I Pick up a Lost Godhood

Chapter 169 - 167: Tension

If before they had felt a complex mixture of emotions toward Wang Meng—envy, a little admiration, and the occasional daydream of having his luck—then these past two battles had truly won him the hearts of the Thunderlight Hall disciples.

A true man!

With him around, they had a backbone!

What set the current Thunderlight Hall apart from before was that they had cast aside a timid obsession with victory and defeat. Now, they fought to challenge their own limits.

Whether they were fighting or watching, every disciple would have their willpower tested.

Wang Meng did all this by instinct. Inheriting the Godhood had sent him through a period of confusion, but now he was gradually finding his own path.

As for why Qiao Qian and Jia Shidao had come, it didn’t matter. His gaze was fixed forward.

A commotion rippled through the crowd as a fragrant scent drifted over. Even the sunlight seemed to grow a little brighter.

A group of disciples from Flying Phoenix Hall had arrived, led by none other than Yang Ying. The crowd immediately buzzed with excitement—this was the first appearance of the main subjects of gossip in the grand competition.

Yang Ying didn’t join the Thunderlight Hall disciples, but her eyes met Wang Meng’s for a moment, and they exchanged a smile.

Wang Meng offered a polite smile in return before turning his attention back to the arena, waiting for his opponent.

The beautiful women of Flying Phoenix Hall drew a great deal of attention, and the chatter grew louder, mostly centered on the relationship between Wang Meng and Yang Ying.

In fact, rumors had been circulating about the two of them for some time. It seemed they weren’t truly together, with various signs indicating there was more to the story. No matter how you looked at it, they didn’t act like a real Dual Cultivation couple; they never even shared the slightest intimate gesture.

Another theory was that they had realized they weren’t a good match and had already broken up in secret.

"Those busybodies, what nonsense are they spouting!" Liuu Mei said angrily. ’Isn’t this just a distraction before the battle?’

But a single glance revealed that Wang Meng was completely unbothered, his heart perfectly calm. Ma Tian’Er, however, was a little worried. The pain of a broken heart could be immense.

Seeing Ma Tian’Er’s anxious expression, Liuu Mei couldn’t resist stepping on her foot. ’This girl... who worries about their romantic rival?’

"Mingren! It’s Mingren!"

"No way, what are people from Lingyin Hall doing here?"

"It really is! It’s Mingren, and the Lingyin Four Tigers!"

"Damn, they sent everyone. What a grand entrance."

The more senior disciples all knew that while Mingren was indeed kind and approachable, he possessed a deep, restrained pride. He had always considered Dao Guang Hall his only true opponent, and Ning Zhiquan his only rival. This was the first time he had ever paid attention to anyone else.

’Is it Song Zhong? Or...?’

As Mingren arrived, the crowd naturally parted to make way for him. He, in turn, walked unabashedly over to the Flying Phoenix Hall’s section.

"Senior Mingren, you came too."

"Haha, I had no choice. That kid Tianyi is too stubborn. I have to start preparing ahead of time."

Mingren said.

"Oh? You think that highly of Thunderlight Hall, Senior?" Yang Ying asked, a crystalline light glittering in her phoenix-like eyes. She was a little surprised.

"What do you think? What are Thunderlight Hall’s chances of winning?"

Yang Ying shook her head. She knew it was already a miracle for Thunderlight Hall to have made it this far, but the disparity in strength was undeniable. "They don’t have a single chance. I came to watch the battle between Wang Meng and Song Zhong. I imagine you’re here to prepare for the individual matches as well, Senior Mingren."

Mingren shook his head. "No. How should I put it... there’s a part of me that yearns to see a miracle."

"Haha, I never thought Senior Mingren, who is always so calm and rational, would have a moment like this."

"Junior Sister, don’t you think they have something that we lack?"

Mingren smiled faintly.

His smile was always so sincere, a world apart from the fake smile of someone like Jia Shidao.

Yang Ying bloomed into a smile that felt like a gentle spring breeze but said nothing. Both their gazes turned toward the battlefield, while the surrounding disciples were utterly captivated by her smile.

Zhang Liang’s gaze swept across every corner... Hengshan Hall, the one Sub-Hall that should have been here, was absent.

Tang Wei truly looked down on both Fire Cloud Hall and Thunderlight Hall. Then again, that was consistent with Hengshan Hall’s usual style.

However, Zhang Liang believed Tang Wei was doing it on purpose. He knew full well that even though no key figures from Hengshan Hall had appeared, they had been the most "aggressive" in gathering pre-battle intelligence. Tang Wei was using this absence to create a smokescreen.

He was crude on the surface but subtle underneath. Among the leaders of the nine Sub-Halls, Tang Wei was definitely a major player. In Zhang Liang’s mind, just in terms of intellect, he ranked in the top three.

Just as time was about to run out, Song Zhong finally emerged with the main disciples of Fire Cloud Hall, triggering a wave of cheers from their supporters. Of course, the Thunderlight Hall disciples didn’t hold back, greeting them with a barrage of curses.

’Damn moron, what’s with the prima donna act?’

But soon after, Zhu Jun, the Chief Elder of Fire Cloud Hall, arrived. As his name suggested, he was indeed handsome and possessed a refined air, somewhat similar in style to Zhao Tianlong. He, too, was a member of the Zhao Family.

And Zhao Tianlong had a preference for those who were meticulous, formal, and image-conscious.

Zhu Jun arrived just as the time was up, casting a faint glance at the crowd, which was several times larger than expected, but he showed no reaction.

"The grand competition between Thunderlight Hall and Fire Cloud Hall begins."

His voice was as stern and clear as his appearance.

Thunderlight Hall: Wang Meng, Hu Jing, Zhang Xiaojiang, Liuu Mei, Ma Tian’Er.

Fire Cloud Hall: Song Zhong, Yao Yuan, Fang Yunfei, Shangguan Wuyue, Guu Chenglin.

On the Thunderlight Hall side, Zhou Qian and Suo Ming could only sit weakly on the sidelines. Suo Ming had suffered a physical injury that wasn’t a major issue and would heal with time. Zhou Qian, however, had internal injuries that required careful recovery; he was definitely in no condition for a life-or-death battle.

Looking at their lineup, besides Wang Meng, the only one with any real fighting ability was Hu Jing. But Hu Jing had been thoroughly beaten by Luu Miaoyin in the last match, exposing her incomplete Skill Technique as an irreparable weakness. As for Zhang Xiaojiang... he could be ignored. Liuu Mei was just an average disciple; decent for Thunderlight Hall, but she wouldn’t even rank in any other Sub-Hall. Ma Tian’Er was a capable fighter, but without being able to use the Spirit Fusion Technique, how much of her combat power was left?

And Wang Meng would likely have to face Song Zhong, whose strength was clearly a cut above that of Jia Shidao and Qiao Qian. Otherwise, his position as Senior would have been snatched by Zhao Tianlong long ago. Everyone knew how picky Ancestor Master Zhao was.

"Yao Yuan, the first match is yours!" Song Zhong patted Yao Yuan’s shoulder. "You can use your full strength!"

Yao Yuan was stunned for a moment, then a smile spread across his face. The first match was the vanguard battle, which was always reserved for a powerful fighter. More importantly, Song Zhong was giving him the first opportunity to use their Secret Technique. This was a sign of immense respect.

Yao Yuan was deeply grateful. Even though he had created it, he had never imagined he would be the one to unveil it.

The moment Yao Yuan took the stage, the Fire Cloud Hall disciples erupted in cheers. Yao Yuan was a rising star whom Fire Cloud Hall had been carefully grooming in recent years. He was highly regarded by Senior Song Zhong, was exceptionally talented in Artifact Refining, and his strength was not to be underestimated.

"Song Zhong is bold, sending up a new disciple for the first match."

"Knowing Song Zhong’s meticulous nature, this Yao Yuan must have something extraordinary about him."

"This is going to be a headache for Wang Meng. Even the most resourceful craftsman can’t make bricks without straw. He can’t possibly fight the first battle himself, can he?"

The Lingyin Four Tigers were on good terms with Thunderlight Hall, so they were a little worried. In their hearts, they truly felt it was a shame for Wang Meng. ’If Wang Meng were in Lingyin Hall, taking down Dao Guang Hall would be a piece of cake.’

Yang Ying had come for one reason only: she wanted to see if Wang Meng had been slacking in his cultivation. Qiao Qian and Jia Shidao didn’t count for much; Song Zhong was the first true expert he would face.

Qiao Qian and Jia Shidao both shared a common problem: they relied too heavily on external items.

It wasn’t that relying on external items was inherently bad, but it shouldn’t be the main focus of one’s cultivation path—at least not during the crucial foundation-building stage around Level 20.

Wang Meng’s gaze swept over his teammates. At this point, Hu Jing had fallen silent. She could feel the immense pressure, a weight she couldn’t bear at her current level. But Wang Meng was different. Even now, you couldn’t see even a hint of stress on him. His gaze was eternally firm, forever filled with confidence.

Wang Meng’s eyes settled on Zhang Xiaojiang. "Zhang Xiaopang, you’re up. The vanguard battle is yours!"

Wang Meng clapped Zhang Xiaojiang heavily on the shoulder.

"Me? You can’t be serious!"

Zhang Xiaojiang himself was stunned. Although Liuu Mei’s pep talk had temporarily stopped him from overthinking, he had never imagined he would be sent out for such an important opening battle.

"It’s just like when we used to get in fights. You just charge ahead, and I’ll have your back!"

Zhang Xiaojiang gritted his teeth and stomped his foot. "Fine, screw it! If you say I can do it, I’ll do it. But don’t blame me if I lose!"

Wang Meng laughed. "Since when did you get so modest? It’s not like we haven’t gotten our asses kicked once or twice. Just whip out your big dick, and all will be right with the world!"

Zhang Xiaojiang froze for a second, then burst out laughing. The two of them used to trade all sorts of crude jokes, but they had toned it down a lot after becoming friends with Hu Jing. Hearing that old catchphrase from their days as street-brawlers made his mood lighten considerably.

"Watch me shoot his dick off!"

Zhang Xiaojiang charged forward.

When the crowd saw the fatty take the stage, they erupted in an uproar.

"How shameless! Why are they sending up this piece of trash?"

"Hey Fatty, go home and raise a family!"

...

The Thunderlight Hall disciples refused to show any weakness and immediately started cursing back. When it came to being hooligans, they were now every bit as good as Hengshan Hall.

Zhu Jun frowned but said nothing. After all, the grand competition was a matter for the disciples. The Elders were merely observers.

Yao Yuan was disappointed. He wouldn’t underestimate anyone, but he had hoped for a powerful opponent—one worthy of his Ultimate Skill.

Perhaps the jeers were too vicious. Zhang Xiaojiang didn’t want to listen, but the words still bored into his mind like nails. His footing faltered, and he nearly stumbled and fell. At this, the Fire Cloud Hall disciples laughed even harder, practically doubling over.

Zhang Xiaojiang’s face flushed red. The crowd was bigger this time, the atmosphere more intimidating. It felt as if everyone was staring at him. Somehow, his feet seemed to turn to lead, and his breathing grew heavy.

Zhang Xiaojiang gritted his teeth, trying to calm himself down.

In contrast, though it was also Yao Yuan’s first time participating in the grand competition, he appeared far calmer and more relaxed.

"Junior Brother Zhang, please," Yao Yuan said, cupping his fist.

Zhang Xiaojiang also cupped his fist. "Uh... Please."

He was so nervous that he had instantly forgotten Yao Yuan’s name. Zhang Xiaopang’s mind was a complete blank; he just couldn’t shake his anxiety.

’It’s over. It’s over. I’m so screwed.’

Unfortunately, time waited for no one. Zhu Jun had already given the command, and the battle began. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to Qidian.com to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)