107: Chapter 107 Accepting the Challenge

Li Tianci smashed the coffee table with a single palm, his chest heaving violently, his eyes filled with sinister gloom.

Sun Lei, this chess piece, was wasted, but he still had plenty of other pawns.

The Li Family had operated in Modu for hundreds of years, and the small families that relied on them were as numerous as ox hair. There were no fewer than two hands' worth of senior students on the martial sect ranking list that he could command.

He took out another mobile phone and dialed a different number.

Over the next few days, Han Ming's nameplate vibrated incessantly.

The 20th, 22nd, 25th, and 30th ranked students on the martial sect ranking list—four or five senior students at the Peak Martial Ancestor level in succession—challenged him.

Han Ming rejected them all.

His ranking on the martial sect ranking list plummeted all the way from 15th to 35th.

The discussions surrounding the martial sect ranking list grew increasingly noisy, and many began to suspect that he was truly afraid.

Han Ming turned a deaf ear to it. He did not care about the ranking, but the constant stream of challenges was truly annoying.

Every time he sat down to Cultivate, the nameplate would vibrate, making it impossible to focus.

When the sixth challenge message popped up, Han Ming finally lost his patience.

The 38th ranked student on the martial sect ranking list, Ma Wencai, a nine-star Peak Martial Ancestor.

This time, Han Ming clicked accept.

The moment the news spread, Li Tianci smiled.

He leaned back in his chair, fingers tapping lightly on the armrest, a cruel glint flashing in his eyes.

This time, he would make sure Han Ming died without a burial place.

On the challenge arena, Ma Wencai was already waiting. He gripped his fists tightly, trembling slightly, with beads of cold sweat seeping from his forehead.

If one looked closely, the depths of his pupils were filled with despair.

He knew that today, regardless of whether Han Ming died or not, he was finished, and it might even implicate the entire Ma Family.

He had originally thought it was just going through the motions and had readily agreed to Li Tianci, but he hadn't expected that Han Ming would actually accept the challenge this time.

However, he knew he had no way out and could only go down this path to the end.

The referee instructor stood at the edge of the arena, his Peak Martial King Divine Sense enveloping the entire scene, not daring to relax in the slightest.

Han Ming walked onto the arena, expressionless.

"The challenge begins!"

Before the referee had even finished speaking, Ma Wencai roared, his nine-star Martial Ancestor Protective Aura erupting with full force.

A layer of Will of Metal, carrying his fist energy, transformed into a sky full of golden fist shadows that bombarded Han Ming.

The offensive was fierce and airtight.

Many people in the stands nodded secretly; he was worthy of being an expert on the martial sect ranking list. This strength was more than a grade higher than the average Peak Martial Ancestor.

Just as Han Ming raised his hand to counter, Ma Wencai's left hand suddenly retracted into his sleeve, and a blinding golden light suddenly exploded.

A terrifying Aura swept across the arena like a volcanic eruption. A golden palm print phantom condensed in mid-air, large enough to cover nearly half the arena. The defensive Formation runes of the entire arena instantly lit up to the extreme, emitting a piercing shriek.

The Peak Martial King referee instructor's expression changed drastically. He wanted to rush up to rescue, but the Peak Martial Emperor Aura made him unable to even take a single step.

"Han Ming!"

In the stands, Li Xuewei screamed, her face deathly pale.

"This, is this a Peak Martial Emperor attack Talisman?"

Nangong Li stood up abruptly, his pupils constricting, and he shouted in disbelief.

"Wow..."

Everyone stood up in shock, looking at the metallic palm print that blocked out the sky.

Even separated by the defensive Formation on the stage, that Aura made them feel a trembling in their very Souls while in the spectator stands.

Everyone had only one thought in their hearts—Han Ming was finished.

Behind the crowd, the corners of Li Tianci's mouth curled into a cold smile. This was the moment he wanted.

Feeling the Aura and intense murderous intent of the golden palm print, Han Ming's pupils contracted sharply, and he subconsciously wanted to escape into the Cave Heaven World.

But his expression quickly calmed down, and he stood in place with a calm face.

The golden palm print crashed down. The moment it touched his body, a warm, emerald-green light shield automatically popped out from within his body, enveloping him completely.

"Boom—"

The golden palm print slammed into the light shield, emitting an earth-shattering roar.

The spiritual runes on the ground of the arena flashed violently, and finally, with a "boom," the entire defensive Formation on the stage shattered.

Everyone stared at this scene in a daze. The defensive Formation that could withstand a full-force strike from a Peak Martial King without breaking had shattered.

Just how strong was this attack Talisman?

However, when the light dissipated, everyone gasped.

Han Ming stood there unscathed. The emerald-green light shield had only swayed slightly; there wasn't even a single crack.

A five-star Martial Saint-level defensive Talisman blocking a strike from a Peak Martial Emperor was truly using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

Ma Wencai's eyes widened, all the color drained from his face, his eyes lost their luster, and he collapsed onto the ground.

The referee instructor froze in place, his clothes already soaked through with cold sweat on his back.

The stands were deathly silent, and then they exploded into chaos.

"He blocked it? What kind of defensive Talisman is this? It could actually block an attack from a Peak Martial Emperor?"

"To withstand a full-force strike from a Peak Martial Emperor without moving, it must be at least a Martial Venerable-level defensive Talisman!"

"Ma Wencai is trying to kill Han Ming! This isn't a challenge; it's murder!"

"It must be the Li Family! Who doesn't know the relationship between the Ma Family and the Li Family? This is clearly revenge against Han Ming."

"No wonder Han Ming has been rejecting challenges for the past few days; he had already anticipated that the Li Family would pull this trick!"

Behind the crowd, Li Tianci looked at this scene, his face ugly. He hadn't expected Han Ming to possess such a precious defensive Talisman.

An assassination attempt he was so confident in had actually failed; it would be difficult to find such a good opportunity in the future.

Moreover, with his discernment, he could tell that the defensive Talisman on Han Ming was definitely not simple; it was very likely Martial Saint-level.

"Damn it," he cursed under his breath, turning and leaving with a dark expression.

At the same time, he felt some dissatisfaction toward his grandfather. If he had been given such a defensive Talisman earlier, why would he be in this situation?

The referee instructor recovered from his shock, his face livid.

He flashed in front of Ma Wencai, his Peak Martial King Aura pressing down like a mountain, pinning the collapsed Ma Wencai firmly to the ground.

"Using a Martial Emperor-level attack Talisman in a challenge match and attempting to murder a classmate—you deserve to die!"

He hated Ma Wencai to death at this moment. Fortunately, he hadn't succeeded, otherwise, he would have been dead too.

At this moment, he was also filled with lingering fear.

Ma Wencai trembled all over, opening his mouth to say something, but discovered he didn't even have the strength to speak. He knew he was finished, completely finished.

The school would not let him go, and the Han Family would definitely not let him go; no one could save him.

The referee instructor raised his palm, his voice cold as a blade: "According to the rules of Modu Martial Arts University, anyone who attempts to murder a classmate shall have their Dantian crippled and be expelled from the school. Today, in the name of the referee, I shall enforce the punishment myself."

He struck with his palm.

Ma Wencai's screams echoed over the arena, and then he collapsed on the ground like a dead dog.

The referee instructor withdrew his palm, scanned the students in the spectator stands, and said in a cold voice: "I do not wish for anyone to repeat what happened today. This Ma Wencai is the example of their fate."

The stands were silent.

Looking at Ma Wencai's miserable state, those few people, including Sun Lei, who had previously accepted Li Tianci's mission and were preparing to challenge Han Ming, turned deathly pale.

At the same time, they felt a sense of relief, fortunate that Han Ming had not accepted their challenges at the time; otherwise, Ma Wencai's fate would have been their own.

...

"Hmph, this Li Family is going a bit too far."

In a quiet little courtyard deep within the school, Vice Principal Ouyang Hai, who was playing chess with an old man, snorted coldly.

"Oh? Didn't you know about it long ago? Why didn't you have someone stop it? Aren't you afraid that if that kid from the Han Family really died, that old guy Martial God Han Qingcang would come looking for you for trouble?"

The old man in green robes casually placed a chess piece and smiled, looking at Vice Principal Ouyang Hai indifferently.

"He won't die." Vice Principal Ouyang Hai placed a piece, "That kid is treasured by Martial God Han Qingcang! But the Li Family does indeed need to be taught a lesson."

The old man in green robes smiled and didn't continue that topic, instead asking: "It seems a few little mice have come to your school. How do you plan to deal with them?"

"Just a few little mice, they can't stir up any big waves. It's also time to let the people below get some experience."

Vice Principal Ouyang Hai placed another chess piece and said unhurriedly.

...

"Han Ming, are you okay?"

The turmoil on the arena had subsided. Li Xuewei, Lin Fan, and the others walked over one after another, asking with concern.

"I'm fine."

Han Ming nodded at them. Seeing Li Xuewei so worried about him, he felt a warmth in his heart.

This girl might really have fallen for him.

"It's good that you're fine. You scared me to death just now."

Li Xuewei patted her chest, which was already beginning to take shape, looking like she was still recovering from the fright.

"Was that light screen just now a defensive Talisman?"

Gong Shuting looked at Han Ming and asked.

Li Xuewei and Lin Fan also revealed curious expressions.

"Mm."

Han Ming didn't hide it either and recounted the story of how his Great-grandfather had given him a Martial Saint-level defensive Talisman.

The group was stunned as they listened, a hint of envy flashing in their eyes. Sure enough, it was better to lean against a big tree for shade.

"Boom"

Just as everyone was still discussing whether Ma Wencai's use of the Peak Martial Emperor Talisman to attack Han Ming had anything to do with the Li Family.

A loud rumbling sound erupted from the instructor villa area, and a powerful Aura soared into the sky.