Chapter 1670: Internal Struggle

Zhao Hai didn’t know about Han Buli’s movements. Although he had a silver needle on Han Buli’s body, it was quickly removed as soon as he entered the Prospecting Hall’s building.

Zhao Hai knew clearly that Han Buli wouldn’t enter the Rare Metal Branch for no reason at all. The place clearly has relations with the Darkness Hall. If this was the case, then liquid silver would most likely be detected. He would rather not know what Han Buli was doing than be suspected.

With that done, Zhao Hai was now preparing for the compet.i.tion. With the event one month away, Zhao Hai needed to prepare.

These days, Zhao Hai practiced in the s.p.a.ce. He wasn’t practicing how to kill the enemy but instead how to act out his battles. He wanted to be ranked in the middle of the Outer Sect. So he needed to perform well, otherwise people would suspect him.

If people knew what Zhao Hai was preparing for, then they would definitely spit out blood. Others were going all out to increase their strength before the compet.i.tion. Then there was Zhao Hai, practicing how to act.

Time pa.s.sed and the compet.i.tion was getting closer. Han Buli didn’t look for Zhao Hai all this time but instead chose to send him jade sword messages. Zhao Hai also knew that people had been inquiring about him. Zhao Hai didn’t care. In any case, besides him, Zhang Hao, Zhang Feng, and Elder Hu, n.o.body knew that he went under Zhang Feng’s wing. Therefore, the relations.h.i.+p between Zhao Hai and Zhang Feng would certainly be kept a secret.

A week before the compet.i.tion, as Zhao Hai was practicing inside the s.p.a.ce, the transmission formation of the Ignored Valley lit up. Then Zhang Hao appeared.

Zhao Hai left the s.p.a.ce and immediately met Zhang Hao, “I have seen Brother Zhang. Brother, why did you come?”

It has been four days since Zhang Hao’s last visit. Therefore, there should still be a couple of days before his return. Zhao Hai didn’t expect him to come early.

Zhang Hao smiled faintly and said, “First Senior Brother was worried about the compet.i.tion, so he had me come over to see you. Right, take this, it’s all of the formation diagrams that First Senior Brother managed to find. Take a look. First Senior Brother worked hard to get all these, you should use it well.”

Zhao Hai’s expression lit up as he accepted the jade slip that Zhang Hao handed over. Then the two walked to the cave residence. As the two were walking, Zhang Hao turned to Zhao Hai and said, “First Senior Brother gave these formations to you, but you still have to focus on cultivation. As cultivators, our strength is our foundation. Senior Brother also said that if its too difficult to recycle waste materials, you can make less. Just don’t delay your cultivation.”

Zhao Hai nodded and said, “Alright, I understand. Please tell Senior Brother Zhang that I know what to do. After the compet.i.tion, I’ll send a gift to Senior Brother.”

Zhang Hao stared and asked, “A gift to Senior Brother? What do you want to give?”

Zhao Hai smiled faintly and said, “It’s still an idea. After I make it, I’ll tell you.” After he said that, the two entered the cave residence and sat down.

Zhang Hao frowned as he turned to Zhao Hai and said, “Little Hai, you shouldn’t play around. Senior Brother doesn’t lack anything. If your cultivation is delayed because of your gift, Senior Brother wouldn’t appreciate it.”

Zhao Hai smiled faintly and said, “Senior Brother Zhang can rest a.s.sured. I know what I’m doing.”

Zhang Hao looked at Zhao Hai. He didn’t say anything for some time before he nodded and said, “Then I wouldn’t bother you about this anymore. About the compet.i.tion, how are your preparations?”

Zhao Hai smiled and said, “Don’t worry, I made my preparations. I can guarantee that I won’t be last, but I won’t get a high position as well.”

Zhang Hao nodded, then he said, “I’ll leave that to you then. Senior Brother will not treat you badly.”

Zhao Hai nodded, then he said, “How is Senior Brother doing now? Did he manage to pull people over?”

Hearing Zhao Hai, Zhang Hao couldn’t help but sigh as he said, “He managed to pull people in, but in secret. Moreover, he couldn’t get powerful experts. You must know that First Senior Brother is only the First Inner Disciple. His status is still lower than the top ten Core Disciples. This is his biggest disadvantage.”

Zhao Hai knitted his brows and said, “Why wouldn’t First Senior Brother become a Core disciple? As long as he becomes a Core Disciple, he would be able to publicize his action against the top ten Core Disciples.”

Zhang Hao shook his head and said, “It’s not simple. You’re not aware of the situation in the Black Tiger Gang. Behind every core disciple is a huge clan or a large power. These groups are intertwined with the Black Tiger Gang and it’s not easy to move them. The Gang Leader might seem like his words are law, but in fact his decisions are dictated by these huge groups. For the sect, these groups are too big to lose. They’ve already become the pillars that supported the Gang Leader’s throne.”

After he said this, Zhang Hao stopped, then he continued, “The current Gang Leader is First Senior Brother’s Martial Uncle. Back when First Senior Brother was still at the Dao Avatar Stage, his master was plotted and killed by the people from the Roaring Flame Sect. From then on, the Gang Master was responsible for teaching First Senior Brother. Although the two didn’t have a master-disciple relations.h.i.+p, they were master and disciple in reality. Because of this, First Senior Brother doesn’t want these large groups to impede the Gang Master’s plans for the sect. Therefore, he went on the opposite side of the top ten Core Disciples.”

Zhao Hai nodded. This matter wasn’t unusual. Groups existed inside a sect. When these groups grow to a certain level, their large tails would eventually hit the walls of the sect. It’s even possible that they would replace the sect master. This happens all the time in the Great World of Cultivation.

The contention inside the Black Tiger Gang seems to have reached its peak. The major groups were beginning to misbehave and act on their own. They also began to make unreasonable demands to the Gang Leader. Naturally, the Gang Leader doesn’t want to be controlled by these groups and become a puppet. Their clash naturally affected the sect. The struggle between Zhang Feng and the top ten Core Disciples was a superposition of the struggle between the Gang Leader and these large groups.

Zhang Hao sighed and said, “The Gang Leader originally wanted to divide these groups, winning some of them while dealing with the others. But he didn’t expect these groups to be united against him. His plan didn’t work. In the end, he can only push First Senior Brother’s status up and bring the battle to the disciples.”

Zhao Hai also sighed. He can imagine how hard it was for Zhang Feng. For these large groups to openly confront the Gang Leader, their influence was certainly huge. Zhang Feng fought against the core disciples that were supported by these large groups. One could imagine how difficult it was.

Zhang Hao added, “Little Hai, you’re crucial to First Senior Brother’s plans. Therefore, First Senior Brother cannot show you to the Black Tiger Gang. We can’t let you be too eye-catching. You need to be hidden so that you can play the biggest role.”

Zhao Hai nodded. The Black Tiger Gang was different from the Hundred Treasures Realm. Back in the Hundred Treasures Realm, the reason Zhao Hai could openly recycle materials was because the Hundred Treasures Realm was united. The Black Tiger Gang was different. The sect wasn’t united at all. If his ability was revealed, both sides would certainly go all out to get him. If they fail to win him over, then they would definitely try to kill him. They would adopt the mentality of “If we can’t have him, then n.o.body can have him”. 

Zhang Feng wanted Zhao Hai to lay low so that his abilities wouldn’t be discovered. And to make people be less suspicious, Zhang Feng released word that Zhao Hai offended him. This way, these huge groups wouldn’t hunt Zhao Hai down.

Zhang Hao continued to chat with Zhao Hai for some time before he left. As Zhang Hao disappeared from the transmission formation, Zhao Hai pondered about the future of the Black Tiger Gang. But his thinking about this was hazy, he didn’t know how the Black Tiger Gang would turn up.

The Black Tiger was quite chaotic. There was constant infighting within the sect while there were strong enemies outside. If it continued, the future of the Black Tiger Gang would be bleak. This was something that Zhao Hai didn’t want to see.

However, Zhao Hai doesn’t have the means to fix this at this time. If it was the lower realms, then he could definitely use his overwhelming strength to establish order. But in the Great World of Cultivation, Zhao Hai was just a small person among big clans. Zhao Hai even had to worry about the s.p.a.ce being discovered. In this case, how could he possibly change the Black Tiger Gang.

After thinking about it for a while, Zhao Hai still didn’t have any ideas what to do. In the end, Zhao Hai could only shake his head and give up thinking. He understood that the reason why he couldn’t think of anything was because he wasn’t strong enough. In the Black Tiger Gang, he was a n.o.body. He was merely a Battle Slave that was promoted ahead of time. If people knew that he wanted to change the Black Tiger Gang, they would definitely laugh at him.

Zhao Hai couldn’t help but smile when he thought of this. He no longer bothered himself with this matter. He returned to the s.p.a.ce in order to practice his acting.

Seven days pa.s.sed in a blink of an eye and it was the Outer Sect compet.i.tion of the Black Tiger Gang. On this day, disciples like Zhao Hai were called over to partic.i.p.ate. In the meantime, Elder Hu would take charge of the Ignored Valley.

Elder Hu doesn’t need to attend the compet.i.tion. He’s an Inner Sect Disciple and his cultivation also wouldn’t advance. He can only work until he gets old. Naturally, he wouldn’t need to partic.i.p.ate in any compet.i.tions.

Elder Hu already knew that Zhao Hai was going to partic.i.p.ate, so when he saw Zhao Hai he wasn’t surprised. Instead, he nodded and said, “You’re an Outer Sect Disciple, so you need to partic.i.p.ate. If you do well, then you can leave this place. If you don’t place well, then you need to come back. I’ll have some disciples take over your post in the Ignored Valley.” Zhao Hai nodded before he turned around and left. Elder Hu waved his hand as he called five Serving Disciples over. These disciples begrudgingly went to the transmission formation in order to watch the Ignored Valley.

The Black Tiger Gang’s Outer Sect Compet.i.tion would be held at a mountain inside the Black TIger Gang’s domain. The mountain was called Mount Xingtai. There are no resources on this mountain. Besides rocks, nothing else could be seen on the mountain. Seeing the mountain’s state, the sect sent people to transform it into a martial stage. This way, the sect can hold compet.i.tions on it. All around the mountain were platforms both large and small. 

The mountain was initially used as an Internal Life and Death Arena of the sect. But later on, the sect banned life and death battles. Because of this, the mountain eventually became a place for compet.i.tions. The Serving Disciples, Outer Disciple, and Inner Disciple compet.i.tions all happen on the mountain. Only the Core Disciple Compet.i.tion was held in a different place.

During compet.i.tions, other people were allowed to come and watch. Even if you were a Serving Disciple, you can still come over and spectate.

Due to the large population of Outer Disciples, the compet.i.tion would last 15 days. The elimination system was used to determine who fights who. The Outer Disciples were also divided into 50 divisions. It was a grand occasion for the Outer Sect.

When Zhao Hai arrived on the mountain, a large number of people were already present. Outer Disciples would then draw lots in order to know which division they would be in. Battles would start within these divisions. Only after you defeat all the other people in your division would you enter the final round.

Zhao Hai was a.s.signed to the fifth division with a number of 78. Zhao Hai didn’t pay much attention to his number. After receiving his number, he went to the stone platform and then sat down, waiting to be called.

Before long, all partic.i.p.ating Outer Disciples received their numbers and the compet.i.tion was about to begin. Before the compet.i.tion began, the outer sect steward appeared. This Elder was in charge of all the Outer Sect Disciples. This person held great power. But actually, he didn’t manage the Outer Sect very much. After many years, the outer sect of the Black Tiger Gang formed their own groups. And if one looks closely, one could see the shadow on the Inner Sect on these groups. And these Inner Sect backers were also backed by either the major factions in the sect or some core disciples. Because of this, the Outer Sect Steward has little hold over the outer disciples.

But since his position was the Outer Sect’s Steward, the Elder still has to show themselves today. The current Black Tiger Gang’s Outer Sect Steward was surnamed Chen. He has gray hair with a radiant smile on his face. He looked easy to get along with.