Open up and break into another world

Barren City was built right next to the Barren Sect.

In fact, when the Barren Sect first moved here, there were no cities at the foot of the mountain.

However, because the Barren Sect was so powerful, many people came to join them; moreover, the Barren Sect itself really needed a city nearby to make life more convenient. So, over time, the prosperous Barren City came into being.

At the foot of Barren Mountain, tens of thousands of martial artists had gathered.

Of course, not all of these martial artists were here to challenge the "Mountain Gate Pass."

To challenge the Mountain Gate Pass, one had to be under twenty years old and have at least reached the Completion of Inner Refinement.

Among the tens of thousands of martial artists at the foot of the mountain, probably only a thousand or so met these requirements. Most of the other martial artists were either here to "take the exam" with them or to watch the spectacle.

"You tourists who have come to Barren City are really lucky to have arrived just in time for the grand event of challenging the Mountain Gate Pass!" Barren City is the core of the entire Barren Sect region, so naturally, many people come here for sightseeing and tourism. At this moment, a skinny tour guide was holding a small red flag and shouting at the top of his lungs, "You can see the geniuses in the central area! They are all the most talented geniuses in the entire Barren Sect region! -- Hey, hey, Madam, what are you doing kneeling down in the direction of those geniuses!?"

The tour guide was also stunned. He had never encountered such a tourist before -- seeing a group of geniuses from afar and immediately kneeling down to kowtow?

The Madam ignored the tour guide and solemnly performed three kneelings and nine kowtows. Finally, she stood up and said shyly, "I'm kneeling to absorb some of the spiritual energy of these geniuses, so I can bring it back to my good-for-nothing son!"

The tour guide and other tourists were enlightened -- what a great idea!

Absorb some of the geniuses' spiritual energy and talent, and bring it back home, and who knows, the child at home might become a genius in the future!

Immediately, a group of uncles and aunties knelt down one after another, imitating the previous Madam, performing three kneelings and nine kowtows.

While kneeling, some uncles and aunties were chanting, "May the geniuses bless us! Bless my Er Gouzi so that when he grows up, he can also come and challenge this Mountain Gate Pass..."

The tour guide didn't kneel, but his eyes were darting around, and he was thinking that next year, he might need to open a "Mountain Gate Pass Worship Special Line" to specifically fool those uncles and aunties into worshiping and then charge high prices!

As for whether worshiping the geniuses would have any effect?

The tour guide just wanted to say, "Damn it! If it had an effect, I would kneel at the foot of Barren Mountain and never get up, eating and drinking here! If it had an effect, would I still need to be a small tour guide?"

Xu Ming happened to pass by this group of strange people, looking at the kneeling uncles and aunties with some horror: "The uncles and aunties of today are really too good at playing..."

Someone next to him asked, "Didn't your grandfather die a long time ago?"

"Yes, my grandfather died when he was eight years old!"

"Your grandfather died when he was eight years old?..." The person next to him was thoughtful, but couldn't figure it out for a long time.

...

"Hey, you in front, please don't stretch your neck so long, okay? You're blocking my view..."

"Melon seeds, peanuts, watermelon, iced water!"

...

"Stop! Only martial artists challenging the Mountain Gate Pass can enter here. No idlers allowed!"

When Xu Ming was about to walk over, a Barren Sect handyman disciple stopped him.

"I'm here to challenge the Mountain Gate Pass."

"Oh..." The handyman disciple didn't ask any further questions and let him pass directly. He wasn't worried about any trouble. Anyway, once you entered this area, you had to challenge the Mountain Gate Pass; if anyone pretended to be challenging the Mountain Gate Pass and sneaked in, they would be in big trouble if they were discovered.

Xu Ming was about to walk in --

"Ming... Brother Ming!" Suddenly, a slightly familiar voice sounded from behind.

Someone's calling me?

Xu Ming turned his head and saw Ma Weiwei.

Ma Weiwei was accompanied by Ma Shaobai and the Ma family head.

At this time, Ma Weiwei, Ma Shaobai, and the Ma family head all looked haggard. If it weren't for people who knew them well, they probably wouldn't be able to recognize them.

"What's the matter?" Xu Ming frowned slightly.

"Ming... Brother Ming," Ma Weiwei said as she stepped forward, "My brother and I are here to beg for your forgiveness!"

The Ma family head also hurriedly stepped forward, cupping his hands apologetically and saying, "Young Master Ming! These two disobedient brats have accidentally offended Young Master Ming; please be generous and don't hold it against them!"

Hold it against them?

Xu Ming was speechless -- when have I ever held it against them? After slapping them that day, I didn't cause them any trouble, so how could there be any talk of holding it against them?

"I've already forgiven you, is there anything else?"

"Really? Brother Ming, you've forgiven us?" Ma Weiwei said in surprise, "That's great, Brother Ming, please help me say a word to Brother Hao, just say that you've already forgiven us, and ask him not to ignore me, okay?"

"What what what?" Xu Ming was speechless, "I've already forgiven you, whether Er Hao ignores you or not, I don't seem to have any control over that, right?"

"Brother Ming, Brother Hao is ignoring me because of you!" Ma Weiwei said aggrievedly.

Xu Ming now understood that Ma Weiwei came to ask him today because she wanted him to step in and help her repair her relationship with Number Two.

"But, how is this my business? I didn't tell Number Two to ignore you..." Xu Ming said.

"How is it not your business?" Ma Weiwei's unreasonable temper flared up again, "If it weren't for you, how could Er Hao be ignoring me?"

Xu Ming glanced at her: "So, you mean to blame me?"

After saying that, without waiting for Ma Weiwei to react, he turned around and walked into the "Challenge Area."

"You... you stop!" Ma Weiwei shouted angrily.

After Ma Weiwei learned about Xu Ming's identity and background, she was certain that Xu Ming would definitely come to challenge the Mountain Gate Pass. Therefore, she specially brought her brother and father with her, and came here early in the morning to wait.

After waiting for an hour or two, they finally managed to wait for Xu Ming, but before they could say a few words, Xu Ming ignored them and left. How could this not make Ma Weiwei shout angrily?

The Ma family head watched Xu Ming leave, his face ashen: "It's over, our Ma family is finished! If Xu Ming isn't willing to help persuade Er Hao to change his mind about you, our Ma family is really finished!"

When Ma Weiwei hooked up with Er Hao, the Ma family thought they had firmly latched onto a thick thigh, so they were eager to expand, resulting in offending many forces.

When Er Hao was backing them, those forces didn't dare to do anything to the Ma family. But since Ma Weiwei was abandoned by Er Hao, the revenge of those families has come!

"It's over... our Ma family is finished..." Ma Weiwei looked like she was going crazy, disheartened, "It's all Xu Ming! It's all Xu Ming who has ruined our entire Ma family!"

But, the impending decline of the Ma family, what does it have to do with Xu Ming?

Xu Ming only slapped Ma Shaobai and the others a few times because they were being aggressive. Other than that, he hadn't done anything else.

The Ma family's situation today cannot be blamed on Xu Ming at all; if they are to blame, they can only blame themselves for their poor behavior in the past, and now they are reaping what they sowed.

"Xu Ming!" Ma Weiwei stared at Xu Ming's back viciously, "I curse you to fall down and die when you challenge the Mountain Gate Pass!"

A young man hidden under a green robe happened to pass by: "Xu Ming? -- Xu Ming of the Flying Cloud Kingdom?"

The green-robed man's tone was flat, but for some reason, Ma Weiwei, Ma Shaobai, and the Ma family head trembled involuntarily upon hearing it.

Even the unreasonable Ma Weiwei was honest at this time: "Yes, it's him!"

"It's really fate, I didn't expect to run into him just by taking a stroll!" A cold smile flashed in the narrow eyes hidden under the green robe, "Since I've run into him, then I'll play with you for a while!"