"Hmm, let's work hard together."
Wen Rou, upon hearing that they would be splitting up, did not show any sign of disappointment. With a determined expression, she clenched her small fist tightly and chose a fork in the path, swiftly walking down it.
Jian Ruyan gave Mu Jinyu a glance, didn't say anything, and also picked a fork in the path to proceed.
After watching their figures disappear, Mu Jinyu's gaze then turned to the fork that Chen Qiuqiao had previously taken, a hint of hesitation in his eyes.
He was considering whether or not to follow the path taken by Chen Qiuqiao.
Then beat him up badly, take away the pass tokens he had obtained, no matter how many he had, and snatch them all, ensuring he would be directly eliminated during the selection process.
To turn him, the so-called top contender of the Outer Gate, into a complete laughingstock.
However, that would be a bit of a waste of time.
After all, there are more than fifty pass tokens in total, and there are at least three tokens in each fork of the path. Even if he were to take all the tokens in the path that Chen Qiuqiao had chosen, Chen Qiuqiao could still go to another path to search for more.
That would mean he would have to keep following Chen Qiuqiao, which would certainly be a waste of time.
And it could also easily provoke public anger.
"Forget it, doing this would be somewhat troublesome and ungrateful; better to defeat him fair and square in the upcoming matches."
After hesitating for a while, Mu Jinyu finally gave up on this idea and chose a path to enter.
...
As Mu Jinyu and the other five Outer Sect Disciples at the Mid Divine Transformation Realm entered the selection path.
Out in the plaza, on the high platform.
Elder Cheng said with a chuckle to Lin Feng, "Elder Lin, who do you think will be the first one to come out among the fifty selected candidates?"
Lin Feng, feeling quite bored as well, casually analyzed, "It should be Wu Lei, I think. He has great potential, naturally immense strength, and a special constitution. It would be very easy for him to defeat the wooden dummies and obtain the pass tokens. The second one should be Chen Qiuqiao. This disciple is best at Qinggong, coupled with profound inner strength, making them a strong contender for first or second place..."
Elder Cheng caught a strange look in his eyes upon hearing Lin Feng's analysis and asked, "So, you're not optimistic about that Spirit Root genius?"
"Him?" Lin Feng shook his head with a smile on hearing Elder Cheng's question, "It's not that I underestimate him, but even though he has unparalleled talent, his current cultivation is only at the Fourth Layer of the Divine Transformation Realm, not too far ahead of Wu Lei and the others. They have been in the Outer Gate for several years and have participated in the Outer Gate Examination multiple times, so they are very familiar with this environment. Under these conditions, it would be quite impressive for Mu Jinyu to come out among the top five."
"Oh, then shall we make a bet?" Elder Cheng's eyebrows raised, suggesting upon hearing the words.
"A bet? Bet on what?" Lin Feng turned his head towards Elder Cheng, asking curiously.
Elder Cheng said, "Let's bet on who will be the first to come out. I'm backing Mu Jinyu. You want to back Wu Lei, right?"
"What's the stake?" Lin Feng asked.
Elder Cheng said, "The stakes... Let's just wager for fun. If I lose, I'll refine a batch of elixir for you for free, how about that?"
"Really?" Lin Feng's eyes widened like bells as he exclaimed to him in astonishment.
Although Elder Cheng's alchemy skills were not very high, he was actually considered average in Kunlun Ruins and was moreover the only alchemist of the Heavenly Sword Faction.
Usually, so many people sought his services to refine a batch of elixir, and he was often indifferent to them.
Moreover, assisting with alchemy wasn't free, for a single act from an alchemist required payment of numerous Superior-grade spirit stones, and the materials for the process had to be provided by oneself. And if the alchemy failed, the alchemist wouldn't offer any compensation; but if it succeeded, the alchemist would still take a third of the formed elixirs as a fee for their efforts.
Under such harsh terms, if Elder Cheng said he would assist someone in alchemizing a batch of elixirs, countless members within the Heavenly Sword Faction would flock to him!
This was why Lin Feng couldn't help feeling shocked when he heard about this bet.
"Of course," Elder Cheng, seeing Lin Feng's shocked expression and feeling quite pleased with himself, proudly said, "Moreover, I'll provide the materials for the alchemy."
Hearing Elder Cheng's words, Lin Feng, after his initial shock, wore a strange look and said, "In that case, if I lose, what must I give up?"
There was no free lunch in the world, nor were there unequal bets. Since Elder Cheng was willing to place such a hefty gamble, it was clear he would demand a sizeable 'piece of flesh' if he lost.
Elder Cheng said indifferently, "If you lose, just give me that Sacred Wood Branch you picked up a while ago."
"What?! You're asking for my life, I refuse to bet!" Lin Feng, upon hearing Elder Cheng's words, immediately changed his expression and rejected outright.
The Sacred Wood Branch Elder Cheng was asking for was something Lin Feng had obtained in a secret realm not long ago. Although it was merely a branch, it contained a mysterious strength that could easily shatter even a Superior Grade magic treasure!
At that time, the entire upper echelon of the Heavenly Sword Faction had been alarmed, suspecting that the branch might belong to an Invincible Sword Cultivator. It appeared merely as a branch, yet it contained the invincible power of allowing the Sword Cultivator to use it as a sword and not be inferior even to those wielding Divine Weapons.
This didn't diminish its prestige at all!
Some guessed that it might be a branch of the Builder Wood.
Builder Wood, that was a Divine Tree, the legendary tree that reached the heavens and connected the realm of man with the divine!
If this branch was indeed from the Builder Wood, then its significance was beyond incredible.
Within the Heavenly Sword Faction, there was much speculation about the origin of the Sacred Wood Branch.
But without exception, everyone believed the Sacred Wood Branch was a great find!
Everyone coveted it, and if the Heavenly Sword Faction weren't a righteous sect, Lin Feng might have long since met with foul play, killed for his treasure.
Now Elder Cheng wanted to bet against him, asking for this Sacred Wood Branch as the wager. Naturally, Lin Feng was unwilling.
Elder Cheng, knowing Lin Feng would refuse, was not surprised. He chuckled and said, "Don't rush to refuse. Didn't you say you had more faith in Wu Lei and others, thinking they had a higher chance of winning? Do you really distrust your own judgment that much?"
Lin Feng, upon hearing this, was momentarily annoyed and stammered, "Yes, I do favor Wu Lei, but everyone makes mistakes. What if Mu Jinyu really comes out first? Wouldn't I lose big time? No, I don't want to..."
Elder Cheng persuaded, "Actually, it's not that I want the Sacred Wood Branch. Think for yourself, what is Mu Jinyu's Spirit Root attribute?"
Lin Feng, hearing this, his expression changed again. "He is... a Wood Spirit Root!"
Speaking, his anger grew, "A new disciple who just joined and he dares to covet my belongings? This is totally unreasonable..."
"Don't get angry, don't get angry..." Elder Cheng quickly pacified him, "He has only been at the Heavenly Sword Faction for a few days, right? Most of that time he was out on sect missions, how could he possibly know about the Sacred Wood Branch in your possession? This was my idea..."
"What do you mean?" Lin Feng looked toward Elder Cheng, visibly irritated.
Elder Cheng came closer and whispered a few words in his ear.
After listening, a sharp glint flashed in Lin Feng's eyes followed by hesitation, but eventually, under Elder Cheng's persuasion, he sighed and said, "Fine then, if he can really be the first to emerge, then there's no harm in giving him the Sacred Wood Branch!"