(MC POV)
As expected, none of the new students passed.
The task may seem plausible on paper but there was no way these newbies could match up against experienced Practitioners like the Elders here. Unless you were some kind of prodigious genius or someone with a cheat of course, which evidently, none of them are.
I'm not sure why they would put such an impossible task for the new students? No wait… Could it be that they didn't want any new students?
Given that I already knew Feng boy had pretty much scared all the prospective female students away with his idiocy, he might also not be taking care of the other students well. With that in mind, the other people in the Sect might not want more students to join and become Feng boy's victims so they create an impossible task to reject these students.
Feng boy probably still wants new students to increase his influence and forced them to continue with the student selections but this is their way of rebelling against him.
It's clear that he doesn't have full support of the Sect and was most likely using something to blackmail or threaten them into submission.
Now I know why the guard at the gate tried to stop us..
The Elders returned to the centre of the Courtyard, ignoring the panting and exhausted students behind them.
Elder Gong shook his head, "Disappointing… I'm sorry but none of you pass. I'm afraid we will--"
"Elder Gong… What are you doing?" A voice interrupted him.
Everyone in the courtyard turned to see Feng boy stepping out of the Grand Hall and into the Grand Courtyard with the gait of someone who owns the place.
Even his clothes were incredibly gaudy, golden threads and the figures of red phoenixes embroidered along the length of his robe. Is he rebelling against Guiying as well?
"Uwaaah… The bastard really changed a lot huh… He's even more brazen than before..." Xun Guan whispered from beside my ear.
Kiyomi appeared beside me, "Master… Can I kill him?"
I chuckled, "Hold on, I want to see what he says first."
Feng boy strutted dramatically towards Elder Gong who had his head lowered to avoid looking at him.
"I asked what you were doing, Elder Gong?" He repeated.
Elder Gong kept his head lowered, "We were testing the new students, Sect Master…"
"Testng them? I don't remember the first test being like this? Did we change the criteria without my knowledge?"
"No… Of course not, Sect Master. It was my mistake, I'll do it properly now."
"See that you do. Unless you want some of your friends to suffer through my wrath again."
"That… Yes, Sect Master…"
He shooed Elder Gong away before turning his sights on us.
Feng boy's lips curled up into a smile when he saw us and it was not the nice kind of smile either.
"Oh? What's this? To have these beauties be interested in my Heaven Sect is our fortune indeed. Were all of you, perhaps, looking to be my direct disciples?"
Lian Li nudged Eris who was standing beside her, "Sister? I think I heard some crickets chirping. Is it just my imagination?"
"Eh? Aha! I think you're right! But it sounds more like some pig oinkin' to me!"
"Ara, ara? Sister is right, I wonder when did Heaven Sect allowed such pigs in here? It should be strung up and chopped," Manami sighed mockingly.
"Sister, maybe we should just leave after all. This place seems too much of a dump for us. Or anyone else for that matter," Diao Chan suggested.
"Such a waste of space… Perhaps I should just End him and his entire family?" Iris wondered aloud.
Cai Hong tugged at my sleeve, "Mama… Huggies!"
I let Cai Hong hug my thigh while I patted her head.
Using my powers, I was able to prevent anyone else from hearing my disciples' scathing remarks.
Remembering what the guard at the gate said, I gave Feng boy my friendliest smile and told him, "We are actually here to learn under Master Lin~"
The moment I uttered those words, the entire atmosphere within the courtyard changed in an instant.
The other Elders and Masters grimaced and stepped back while Feng boy looked ready to explode in rage.
Hmmm? I don't remember doing anything to make him hate me this much though? Is it because I took Xun Guan away from him? But he treated her like a disposable pawn so that can't be the reason.
Jealousy maybe? That's the most possible reason. Guess he couldn't stand the fact that an old man like him couldn't measure up to a 'young' Practitioner like myself.
Maybe he kept getting compared to me until he lost his mind over it.
"Hoho… Haven't you girls heard? That guy is dead already. This is my, Sect Master Feng's, Sect now. Besides, I'm way better and more experienced than he is so it's your fortune to have met me here."
Pffft… I'm sorry, I have a hard time keeping a straight face here. This is almost as bad as that Takeda boy.
That reminds me…
"Hey Iris… Was there a reason why you made me kill that boy so many times? Was it to weaken my mind or something?"
Iris tilted her head at me for a moment before figuring out what I was talking about.
"That stupid boy? Oh no, I was just really irritated with his personality so I figured Master might have some satisfaction by killing him over and over again."
"But still, a billion times? Wasn't that too many?"
"Ara? Wasn't it just a billion times? That's not even remotely enough if you ask me. But since these girls were being troublesome, I had to only limit it to one billion times. It was still quite satisfying to see you put that boy in his place, even if it was just a replica I created."
Yep, I still have some trouble understanding the thought process of this woman.
"Are you done ignoring me?" Feng boy called out, visibly displeased.
I acted surprised, "Oh you're still here? Ummm… Sorry, but we're only here for Master Lin so no thanks."
Brendan nodded, "Yes, Mas… I mean… Sister is right, we're only here for Master… Master Lin."
Very subtle, Brendan. Are your boobs distracting you or something? No wait, it's mine huh? Seriously Brendan, get a grip, they're just boobs. If you want to touch them just say it.
Tsuki pointed an accusatory finger at Feng boy, "What proof do you have that An… Ahem… That Master Lin is gone as you said? It's only been three years after all!"
The self proclaimed Sect Master smirked and pulled out something from within his sleeve, "Behold! The personal storage ring of Master Lin! Such a thing would be kept on his person at all times and yet it's miraculously here! Is there any need for further proof other than this?"
Elaria came up to my side with a smirk, "Oh? That ring looks awfully familiar… Why does it look exactly the same as… This?"
She lifted my hand up into the air to reveal my storage ring for everyone to see.
Well… Not really the way I wanted to reveal my identity, little sister… I was expecting him to try and court us first before I hit him with "I'm a trap!" reversal card. Oh well, maybe next time.
Now let's see how he's going to respond?
