C23 Jealousy!

Fortunately, the injuries sustained by the wounded were not severe. With some basic medical attention, they were soon out of danger. That night, however, was destined to be restless. Everyone was on edge, anxiously awaiting the break of dawn, hoping no further incidents would occur. Thankfully, the night passed without any additional mishaps.

As soon as daylight broke, the group hastily departed from the ill-fated campsite. The tragic loss of more than a dozen lives on the first day of camping in the wilderness had dealt a heavy blow to the team's morale. The initial excitement had vanished, replaced by an air of fear and desolation.

Zhang Ziping, the man at the heart of the disaster, was understandably the most terrified. Suspicious and resentful eyes turned toward him, making him feel like he was encircled by a pack of malevolent wolves. Lu Yi, acutely aware of the tension, let out a somber sigh.

Despite his anger at Zhang Ziping's actions the day before and his infuriating attempt to shift the blame, Lu Yi knew they had to stick together as a team. "Yesterday's events were, in truth, an accident," he said earnestly. "Who could have foreseen such a mishap? Lord Zhang Ziping didn't mean any harm. Let's forgive him and move forward."

The crowd fell silent, heads bowed in sorrow. After a pause, one person lifted their head, sighed, and spoke up. "Okay, fine. Though it was Vice Captain Zhang who led us there, we all agreed to it. Commander Lu, we owe you an apology. We should have trusted you, but instead, we doubted you and even ridiculed you." Remorse was evident on his face.

"It's alright. I understand," Lu Yi responded with a reassuring smile, the clouds of gloom lifting from his heart.

Off to the side, Zhang Ziping watched Lu Yi bask in the group's support, his face a mask of anger and bitterness, as dark and still as a frozen pond. "Damn it, this is all your fault. If you hadn't opposed setting up camp there, I wouldn't be the target of their hatred," he seethed, fists clenched and veins throbbing with rage as he began to plot his revenge.

The remainder of the journey unfolded peacefully, without further incident. After more than ten days on the road, they finally reached their destination.

Nestled in the crevice of a canyon lies the unique Transcending Mortality Town. This village doesn't fall under the jurisdiction of any single city. Instead, it's co-managed by four cities, each sending their own experts to ensure the safety of the Transcending Mortality Tree. As a result, the town is usually a quiet place.

But today is an exception. The town is abuzz with activity as the top talents from the four cities have converged here, bringing with them an undercurrent of tension.

Lu Yi's team took a day to rest in a house on the eastern edge of town. By the next day, the central square was teeming with geniuses from all four cities. At the heart of the square stood a towering stage, three meters high and thirty meters across, with each city's representatives positioned at one of the four cardinal directions: Flatminster to the east, Hawk Castle to the south, Mogg City to the west, and Castleminster to the north. Among them, Flatminster stood out the most.

While the other teams were led by venerable old men with frosty hair and beards, Flatminster's contingent was led by the youthful Lu Yi, a stark contrast to his elders.

"Excuse me, has Flatminster run out of suitable leaders? Why send a youngster to lead?" inquired Chen Kuangdao, the vice-captain of Hawk Castle. Dressed in a flowing green robe, his long beard dancing in the breeze, he exuded an effortless elegance. Each step he took was charged with a commanding presence, and he was a formidable figure, a yellow-level Holy Soul Master with a rare affinity for poison.

Approaching Lu Yi, he looked the young man over with a sardonic grin. "Young man, are you even twenty yet?" Despite his mocking tone, Chen Kuangdao couldn't hide his surprise, especially upon noticing Zhang Ziping. Zhang was a seasoned strategist, the usual leader for Flatminster and a cunning old fox.

But now, Zhang Ziping had surprisingly been made a deputy captain, with some young upstart taking the role of captain.

Either Flatminster had lost its mind, or Lu Yi was a rising star to watch.

"I haven't yet. Even though I'm the team captain, I'm still eligible to compete," Lu Yi stated calmly.

The age of twenty was a cutoff. Those under twenty could compete, but anyone older was disqualified.

"Really? Flatminster sure is fascinating, appointing someone not even twenty as the team leader."

Chen Kuangdao then turned his mocking gaze toward Zhang Ziping, his eyes brimming with scorn as he chuckled.

"Old Zhang, seems like you're regressing. Weren't you always the one leading? Why let some kid take your place now?"

Lu Yi felt a twinge of unease at the sight of Chen Kuangdao's sly grin and the taunting tone in his voice.

Crap, this isn't right.

Was Chen Kuangdao trying to stir up trouble?

Zhang Ziping's face was the picture of embarrassment, as if he wished the ground would swallow him up.

"Enough! Don't spew such nonsense. The City Lord simply recognized that Lord Zhang Ziping has been working hard and wanted to ease his load," Lu Yi rebuked sharply.

"Hmm, this kid's got some spunk," Chen Kuangdao mused, his eyes shifting as he spoke with a renewed grin.

"You've got it all wrong. I'm not here to cause trouble. I just found it odd and wanted to ask, that's all."

Yet, his smirk still carried a hint of malice, and to add insult to injury, he even had the audacity to wink at Zhang Ziping.

...

"Let's not bicker, the tournament is happening today. Are you all up to speed with the city's regulations?"

At that moment, a man with a square face and an air of integrity approached and spoke.

This man was Zhao Loong, the team leader from Flatminster, and a formidable expert who had reached the yellow level.

"We're aware. It's just a competition, right? The victor claims the Transcending Mortality Fruit for their city."

Lu Yi replied nonchalantly.

"That's the gist of it, but the specific rules of the tournament have yet to be disclosed," Zhao Loong said with a smile, then turned and leaped onto the stage.

"Next up, let's dive into the rules of the arena competition."