80: Chen Jiangping's targeting of Chuxiong, who sent the silver.

As soon as they left the wooden house, Lin Yi followed Wang Yu quickly down from the Peak and headed toward the Tianshan Pavilion's treasury.

Meanwhile, on a snow-covered cliff within the Tianshan Pavilion.

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

The wind from his punches whistled. On the cliff, a handsome youth in white with a domineering aura was practicing his martial arts.

He executed one exquisite punch after another; every move seemed perfectly natural and incredibly profound.

As he practiced, the wind, the snow, the cliff, and even the world itself seemed to merge into one with him.

His entire being appeared to form a perfect, magnificent painting with the surrounding world and snow, a sight of breathtaking beauty.

Until—

"Senior Brother Chu!"

A voice broke the silence. The domineering youth in white frowned and turned his head, seeing a youth in yellow arriving through the wind and snow.

"Li Xiao, why have you come to see me today?"

"If you've dared to disturb my training for nothing, you know the consequences."

"Senior Brother Chu, your Junior Brother truly has a major matter to discuss. Otherwise, how would I dare disturb you so easily?"

The youth in yellow quickly offered a fawning smile and said flatteringly:

"Just a moment ago, Chen Jiangping, the former Vice Tower Master of the Dongshan Prefecture Wanxiang Tower, sent me a message through some channels. He said he has a deep grudge against the new Tianshan Pavilion Disciple, Lin Yi, and wants to ask for Senior Brother Chu's help in dealing with him."

"Dealing with Lin Yi?"

Hearing this, the domineering youth was momentarily stunned before letting out a disdainful sneer.

"Heh, what kind of nobody is Chen Jiangping to think he's worthy of me offending Lin Yi?"

"I've heard that Lin Yi is a once-in-a-century Genius of the Tianshan Pavilion. Just a few days ago, upon entering, he reached the five-hundred-meter mark of the willpower stone pillar. They say he's guaranteed to reach the Innate realm in the future."

"And what about Chen Jiangping? A mere Second-Rank Martial Artist, a piece of trash who isn't even First Rank. What right does he have to ask me to offend Lin Yi for him?"

"After all, while I don't fear Lin Yi, I don't want to offend a future Innate Martial Artist for no reason, especially not for a piece of trash like Chen Jiangping!"

"He wants me to help him deal with Lin Yi? Chen Jiangping should take a good look at himself in the mirror. He's not worthy!"

"Senior Brother Chu, don't be in such a hurry."

The youth in yellow quickly explained:

"Even as a mere Second-Rank Martial Artist, Chen Jiangping isn't so stupid that he doesn't know he lacks the status to ask Senior Brother Chu for a favor for free."

"That's why he mentioned in his message that if Senior Brother Chu is willing to act, he will give you a 'purple flame dragon blood flower' he obtained by chance as a reward."

"To show his sincerity, he even sent me three petals of the 'purple flame dragon blood flower' as a deposit. Please take a look, Senior Brother Chu."

As he spoke, the youth in yellow took a jade box from his robes and opened it.

Inside were three strange purple flowers, completely violet with faint dragon-shaped patterns that seemed to flow like fresh blood.

"What! This... it really is the purple flame dragon blood flower!"

Upon seeing the three strange purple petals, the domineering youth's eyes instantly flashed with intense longing and greed.

The purple flame dragon blood flower was a Low Grade Innate Heaven And Earth Treasure.

Legend had it that this treasure grew from the blood of a Purple Flame Demon Dragon, a creature with strength at least at the level of an Innate Golden Core Grandmaster!

Once consumed, it could alter a Martial Artist's Physique, making them exceptionally compatible with Dragon-type martial arts and Dragon-type Breathing Techniques.

From then on, as long as the Martial Artist cultivated the Dragon-type Martial Dao, their cultivation level and the progress of their martial arts would increase significantly.

The domineering youth happened to be a Prodigy who cultivated the Dragon-type Martial Dao, and he had been searching desperately for the purple flame dragon blood flower for years.

Unfortunately, this flower was far too rare. Despite his immense background, he hadn't found it after years of searching. He never expected to obtain it from a lowly Second-Rank Martial Artist like Chen Jiangping.

"How does Chen Jiangping want me to deal with Lin Yi?"

Staring at the strange purple petals in the jade box, the domineering youth took a deep breath, his face full of intoxication and greed, as he spoke to the youth in yellow.

"Let me be clear: if he wants me to kill Lin Yi directly, that's absolutely out of the question."

"After all, the Tianshan Pavilion is still the territory of the Heavenly Mountain Sect, and Lin Yi is currently a Genius second only to Jiang Hanhan within the sect."

"If I dared to kill Lin Yi within the Tianshan Pavilion, I would have no chance of survival regardless of my background. No matter how much I want the purple flame dragon blood flower, I would never trade my life for it."

"Rest assured, Senior Brother Chu!"

The youth in yellow laughed:

"It's just a single purple flame dragon blood flower. How could Chen Jiangping expect Senior Brother Chu to risk your life for him?"

"All he wants is for Senior Brother Chu to suppress Lin Yi more often in daily life—for example, by challenging him to duels and winning his cultivation resources."

"Or perhaps using other means to shatter his willpower and confidence. In short, find ways to delay his cultivation speed as much as possible, or ideally, break his will so he can never reach the Innate realm. That would be the best outcome."

"Oh, is that all? Then this matter is quite simple."

Senior Brother Chu smiled:

"These three purple flame dragon blood flower petals are just enough for me to consume over three months, and the Tianshan Grand Competition is in three months."

"Do this: arrange for someone to find Lin Yi now and tell him that I, Chu Xiong, want to challenge him to two duels during the next Tianshan Grand Competition."

"If he agrees, that's for the best. If he doesn't, I'll have plenty of other ways to deal with him."

"Haha! Senior Brother Chu is indeed brilliant! In that case, your younger brother congratulates you in advance on obtaining the purple flame dragon blood flower!"

Thinking of the benefits promised by Chen Jiangping, the youth in yellow couldn't help but laugh heartily. He then immediately arranged for someone to find Lin Yi... "Chu Xiong, a Tianshan Pavilion Disciple, wants to challenge me to two duels in the next Tianshan Grand Competition."

"One duel for strength and one for willpower, with a bet of ten thousand tianshan coins or 1.2 million taels of silver for each?"

In the Tianshan Pavilion's treasury, Lin Yi, who had just come down from the Peak and was browsing the treasury under Wang Yu's guidance, was momentarily stunned as he looked at the challenge letter delivered by a Disciple.

Chu Xiong?

Where did this person come from?

He didn't remember ever offending such a person. Why had he suddenly sent a challenge letter?

"Lin Yi, don't agree to it!"

In the treasury, as Lin Yi was wondering, Wang Yu, standing beside him, suddenly spoke in a low, urgent voice.

"Teacher Wang?"

Lin Yi looked at him in confusion.

Wang Yu immediately explained with a grave expression:

"Chu Xiong is a Genius from the 'Chu Family,' an Innate Golden Core Great Family within the Wanxiang Tower, one of the Peak powers of the Nine Provinces. He has been nurtured with countless resources since childhood, and he possesses remarkable Innate talent himself."

"When he joined our Tianshan Pavilion last year, he became the top of his class with a Fifth Rank Late Stage cultivation, First Rank Perfection Martial Arts Techniques, First Level of Limit Breaking at Minor Achievement, and a record of 600 meters at the willpower stone pillar!"

"Now that a year has passed, his strength has improved even further. Not only has his cultivation broken through to the Fourth Rank, but his Limit Breaking has also reached First Level Perfection. As for the willpower stone pillar, he is only one step away from the 400-meter mark."

"In the last Tianshan Grand Competition, Chu Xiong used his formidable strength to break into the top 60 of all Tianshan Pavilion Disciples, and his willpower even reached the top 50. He's stronger than many Disciples from two classes ago, and he's far stronger than you!"

"I don't know why he's suddenly challenging you, but as your guiding teacher, I advise you not to accept the challenge no matter what!"

"Oh, top 60 in strength and top 50 in willpower. This Chu Xiong is indeed a formidable Genius."

Hearing this, Lin Yi nodded slightly.

But in the next moment, before Wang Yu could breathe a sigh of relief, Lin Yi suddenly smiled:

"However, I've just arrived at the Tianshan Pavilion, and someone is already coming to deliver silver to me. If I, Lin Yi, don't accept, wouldn't I be disregarding Senior Brother Chu Xiong's kindness?"

"Senior Brother, go back and tell Chu Xiong! I, Lin Yi, accept this challenge!"

With that, Lin Yi immediately picked up a brush and ink from a nearby table, took a piece of paper, and simply wrote four words: "Lin Yi accepts the challenge." He then tossed the paper to the Disciple.

"Lin Yi, you... you're being too impulsive!"

Seeing this, Wang Yu became anxious and angry, a trace of rage appearing on his gentle face for the first time.

Seeing this, Lin Yi smiled and said:

"Teacher Wang, don't worry. I'm no fool. Since I'm daring to accept despite knowing Chu Xiong's strength, I naturally have the confidence to do so."

"I'm already fully prepared for this. I just need a simple favor from Teacher Wang. I wonder if you can help me?"

"Sigh! What favor? Just say it. I'll help as much as I can."

Hearing Lin Yi's words, Wang Yu didn't believe a single word, but he still sighed helplessly.

At this, Lin Yi also smiled:

"It's very simple! That is, help me exchange some tianshan coins for silver taels."