130: Challenge the Innate

Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, another half-day had passed.

Within the Heavenly Mountain Sect, news spread like wildfire through the efforts of Chu Chuan's subordinates.

In just half a day, almost everyone in the Heavenly Mountain Sect knew that Lin Yi had consumed a massive amount of the Sect's resources only to fail his Breakthrough to the Xiantian realm, and yet he was still stubbornly clinging to the precious emperor wus final edict, refusing to hand it over to someone who could benefit the Sect more.

This caused a stir among the many Disciples and Elders of the Heavenly Mountain Sect, sparking heated discussions.

Some argued that the emperor wus final edict was Lin Yi's to begin with, and he should be the one to decide its fate. Whether he used it himself or gave it away, it was his right, and no one else had the authority to interfere.

However, more people believed that while Lin Yi had obtained the emperor wus final edict, he wouldn't have been able to keep it without the protection of the Sect.

Furthermore, the Sect had already done enough for him. Upon learning that a mere First Rank like him had obtained the emperor wus final edict, they hadn't confiscated it immediately. Instead, they had expended vast resources to help him achieve a Xiantian Breakthrough. In the end, it was his own failure that he couldn't break through at the critical moment.

Under these circumstances, Lin Yi should have handed over the emperor wus final edict to someone more suitable within the Sect to repay the kindness shown to him.

The fact that Lin Yi was now using his talent as an excuse to refuse to surrender the edict was simply too selfish.

Disciples and Elders throughout the Heavenly Mountain Sect were divided, and the debates grew increasingly intense.

However, regardless of the turmoil outside, Lin Yi's state of mind remained calm... On the mountainside of Tianshan, in a small, secluded courtyard.

"Lin Yi, I swear, you really aren't worried at all!"

In the courtyard, beside a stone table, Wang Kai—whose Face had matured slightly over the past two years—looked at the calmly tea-sipping Lin Yi with a Face full of anxiety and said:

"The thief is on the wall, the house is on fire, and the child is leaning over the well's edge!"

"Right now, the entire Heavenly Mountain Sect is talking about you!"

"Under Chu Chuan's deliberate guidance, even among us ordinary Disciples who used to admire you, many now think you're being too selfish and are starting to grumble."

"As for those Elders who have lived in the Heavenly Mountain Sect their whole lives and value the Sect more than their own lives, don't even get me started. They've probably already cursed you to high heaven."

"Don't you plan on going out and explaining yourself?"

"Explain what?"

Hearing this, Lin Yi took a small sip of tea and smiled slightly:

"After all, Chu Chuan isn't wrong; I really don't want to hand over the emperor wus final edict."

"As long as I don't hand it over, no matter how much I explain, Chu Chuan has likely already prepared his rhetoric to refute me."

"In that case, I might as well not waste my breath arguing with them. Let them say what they want!"

"This..."

Wang Kai was momentarily speechless. After thinking it over, he realized Lin Yi's point was perfectly valid, so he turned his frustration toward Chu Chuan instead:

"Lin Yi, you're right! You're not at fault here, so there's no need to explain anything! And explaining wouldn't work anyway!"

"The blame lies solely with that despicable Chu Chuan. To use such underhanded tactics just for an emperor wus final edict."

"To think I used to admire him so much. I thought that as a Xiantian Grand Elder, he would be a noble Senior who was above worldly fame and wealth. I never expected him to be so low! Ptui! I must have been blind!"

"Haha, Wang Kai, you don't need to be so hard on yourself."

Lin Yi smiled faintly:

"In this world, it's only natural for the weak to admire the strong."

"Especially before actually meeting them, the weak inevitably place halos around those so-called 'strong' people to justify their power."

"But once you truly interact with them, you'll quickly realize—so what if they're 'strong'?"

"They are just humans too! They have the same emotions and desires! They have every single desire that common, vulgar people have, perhaps even more, and even more wicked!"

"The only difference between them and ordinary people is the scale of their desires."

"For example, an ordinary person might be perfectly satisfied dreaming of being wealthy and surrounded by beautiful wives and concubines."

"But for a Xiantian expert, these things are easily within reach. Naturally, they act dismissive and aloof toward such things, as if they are above the mortal realm."

"However, once they encounter something they truly want—like the emperor wus final edict in my hand—"

"Then, tsk tsk, their behavior is no different from the lowliest person struggling at the bottom. Their ugliness might even be worse!"

"Sigh! Lin Yi, you're right!"

Hearing Lin Yi's words, Wang Kai couldn't help but shake his head slightly:

"I was too naive in the past, admiring those so-called experts too much. But now, what do you plan to do?"

"Are you going to ignore them and leave the Heavenly Mountain Sect immediately for Liuzhong Mountain in Martial Province?"

"Of course not!"

Lin Yi smiled and shook his head:

"I don't care what others say, but since Chu Chuan dared to ruin my reputation like this, if I don't teach him a lesson, won't he think I, Lin Yi, am an easy target?"

"Since he says my virtue doesn't match my position and that I'm not as qualified as him to enter the Martial Emperors Relic Palace—"

"Fine! I will now use the blade in my hand to show him exactly who is truly qualified to enter the Martial Emperors Relic Palace."

"Wang Kai, send someone to the Chu Manor and tell Chu Chuan this."

"In three hours, at the Heavenly Mountain Sect Martial Arts Stage, I, Lin Yi, want to fight him, Chu Chuan."

"If he wins this battle, then I, Lin Yi, will hand over the emperor wus final edict without another word."

"If he loses, not only must he bow and apologize to me, but he must also compensate me with at least one billion taels of silver. Ask him—does he dare, or does he not?"

"What!"

As soon as Lin Yi said this, Wang Kai was stunned:

"Lin Yi, are you crazy? You're just a First Rank, and you want to fight a Xiantian Master?"

"Even if he only recently broke through to Xiantian, he's not someone a First-Rank Martial Artist like you can touch!"

"Lin Yi, tell me the truth, are you just saying this to comfort yourself? In reality, you've already buckled under the pressure and plan to give the emperor wus final edict to Chu Chuan, but you're only proposing this fight because you can't bear to lose Face?"

"If you ask me, Lin Yi, if you really want to give up the emperor wus final edict, you'd be better off just handing it over to Chu Chuan openly right now."

"Doing that would still seem like you're surrendering because you couldn't handle the pressure, but it's still more dignified than this self-deceiving challenge!"

"What a load of nonsense!"

Hearing Wang Kai's wild assumptions, Lin Yi's Face darkened slightly:

"We've known each other for so long; do you really think I'm that stupid? Do you think I'd use a method with flaws that even you can see through at a glance?"

"Enough! Since I dare to challenge Chu Chuan, I naturally have a way to defeat him. Just find someone to notify him for me, and then wait to watch the show."

"This... I..."

Wang Kai hesitated, but seeing Lin Yi's confidence, he finally gritted his teeth and nodded heavily:

"Fine! Since you're confident, Lin Yi, I'll go find someone to notify Chu Chuan immediately!"

With that, Wang Kai left the courtyard.

Because of Lin Yi's care over the past two years, Wang Kai was now quite a prominent figure among the ordinary Disciples of the Heavenly Mountain Sect, with many followers.

Finding someone to handle a small task like notifying Chu Chuan was naturally easy for him.

Thus, only a short while later...

As Wang Kai's subordinate entered the Chu Manor, Chu Chuan—who had been anxiously waiting for Lin Yi's reaction—received the news immediately.