The deflated cultivator refused to give up and vowed to turn the tables.

"Ah, how could it change so suddenly?" Su Zinong exclaimed, his mouth agape.

“This is better,” Huang Chenghe nodded and said, “It’s more competitive.”

"What if I don't go, or I go but don't show up?" Su Zinong asked, his eyes wide.

“You were shortlisted last year, so you’re a top contender. You’ll be selected whether you go or not,” Huang Chenghe said with a smile.

"Then how do they know my current cultivation level?" Su Zinong was even more confused.

“They are a very mysterious organization. They have a way of knowing your cultivation level! Not only that, they also know what you have done in the past,” Huang Chenghe said. “That is also a major highlight.”

"That's truly impressive!" Su Zinong exclaimed, recalling the old immortal he'd encountered in the sinkhole, who seemed to know everything about his past. Was the organization that conducted the selection process the same?

Su Zinong settled down at the Yellow River Villa.

Huang Donglang finally agreed to let Huang Chenghe teach Su Zinong three moves of the Yellow River Three-Layer Waves. During this time, Su Zinong could practice diligently and ask Huang Chenghe or even Huang Donglang if he encountered any problems.

Su Zinong's cultivation had risen to the late stage of the fifth star, and his true qi was quite abundant, so practicing the Yellow River Three Waves was very easy for him. Moreover, he had practiced the Kidney Water Meridian on the shore of the Ink Sea, which made it even more efficient. Even Huang Chenghe couldn't help but be secretly surprised: it turned out that it took him three months to learn three moves, but Su Zinong only needed ten days to learn them all.

Su Zinong administered acupuncture to Huang Chenghai every day.

"Now you can practice some earth-elemental techniques or focus more on the spleen and stomach meridians. If there are no earth-elemental techniques, when you practice your internal energy circulation throughout your body, make sure the energy circulates around the acupoints of the stomach and spleen meridians a few more times; this will also have a strengthening effect," Su Zinong suggested.

Following Su Zinong's advice, Huang Chenghai strengthened his acupoint training on the Spleen and Stomach Meridians, and surprisingly recovered to his peak state of four-star peak after ten days.

"Wow, is it really that amazing?!" Huang Chenghe exclaimed in amazement.

“You can do it too. I think the people from your manor are more suited to refining earth. After all, you have yellow spirit stones, which would be more effective for refining earth,” Su Zinong said, stroking his chin.

"Alright, then I'll practice more earth magic from now on." Huang Chenghe nodded and said, "Or you could stay here as a training consultant for Yellow River Manor and stop being a rogue cultivator!"

“That won’t do,” Su Zinong said. “I want to remain a rogue cultivator to the end, and I’m even thinking of standing up for rogue cultivators in the future! But you do have a good eye.”

"Good, that's ambitious!" Huang Chenghe praised. "That guy can work part-time as our training consultant, haha!"

Su Zinong used all four pieces of yellow spirit stone he had received to train his spleen and stomach meridians, because he felt that the yellow spirit stone was more effective for these two meridians.

As it was getting late, Huang Chenghe and Su Zinong, along with Danfeng and Zhaoxia, slowly set off northwards to the selection site for the top ten young cultivators of Qianding Mountain.

The selection was conducted by a very mysterious organization. No one knew which faction they belonged to, but everyone trusted their credibility, and the results were universally accepted.

"Chenghe, are you going to register to run for the election?" Danfeng asked with a smile.

"Of course I'm going!" Huang Chenghe grinned and said, "Although I heard that the cultivation levels of this year's participants have generally increased, I'll still sign up to join in the fun and make some friends along the way." You can't be timid in front of your sweetheart.

"You have enough friends already, you just want to go see a pretty fairy, right?" Su Zinong teased from the side.

Danfeng, who was standing next to him, glanced at him but remained silent.

"Haha, I used to enjoy both the spectacle and the beautiful women. Now that I have a hot girl by my side, I just enjoy the spectacle," Huang Chenghe said with a laugh.

Danfeng glanced at him again, a smile on her face, thinking to herself that this was more like it.

Two days later, the four arrived at a mountain resort called Baiyangzhuang.

Huang Chenghe suddenly said, "Brother Zinong, do you remember more than a year ago when we were dressed strangely and on important business in Changshou City, we encountered a young master named Bai who called out to me? That man was Bai Shaoyi, the young master of Baiyangzhuang."

"Strange attire" means not wearing clothes.

"Yes, I remember." Su Zinong felt embarrassed and ashamed. He was being chased naked through the streets when he encountered Young Master Bai.

"Since we're passing by, let's go in and say hello." Huang Chenghe pulled everyone inside.

Su Zinong scratched his head and had no choice but to bite the bullet and follow them inside.

However, upon entering the village, they found that everyone in Baiyang Village looked worried and troubled.

Huang Chenghe visited the estate owner, Bai Xiangshan.

"Uncle, it's been a long time. How have you and your wife been?" Huang Chenghe said very politely. "I was passing through your estate and took the opportunity to pay a visit."

"Ah, it's Chenghe. My wife and I are both fine, but you've come at an inopportune time. Something's happened to that disobedient son of mine. He just vanished into thin air in his room. The entire Baiyang Manor is in a state of distress and confusion. We really can't figure it out..." Bai Xiangshan said with a worried face.

"Ah, such a thing actually happened. How could someone as big as Bai Shaoyi just disappear into thin air?" Huang Chenghe was very surprised.

“That’s what we all thought, but he just disappeared. He was in that room, and because he was disobedient, I locked him in his room. The walls, doors, windows, roof, and floor were all intact, but he vanished into thin air. This just happened yesterday,” Bai Xiangshan said.

"Uncle, take me to see this quickly." Huang Chenghe grabbed Su Zinong and pulled him along.

Su Zinong knew what Huang Chenghe was planning to do. He didn't want to go, but Huang Chenghe dragged him there.

"Forced love is never sweet!" Su Zinong said quietly.

“It’s edible even if it’s not sweet! Stop talking nonsense, Young Master Bai is my good friend!” Huang Chenghe still wouldn’t let go of him.

Bai Shaoyi lived in a house on the east side. His house was quite large, with sturdy walls, solid doors and windows, windows that were locked from the inside, and an intact roof without any signs of damage or disturbance.

"That boy was disobedient and refused to accept the marriage arranged for him by the manor, so I had no choice but to lock him in this room for a few days to reflect on his actions. The door was locked from the outside, and trusted disciples were guarding the windows. But how did he disappear?" Bai Xiangshan was greatly puzzled.

"Can the disciples guarding this house be trusted?" Su Zinong asked.

“I trust them. I told them that if the young master escaped, I would hold them accountable, but now he hasn’t escaped and he’s disappeared, so it’s not appropriate to hold them accountable.” Bai Xiangshan was on the verge of tears.

"How are the meals delivered? Who is in charge?" Su Zinong asked.

“Most of the food was delivered by his mother; I delivered it occasionally. I asked Madam, and she confirmed that she hadn’t let him out. Madam is very anxious now and has cried countless times. Here’s what happened: yesterday, I noticed there was no movement inside for a long time, so I personally delivered the food. When I opened the door, I found the place empty, and that’s when I realized something had happened!” Bai Xiangshan said.

Su Zinong went inside and carefully inspected the walls, windows, doors, and roof, finding no signs of tampering.

How could such a grown person just vanish into thin air?

Why did such a mysterious locked-room case suddenly appear?