chongyang, Bai Xiaosheng, Zhou Botong, and the Seven True Disciples sat together, also talking, their eyes occasionally scanning the crowd.

Among those who came, besides the five most famous martial artists, there were many other renowned martial artists. Look at the old man with white hair to the east; he is the current leader of the Concerned Iron Fist Sect, undefeated in the Guanxi region. And the young man to the north, who looks to be in his mid-twenties but is actually in his fifties, is a famous herbalist known as the Medicine King. It is said that there is no herb you cannot find in his home, and rare herbs like thousand-year-old ginseng and polygonum multiflorum are quite common.

As everyone observed and speculated, time passed, and the moon rose. It slowly climbed in the sky, occasionally obscured by clouds, but the clouds could not block the gazes of the crowd.

When the moon reached its zenith, the people at the bottom rushed out first, followed by a rush of people down the mountain. Bai Xiaosheng also stood up and slowly walked down the mountain peak, following the crowd at a steady pace. On the mountain peak, Wang Chongyang and the other four did not move, and Ouyang Feng looked disdainfully at the rapidly descending crowd.

Going down the mountain was different from going up. While going up was difficult, going down was dangerous, especially on the treacherous Mount Hua. A single misstep could send someone tumbling down.

The people in front ran fast, but how fast could they run?

As a modern reincarnate, Bai Xiaosheng remembered the key points of going up and down the mountain. He knew that whether going up or down, one should not move too quickly, as it would accelerate the consumption of energy. Although he was now a martial artist with wondrous skills, he still needed to pay attention to this. Therefore, in the crowd, he moved at a steady pace.

"Ah..."

Suddenly, a惨call came from the front, attracting many gazes. Bai Xiaosheng also looked over and saw that someone had accidentally rolled down, their voice lingering in the air. But was it really an accident?

Bai Xiaosheng frowned slightly, his pace suddenly slowing, and he stopped. Standing in the crowd, his eyes locked on, and he started walking again.

"Ah..."

Not long after, another惨call sounded. Although Bai Xiaosheng did not see what happened, he could guess that it was not an accident but rather the result of someone's hidden attack.

After walking a few hundred meters, Bai Xiaosheng heard seven惨calls in succession. Six were far away, and he could not see them, but one was close, and he clearly saw someone using a stone to attack another, knocking them off the cliff.

Such hidden attacks were naturally disliked, but for the 'Nine Yin Manual,' these people had put aside their pride and used any means necessary.

As Bai Xiaosheng shook his head and thought, a sound of breaking air came from behind. He quickly turned his head and vaguely saw five figures rushing over. In a blink, the five were clearly visible, and they were none other than Wang Chongyang and the others. Then, the five rapidly leaped over him and rushed down the mountain.

Feeling the speed of the five, Bai Xiaosheng's eyes narrowed. He stomped his foot and charged forward, like a cheetah, following the five down the mountain.

The people in front also noticed the five rapidly approaching from behind, and their faces changed, quickly moving out of the way. Bai Xiaosheng also took advantage of this, quickly leaping over the crowd and rushing down the mountain.

He did not charge for long, only leaving the crowded area and reaching a less crowded section. Bai Xiaosheng then stopped. With his internal energy and lightness skills, he was not yet capable of charging as fast as Wang Chongyang and the others. His charge was only temporary, and he could not maintain it for long.

Fortunately, his goal was achieved, and stopping was not a problem.

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