Seeing Ling Feng’s panicked, hurried expression, Shen Haoran frowned and quickly tried to calm him. "Senior Brother Ling, don’t rush. Slow down and tell me what’s wrong."

"How can I not be anxious? Junior Shen, you’re in huge trouble!" Ling Feng said, his expression still frantic.

"What is it?" Seeing Ling Feng’s frantic state, Shen Haoran was puzzled. ’What in the world could make him this panicked?’

"The competition for spots to enter the Desert Ancient City starts in three days, right? Well, today, the Elders and the Sect Leader were at the Central Martial Arts Arena announcing the details. They said two people would get spots automatically, without needing to compete, and you’re one of them!" Ling Feng quickly explained.

Hearing this, Shen Haoran chuckled. "Senior Brother Ling, so that’s all it is? I already knew about that!"

Seeing Shen Haoran’s relaxed expression, Ling Feng froze. He quickly realized Shen Haoran had misunderstood and rushed to explain. "Junior Shen, that’s exactly the problem! You haven’t been in the Sect long, and you left for that mission the three elders gave you right after you arrived. Besides making an appearance at the Slaughter Tower and the Celestial Spirit Hall, very few disciples even know who you are. So when they heard you were getting a spot without having to compete, they all started protesting to the Sect Leader and the Elders!"

"Protesting? What do you mean?" Hearing Ling Feng’s words, Shen Haoran’s frown deepened. ’I’m just getting one of the spots. What does that have to do with the other disciples? Why would they protest?’

"Yes! The disciples are adamant that your spot should be revoked. They’re saying you don’t deserve it. That’s just how they are—selfish. They all want the spot for themselves, so they’ve banded together to protest against you!"

Hearing this, Shen Haoran was annoyed, but he just waved a dismissive hand. "Let them protest. The decision was made by the Elder Council and the Sect Leader. Do they really think they can change their minds? I don’t have the energy to argue with them." Shen Haoran’s mind was set on his Cultivation of the Soul Shattering Celestial Assault; he had no desire to waste time on these bored disciples from the Celestial Spirit Sect.

"But they can’t go against the Elders and the Sect Leader, so they’re harassing Junior Sister Murong and Han Xu instead!" Ling Feng blurted out, just as Shen Haoran was about to turn away.

Hearing this, Shen Haoran froze mid-step. His expression instantly darkened. He spun around to face Ling Feng and demanded, "Where are they now?"

"The Central Martial Arts Arena!" Ling Feng replied.

"Let’s go!" Without another word, Shen Haoran bolted toward the Central Martial Arts Arena. ’It’s one thing for those disciples to talk trash about me behind my back—it doesn’t cost me anything, and arguing would just be lowering myself to their level. But they are not allowed to bully my friends. The people around me are my Reversed Scale—a Dragon’s Reversed Scale. Anyone who touches it dies!’

...

Meanwhile, at the Celestial Spirit Sect’s Central Martial Arts Arena, hundreds of Martial Artists had gathered. The bustling crowd made for a lively spectacle, and a commotion could be heard from its very center.

"What gives you the right to say that about Brother Haoran? He earned that spot with his own strength! You’re just jealous, that’s why you’re slandering him!" Murong Wanqing’s face was flushed red with anger as she spoke. ’These disciples dared to claim her Brother Haoran got the spot through some back-door deal. How could she possibly stand for that?’

"Hmph. Wanqing, they’re just a pack of mad dogs, snapping at anyone in sight. Don’t waste your breath on them!" Han Xu said, his face dark. Shen Haoran held an esteemed place in their hearts, so to see him being disparaged by these selfish little men made Han Xu seethe with rage.

"What? Are we wrong? A new disciple like Shen Haoran thinks he can get a spot for the Desert Ancient City? What a joke! I heard he’s only a Tier Five Spirit Marquis. A worthless coward like him... If he hadn’t used some underhanded means, why would the Elder Council and the Sect Leader ever give a spot to him?!" one of the disciples sneered at Murong Wanqing and Han Xu.

"That’s right! We will absolutely not accept Shen Haoran getting that spot! He has to give it up, or there’ll be no place for him in the Celestial Spirit Sect!"

"Yeah, yeah! Give it up! Hand over the spot!" Piercing denunciations erupted from the crowd. The nasty words reached Murong Wanqing and Han Xu’s ears, and their expressions grew increasingly grim.

"Shut up!" Murong Wanqing finally snapped. A violent surge of Spiritual Power erupted from her, and pale golden flames instantly swirled around her body, making her look like a Female War God.

"What’s wrong? Did we misspeak? You want to make a move? Come on, your senior brothers will be happy to play with you!" a Tier Eight Spirit Marquis disciple taunted, stepping forward as he saw her power erupt. A lewd smile curled his lips.

"You..." Murong Wanqing seethed as she met his mocking gaze, and she prepared to attack.

However, just as Murong Wanqing was about to make her move, a dark figure abruptly appeared. A large hand rested on her shoulder, and the pale golden flames covering her body instantly receded like a tide, flowing back within her.

"Brother Haoran!" Murong Wanqing turned, her voice filled with delighted surprise when she saw the newcomer.

"Mhm. Leave the rest to me," Shen Haoran said softly, patting Murong Wanqing’s shoulder. He then turned his gaze to the disciples who had surrounded Murong Wanqing and Han Xu, and his face slowly grew cold.

"So you’re Shen Haoran?" a skinny disciple asked, staring at the figure who had appeared so suddenly. Shen Haoran had moved too quickly for him to even see.

Shen Haoran ignored the skinny disciple, however. His gaze swept slowly over the crowd, his expression unreadable.

"Kid, don’t think you can be so arrogant just because you got a spot to the Desert Ancient City," the skinny disciple sneered when Shen Haoran ignored him. "I’m going to make you cough that spot up today and learn that a treasure like that isn’t for a worthless coward like you to possess!"

"Stop!" Just then, Ling Feng hurried over and blocked the skinny disciple’s path. He glanced at Shen Haoran as if looking at some kind of freak. ’They had both started running here together, but Shen Haoran was so fast he left me completely in the dust. A month ago, he wasn’t nearly this powerful. It’s only been a month, and he’s already grown so strong that I can’t even hope to catch up. What a monster...’