Chapter 253: Ways to Cope

"Is this because of me?" Zhou Yuan's eyes narrowed slightly as he listened to Qiao Xiu and Shen Wanjin. It was clear that Lu Feng was acting deliberately, intending to stir resentment towards Zhou Yuan among disciples from other continents. This way, Zhou Yuan would become unpopular not only with the local disciples from Shengzhou but also with those from other continents, effectively putting him in a no-win situation.

"Some disciples from other continents are already starting to complain, feeling that this is a personal feud between you and Lu Feng that's unfairly dragging them in," Qiao Xiu said with a wry smile. If this continued to spread, it wouldn't be good for Zhou Yuan's reputation.

Hearing this, Zhou Yuan curled his lip in a mocking smile. "Lu Feng clearly instigated the matter of the quotas. Why aren't they confronting him? What sense does it make to direct their complaints at me?" While Lu Feng's methods were underhanded, Zhou Yuan found the other disciples who resented him even more foolish.

Shen Wanjin pursed his lips. "These guys are just bullying the weak and fearing the strong. They're afraid to confront Lu Feng, so they're looking for an excuse to vent their frustration." Lu Feng clearly knew this would be the outcome, which is why he acted so brazenly. As the top outer-mountain disciple, his deterrent power was immense. Even though Zhou Yuan had defeated an inner-mountain disciple in the Origin Technique competition, he couldn't compare to Lu Feng. Everyone believed Lu Feng could be one of the future leaders of the Cangxuan Sect, with boundless prospects, so naturally, no one dared to offend him.

Qiao Xiu nodded. "Still, those who harbor resentment are a minority. More people are simply furious about Lu Feng's domineering actions but feel helpless to do anything." He continued, "According to his rules, Shengzhou's local disciples would claim eight of the ten top spots, leaving only two for all of us from other continents. The competition for those two spots would be incredibly fierce."

Zhou Yuan retorted, "Why should whatever Lu Feng says be law? Does he have the authority to divide these quotas?" The top ten places in the Selection Ceremony should be earned by disciples through their own strength. Who was Lu Feng to have the audacity to dictate how they were distributed?

Qiao Xiu replied with a bitter smile, "It's said that the Selection Ceremony will involve free-for-all combat, and the quality of Shengzhou's local disciples far surpasses ours. For instance, seven of the current top ten are from Shengzhou." He continued, "So, when it comes to competing for the top ten spots in the Selection Ceremony, they will naturally have the upper hand. Moreover, they have Lu Feng, who is unparalleled. Now, under Lu Feng's influence, the local Shengzhou disciples have united and carved out eight of those top ten spots. Anyone who tries to challenge their quotas will be opposing all of Shengzhou's local disciples." He concluded, "Facing this collective force, disciples from other continents are merely disorganized. How could they dare to object? After all, if they provoke the Shengzhou disciples, they might deliberately gang up on them during the Selection Ceremony, and then forget about the top ten—they might not even get a decent ranking."

Zhou Yuan stated calmly, "Ultimately, it comes down to who has the stronger fist." He looked at Qiao Xiu and Shen Wanjin. "I don't know if others will accept their so-called division of quotas, but I doubt they are qualified to divide *my* quota." He paused. "Besides, I'm not very interested in the other quotas. For this Selection Ceremony, I only want first place."

His tone was calm, yet his words stunned both Qiao Xiu and Shen Wanjin. Everyone knew that Lu Feng had already staked his claim on the first place. Facing the formidable Lu Feng, no one dared to voice any objection, so it was widely believed that Lu Feng would undoubtedly secure the top spot among this generation of outer-mountain disciples. They had not expected Zhou Yuan to declare that he wanted first place. Wouldn't that mean a direct confrontation with Lu Feng?

Qiao Xiu swallowed hard. "Junior Brother Zhou Yuan... Lu Feng won't be easy to deal with. I suspect he's already broken through to the Fourth Heaven of the Alpha Origin Realm." Most first-rank disciples were only at the Third Heaven, and Lu Feng was likely the only one to have reached the Fourth Heaven.

Zhou Yuan scoffed. "Whether he's easy or not, we'll only know after we fight." He wanted to see how Lu Feng's expression would change if he seized the first place that Lu Feng believed was rightfully his, and whether he would regret repeatedly provoking him. Lu Feng had repeatedly used various means to antagonize him; if Zhou Yuan were to tolerate it and not retaliate, he wouldn't be Zhou Yuan.

Upon hearing this, Qiao Xiu knew Zhou Yuan's mind was made up. It seemed this Selection Ceremony would not be peaceful. However, Qiao Xiu also felt a little apprehensive. While Zhou Yuan's usual demeanor was hard to predict, this time he would be facing not someone like Zhu Feng, but a formidable character like Lu Feng, who was hailed as the leader of the outer-mountain disciples.

"Brother Yuan, if you're really planning to contend with Lu Feng for first place in the Selection Ceremony, I suggest you could team up with those disciples from other continents," Shen Wanjin suddenly interjected. "They are also angry about Lu Feng's domineering actions, but no one dares to step forward. If you can rally them, you won't have to face the Shengzhou local disciples alone."

Qiao Xiu thought for a moment and added, "I know some first-rank disciples who are also dissatisfied with Lu Feng. If we could rally them, it would certainly be a great help."

Zhou Yuan pondered this for a moment before finally nodding. Lu Feng had indeed gathered a large number of local Shengzhou disciples, and their combined force was formidable. While Zhou Yuan didn't believe that strength in numbers guaranteed victory, going it alone sometimes required significantly more effort. If he could rally the disciples from other continents, his momentum would not be inferior to Lu Feng's.

Seeing Zhou Yuan nod, Qiao Xiu spoke again, "However, these individuals are considered top outer-mountain disciples; they are proud and untamed. Without sufficient strength, it would be very difficult to bring them under control." Lu Feng was able to command the loyalty of the local Shengzhou disciples because of his own power. In contrast, among the disciples from other continents, there was no one who could dominate the rest like Lu Feng. As a result, the current situation among the outer-mountain disciples was that those from other continents had formed various small and large groups, appearing numerous, but they were completely at a disadvantage compared to the Shengzhou local disciples.

Qiao Xiu's words contained a subtle warning. He was concerned that if Zhou Yuan invited these unruly individuals, he might not be able to control them, which could turn into a humiliating farce for Zhou Yuan. After all, everyone who managed to enter the Cangxuan Sect was once a proud prodigy, arrogant and ambitious. It was incredibly difficult to earn their wholehearted respect and acceptance. At least in the past two months, no such person had emerged.

Zhou Yuan, naturally aware of this point, chuckled softly. "Senior Brother Qiao Xiu, there's no need to worry. Just bring them here, and I'll handle the rest." Seeing Zhou Yuan's confidence, Qiao Xiu stopped pressing the issue and simply nodded. "Then, we shall see Junior Brother Zhou Yuan's methods when the time comes."