683: Chapter 683 Temporary Personnel Replacement?

Yin Meiniang's round fan paused, and her dark eyebrows knitted together. "I heard... that girl from the Yan Family is among them too?"

"She is."

Bai Canghe's face turned livid. "She used Bai Yujing's sword to slice off the right hand of the Diancang Sect's head disciple."

Yin Meiniang sneered. "That woman is certainly ruthless. If possible, I would really like to recruit her into my Hehuan Sect."

Gui Duanchang picked up his teacup and took a light sip.

"Head of the Bai Family, the matter of the preliminaries is not important."

"What matters is... tomorrow."

Bai Canghe glanced at him but didn't speak.

Gui Duanchang put down the teacup, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

"With the One Clan, Three Sects, Five Gates working together, we absolutely cannot let those remnants of the Ancient Tomb Sect survive."

"As long as they live for even one day, it is a slap in our faces."

"Although the matter of the Ancient Tomb Sect's extermination has been suppressed, people in the Kunlun Ruins have already started gossiping about it."

"If those few remnants were to show off in the Martial Arts Tournament and even secure a good ranking..."

He paused, then said, word by word.

"By then, the world will know that the One Clan, Three Sects, Five Gates joined forces to exterminate a sect, yet couldn't even wipe out a few remnants."

"And since the opposition is so strong, we would lose all face."

"Most importantly..."

"Once it truly reaches that point, it's likely that other powers will try to intervene."

"Our alliance of the Nine Great Forces would likely become even more of a joke."

Everyone's breathing hitched.

They all knew that what Gui Duanchang said was the truth.

The extermination of the Ancient Tomb Sect was not a big deal in the Kunlun Ruins. In the world of cultivation, the strong were respected, and the weak were prey to the strong; this was the iron law.

However, this matter could not be spoken of openly.

Especially not in the Secular World, at the Martial Arts Tournament, in front of all the heroes under heaven.

Once it spread, the pressure of public opinion would be enough to make any power feel overwhelmed.

Furthermore, the Nine Great Forces all had vassal sects in the Secular World. If those sects knew that their backers were this kind of trash, would they still be willing to risk their lives for them?

Bai Canghe picked up his teacup and took a light sip.

"Sect Master Gui is right; the remnants of the Ancient Tomb Sect cannot be left alive."

"But they are now Ye Chen's people, so a direct confrontation is not the best strategy."

Great Elder Tianxuan Zi rubbed the slap mark on his face that hadn't completely faded, a glint of resentment flashing in his eyes.

"Head of the Bai Family, do you have any ideas?"

Bai Canghe put down the teacup, a cold, sinister arc curling at the corners of his mouth.

"Tomorrow's advancement match for the top 60 is the best opportunity."

"The tournament format was set by the Martial Arts Alliance, the referees are from the Martial Arts Alliance, and the venue belongs to the Martial Arts Alliance."

"As long as it's handled properly, we can make those Ancient Tomb Sect remnants kill each other, or have them encounter our own people..."

He paused, his tone carrying a hint of playfulness.

"If they are accidentally beaten into serious injury or even have their cultivation crippled, that can't be blamed on us, right?"

Yin Meiniang's eyes lit up. "Head of the Bai Family, do you mean... killing with a borrowed knife?"

Bai Canghe shook his head. "It's not killing with a borrowed knife; it's within the rules, relying on one's own ability."

Great Elder Tianxuan Zi sneered.

"A fine 'within the rules'."

Gui Duanchang also nodded. "This is a good idea; it leaves no evidence while achieving the goal."

Bai Canghe narrowed his eyes.

"Then it's settled."

"Tomorrow, make sure Ye Chen's people don't walk out of the Martial Arts Tournament."

They didn't dare hope to deal with Ye Chen in a short time.

But if it was just dealing with the small fry around him...

They still had the ability to do that.

For a moment.

The people around looked at each other, and a hint of viciousness could be seen in each other's eyes.

...

The next day, at 7:00 AM.

The Shennongjia valley was packed with people.

Tens of thousands of people from the martial arts world arrived earlier than yesterday, crowding tightly around the valley. Looking out, it was a sea of heads.

The aftermath of yesterday's preliminary rounds had not yet dissipated, and today everyone was looking forward to the next stage with great anticipation.

How exactly would this top 60 advancement match be fought?

On the high platform, the representatives of the Five Great Powers were already in place.

Master Huineng stood at the very front, pressing his palms together.

"Fellow practitioners, today is the Martial Arts Tournament's top 60 advancement match."

"According to the results discussed yesterday, there are a total of sixty-one people in this year's top 60."

"The tournament format is as follows..."

He waved his hand, and the tournament explanation appeared on the screen.

"The top 60 advancement match uses a one-on-one elimination format."

"Among the sixty-one people, one person will get a bye and advance directly to the top 10."

"The remaining sixty people will draw lots to determine their opponents; the winners advance, and the losers are eliminated."

"A total of three rounds will be held to determine the top 10."

"The top 10 ranking tournament will be held tomorrow."

As his voice fell, the entire crowd was in an uproar.

"Who will be that lucky person? How great would it be to get a direct bye!"

"What I'm looking forward to more is, who will be the unlucky one to get matched with that ruthless Ye Chen?"

"Place your bets, place your bets! Everyone, don't miss this chance to make a fortune!"

...

The scene was exceptionally lively.

But in the crowd, there was a scene that felt out of place.

Ye Chen was sitting in yesterday's spot, still wearing a short-sleeved shirt, shorts, and flip-flops, with his legs crossed, holding a bottle of iced cola in his hand.

Yan Qingwu sat next to him, and seeing his lazy appearance, she couldn't help but speak up.

"I say, Ye Chen, can you be a little more serious?"

"You are at least representing the Ancient Tomb Sect, and you're from the Dragon Group!"

Ye Chen took a sip of cola. "I am very serious."

"You came to the Martial Arts Tournament wearing flip-flops, and you call that serious? And you're drinking iced cola!"

"The Martial Arts Tournament didn't forbid wearing flip-flops or drinking cola."

"Besides..."

"I guess those people will give me a bye and leave me on the bench again. If I don't drink something while watching the match, I won't be able to stay here."

Shen Qingyi and the other two heard this and looked over in succession.

Good heavens!

The Sect Master means he will get a bye?

Sure enough.

An expected surprise occurred.

Master Huineng's voice came from the high platform again.

"Now, let the drawing of lots begin."

"The big screen will randomly generate the matchup list."

"All participants, please pay attention to your opponents."

Everyone's gaze fell simultaneously on that huge electronic screen.

The screen lit up, and groups of names scrolled by rapidly.

A few seconds later, the scrolling stopped.

The names of sixty people were neatly arranged on the big screen, with each line representing a matchup.

And at the very top of the screen, one name was written separately.

Ye Chen (Dragon Group, Ancient Tomb Sect) — — Bye.

The whole arena was quiet for a moment, then it exploded in an uproar.

"Damn! He got a bye and advanced directly again?"

"If he doesn't get a bye, you go fight him!"

"Exactly! If you let Ye Chen fight someone else, that's not a match, that's a one-sided slaughter!"

"If you also had the strength of the Golden Core Stage, you could also get a bye."

...

The discussions were boisterous.

On the high platform, a glint of triumph flashed in Wang Tianlong's eyes.

Then.

He exchanged a glance with Daoist Priest Qingfeng.

That's right.

The list for the bye was chosen by their internal vote.

After all.

No matter who Ye Chen fights, it seems unfair.

Most importantly...

If Ye Chen just sweeps through everyone, what is the point of them holding this Martial Arts Tournament?

They might as well just announce the results!

Perfected Person Qingxuan and Abbess Juechen exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of helplessness in each other's eyes.

Master Huineng coughed dryly and continued speaking.

"The person who received the bye has been decided. The remaining participants should proceed to their respective venues according to the matchups on the screen."

"The matches are about to begin."

The lights on the sixty venues lit up again.

The sixty participants stood up one after another and walked toward their respective venues.

Yan Qingwu glanced at the screen and found her opponent.

It was someone from the Kongtong Sect, named Ghost Hand Seven.

She stood up, ready to walk over.

Ye Chen, however, said calmly, "Pay attention to your opponents."

"Sect Master, did you discover something?" Jiang Daoxuan asked in surprise.

Ye Chen raised an eyebrow. "These opponents of yours were not in the top 60 before; they must have been swapped in at the last minute."

Once these words were spoken, the expressions of the few changed.

Swapped in at the last minute?

Doesn't that mean it's deliberately targeting them???

Yan Qingwu's pretty face turned cold. "I'm afraid it's the people from the Kunlun Ruins."

"It's fine." Ye Chen waved his hand and casually threw each of the four a talisman he had prepared last night. "Take these; you might need them. Anyway, this crappy tournament didn't say that talismans can't be used."

Even...

In this Age of Dharma Decline, not many people could draw talismans.

The four caught the talismans. Thinking back to that night when Ye Chen used talismans to deal with the Hundred Ghosts, they carefully tucked the talismans away.

Then.

They walked toward the arena.

Ye Chen sat alone in the chair, drinking cola, and then called Wang Tianlong.

Wang Tianlong answered immediately.

He asked cautiously, "Master, what are your instructions?"

"The top 61 had people swapped at the last minute; you didn't know?" Ye Chen asked calmly.

Wang Tianlong's expression changed. "I really don't know about this matter, because I'm not in charge of the list."

Ye Chen asked calmly, "Who is in charge of it?"

"It's that old bald donkey," Wang Tianlong said helplessly. "This is the rule from previous years."

Ye Chen was silent for a second, then hung up the phone.

It seems...

The Martial Arts Alliance is not a monolithic block; everyone has their own agenda.

A bit interesting!

"I just hope that group can sit still."

"If they can't sit still..."

"Then don't blame me for overturning the rules and setting my own."