129: Chapter 129 Ling Wuxiao VS Yan Jue!

Tang An finished speaking.

"Junior Brother Tang, rest assured, the Law Enforcement Hall will never sit idly by!"

"We will immediately send people to investigate. If the situation is true, we will certainly punish them severely without leniency!"

"No matter who it is, and no matter who is backing them, as long as they violate the Sect rules, they must be punished! This is the duty of the Law Enforcement Hall and the bottom line of the Sect!"

Whether for public duty or private reasons, the Law Enforcement Hall would not ignore this matter.

Publicly, it was the duty of the Law Enforcement Hall to maintain Sect rules and protect the safety of Disciples.

Privately, Tang An was Chu Feng's man, and Chu Feng was the First Deacon of Duobao Peak and very likely to become a Saint in the future. Doing him a favor now would lead to many benefits later.

Deacon Tang Hao's ability to survive in the Law Enforcement Hall until now relied on this kind of vision to judge the situation.

"Thank you, Deacon Tang Hao!" Tang An cupped his hands in thanks.

With those words from Deacon Tang Hao, the matter was as good as settled.

"No need to be polite, this is what the Law Enforcement Hall should do."

Deacon Tang Hao patted Tang An's shoulder, his tone friendly. "Go back first and comfort the injured Disciples. We will handle things here as quickly as possible. Not a single one of those perpetrators will escape."

Tang An nodded, turned, and left the Law Enforcement Hall.

...

At the same time Tang An was heading to the Law Enforcement Hall.

Lin Bai and Wen Xi also acted quickly according to Chu Feng's instructions.

"Have you heard? Senior Brother Ling Wuxiao has been getting very close to Zhenbao Peak lately."

"More than just close! I have a friend on duty at Zhenbao Peak who said he saw with his own eyes Senior Brother Ling Wuxiao go to Senior Brother Wu Chen's Immortal Cave late at night and stay for a full two hours before coming out!"

"Two hours? What was he doing so late?"

"Who knows? But the next day, someone saw Senior Brother Ling Wuxiao coming out of Zhenbao Peak with red eyes, as if he had been crying."

"Impossible, right? Senior Brother Ling Wuxiao is at Golden Core Perfection, one of the ten Heaven-Grade True Disciples. How could he..."

"Why not? I heard that Senior Brother Ling Wuxiao wanted to ask Senior Brother Wu Chen for guidance on the Dao of Formations, but Senior Brother Wu Chen thought his talent was insufficient and refused to take him. Senior Brother Ling Wuxiao then knelt down and kowtowed three times before Senior Brother Wu Chen reluctantly agreed to let him be a Named Disciple."

The three of them chatted back and forth, making the story sound very vivid.

A crowd of curious Disciples gradually gathered around, all ears.

In another place.

"Sigh, the world is truly going downhill. Senior Brother Ling Wuxiao is a Heaven-Grade True Disciple after all, yet he actually gave up his dignity just to cling to Zhenbao Peak."

"How so?"

"I heard it too, but don't spread it around. Senior Brother Ling Wuxiao wanted to join Zhenbao Peak, but Senior Brother Wu Chen looked down on him. He badgered him relentlessly, and finally, having no other choice, he agreed to serve as a guard for Zhenbao Peak for thirty years just to exchange for a chance to audit lessons."

"Thirty years? Isn't that almost like being a servant?"

"More than that, it's practically being a dog."

"Have you heard? Senior Brother Ling Wuxiao has become a dog for Zhenbao Peak!"

"More than a dog, I heard he signed a soul contract and became Wu Chen's male slave!"

"No, no, what I heard was that Senior Brother Ling Wuxiao was beaten up by Yan Jue and knelt to beg for mercy just to save his life!"

This was how rumors were.

One told ten, ten told a hundred, and every time it passed through someone's mouth, more embellishments were added.

Soon, thousands of versions of "Senior Brother Ling Wuxiao's Anecdotes" were circulating throughout the Duobao Sect.

...

"Bastards! A bunch of bastards!"

Inside the Immortal Cave.

Senior Brother Ling Wuxiao shattered the black jade table in front of him with a single palm strike.

The tea set, Jade Slips, and Spirit Stones on the table scattered everywhere, making crisp cracking sounds.

His chest heaved violently, and fire almost spat from his eyes.

Those words were like poisoned thorns, stabbing into Senior Brother Ling Wuxiao's heart one by one.

When he first heard them, he wanted to strike out and teach those Disciples a lesson.

But his last shred of reason told him he couldn't do that.

"Wu Chen! Yan Jue! Chu Feng! And you ant-like trash! You all deserve to die!" Senior Brother Ling Wuxiao gnashed his teeth, a ruthless look flashing in his eyes.

Who was he?

He was the youngest Golden Core Perfection Cultivator in the Duobao Sect in a thousand years.

But now, he was actually being humiliated like this by a group of ants!

Senior Brother Ling Wuxiao walked to the window of the Immortal Cave and looked at the other peaks looming in the distant mist.

Zhenbao Peak, Duobao Peak, Danbao Peak, Shoushou Peak... on every single peak, there were probably people discussing him and laughing at him right now.

"No, it can't go on like this." Senior Brother Ling Wuxiao forced himself to calm down, pacing inside the Immortal Cave.

Rumors were things where the more you ignored them, the more fiercely they spread.

Now the only way was to prove everything with strength!

As long as he displayed overwhelming power, those rumors would naturally collapse on their own!

But to whom should he prove it?

The first person Senior Brother Ling Wuxiao thought of was Chu Feng.

After all, these rumors were all spread by Chu Feng.

But Chu Feng hadn't even reached the Golden Core realm yet. How could he, a Golden Core Perfection expert, challenge him?

Winning would just be seen as the strong bullying the weak.

Therefore, it could only be Zhenbao Peak.

The core of the rumors was that he was fawning over Zhenbao Peak, so he would go to Zhenbao Peak and directly challenge Wu Chen!

As long as he defeated Wu Chen, he could prove he wasn't some "servant" or "lackey."

But as soon as this thought arose, he suppressed it.

Wu Chen was the number one Heaven-Grade True Disciple of Zhenbao Peak, and he had already comprehended the third volume of the [Heavenly Formation Scripture]. He was simply no match for him.

So, it would be you, the second True Disciple of Zhenbao Peak, Yan Jue.

"Zhou Ming."

Senior Brother Ling Wuxiao suddenly calmed down, but beneath this calm was a volcano about to erupt. "Spread the word for me: Tomorrow at noon, I will publicly challenge Yan Jue! Life or death regardless!"

“Wha... What?”

Zhou Ming was stunned. "Senior Brother, this... this is too impulsive!"

"Go when I tell you to go!"

Senior Brother Ling Wuxiao said coldly, "Say one more word and you can get out!"

Zhou Ming's face turned pale. He didn't dare to advise further and bowed as he exited the Immortal Cave.

Inside the Immortal Cave, Senior Brother Ling Wuxiao stood alone by the window, watching the distant mountains gradually sinking into the twilight.

The afterglow of the setting sun dyed the sea of clouds blood-red and also reflected on his face.

"Wu Chen, Chu Feng, and everyone else watching me make a fool of myself..."

He whispered to himself, his voice as cold as iron, "I will let you know what price you have to pay for looking down on me, Ling Wuxiao."

...

Duobao Peak, Deacon Hall.

At this moment, a chessboard was laid out before Chu Feng.

Black and white pieces were interlaced on the board in an endgame.

He held a white piece, his brow slightly furrowed as if thinking about the next move.

"Brother Feng!" Tang An's voice came from outside; his voice arrived before he did.

"Good news! That lunatic Ling Wuxiao is going to publicly challenge Yan Jue tomorrow!"

"Oh?"

Chu Feng finally looked up, a smile appearing at the corner of his mouth. "This guy isn't a brainless brute after all; he actually didn't challenge Wu Chen. What a pity."

"It is indeed a pity. Otherwise, Senior Brother Ling Wuxiao and Wu Chen would definitely have fought until both were wounded."

Tang An sat down opposite Chu Feng and poured himself a cup of spiritual tea. "Actually, even if Senior Brother Ling Wuxiao wanted to challenge Wu Chen, it would be impossible."

"The Sect Elders wouldn't allow two major Heaven-Grade True Disciples to step onto the Dueling Platform."

"However, I heard some Elders heard that Senior Brother Ling Wuxiao challenged Yan Jue just because of some rumors. They stated his Heart-Nature is too poor and he is unfit for great things, and they are suggesting his status as a Heaven-Grade True Disciple be revoked."

Hearing this, a glint flashed in Chu Feng's eyes. "That's not enough. Senior Brother Ling Wuxiao is at Golden Core Perfection after all; his strength is there."

"As long as he can defeat Yan Jue tomorrow, most of that criticism will naturally vanish."

"Then what should we do?" Tang An frowned. "Could it be that everything we've done has been in vain?"

"Of course it won't be in vain."

Chu Feng put down the chess piece and took a small sip of tea. "Think about it, no matter who wins or loses tomorrow, it's beneficial to us."

"If Senior Brother Ling Wuxiao wins, Zhenbao Peak will lose face, and Wu Chen will certainly not let it go."

"If Yan Jue wins, Senior Brother Ling Wuxiao's reputation will be completely ruined, and he will have no place left in the Duobao Sect."

He paused and continued, "Besides, do you think everything will be fine just because Senior Brother Ling Wuxiao wins?"

"Don't forget, he's slapping the face of the entire Zhenbao Peak. Can Wu Chen endure that?"

"Can those Elders of Zhenbao Peak endure it? At that time, what Senior Brother Ling Wuxiao will face is the revenge of the entire Zhenbao Peak."

Tang An suddenly understood and clapped his hands. "Brilliant! This way, no matter the result, Senior Brother Ling Wuxiao and Zhenbao Peak will have a grudge! We can just sit back and reap the benefits!"

"Exactly."

Chu Feng nodded. "However, we can't stay completely out of it. Tang An, tomorrow take all the Disciples of the Fengyun Association above the Foundation Establishment stage to watch the excitement. Remember, stay neutral and don't show any bias."

"Understood!" Tang An replied. "Then I'll go make the arrangements."

"Wait."

Chu Feng called him back. "One more thing. Have people secretly spread news saying that the reason Senior Brother Ling Wuxiao is challenging Yan Jue is because he doesn't dare to challenge Wu Chen."

"Remember, it must be done covertly. Don't let them trace it back to us."

Tang An's eyes lit up. "This is adding fuel to the fire!"

"Since we're watching the show, we might as well let the fire burn brighter."

Chu Feng smiled faintly. That smile was gentle, but his eyes were ice cold. "Isn't Senior Brother Ling Wuxiao proud and arrogant? Then let him and Zhenbao Peak fight to the death."

Tang An took his orders and left. Chu Feng sat alone in the stone pavilion, continuing to study the endgame on the chessboard.

"In the world of cultivation, sometimes brains are more useful than fists." Chu Feng whispered to himself as he placed the final white piece.

...

The next day.

The Dueling Platform.

Outside the protective barrier of the Dueling Platform, tens of thousands of Disciples had gathered.

The sounds of discussion and arguments intertwined, rising and falling like the tide of the sea.

At this time, Senior Brother Ling Wuxiao and Yan Jue were already standing in the center of the Dueling Platform.

The two were fifty zhang apart. For Golden Core Perfection Cultivators, this distance was but a blink of an eye.

The sunlight shone obliquely from the east, stretching their shadows very long.

A breeze blew past, fluttering their robes, but it could not disperse the heavy killing intent in the arena.

"Ling Wuxiao, it's not too late for you to admit defeat now."

Yan Jue held a Formation Flag, its surface flowing with complex Formation patterns and faint shadows of beasts galloping within. "Once we start, life and death are irrelevant. It's not worth losing your life over a few rumors."

Hearing this, the corner of Senior Brother Ling Wuxiao's mouth curled into a mocking arc. "Yan Jue, when did you become so talkative? If you're scared, just say it. I might consider sparing your dog life."

"You!" Yan Jue's face darkened, anger flashing in his eyes.

He was not a good-tempered person to begin with. As the second True Disciple of Zhenbao Peak and also the number one Earth-Grade True Disciple, his Formations were profound and his magic power was vast. He was a prominent figure among the younger generation of the Duobao Sect.

Usually, who wouldn't be polite when seeing him? How could he stand such mockery from Senior Brother Ling Wuxiao?

In his heart.

Senior Brother Ling Wuxiao had only broken through to Golden Core Perfection a few years ago and his Foundation was unstable; he couldn't possibly be his opponent.

Provoking him like this now was purely seeking death!