The vast venue saw Li Chonglou acting like an ordinary passerby, observing everyone's matches. Unlike conventional competitions, the participants here were clearly less bound by rules, operating on what seemed like self-discipline. Yet, despite this, the scene appeared remarkably harmonious and orderly.
Perhaps this was a difference brought about by status. If one were to judge solely by character, the young disciples present, all wealthy or noble, undoubtedly surpassed others; many things required no supervision, as they could be voluntarily executed.
It was like the scorekeeping. Uncle Quan was single-handedly tallying the situations of dozens of people, and not all uniformly, making it naturally impossible for him to attend to every detail. However, Li Chonglou noticed that after each result was announced, a dedicated person would come forward to report, and simultaneously, the contestants would voluntarily step up to verify. Throughout the entire process, Uncle Quan never once called out a name!
However, apart from these observations, Li Chonglou's attention was drawn more towards a group of people in the distance. A total of twenty-five individuals: eleven at the third layer, six whose strength couldn't be discerned, and the remaining few at the fourth layer or below. This scale alone would make them absolute mainstays, even core forces, within any major power. And this also underscored the potential of Shangjing! These were all young people in their early twenties. Given a few more years, who could say what heights they might reach?
But Li Chonglou's thoughts weren't focused on admiration; instead, he was contemplating ways to make these geniuses work for him. "If I could assemble a team like this, I'd probably be able to return before Qingming," Li Chonglou mused, but he quickly cast aside this unrealistic thought, as Mu Qi had already approached Uncle Quan.
A moment later, the latter's gaze shifted towards him. Li Chonglou smiled slightly, a form of greeting. Being far away, and with the current lack of quiet, Li Chonglou couldn't hear their conversation, only seeing Mu Qi suddenly wave in his direction.
"Me?" Li Chonglou pointed at himself. The latter nodded repeatedly, confirming to Li Chonglou that he was indeed being called over. This was peculiar. It was just to inquire about the rules, and it wasn't their turn as cultivators to compete yet; why was he suddenly being summoned?
Something unusual must be afoot! As he approached, Xiao Cheng, unaware of the situation, thought Li Chonglou was also here to participate and suddenly blocked his path. "You better be useful, or you'll regret offending me!"
Li Chonglou was taken aback. "What do you mean?" Xiao Cheng didn't elaborate, snorted coldly, and left with his entourage. Li Chonglou was bewildered. He then saw Du Shu and Dong Yu Lin also staring at him from not far away. Baffling.
Shaking his head, Li Chonglou walked directly towards Mu Qi and Uncle Quan. "You called me?" Mu Qi nodded. "Uncle Quan wants to understand the situation to make arrangements."
Li Chonglou looked over. Uncle Quan's sharp, discerning eyes flickered with a hint of confusion. "Strange, kid, why don't I feel any internal energy aura from you?" If this were said by someone else, it might not seem odd, but Li Chonglou, already wary, and recalling his sudden summons, immediately had a thought. He was being tested! As for what was being tested, it was self-evident!
Li Chonglou immediately instructed Cai Hong to perform soul fusion, then revealed a slight aura, smiling, "I'm quite skilled in concealment techniques; it's difficult for ordinary people to detect." In fact, before he even spoke, Uncle Quan's expression had subtly changed upon sensing his internal energy aura, with a hint of surprise. Only after hearing Li Chonglou's explanation did he suppress his astonishment and nod, "I see. In that case, your team will operate independently, and points won't be averaged."
Mu Qi visibly relaxed. If it were just the usual benefits, she could have chosen to forgo them, but now, truly giving them up would undeniably sting. Just as Li Chonglou was about to leave, he was called back by the other party. "Right, report your situation first. Uncle Quan has the information of the other contestants in the realm competition."
Li Chonglou's brow furrowed slightly. "What information is needed?" "Age, realm, lineage." His voice was calm, as if it were a given. Mu Qi beside him didn't react, either due to ignorance or feigned ignorance. Li Chonglou's expression instantly turned grim. He stared directly into Uncle Quan's eyes. "This is my personal privacy. I regret I cannot report it. If absolutely necessary, I choose to withdraw from the competition." His tone was firm, leaving no room for negotiation!
Uncle Quan was also taken aback, not expecting Li Chonglou's strong reaction. However, he recovered quickly, explaining, "Of course, you don't have to say if you don't want to, as long as Mu Qi can vouch for you. However, some basic information still needs to be reported." So, if Li Chonglou hadn't objected, they would have tried to get away with obtaining that information! This was truly a situation where stratagems were everywhere. Reporting one's lineage was not a trivial matter; the three pieces of information Uncle Quan requested, if reported truthfully by Li Chonglou, would likely lead to his background being completely uncovered within half a day!
Fortunately, the subsequent basic information was more reasonable. Although they inquired about Li Chonglou's company, this was understood as a safety measure by the organizers, and Li Chonglou could comprehend it. Having learned the situation, Uncle Quan didn't dwell on it. Although the strength Li Chonglou had revealed was around the fourth layer, his age was noticeably older than most others, making him unremarkable in a gathering of geniuses.
After dealing with these matters, Mu Qi had to stay on stage to compete, so Li Chonglou had to descend by himself. Not long after reaching the ground, he was intercepted by a man. "Hello, may I get to know you?" He was refined, his demeanor generous and graceful, and a slight smile always graced his face, making it difficult to harbor any dislike. However, Li Chonglou was certain he had never met the man before.
"You are?" Wu Long extended his right hand while smiling, "Hello, my name is Wu Long. Actually, I saw you with Qi Qi before we entered. You were buying clothes at my friend's shop then." Out of politeness, Li Chonglou lightly clasped his hand, only to realize the man was also a realm cultivator. But he didn't possess any internal energy aura! Li Chonglou's heart skipped a beat, but he continued the conversation, "Hello, my name is Li Chonglou. May I ask why you're looking for me?"
Wu Long shook his head. "Brother Li, you don't need to be nervous. I have no other intentions; I simply wish to befriend Brother Li." Do you think I believe that? Li Chonglou didn't expose him, smiling equally, "When traveling away from home, relying on friends is essential. It's my honor." Wu Long suddenly leaned closer. "Brother Li, I'm sincere. You might not believe me now, but you will in the future."