95: An arrogant bet

Yan Lie's words, filled with endless arrogance and dominance, were like a resounding slap, fiercely hitting the faces of every Qingyun Sect Disciple present!

The gazes from the other six great Sects converged, all at once, on Qingyun Sect's somewhat thin formation! Those gazes were filled with undisguised contempt, disdain, and schadenfreude at the spectacle!

"Too much bullying!"

"This Xuanhuo Sect simply doesn't put our Qingyun Sect in its eyes!"

Among the formation, those young Geniuses who were still high-spirited moments ago, now had faces flushed red, their fists clenched tightly, nails digging deep into their flesh! The pride and dignity belonging to a Qingyun Disciple were, at this moment, trampled beyond recognition by the opponent's blatant humiliation!

Several hot-tempered Disciples even trembled with rage, their spiritual Qi surging uncontrollably, almost causing them to rush out on the spot!

"All of you... stop!"

Su Changqing's voice, cold and devoid of any emotion, was like a morning bell and evening drum, clearly ringing in the heart of every Disciple!

He slowly raised his head, his once majestic eyes now an unfathomable, icy expanse, like a millennia-old cold pond. He calmly met Yan Lie's aggressive gaze and slowly spoke, his voice not loud, but every word resonant: "Victory and defeat are not decided by words."

"At the Seven Sect Martial Gathering, on the arena, the truth will be revealed."

"Is that so?" Yan Lie scoffed contemptuously, as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world. His possessive eyes once again shamelessly fell upon Su Qingyue's exquisite figure. "Sect Master Su, I merely... feel sorry for Junior Sister Qingyue."

"A favored daughter of heaven like her should have stood on the highest podium. Now, she has to follow you 'chickens and dogs' and endure the humiliation of 'playing second fiddle.' It's truly... a pity, a lament!"

His words were utterly malicious! He was openly sowing discord in front of everyone!

A layer of frost instantly covered Su Qingyue's face! Her slender, jade-like hand gripping the hilt of her sword tightened sharply, and an extremely sharp and terrifying Sword Intent surged skyward!

However, before she could speak, Yan Lie seemed to lose interest and slowly shook his head.

He no longer paid attention to Su Changqing, nor did he look at Su Qingyue.

His playful eyes, like a lion surveying its territory, contemptuously swept over Qingyun Sect's formation, finally landing precisely on the inconspicuous, thin figure who had been keeping his head down and perfectly hiding himself among the crowd the entire time...

Lin Ye!

"Very well." A cruel arc appeared at the corner of Yan Lie's mouth. "Since Sect Master Su says that the arena is where the truth is revealed, then before the main event begins, how about our two Sects... have an appetizer and warm up first?"

With that, he strode out of Xuanhuo Sect's formation under several astonished gazes, heading directly towards Qingyun Sect's formation!

With each step he took, the terrifying aura on his body, as scorching and violent as a blazing sun, intensified!

Finally, he stopped in front of Lin Ye, who was already "pale with fright" and "trembling slightly"...

"You, come out."

He didn't even bother to call Lin Ye by his name, merely hooked his finger at Lin Ye with a condescending gaze, like a god looking down on an ant.

That gesture was filled with endless... humiliation!

Lin Ye's heart instantly sank to the bottom.

He never expected that even with his low profile, he would still be targeted by this extremely arrogant fellow!

"Yan Lie! Don't push your luck!" Behind Su Changqing, a Core Elder finally lost his patience, stepping forward abruptly and roaring.

However, Yan Lie didn't even bother to look at him.

His aggressive eyes were fixed solely on Lin Ye, who was already "scared silly," and a cruel, cat-and-mouse smile played on his lips.

"Don't be afraid, kid." He spoke slowly, his voice filled with "kindness." "I just... want to play a game with you."

"I will make a personal wager with you."

"How about this, to avoid heroes of the world saying that I, Yan Lie, bully the weak." The sarcasm on Yan Lie's face grew deeper as he extended three fingers and said in an extremely contemptuous tone, "I will stand here motionless and let you... attack three times!"

"If you can make me retreat half a step within three moves, you win! I will, in front of all the heroes of the world, admit that your Qingyun Sect is not here to 'play second fiddle'!"

"And!" He paused, his voice suddenly rising, filled with unquestionable boldness and confidence, "I will personally give you a... Low Grade Earth Rank rare spiritual material—'Crimson Flame Glaze'! How about it?!"

Earth Rank spiritual material!!!

As these four words were uttered, the entire square instantly erupted in an uproar!

In everyone's eyes, there was an uncontrollable hint of greed and... fanaticism!

That was an Earth Rank spiritual material! Enough to refine powerful Magical Artifacts that even Treasure Body Realm experts would covet! Its value was enough to drive any mid-tier Sect mad!

And he was using it as a prize for a "game"?!

"But..." Yan Lie's voice suddenly turned cold, filled with unquestionable dominance, "If within three moves, you can't even touch my clothes, or even make me retreat an inch..."

His eyes, as scorching as the blazing sun, slowly swept over every red-faced Qingyun Sect Disciple present, saying word by word:

"Then from now on, all Disciples of your Qingyun Sect, whenever they see a member of my Xuanhuo Sect, must... bow in respect! To show... reverence!"

To have a Qi Refining Realm Disciple attack a motionless Middle Stage Treasure Body Realm expert, this in itself was a huge humiliation! It was as if to say: I'll stand here and let you hit me, and you won't harm me in the slightest!

Too much bullying!

This was simply too much bullying!

"Yan Lie! How dare you!" Su Changqing could no longer suppress the raging anger in his heart, stepping forward abruptly, and the terrifying pressure belonging to a Dharma Body Realm expert erupted!

However, Yan Lie was completely unafraid!

Behind him, from Xuanhuo Sect's formation, several equally powerful auras surged skyward, confronting Su Changqing's pressure from afar!

"What? Sect Master Su?" Yan Lie's face was filled with a mocking smile. "Could it be that... your Qingyun Sect doesn't even have this much courage?"

For a moment, the entire Qingyun Sect was forced into an impossible... predicament!

Agree?

Let a Qi Refining Realm good-for-nothing attack a motionless Middle Stage Treasure Body Realm expert? Wouldn't that be inviting humiliation and becoming a laughingstock for the other party?!

Disagree?

Then they would completely become the laughingstock of the entire Tiannan Dynasty cultivation world!

"Lin Ye! Don't agree!"

"That's right! Junior Brother Lin! Don't be impulsive! This is a provocation!"

Several Qingyun Sect Disciples hurriedly pulled on Lin Ye's sleeve, whispering their advice.

Lin Ye slowly raised his head.

He looked at the fellow Disciples beside him, who, though angry, had eyes filled with "pleading."

He then looked at the Sect Master in front of him, who, though furious, was also caught in a dilemma.

Finally, his gaze fell upon the white figure who remained still, but whose clear, cold eyes were also filled with solemnity...

An unprecedented, tragic "sense of mission" suddenly surged from the deepest part of his heart!

He slowly pushed away the hands of his fellow Disciples.

Meeting Yan Lie's mocking and disdainful gaze, he calmly walked out of the formation, step by step.

His thin figure, in front of Yan Lie's tall, god-like physique, appeared so... tiny, and so... vulnerable.

But his straight back was like the legendary pillar supporting heaven and earth, not bending in the slightest!

"Good."

A calm, even slightly "trembling" voice, slowly emerged from his mouth.

"This wager..."

He slowly raised his head, and in his eyes, which had been filled with "fear," a faint yet incredibly firm... flame ignited!

"I accept!"