The present moment, Ye Ming's mind was buzzing, completely unable to comprehend what was happening.
Out of the blue, why were these old men scrambling to offer treasures to the two of them?
As for the onlookers, they were nearly on the verge of their worldviews collapsing.
Were these people truly the respected, inscrutable divine powerhouses of Martial God Mountain?
Why did they now feel like a bunch of old tricksters trying to swindle them?
It was simply too surreal!
"Um... um! Esteemed seniors, what are you doing!" Ye Ming, unconcerned by the treasures they offered, asked timidly.
He naturally wouldn't say that the treasures didn't catch his eye.
"Ahem!"
Sensing the peculiar gazes cast by the surrounding crowd, Gao Shan Xiu Yi and the others also realized that their actions were unbecoming of strong practitioners. They cleared their throats to alleviate the awkwardness.
"This... it's like this!"
Gao Shan Xiu Yi didn't beat around the bush and directly stated their objective: "We, a few of us, have seen that the talent of you two is truly exceptional, a rare sight once in a hundred years. Therefore, we old fellows all hope to take you under our wing and cultivate you well!"
"So, have you decided who to choose?"
Gao Shan Xiu Yi widened his pupils, looking at the two with anticipation.
It was as if he was saying: Pick me! Pick me!
That look was beyond compare.
Especially when the surrounding peanut gallery heard these words, they could no longer sit still.
"Holy crap! Are you kidding me? So these elders came down the mountain to snatch people? This... is outrageous!"
"Wuwuwu! Why is the gap between people so vast?"
"I really don't understand what's so special about those two. Isn't it just that the man is a bit more handsome and the woman is a bit prettier? Can high颜值 truly allow you to do whatever you want?"
"No! Since the elders chose them, there must be a reason. Let's continue watching!"
"Even though what you said makes sense, I'm still unconvinced!"
"..."
While the crowd was in an uproar, Ye Ming finally understood what was going on.
However, he had never intended to participate in this assessment from the beginning!
"It seems that some previous events have led these old fellows to misunderstand," Ye Ming speculated inwardly.
After all, at his current level, if he truly wanted to join an organization, would he need any assessment?
It was non-existent.
"Seniors! You've misunderstood!" Ye Ming held Nangong Qian Yu's hand and said with a smile, "We two are just here to watch the mountain-opening ceremony, and we don't have any intention of participating in the assessment."
"Therefore! We're afraid we have to辜负 your seniors' good intentions!"
Ye Ming could only offer an apologetic glance.
He had decisively refused.
"What? Wh-what did you say?"
The elders seemed to disbelieve their ears, their faces filled with disbelief.
Who were they?
Elders of Martial God Mountain!
Divine-level powerhouses, looking down from above, weren't they?
And now, all of them had been rejected.
"This..."
"Madness! This world is absolutely mad! Someone actually refused an invitation from Martial God Mountain to their face."
"Hmph! It's simply too arrogant! They think they're so great just because they have some talent, and it's already their greatest honor that the elders were willing to condescend to come down the mountain. And now, they dare to refuse? How outrageous!"
"Exactly! These young people nowadays really can't see their own place!"
"Alas! What a pity!"
"..."
Not only did the elders not expect Ye Ming's unhesitating refusal, but the observing cultivators were also surprised.
Of course!
The latter were mostly discussing how these two were ignorant and arrogant.
"Young man! Are you really not... considering it?"
At this moment, Gao Shan Xiu Yi's tone was clearly less amiable than before, and he even deliberately infused a trace of sonic intimidation.
As a divine powerhouse renowned in the Eastern Island Nation, he felt he had given the other party enough face. Yet, under such circumstances, he received a bucket of cold water.
Anyone in his position would likely not feel good about it, right?
"Seniors! I'm sorry!"
Ye Ming clasped his fists helplessly, shook his head, and refused again.
"You..."
This time, the faces of the six elders clearly darkened.
"Little girl! Are you the same as him?"
Gao Shan Xiu Yi forcefully suppressed the anger in his heart and looked at Nangong Qian Yu beside Ye Ming.
"Seniors! I can speak for her..."
"Shut up! I'm talking to her! What are you, daring to interrupt as you please?"
Ye Ming had only spoken half of his sentence when he was interrupted by Gao Shan Xiu Yi's furious roar.
Moreover, in that voice, the other party had clearly used martial techniques to make his voice even more resonant, giving a sense of the heavens and earth's wrath.
The appearance of this voice instantly broke the tense atmosphere of the scene. Even the clouds in the high sky scattered.
And the onlookers were so startled that they broke out in a cold sweat, not daring to breathe heavily, for fear that their slightest action might provoke these big shots.
"Girl! Are you also as unappreciative as that brat?" Gao Shan Xiu Yi narrowed his eyes, his entire demeanor looking exceptionally grim.
Brat!
Upon hearing this address, Ye Ming's eyes slightly narrowed, dark clouds intertwined in the depths of his pupils, emitting a faint cold light.
However, he ultimately suppressed it.
"Unappreciative?"
But Nangong Qian Yu couldn't hold back anymore. How dare they mock her man in front of her? Could she tolerate that?
"To be frank, with just you, you think you're qualified to teach us?" Nangong Qian Yu's words were sharp, leaving them no room for face.
What the heck?
They turned hostile after being rejected?
My man spoke to you politely, did you really think he was made of mud?
Giving you too much face?
"You..."
As soon as Nangong Qian Yu spoke, not only did it make the elders tremble with anger, but the onlookers instinctively retreated backward in fear.
They could all feel that the heavens here might change.
"Good! Good! Very good!"
Gao Shan Xiu Yi said "good" three times in succession, and the aura emanating from him gradually climbed, even influencing the weather of Martial God Mountain.
It felt like a storm was approaching.
"It's been a long time since anyone dared to speak to this old man in such a tone."
Gao Shan Xiu Yi extended his five fingers, and in an instant, a gigantic hand materialized in the air, carrying the might of the enraged heavens, crushing down directly towards Ye Ming and the two.
At this moment, their figures were like two ants in front of that giant hand, small and powerless.
"Youngsters! This old man will teach you what humility is!"
"Suppress!"
A trace of ferocity flashed in Gao Shan Xiu Yi's eyes. The giant hand descended, determined to make these two arrogant youngsters pay a bloody price.
However, when facing such an unparalleled attack, Nangong Qian Yu not only felt no fear. Instead, a hint of disdain flickered at the corner of her lips.
And Ye Ming beside her also seemed to have no intention of making a move.
More accurately, there was no need for him to make a move.
"Sha Gong! The show is over, it's time to properly manage your own people!"
The moment Ye Ming spoke, before everyone could even understand what was happening, they saw a bloody light flash across the sky.
Subsequently, that giant hand... cracked.