14: The competition is coming, and the undercurrent is slight

News of the Sect Tournament spread throughout the Outer Sect overnight.

The entire Outer Sect was like a pot of boiling water, completely tumultuous.

Only Lin Gou remained like a stubborn rock at the bottom of the water, undisturbed.

He still appeared in the dining hall on time every day.

After eating, he would return to his dilapidated hut.

Once the door was shut, he would see no one.

This indifferent attitude towards the Sect Tournament naturally led to many speculations in the eyes of those with ulterior motives.

Some said he had exhausted his luck in Blackwind Valley, felt guilty, and dared not go on stage to embarrass himself.

Others said he was being clever, deliberately lulling his opponents into a false sense of security, preparing to stun everyone.

Lin Gou turned a deaf ear to these rumors.

He was currently fully immersed in the "Anchor Point Enhancement Talisman" awarded by the System.

Enhancing the Anchor Point was the top priority.

This concerned the Foundation of his future "death-seeking" career and was the source of his sense of security.

According to the System's prompt, using this Talisman required some auxiliary Materials.

Lin Gou made a list and, taking advantage of the sparse crowd in the afternoon, quietly went to the Outer Sect market.

He pulled down his hat brim, like a thieving mouse, darting quickly between several stalls, and soon purchased all the necessary Materials.

Throughout the entire process, he had displayed his usual "cautious" approach to the extreme.

The night was as dark as ink.

A black shadow, like a night owl, silently swept through the dense forest behind the mountain.

It was Lin Gou.

He skillfully avoided the patrolling Disciples and arrived at the abandoned cave.

This was the first revival Anchor Point he had set.

It was also his only revival Anchor Point at the moment.

The cave was cold and damp.

Lin Gou did not light a lamp, and in the pitch-black darkness, he accurately found the core location where he had initially set the Anchor Point.

With a thought.

An invisible Talisman appeared in his palm, emitting a faint glow that only he could see.

"Anchor Point Enhancement Talisman."

Following the System's instructions, he placed the purchased auxiliary Materials one by one around the Anchor Point, forming a simple but effective Qi Gathering array.

Then, he took a deep breath and slowly injected the spiritual Qi within his body into the Talisman.

Buzz—

The Talisman emitted a faint hum, transforming into a soft light that slowly seeped into the ground.

The surrounding auxiliary Materials lit up in response, their lights intertwining, eventually all merging into the ground.

A moment later, everything returned to silence.

Nothing in the cave seemed to have changed.

But Lin Gou clearly sensed that the Anchor Point's aura here had become incredibly subtle, incredibly profound.

It seemed to have merged with the pulse of the entire mountain range.

It was now much harder to detect.

"It's done."

Lin Gou nodded with satisfaction.

A sense of security instantly surged.

With this enhanced "safe," his courage for "death-seeking" in the future could also be greater.

With the major task resolved, Lin Gou's mood also lightened considerably.

In the following days, the reward details for the Sect Tournament also spread.

The top ten would enter the Inner Sect.

The top three would receive a High Grade Yellow Rank Magical Artifact, plus a massive amount of Qi Gathering Medicinal Pills and Spirit Stones.

This temptation was enough to drive any Outer Sect Disciple mad.

The entire Outer Sect fell into a state of fervent Cultivation.

However, in a big forest, there are always a few blind birds that like to squawk.

Wang Meng was one of them.

This person was at the Early Stage of the fifth level of Qi Refining, with decent Aptitude, and usually had his nose in the air.

He had always scoffed at Lin Gou's "rise" in Blackwind Valley, believing it was pure dumb luck.

One day, on the way to the dining hall, Wang Meng, accompanied by several followers, ran into Lin Gou head-on.

"Oh, isn't this our famous Senior Brother Lin of the Outer Sect?"

Wang Meng said with a fake smile, directly blocking Lin Gou's path.

Lin Gou's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, but his expression remained the same harmlessly humble one.

"Senior Brother Wang, is something the matter?"

"Haha, Senior Brother Lin is quite the popular figure now, his cultivation has soared, truly making us envious."

Wang Meng's gaze was like a knife, scraping over Lin Gou's body, full of disdain.

"It's just, I wonder how much of Senior Brother Lin's cultivation is real, and how much is piled up by luck?"

His followers behind him also let out harsh sneers.

Lin Gou sneered inwardly.

Troublemakers had arrived.

He quickly calculated in his mind: Wang Meng, Early Stage of the fifth level of Qi Refining. If he fought here and was killed by him, the evaluation would be at most D-grade, and the reward would probably be a few Medicinal Pills. Reviving under the watchful eyes of the crowd was too risky, and the income was too low.

Conclusion: Not worth it.

Thus, he responded in a calm tone:

"Senior Brother Wang is joking."

"I merely survived by chance and made slight progress; I don't deserve such praise."

His "weak" attitude, in Wang Meng's eyes, further confirmed his suspicion that Lin Gou was strong on the outside but weak on the inside.

"By chance?"

Wang Meng scoffed, stepping closer, deliberately releasing the pressure of his fifth level of Qi Refining.

"In the Cultivation World, one doesn't survive by chance!"

"The Sect Tournament is coming soon; I hope Senior Brother Lin won't be a silver-plated spearhead, looking good but useless!"

"Otherwise, if you lose face for our generation of Disciples, it won't look good!"

The provocative intent was undisguised.

More and more Disciples gathered to watch the commotion.

Lin Gou felt the weak pressure, his heart completely calm, even a little amused.

He merely lowered his head slightly, adopting a posture that seemed somewhat fearful.

"Senior Brother Wang's lesson is right; I, your Junior Brother... I will certainly keep it in mind."

He said submissively, his voice not loud, but enough for everyone around to hear clearly.

Seeing Lin Gou's "incompetence," Wang Meng's smug expression grew even stronger, as if he had won a great victory.

He snorted heavily and strode away with his followers.

"Tsk, I thought he was capable, turns out he's a pushover!"

"Exactly, he was scared witless by a few words from Senior Brother Wang."

Mocking voices drifted from afar.

Lin Gou remained with his head down until the aura of those few people completely disappeared from his perception, then he slowly raised it.

His eyes were as calm as an abyss, without the slightest anger from being humiliated.

Only the corner of his mouth inadvertently curved into a tiny, cold arc.

How could his strength be fathomed by a mere Wang Meng?

He quietly circulated his spiritual Qi, the aura of the Middle Stage peak of the fifth level of Qi Refining surging within his body, just one step away from the Late Stage.

Wang Meng's provocation wasn't even a bother.

At most, it was a... backup "reward treasure chest."

It was just too low in grade to be interesting.

However, this also reminded him.

It seemed impossible to keep a low profile in the Sect Tournament.

Very well.

Then he would find a few stronger-looking opponents and "die" a few times, just a little "high-profile."

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