122: The Wushu Association needs reform.

Subsequently, Ling Xian first activated his Golden Eyes to observe the details, then started his Eye of Detection.

Sure enough, he found a clue.

"Interesting. No wonder it could evade my spiritual detection. It's actually an ancient cultivation technique—Beast Taming." Ling Xian was astonished inwardly, also surprised that the Beast Taming Art had an inheritor.

"This is not the work of a martial artist," Ling Xian spoke up to remind them.

On one hand, Ling Xian was simply bored.

On the other hand, the person behind this beast taming, if Ling Xian wasn't mistaken, should also be a Child of Destiny.

"Huh?" Upon hearing this, the team leader frowned slightly, his gaze turning unfriendly.

"Kid, who are you? Do you know who we are? How dare you delay our work?"

This team leader also seemed to sense that Ling Xian was a martial artist and wanted to use the authority of the Martial Arts Association to pressure him.

But who was he facing?

He was the heir of the Ling Group, the young master of the Ling Family.

To put it bluntly, he could be considered the crown prince of the Nine Provinces Alliance.

A mere team leader of the Martial Arts Association wouldn't even have the qualification to meet him under normal circumstances.

"Isn't it just the Martial Arts Association?" Ling Xian sneered, then crouched down and pointed at the old man's wound before him, saying,

"This old man should be a Third-Rank Martial Artist, and this wound near the heart was indeed pecked by a small bird."

"Impossible. How could an ordinary bird possess such strength? This is a Third-Rank Martial Artist." Although this team leader didn't drive Ling Xian away, deep down he didn't believe what Ling Xian said.

An ordinary little bird couldn't peck a Third-Rank Martial Artist to death, let alone an ordinary person.

This was simply unbelievable.

"If it were an ordinary little bird, of course it would be impossible. But what if you encountered a legendary Beast Tamer?"

"Beast Tamer?" Everyone present was shocked, looking at each other in disbelief.

They were, after all, members of the Martial Arts Association and had seen a fair share of the world, encountering various types of martial artists, Sorcerers, and Ability Userss.

But they had never seen a Beast Tamer.

"Kid, our Martial Arts Association handles cases based on evidence?" The team leader was annoyed and even more displeased that Ling Xian had ruined his act of showing off.

"Based on evidence?" Ling Xian scoffed.

In his impression, did the Martial Arts Association even need evidence to handle cases?

"Evidence or not doesn't matter. You can investigate it slowly yourselves." Ling Xian couldn't be bothered to engage. Since he already knew it was related to a new Child of Destiny, the next step was to find him.

"Kid, stop right there. You cannot leave while we are investigating. Come with me for questioning later."

Upon hearing this, Ling Xian halted his steps and turned to look at Yue Cailan.

Yue Cailan was also helpless and spoke up to persuade, "Team Leader, he's my friend. He can't be involved in this case."

"You say he's not involved, so he's not? Where's the evidence?" The team leader grew even angrier. "Yue Cailan, you need to remember you're part of the Martial Arts Association."

Yue Cailan's face turned pale, then flushed with anger. After a long pause, she said, "I quit!"

She had always had a fiery temper. Previously, with the support of her Yue Family connections, she had sailed smoothly.

After secretly joining the Martial Arts Association, the grassroots work was fine, but she couldn't stand this idiot team leader who spouted empty boasts all day, fooling people, and was a master of sarcastic remarks.

"Yue Cailan, if you take even one step out of this door today, don't even think about coming back!"

The team leader threatened, and he also couldn't stand a woman like Yue Cailan who opposed him in every way.

But Yue Cailan wasn't having any of it. She turned around and grabbed Ling Xian, preparing to leave.

"Stop them!"

As the team leader's order fell, the five team members looked at each other and finally surrounded Ling Xian and Yue Cailan.

They were originally people from families, sects, or independent cultivators who had joined the Martial Arts Association.

At first, they had ambitions of accomplishing great things, but they never expected the internal problems to be so severe.

To be honest, they were also fed up with the way some people in the Martial Arts Association abused their power.

Therefore, they subtly revealed a few openings to allow the two to escape.

"Team Leader, pfft, Zhang Peng, do you even know who you're stopping?" Yue Cailan sneered, looking like she was enjoying the show. "You're stopping a Young Grandmaster!"

After saying this, Yue Cailan trembled with excitement.

As if this Young Grandmaster were her own, filled with pride and honor.

"Pfft~" Zhang Peng burst out laughing. "Yue Cailan, do you think I'm stupid? How rare is a Young Grandmaster? What are the odds I'd encounter such a figure?"

"You don't need to lie to me just to escape. I'm just taking you back for questioning. Of course, if you're willing to cooperate and pay a little 'Hardship Fee,' that would be even better."

Many independent cultivators in the Martial Arts Association weren't as wealthy as those from families or sects.

Coupled with the strict internal regulations of the Martial Arts Association, many money-making avenues were blocked, leading to the emergence of this 'Hardship Fee' practice internally.

"Damn it, you idiot!"

"You bastard."

"..."

"Uh..." Ling Xian was dumbfounded. He hadn't spoken the entire time, quietly listening to Yue Cailan and Zhang Peng argue.

Just as Ling Xian thought a fight was about to break out, a hand pressed down on his shoulder.

And he hadn't sensed it at all.

"Second Uncle?"

"Little Xian, the old master wants to see you." Ling Wubai's eyes narrowed as he also noticed these Martial Arts Association people.

"Has the Martial Arts Association become so arrogant these days?" Ling Wubai frowned. "I remember the Martial Arts Association wasn't this insolent before."

He had witnessed the entire scene just now.

He understood that in recent years, there were too many martial artists in the Martial Arts Association, and their quality was uneven.

Whether they were independent cultivators, family members, or sect disciples, they all treated the Martial Arts Association as a business for gilding their reputations.

Some even joined the Martial Arts Association solely to use it as a stepping stone to enter important departments like the military's Special Forces or the capital's Dragon Group.

"It seems the Martial Arts Association needs to be rectified and reformed!"

This simple sentence made everyone present look at the middle-aged man whom Ling Xian had called Second Uncle.

Ling Wubai took out a document and handed it to Zhang Peng, saying, "Just failing to implement proper lockdown measures alone is enough to make you suffer."

Seeing the titles 'Lieutenant General' and 'Special Forces Commander' on the document, Zhang Peng's legs trembled with fear.

"This was entirely my personal action. It has nothing to do with the Martial Arts Association."

Zhang Peng's mind worked quickly. As long as he distanced himself from the Martial Arts Association, he wouldn't be targeted for retaliation by those inside the association later.

"Heh, I doubt it. The higher-ups have already investigated thoroughly; they just haven't acted yet." Ling Wubai's tone was calm as he lit a cigarette and took a puff.

"I originally thought the investigators were exaggerating, but today it seems even more serious than I imagined."

After saying this, he left with Ling Xian and Yue Cailan.

"The Martial Arts Association has been suffering severe financial deficits for years and has already been investigated several times," Ling Wubai explained to Ling Xian and Yue Cailan.

"Where are you planning to celebrate your birthday the day after tomorrow?" Ling Wubai held no hostility toward Ling Xian. Strictly speaking, he never believed the position of Ling Family head would be his.

In terms of age, his elder brother was above him.

In terms of ability, his younger brother was below him.

On the contrary, he felt it was better for him to be a mediator, as both his elder and younger brothers had helped him a lot.

"It's over, it's over!" Zhang Peng wailed, his face filled with despair.

Although this reform wasn't his problem alone, those vested interests within the Martial Arts Association needed a scapegoat to vent their frustrations.

A soft target like Zhang Peng, who usually bullied the weak and feared the strong, was naturally the most suitable choice.