Chapter 757: Arrivals, Fleecing, Discovery, Night Talk

After a while, most Techniques from the branch pavilions would be collected by the Main Pavilion. Disciples visiting the Main Pavilion would learn them and spread them to other peaks. If not for this process, the disparities would likely be even more exaggerated.

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Zhang Deming arrived at the White Rock Peak Scripture Pavilion. After a quick look around, the Identity Jade at his waist flashed, and he walked straight in.

The Guardian Tower Disciple at the entrance was a Duality Disciple named Luo Mingfei. He was engrossed in something, but the moment Zhang Deming entered, he froze and looked up in surprise.

He happened to see Zhang Deming enter. A Spiritual Light flashed in his eyes. He’d received a notification that a Master of Three Talents had arrived, so why was the person walking in a Duality disciple?

Slightly confused, he looked at Zhang Deming’s face and seemed to recall something. “Are you… Master Zhang from Spirit Nurturing Peak?” he asked hesitantly.

‘Uh… Looks like I’ve really become famous in the Sect. Even the Salted Fish Guardian here can recognize me at a glance. This pretty much means everyone in the Celestial Spirit Sect knows who I am!’

Many years from now, legends of him would likely circulate throughout the Celestial Spirit Sect.

Zhang Deming paused. Without engaging in conversation, a thought flickered through his mind. He offered the disciple a warm smile, nodded, and went straight to the Technique section on the first floor.

The Guardian Tower Disciple, Luo Mingfei, stood there stunned for a moment. He pulled up a Light Screen and looked at the access log. “It really is Master Zhang from Spirit Nurturing Peak,” he said, astonished. “What’s he doing coming to our peak to look at Techniques?”

Before he could react, the Light Screen at the entrance began to flash nonstop. One disciple after another surged in, a seemingly endless stream.

By the time Luo Mingfei snapped out of his daze, at least a dozen disciples had already surged through the entrance. And their momentum was unusually strong, showing no signs of slowing down.

He stared blankly for a second, then waved over a Tai Chi Disciple. “What’s going on?” he asked, puzzled. “Isn’t the Grand Tournament happening right now? Why are so many disciples suddenly flooding in?”

“Did someone make a breakthrough with one of our pavilion’s Skills and light a Celestial Lantern at the tournament? How come I didn’t get any notification?”

The Tai Chi Disciple paused, looking equally confused. “Didn’t Master Zhang from Spirit Nurturing Peak just come in?”

Luo Mingfei replied dumbly, “He did! Just now!”

“In that case, I won’t disturb you from your research, Master. I’m going to go pick a Technique!” With that, the disciple gave Luo Mingfei a quick bow and hurried off, not even worried about whether such a hasty departure might offend him.

Luo Mingfei was completely bewildered. He had asked why the Scripture Pavilion had suddenly turned into a Marketplace, so what did that answer even mean? What did this have to do with Master Zhang… any… connec…

Wait a minute!

‘Don’t tell me these idiots are actually spending three Contribution Points just to come in here and leech off a lucky opportunity!!!’

As the thought crossed his mind, Luo Mingfei tapped the Light Screen and discovered that the reading area in Zhang Deming’s section on the first floor was already completely full.

Seeing this, Luo Mingfei’s face twitched. “These worthless fools…” he muttered. “This is a complete disgrace!”

Despite his words, he gave the Light Screen a tempted look. After a moment of thought, he glanced up at the entrance to the second floor but ultimately didn’t dare to rush in and try to get a piece of the action himself.

He could only turn off the Light Screen, adopting an “out of sight, out of mind” mentality. He stopped paying attention to the crowd that was still pouring in. ‘Besides, the Scripture Pavilion has an entry limit. Once it’s full, no one else can get in. The place won’t get overwhelmed,’ he thought. ‘I should just get back to my own stuff!’

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Once inside the first floor, Zhang Deming scanned his surroundings. The layout was identical to the one on Celestial Spirit Peak, so he didn’t hesitate and began his sweep.

He had only just begun when a crowd of people surged in. The more quick-witted among them saw Zhang Deming flipping through Techniques, immediately grabbed a random book, and ran over to the reading section to claim a spot.

Once one person started it, everyone else followed their lead. Within moments, the reading area was completely full. But even then, Zhang Deming didn’t show up.

The disciples who realized what was happening ran back, only to find that Zhang Deming had already moved to another section. He was still flipping through scrolls at the same rapid pace—several per minute—with no sign of picking one to study in the reading area.

The disciples looked at each other, utterly bewildered. They were completely dumbfounded and had no idea what Zhang Deming was doing.

Zhang Deming noticed the growing number of disciples in the Scripture Pavilion. Every so often, someone would drift by, pretending to browse, but he paid them no mind. As long as no one was foolish enough to block his path, he couldn’t care less what they were up to!

With little concern for anything else, Zhang Deming finished flipping through all the books and Jade Scrolls on the first floor in about two hours.

Then, Zhang Deming turned, walked to the staircase, and after a flash from the Jade Pendant at his waist, he went straight up to the second floor.

The other disciples looked at each other. Plenty of them were willing to gamble three Contribution Points on the off chance of leeching a lucky opportunity, but not many were willing to spend thirty-three.

As a result, the moment Zhang Deming entered the second floor, things quieted down instantly. It was the middle of the Grand Tournament, so the second floor was nearly empty to begin with. The vast hall felt exceptionally deserted.

Zhang Deming paid it no mind and continued his browsing, happily shearing his wool.

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While Zhang Deming was browsing, Luo Mingfei was no longer alone at the first-floor entrance. He was now joined by an old man and a middle-aged man dressed like a scholar.

The three of them stood in the counter area, intently watching Zhang Deming’s movements on the Light Screen for a long time. Finally, Luo Mingfei spoke up. “Master, is Master Zhang looking for a specific Technique?”

The old man paused upon hearing the question and shook his head. “I don’t know.”

“He couldn’t be using some special Technique to copy our peak’s Daoist Collection, could he?” Luo Mingfei asked nervously.