Chapter 114

Qinghe Branch.

Gathering Justice Hall.

Dao Xiong, for a rare occasion, was not sitting in the main seat, but consciously sat to the side.

As a branch leader, he naturally could not sit on equal footing with the alliance leader.

"Perhaps some people don't know me, so let's get to know each other now. My surname is Ning, called Ning Zhongtian, the 'Zhongtian' of 'in the middle of the sky'."

Ning Zhongtian swept his gaze over the few people in the hall and got straight to the point.

Everyone said in unison: "Greetings, Alliance Master Ning."

On such an occasion, those present were naturally only Dao Xiong and the four deputy branch leaders, including Li Rui.

"Truly domineering!"

The Tiandi Alliance was initially founded by three people together. Among them, Ning Zhongtian was the youngest, had the highest talent, and now his Wu Gong was also the highest.

He had faintly surpassed the other two.

Ever since his breakthrough this time,

the talk that the Tiandi Alliance should only have one leader had never stopped. If it weren't for Ning Zhongtian personally stepping out to suppress it, I'm afraid someone would have long since wanted to imitate those who became meritorious ministers by supporting a dragon.

Wei Ming, on the side, looked at Ning Zhongtian sideways.

It was that kind of look one gives when seeing an acquaintance show off.

Ning Zhongtian's mouth curled up slightly: "Now that I have become the Garrison Commander of the Anning Guard, our Qinghe Branch must at least produce a Platoon Leader and a Provisions Officer."

Wei Ming's mouth twitched.

It was the first time he had heard someone speak of planting cronies so righteously.

However, if Ning Zhongtian wanted to sit firmly in this position of Garrison Commander, he inevitably had to cultivate his own confidants.

Although Platoon Leader and Provisions Officer were only the lowest-ranking officials in the Annan Army, they had their uses.

As the saying goes: "Mayflies can shake a tree, ants can destroy a cave."

Don't look down on the shrimp soldiers and crab generals.

Moreover, Ning Zhongtian wasn't just cultivating two.

It was just that the people of the Qinghe Branch understood the situation in Qinghe better, so he wanted to choose two people from the Qinghe Branch.

Ning Zhongtian looked at Dao Xiong, who was eager to try on the side:

"You, as a branch leader, shouldn't get involved, lest others say that our Tiandi Alliance leader and branch leader have both run away."

Dao Xiong's face stiffened.

After hearing the news, he had harbored this thought, wanting to try his luck.

But now Ning Zhongtian's words had extinguished his hope.

The disappointment was as great as the hope had been.

Although he was unwilling, in front of Ning Zhongtian, he still forced a smile: "Yes, Alliance Master."

Don't look at the fact that Ning Zhongtian appeared the least among the three leaders of the Tiandi Alliance, but his prestige was extremely high.

Why?

Isn't it because Ning Zhongtian was ruthless enough, never soft-hearted when it came to eliminating dissenters, and anyone who dared to go against his will was regarded as a dissenter.

Dao Xiong wasn't an old man who had lived long enough, so of course, he wouldn't think his life was too long.

Human joys and sorrows can never be shared.

Just like how depressed Dao Xiong was now, Zhang Yang, Zhou Rui, and Ge Hong were that much happier.

Ning Zhongtian only wanted two people.

The five of them.

Now that Dao Xiong, the strongest competitor, was removed, their chances of winning were much greater—fifty-fifty.

Zhou Rui glanced at Zhang Yang, then glanced at Ge Hong.

"Today is a tough battle."

As for Li Rui,

he had already been ignored.

A seventy-year-old man who had just broken through not long ago, he didn't take him to heart.

"Zhang Yang... Ge Hong..."

He sighed in his heart.

Zhang Yang's former waist tag was "2," which was not just seniority, but strength.

He had always been a head above him.

Not to mention Ge Hong, who had been an Eighth-Rank ten years ago and was a famous expert in Qinghe City.

Both of these men were tough nuts to crack.

Zhang Yang and Ge Hong also looked left and right.

In their hearts, there was a faint feeling of victory in their grasp.

After all, facing the temptation of the Annan Army, it was hard for anyone to remain calm.

Dao Xiong lost his chance and sneered as he scanned his four deputies; the current scene perfectly interpreted what it meant to have different ghosts in their hearts.

Ning Zhongtian glanced at the few people and spoke again: "Based on the principle of fairness and justice, the two candidates this time will be obtained by those with higher strength."

After speaking, he stretched out his index finger and pointed at Ge Hong and Zhou Rui. "You, you, you two compete first."

Ge Hong and Zhou Rui, who were pointed at by Ning Zhongtian, were stunned.

Zhou Rui's heart sank.

Originally, in his judgment, choosing between Zhang Yang and Ge Hong, he was more inclined toward Zhang Yang. He didn't expect this Alliance Master Ning to neither draw lots nor take turns in a ring.

Instead, he called names directly.

It was truly... simple and crude.

Or one could say, there was no fairness to speak of...

Zhou Rui took a deep breath and stood up slowly.

Even if he knew that he was likely not Ge Hong's opponent, he still had to try. What if there was a chance?

He cupped his hands: "Please!"

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Ge Hong also stood up: "Deputy Branch Leader Zhou, please."

The Gathering Justice Hall was already spacious.

Seeing that Ning Zhongtian had no intention of going out, the two simply began to compete in the main hall.

Willow Leaf Saber against Overlord Saber.

In just over ten moves,

Zhou Rui was dodging left and right, falling into a disadvantage.

Zhang Yang looked at Ge Hong's exquisite saber technique and was secretly shocked: "Ge Hong has improved again!"

He was very glad that Ning Zhongtian hadn't picked him and Ge Hong; otherwise, he likely wouldn't have been Ge Hong's opponent either.

Li Rui watched and was secretly shocked.

It wasn't that the fight between Ge Hong and Zhou Rui was so thrilling, but every time Ge Hong and Zhou Rui's sabers touched objects in the hall, a layer of invisible Qi would wrap around the objects, preventing the long sabers from harming the objects in the slightest.

"Such exquisite use of Qi."

No need to think, this was naturally Ning Zhongtian's method.

"Worthy of being a Sixth-Rank!"

Although Li Rui had also realized true qi, he asked himself that he could neither make true qi leave his body, nor could he possibly use it so perfectly.

After the time it takes to burn a stick of incense,

the long saber in Zhou Rui's hand was knocked away by Ge Hong.

"I lost."

Zhou Rui's face dimmed.

Although he had expected the result, when he really lost, he was still a bit disheartened.

Ge Hong didn't hypocritically say any pleasantries on the surface.

He just cupped his hands:

"Brother Zhou, you let me win."

Even though he had been a martial arts hall master for many years and had long since tempered a temperament of being indifferent to favor or humiliation, Ge Hong still couldn't suppress the excitement in his heart.

Becoming an official.

This was a matter of bringing honor to his ancestors, far from what a martial arts hall master could compare to.

Not to mention that a Platoon Leader in the Annan Army was even more powerful than the second-in-command County Magistrate in the county government.

The two sat down.

Zhang Yang couldn't wait to stand up, grinning: "Brother Li, no offense."

Don't look at the fact that Ning Zhongtian's arrangement was barbaric, but in fact, it was all calculated long ago.

He clearly had already understood these four deputy branch leaders in Qinghe.

He was clear about the strength of the four, which is why he allocated them this way.

It was just to save time.

Moreover, he was choosing his own confidants; who needed fairness?

Li Rui also stood up and looked at Zhang Yang.

A flash of guilt crossed Zhang Yang's heart.

Needless to say, his relationship with Li Rui was good, but facing the temptation of the Annan Army, it was absolutely impossible for him to let him win.

"Anyway, Brother Li is old, being an official is of no use."

"After I win, I'll treat him to wine and send some spirit pills as compensation."

Although he was on good terms with Li Rui and admired Li Rui's style of conduct,

when it came to a duel,

he believed he was still several notches better than Li Rui.

Li Rui slowly drew the long saber he had already been holding in his hand, thinking in his heart:

"Brother Zhang, no offense."

(End of chapter)