Duan Yuhao honestly couldn’t understand why the young master of the Duan family just had to be the useless person who only ate and drank all day when he himself was stronger than Duan Yuyang in every aspect. However, there were things that he had to earn with his own hands. He didn’t take Duan Yuyang seriously at all.

　　Duan Yuhao sneered coldly, “Our Duan family isn’t some random place that collects rubbish and beggars. Don’t blame it on me if you get killed by accident after entering.”

　　Yan Tianhen pursed his lips but didn’t speak.

　　He muttered to himself in secret about why his Dage wasn’t coming over to look for him, his mood at an all-time low. He couldn’t be any less bothered to listen to Duan Yuhao’s nonsense.

　　On the other side with the elite families, the Bai family was once again the focus of attention. A lot of families were taking this opportunity to socialize with the Bai family. After all, they either had past or ongoing exchanges with the Bai family, or they may have to seek the Bai family’s help in the future. In short, there wasn’t a single family who didn’t want to have a good relationship with a craftsmen family.

　　Although Bai Honghu was gravely injured in the craftsmen competition, after a period of recuperation, he had recovered enough to enter the Pill Limit Mysterious Land.

　　The Bai family dispatched six pupils and had already negotiated for the protection of Sky Peak City’s Shen, Huangfu, and Feng families.

　　As for the elite families of the other four continents, they naturally didn’t have this chance.

　　Aside from the three major families, the Bai family also found some disciples from Sky Peak Sect who were about to enter Pill Limit Mysterious Land to protect the Bai pupils. They had formed a group of about twenty to thirty people; one could tell from just a glance that they intended to reap a huge harvest after entering.

　　Many people stared at the Bai family with envy. They were afraid that the outcome was preordained before the competition inside even began.

　　Soon after, a cloud drifted by and hundreds of birds cried out. Several floats pulled by birds landed in front of the main gate, and a number of women dressed in light, gauzy cloud clothes flew over gracefully, enchanting almost half of the male cultivators there.

　　“Ah, those are the female cultivators of Cloud Jade Sect!”

　　“I heard that the young sect master of Cloud Jade Sect, Shen Rubing, is taking part in the competition too!”

　　“Her? Hasn’t she reached the Hardened Body stage a long time ago?”

　　“The magic treasure that the Bai family crafted to suppress one’s cultivation has suppressed her cultivation to Foundation Stage Third Layer!”

　　“Shen Rubing’s really pretty ah.”

　　Although she heard a lot of people whisper and praise her in secret, Shen Rubing, dressed in a lavender brocade gown, felt nothing.

　　After all, this sort of praise and attention had been like food and water to her ever since she was a child. She had long since become accustomed to it and no longer considered it a big deal.

　　Yet the female cultivators next to her said enviously to Shen Rubing, “Shen Shijie, looks like you’re the one receiving the most attention again this time.”

　　“Yeah. Sister Rubing is not only pretty but also noble and generous with remarkable talent, so she has naturally enchanted all of those people.”

　　“Hehehe…with Rubing Jiejie leading us this time, we don’t need to be afraid of lacking for people who rush up to offer their help.”

　　“Looks like we’ll be reaping a good harvest again this year ah.”

　　When Lin Yaer heard all of this, she couldn’t help but walk up as well, not one to fall behind. “Rubing Jiejie, my family’s Xuanzhi is over there. Would you like to go over to talk to him?”

　　Shen Rubing’s gaze landed on Lin Xuanzhi. Her heart, which hadn’t been disturbed by anything for a long time, now felt like a rock had smashed right into a deep pond, stirring up circular ripples within.

　　Shen Rubing had noticed Lin Xuanzhi even before he stepped into Sky Peak City.

　　That day, when Lin Xuanzhi was blocked outside the city gate and had to suffer unbridled humiliation from the guards, Shen Rubing stood not far away, thinking that this person was probably going to lose all the face he had. She hadn’t expected that he would merely speak a few words and manage to emerge victorious in the face of stronger forces. With just a few cheerful chats, he had actually managed to make such a big hole in Sky Peak City.

　　A heavenly talent who used strange and deceitful tactics, possessed a stunning appearance, and had a magnificent demeanour.

　　Back then, Shen Rubing felt a rush of excitement and started inquiring about all sorts of news related to Lin Xuanzhi. When she heard that Lin Xuanzhi had already turned into a cripple, Shen Rubing was not without regret. Even if she had taken a fancy to Lin Xuanzhi, she could never be with a useless person.

　　It wasn’t until Shen Rubing saw Lin Xuanzhi again in the craftsman competition that a sudden realisation dawned upon her. So this man wasn’t as useless as the rumors said he was, in fact, it was the exact opposite — he was a rare person of extraordinary talent in the world.

　　This prompted Shen Rubing to make up her mind — Lin Xuanzhi was the ideal husband that she had been looking for.

　　Relying on the influence of her sect and family, she sent someone to the Lin family to express her desire to marry Lin Xuanzhi before even informing him.

　　In Shen Rubing’s world, all men should flatter and fawn over her. The Lin family was merely a third-rate family, and they were far away in Qing City as well. After hearing the news that she had taken a fancy to Lin Xuanzhi, they were bound to be pleasantly surprised and eager to agree at once.

　　However, the Lin family gave an ambiguous answer in return — Lin Xuanzhi’s marriage was not up to the Lin family to decide, and it was better for her to ask Lin Xuanzhi about it.

　　The matchmaker of the Shen family waited patiently for several days.

　　An answer traveled over from afar: that Lin Xuanzhi kid actually had the audacity to refuse!

　　What a humiliation that was!

　　When Shen Rubing first heard the news, she blew up quite a bit. A lot of the servants beside her suffered as a result. But after she calmed down a little, Shen Rubing felt a little happy instead, because Lin Xuanzhi’s rejection was novel to her, and a desire to subdue the other party, a desire that she’d never had before, emerged.

　　She must have this brilliant man!

　　Shen Rubing’s pair of slightly upward slanting eyes squinted as she took ladylike steps towards Lin Xuanzhi.

　　Lin Xuanzhi was talking to Ji Yunwei when Ji Yunwei suddenly yanked at his sleeve.

　　Ji Yunwei kept making eyes at him and whispered, “Young Miss Shen is walking over to you. She couldn’t have taken a fancy to you ba?”

　　Lin Xuanzhi’s mouth twitched. “She might have taken a fancy to you.”

　　Ji Yunwei got a fright. “No no no that’s definitely impossible, the relationship between the Ji and Shen family isn’t all that great.”

　　Baili Yunshan heard everything clearly. When he saw Shen Rubing, who looked like a fairy that had descended into this world, he couldn’t take his eyes off of her. “What a pretty Jiejie ah!”

　　Baili Yunsong smacked Baili Yunshan’s head. “Don’t talk nonsense, you’re a man with a fiance.”

　　Baili Yunshan pursed his lips, feeling rather wronged, “Everyone has a penchant for beauty, what’s wrong with just taking a look?”

　　Baili Yunsong stared at Baili Yunshan and didn’t speak.

　　Baili Yunshan surrendered. “Okay okay, don’t tell Ah Yue.”

　　“Lin Xuanzhi.” Shen Rubing stopped three meters away from Lin Xuanzhi.

　　Ji Yunwei had an expression that said “I just knew she was here to look for you” plastered all over his face.

　　Lin Xuanzhi was suddenly grazed by many eye daggers.

　　His reply was calm, yet not polite, “Miss Shen.”

　　Shen Rubing smiled. “I called your name, yet you called me ‘Miss’. Isn’t that a bit inappropriate?”

　　Lin Xuanzhi said lightly, “It doesn’t matter what Miss Shen calls me, but I can’t casually address Miss Shen however I want, or should I say Young Sect Master Shen.”

　　A smile spread across Shen Rubing’s beautiful face, making her look both charming and forthright. “Looks like Xuanzhi’s still a man of etiquette. Since we had the fate to gather here together today, why don’t you help me and my sisters draw some good luck? We’ll follow Xuanzhi into the Pill Limit Mysterious Land, what do you think about that?”

　　“I’m just a craftsman, I’m afraid that I won’t be able to protect you all.”

　　“What’s the big deal about that? We are elemental cultivators, so it just so happens that we can protect you, a craftsman.” Shen Rubing gently pushed the conversation back to Lin Xuanzhi again and blinked mischievously, laughing, “Besides, there are a lot of protectors around Craftsman Lin. We can even benefit a little by being with Craftsman Lin.”

　　Qiu Lu, Shen Rubing’s Shimei who was standing next to her, instantly revealed an expression like she had just swallowed an egg — this, this smiling woman was actually her direct Shijie?

　　Who in Sky Peak City didn’t know that Cloud Jade Sect’s Shen Rubing had a character just like her name — in front of male cultivators, she would put up no pretense of rhetoric, or directly ignore them, and she’d even said before that all men in this world were just riffraff who liked beauties, and she didn’t regard them highly in the slightest.

　　Unexpectedly…the gaze Qiu Lu directed at Lin Xuanzhi was filled with a little more worship.

　　However, this Lin Xuanzhi was truly beautiful.

　　Lin Xuanzhi didn’t want to pay any attention to Shen Rubing, but he was willing to give Shen Rubing some face. Moreover, Lin Xuanzhi wanted to anger Yan Tianhen a little.

　　“Then I’ll have to ask for your guidance.” Lin Xuanzhi said.

　　Shen Rubing smiled, a determined glint flashing through her eyes.

　　She was a smart person; she never mentioned the embarrassing matter of how the one she had sent to the Lin family to offer a marriage proposal was rejected from start to end and pretended as if all of that never happened. She was also very calm in facing Lin Xuanzhi.

　　If Shen Rubing didn’t mention it, then Lin Xuanzhi naturally wouldn’t take the initiative to mention it either.

　　At this moment, Lin Yaer walked over and showed Lin Xuanzhi a smile that didn’t seem forced at all. “Xuanzhi, with the support of Cloud Jade Sect, we’ll probably reap a good harvest in the Pill Limit Mysterious Land this time.”

　　When facing Lin Yaer, Lin Xuanzhi just said lightly, “You’re going with me?”

　　Lin Yaer responded, “Yeah, didn’t Yan Tianhen tell you? I’m part of the Lin family after all. Being with the Lin family is a way for me to help the family a little.”

　　Even Lin Zezhi sneered slightly. Compared to Lin Yangzhi, he now looked down on Lin Yaer even more.

　　On the day that Lin Yaer spoke harshly about the Lin family, the Lin family pupils had all been present and they had heard it loud and clear. Lin Yaer’s words clearly showed how much she despised the Lin family, and how eager she was to establish that she had no relationship with the Lin family.

　　Now, after seeing that Lin Xuanzhi was in the limelight, that the Lin family’s status had risen, and had even obtained the favour of the young sect master of Cloud Jade Sect, she was switching her stance again. How shameless indeed.

　　Lin Xuanzhi was indifferently, “Since you have already said that you want to leave the Lin family in public, the Lin family has nothing to do with you. As the one in charge of the Lin family today, I naturally won’t let you follow the Lin family.”

　　Lin Yaer’s expression changed. “Lin Xuanzhi, do you know what you’re saying?”

　　Lin Xuanzhi only said to Shen Rubing, “Young Sect Master Shen, since there’s a deserter of my family in your team, I think our cooperation this time should be voided ba.”

　　Shen Rubing scolded Lin Yaer for being an idiot and ruining her plans in secret. Her gaze turned cold in an instant as she said to Lin Yaer, “Since Gentleman Lin doesn’t forgive you, you should form a team with other people ba.”

　　“Shen Shijie!” Lin Yaer became anxious and blurted, “Lin Xuanzhi is driving a wedge between us on purpose, he’s not qualified to chase me out from the Lin family!”

　　Shen Rubing’s cold gaze swept over her. Once her fingers moved, Lin Yaer received one whip.

　　She shrieked with an “ah“; a red welt visible on her neck.

　　Lin Yaer stepped back in horror, her eyes full of shock and grievance, but she didn’t dare to casually say anything more.

　　Shen Rubing wasn’t someone with a good temper. Lin Yaer had a beautiful appearance in the first place and was the same type as her. When she had first entered Cloud Jade Sect, there were people who said that she would be Shen Rubing’s successor.

　　Lin Yaer would even show her face around in public every day, while Shen Rubing could not meet her own fans because of her devotion to other affairs. As such, Lin Yaer had beguiled many of Shen Rubing’s fans over to her side.

　　Shen Rubing didn’t like her in the first place, but she didn’t expect this lass to actually knock into her hands of her own accord.

　　After dealing with Lin Yaer, Shen Rubing said to Lin Xuanzhi, “Xuanzhi, do you have any other instructions?”

　　Lin Xuanzhi said, “Since you’re this sincere, I have nothing else to say.”

　　Shen Rubing nodded in satisfaction.

　　The Lin family pupils couldn’t help but click their tongues in secret — that Lin Yaer was free to do whatever she wanted in the Lin family. But expectedly, after becoming a disciple in Cloud Jade Sect, she could just get whipped so easily by someone else. It truly fits the saying that luck and misfortune come hand in hand ah.

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