C22 Prepare to Go

Three days later, Wang Pingfan finally reached the base of the mountain. Clad only in beast armor and shorts, with all his spare clothing destroyed, he was unprepared for the ordeal that awaited him. Unexpectedly, Wang Pingfan had become lost in the mountain wilderness, wandering for three days before finding the path down. He encountered countless demonic beasts, many of which were stronger than him, but they seemed to have been repelled by the aura of the crystal he carried. Otherwise, he might never have found his way out.

Wang Pingfan suspected that the preliminary competitions had likely concluded by now, and that everyone had probably already headed to the capital city. Shaking his head, he resolved to check in at the Wang family's residence first.

As Wang Pingfan hastened back to the residence, passersby gawked and whispered among themselves. He looked every bit the beggar, even giving off a faint odor. Upon reaching the entrance of the residence, he was abruptly stopped by two guards. "This is the Wang family's residence. Do you realize where you are, you little beggar? Scram, or we'll have to take action," they warned.

Stunned, Wang Pingfan took stock of his appearance and realized he did indeed resemble a beggar, complete with an unpleasant smell. Having spent all his time in the mountains, personal hygiene had been the least of his concerns. Brushing the hair from his face, he challenged the guards, "Take a good look at who I am."

Upon closer inspection, the guards recognized him and exclaimed in shock, "Little, little young master, is that really you? How did you end up looking like a beggar?"

Without a word, Wang Pingfan rolled his eyes at them and dashed inside. All he wanted was a proper bath; the preliminaries could wait. But as soon as he stepped into the mansion, he was confronted by a young girl blocking his path.

"You there, how did a beggar like you get in here? Kneel down, or I'll have to take action," she demanded. Hearing the commotion, the mansion's guards quickly encircled Wang Pingfan.

Wang Pingfan, with a sense of resignation, swept his long hair aside to reveal his face and said, "Qingshui, it's me. Can't believe you don't recognize me after just a month."

Wang Qingshui stepped closer for a better look at Wang Pingfan, then burst into laughter. "Brother Pingfan, you look like a beggar! Have you been out living as one for the past month?"

Wang Pingfan gave her a sidelong glance and asked, "Speaking of which, why are you still at home? Haven't the preliminaries finished? Shouldn't you be on your way to the capital? Weren't you selected?"

Hands on her hips, Wang Qingshui replied, "Impossible! With my talent, how could I not be selected? It's all your fault."

Perplexed, Wang Pingfan asked, "I didn't even go. How is it related to me?"

"It's precisely because you didn't show up," Wang Qingshui explained. "The head of our family asked the City Lord's Palace to postpone our departure to the capital for a few days to wait for you. But the Zhao and Qian families argued that we shouldn't delay for just one person. The City Lord's Palace couldn't really object, but thankfully, the auction house people spoke up for you, which bought us a three-day delay. Today is the third day, though. If you don't return, we'll have to leave first thing tomorrow morning. So you better head to the City Lord's Palace now and secure your spot!"

After pondering for a moment, Wang Pingfan decided, "If there's still a chance, there's no need to rush. I think I'll take a bath first."

"Exactly, Brother Pingfan. With the way you look now, you're the spitting image of a little beggar. I wouldn't be surprised if the City Lord's Palace turned you away at the door," Wang Qingshui said, giggling while holding her nose.

Two hours later, Wang Pingfan emerged from the bathroom to find a crowd waiting at the door, including his parents. He asked in surprise, "What's with the crowd outside the bathroom in broad daylight? Don't tell me all of you are lining up for a bath too?" Everyone just covered their mouths, chuckling without a word.

Wang Tianlong bellowed, "You little rascal, you finally decide to show up. Do you realize you could have missed out on the Qualifying Competition? If the auction house hadn't bought you some time, their representatives would have been in the royal city by now. Get yourself to the City Lord's Palace immediately, defeat your opponent, and secure that spot."

With a slight smile, Wang Pingfan replied, "Calm down, Father. There's no need to get so worked up. I haven't missed it yet. It's just a spot in the preliminary competition. I'll easily clinch it."

"You... If it hadn't been for the auction house inexplicably helping you, you wouldn't be here making light of the situation. Get that qualification quickly, then come with me to thank those two from the auction house," Wang Tianlong continued, seemingly wanting to add more, but Wang Pingfan had already dashed through the crowd and was gone.

Standing there, Wang Tianlong yelled, "Look at that boy, completely disregarding me!"

Wang Pingfan's mother interjected, "But wasn't it you who told him to rush to the City Lord's Mansion? And now you're blaming him? Just say less and go prepare a thank-you gift for the auction house."

Wang Tianlong shot a glance at his wife and retorted, "You always take his side."

Wang Pingfan jogged all the way to the gates of the City Lord's Mansion, where a guard immediately approached him, demanding, "Halt, who are you? What's your business here?"

"I'm here for the preliminary competition," Wang Pingfan responded.

"The competition ended three days ago. You're too late. Wait until next year," the guard informed him.

Another guard chimed in, "Aren't you the Wang family's Wang Pingfan?" Confirming his identity, Wang Pingfan nodded.

The guard was impressed, "You must be quite influential. The City Lord's Mansion has never postponed a competition for anyone before. Yet, it was delayed three days for you. Go on in. After entering, turn left; someone's there waiting for you."

Shortly after entering, Wang Pingfan heard the clash of combat ahead. He soon observed two young men sparring in a square. "Who would have thought the Wang family's young man had such clout? To delay the competition for three whole days for one person's slot. I have to wonder what the City Lord's Palace is up to."

One of the young men exclaimed, "I'm the candidate for the tenth spot. Why do I have to compete with him again to secure it? Is it just because he's from the Wang family? I've heard that the guy I'm up against was nothing but trash before, and then, out of sheer luck, he got strong. If he showed up in front of me right now, I could knock him out with a single punch. This is just a waste of my time."

A voice responded, "Oh, really? I'd like to see you try to knock me out with that punch." A youth in green attire approached.

A guard stepped forward and remarked, "You must be Wang Pingfan of the Wang family. I didn't expect you to arrive just now. Well, no more talk then. Let's head straight to the arena."

Wang Pingfan and the boastful youth made their way to the arena. The other youth watched Wang Pingfan with a peculiar sense of foreboding, feeling as though he wasn't just facing a man, but rather a wild beast poised to pounce.