"Damn! Someone's coming! Wonder who's getting eliminated this time!"
This batch looks pretty strong. Hope they don't pick me as their opponent!
Aren't those guys from the Locke main bloodline?
Evan Lin was sitting cross-legged, cultivating, when a flurry of shouts from outside the cabin reached his ears.
Ever since Miss Stitch dumped him in the cabin yesterday, someone had brought him food once, but otherwise Evan spent almost all his time running the Grand Dao Foundation Art.
Now, with dawn just breaking and the hour still early, plenty of voices were already drifting in from outside his door.
Evan pushed open the window, stood there, and looked out at the world beyond the cabin.
Down the forest path, a group of about ten people were heading this way.
In front of every cabin, someone was standing guard. Most of the contestants had already stepped outside, eyeing the newcomers.
Even the weakest of them is at peak Inner Strength, and the stronger ones are actually at fifth-grade Vajra?
Evan narrowed his eyes, sweeping his gaze across the crowd.
Yesterday, Evan hadn’t paid much attention; now he realized the Locke Family’s strength far exceeded his expectations.
The oldest among them was about thirty, and every one of the dozen newcomers had serious power.
“I’m Mason Locke, from the Locke Family.”
“You all should already know the rules for qualifying in this Locke Dao-Trial Gathering.”
The man in front strode over with his hands behind his back, dressed in a blue long-sleeved shirt.
Several others followed him, all with arrogant expressions, glancing at everyone standing in front of the cabins with obvious disdain.
“The initial selection lasts three days. During those three days, you must defend your cabin. If you still have a cabin at the end, you qualify. Lose it, and you’re out.”
“Of course, you get more than one chance. If you lose your cabin, you can take someone else’s by beating them and claiming their spot.”
“Also, in this initial round, life and death aren’t our concern. Over these three days, new challengers will keep coming up the mountain to fight you. All you need to do is keep knocking them back and protect your shot at qualifying.”
Mason finished speaking and swept his gaze around. When his eyes landed on Evan, his expression instantly darkened.
“You!”
His voice was cold, his stare sharp as a blade.
As soon as he spoke, a bunch of people instinctively turned to look at Evan.
“What’s up?”
Evan looked at him calmly, eyes indifferent.
He’d thought he was just here for a stroll up the mountain, but turns out he’d been assigned to this cabin.
If this wasn’t Yvette Locke’s arrangement, then it had to be Miss Stitch’s idea from yesterday.
“Don’t you know I’m talking to you? Standing inside and looking out the window—what’s that supposed to mean?”
Mason’s tone was icy: “When the Locke Family speaks, everyone stands outside. You’re the only one inside—got some kind of problem with me?”
His voice wasn’t quiet, and he spoke with a tone full of dominance.
His words made even more people turn to look at Evan.
Yesterday, when Evan arrived, he’d ended up with the very last of the fifty cabins.
That alone had already drawn plenty of attention at the time.
But to everyone else, Evan looked like a totally ordinary guy—no sign of cultivation at all, just someone with a calm, distant vibe.
“You’re only peak Inner Strength, and I’m even letting you talk to me. That’s already giving you a ton of face.”
Evan shook his head. “It’s not that I have a problem with you. I just think you’re not qualified.”
Just not qualified!
As soon as Evan said that, a bunch of people in the crowd cracked up.
Mason was only peak Inner Strength. To most people here, that wasn’t much—most of them had already stepped into the Vajra Realm.
But since Mason was a Locke, most people kept quiet when he spoke, giving him face.
Mason had wanted to establish some authority. When he looked around just now, Evan seemed like the easiest target—the youngest, the weakest. He’d planned to make an example out of him, but Evan’s two sentences nearly made him cough up blood.
“Not qualified? I’m a Locke!”
Mason stepped forward, face dark, shouting in anger. He forced his inner strength to burst out, cracking the ground beneath his feet.
“So you want to fight?”
Evan looked at him, eyes icy cold.
That cold stare made Mason shiver inside, his heart skipping a beat. He froze, not daring to take another step forward.
He didn’t think Evan was actually strong, but the chill in Evan’s eyes made him wary.
Anyone who made it here had to have something backing them up. If Mason lost, he’d only embarrass himself even more.
With everyone watching, Mason hesitated.
Behind him, the tall Miss Stitch stepped forward. “Young Master Locke, this guy’s someone Miss Yvette asked me to bring up the mountain for fun yesterday.”
“Seems like Miss Yvette got to know him by chance during her latest trip down the mountain.”
Miss Stitch glanced at Evan, then spoke near Mason’s ear, half on purpose.
“Yvette!”
Mason froze for a moment and stepped back.
The other Locke Family core members behind him all looked shocked.
“Yvette Locke!”
“Isn’t she the one everyone says is doomed?”
“The one they call the Locke Family’s strongest battle power?”
The crowd exploded when they heard that name.
Right then, the way people looked at Evan got way more complicated.
Mason was wary, but his eyes still held plenty of contempt as he looked at Evan: “Just some kid who snuck in through the back door. I’ll let you off today for Yvette’s sake, but don’t think you’re safe!”
“And let me be clear: just because Yvette brought you up here doesn’t mean you’re untouchable! Our Locke Family Dao-Trial Gathering has strict rules. If someone beats you, you leave—simple as that!”
After finishing, Mason glanced at the people behind him.
“Anyone want to take him on?”
He asked loudly.
But nobody dared answer.
“Cowards!”
Mason’s face turned ugly. He cursed and stalked off, grumbling the whole way.
Miss Stitch glanced at Evan and snorted. “Save your own skin.”
She turned and left, leaving only a crowd of hungry eyes staring at Evan.