The entire sect is obsessed with love, but I'm the only one who's truly insane.

Lin Du sensed something was wrong.

Why would a formation master like her receive so many challenge letters?

The cultivators of Zhongzhou are far too warlike.

After declining three challenges, Lin Du sighed, turned to look at Xia Tianwu, and said, "Could you spread a rumor that I only have one year left to live?"

"If you only have one year left to live, there will be a constant stream of people challenging you to a duel. If you can defeat the number one talent before you die, that will be enough for them to brag about for the rest of their lives."

Lin Du pondered for a moment, "Even if it's an unfair victory? I'm a patient."

"You didn't look like a patient in the secret realm," Yan Qing commented sincerely, "especially when you were crushing the skulls of high-level cultivators."

"You mean that skull? It's not even as hard as the ice in Luoze." Lin Du lazily pulled his cloak tighter. "Why isn't Senior Brother ready yet? If we don't go back soon, the line of people coming to challenge us will stretch all the way to the gates of Dingjiu City."

Yan Qing politely accepted the challenge, his voice steady, "Whoever challenges someone on the Azure Cloud Ranking or the Soaring Cloud Ranking, as long as Heaven deems the competition fair, the winner's name will replace the challenged person's name."

"As a result, every newcomer on the list will receive a challenge, which has almost become an old tradition in Zhongzhou."

"Almost no one in the Supreme Sect can escape being challenged to a battle."

Lin Du sensed something was wrong. "My fifth senior brother too?"

"Someone once guarded the foot of our mountain for a hundred years, just to compete with Uncle-Master Jiang Liang in alchemy and take his place on the Chongxiao Ranking."

Lin Du asked, "And then?"

"We didn't see that person. Master hasn't come down the mountain for a hundred years and hasn't seen any strangers," Xia Tianwu added.

Lin Du smiled; she knew it.

The four of them, carrying a bunch of challenge letters, followed their parents who had just finished their "parent-teacher meeting" onto the spirit ship. None of them paid any attention to the rankings being announced by the elders.

Anyway, the four names were neatly arranged at the very beginning, and Wushangzong was still ranked first among the sects.

"So, how many challenges did Junior Uncle receive in total?"

Lin Du took off his cloak. "I don't know. I refused because I have a chronic illness and cannot use my spiritual power recklessly."

Apart from Wu Xi, who forcibly stamped the document when no one was looking, the rest were not people who forced others to do things against their will.

"Among the four of us, Yan Qing probably received the most."

Yan Qing nodded helplessly, "I'm just a scholar, and they insist on fighting me."

As he spoke, a stack of challenge letters appeared in his hand with a thought. They were neatly arranged, with different colors and sizes of paper, but when stacked up, they were as thick as bricks.

Lin Du stroked his chin and looked at Yuan Ye.

With a whoosh, five challenge letters appeared in the boy's hand. He shook them a few times like an open fan. "Five are nothing to worry about."

After all, most of the people he fought were also audiophiles, which were intellectual battles, not physical battles like Yan Qing's.

"Where is Jinxuan?"

Ni Jinxuan counted on her fingers, "No more, no less, seven. One battle per month, and it will all be over when the balsam flowers bloom in July."

Lin Du raised an eyebrow. He had even arranged the schedule. So, the disciples of the Supreme Sect who were in seclusion were probably in seclusion because they really didn't want to accept the challenge.

The four men lounged on the table and chairs, chatting idly and taking stock of the medicinal herbs they had brought back.

"Does Junior Uncle need any medicinal herbs?" Ni Jinxuan asked Xia Tianwu, picking through the herbs she had gathered.

Xia Tian glanced at it and said, "That one Heavenly Grade Stone Flower can be used to refine the Yuan-Reducing and Bone-Growing Pill to fill the innate deficiencies. The others are not unusable, but their effects are negligible and not very suitable. You can keep them for yourself."

"Aside from the 30% that is handed over to the sect, let's give the rest to Junior Uncle!" Ni Jinxuan quickly came up with an idea.

Lin Du, who was lazily leaning against the soft couch, writing and drawing, opened his eyes upon hearing this. "It's possible, but unnecessary. Keep it for yourself, or you can sell it for a sky-high price at the sect's consignment shop. Buy yourself something beneficial for your cultivation, kid."

Although the sect lacks nothing, it shouldn't spend money like this.

"but……"

"No buts needed. I, Lin Du, don't like owing favors. If you want to give it to me, I can exchange it for something of equal value."

"But I'm giving it to you voluntarily, Junior Uncle! I don't need any reward." Ni Jinxuan's almond-shaped eyes widened.

Lin Du put away his brush and ink, sat up abruptly, and said, "I know you don't lack anything, but the path of cultivation is long. Leave yourself some inheritance."

"Junior Uncle will teach you a saying today: A small favor is appreciated, but a large one breeds resentment."

She didn't sit properly; one leg was propped up while the other remained crooked. She smiled, but her eyes were misty and clouded. "There's another saying: great kindness can turn into great enmity."

"Your junior uncle doesn't want to be your enemy, nor does he want you to raise more enemies in the future."

"Everyone has their own destiny. If your junior uncle's illness requires you to steal the sect's most precious treasure, are you going to violate the ancestral rules of the sect?"

Ju Yuan had initially thought it was just the children joking and hadn't interrupted, but now, as Lin Du's words became increasingly outrageous, she couldn't help but interject, "It's not as serious as you're making it out to be, Junior Sister. The child is still young; he just wants what's best for you."

"Besides, we disciples of the Supreme Sect are like brothers. No matter how precious a sect's treasure is, it's reserved for our own people."

As soon as he finished speaking, he secretly realized something was wrong; Lin Du was even younger than Ni Jinxuan.

Seeing the girl's initially excited face slowly turn into one of bewildered disappointment, Lin Du sighed, softened his voice, and beckoned to her, "I appreciate the camaraderie among fellow disciples. As the saying goes, even close brothers keep clear accounts, okay?"

She couldn't help but suspect that Ni Jinxuan, regardless of whether the target was the Demon Lord or not, would help steal the sect's treasures.

This child is too innocent and too kind-hearted.

In that storyline, the Demon Lord even went through hardships with the little girl, but she herself didn't do anything and yet reaped this sunflower, which is not good.

The little girl obediently walked to Lin Du's soft couch and received a box of six spirit crystals.

"I'll pay for the agarwood, okay?" Lin Du said, pinching her hair. "I don't need money, and you don't need medicine. Let's cooperate and benefit each other."

Ni Jinxuan knew that although Lin Du's voice was gentle, his attitude was firm, so she reluctantly accepted it.

She didn't really understand why great kindness could turn into great enmity, but her junior uncle told her to eat it all up like he cooked, even if she didn't know what kind of meat it was, she would swallow it whole and digest it slowly over time.

Ultimately, her junior uncle wouldn't harm her, and one day, she would be able to understand the weighty meaning in Lin Du's words that she couldn't quite grasp.

"But junior sister," Ju Yuan suddenly remembered something, "where did you get so much money?"

Lin Du said "Oh," and then added, "My master had some money, and then he searched the ancient city and found a whole bunch of stuff. What happened?"

Ju Yuan withdrew her gaze, sighed, and said, "Then it's alright."

My master is like this: he acts as both father and mother, and he also has to give me money to spend.

Although there aren't many formation masters who are good at fighting, they are really rich.

"Hey Junior Uncle, what kind of medicinal herbs do you need? I have some here..."

Just as Yuan Ye was about to speak with a smile, a heavy impact sounded, and the spiritual energy shield scraped with a sharp sound. Then the spirit ship lurched, and he lost his balance and tumbled off the chair with a thud.

Ju Yuan's expression turned serious, and he stood up. "It seems someone has crashed into our boat. Tian Wu, come out with me. The four of you stay inside and don't make any rash moves."