If I stay in the Hehuan Sect, I'll live off the pampered daughters of the Heavenly Pride Sect.

Lin Wanqing said, "I just feel great."

Yu Jianhuan looked at the stage. "It may feel good, but he'll have a lot of trouble in the future."

Jin Qiaoqiao said, "If you win too well, you'll get robbed."

Su Qingying said, "The various summits have their eyes on him."

Qin Wanzhuang said, "There will also be people who try to suppress him."

Mo Chengyue flipped through Lu Qingheng's file. "Therefore, what you do after winning is more important than the victory or defeat itself."

Lin Wanqing asked, "What should he do?"

Mo Chengyue said, "If he immediately tries to curry favor with a powerful figure, he'll be safe in the short term, but he'll be used as a bargaining chip in the long run."

Xie Buci asked, "What if he returns to Xuanyu Peak?"

Mo Chengyue said, "Whether Xuanyu Peak can protect him is a question."

Yu Jianhuan asked, "What if he's pretending to be stupid?"

Mo Chengyue said, "We just won, we can't go back to pretending now."

Jin Qiaoqiao asked, "So what do you think he should choose?"

Mo Chengyue said, "Put yourself within the rules."

The group looked toward the battle platform.

Lu Qingheng neither returned to his seat on Xuanyu Peak nor went to become a disciple of any peak master.

He turned and bowed towards the high platform.

Lu Qingheng said, "Disciple Lu Qingheng comes from Xuanyu Peak. Today, I step onto the stage only to ask for a fair fight."

Many elders on the high platform looked over.

Lu Qingheng continued, "This disciple does not wish to join any faction prematurely, nor does he wish to use the influence of others to suppress his fellow disciples."

Some people on Xuanyu Peak were getting anxious.

"What is Senior Brother Lu doing?"

"Won't he offend someone by doing this?"

"But he's not wrong either."

"He dares to say that without any backing; he's incredibly audacious."

People were also whispering to each other over Crimson Cloud Peak.

"That kid has guts."

"Integrity cannot fill an empty stomach."

"But the sect leader is above, so his words were delivered at a very opportune moment."

"Yes, whoever tries to suppress him now is disrespecting the sect leader."

Lin Wanqing's eyes widened. "Senior Brother Mo, he's really putting himself in the rules."

Xie Buci looked at Mo Chengyue. "Third brother, you figured it out a long time ago?"

Mo Chengyue said, "I just guessed he wasn't stupid."

Qin Wanzhuang said, "Not stupid, but ruthless enough."

Su Qingying said, "He's ruthless to himself too."

Wenren Ji looked at Lu Qingheng and said in a low voice, "Not bad."

Yu Jianhuan smiled and said, "It's not easy to get Junior Brother Wenren to praise the sword."

Wenren Ji said, "He's not a bad person either."

Mo Chengyue turned to look at him. "Junior Brother, you've been praising a lot of people today."

Wenren Ji said, "He is worthy."

Xie Buci said, "It's over. Even Junior Brother has given his approval. Lu Qingheng is about to become famous."

On the high platform, Jiang Wei looked down at the battle arena.

Jiang Wei said, "A fair fight is the rule of the Sword Debate Arena."

Lu Qingheng said, "Thank you, Sect Master."

Jiang Wei said, "Let's continue the competition."

Lu Qingheng bowed again before returning to his seat on Xuanyu Peak.

Discussions erupted again.

"The sect leader has spoken."

"Then who would dare to make things difficult for him off the field?"

"I wouldn't dare run into someone off the court, but I'll inevitably run into them on the court."

"Then let's keep fighting."

"This competition is really different from the ones before."

"Before, I could only see the same few people when I looked up. Now I can finally see other people."

"Ye Wushang is gone, Lin Miaoyin has retired, and Xie Buci and the others are not fighting for anything."

"Is this our chance?"

"Yes."

"At least today."

This statement, at least today, has brought light to the eyes of many disciples at the grassroots level.

The light wasn't dazzling, but it felt real.

As Mo Chengyue listened to these words, he looked down at the three characters "Lu Qingheng" on the file and gently stroked the edge of the paper with his fingertips.

Lin Wanqing asked softly, "Senior Brother Mo, why aren't you saying anything?"

Mo Chengyue said, "I'm afraid that if I speak, he'll become even more famous."

Xie Buci said, "It's too late."

Qin Wanzhuang said, "Speak."

Su Qingying also looked at him.

Yu Jianhuan said with a smile, "Junior Brother Mo, everyone is waiting."

Jin Qiaoqiao said, "Don't keep me in suspense."

Wenren Ji said, "Speak."

Mo Chengyue sighed, "You're forcing ordinary disciples to make mistakes."

Xie Buci said, "Ordinary disciples wouldn't be able to see through the thoughts of each peak so clearly."

Mo Chengyue looked towards the battle arena and lowered his voice.

Mo Chengyue said, "If this person does not die young, he will surely become a sharp weapon for the sect in the future."

Qin Wanzhuang nodded, a rare occurrence. "It's acceptable."

Wenren Ji also raised his eyes and glanced at Lu Qingheng for a moment. "Feng is here."

Su Qingying said, "The blade is not yet fully sharp, but the path is righteous."

Yu Jianhuan said, "Junior Brother Mo's evaluation is much more significant than applause."

Jin Qiaoqiao said, "A sharp blade will cut itself if no one wields it."

Mo Chengyue said, "So it depends on who he lets wield in the future, and also on whether he is willing to be just a knife."

Xie Buci seemed thoughtful. "Third brother, what you're saying sounds like you're selecting people for the sect."

Mo Chengyue immediately denied it. "No, I was just watching the fun."

Lin Wanqing lowered her head to take notes. "Lu Qingheng, can be befriended, to be observed."

Mo Chengyue said, "Junior Sister Lin, don't write down what I said."

Lin Wanqing said, "What I wrote was what I thought."

Mo Chengyue said, "You looked at me three times while you were writing."

Lin Wanqing said matter-of-factly, "I'm checking to see if your handwriting is good or not."

Xie Buci laughed so hard he waved his folding fan wildly. "That's a good reason."

The surrounding disciples had already observed the reactions of the Qingquan Peak group.

Someone lowered their voice and said, "Qin Wanzhuang nodded."

"Wenren Ji also looked at him."

"Has Qingquan Peak taken a liking to Lu Qingheng?"

"What did Mo Chengyue just say?"

"I didn't hear clearly, but it definitely wasn't Mandarin."

"Nonsense, I don't even believe he speaks Mandarin now."

Upon hearing the last sentence, Mo Chengyue's composure shattered into a million pieces.

He closed the file and said to Lin Wanqing earnestly, "See? This is what happens when you talk too much."

Lin Wanqing smiled and said, "But everyone admires you."

Mo Chengyue said, "It's better to stay away from things that impress me."

Qin Wanzhuang said, "Sit down."

Mo Chengyue said, "Second Senior Sister, I am sitting very upright."

Wenren Ji said, "You want to shrink back."

Mo Chengyue looked at him. "Junior brother, a sword can be honest, but a person doesn't have to be."

Xie Buci watched the constantly changing young figures on the dueling platform, his tone unusually less playful.

Xie Buci said, "Third brother, don't you think this year's disciples have both very bad and very good luck?"

Mo Chengyue said, "The problem is that the ruins swallowed too many people."

Xie Buci replied, "Okay?"

Mo Chengyue looked at the outer disciples clenching their fists at the edge of the stands, and at the young faces that dared to cheer loudly for their fellow disciples for the first time.

Mo Chengyue said, "Fortunately, there's a gap at the top of the mountain, so people below can finally see the sky."

Lin Wanqing was taken aback.

Su Qingying lowered her eyes and remained silent.

The playfulness in Yu Jianhuan's eyes faded somewhat.

Jin Qiaoqiao looked into the distance, as if recalling the sky of the demon race, which was suppressed by bloodline and old rules.

Qin Wanzhuang said, "That's why you need to screen people."

Mo Chengyue said, "It's not about screening people, it's about guarding against people."

Xie Buci said, "While I'm at it, I'll make a few useful friends."

Mo Chengyue said, "Senior Brother, the word 'friend' is very expensive."

Xie Buci said, "Then let's put it on the tab."

Mo Chengyue said, "I don't trust you to keep the accounts."

Wenren Ji said, "I remember."

Mo Chengyue paused for a moment. "That's even worse; you'll remember everyone who owes you money and think they deserve to be killed."

Wenren Ji thought about it seriously. "We can distinguish between what's more important and what's less important."

Everyone laughed.

The new jade tablet for drawing lots on the stage lit up again.

New names emerge, new rivals take the stage, and new cheers rise from all directions.

The shadows of the past still linger over the sect, but around the dueling platform, many people have already begun to look up.

Mo Chengyue reopened the file and lightly touched Lu Qingheng's name with his fingertip, leaving no trace.

He temporarily categorized this person as someone he could befriend.

of course.

The condition is that you don't cause trouble for Qingquan Peak.

Don't come looking for him.

It's best not to even remember his name.

Unfortunately, when Mo Chengyue looked up, he saw Lu Qingheng looking over from his seat on Xuanyu Peak, bowing respectfully towards Qingquan Peak across the crowd.

Xie Buci was delighted.

Xie Buci said, "Third brother, he remembers you."

Mo Chengyue closed the file, his expression very sincere.

Mo Chengyue asked, "Is it too late to change my name now?"

Qin Wanzhuang said, "It's too late."

Wenren Ji said, "It's too late."

Lin Wanqing added with a laugh, "There wasn't even time to revise the records in the Library of Scriptures."

Yu Jianhuan covered her mouth and said, "Junior Brother Mo, the best era has arrived."

Jin Qiaoqiao chuckled. "It was also the most troublesome era."

As Mo Chengyue gazed at the once again bustling sword-fighting arena, only one thought remained in his mind.

He was just there to observe the ceremony.

Really.