Chapter 198: Everyone, Do You Look Down On Me That Much?
Given his maverick style and arrogant way of dealing with things, everyone could not help but dislike him.
This was especially because everyone present was a genius. Ordinary people would admire Lin Yao for being strong and powerful. The geniuses there did not feel the same admiration for him. They were equally handsome and powerful, and they were compet.i.tive when facing their peers. Lin Yao, who liked to be in the limelight, seemed even more annoying to them.
The girl with the heroic spirit looked unhappy as well. It was her uncle who had signed the contract with Lin Yao. If the Flowery Sect suffered a loss due to signing a contract with Lin Yao, it would also affect her uncle, who was in charge of said contract.
“You are late.”
“No.” Lin Yao glanced at the time as he said, “I am just in time.”
While the two of them talked to each other, Jin Cheng, who had dyed his hair blond, also came up to Lin Yao, stretching out his palm toward him.
“I’ve been looking forward to meeting you for a long time, Junior Brother Lin Yao.”
“Who are you?”
“Oh, we will be colleagues in the future. I have been looking forward to meeting you, yet you don’t even know who I am. This is so sad.”
‘I can sense malice.’
After speaking indifferently to him, Lin Yao walked away, not intending to speak to either of them.
He sat down directly in the corner of the hall and closed his eyes without communicating with other people.
Upon seeing this, Jin Cheng spread out his hands before the smart woman. “You should know that I did not provoke him. He is simply an arrogant person.”
“No, he is not being arrogant. If one is humble in the early stage but proud in the later stage due to their abilities, that would be considered arrogance. However, this guy has always been arrogant.”
Lin Yao tucked himself in a corner and closed his eyes. He merely wanted some silence, but in the end, he attracted even more attention. Qin Xue was a little fl.u.s.tered over the situation.
“Shall we become friends with some of them?”
“No, I won’t have much contact with them in the future.”
Lin Yao had no time for this. He spent most of the day improving his strength in the research inst.i.tute and had no time to go out at all.
The clauses in the contract were demanding, the people who had been sent by the Flowery Sect had to obey his orders, and he was unwilling to move to another city. Lin Yao was not putting on airs or being unreasonable by doing all this. It was just that he really did not have time.
If it were not for the lack of money, he would not even have made a trip here this time.
Of course, he also knew that the Flowery Sect was at a disadvantage by doing this, but Lin Yao was prepared to make up for it by being powerful in the later stage of his cultivation.
‘Since the Flowery Sect can offer eight million yuan, they must be looking to invest in my future. They are not asking to reap their harvest now.’
With this thought in mind, Lin Yao closed his eyes, and somewhere above the hall, people had also noticed him.
After discovering that he was antisocial, some people smiled and looked at a middle-aged man among them.
“Brother Jiang, I heard that the sect only offered three million yuan, and you paid five million yuan yourself. This time, you invited him to come here by adding another 500,000 yuan. You have suffered a huge loss this time.”
“It’s okay, I can afford five million yuan.”
“But can you afford to pay even more money next time? The gatekeeper is like our shop front. If too many people are allowed to join, it won’t look good on you.”
“I believe in him.”
Lin Yao… could hear the words spoken above the hall.
He was quite surprised to find that there was something going on behind his cooperation with the Flowery Sect. However, he knew exactly what the gatekeeper was.
The Flowery Sect wanted to take advantage of the celebration to display their capabilities and recruit disciples. However, many children from wealthy and middle-cla.s.s families wanted to join the dojo. Other dojos would not stand by and watch while the Flowery Sect became more popular.
In the past, these dojos used to challenge the Flowery Sect several times in a row after the compet.i.tion. Sometimes, the Flowery Sect had won, and sometimes they had lost. They could not afford to sustain injuries due to these challenges.
However, it was not feasible to turn down the challenges either.
If the strongest disciple of the dojo did not dare accept someone’s challenge, no one would want to join the dojo.
In the end, the Flowery Sect had come up with a rule for outsiders to partic.i.p.ate in the internal compet.i.tion as well.
Needless to say, those who joined the compet.i.tion would be marked and targeted by the Flowery Sect.
At the same time, the Flowery Sect did not want any Tom, d.i.c.k and Harry to join the compet.i.tion. This was why there was a gatekeeper. Before each real match, there would be six gatekeepers standing right at the front to accept anyone’s challenge, and according to the rules, they would select geniuses within three or 10 moves.
Only those who could survive three or 10 moves would be eligible to partic.i.p.ate in the subsequent compet.i.tion.
Of course, this was a form of screening as well as a display of their capabilities.
No, it should be said that the whole celebration was held to display their strength, attract the attention of young people, and make them join the dojo.
While Lin Yao was letting his imagination run wild, a middle-aged man who was standing on the second floor clapped his hands to attract everyone’s attention.
“I welcome everyone to partic.i.p.ate in the Flowery Sect’s celebration. I, Jiang Tianyou, wish you all the best and hope you will achieve good results in this internal compet.i.tion.
“Let me reveal some information first. The reward of the winner of the internal compet.i.tion is very attractive. The bonus alone is 10 million yuan, and there are other rewards as well. As long as you are strong enough, the Flowery Sect will be willing to groom you.
“Next are the various gatekeepers. During this celebration, other dojos will be having friendly exchanges with us… Ha ha.”
“Ha ha ha.
“Friendly exchanges… Chief Instructor Jiang is still so funny. Ha ha ha.”
As soon as Chief Instructor Jiang mentioned having friendly exchanges, the whole hall was filled with a cheerful atmosphere. Obviously, the various dojos did not have a harmonious relationship with them.
The chief instructor named Jiang Tianyou continued after everyone’s laughter subsided. “Since all of you know what I mean, I won’t say anything else. Remember one thing: Do your best within 10 moves, and it would be best if you did not allow outsiders to join the compet.i.tion.
“Also, the person who intercepts the biggest number of challengers and promotes the Flowery Sect the best will receive a reward of one million yuan after the challenge is over.
“Correspondingly, if too many people are allowed to join the compet.i.tion, the resources of our disciples will be reduced, and we will not sign a spokesperson contract next time.”
There were rewards and punishments. The Flowery Sect was used to this style. As for Lin Yao, his goal was to get one million yuan.
‘I didn’t expect unexpected gains.’
To Lin Yao, who had once had 140 million yuan, one million yuan might seem like a small amount, but this was not the case. Lin Yao had borrowed 140 million yuan from others, while he had earned one million yuan and eight million yuan through the contract based on his own efforts.
He felt naturally more at ease spending the money that he earned. This was especially because he was very short of money during this period.
There was a look of longing in his eyes. There were many people who were like him. One million yuan was not a small sum.
“Everyone, get ready to go out and welcome the public after one o’clock in the afternoon.”
As soon as he finished his sentence, Yan Yu’er looked at Lin Yao.
“Ah Yao, it’s time for you to change your clothes.”
“Okay.”
The so-called preparations involved calmly waiting for the battle to begin. For Lin Yao, it meant changing out of his casual clothes and into the uniform of the Flowery Sect.
Fortunately, the Flowery Sect, which was famous for its fanciness and chicness, naturally had a nice uniform.
The uniform was white, and there were flower patterns on the back and hand-sewn floral patterns on the corners. It was very comfortable and could complement the person wearing it.
While Lin Yao left to change into the uniform, some people were already in their uniforms and did not need to change. This also applied to the smart girl. She looked at Jin Cheng in surprise after seeing that Lin Yao had left.
“I am surprised that you didn’t say anything to question that guy’s ident.i.ty as a gatekeeper.”
“It’s useless to question him. I’m past that age. Only people under 20 years old are qualified to take part in the gatekeeper selection.”
The compet.i.tion in the dojo was usually among their own disciples, and it was mainly because the dojo wanted to recruit apprentices under the age of 20 or even teenagers under the age of 15. Those who were above 20 years old and were interested would have already partic.i.p.ated in the compet.i.tion long ago. It was possible to transfer to a different dojo, but few people did that.
Each dojo had its own style, and changing gyms was also a change of one’s personal style and even one’s martial arts philosophy. This would be detrimental to one’s development.
Jin Cheng managed to persuade the girl with heroic spirit. He then made use of the time when he was in the bathroom to make a phone call on his cell phone.
“Qian Han, are you ready over there?”
“Yes, I have contacted a dozen powerful contestants. When the guy is there, they will go to the arena he is guarding.”
“Very good. I shall see if he’ll dare to be arrogant after more than 10 people manage to get past him.”
“Brother Jin, there are even more benefits in this for us. The third disciple of the Dragon Tiger Dojo is also here this time. She is Sister Qin’s acquaintance. I told her how arrogant that lad was when he spoke to Sister Qin. She got very angry and is ready to challenge the arena that he is in charge of.”
“Pu Yi, the cub from the Dragon Tiger Dojo! Ha ha. He is doomed this time. He was told to select from the outsiders. There will be a good show if he is defeated by outsiders within 10 moves.
“Can you tell Pu Yi to say some insulting words to him after the victory? This would work best.”
“No problem…”
…
It would soon be one o’clock in the afternoon. Lin Yao, who was resting in the room, had also awakened and was brought to the arena outside.
Right now, many people were crowded at the entrance of the Flowery Sect. There were even traffic policemen there to maintain the order and prevent accidents due to the gathering of too many people.
Many people were gearing up for the compet.i.tion below the stage, ready to attack at any time.
At the same time, at the start of the celebration, the gate of the Flowery Sect was opened, and some famous disciples and people who were on good terms with the Flowery Sect had already taken their seats in a luxurious hall in a building within the Flowery Sect.
Of course, the people who came were not only people who were on good terms with them but also the masters of other dojos in Shanghai. Although the Flowery Sect knew that people from their dojos would be challenging the sect today, it would naturally not send them away since they were already there.
However, this was none of Lin Yao’s business. The people from the Flowery Sect would have a friendly chat with them, and they’d congratulate each other. Although no one knew how they were scolding each other deep inside their hearts, at the very least, the atmosphere at the upper level was still very harmonious.
However, things were different on the level below them. People stared at the six gatekeepers with strong hostility.
Lin Yao did not know what other people felt, but his super-perception enabled him to locate people who wanted to challenge him with a simple glance.
He could even sense their capabilities.
Lin Yao took a closer look and sighed. The overall quality of the people in Shanghai was indeed better than that in Ninghai City.
It was already considered very good for a third-year student in high school to become a martial artist in Ninghai City. Advanced martial artists were qualified to partic.i.p.ate in compet.i.tions held in the city.
However, advanced martial artists could be found everywhere in Shanghai. Ordinary warlords could not even get a foothold in Shanghai. Elite warlords who mastered profound meanings were the only ones who were recognized in the city.
‘The difference is too huge. Although many people are living in Shanghai, there is more spirit energy here than in Ninghai City. Why is that so?’
While he was thinking about this, someone from the Flowery Sect came to the stage and said a few words.
“Everyone, this is a friendly exchange limited to 10 moves. If you can hold out for 10 moves while challenging the gatekeeper of the Flowery Sect, you will enter the gate to partic.i.p.ate in the internal compet.i.tion. Also, all applicants please go to the front desk to sign the dueling pact.
“Now, I announce the beginning of the game!”
As soon as he gave the order, several people jumped toward the arenas.
Among the other gatekeepers, Lin Yao had the most challengers!
A dozen people came to challenge Lin Yao.
The people who came up to the stage were a little impatient. It was as if Lin Yao was about to be replaced. The crowd burst instantly into laughter at this astonishing scene, and Lin Yao looked unhappy about the situation.
“Everyone, do you look down on me that much?”