“Yeah. This soul spirit has no use to me anyways so of course I’ll return it to you guys. After all, if I offend the two elders, I won’t be able to live peacefully in the future.” Ye Zifeng laughed.

Elder Zhao quickly replied, “If you know what’s good for you, then hurry up and……”

“Elder Zhao!” Shen Li glared over at him. Is Elder Zhao that stupid? Did he really think that Ye Zifeng would give it up so easily? From what he can see, Ye Zifeng is trying to bargain with them.

“Ye Zifeng. Just tell us straight up. What do you want us to do?”

Ye Zifeng plainly replied “It’s simple. Just help me get first place.”

Hearing this, both elders were shocked still.

“Do you know what you’re saying? This time, we promised the Wang and Xiao clan to make you drop out of the top 10. Now you want us to help you get the first place?”

Elder Zhao was curious. How could Ye Zifeng do something like this? Why would the two clans want to attack him?

“That’s right. We can hold back if you want. But we will not help you cheat…..” Shen Li replied as well.

Ye Zifeng coldly laughed, “Do you think that I didn’t feel anything when you guys increased the strength of the formation when I was at the Path of Suffering? What I’m asking you guys to do is give me back the first place that I deserve.”

Ye Zifeng then continued, “Besides, you guys can’t finish your mission anymore. First place. Second place. Do you guys think that there’s any difference? If you guys comply, then you can get your soul spirit back? Isn’t that great?”

It was silent. Each and every word that came out of Ye Zifeng’s mouth hit the elders like a rock.

Ye Zifeng was right. There was no difference if Ye Zifeng got first or second place now. There was no downside to this. They can help him out and get their soul spirit back.

“Fine….” Shen Li took a deep breath and finally yielded.

“You’re really gonna agree with him and help him cheat? If we get found out…..” Elder Zhao’s face was filled with shock.

Shen Li sighed and looked over, “We’ve cheated enough already, so we might as well continue. Our relationship with the big clans is important but it’s not as important as our soul spirits.”

“This….” Elder Zhao thought about it and sighed as well.

“However, Ye Zifeng. What kind of method did you use to bind our soul spirits?” Elder Zhao was curious. This was their biggest problem.

“This….. It’s a secret for now……” Ye Zifeng laughed. He will reveal his alchemy skills later on but not now. Neither he himself or the Ye clan was strong enough yet. If some strong expert were to mess with them, then it’s gonna be really mad.

……

Ye Zifeng was covered in layers and layers of snow. He had basically become a snowman.

His eyes suddenly opened and he busted out from the ice. Originally, he was feeling very cold, but now, he was actually feeling warm in here.

“Hmmmm. Cheating with the judges…. It feels pretty good.” Ye Zifeng had a big smile on his face. He wasn’t a gentleman anyways so he didn’t really feel anything about cheating.

He wiped the snow off from his clothes. He thought about and realized that this snow illusion wasn’t that much for him anyways. If it wasn’t for the fact that he was being messed with, he could’ve easily climbed by himself.

“Whatever… I’ll just pretend to be cold and climb.”

Ye Zifeng suddenly gritted his teeth and took a deep breath. A determined expression appeared in his eyes.

He yelled out and climbed upwards, “Come on! The 61st level!”

When he reached the 61st level, he felt a stifling cold energy attacking his body. Ye Zifeng was startled and ‘accidentally’ attacked Elder Zhao’s soul spirit.

“Oh. My bad. It was so cold and I accidentally….” Ye Zifeng awkwardly smiled.

It’s one thing if you tremble and hit the surrounding area, but to attack something in your mind? It was definitely on purpose.

Elder Zhao cursed inwards and then inserted his qi into the formation to lower the cold air around Ye Zifeng.

“You brat. Don’t go too far….. My old bones can’t handle all this!”

Ye Zifeng smiled and then solemnly said, “Oh no. There’s another burst of cold air coming!”

“You stinking brat. I’ll remember this.” Elder Zhao really want to slap Ye Zifeng but he’s already agreed to help.

“62nd level!”

“63rd level!”

In just a bit, the one hour limit will almost be up.

“65th level! Damn I’m so tired.” Ye Zifeng pretended to be tired. When he reached the 65th level, he sat down and began to rest.

In reality, he wanted the two elders to rest as well. They had to maintain the formation and help him cheat. It was very draining.

……

On the 66th level, Wang Tianzhi was sitting there. He was completely out of energy.

Wang Tianzhi then suddenly smiled, “I’m probably guaranteed first place up here. No one can catch up to me. Father. Mother. I, Wang Tianzhi, have made it. I’ve finally reached the top. I’ve help the Wang clan gain honor!”

Becoming the first place of the gathering meant a lot to the people in the younger generation. If Wang Tianzhi can become first place, then the Wang clan will definitely pamper him and nurture his cultivation.

Not even 10 seconds after he said that, a leg suddenly appeared besides Wang Tianzhi.

Wang Tianzhi was shocked. He stared at the leg.

“Sorry. The one who’s gonna get first place isn’t you…..”

Wang Tianzhi looked up and his mouth widened.

“You….. You’re Ye Zifeng! How did you get here?” Looking at Wang Tianzhi’s expression, one can tell that he was completely shocked. He sat there like a rock, not moving at all.

Ye Zifeng looked at Wang Tianzhi and sized him up. Wang Tianzhi was wearing a grey robe with a black belt around his waist. He has short hair and is very muscular. It was exactly how Ye Zifeng had imagined him to be.

Of course, Ye Zifeng wasn’t afraid of him right now. Even though Wang Tianzhi was at the peak of qi refining, he was an arrow at the end of its flight. Also the heavenly clan gathering prohibited participants from attacking each other. Even if Ye Zifeng cursed him out right now, Wang Tianzhi won’t be able to do anything.

“You’re asking me about how I got here? Well I climbed up.”

Wang Tianzhi shook his head, “No way. That’s clearly not possible….”

“Are you thinking about how I’ll be ambushed in the middle and drop out of the top ten?” Ye Zifeng chuckled.

Wang Tianzhi looked at Ye Zifeng with an expression of disbelief. He was speechless.

“Alright. I’m done talking with you. I need to get onto the 67th level….” Ye Zifeng smiled and looked up.

“67th level? You’re only at the 4th stage of qi refining. You’re lucky that you even made it here. Unless…. You still have the strength to continue?”

Wang Tianzhi tried to prop himself up but he was already at his limit. He couldn’t even stand anymore.

“Everyone’s always talking about my cultivation level…. It’s getting annoying already.”

Ye Zifeng then looked at Wang Tianzhi, “That’s right! You’ve guessed correctly. I still have energy to climb! This first place, I, Ye Zifeng, will take it.

After saying that, Ye Zifeng jumped up to the 67th stage with Wang Tianzhi watching every move.

……

In the Liu clan, a girl wearing a light pink color dress was looking at flowers. Her body was slender and her hair reached the center of her back. She was a very beautiful girl.

“Miss Ningzi! The first part of the heavenly clan gathering is done!” A delicate and pretty servant girl ran over and reported to her missus. That girl was call Yue-er. She wasn’t that old but she have served Ningzi for quite a few years already.

Liu Ningzi looked over and smiled, “It’s finished? Then who got first place? Is it that Wang Tianzhi from the Wang clan?”

Yue-er quickly shook her head.

Liu Ningzi was a little shocked and smiled, “Wow. After five years, there’s actually another young hero in Leizhou City. Is it the Rong clan? The Xiao clan? Or maybe it’s the Hong clan….”

Yue-er continuously shook her head, “Miss Ningzi. It’s none of them. The one who took first place this time is the Ye clan’s young master —- Ye Zifeng!”