"What? Mr. Lin, do you have a grudge against this Zhou Qianyuan?"
Seeing Lin Chen's reaction, Old Huang became curious.
Previously, when Zhou Qianyuan was treating Chu Lian, he had actually recommended Lin Chen.
He had initially thought Zhou Qianyuan and Lin Chen were acquaintances, but now it seemed it wasn't as simple as he thought!
"It's not really a grudge, is it? We just met once at the Sun family's place," Lin Chen shook his head and explained.
Back at the Sun family's, he really hadn't been impressed by Zhou Qianyuan and his grandson. The old man and the young man had stared intently at Long Yuling and Zhang Ying, their eyes almost popping out.
But honestly, he hadn't had any conflict with them, had he?
"Then why did he recommend Mr. Lin to the family head? And say that Mr. Lin was the only one in the entire Southwest who could cure the young lady?" Old Huang's curiosity grew, completely unable to understand what was going on.
Could it be that Old Huang genuinely cared about Chu Lian and had proactively recommended Lin Chen as a doctor?
"Forget it, if I can't figure it out now, I won't think about it. I'll ask him directly when we get out," Lin Chen waved his hand, no longer wanting to guess.
For the next few days, all three of them remained in the dense forest.
With the fearsome reputation of the spotted snake, no one dared to disturb them until late at night.
It wasn't until midnight that the formation at the top of the secret realm opened as scheduled.
"Today is the second day of the Southwest Grand Competition. Is there anyone who wishes to voluntarily withdraw?"
The administrator who had appeared earlier emerged from the formation and spoke to the cultivators below. For him, this was just a formality. With that old scoundrel Wu Quanguo guarding the exit, who would dare to withdraw?
"Senior, I withdraw!"
However, just as the administrator was hesitating, Old Huang slowly flew up from the ground and announced his withdrawal.
"Young lady, you can withdraw now!"
Old Huang floated in the air, holding a jade talisman and shouting down into the valley.
"Coming, coming!"
Hearing Old Huang's voice, Chu Lian gracefully stepped onto a talisman seal and flew up from the valley. This talisman seal was given to her by Old Huang earlier, and with it, even an ordinary person could fly.
The administrator was stunned by this sight. A cultivator in the Qi Refining stage, and a young girl whose cultivation level even a late-stage Core Formation cultivator couldn't see through? What kind of combination was this? Where did this young lady come from? Could she be from some reclusive, powerful family?
"Old Huang, Old Huang, I found a helper! There are several Core Formation cultivators on the other side!" Chu Lian excitedly told Old Huang as soon as she saw him.
"Oh? I found a helper too. It seems Zhou Qianyuan's scheme won't succeed this time!" Old Huang nodded, a look of joy on his face. No matter what, Zhou Qianyuan was a genuine alchemist. Now that he had Lin Chen as a helper, the appeal of an alchemist was undeniable! The more helpers they had, the more secure it would be.
"Let's go, we've achieved our goal. Let's go!" Following Old Huang's lead, the two left the formation.
This scene left the nearby administrator bewildered. Where was Wu Quanguo? Why wasn't he stopping them?
Meanwhile, in the valley, Wu Zhixiong, the Sect Master of the Blazing Fire Sect, had just met with several sect elders. Seeing that people were actually withdrawing, he was also confused.
"What's going on? Where is the Supreme Elder? Why isn't he coming out to stop them?" Wu Zhixiong asked the elders beside him, full of curiosity. Hadn't they agreed to establish their authority throughout the Southwest during this Southwest Grand Competition? Any force that didn't join the Blazing Fire Sect wouldn't have their disciples leave this secret realm alive. Why weren't they being stopped now, after only one day?
"This... reporting to the Sect Master, the Twelfth Elder just sent a message via sound transmission jade. The Supreme Elder has been killed..." The elder beside him dared not delay and quickly relayed the message he had just received.
"Tch, what a joke? Killed?" "Which elder is this, still playing such a joke with us at this time?" Hearing the elder's words, Wu Zhixiong didn't believe it at first. His father was a genuine half-step Nascent Soul realm expert. Even if all the Core Formation experts in the Southwest attacked him together, he could still escape! Killed? This was simply a fantasy!
"This... reporting to the Sect Master, it's the message from the Twelfth Elder and the others," the elder replied to Wu Zhixiong with a troubled expression. "I didn't believe it at first, but then the Twelfth Elder said that several of them had their vital organs severed by the killer, so I believe they aren't joking..." The elder, showing his difficulty, replied to Wu Zhixiong. Having their vital organs severed was undoubtedly extremely important to any man. But for the Twelfth Elder to be willing to use it as proof now, it was enough to show the importance of the news.
"Impossible, this is absolutely impossible! Where are the Twelfth Elder and the others? Have them come see me immediately!" Wu Zhixiong clenched his fists, his expression filled with gloom. If he had to believe his father was killed, he would rather believe he was dreaming! A half-step Nascent Soul realm expert, as long as he wanted to leave, who in the entire Southwest could keep him?
"The Twelfth Elder and the others are on their way here. Oh? They're here!" As he spoke, the elder pointed to an open space nearby. Indeed, several figures were approaching.
"Blazing Fire Sect's Twelfth Elder, Wu Qiang, greets the Sect Master!" The Twelfth Elder immediately knelt on one knee and greeted Wu Zhixiong.
"What does this mean? Greeting with a kneel?" Wu Zhixiong was stunned by Wu Qiang's kneeling. Although they were a sect, they weren't so traditional that they needed to kneel when meeting each other?
"Reporting to the Sect Master, the Supreme Elder was killed yesterday and has passed away. I beg the Sect Master to gather forces and avenge the Supreme Elder!" As he spoke, Wu Qiang kowtowed to the ground, his voice tinged with a hint of a sob.
"You scoundrel, what nonsense are you spouting?" Hearing Wu Qiang's words, Wu Zhixiong kicked him directly in the chest.
"Reporting to the Sect Master, everything I say is true and I would never dare to deceive you!" "And the rest of us, our vital organs were also crippled by the killer. I beg the Sect Master to avenge us!" Wu Qiang, with snot and tears, pleaded with Wu Zhixiong.
"I don't believe it! Impossible, absolutely impossible!" Even after Wu Zhizhong had said so much, Wu Zhixiong still couldn't believe it.