"And my identity is also a big problem. If they see through it, I'm afraid others will think that my first place was obtained through connections..."
Countless thoughts surged through his mind, each one making Zhu Hongzhang anxious.
There were even times when he wanted to turn and leave directly, but he thought that if he turned and fled now, even if Yan Yan, Wu Tao, Mo Wen, Chu Jiayi, Ximen Jingxue, Lu Yi, and Xue Rou'er were foolish, they would still suspect something.
Not to mention, all seven of them were astute.
Under normal circumstances, he could have used his identity as a direct descendant of a Purple Mansion stage Grand Elder to sneak away.
But if he left without a word at this moment, it would be truly bizarre if others didn't guess something was amiss with Zhu Hongzhang.
Dismissing the thought of leaving, Zhu Hongzhang sighed silently and looked up at the jade tablet on the beam.
In fact, the main reason why Divine Son Zhu made them wait for such a long time was to curb Zhu Hongzhang's arrogance on behalf of the Purple Mansion stage Grand Elder, lest he become overconfident after winning first place in the grand competition and do something troublesome.
It was also unfortunate for Yan Yan, Wu Tao, Mo Wen, Chu Jiayi, Ximen Jingxue, Lu Yi, and Xue Rou'er to suffer undeserved calamity.
However, everything has its causes and effects, and its consequences. The reason for the high rewards in this grand competition was the participation of Zhu Hongzhang, a direct descendant of a Purple Mansion stage Grand Elder.
In fact, it wasn't just Zhu Hongzhang whose mind was racing; Yan Yan, Wu Tao, Mo Wen, Chu Jiayi, Ximen Jingxue, Lu Yi, and Xue Rou'er were also thinking, just not as obviously.
As more than half the day passed, and Zhu Hongzhang, Yan Yan, Wu Tao, Mo Wen, Chu Jiayi, Ximen Jingxue, Lu Yi, and Xue Rou'er's minds began to wander.
Suddenly, there was movement in the previously empty main hall. Although there was no sound, at that moment, Zhu Hongzhang, Yan Yan, Wu Tao, Mo Wen, Chu Jiayi, Ximen Jingxue, Lu Yi, and Xue Rou'er, who were standing in the main hall, all instantly felt that someone had appeared in the main hall, directly above them.
Because that terrifying aura, like an abyss and the sea, pressed down on Zhu Hongzhang, Yan Yan, Wu Tao, Mo Wen, Chu Jiayi, Ximen Jingxue, Lu Yi, and Xue Rou'er.
It was at this moment that a commanding voice echoed in the ears of Zhu Hongzhang, Yan Yan, Wu Tao, Mo Wen, Chu Jiayi, Ximen Jingxue, Lu Yi, and Xue Rou'er.
"You do not need to be so restrained, lift your heads!"
Under that commanding voice, Zhu Hongzhang, Yan Yan, Wu Tao, Mo Wen, Chu Jiayi, Ximen Jingxue, Lu Yi, and Xue Rou'er felt as if they had no resistance and unconsciously lifted their heads, their bodies straightening.
The next moment, the eight of them saw a middle-aged man, who appeared to be around forty or fifty years old, dressed in a gray robe, sitting alone on a celestial throne.
He sat there alone, exuding a composed and calm demeanor, truly at peace and at ease.
Looking down at Zhu Hongzhang, Yan Yan, Wu Tao, Mo Wen, Chu Jiayi, Ximen Jingxue, Lu Yi, and Xue Rou'er, Divine Son Zhu, who used the Purple Qi Observing Immortals Eye technique, paused, then nodded with satisfaction.
"Such dense Heavenly Mandate. This generation of inner disciples of my Taiyi Immortal Sect is even stronger and better than the previous generation. Could it be that my Taiyi Immortal Sect still has a chance to glimpse the position of the number one sect in the righteous path?"
Various thoughts flashed through his mind. Through a unique sense, his gaze seemed to pierce through layers of obstruction, seeing through time and space, directly to future events.
To some extent, the deduction of the Way of Destiny, though not entirely accurate, was in some ways a unique method.
This method, in the hands of Divine Son Zhu, who was at the late Nascent Soul stage, would undoubtedly produce astonishing results.
At least, in most cases, it was very accurate.
This was not only due to Divine Son Zhu's confidence in his own strength but also his trust in the power of Heavenly Mandate.
To bear the Heavenly Mandate, especially a dense Heavenly Mandate, was akin to being a son of heaven, and no one would doubt that such a person would not easily perish midway.
At his current status and position, apart from his pursuit of the Great Dao, any power or wealth was already an external possession to him.
It was precisely for this reason that Divine Son Zhu was very benevolent towards Zhu Hongzhang, Yan Yan, Wu Tao, Mo Wen, Chu Jiayi, Ximen Jingxue, Lu Yi, and Xue Rou'er.
...
After the grand competition ended, Wu Tao collected his reward. After exchanging pleasantries with his beloved Xu Sheng, his friends, senior sister, and master, he announced that he would be going into seclusion.
After several months of seclusion, Wu Tao, having digested the benefits of the Origin Sea, made an appointment with Xu Sheng, who had been staying at the Xu family.
On the eighth day of the first lunar month, the two of them went out to play together.
Beside a tranquil lake, a man and a woman were enjoying a rare moment of leisure.
Xu Sheng was in her thirties this year. If she were in the mortal world, she would have been a mother long ago.
Although it was because she was in the immortal cultivation world, a woman in her thirties at the Foundation Establishment stage was not considered very old.
After all, cultivators at the Foundation Establishment realm had a lifespan of over two hundred years.
However, as a woman, Xu Sheng had already developed in the places where a woman should develop.
Moreover, as the years passed, Xu Sheng's personality had changed a lot, and her demeanor had become more feminine.
Even a casual, unconscious gesture now possessed the charm of a peerless beauty.
By this serene lake, there were only Wu Tao and Xu Sheng.
A gentle breeze blew, her thin white dress fluttered, and Xu Sheng's optimistic and cheerful laughter could be heard, all of which was like a poetic and picturesque scene, intoxicating beyond measure.
Xu Sheng's smile bloomed like a flower, and with every movement, countless petals danced in the air!
On the other side.
Wu Tao raised his fishing rod high and cast the line.
Then, Wu Tao sat still like an old Daoist meditating.
After an hour, the fishing rod began to shake. Wu Tao pulled hard, and a fat golden carp, swaying in the wind, sprinkled countless droplets of water.
Wu Tao smiled at Xu Sheng and said, "Golden carp is suitable for soup. Let's have a pot of fish soup today!"
With that, Wu Tao patted his storage bag and took out a snow-white short knife, immediately removing the golden carp's intestines and scraping off all its scales!
He brought garlic, ginger, green onions, snow lotus, spirit wine, and salt blocks, and put them into a pot to steam and cook.
After the golden carp soup was ready, Wu Tao signaled Xu Sheng to help herself, then picked up a bowl and took a sip.
Since achieving Foundation Establishment, Wu Tao had spent these years either cultivating or adventuring, his spirit constantly tense.
Now, with sudden relaxation, his previously rock-solid bottleneck showed signs of loosening, giving him a feeling of advancing a hundredfold.
This made Wu Tao sigh with emotion. Sometimes, too much cultivation made one lose many of life's pleasures.
Perhaps slowing down was better.
On the other side!
Xu Sheng picked up her jade bowl, scooped up a spoonful of fish soup, and ate it slowly and elegantly, bite by bite.
After eating their fill, Wu Tao rested his arms behind his head, lying on a large marble slab about three feet wide.
Xu Sheng, also full, saw Wu Tao's lazy posture and, with a bit of anger, gritted her teeth and grabbed Wu Tao's ear with her left hand, forcibly pulling him up.
"Sheng'er, what are you doing?"
Touching his reddened ear, Wu Tao asked curiously.
Seeing Wu Tao get up, Xu Sheng sat directly beside him and asked, "In this grand competition, when you faced Yan Yan, did you use your full strength, or did you hold back?"
Xu Sheng had wanted to ask this question for a long time.
Faced with this question, Wu Tao stood frozen in silence for a long time.
Just as Xu Sheng thought Wu Tao wouldn't answer, he slowly spoke.
"Sheng'er, that's a good question. If it were a life-and-death battle, I am confident that I would be the one to survive in the end, not Yan Yan."
Upon hearing this, Xu Sheng wrinkled her nose and asked, "Since that's the case, why did you hold back?"
"Hmm?"
Wu Tao looked at the curious Xu Sheng. It was then that he realized that Xu Sheng's temperament had not changed much since the day he first met her.
Wu Tao sighed softly. He still remembered what his master, Shangguan Yujie, had told him before the grand competition.
If he encountered Yan Yan, if possible, he should not compete with him for first place, because the matter of him killing Zhao Yang and Li Chen, and not ending easily without the help of his uncle Feng Junyi.
Things in this world were not that simple. Some matters were not determined solely by strength.
Seeing that Wu Tao did not reply, Xu Sheng slowly let her jade legs sink into the lake, and then her entire body.
Xu Sheng dived into the lake, then suddenly emerged and came to Wu Tao's side.
Her white gauze dress, because it was wet, clung tightly to Xu Sheng's skin.
Xu Sheng's curvaceous figure was fully revealed.
Xu Sheng circled behind Wu Tao, her jade arms locking around Wu Tao's neck, and that soft mound of breasts pressed against Wu Tao's back.
Then, Xu Sheng's face pressed against Wu Tao's, and her tongue darted out, licking Wu Tao's face.
Wu Tao was not stupid, and he naturally understood what Xu Sheng was thinking at this moment.
Through the wet white gauze, a hint of... could be seen on Xu Sheng's deliberately exposed inner thighs.
Wu Tao was mesmerized and then awkwardly turned his head away.
The peach tree is lush and its blossoms are brilliant.
This daughter goes to marry, to grace her home.
The peach tree is lush and its fruits are abundant.
This daughter goes to marry, to grace her household.
The peach tree is lush, and its leaves are verdant.
This daughter goes to marry, to grace her family.
"Brother Tao."
A call made Wu Tao turn his head.
Wu Tao looked up and saw that Xu Sheng's neck and above were dyed crimson, looking as delicate and juicy as a ripe apple.
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