"What do you mean? Hmph!"
Zi Linling snorted coldly and turned to Elder Nangong. "Elder Nangong, are your old eyes failing you? Has a self-righteous dog infiltrated our Alchemist Guild, and you haven't noticed?"
"Dog?"
Elder Nangong didn't react immediately, freezing in place.
Zi Linling retorted impatiently, "Isn't it? No matter how high the breed, it's still a dog, understand?"
The representative from the Giant Flame Sect finally understood. Zi Linling was insulting him!
His face turned grim. "What do you mean by that! Are you declaring war on our Giant Flame Sect?"
Zi Linling sneered, "What do I mean? Isn't it obvious! Humans, lacking power to rely on, understand some manners. But dogs are different. Besides bullying others with their master's power, they just bark and yap!"
"You!"
The representative from the Giant Flame Sect was so enraged his lungs felt like they would explode.
Zi Linling's gaze turned sharp. "What 'you'? I don't understand. There are so many spineless cowards in the world, yet they all seem to be born in your Giant Flame Sect. I advise you, if you don't want to end up like your young sect master, buying your life with money, then scram immediately!"
Without giving him a chance to speak, she turned to Elder Nangong. "What are you standing there for? See our guest out!"
Elder Nangong finally snapped back to reality and quickly said, "Yes, Guild Master!"
He then walked up to the Giant Flame Sect representative and said, "Please."
The Giant Flame Sect representative glared fiercely at Zi Linling. "Do you really intend to be enemies with our Giant Flame Sect?"
Zi Linling sneered, "Enemies? Are you worthy? Go back and tell Yan Long, if he doesn't deliver the money he owes me by tomorrow night, I'll have to pay a personal visit to the Giant Flame Sect!
"At that time, it won't be a matter of fifty million high-grade spirit stones! Also, your Giant Flame Sect is out of the running for the Dan Zun Secret Realm spots this time! Now get out!"
The Giant Flame Sect representative, trembling all over, pointed at Zi Linling and said, "You're bullying too much... Ah!"
With a scream, the finger he used to point at Zi Linling flew off.
Instantly, the smell of blood filled the air.
And in Zi Linling's hand, at some unknown time, appeared a gleaming surgical knife.
"I forgot to tell you, I detest people pointing fingers at me! Scram!"
The Giant Flame Sect representative said with a contorted face, "Very well! I hope you can bear the wrath of the Giant Flame Sect!"
With that, he turned and left in a pathetic state.
Zi Linling did not stop him.
Severing one of his fingers was a lesson for his insolent words.
After all, while he was annoying, he hadn't crossed her bottom line. Therefore, she wouldn't pursue the matter relentlessly.
The representatives from other forces were startled by Zi Linling's decisive and unwavering actions.
Zi Linling seized the opportunity to warn them. "Everyone, I reiterate, the spots for the Dan Zun Secret Realm will be allocated through a martial arts competition tomorrow. Therefore, you may all leave!"
"This..."
The representatives of the various forces all showed troubled expressions.
"Miss Zi, the secret realm opens the day after tomorrow. If it's allocated through a competition, there might not be enough time!"
The representative from the Duanmu Divine Clan stepped forward, his arrogance subdued, and said tactfully.
The representative from the Hu Yan Divine Clan also stepped forward, agreeing, "Exactly, Miss Zi! Currently, there are over thirty thousand people in Central City, and more people who have received the news are still arriving. Thus, a competition is simply not feasible."
The representative from the Xuanyuan Divine Clan chimed in, "Miss Zi, it is indeed as they say. Please reconsider!"
"Please, Miss Zi, reconsider!"
"Please, Miss Zi, reconsider!"
"..."
The representatives from other forces quickly echoed their sentiments.
Zi Linling slowly put away her surgical knife, unperturbed. "Then how do you suggest we allocate these spots?"
"This..."
The representatives of the major forces exchanged glances and said in unison, "Allocate by faction!"
"Oh!"
Zi Linling pondered for a moment. "What if I refuse?"
"This..."
The representatives of the major forces were momentarily at a loss for words.
Zi Linling said coldly, "Have you forgotten that these spots originally belonged to alchemists? I'm only willing to offer them because I'm in a good mood.
"Therefore, I decide how the spots are allocated. As for whether the competition can filter out suitable candidates within a day, you don't need to worry about it!
"Instead of arguing with me here, it's better for you to go back and select some talented disciples to participate in tomorrow's competition!
"That's all I have to say. Our Alchemist Guild has other matters to attend to. Please leave!"
With that, she once again addressed Elder Nangong, "See them out!"
"Miss Zi..."
The representative from the Xuanyuan Divine Clan was about to speak further, but Zi Linling cut him off. "If you continue to pester me, then I will have no choice but to remove your respective factions from the list!"
Everyone was stunned for a moment, then sighed and left dejectedly.
Elder Nangong's perception of Zi Linling had undergone a 180-degree turn.
The matter he had struggled with for half the day was resolved by Zi Linling in just a few words. Her methods were truly beyond his capabilities.
"Elder Nangong, starting today, the Alchemist Guild will be jointly managed by you, Elder Feng, and Elder Nian, until I return from the secret realm. Do you understand?"
Elder Nangong was taken aback. "Guild Master, this..."
"Enough! Stop hesitating! Once I enter the secret realm, you must be extremely cautious. Feng Ruyi has likely planted many of her confidantes within the guild. Your task is to find them and bring them to justice upon my return. Understand?"
Elder Nangong hesitated. "Guild Master, doing so will cause unrest within the guild. Isn't that... not good?"
Zi Linling's gaze was sharp. "Chaos is temporary. But if we don't face this temporary chaos, it will lead to the deaths of many more!"
Elder Nangong was stunned. "Is it that serious?"
Zi Linling nodded. "It's only more serious, not the most serious. You'll understand when the time comes!"
She wasn't exaggerating.
Think about it, during the Great Cataclysm, if these parasites only cared about their own interests, and were even willing to betray the Azure Star for profit, stabbing others in the back, how many lives would be lost?
With Zi Linling having said so much, if Elder Nangong still hesitated, it would be vexing.
"Alright then! I will do my best!" Elder Nangong said.
Zi Linling smiled. "Good, let's discuss the matter of selecting spots through the martial arts competition tomorrow."
"How does the Guild Master plan to arrange it?" Elder Nangong asked.
Zi Linling smiled mysteriously. "This way, you, Elder Feng, and Elder Nian will be responsible for the first round, filtering by age and cultivation level."