Chapter 310: Chapter 176: It Begins

“Are you really going to participate in the Outer Sect Competition?” Zhang Yong looked incredulous.

He had assumed Xu Yang would shrink from the challenge just like last year, so he never expected him to actually register.

Besides, with all the rumors and gossip swirling around the Outer Sect claiming Xu Yang wouldn’t dare compete—afraid he’d be exposed for a fraud in the ring—Xu Yang had never bothered to respond.

This had led even him to believe that Xu Yang truly didn’t dare to compete.

Xu Yang chuckled. “Why, can’t I?”

It took Zhang Yong a moment to process, then he said excitedly, “Of course you can! We can finally compete on the same stage again! HAHA… I knew it. The Xu Yang I know wouldn’t lose to anyone.”

In an instant, a fire ignited in his blood, as if he were back in the days when they first entered Weiyuan Hall, all of them secretly vying for supremacy.

Perhaps this was the real Xu Yang, the one who always had the edge on him, the one who only made a move at the most critical moments.

Xu Yang raised an eyebrow. “You want to go up against me?”

He sensed the fighting intent radiating from Zhang Yong; the man’s gaze had suddenly sharpened.

Zhang Yong nodded firmly. “Of course. My dream has always been to give you a good thrashing, and then beat Lu Ren.”

Xu Yang was Lu Ren’s personal demon, but the same could be said for him.

In the beginning, he had hated Xu Yang even more than Lu Ren. He had eventually let it go, but that didn’t stop him from wanting a match with Xu Yang.

Zhang Hong felt much the same way.

Xu Yang shook his head. “Trust me, you don’t want to run into me in the competition.”

Zhang Yong was confused.

“Junior Brother Zhang, listen to Junior Brother Xu. You don’t want to face him in the competition.”

Sun Tao said this as he led the way out of the courtyard.

…

Registration for the Outer Sect Competition began, and the rewards for this year were announced along with it. As expected, the prizes had reverted to the old standard: the top three would be exempt from their assessment mission and could choose a Cultivation Technique from the Hidden Skills Hall. Last year’s reward of exchanging for Elixirs at half price was canceled.

The prizes for the lower ranks had also reverted to the normal rewards.

It was just as they’d thought; last year’s rewards had been established specifically for Li Chuyang, Jiang Fan, and one other person.

“Could he really not have the guts to show up for the competition? He’s the genius who defeated Lu Ren in the Martial Arts Examination, after all.”

Qin Ze’s gaze swept across the crowd. Not seeing Xu Yang, he found it somewhat unbelievable.

“He’s probably lost all his spirit,” Liu Qian said, shaking her head.

She had noticed that ever since they had unilaterally dissolved their Alliance, Xu Yang had fallen into a slump and faded into mediocrity.

If it weren’t for the deaths of Wen Hao and Fang Yu, which had unexpectedly put Xu Yang on the Ten Heroes List, he would have been long forgotten.

But even after getting on the Ten Heroes List, Xu Yang only brought people disappointment, earning comments that his reputation was undeserved.

“So, are we still going to ask him to team up?” Qin Ze asked.

Both of them had reached Gang Qi Great Success and planned to petition for a master in the Inner Sect after the Outer Sect Competition. At that point, they would go find Xu Yang to team up.

They still remembered their promise to tackle the assessment mission together.

Liu Qian shook her head. “If he doesn’t even have the courage to participate in the Outer Sect Competition, then he probably just plans to quietly serve out his ten years before leaving the Sect. There’d be no point in looking for him then.”

“Ah! Xu Yang is here!”

Just as Qin Ze was about to nod, he suddenly heard a cry of surprise. He quickly turned his head and saw Xu Yang, Zhang Yong, and Sun Tao approaching at a leisurely pace.

In an instant, the disciples in the queue erupted in an uproar, causing an even greater stir than when Han Feng, Xiong Kun, and Lu Ren had appeared.

Even the few Outer Sect Stewards in charge of registration stopped writing and looked over.

“Who said Xu Yang wouldn’t dare to register? Stand up and let me see you.”

“He’s a Ten Heroes Genius, after all. How could he have no backbone?”

“His being here doesn’t mean he’s registering. Maybe he just came to watch the excitement.”

“Xu Yang, are you here to register for the competition? If you are, you can have my spot. I’m a professional at waiting in lines.”

…

One person, as if afraid Xu Yang might bolt, exaggeratedly offered him their place in line.

“Thanks, but I’m fine waiting in line!”

Xu Yang said with a smile, then casually found a line with Sun Tao and Zhang Yong and got in at the very back.

“Good. You’ve got some guts after all. My anticipation hasn’t been in vain.” Lu Ren’s battle intent flared.

He was confident he could place in the top three, but what he wanted most was to defeat Xu Yang in public and wipe away his past humiliation.

Every time someone mentioned Xu Yang, they would bring up how Xu Yang had defeated him in the Martial Arts Examination. He was long since sick of hearing it.

He had only conceded back then because he’d run into Xu Yang after a series of grueling battles and wanted to preserve his stamina for the fights that followed. He’d never thought that for years afterward, it would become the very source of Xu Yang’s fame.

“I’ll expose you for what you really are!” Su Zhe shot a provocative look in his direction.

Defeating Xu Yang and ruining his reputation was only the first step. What he really wanted was to kill Xu Yang completely, to avenge his sister, Su Man.

He was ninth on the Ten Heroes list, ranked above Xu Yang. Furthermore, he was the Young Master of the Su Family and had trained in his family’s secret Cultivation Technique since he was a child. He might not be able to beat people like Chen Yu or Xie Zhan, but when it came to Xu Yang, he was confident that ten moves would be more than enough.

“Xu Yang, you slighted me back then. If we meet in the ring, I’ll make you regret not trying to curry my favor.” Qiao Yong was also radiating battle intent.

His Minor Achievement in Gang Qi Cultivation, coupled with two Great Success Martial Techniques, was the source of his confidence.

“Should we go find him now? Or wait until after the Outer Sect Competition is over?” Qin Ze secretly transmitted to Liu Qian.

Xu Yang’s participation in the competition meant he wanted to enter the Inner Sect. With their strength, they were now qualified to team up with him.

Xu Yang might refuse, but Liu Xiao, who had already entered the Inner Sect, had put the word out: if the mission was too difficult, he would step in as a favor to Liu Qian.

With Liu Xiao as their backer, there was no way Xu Yang could refuse.

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