Free Web NovelChapter 2053: Chapter 2053: Grudges and Enmity
"Still want to keep walking around?"
Su Chen asked with a smile.
"No, let’s go back."
After what had just happened, Xi Youyou lost all interest.
The two of them headed back, and of course, Su Chen gave Xi Youyou the necklace he’d spent a hundred Red Mysterious Stones on.
When Xi Youyou took the necklace, a strange feeling inexplicably rose in her heart!
Now that she’d put down her prejudice and really looked, this man she’d always found annoying seemed to have something different about him, and even a hint of mystery.
Once they returned to the inn, the two of them went back to their rooms.
...
Two days later, the day of the competition between the three great guilds arrived.
On this day, Mao Ling City was unusually lively, and many people had rushed here from faraway places for reasons even they weren’t clear on!
The major guilds were a rather special existence in the Cangxuan Territory. If you looked only at Martial Arts strength, these guilds might not count as the absolute top, but because they researched Elixirs, Artifact Refining, Formations, beast-taming and so on, all of which were extremely important.
So many powers relied heavily on these guilds!
Among all the guilds, the very top were mainly the three great guilds: Zijin Guild, Ju Hai Guild, and Tianhe Guild.
Today’s competition on the Path of Inscriptions was being held between these three, and in a sense also represented the
highest standard of the Path of Inscriptions in the Cangxuan Territory!
At least, on the surface it looked that way.
Early that morning, the Tianhe Guild group headed out of the city.
The competition site was set on a vast open field outside the city, and by the time Su Chen and the others arrived, there were already huge crowds!
Su Chen hadn’t expected a competition in Inscriptions to draw so many spectators!
"By the way, Elder Xi, how do the three great guilds stack up against each other in strength?"
Su Chen asked casually.
"Zijin Guild is unquestionably the strongest. They also have the largest number of genius apprentices. Ju Hai Guild and our Tianhe Guild are about the same."
Elder Xi explained to Su Chen.
At this time, Mu Yunbai spoke up:
"Elder Xi, there’s no need to gloss it over. Since Mr. Su is representing our Tianhe Guild this time, he needs to know the real situation. To be honest, Ju Hai Guild is still a bit stronger than us, so in past three-guild competitions, they’ve taken second place the majority of the time."
"Then just how strong is this Zijin Guild?"
Su Chen asked with some curiosity.
Mu Yunbai replied:
"Let me put it this way: in the past thousand years, Zijin Guild has always taken first place."
"Mr. Su, to speak frankly, neither our Tianhe Guild nor Ju Hai Guild even dare to think about first place."
Mu Yunbai continued:
"So when we asked Mr. Su for help this time, we didn’t dare hope for first. Just getting second would already be a success!"
The main reason Mu Yunbai had agreed with Elder Xi’s proposal to have Su Chen represent them was that he knew if they relied solely on Tianhe Guild’s own strength, it would be really hard to snatch second place—there was very little chance.
And this young man was at least an unknown factor!
Since Elder Xi held him in such high regard, maybe he really could bring an unexpected surprise!
In any case, things couldn’t get much worse than they already were!
"People from Tianhe Guild are here!"
As soon as the crowd spotted Mu Yunbai and the others, a stir immediately went through them!
Even if Tianhe Guild had the reputation of being the bottom of the three great guilds, it still represented one of the highest standards of Inscriptions in the Cangxuan Territory!
Mu Yunbai led the Tianhe Guild people to take their seats in the front row.
"Those other two guilds aren’t here yet?"
He asked in passing.
"Should be soon."
An Elder glanced around as he answered. This Elder’s surname was Zou, and he was also one of the participants this time.
Right now he seemed a little nervous—that was unavoidable, since Tianhe Guild’s overall strength was the weakest.
In fact, it wasn’t just him. Everyone in Tianhe Guild, from Mu Yunbai down to Xi Youyou, was feeling somewhat tense!
The only one who seemed truly relaxed was probably Su Chen!
Only, in the others’ eyes, the reason he wasn’t nervous was simply because he wasn’t actually a member of Tianhe Guild, and the guild’s honor didn’t have much to do with him!
Not long after, an even louder commotion suddenly broke out!
The spectators all turned their heads to look, only to see two groups of people walking over!
Zijin Guild and Ju Hai Guild had actually arrived at almost the same time!
"President Yao, do go easy on us today!"
"President Luo, you jest!"
When the two presidents spotted each other, they walked as they exchanged cupped-hand salutes with smiles.
At this point, Mu Yunbai also stood up and turned to President Yao of Zijin Guild, cupping his hands as he said:
"President Yao."
"President Mu, you’re already here, I see!"
President Yao replied with a face full of spring-breeze smiles.
But President Luo of Ju Hai Guild was far less pleasant. With a half-smile he said:
"President Mu, your Tianhe Guild is really tenacious. Always at the bottom, yet you participate enthusiastically every single time!"
"It’s not like your Ju Hai Guild has pressed us down every single time, is it?"
Elder Xi retorted.
"Oh, then I misspoke! Out of five times, it’s happened four. That shouldn’t count as talking nonsense, right? Hahaha~~~"
President Luo laughed loudly, his voice full of mockery.
Hearing this, everyone from Tianhe Guild flushed red. This time they couldn’t find any words to argue back!
Because what the other side said was true!
The reason Tianhe Guild and Ju Hai Guild seemed so at odds was, in the end, because they were competitors—even though Tianhe Guild was at an absolute disadvantage!
However, whether it was Tianhe Guild or Ju Hai Guild, neither had much conflict with Zijin Guild!
Because Zijin Guild had taken first place every time. They had no way to overturn that, not even the slightest chance to challenge!
Precisely because of that, there were instead no real grudges there!
But between Ju Hai Guild and Tianhe Guild, they competed every time. After so long, naturally a lot of resentment had built up!
To the point that when they met, they couldn’t even be bothered to put on a polite front!
Shamed and enraged, Mu Yunbai threw down a line:
"Hmph, that was all in the past. It doesn’t represent today!"
"Oh? Then I’ll be waiting to see what kind of performance your Tianhe Guild will show today."
President Luo curled his lip in disdain.
As an old rival, he knew Tianhe Guild’s foundations and strength far too well!
Wanting to contend with them for second place was nothing but a pipe dream!
But at this moment, Xi Youyou’s gaze wasn’t on Ju Hai Guild; it was on Zijin Guild’s side!
"Su Chen, look."
Xi Youyou gestured slightly, even her voice sounding a bit different.
Su Chen looked over in curiosity, and finally understood why Xi Youyou had reacted that way!
Because among the crowd, he saw two familiar figures—the very man and woman who had clashed with them that day!
