111: Elder Song
"Please enlighten me, Senior Brother Pan!"
Han Yi immediately followed, cupping his fists and bowing in greeting.
"Junior Brother Han, you..."
Pan Sheng, upon seeing Han Yi like this, felt like a mute eating bitter herbs – unable to speak of his suffering. He stopped being playful and honestly said, "Junior Brother Han, don't worry. I heard Senior Brother Li say that he is responsible for the safety of the Disciples in this Sect Competition. If a Disciple admits defeat, he must stop the match in time. When Song Qing is competing, if he can't hold on..."
Speaking up to this point, Pan Sheng let out a cold snort, his voice filled with Killing Intent.
"But, Senior Brother Pan, what if Song Qing passes through all the stages and wins all the way, encountering no danger..."
Han Yi said in a low voice. Senior Brother Pan sometimes always made people feel so unreliable.
"Heh heh..."
Pan Sheng gave an awkward smile, scratched his head, but then he said, "Junior Brother Han, with Li Feng and I here, if there's a chance, we'll definitely make Song Qing suffer!"
After chatting for a long time, Pan Sheng still had to maintain order, so he left first. Han Yi also found a vacant spectator stand and sat down.
Dong, dong, dong
The timekeeping drum sounded, and the competition was about to begin. Han Yi immediately perked up, thinking it was a good opportunity to see what outstanding qualities the elites who emerged from thousands of Outer Sect Disciples possessed!
"Hmph, Elder Li, you're not dead yet?"
"Heh heh, Elder Song, your mouth is still so foul, like a rock in a latrine, unbearably stinky!"
Deng, deng, deng
Just then, Elder Li and an Old Man led a group of people into the plaza.
This Old Man had a sturdy build, with developed neck muscles, making it almost impossible to distinguish the boundary between his shoulders and neck.
But both he and Elder Li were wearing black robes, with a scarlet flame embroidered on their cuffs. Moreover, his overall strength was between '115~150', and he was also a Tongmai Stage Martial Master, so he should also be a high-level figure like an Elder.
Even with numerous Outer Sect Disciples waiting in the plaza, these two continued to curse at each other, while none of the group behind them dared to interrupt. Instead, they quickly dispersed and surged into the plaza.
"Is that?"
Han Yi's eyes narrowed. In that group of people, he saw a man wearing a lake-blue robe with a green longsword at his waist.
This man with a sinister face was none other than Han Yi's old acquaintance, Song Qing!
At this moment, Song Qing seemed very casual, chatting and laughing with the people around him, showing no sign of the tension expected before a match.
This guy, unlike Li Tie, didn't follow Instructor Lin from the Outer Sect Camp to the Sect, but instead went back to his Family first, and then came to the plaza for the competition...
This kid, he didn't tamper with the competition again, did he...?
Han Yi muttered to himself.
"Senior Brother Li, over here!"
As the crowd dispersed, Han Yi looked over and saw a familiar figure.
Li Feng also saw Han Yi at a glance, a smile appeared on his lips, and he strode over.
"Han Yi, I went to Fu Lin Restaurant a few days ago but couldn't find you. I was even afraid you had forgotten about this!"
"How could I forget? This is a major matter concerning my becoming an Inner Sect Disciple."
"Otherwise, wouldn't I be a quasi-Inner Sect Disciple for my whole life!"
Han Yi immediately stood up and responded with a smile.
"It's not that important. Anyway, your name has already been registered in the Inner Sect Disciple roster. After the competition ends later, it's just a formality," Li Feng waved his hand and said nonchalantly.
"Senior Brother Li, who was the person arguing with Elder Li just now?" Han Yi asked.
"That was..." Li Feng looked in the direction Han Yi pointed, then quickly turned his head back.
"That's the Song Family Patriarch, Elder Song!"
He said in a low voice, and then added, "The Song Family and our Li Family have many conflicts. Before, there was a disturbance because of that incident..."
Han Yi understood. He was likely referring to the Crimson Flame Sect's thorough investigation into the Sect's internal spies.
At that time, high-ranking and powerful Elders were questioned, Hall Masters and stewards were searched and arrested, while the Li Family and the Song Family also accused and reported each other, causing chaos within the Sect.
"Then what's the deal with him?"
Han Yi hinted, subtly pointing his arm towards Song Qing in the crowd.
"What else could it be? It's nothing more than that kid Song Qing relying on his father, Elder Song's backing, and starting to throw his weight around again...
"This kid, during the escort mission, he got cold feet on the battlefield and ran away alone, causing the deaths of so many Disciples. Reasonably speaking, executing him wouldn't be excessive!
"But relying on his father's maneuvering, he could still escape legal consequences. I heard that when he was at the Mining Camp, he didn't even carry out the mining tasks and lived a more carefree life than he did in the Sect. The so-called severe punishment was really just a lot of noise for nothing...
"Hmph, the Sect still favored Song Qing!" Li Feng said indignantly at the end.
Han Yi just smiled indifferently and didn't pick up the conversation.
But aren't you also from an aristocratic Family, a class that enjoys privileges? Han Yi muttered to himself.
In fact, he also understood where Li Feng's dissatisfaction came from. Although Li Feng and Song Qing were both from aristocratic families, their statuses were different. Song Qing was a legitimate direct descendant of the Song Family, while Li Feng could only be considered a collateral branch descendant of the Li Family.
If Li Feng were to commit such a major mistake, the consequences would not be so easy and simple.
Of course, there was no need to say these words to Li Feng...
However, at this moment, Elder Li, who had finished his argument, seemed to have finally seen Han Yi. He paused slightly, and then as if remembering something, he whispered a few words to a nearby deacon.
Not long after, a deacon with a smiling face, wearing a gray uniform robe, jogged over.
"Han Yi, Elder Li requests your presence!"
Elder Li?
Han Yi looked up and saw Elder Li, with a gentle smile, beckoning to him.
Han Yi quickly became vigilant. He knew that Elder Li definitely had some issues. This harmless appearance was just Elder Li's superficial disguise. Could this sudden summons be to...
"As expected, this little fellow Han Yi has some connections. Could it be this Elder Li?"
Instructor Lin, who was sitting beside Han Yi, showed a look of understanding on his face.
From the moment Han Yi suddenly became an Inner Sect Disciple, Instructor Lin had guessed that Han Yi must have some connections with the higher-ups in the Sect. Otherwise, even if he could achieve great merit, he wouldn't be able to get promoted so easily...
It's good to be someone with such connections. I've wasted most of my life and am just an instructor...
Instructor Lin felt somewhat helpless, but what he didn't know was that although Han Yi entered the Inner Sect through connections, Han Yi had to be wary of this so-called connection, as it wanted his life!