Three Peaks City was situated in the southeastern part of Qinghe Prefecture, a location considered quite remote. The entire region was characterized by a succession of mountains, with three peaks being the most renowned, hence the city’s name.

These three peaks were called Upright Brush, Jade Balance, and Flying Arrival.

The people of this city, due to their poverty and isolation, were often contemptuously referred to as “mountain barbarians.” Many could not even afford shoes and traversed the mountains barefoot as if walking on flat ground.

Now that the representatives from Three Peaks City had arrived, the annual Three Cities Tournament could officially commence, as those from Riverview City had entered the city a day prior.

Geographically speaking, the distance to Three Peaks City in a straight line was slightly farther, but not by much. However, traveling by water from Riverview City to Maplewood City was extremely convenient. One could take a boat down the Clear River, then turn into the tributary Green Willow River; with favorable winds, the journey could even be completed from morning till night.

However, walking from Three Peaks City to Maplewood City, at a commoner’s pace, would take approximately three or four days… and that was only because there was an official road.

It wasn’t as though the disciples not participating in the tournament could rest. Throughout the duration of the Three Cities Tournament, they were required to assist the government in maintaining order. Junior disciples like Linghe and Zhao Rucheng had no chance of shirking their duties.

Given the situation, even the city guards had deployed a contingent to reside within the city, so they had little reason to complain.

The Three Peaks City team would undoubtedly enter through the south gate, so upon receiving notice, they had been guarding the south gate entrance since early in the day, waiting to greet them.

“How much longer must we wait?” Zhao Rucheng yawned incessantly. “If I had known I couldn’t escape this duty, I would have participated myself and given my spot to my third brother.”

At this moment, Jiang Wang was legitimately resting at home under the pretense of preparing for the competition. Yet they, those not participating, had already spent three days as patrol grunts. Such a disparity in treatment!

“Alas,” Huang Azhan also lamented, shaking his head. “It was out of softheartedness for Senior Brother Zhang’s age that I relinquished my potential leadership position! Otherwise, I should be leading the team. Why am I squandering my time with you youngsters?”

As a disciple within his three-year term, even at his most boastful, he should at most be comparing himself to Li Jianqiu. Yet, he leaped directly to the five-year term, aiming for the leadership position. Truly, the path of boasting knew no bounds.

Zhao Rucheng and Linghe both turned to look at him, casting approving glances.

“Is that so?”

Just as Huang Azhan was questioning, a ghostly voice sounded from behind, continuing, “Am I that old?”

Huang Azhan nearly jumped out of his skin. “What I meant to express was… Senior Brother Zhang is a highly respected elder!”

Zhang Linchuan was standing behind him, maintaining a distance of approximately two steps, his expression a half-smile, half-something else. “For the sake of the greater good of Maplewood City, how could you allow yourself to be softhearted? Perhaps you should not have relinquished the leadership position; take it back…”

“Oh! Ah!” Huang Azhan exclaimed with dramatic inflection. “Why does my stomach hurt so much?”

“Please forgive me, fellow senior and junior brothers; I’ll be right back,” he said, clutching his stomach in feigned agony, his back hunched over as he scurried away.

He naturally would not return. He would rather face the academy’s punishment and deduction of merits.

Zhao Rucheng curled his lip. He had only spoken carelessly for momentary enjoyment, but Huang Azhan was truly courting death. It seemed that since Tiger Du had left, he hadn’t been drinking enough.

“Senior Brother Zhang,” Linghe, with his upright nature, first offered a formal greeting before asking, “Why have you come?”

Zhang Linchuan nodded in return. “With the tournament imminent, I must observe the enemy’s situation.”

It seemed that Elder Dong had indeed placed a great deal of pressure on him, so much so that the fastidious and cleanliness-loving Zhang Linchuan was willing to squeeze into the crowd to observe the ‘enemy situation.’

In fact, many commoners were gathered at the south gate. Compared to the wealthy individuals from Riverview City, they were more interested in the so-called “mountain barbarians.”

“They’re here!”

A commotion arose from the front, signaling the arrival of the disciples from the Three Peaks City academy.

Unlike the Riverview City cultivators, who had brought a retinue of servants as if going on a leisurely excursion, Three Peaks City had only brought six people. Each city had been allocated exactly six slots for participation in the tournament.

They entered through the south gate in a formation of one, three, and two.

Almost immediately, the people’s gazes fell to their feet, as it was rumored that mountain barbarian families owned only one pair of shoes, reserved for those traveling long distances.

They were not disappointed; the girl walking at the front of the Three Peaks City team was indeed barefoot.

Such a discriminating and scrutinizing gaze would undoubtedly cause displeasure. Thus, Linghe immediately stepped forward to greet them.

“Fellow Daoists from Three Peaks City! Linghe of the Maplewood City academy has been awaiting your arrival. Please follow me; we will first go to the academy to rest and have a meal. Later, I will guide you to familiarize yourselves with the tournament venue.”

Logically, Huang Azhan, a disciple in his third year, should have been the one responsible for welcoming the guests from Three Peaks City. However, the supervising elder had deemed his image unsuitable and designated Linghe, whose sincerity indeed made him well-suited for the task.

The people from Three Peaks City did not even have time to express displeasure before following Linghe.

Contrary to Zhao Rucheng’s expectations, the eyes of the commoners gathered near the city gate were mainly focused on the round and plump figure in the center of the Three Peaks City team.

Unlike the others, who wore simple and practical combat attire, he was draped in a hooded black robe, his entire face hidden within the hood, making him appear particularly strange and eye-catching.

Zhao Rucheng could even hear some people whispering.

“That must be their strongest warrior, right?”

“Needless to say, standing in such a revered position; look at that aura!”

“He looks terrifying.”

“Our Maplewood City must be wary!”

“What is there to fear? Zhang Linchuan of the Zhang family is no pushover!”

“He seems to be a vegetarian… When he came to our restaurant last time, he didn’t even try the bear paws and only ate a few bites of green vegetables. I was the one who served them!”

The topic gradually veered off course…

As for the little girl walking at the front of the Three Peaks City team, she was simply too harmless-looking. Even though she was beautiful, petite, and adorable, the world of cultivators was, after all, a cruel one; only true powerhouses were valued.

As part of the welcoming committee, Zhao Rucheng was naturally making small talk with the Three Peaks City cultivators. However, they were all relatively taciturn and guarded their formation closely, protecting the black-robed figure as if fearing someone would discover the secrets of their magical artifacts.

Young Master Zhao attempted to squeeze in a few times casually but gave up.

He did notice, however, that as the commoners along the road whispered, the expressions of these Three Peaks City cultivators… became somewhat strange.

Zhang Linchuan did not stay with them; he merely glanced at them from within the crowd before departing.

Amidst Linghe’s enthusiastic introductions and the barefoot girl’s laconic replies, the group turned right, heading toward the academy.

The barefoot girl suddenly stopped, her gaze shifting to a restaurant on the street.

On the second floor of the restaurant, a refined-looking young man stood by the window, one hand behind his back and the other holding a cup. He raised the cup in a gesture of acknowledgement towards the barefoot girl, revealing a flawless smile.

The barefoot girl did not look to the side and continued forward.

Linghe recognized him.

It was Lin Zhengren, the leader of Riverview City’s delegation and the top-ranked disciple on the Riverview City academy’s merit board!