Silence.
Dead silence.
Absolute silence.
The Shangguan family of Leng City was as quiet as if it had been frozen for ten thousand years in the bottom of a deep pond. Among the ten thousand people, one could even hear each other's breathing clearly. It was as if if a silver needle fell to the ground, it would immediately stir up a thousand waves.
Pairs of dumbfounded gazes all converged in one direction.
That direction was the black-robed young man standing on the arena, Qin Shi.
He stood under the blazing sun, holding a blood-colored talisman in his hand. The six patterns on the talisman were so dazzling.
"He, he succeeded?"
"Oh my god, a Six Pattern Demonic Talisman?
There's really someone who can refine a Six Pattern Demonic Talisman?
Impossible, right? "
No one knew where the first discussion came from, but soon after, the crowd of ten thousand people fell into an unceasing uproar.
Everyone looked at Qin Shi in disbelief, as if they were looking at an old monster that had lived for ten thousand years. Yu Luocha and Mi Cai were relieved at the same time, revealing a sweet smile.
"Sister, Daddy succeeded."
Mi Cai stomped her feet in excitement. Yu Luocha put her arm around her shoulder and smiled, "Yes, I knew it. He can definitely do it."
Patriarch Zhao's fierce gaze froze. Zhang Tao, Guo Lin, and many Talisman Magicians all showed respect and admiration.
Of course, the most excited person was Shangguan Leng.
No one could understand the feeling of regaining something that was lost.
"Haha, haha, hahaha, old man, I won, I won!
This time, even Yan Dong can't protect you! "Shangguan Leng let out a piercing laugh.
Shangguan Ba squinted his turbid eyes and looked at Qin Shi with a strange gaze. He clenched his fists and said, "Does the heavens really want to destroy my Shangguan Clan?!"
"Impossible, this is impossible!"
With a plop, Yan Dong's body trembled and fell to the ground, his face filled with despair.
Then, he stood up and shouted at Shangguan Ba, "Patriarch, it can't be counted. How can he refine a Six Pattern Demonic Talisman?
He must have cheated. Quick, announce that he broke the rules! "
Hearing those words, this time, there was no more flattery. The gazes that the surrounding crowd looked at Yan Dong with were only contempt and disdain.
Shangguan Ba lowered his head dejectedly. In that short instant, he seemed to have aged several decades. He could understand Yan Dong's feelings at the moment, but he could not change the truth.
"Haha, a loss is a loss. After dragging it on for so many years, it's time for me to give up my position." Shangguan Ba smiled bitterly and shook his head as he gently patted Yan Dong's shoulder. Then, he stepped into the arena in a carefree manner.
Walking on the stage, every step was as heavy as a rock.
"Congratulations, my young friend." Shangguan Ba stood in front of Qin Shi and softly snorted at him.
Qin Shi gave a carefree smile, "Thank you, Patriarch. I was just lucky."
Upon hearing this, Shangguan Ba stared at Qin Shi, whose heart was as calm as still water, and could not help but be stunned. From Qin Shi's face, Shangguan Ba could sense an indifference and carefree indifference that did not belong to someone of his age.
This young man was not simple.
His mind was as calm as a lake despite being struck by lightning. That was the aura of a true king.
"Patriarch, isn't it time to announce the result?" Qin Shi looked at the stunned Shangguan Ba and coughed dryly.
Shangguan Ba realized that he had lost his composure after he woke up from his shock. He nodded his head solemnly and raised Qin Shi's sleeve. He looked around and said, "Yes, I hereby announce that the winner of this Talisman Magician Competition is Shi Shi Qin!"
Although the result was already set in stone, it still caused quite a commotion when it came from Shangguan Ba's mouth.
Shi Qin's name was constantly being shouted in the crowd, and from that moment on, it spread throughout the entire Leng City.
"My young friend, regarding the prize for this competition …" Shangguan Ba's burning gaze shifted to Qin Shi's palm when he mentioned this. Logically speaking, the prize for the first place was the carcass of the Crimson Demon Lizard. Therefore, the Six-patterned Demonic Talisman should belong to Qin Shi.
However, a Six-patterned Demonic Talisman was an unattainable treasure to any force.
"Do you think you can …"
He was thick-skinned and wanted to ask for it.
However, before he could speak, Qin Shi interrupted him with a smile, "Haha, the prize?
I'll just take what belongs to me. "
After saying this, Qin Shi shook the Six-patterned Demonic Talisman in his hand on purpose. Was he trying to make him give up what he had?
What a joke.
Shangguan Ba laughed bitterly when he heard this.
He knew that since Qin Shi had said this, he would definitely not hand the Demonic Talisman over to the Shangguan Clan. Therefore, he did not make things difficult for him. He said, "That's fine too. However, I hope that my young friend can stay with the Shangguan Clan for a while after the competition ends. The Shangguan Clan will definitely welcome you warmly."
Qin Shi's eyes turned. He had guessed Shangguan Ba's intention right away. Shangguan Ba wanted him to stay and help him refine the Demonic Talisman.
However, he did not have time to waste in Leng City now. He had originally planned to leave immediately after the competition to find the village-slaughtering murderer.
Seeing that Qin Shi was hesitating, Shangguan Ba refused to give up. He continued, "My young friend, don't worry. If you stay, you will be the Foreign Minister of the Shangguan Clan. If anyone dares to do anything to you, I will make him suffer in Leng City!"
After saying this, he glanced at Master Zhao intentionally. The meaning of his words could not be more obvious. He was saying it for Master Zhao to hear.
Clan Head Zhao was taken aback for a moment and lowered his eyes.
In fact, even if Shangguan Ba did not say anything, he was already regretting his decision. He could not wait to go back and catch Zhao Yong and give him a good scolding.
Even the royal family of the Red Flame Empire would not be able to resist trying to rope in a Six-patterned Demonic Master. If not for the conflict with Zhao Yong, the Zhao Clan might have been able to form a relationship with Qin Shi. Now, they had become someone else's pawn.
"Let me think about it."
Squinting his eyes, Qin Shi was not in a hurry to reject.
Shangguan Ba was already very satisfied with such a response. After that, Qin Shi walked down the arena and began the follow-up process of the Shangguan Clan's Grand Ceremony.
However, no one cared about this process. The instant Qin Shi stepped off the stage, a large group of people surged over and engulfed him. The various Clan Heads and Elders of the various great clans kept fawning over him.
Shangguan Ba could only smile helplessly at this phenomenon.
"My young friend, my young friend, I am the Master of the Li Clan. I hope to host a banquet for you tonight …"
"Li Yan, shut up. My young friend, I am the Great Elder of the Zhong Clan …"
"My young friend, are you married?
I am the Master of the Wu Clan. My youngest daughter is 18 years old and is extremely beautiful. If you don't mind, I will betroth her to you. "
All sorts of disputes arose. The large group of people almost started fighting in front of Qin Shi.
A few of the younger girls threw flirtatious peach blossom eyes at Qin Shi. Among them, there were a few who were quite attractive. Qin Shi was stunned.
If it was not for the jade-like hands that suddenly climbed up his waist and pulled him back to reality, he would probably have fallen into their trap.
Yu Luocha stood in front of Qin Shi and her sweet smile was a little strange. "Hehe, everyone, Young Master Shi's daughter is already so grown up. Don't waste your effort."
"That's right, Daddy. You can't abandon me." Xiao Mi Cai teased from behind.
This time, the crowd was in a mess. However, just as they were in a daze, a loud scream made Qin Shi's forehead turn black. "I'm willing to be Young Master Shi Qin's concubine!
I'll be your slave! "
"…"
Nowadays, people are really crazy.
Qin Shi wiped the cold sweat off his forehead. In the end, it was Shangguan Leng who stood up for him. Otherwise, he really suspected that he would have been trampled to death by the crowd.
Under Shangguan Leng's company, Qin Shi finally broke away from the crazy crowd. Along the way, Shangguan Leng couldn't hide the joy on his face. "Brother Qin, thank you so much for this."
"Hehe, Brother Leng, you don't have to do this. I have already said that since I have taken someone's money, I will do it for them. I, Qin Shi, am a man of my words."
Qin Shi and the other two were brought by Shangguan Leng to the pavilion at the back of the arena. He leaned against a wooden pillar and hugged his chest with a smile.
Shangguan Leng smiled and nodded. "I didn't expect Brother to have hidden it so deeply.
A Six-Vein Talisman Evil Master. What a terrifying identity. "
"Brother, do you have any plans for the future? If you don't, you can stay in the Shangguan Clan. I guarantee that as long as I become the Clan Leader, no one in the Shangguan Clan will dare to say anything against you!"
Hearing this, Qin Shi was not surprised, but he only smiled and shook his head. "To be honest, Brother Leng, my ambition does not lie here. After I help you become the Clan Leader, my wife and daughter and I will leave Leng City."
"Leave Leng City?"
Shangguan Leng smacked his lips in surprise.
However, before he could speak, Qin Shi, Yu Luocha, and Xiao Mi Cai had already entered the pavilion. They did not want to be disturbed by the outside world.
Looking at the disappearing figure, the joy in Shangguan Leng's eyes faded and he clenched his fists. "Hehe, Shi Qin, you forced me to do this."
"No matter how powerful a weapon is, it is just a pile of scrap metal if it is not used by me, Shangguan Leng!"
The ceremony continued with Shangguan Ba's eloquent speech. Finally, at the moment of sunset, all the complicated procedures ended and the selection of the Clan Leader began.
The Shangguan Clan's method of electing the Clan Leader was rather interesting. It was a democratic vote.
Including Shangguan Ba, Shangguan Leng, Shangguan Yinyue, and the other juniors were gathered together.
When the voting began, Shangguan Leng stood in the arena with his hands behind his back, as if he had already won.
"Eh?"
In the pavilion, Qin Shi kept his eyes closed and did not speak. The scene in the arena was always in his mind. However, just as the voting was getting heated, he suddenly frowned and opened his eyes.
"What's wrong?"
Yu Luocha, who was beside him, could not help but ask out of concern when she sensed Qin Shi's strange behavior.
Hearing this, Qin Shi's stern face revealed a faint smile. He shook his head at Yu Luocha and did not say anything.
Soon, the results of the democratic voting were out. Shangguan Leng had already cleared his connections and was far ahead with 360 votes. Shangguan Ba was behind with 290 votes, and the rest were negligible.
The final result would depend on the four Charm Magicians.
Qin Shi had 200 votes, Yan Dong had 100 votes, Zhang Tao and Guo Lin had 50 votes each.
Yan Dong's 100 votes were undoubtedly given to Shangguan Ba, who immediately surpassed Shangguan Leng with 390 votes.
However, this lead only lasted for a short while. Zhang Tao and Guo Lin gave their 50 votes to Shangguan Leng, and Shangguan Leng overtook him again.
In that case, the result now depended on the 200 votes in Qin Shi's hands. He could only reverse the result by voting for Shangguan Ba.
However, was that possible?
The result was self-evident. Everyone had already guessed it. Shangguan Leng could not hide the maniacal smile on his handsome face and his eyes were glowing red.
Shangguan Ba seemed to have seen through it and closed his eyes freely.
However, at this moment, a loud voice reverberated in the arena. The muddy old eyes that were closed suddenly opened with a look of disbelief.