Zhaoguang's Intent?

ade Qin Shaoyang dare not do anything underhanded regarding Hao Ren’s participation in the Dragon God Temple examination.Otherwise, as a fourth-level censor and with a status higher than Su Han's, he...Chapter 412: What's Zhao Guang's Intention

Hao Ren, standing on the martial arts arena, turned to look at the Start of Summer venue a few dozen meters away and found that it was already empty.

This meant that the competition at the Start of Summer venue had ended even earlier.

The cultivators around the Vernal Equinox venue whispered among themselves.

Hao Ren, who only possessed a Geng-level realm, managed to break out from Team Ji Yin. This was quite astonishing on the surface, but experienced cultivators knew that cheating from outside wasn't possible.

The martial arts venues around the Dragon God Temple were all surrounded by barriers that could prevent any earth-level or lower cultivators’ spiritual energy from penetrating through. In reality, even if one brought in a Heaven and Earth-level expert, breaking through the barrier would cause obvious tremors.

Since outside help was impossible, the outcome of the match would solely depend on the methods of the two cultivators within the arena.

As Hao Ren slowly jumped down to the ground from the platform, many cultivators were filled with suspicion towards this Ji Yin 246 cultivator.

What an impressive display! Although he appeared to only be at a Geng-level realm, his strength could not be underestimated!

Zhao Hongyu looked at Hao Ren and was also somewhat surprised: she originally thought that Hao Ren wasn't good at fighting, but the composure and agility he displayed were like those of a battle-hardened general!

The wood-type cultivator from before had actually not even unleashed his most powerful move when Hao Ren unexpectedly knocked him out of the arena.

According to Zhao Hongyu’s assessment, that wood-type cultivator should have been able to break through Team Ji Yin and gradually reveal his strength to advance into the top fifty. However, this opportunity was directly snuffed out by Hao Ren… Hao Ren was completely an unpredictable outlier!

In war, deceit is key. Therefore, one can appear weak when they are actually capable, pretend to use a strategy when they aren't going to, and show nearness or distance as needed. Lure with benefits, seize the moment when chaos arises, prepare for strength, avoid what's strong, provoke anger with patience, make lowly ones arrogant, tire those at ease with labor, sow discord among allies, attack where there is no preparation, strike unexpectedly.

Hao Ren’s fighting style seemed chaotic but was actually a method of warfare!

Thinking about this, Zhao Hongyu's gaze towards Hao Ren changed again. With Hao Ren's tactics, he might even become a great general!

"Hao Ren, this is the zongzi your grandmother made for you," Xie Yujia walked up to Hao Ren and took out two steaming hot zongzi from her bag, handing them to him.

"What did you tell Grandma" Hao Ren asked as he untied the reed wrapping around the zongzi.

"We said we're going on an outing with Zi Family and will be back tomorrow," Xie Yujia replied.

Hao Ren nodded, swallowing half a zongzi. Since he arrived at Dragon God Temple last night, he hadn't eaten anything, and after several consecutive matches today, his stomach was growling from hunger.

Seeing Hao Ren's ravenous eating manner, Xie Yujia covered her mouth with a smile.

Zhao Yanzi stood half a meter away from them and saw their affectionate behavior, which made him so angry that steam seemed to be rising from his eyes.

"This is the medicinal pill I refined for you. It's used to replenish spiritual energy." Xie Yujia took out another white porcelain bottle from her pocket and placed it in Hao Ren’s hand.

Hao Ren opened the bottle, immediately feeling a strong surge of spirit qi coming out!

"They are all Qi-supplementing Pills, sixty pills in total." Xie Yujia said.

Xie Yujia spoke calmly and lightly, but every single pill was worth preserving as a Fourth Rank Pill. This was something that Xie Yujia had made for Hao Ren after she knew from Zhao Hongyu that Hao Ren would be participating in the Dragon God Temple’s examination. She had spent several nights making them especially for him.

"Mm, thank you very much." Hao Ren put the bottle into his芥子空間 (jì zǐ kōng jiān - literally "mustard seed space," but it's better to keep it as is since there's no direct English equivalent), and seeing Xie Yujia’s slightly darkened eye sockets, he felt touched.

And such a bottle containing sixty Fourth Rank Qi-supplementing Pills would definitely cause envy if the surrounding dragon cultivators saw them!

"Um..." Hao Ren looked at Xie Yujia and suddenly asked, "You... have broken through to Foundation Establishment"

"Mm, I broke through yesterday." Xie Yujia nodded slightly.

"Haha, congratulations! I felt like you seemed a bit different."

Hao Ren said happily.

Previously, when Xie Yujia stood beside Zhao Yanzi, her aura was somewhat weaker. But today, the aura she exuded suppressed Zhao Yanzi’s by three parts.

The Life-and-Death Talisman could communicate with heaven and earth; Xie Yujia reaching Foundation Establishment was more impressive than Zhao Yanzi reaching it.

"It's okay..." Xie Yujia blushed a little red. She had used nearly twenty Foundation Establishment Pills before and after the breakthrough, so it wasn’t exactly something to celebrate.

Hao Ren looked around and saw that there were about six arenas still conducting martial trials. The surrounding cultivators gradually dispersed—some went to rest in the outer city while others continued watching battles at other arenas.

Clang... Clang... Clang...

The bell of the Dragon God Temple sounded again.

Noon!

In a total of 96 small arenas in four directions, all martial trials ended. In just four hours, 96 strong individuals were screened out.

The fourth-rank examiners on the stands entered the Dragon God Temple one by one. Meanwhile, the second-rank examiners overseeing each arena followed their respective deputy examiners into the inner part of the temple to report and tally scores,整理名單 (zhěng lǐ míng dán - "to organize the list").

The upcoming contest will begin at the hour of Wu!

Hao Ren looked towards the Lixia arena and saw many cultivators quickly dispersing. He then glanced in the direction of the Dragon God Temple, but Zhao Guang and the two elders were still not out.

Zhao Yanzi was also slightly worried and tiptoed to look towards the entrance of the Dragon God Temple.

At this moment, Zhao Guang led the two elders out from the Dragon God Temple, accompanied by six inspectors.

"Dad!" Zhao Yanzi waved her hands. Seeing Zhao Guang come out, she finally felt relieved.

Zhao Guang, who had just emerged from the Dragon God Temple, led Lu Elder and Sun Elder calmly towards the Jizhen arena.

Zhao Hongyu went up to meet him with some anxiety in her voice, "How is it"

Zhao Guang did not answer but directly asked, "How was Ren's match"

"It wasn't bad; he got first place in the Jiyin group," Zhao Hongyu answered.

"Oh" Zhao Guang was slightly surprised and clearly hadn’t expected Hao Ren to emerge victorious from the Jiyin group.

He then looked at Zhao Hongyu, "The Dragon God Temple's stance is that whether it’s the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace or Western Sea Dragon Palace, they must follow the rules. There’s still a prisoner in the Dragon God Temple dungeon—the number one expert of the Western Sea Dragon Palace, Black Wolf—who has been detained there and hasn't been released despite several requests."

"Black Wolf killed some inspectors; naturally, they wouldn’t release him," Zhao Hongyu said.

“Therefore, their meaning is that if we want to retrieve our item, we need a cultivator from the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace who can make it into the top three!” Zhao Guang continued.

"Rubbish!" Zhao Hongyu instantly flew into a rage, startling even Zhao Yanzi.

Zhao Hongyu looked at Zhao Guang and thought for a moment before saying, "Our Eastern Sea Dragon Palace has several Heaven Earth Realm Elders. If we truly wanted to secure one of the top three spots in the Dragon God Temple’s qualifying examination, it wouldn’t be difficult. However, sending our esteemed Eastern Sea Elders to compete for the qualifications of the Dragon God Temple’s Inspectors would lower us beneath them! We’ve already done enough by letting Hao Ren participate under the name of the Eastern Sea!"

"Uncle, Auntie, what exactly is going on" Hao Ren asked with some confusion.

Zhao Hongyu looked at Hao Ren and then glanced at Xie Yujia behind him. She calmed down slightly before saying, "Our Eastern Sea Dragon Palace once lent an item to the Dragon God Temple for a lease of 200 years. Now that the term is nearly up, the Dragon God Temple hasn’t shown any intention of returning it.

"What is it" Zhao Yanzi blinked her eyes and asked.

"You don't need to worry about this." Zhao Hongyu did not answer Zhao Yanzi's question.

Seeing that Zhao Hongyu was in a bad mood, Zhao Yanzi dared not continue to ask questions but turned her head to look at the hunchbacked Chancellor Xia. She pouted and glared at him with her eyes.

The moment Chancellor Xia saw Zhao Yanzi's gaze sweep over, he quickly took two steps back and shook his head repeatedly. He was an old chancellor of the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace and naturally knew what Zhao Hongyu and Zhao Guang were talking about. But if Zhao Hongyu didn't say it, how could he dare to speak up

Turning her head again to look at Zhen Cunming, Zhao Yanzi thought that Zhen Cunming should know as well. However, Zhen Cunming was whistling and looking around idly, completely ignoring Zhao Yanzi.

In contrast, Zhen Cunming was closer to Xie Yujia than Zhao Yanzi, making Zhao Yanzi even more furious. She glared intensely at Hao Ren.

"Is this thing very important Must it be taken back Or is it important for the Dragon God Temple" Hao Ren hesitated for half a second before asking.

At that time, Hao Ren felt that Zhao Guang's sudden arrival at the Dragon God Temple should have had its own reasons related to the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace. Now looking at it, he was indeed right.

"This thing is important for the Dragon God Temple, but even more so for the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace. To be precise, over these past two hundred years, the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace has gradually been suppressed by the Western Sea Dragon Palace because of this item's absence," Zhao Guang said.

"The lease period is almost up. If we can't retrieve it in time, what will happen in the future" Hao Ren weighed his words before speaking.

The principles in the world were roughly similar. Just like when lending money, if it couldn’t be recovered within the agreed timeframe, it would become a bad debt.

"Mm-hmm!" Zhao Guang nodded, his expression somewhat heavy.

"If the Dragon God Temple really doesn't play fair, we of the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace can fight them as well!" Zhao Hongyu suddenly said.

Lu Qing and Sun Yun standing next to Zhao Guang remained silent.

Zhao Guang let out a light sigh. "Of the six deputy temple masters of the Dragon God Temple, three have reached the peak level of the Heaven rank."

Zhao Hongyu stared blankly at Zhao Guang and couldn’t find any words to say.

The rapid development of the Dragon God Temple in these two hundred years far exceeded the predictions of the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace! Overpowering the Four Seas Dragon Palaces, becoming the top force!

That thing lent out back then for assisting the Dragon God Temple against human cultivation sects seemed like it wouldn’t be returned by the Dragon God Temple, and the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace couldn't get it back either!

(To Be Continued) stopped midair.Xie Yujia awkwardly stood up and urged the wishcloth to move again; it moved a few meters forward before she wobbled and slid down again.This clumsy and silly appearance was like someo...