Tang Xiaoyu was not someone who could stay idle. After enjoying a leisurely life for two days, he could not sit still.
"I might be able to accept the current state of affairs for a year or two, but could I accept it for fifty years? Definitely not. So what should I do?"
Tang Xiaoyu rubbed his face and scratched his head, unable to think of anything he could do.
"Tang Xiaoyu, the master has asked me to notify you that the annual Fengxi Sect competition is in a month. The first place winner will have the opportunity to serve as an Outer Elder." Liu YuXin said.
"Why does the first place get to serve as an elder?" Tang Xiaoyu curiously asked.
"The master said it's to cultivate the ability to handle issues," Liu YuXin replied.
Tang Xiaoyu understood that this was to groom future talent so that when this disciple grew up, he could be placed in a position and used immediately without encountering a clueless novice situation.
Tang Xiaoyu's mind raced swiftly as he considered the feasibility of this: [If I serve well as Outer Elder, I may have a chance at becoming Inner Elder. And if I excel as Inner Elder, can't I compete for the Sect Leader position? Won't I be able to obtain even more intel if I become Sect Leader?]
[This is quite feasible! The primary goal now is to get first place.]
Having made up his mind, Tang Xiaoyu inquired:
"How can we possibly compete with senior disciples?"
Liu YuXin explained, "Don't worry about that. New and senior disciples compete separately."
"Are there any particularly freakish people among the new disciples?"
Hearing this, Liu YuXin became interested: "There are four freakishly strong people who entered the sect with us. They already have mid Foundation Establishment cultivation."
"Just think about it. To reach early Foundation Establishment in less than a year, isn't that terrifying? Freakishly strong?"
Tang Xiaoyu was shocked. "That powerful? They must be hacking!"
But Tang Xiaoyu had forgotten that he himself had reached Foundation Establishment in just over two months.
"Tang Xiaoyu, you still shouldn't participate! After all, getting beaten up doesn't feel good," Liu YuXin advised.
"Are you participating?"
Liu YuXin confidently said, "Of course I'm participating! In this one month I can advance to the late Qi Condensation stage. With my cultivation foundation, I can absolutely get a good ranking."
"Then I'll participate too," Tang Xiaoyu said.
"You really shouldn't participate. I'm afraid you'll get beaten up so badly even your mother won't recognize you."
"It's fine. Participating is what matters! And with your help, I've also improved a lot."
Seeing that he could not dissuade Tang Xiaoyu, Liu YuXin could only give up.
"Fine! If you get injured, I'll take care of you."
"Great."
This past month, Tang Xiaoyu pretended to cultivate very hard, naturally revealing a late Qi Condensation stage boundary. This shocked Liu YuXin endlessly, who kept praising him as a genius.
"Tang Xiaoyu, if you had worked this hard from the start, who knows, you might already be at Foundation Establishment," he said with a discouraged tone. "Compared to others, the difference in talent is just so huge."
"Difference? Why compare with others? You just need to persistently work hard and leave the rest to fate," Tang Xiaoyu calmly said.
Liu YuXin smiled. "You're right. Why compare with others? As long as I've tried my best, even if I fail, I'll have no regrets."
Right now Tang Xiaoyu didn't want to waste time chatting useless things. He asked directly, "Is the sect competition tomorrow?"
"Yes, I came to notify you," Liu YuXin replied.
"Got it. Go back and get ready too!"
Liu YuXin smiled. "Work hard!"
"You too."
The next morning, Tang Xiaoyu opened his eyes right on time. "Today is the first step of the plan. Hope I don't run into someone with freakish luck."
After getting ready, he bumped into the nervous Liu YuXin as soon as he stepped out.
"What are you loitering around for?"
"I'm a little nervous and afraid of losing in the first match."
Tang Xiaoyu chuckled. "Then in aura you've already lost."
"Ah! What should I do then?"
"Straighten your back, look ahead, and take on whoever doesn't submit." Tang Xiaoyu randomly advised.
Liu YuXin straightened his back and looked ahead.
"Contemptuous gaze, disdainful mouth corners make people feel you're not to be trifled with."
"But I don't know how to do that!"
"Learn from me."
Tang Xiaoyu made an extremely irritating expression.
Liu YuXin softly said, "Why do I suddenly want to hit you?"
"That's the feeling I want. This way your aura will overwhelm your opponent." Tang Xiaoyu continued spouting nonsense.
Under Tang Xiaoyu's careful guidance, Liu YuXin basically mastered the essence of being irritating.
When Liu Xuneng and the girls came out, they saw two extremely arrogant people looking at them.
Tang Xiaoyu unhappily said, "You're really damaging Falling Leaf Peak's image. Do you know that?"
"Still better than you two!" Liu Xuneng retorted.
"This is called not losing face even when losing the fight. If you can't win, at least be able to out-curse them."
"We're too lazy to learn your antics." Liu Xuneng didn't want to bother with these two anymore.
Afterwards, Tang Xiaoyu and Liu YuXin walked ahead while Liu Xuneng's group followed far behind.
Tang Xiaoyu carried his sword over his shoulder, swaying left and right with each step. Liu YuXin copied him, but wasn't as ostentatious.
If you wanted others to remember you, then you had to stand out from the rest.
Arriving at the martial arena, Tang Xiaoyu shoved aside a person blocking the way. "Get lost! You even dare block the path of Falling Leaf Peak. Are you tired of living?"
The shoved disciple turned back, wanting to curse, but seeing Tang Xiaoyu and Liu YuXin's aggressive manner, he promptly shut his mouth. After all, he was a new disciple!
As Liu YuXin left, he even glared threateningly at that disciple and drew out his sword only to sheathe it again, making his threat crystal clear.
Following far behind, Liu Xuneng wished she could burrow into the ground. These two were even more outrageous than herself, yet she was the one who chose them so she could only acknowledge them even if she had to kneel.
Liu YuXin whispered, "Tang Xiaoyu, your method really works. I'm not nervous at all now and even a little excited."
Tang Xiaoyu deceived, "From now on just listen to me and I guarantee no losses for you."
"Sure."
Not far away, a youth arrogantly walked forward with several lackeys. People passing by all made way.
Soon, the two waves of arrogance collided.
Seeing the youth, Tang Xiaoyu was delighted. Wasn't this the brat who had wrongly directed him before?
Before the youth could explode, Tang Xiaoyu went over and put his arm around his neck.
"Didn't I tell you last time, if you dared trick me, I'd beat you every time I saw you. Don't you remember?"
The youth wasn't actually afraid at all because he now had early Foundation Establishment strength. Taking care of someone at Qi Condensation would be easy as catching a chick.
But no matter how hard he struggled, he was unable to break free of Tang Xiaoyu's arm which pressed down on him like a mountain.
The youth started panicking. Just as he wanted to beg for mercy, Tang Xiaoyu said, "Liu YuXin, this brat dared trick us last time. Teach him a lesson."
"Gladly. Hold him tight and watch me."
Saying so, Liu YuXin thrust her sword hilt towards the youth's stomach. Luckily there was a sword sheath, otherwise the youth would have been done for. Even with the sheath, the youth was poked until his eyes rolled back.
When Tang Xiaoyu felt it was about enough, he released his hand. The youth flopped to the ground like a shrimp, continuously spitting stuff from his mouth.
Liu YuXin still felt unsatisfied, "Dare to trick us? I'll beat you every time I see you," and even kicked him once.