"Oh, great showing by Hu Shan! I haven't seen a Qi and Blood Pill of that quality in quite a while!"
The announcer's voice boomed throughout the amphitheater, along with many others as several different contests were held at the same time. Pill refining, formations, and even the arts like music and painting were showcased in several different spots on stage.
Each venue was observed with mild interest by the crowd, breaking into polite applause every time a particularly impressive pill or painting was revealed.
Still, everyone knew that the most anticipated event was the combat showcase, where the young geniuses could challenge each other to a duel and show off their prowess.
Of course, contenders of a higher cultivation challenging those weaker than them would be a bad look, so various, well-known Golden Core experts were on standby for contestants to challenge if they felt there weren't any other suitable opponents.
Long Meiling stood at the side of the stage with the other contestants that were also waiting for the dueling showcase, a calm look on her face as she crossed her arms and observed those competing onstage.
However, her apparent calm was just a mask, as she was still unable to shake those worries about Ryker. If it was only a matter of his ability, perhaps she wouldn't be so stressed out about it, but considering his reckless temperament...
'What am I doing...' she thought glumly to herself, shaking her head. Since when had she been so easily distracted? But as it was, she just couldn't focus.
"My, sister, are you sure you can afford to be distracted at an event, like this?"
Meiling flinched as she heard that gratingly pleasant voice, turning to see Long Jingfei sauntering up to her.
"...Jingfei," she said, simply, turning away.
"Hm? Are you perhaps thinking about someone?" Jingfei continued pestering her, seemingly oblivious to the coldness in Meiling's tone.
"I don't see him, in the crowd. Perhaps he's indisposed, for today?"
"Just what are you implying?" Meiling spat out impatiently, giving her a sideways glance.
Long Jingfei only smiled sweetly, leisurely folding an arm beneath her ample bosom.
"Oh, just that dear Daoming told me about what happened at that dinner, three nights ago. I'm sure your friend must be feeling the effects, by now..."
"What?!"
Meiling walked forward, getting up in Long Jingfei's face with a glare.
"What did you put in that food?" she asked in a low voice, sword appearing in her hands. The other contestants were starting to notice the commotion, now, muttering amongst themselves as they watched to see how this confrontation between sisters would play out.
"Temper, temper. You wouldn't want to disqualify yourself, would you, sister?" Jingfei said with another of her infuriatingly pleasant smiles.
Long Meiling could only grit her teeth, huffing before putting her sword back into her storage space. She forced herself to walk away, before she did anything that would cause her to be thrown out of the amphitheater.
"Long Jingfei...!"
Her face was stony as she moved to the other side of the waiting area, ignoring the stares and whispers of the other contestants. She'd love to see the look on her sister's face when she defeated her, today!
--
[So, what's your plan?]
Mini C's voice sounded in Ryker's head as he casually walked through the amphitheater's spacious hallways. Although there were many workers milling about, they all seemed to be busy with their own tasks in keeping the exhibition running smoothly, and none of them gave him any trouble.
[Your height doesn't lend itself towards staying hidden, so I doubt you'd be able to sneak in,] Mini C continued, as they made their way through the halls, unhindered.
"Who said we needed to sneak in?" Ryker answered with a grin, "All we gotta do is find one of those Li family guards and ask them to let us see him."
[...Well, I'll leave it to your discretion.]
They continued on for a while, heading towards VIP seating areas. Guards posted at the stairway entrances gave Ryker wary looks as he passed by, but seeing as all he was doing was walking past, they didn't give him any further notice.
[There. The Li family crest,] Mini C chimed in, highlighting a pair of guards wearing the crest in question in Ryker's vision.
"Nice. Well, here goes nothing."
Putting on a friendly smile, he walked up to them with a wave of his hand, getting their attention.
"Halt! What's your business, here?" One of the guards barked as he approached, both of them putting a hand to the swords at their waist.
"Hey, easy buddy," Ryker said, putting both of his hands up in front of him.
"I'm here to see your patriarch, Li Deming."
"And just who are you?" the other guard asked, narrowing his eyes in suspicion.
At that, Ryker just looked around conspiratorially, taking something out of his pocket and leaning in close.
"I'm from the Great Void Sect," he whispered, flashing the object he'd taken out of his pocket at them. It was a small, jade token, a disciple's token from the ones he'd robbed a few nights ago, to be exact. Long Meiling had explained what they were to him, that night.
Seeing the token, both guards' eyes opened wide in surprise, and they gave each other a look before nodding.
"Wait here, I'll go inform Patriarch Li of your presence."
One of the guards hurried up the stairs, leaving the other to keep an eye on Ryker, in the meantime.
[...Are you sure this is going to work?] Mini C asked skeptically, [If that Great Void Sect elder is really in there, with him, they obviously won't believe that.]
'Well, they'll probably still be curious, right? And if they really don't let us in to see him, we can always just force our way in,' Ryker thought, in response. Causing a commotion here was less than ideal, but he only needed to bait the Great Void Sect elder into following him. Luo Shuchang would handle things, after that.
Soon enough, the guard came back down, Giving Ryker a salute and bowing his head.
"Apologies for the wait," the guard said in a much more respectful tone, "Please, follow me."
Ryker just grinned, saluting in return.
"Well, lead the way!"
--
"Are you sure we should be letting this miscreant in?"
A short, balding man sat in the Li family's VIP box along with Elder Shi from Great Void Sect, wiping the sweat off his brow anxiously. He had a lot riding on this deal with the sect, so he couldn't help but feel nervous whenever he had to deal with their elders.
"Hmph, I want to see who is so brazen as to impersonate one of our disciples," Elder Shi said in response, stroking his long, white beard. Any disciple of the sect would know how to contact their superiors with the jade token, itself, and the ones he brought, specifically, would know not to disturb him at this moment.
Could it be the one who had killed Elder Chen a few days ago? If that really was the case, he had to admire their boldness!
Soon after the guard had left to retrieve their unexpected guest, the door to the VIP box opened once more, revealing Ryker as well as the guardsman, the latter of whom bowed before hastily making his retreat.
"Who are you?" Elder Shi asked, coldly, releasing his Nascent Soul aura in an attempt to intimidate him. Ryker just stood there with an unreadable expression, calmly looking Elder Shi over.
"Are you from the Great Void Sect?" he asked, his goofy attitude seemingly vanishing.
"And so what if I am? What do you hope to accomplish, here?"
Elder Shi sneered, getting up from his seat to face him. This was the one who killed Elder Chen? Some punk that had just broken through to the Foundation Establishment realm?
"I don't know what tricks you used to kill Elder Chen, but if you think I'll be as easy to take down, you're sorely mistaken!"
Ryker only stared at him, looking unimpressed. Taking his sword out from his dimensional pocket, he swiftly cut the chair closest to him in twain, the wood clattering to the floor noisily.
"It doesn't matter," he said, calmly raising his sword, "Today, I'll get revenge for my parents!"