Could it be that I am the cruel villain?

"Ninety-one, a bye token."

The scarlet lips gently closed.

The others also consciously took out their jade tokens and placed them on the table. At this time, it was a test of the mountain gate's cohesion. Even Jiang Feng took out his token, and his magnetic male voice took the topic from the young girl.

"About four hundred and sixty inner sect disciples are participating. Logically, ninety-three should be a bye, but with ninety-one being a bye, it indicates that there are about ten bye spots remaining."

"Who do you think these spots are reserved for?"

A subtle smirk appeared at the corner of his mouth. He had probably guessed the sect's intentions.

"These more than ten spots are specifically reserved for us to maneuver. Don't forget, this is not just the Nine Peaks Martial Arts Gathering. It's also about selecting outstanding individuals among the sect disciples for the Phoenix Heavenly Cave expedition two years later."

"Interpersonal relationships, network connections, opportunism, resource exchange—these everyday trivialities might seem contemptible, but once we're in the Cave Heaven Secret Realm, we'll realize how crucial they are."

"The sect doesn't usually teach us these things. We have to rely on ourselves, venturing outside to gain more experience. If I'm not mistaken, after the Nine Peaks Martial Arts Gathering ends, all participating disciples will likely be forced to leave the sect for several years, enter the secular world, and undergo rigorous trials."

Focused, his fingers tapped rhythmically on the table, a signature move of Jiang Feng, who always liked to tap the table when contemplating.

The others listened intently, even Lu Luo was very serious. She knew how much Su Yi had sacrificed for this Nine Peaks Martial Arts Gathering. If she could officially become an inner sect disciple, she and her sisters might find a way to bring their estranged clan members to the foot of Zixiao Mountain.

Although they'd still be dependent on others' charity, at least they'd have a secure place to settle.

"First is you."

The jade token, about a foot long, pointed directly at Bai Yu.

"Your strength is sufficient, and the grouping is excellent for you, so there's no need to actively exchange tokens. You could have entered the inner sect originally, but due to some mishap, you should now demonstrate your abilities to your senior sister and the sect, going all the way."

"Hmm."

He nodded firmly.

"Then it's you."

The palm flatly moved, and the jade token pointed at Su Yi.

"The luck of your draw wasn't favorable; the grouping was deliberately arranged to place you with several high-grade Core Formation outer sect disciples. So you must find a way to maneuver, using your cultivation resources to exchange jade tokens with other ordinary Foundation Establishment disciples."

"Try to place yourself in a less pressured group. They can't resist this temptation. Many at the early to mid Foundation Establishment stage are just there for two rounds, which is far less important than cultivation resources."

"Otherwise, even if you make it through one round, there are still the second, third, and even dozens of rounds ahead."

Without much helplessness in her expression, with Jiang Feng's arrangements, she never worried about these things; she just needed to follow commands.

"Then it's the two of you."

Looking at Lin Jiangxian and Liang Yu.

"You two are quite special, being younger, so your senior sister's expectation of you should be to give it your all and show your abilities. But how far you can go, and how far you can use this bye token to advance, that's what you need to consider."

"Additionally, your swordsmanship styles are different and mutually restraining, with differing opponents. From my understanding, you two should continuously observe your opponents and adjust accordingly. If you encounter a master, there's a bye token to ensure one of you advances."

"Finally, it's me."

Here, Jiang Feng finally sighed.

"What senior sister hopes to see is whether I wish to beat everyone present to death, or..."

"Be beaten to death by everyone present."