Instantly, a suction force descended from the sky, sweeping up the surrounding snow and mud, and threatening to pull him into the air as well.
This contained two trials: first, a test of cultivation. If one had upgraded through opportunistic means and their cultivation was not profound, they would be directly sucked into mid-air and thrown off the peak. Second, a test of power control. If one could not resolve the wind Dragon, they would be covered in mud and sand, ending up disheveled and in a sorry state.
Along the Nose Peak mountain path, many heads peered out, watching how Qian Duoduo, a stranger, would deal with the wind Dragon.
Qian Duoduo stomped his right foot on the mountain path, releasing his Spiritual Awareness completely, and rotated it in the opposite direction of the suction force.
The two forces met and precisely canceled each other out.
Before long, peace returned to the Sect gate, and Qian Duoduo's robes remained clean, his expression natural.
Zeng Zifang nodded slightly and said loudly,
“Qian Duoduo, a new Inner Sect Disciple of this peak, is also a merchant. If anyone wishes to purchase satisfactory Magic Treasures, you may come to trade.”
No sooner had she and Zeng Ruohai left than dozens of Ba Ling Sect Nose Peak Disciples surrounded him.
Their eyes glowed green, like a pack of wolves seeing a fat pig enter the Sect gate.
The Ba Ling Sect Disciples' attire did not distinguish colors, but at the cuffs and collars, the long sword symbolizing the Ba Ling Sect was embroidered.
Handymen embroidered white swords, Outer Sect Disciples embroidered green swords, Inner Sect Disciples embroidered Blue Swords, those at the Foundation Establishment Realm embroidered red swords, and those at the Golden Core Realm and above embroidered golden swords.
“Want to play?”
A Blue Sword Sect Disciple stepped forward and asked Qian Duoduo with a playful smile.
When Ba Ling Sect Disciples initiated a challenge, they could only challenge those of the same level or higher.
Otherwise, the challenged Disciple had the right to refuse.
However, when challenged by a Disciple of the same level or lower, it was very difficult to refuse.
When challenged by multiple people, one had to fight at least one match every day.
Qian Duoduo counted; among the Inner Sect Disciples surrounding him, there were twelve who were at the same Ninth Level of Qi Condensation cultivation as him.
“Shall we find a place to settle this?”
Qian Duoduo replied with a smile as well.
Upon entering the Sect, to successfully gain access to Artifact Refining Sacred Artifacts, one had to follow the Ba Ling Sect's rules step by step.
Although he didn't quite understand the meaning of “settle this” in Qian Duoduo's words, the Blue Sword Sect Disciple knew that Qian Duoduo had not refused and immediately rejoiced.
“There's a Martial Arts Stage ahead, let's go there.”
“Newcomer Qian Duoduo, reporting to all Senior Brothers and Junior Brothers!”
Qian Duoduo cupped his hands to the surrounding Disciples.
The Blue Sword Sect Disciple was even happier to see Qian Duoduo acting so courteously.
“Junior Brother is too polite, my name is Jiang Yang. Jiang Yang as in Jiang Yang the bandit.”
Not far away, a high platform over three hundred zhang appeared, where two Green Sword Disciples were fighting fiercely. One Disciple was injured but refused to admit defeat, instead forcing the uninjured Disciple to retreat repeatedly.
Over a thousand Disciples below the stage cheered continuously.
Most of these spectating Disciples were also Outer Sect Disciples, embroidered with green swords.
“Right here.”
Jiang Yang squeezed to the entrance of the Martial Arts Stage, his left foot stepping onto the stairs leading up.
“Cutting in line, if anyone objects, come fight directly.”
He turned back and smiled at Qian Duoduo, saying:
“We're up next.”
“Don't.” Qian Duoduo waved his hand.
“Want to refuse the fight?” Jiang Yang smiled even more broadly.
According to Ba Ling Sect rules, refusing a fight without reason required payment: one hundred gold coins for handymen per match, one thousand for Outer Sect Disciples, and ten thousand for Inner Sect Disciples.
If Qian Duoduo directly refused the fight, Jiang Yang would receive ten thousand gold coins from him.
This was why so many Inner Sect Disciples surrounded him.
In their eyes, how much cultivation could a newcomer like Qian Duoduo, who made a living selling goods, possibly have?
Qian Duoduo shook his head again.
“Then what do you want to do?” Jiang Yang was too lazy to guess.
“Besides Senior Brother Jiang Yang, there are also these Senior Brothers. I can't just fight you and not spar with the other Senior Brothers, wouldn't that be showing favoritism?”
As soon as Qian Duoduo spoke, the faces of the Inner Sect Disciples lined up behind Jiang Yang immediately brightened.
Jiang Yang's face, in particular, bloomed into a smile like a fully opened flower.
He hadn't expected that Qian Duoduo actually wanted to fight with others as well.
Jiang Yang looked at the other Blue Sword Sect disciples.
“Do you all have any objections? No! Qian Duoduo, see how popular you are, everyone agrees to spar with you.”
“Thank you, Senior Brothers!” Qian Duoduo cupped his hands again to everyone.
“Just fighting isn't enough for us, how about we add a little wager?”
“A wager? You mean gold coins!”
Jiang Yang burst out laughing, startling the Green Sword Disciples who were currently fighting on the stage.