The Strongest Dandy in the City-Chapter 2156 - 2145: I Won’t Lose to You

In the following two days.

The preliminary rounds for both the Alchemists and the Artifact Refiners were held in succession.

Since Ye Chenfeng was directly entering the finals for both the Alchemy and Artifact Refinement competitions, these two days were relatively free for him. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

Ye Chenfeng temporarily settled Qiao Songnan and Qiao Chen at the Tian Shun Auction House branch, and he also helped the grandfather and grandson adjust their bodies, at least preventing their condition from worsening, making it easier to help them recover their damaged Dantian in the future.

Until the third day when the sun gradually rose from the east.

Today was the preliminary round for the Talisman Masters, and Ye Chenfeng was not directly entered into the finals for this competition initially.

When Xue Wanqing, Yun Rong, and others invited Ye Chenfeng to watch the preliminary round of Talisman Masters together, he simply declined, saying he needed to retreat for cultivation.

While Xue Wanqing, Yun Rong, Zhao Xingtu, and others went to the South Square to watch the preliminaries for the Talisman Masters.

Ye Chenfeng quietly left the Tian Shun Auction House branch as well, choosing a deep and tranquil alleyway.

When he emerged from the alley, he had changed into a different garment, wearing a black mask on his face, and even his aura had been slightly altered by Lao Bai and Lao Hei.

With the black mask on his face, Ye Chenfeng headed toward the South Square in Spirit Artifact City.

The audience seats in the South Square were bustling with noise.

All kinds of discussions were about Ye Chenfeng.

Ye Chenfeng’s influence was indeed overwhelming, as he even rejected recruitment from sects like the Heavenly Sword Sect.

At this moment.

On the high platform in the center of the square.

Ye Chenfeng, with a black mask on his face, was already standing among the crowd participating in the preliminaries.

There were about fifty people participating in the preliminary round for Talisman Masters, and in the end, only around ten might pass the preliminaries.

In front of these contestants, four unsmiling elders stood solemnly.

One of them was naturally Yu Shiqing, the patriarch of the Talisman Master Pavilion, and Gu Xin’er stood behind him.

The elder on Yu Shiqing’s right was Duan Dongyan, another patriarch of the Talisman Master Pavilion, who was also a Seventh-Rank Talisman Master.

Standing slightly behind Yu Shiqing and Duan Dongyan were two other elders, the Chief Pavilion Master Gao Baizhi and Vice Pavilion Master He Qingwu of the Talisman Master Pavilion, with the Chief Pavilion Master Gao Baizhi being a Sixth-Rank Talisman Master, and the Vice Pavilion Master He Qingwu a Fifth-Rank Talisman Master.

The Talisman Master Pavilion did not have many Vice Pavilion Masters like the Alchemy Pavilion and Artifact Refinement Pavilion.

Yu Shiqing and his disciple Gu Xin’er were subtly glancing at Ye Chenfeng among the contestants.

A smile unconsciously appeared on Yu Shiqing’s typically unsmiling face, while Gu Xin’er looked eager to try, with her cheeks puffed out.

"Old Yu, what’s making you so happy?" Duan Dongyan noticed the smile on Yu Shiqing’s face.

Yu Shiqing said, "Old Duan, what do you think of these contestants?"

Duan Dongyan stroked his long white beard and said, "Old Yu, don’t bend over backwards showing off your prized apprentice to me. None of these contestants can compare with your disciple. I really wonder how much virtue you accumulated in your past life, you old man. I still don’t have anyone to inherit my legacy!"

Yu Shiqing smiled broadly inside, having almost recognized Ye Chenfeng as his disciple. Just by the way Ye Chenfeng passed the selection last time, he was sure Ye Chenfeng’s talent for creating talismans wasn’t lacking. He said, "Old Duan, Xin’er lacks someone to help her with trifles. I want to pick someone here, could you give me some suggestions?"

Duan Dongyan said irritably, "You’re clearly boasting about your disciple, aren’t you? Just wait for the preliminaries to finish if you’re looking for someone to do chores. When you say it’s for Xin’er, many young Talisman Masters here will be more than happy."

Yu Shiqing continued, "Old Duan, that’s not right. I’m looking for a helper for Xin’er, who can’t entangle with her."

Yu Shiqing seemed to glance around the contestants, finally settling his gaze on Ye Chenfeng, saying, "Old Duan, how about that little guy with the black mask? His face is covered, so he might be ugly, and an ugly person naturally wouldn’t have the face to entangle with Xin’er."

"Moreover, although his face is covered by the mask, his eyes are very clear. I think this little guy with the black mask would be a good helper for Xin’er! After all, someone for chores doesn’t need highly competent Talisman Master skills."

"Old Duan, what do you think?"

Yu Shiqing displayed a cunning smile.

However, Duan Dongyan paid no attention, having never met Ye Chenfeng, he said casually, "Why are you asking me about picking a helper for your disciple? Pick whoever you like, none of these contestants can inherit my legacy."

Gao Baizhi standing slightly behind reminded, "Both of you elders, don’t you think it’s time to announce the start of the preliminaries?"

Yu Shiqing and Duan Dongyan’s conversation was low, and none of the contestants on the high platform heard it.

Gu Xin’er stepped out from behind Yu Shiqing.

Yu Shiqing naturally understood Gu Xin’er’s intent and was helpless against his ambitious disciple. He laughed, "Old Duan, Xin’er also wants to participate in the preliminaries, she’s bored. Let her have some fun! As long as her result isn’t counted among the preliminary slots."

After all, Gu Xin’er had the qualification to directly enter the finals.

Duan Dongyan didn’t object to Yu Shiqing’s suggestion, assuming Yu Shiqing was showing off his disciple.

Following this, Yu Shiqing and Duan Dongyan began explaining the rules of the preliminary.

A slab and a Talisman Pen appeared in front of each contestant on the large high platform.

Each slab bore an identical pattern, known as a Talisman Board.

Talisman Masters would trace the pattern on the Talisman Board with the Talisman Pen, and the faster they traced it, the better.

The Talisman Boards were originally designed to test a Talisman Master’s balanced talents in various aspects.

Only Talisman Pens provided by the Talisman Master Pavilion could be used, as the quality of the pen could also influence the tracing speed.

The contestants faced the Second Level Talisman Boards.

Only Second Grade Talisman Masters could trace on these boards, and there were no First Grade Talisman Masters among the contestants.

Hearing that the prodigy of the Talisman Master Pavilion would also participate in the preliminaries, the crowd discussing Ye Chenfeng paused.

Yu Shiqing and Duan Dongyan explained very clearly that Gu Xiner’s participation was purely for interest and wouldn’t occupy others’ advancement slots, so no one on-site objected to the suggestion; on the contrary, it piqued a lot of interest.

Gu Xiner’s name was widely known across Central Continent.

Even at a young age, she had achieved the level of a Fourth-Rank Talisman Master and was a disciple of Yu Shiqing from the Talisman Master Pavilion. She was recognized as the top Talisman Master among the younger generation in the Tian Xuan Realm, something all cultivators across Central Continent agreed upon.

Everyone believed that the first place in the Talisman Master Pavilion this time would undoubtedly be Gu Xin’er’s.

"With Gu Xin’er participating in the preliminaries, she will certainly be the first to finish tracing the Talisman Board. There’s no doubt about it."

"True, but watching this prodigy in action is quite a spectacle, even if the result is predetermined, I’m still very much looking forward to it."

"Indeed, indeed, I remember each different level of Talisman Board has a record for tracing time. The record for the Second Level Talisman Board seems to be two breaths, established by the two patriarchs of the Talisman Master Pavilion. I wonder how many breaths it will take for Gu Xin’er to trace this Second Level Talisman Board?"

"This Second Level Talisman Board can be traced by anyone who reaches Second Grade Talisman Master, and the rest depends on the Talisman Master’s various talents. I think Gu Xiner’s talents might not be inferior to the two patriarchs of the Talisman Master Pavilion, she might even trace it in about three breaths!"

The audience constantly discussed Gu Xin’er.

After introducing the general rules, Yu Shiqing said, "Everyone, you may start tracing now."

Gu Xin’er was arranged beside Ye Chenfeng in front of a Talisman Board.

Gu Xin’er glanced at Ye Chenfeng, glaring with her beautiful eyes, she said, "Hmph, I definitely won’t lose to you."

This left the black-masked Ye Chenfeng feeling miffed. It seemed he hadn’t held a grudge with Gu Xin’er, right? With the mask on, he hadn’t even met Gu Xin’er, had he?

What kind of medicine did this girl take by mistake?

...(To be continued. If you like this work, you’re welcome to vote for it on Qidian (qidian.com) with recommendation votes or monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read on m.qidian.com.)