Chapter 97

Chapter 97

Lin Leliu, while conversing with Shi Yan, had noticed that Shen Wang was the linchpin of this simple team.

The moment his junior brother shouted to attack, Lin Leliu had swiftly circled around Shi Yan and others, drawing his sword to strike at Shen Wang!

Shen Wang, handsome and ethereal, lacked the distinct aura of a cultivator, appearing utterly harmless.

Lin Leliu’s eyes flashed with determination, intent on seizing those points!

His junior brother, fists clenched, swiftly positioned himself in front of Xie Qingming, the most formidable-looking, to prevent him from intervening.

Unexpectedly, Xie Qingming just stood there as if nothing was happening, quietly observing.

Confused but secretly thrilled, the junior brother thought: This time in the competition, the Heavenly Master's House might just outshine Baiyun Guan!

Meanwhile, Lin Leliu was intently watching Shen Wang. Seeing that Shen seemed unresponsive, he frowned in concern rather than satisfaction.

What's going on?

His sword, sharp and fierce, directed at Shen Wang's face, created gusts of wind, seemingly capable of easily decapitating a person. Just as Lin Leliu anxiously considered reducing the attack's force to avoid seriously injuring Shen, his unstoppable sword wind suddenly halted.

Shen Wang had somehow produced a wrist-thick stick, blocking the aggressive sword in front of him.

Lin Leliu's pupils constricted, disbelief in his voice, "How is that possible!"

"How can you block my attack with just an ordinary stick!"

Shen Wang, looking at the stick in his hand, was also surprised: "How can this be just an ordinary stick!"

Everyone's gaze focused on the seemingly ordinary stick: Could it be some kind of incredible magical artifact?

Shen Wang flicked his wrist, and the stick struck the back of the sword forcefully. Caught off guard, Lin Leliu's sword nearly flew out of his hand. He was shaken and quickly regained his composure, attacking Shen Wang again.

"This is clearly a long, smooth, straight, and beautiful stick!" Shen Wang effortlessly parried Lin Leliu's attacks, speaking with a chuckle.

The others: "..."

Isn’t it still just a stick!

Seeing his senior brother struggling, Lin Leliu’s junior brother grew anxious and moved to assist, only to see Xie Qingming step forward, "Your opponent is me."

The junior brother hadn't expected his senior brother to be overpowered by a stick, and Xie Qingming’s strength was formidable too, tying him up and leaving him unable to help, only able to shout worriedly, "Senior brother, are you alright?"

The onlookers, including Xiao Pangzi, had indescribable expressions: "Your senior brother… doesn’t seem alright…"

Within a few minutes, Lin Leliu was embarrassingly forced to stop attacking. A stick lay across his chest, ready to strike him hard if he made any sudden move.

Defeated so easily, Lin Leliu stood stunned, taking a long time to recover. He asked in a daze, "Who exactly are you?"

Why had he never heard of such a peer in cultivation before!

Shen Wang, seeing that Lin Leliu stopped resisting, also retracted his makeshift weapon with a smile, declaring righteously, "I am a helpful Lei Feng."

Lin Leliu: "..."

Shi Yan's face twitched, and Qin You Rong standing next to him complained, "Shen Ge, you’re clearly with our C City's Special Department!"

Shen Wang scoffed, "That's why I said, I am Lei Feng."

If he weren’t Lei Feng, he would have already told the Special Department to get lost.

At this moment, Shen Wang glanced at Xie Qingming, who was exchanging blows with Lin Leliu’s junior brother, and commented with barely concealed dismay, "Minister Xie, you in your twenties, can’t even beat a teenager..."

Xie Qingming: "..."

No longer holding back, he intensified his offense. Though the young man was talented and well-guided, his youth and lack of experience were no match for Xie Qingming’s battle prowess, and soon he was disarmed.

For the junior brother, facing such a setback on his first exposure to the world, he tried to hold back but couldn’t. His eyes reddened, looking pitifully aggrieved.

Shen Wang nodded again, "You, a man in your twenties, bullying a teenager."

Xie Qingming: "......"

Drawing his sword, he looked at Shen Wang with an air that screamed a fight to the death.

Shen Wang helplessly shrugged, pretending as if he hadn't said a thing, and signaled to the others, "What are you waiting for? Tie them up."

Eventually, the two brothers from the Celestial Master Mansion were tied under a tree with several vines, while Shen Wang and his group continued to deal with those who willingly came forward as moving targets.

Outside the arena, the audience was initially worried for Shen Wang, dreading his elimination, but in just a few minutes, the situation dramatically reversed.

Stunned, they watched the younger elite effortlessly defeated and tied under a tree as prisoners, silencing everyone.

A middle-aged judge gloated, "It seems the younger generation of the Celestial Master Mansion isn't that strong."

Just a moment ago, he was sour about the Celestial Master Mansion's people finding Shen Wang first, but now, he couldn't hide his delight.

A celestial and dignified middle-aged judge from the Celestial Master Mansion, stroking his beard, said through gritted teeth, "Victory and defeat are common in war. It's just a minor mistake."

The middle-aged judge laughed heartily, "As you said earlier, lack of strength is just that, inability to deal with even a freelancer shows the Celestial Master Mansion is nothing special."

As they engaged in this verbal duel, the other judges watched Shen Wang on the screen with serious expressions, their eyes reflecting deep thoughts.

The people from the Celestial Master Mansion and Baiyun Guan had their biases against Shen Wang, so their views weren't very objective.

But they could see that even if Lin Le Liu lost due to lack of combat experience and hesitation in his attacks, defeating him so quickly spoke volumes.

"Shen Wang is probably the dark horse of this competition," the judges thought vaguely.

The elder sitting in the center smiled, as if in admiration, "Birds of a feather flock together. Xiaoting, your eye for talent is not bad. Indeed, heroes emerge from the youth."

Gu Dongting remained silent, recalling the moves Shen Wang had used, feeling a mix of helplessness and a budding sweetness.

He had thought Shen Wang was merely playing when he wielded the sword before, not expecting him to remember the moves and use them against his enemies. It's a pity he was using a wooden stick, losing some elegance.

Gu Dongting caressed his sword, his gaze softening.

While the judges were each making their calculations, the rest of the audience didn't think so much. Whistling, clapping, and screaming were endless, their excitement painting their faces red as if they themselves had defeated the disciples of the Celestial Master Mansion.

"Damn, I thought the competition was about to end, but it's just getting started!"

"How did he effortlessly defeat Lin Le Liu? If I'm not mistaken, Lin Le Liu ranks at the top in combat among the younger generation."

"I don't know, maybe Lin Le Liu underestimated him? Shen Wang is really lucky."

"Shen Wang is awesome! Totally awesome!"

"In previous competitions, it was always those from prestigious sects who took the top spots. I wonder if Shen Wang will break this pattern and put those snobbish disciples in their place."

"Go Shen Wang! Go Shen Wang! Go Shen Wang!"

"Defeat the disciples from prestigious sects, take the championship!"

"Defeat the disciples from prestigious sects, take the championship!"

The increasing noise from the crowd reached the stage, silencing the judges, who looked displeased.

The elder sitting in the center chuckled, "Young people are so full of energy."

"Just a rabble," the middle-aged judge snorted coldly.

"Just because he defeated a disciple from the Celestial Master Mansion, they think Shen Wang is so great. The outstanding disciples from other sects haven't even arrived yet. I want to see if Shen Wang can keep up his luck when they do."

After counting all the minions and looking at the number given by Shi Yan, Shen Wang stroked his chin, pondered for a few seconds, and looked towards his companions.

The four members of the special department: Shi Yan, Xie Qingming, Huang Guoqiang, and the additional member Qin Yourong.

Also, his makeshift teammates: the plump Chen Jiming, Feng Shui master Li Nian, and the Miaojiang youth Si Ke.

He thought for a moment and asked, "Do you want to advance to the next level?"

The special department members undoubtedly aimed for advancement; his question was directed at his makeshift teammates.

The plump Chen Jiming's eyes lit up, eagerly raising his hand, "Shen brother, we want to advance! We don’t need outstanding results, just enough to move up."

As someone clinging to stronger teammates for points, he was very self-aware.

These minions were gathered by Shen Wang, and the other team members barely contributed, so technically, they didn't deserve any points.

Now that Shen brother was generously offering, they couldn't be greedy; just passing would suffice.

Shi Yan pondered and then volunteered, "Generally, thirty points should guarantee advancement. If possible... we just wish to move up."

As for the rankings... Shi Yan wasn't concerned.

"Okay, no problem." Seeing they all had their minds made up, Shen Wang gestured grandly, selecting twenty-one minions to send out.

Amid the reluctant gazes of the minions, they were put into the ghost-catching bag, and simultaneously, several names neatly appeared at the top of the ranking board.

Behind each name, uniformly, were thirty points.

During this time, others also began to spot the minions, sporadically catching one, marking a modest start.

Amidst the sparse tens and swathes of zero points, several thirty-point entries suddenly appeared, catching the attention of all contestants.

At that moment, Zhao Hang, with the help of Tang Jiu, was searching for the second ghost. Seeing the changes on the leaderboard, he gasped for air in rage: "Who are these people! How could they be so fast!"

"And Shi Yan, that useless Shi Yan, how is he faster than me!"

Tang Jiu, looking at the names on the leaderboard, a shadow flickered in his eyes, slowly saying, "I know these people."

Zhao Hang abruptly looked up, glaring fiercely at Tang Jiu: "Who are they!"

Tang Jiu's eyes turned cold: "They are all from the C City special department."

Needless to say, Shi Yan, Xie Qingming, and others, even the newcomers like Chen Jiming and Si Ke, who were new entrants but had influential families in C City, had unanimously refused the invitation of the Metaphysics Association and chose to join the special department.

"That poor special department?" Zhao Hang sneered, "I don't even regard the special department of the capital highly, let alone some small local branch."

After laughing, Zhao Hang's eyes gleamed: "No need to specifically hunt for ghosts, these people themselves are walking ghosts."

Snatching their points would not only ensure advancement but might also secure a top position.

Tang Jiu's lips curled subtly, he slowly said, "I have some history with Shen Wang, I know how to find him."

Tang Jiu had an intuition that finding Shen Wang would lead to numerous points, not only ensuring his advancement but also standing out and achieving everything he wanted.

The Tang family's situation was deteriorating day by day, with their secular world company declaring bankruptcy and their cards and funds frozen. They used to rely on talisman papers from the metaphysical world for recovery.

Unexpectedly, a talisman paper shop emerged with good quality and low prices, seizing most of their customers.

Tang Jiu was certain someone was targeting the Tang family; otherwise, why would those large sects they had cooperated with for years suddenly end their partnerships... He suspected Shen Wang but quickly dismissed him as the suspect.

Shen Wang might be an accomplice, but he certainly wasn't the mastermind. Such manipulation in the metaphysical world required not just strength but also immense backing.

Tang Jiu couldn’t understand why such a top force in the metaphysical world would target him and the small Tang family.

Racking his brain, he couldn’t figure out which influential figure they had offended. The Tang family’s life was deteriorating day by day, even the gentlest Tang mother now seemed like a madwoman.

Tang Jiu was indignant. How could he accept this!

His life shouldn’t be like this. He was meant to shine, attracting countless women to vie for his affection!

Participating in the Metaphysical Competition was Tang Jiu’s counterattack.

As long as he could make a splash in the competition, as long as he could win… Tang Jiu had this premonition that if he participated, he would win and get everything he wanted!

But Shen Wang was also participating in the competition. Internally seething with hatred, Tang Jiu had to conceal his presence and secretly incited others against Shen Wang.

Zhao Hang was an excellent choice for this.

Zhao Hang and his group were searching for Shen Wang's whereabouts, while other contestants also didn't miss the chance to target this flock of 'fat sheep'.

In the seemingly tranquil forest, nothing appeared amiss, yet beneath the dense canopy, cultivators, each displaying their unique abilities, were stealthily maneuvering through the woods.

A bird's-eye view from above the forest would reveal that these people were moving directly towards Shen Wang and his group.

Unaware of the impending surge of people, Shen Wang's group was like the eye of a tornado, deceptively calm at the center.

Looking at his accumulated points, Xiao Pangzi was grinning ear to ear, as if in a dream: "I never thought I could advance to the next round!"

The geomancer was equally starry-eyed: "My dad won’t spank me anymore... If only we could advance in the second round too."

"Stop daydreaming," Shen Wang unhesitatingly interrupted their fanciful thoughts, "This is just the preliminary round. It’s not difficult, which is why you could slip through."

The further stages of the competition would only get harder. In the final round, actual combat is involved. Even if Shen Wang forcibly got them through, they would only end up battered and bruised, serving as experience points for others.

Xiao Pangzi wasn’t offended, still beaming: "I know my own abilities. Advancing to the second round is all thanks to your protection, Shen Ge. I’m just really lucky."

"Thanks, Shen Ge!"

"Shen Ge is mighty, Shen Ge is awesome! You are our one and only brother, our brother forever!"

Surrounded by their flattering remarks, Shen Wang rolled his eyes: "Calling me 'dad' won’t help."

Amidst the laughter, Shen Wang’s gaze shifted slightly, pushing aside the people around him to look into the forest, raising an eyebrow: "Someone else is coming."

As soon as the words were spoken, a man and a woman emerged from the woods. Seeing the throng of little ghosts, their pupils constricted, and their first reaction was to draw their weapons: "Who's there!"

The man was tall, dressed in a casual blue denim jacket, while the woman, also dressed in a simple and casual tracksuit, had her hair tied in a high ponytail, looking neat and tidy.

Recognizing the pair, Shi Yan also paused, stepping forward hesitantly, "Minister Feng, Minister Lu."

The two turned to Shi Yan, their expressions shifting several times. The young man asked, "Shi Yan, what's going on here?"

Shi Yan, somewhat helpless, introduced them to Shen Wang: "These are our Special Department's headquarters ministers, Minister Feng Ju and Minister Lu Tingchun."

"He is the external support we've requested for our C City branch."

Hearing this, the two recalled, "Oh, the one who, after winning the championship, gets to pick three items from the treasury? That external support?"

Initially, they hadn’t taken Shi Yan's request very seriously.

After all, all the outstanding talents in the metaphysical world were well documented, either in various sects or the Metaphysical Association, leaving no undiscovered pearls.

The Special Department had capable people, but their foundation was weak. They mostly lingered at the bottom of the competition, barely making it into the top ten, often leaving with regret.

They had never achieved the top three.

If Shi Yan really managed to pry away disciples from the major sects, both were happy to see it happen, but they had never heard of this external support before, suggesting his skills were likely unremarkable.

While they had agreed to Shi Yan's request, they hadn't held much hope.

Now, seeing the multitude of little ghosts spread across the hills, Feng Ju blinked slowly, muttering to himself, "Could it be that all the little ghosts from the competition are here?"

Lu Tingchun's delicate face was filled with confusion as she looked at Shen Wang, "How did you do it?"

Shi Yan, unsure how to respond, could only offer an awkward smile, "It's all thanks to Shen Wang’s skills, he..."

Hesitating for a few seconds, Shi Yan emphasized, "Anyway, it was Shen Wang who gathered them."

As for how he did it... Shi Yan was almost too embarrassed to say.

Since they were all on the same side, Shen Wang greeted them cheerfully and generously offered, "Since we're all one team, do you have enough points? If not, I can share some with you."

Feng Ju: "..."

Lu Tingchun: "..."

The two had struggled to find even one ghost after searching tirelessly, barely managing to earn their first and only point.

And now, Shen Wang casually offered to share his points.

Exchanging glances, they coughed lightly and said, "In that case, thank you for your kindness."

After all, being on the same team, there was no need to compete. Shen Wang amiably and kindly distributed a few little ghosts to them, helping them each reach the necessary thirty points.

The ranking board refreshed again, adding two more names to the top with exactly thirty points, just enough to advance.

The other contestants were utterly baffled by this situation.

Two female contestants huddled together, utterly perplexed, "Thirty, thirty... always thirty, why is it always thirty!"

Another female contestant was equally frustrated, "Could it be that these little ghosts are always grouped in threes? But why couldn’t we find any!"

"Damn it! What the heck is this!"

A large group of other contestants also gathered, moving toward the area with the densest yin energy while discussing among themselves.

"This competition is too strange, everyone be careful! I suspect that besides the formation, the officials have set up other traps."

"Those two from the Special Department have already gotten points, and we haven’t yet..."

"Where the hell are those damned ghosts hiding? Are they invisible? We can’t find them anywhere!"

"Damn, this is definitely the most frustrating competition I've ever participated in."

Unaware of the others' frustrations, after getting their points, Lu Tingchun looked at the obediently floating little ghosts and asked in confusion, "Why don’t you collect them?"

Leaving them out in the open like this, aren’t you afraid of others stealing them?

Shen Wang nonchalantly waved his hand, "You'll see in a moment."

Feng Ju and Lu Tingchun exchanged glances, about to remind Shen Wang that players could attack each other and steal points, when another voice rang out.

"Damn, no wonder we couldn’t find any, they were hidden here!"

A dozen or so people emerged from the woods, their eyes lighting up at the sight of the numerous ghosts, filled with eagerness and anticipation.

Upon seeing Shen Wang and the others, they frowned; "Fellow Daoist, there are so many ghosts here, we don't need to compete then."

Better to collect the ghosts quickly and leave, or else when the more powerful competitors arrive, they won't be able to escape.

Shen Wang chuckled, "Sorry, but these are all my spoils of war."

The dozen or so contestants looked utterly baffled: "???"

They glanced at the multitude of little demons, then back at Shen Wang, their eyes shifting back and forth between the two before they burst into uninhibited laughter.

"You say it's yours just because you say so? What proof do you have?"

"This is a competition. Don't you understand the principle that the strong lead? We try to talk sense into you, but you won't listen. Do you really want to resort to fighting us?"

"Do you think they would respond if you called them?"

Shen Wang disagreed with this remark. Pointing at the chubby ghost, he said, "If I call them, they really do respond."

Hearing this, the chubby ghost moved and shouted with a strong voice, "Hello, Brother Shen!"

Behind him, the quiet ghosts, who hadn't made a sound until then, suddenly seemed to awaken, echoing in unison.

"Hello, Brother Shen!"

"Hello, Brother Shen!"

"Hello, Brother Shen!"

Their simultaneous shouts stirred the ghostly aura around them, sending it wafting in layers, shaking leaves off trees, and startling distant birds into panicked flight.

The dozen people who could hear the ghosts' voices were dumbstruck, looking at Shen Wang as if they had seen a ghost. Even if they had really seen one, they wouldn't have been so astonished.

The man leading them opened and closed his mouth several times, and after a long while, he finally managed to utter, "How did you do that?"

These ghosts, who should have been cunningly challenging them, were as obedient as domesticated ghosts in Shen Wang's presence.

Even domesticated ghosts might not be this obedient.

Shen Wang lifted his head, his tone deep, "Maybe this is just the charm of personality."

The dozen or so cultivators: “…”

Shi Yan and others: “…”

Only the chubby boy and a few others clapped wildly, shamelessly flattering, "Right! Brother Shen, your charisma is off the charts! Brother Shen is awesome!"

The opponents quickly regained their composure, exchanging glances before drawing their weapons: “So what if you're right, this is still a competition!”

After all, competitors are allowed to seize opportunities from each other!

Lu Tingchun was somewhat worried, whispering to Shen Wang, “These people are not to be feared, but…”

“The movement of your ghost minions just now was too noticeable. I guess, others will be rushing over here soon.”

Among those yet to arrive, there lie the strongest competitors.

As Lu Tingchun suggested, it would be best for Shen Wang to quickly gather his ghosts and find a place to hide, to avoid being besieged by other contestants.

Just as Lu Tingchun said, these people were not a threat. Without Shen Wang needing to act, several special departments dealt with them, even a young Miaojiang newcomer took the opportunity to take down two.

At this moment, the people attracted by the noise of the ghosts finally arrived.

More and more people appeared, having heard the commotion from the dozen or so noisy ones, they looked at Shen Wang with measuring eyes.

The crowd grew, but no one made a move. They subtly encircled Shen Wang and his group along with the ghosts, subtly forming a siege.

Seeing the faces of those leading the group, Feng Ju, Lu Tingchun, and Shi Yan all changed their expressions.

Shi Yan was filled with regret; "We've delayed for too long."

Among these people were members of the Xuanxue Association, monks from Luohan Temple, female cultivators from Tianfei Palace, practitioners from Taihe Mountain, Taoists from Longhu Mountain... With these elite disciples leading, there were countless nameless independent cultivators.

The chubby boy had never seen such a spectacle, especially when he saw some famously renowned faces, his complexion turned pale: "Oh no, we're doomed."

Indeed, one shouldn't be too arrogant, for arrogance leads to downfall.

Shi Yan gave a bitter smile, "You were just discussing whether many would join forces to attack the favorite contenders... Now look, you’ve got yourself surrounded."

Those watching the live broadcast held their breath, their voices lowered more than a notch, fearing that their breathing might affect the performance of those on screen.

"What do we do now…"

"What's with that loud chubby ghost, it's all his fault for attracting so many people."

"It’s all because Shen Wang had to show off, making them greet him. What can others do if he insists on showing off… He got a huge amount of points and didn’t escape, just stayed there."

"Maybe he’s waiting for others to come and rob him, afraid that having too many points is too much pressure."

"These are all famous figures... Can Shen Wang withstand so many people attacking him at once?"

"It’s no longer about whether he can withstand it or not, but whether he can keep even a bit of his points, even just ten or twenty…"

"Although ten or twenty points might be a bit risky for advancement, it’s still possible with some good luck…"

"Damn, his last escape route is blocked, he can’t run away at all! What is he planning to do!"

Those supporting Shen Wang were extremely anxious, wishing he could just dig his way out. But as more and more people arrived at the scene, their hopes dwindled.

On the judges' platform, the expressions of the judges were subtly complex.

Previously, they were eagerly hoping their disciples would quickly find Shen Wang. Now that they have, the number of competitors is overwhelmingly high, leaving the judges unable to feel happy.

Someone furrowed their brows, attempting to analyze the situation: “Among these people, the most promising are Wushu and Bo Yu from the Xuanxue Association, as they have the most followers…”

Immediately, someone objected: “They only have the advantage of numbers. The strongest are actually…”

Before finishing, they suddenly clammed up.

In the younger generation of the Xuanxue world, apart from the extraordinarily strong Gu Dongting, there were only a few like Lin Le Liu, who, unfortunately, was tied up under a tree.

The elder in the middle also sighed: “Only when water is full does it overflow; staying humble and composed is the key to longevity.”

“Exactly, this Shen Wang, relying on his little smarts, is getting too cocky, not knowing how to conceal his gains, lacking ambition. It’s only natural for him to end up in this situation.”

Hearing their words, Gu Dongting lifted his eyes, scanning over these people.

Wherever his gaze went, many felt a chill on their backs, involuntarily shutting their mouths, confused: Where did they offend this deity?

When the judges quieted down and stopped talking, Gu Dongting spoke indifferently, “Until the last moment, who knows what the outcome will be.”

Seeing his attitude, which seemed to suggest that Shen Wang still had a chance to turn things around, the judges exchanged looks, unsure of what to say.

Now, Shen Wang was tightly surrounded, not even a mosquito could escape, let alone several grown men. Under these circumstances, how could he possibly turn the tables?

It’s not like he could suddenly unleash divine power and defeat these hundreds of people, right?

As more and more people gathered, the atmosphere became increasingly tense. Someone even couldn’t resist trying to stealthily grab a ghost and flee, but as soon as they touched the little ghost, it started screaming like a slaughtered pig.

“Big Brother Shen! Someone is stealing ghosts! Someone is trying to steal me!”

The cultivator who tried to steal the ghost, just a lone practitioner, stumbled in fright at the scream, and under the pressure of everyone's gaze, quickly disappeared into the crowd.

In the tense atmosphere, the ghost's squawk seemed to break some equilibrium, drawing all eyes to Shen Wang.

Shen Wang raised an eyebrow and cleared his throat, his voice not loud but eerily audible to everyone.

"Hello everyone, I am Shen Wang, and these little ghosts’ temporary master."

The crowd's expressions shifted slightly, watching Shen Wang with inscrutable looks.

Not only were the people on the scene baffled by Shen Wang's actions, but the spectators watching the live broadcast were also clueless about what he intended to do.

"What is he doing? He’s not begging for mercy, is he? That would be too low."

"…I don’t know, but with his personality, he probably wouldn’t, right??"

Although most people present didn’t know Shen Wang well, those who had watched the live broadcast realized that Shen Wang was arrogant; it was impossible for him to beg for mercy.

Someone hopeful speculated, “Maybe he has a way to turn the tide against the odds?”

After all, this is Shen Wang.

The same Shen Wang who, single-handedly, gathered most of the ghosts in the competition, causing all other contestants great distress, nearly leaving them with nothing, and even defeated Lin Le Liu of the Celestial Master's Mansion.

With his words, unrealistic hopes began to sprout in everyone's minds.

Shen Wang, with a smile, looked around: “As you can see, I've found many ghosts. But as everyone knows, so many points are unnecessary for advancement; anything extra is just a useless number.”

“So... I plan to hold an auction right here!”

With that statement from Shen Wang, pupils of everyone, both inside and outside the arena, dilated in shock.

Silence ensued, a prolonged quiet where only Shen Wang's voice could be heard.

"I've already taken the points I need. The rest of these little ghosts can be purchased by everyone at their discretion, with no minimum price," Shen Wang suddenly added, "I don’t accept cash, but you can use spiritual herbs, refining materials... or anything containing spiritual energy."

"I'll decide the price."

After speaking, he turned to the cluster of little ghosts who were huddling together: "I'll give you thirty percent of the profits."

The ghosts lit up for a moment, not expecting to benefit themselves: "Thank you, Big Brother Shen!"

Shen Wang had everything clearly arranged, but unfortunately, others didn't want to play by his rules.

A woman scoffed, "You sure have a big mouth."

"Rather than buying from you, it's better to defeat you and naturally obtain all your belongings."

Shen Wang looked closely and realized the speaker was an acquaintance, which made him laugh: "You're right, you can choose to defeat me and take my spoils."

"As a token of my gratitude for your suggestion, I've decided to ban you from participating in the first auction of my Xuanxue competition."

In short, he had blacklisted her and refused to sell anything to her.

The woman was taken aback, suppressing her anger: "I don’t care."

This woman was none other than Gu Manling.

Although she is Gu Dongting's sister and hasn’t done anything bad to him so far, Shen Wang, feeling he was the master of the auction, decided to blacklist Gu Manling.

Everyone present was just waiting, waiting for someone to step forward first to test Shen Wang's strength.

Soon, someone could not contain their emotions and stepped forward: "You're really bizarre, I want to see what tricks you have up your sleeve!"

The man was extremely sturdy, with knotted muscles, clearly very strong. After speaking, he immediately clenched his fists and rushed forward with bare hands.

His fist, big as a sandbag and full of aggression, aimed straight for Shen Wang's abdomen.

"Not a bad punch," Shen Wang complimented, and in the next second, a flash of white light surrounded him, blocking the opponent's fist a foot away.

The man, unfazed, clenched his fists, relentlessly attacking the white light before him. After several strikes, like shattering ice, the white light slowly began to fracture.

Before he could even smile in triumph, another white light emerged. His fist thudded solidly against it once more.

Shen Wang winced, “Doesn't that hurt?”

He really couldn't understand these physical cultivators who seemed to rely on self-torture for their training.

The man, furious, yelled: “Stop hiding in your damn shell and come out and fight me!”

He had planned to make it a quick fight to conserve his strength for the other competitors, but as soon as he took the first step, he slammed hard into a wall.

Everyone recognized what Shen Wang had thrown out – a defensive talisman.

Seeing the talisman, the others began to understand why Shen Wang was so arrogant. Its defensive capability was strong enough for him to be reckless a few times.

But… a talisman is, after all, a consumable.

The crowd watched coldly as the man wore down Shen Wang’s talisman, planning to make their move when both were weakened.

But after a while, someone sensed something amiss.

“How many talismans has he used?”

“I didn’t count, but probably around a dozen…”

“How come they’re not finished yet?”

“Don’t know.”

After a moment of silence, someone else made a move, bypassing the man contending with the talisman and aiming a sword strike at Shen Wang.

The next second... another white light appeared.

Others: “Damn it!”

“How many talismans does this guy have?!”