29: Chapter 29 You admit this person is yours?

Lin Yuan's shout echoed throughout the Liuyun Sect Outer Sect.

As the boss of the Outer Sect, his every move drew attention from all sides, immediately attracting a crowd of bloodthirsty spectators.

They saw that the outer wall of Lin Yuan's courtyard had been completely destroyed, and a broken corpse was hanging from a branch in the small grove outside the courtyard.

Judging by the scene, it seemed this person had somehow intruded into Lin Yuan's courtyard, only to be struck down by a single punch and die on the spot.

Judging by his all-black attire, he was likely no good.

Soon, several Outer Sect Disciples descended upon the scene. When Wei Ruolan saw the corpse of the Blood Guard, his vision went black.

"Lin Yuan, how dare you kill a member of my Wei Family!"

He roared in exasperation.

It was no wonder he lost his composure. As death warriors in the True Aperture Realm, the Blood Guards were not pawns that could be easily wasted, even for a wealthy and powerful clan like the Wei Family. Losing one here meant he would be in deep trouble upon returning home.

"So, you admit this is a member of your Wei Family?"

Lin Yuan stared at him coldly.

"I—"

Wei Ruolan wanted to say, "So what if it's a member of my Wei Family?"

But seeing hundreds of eyes fixed on him, he swallowed the words back.

Some matters weigh nothing until put on a scale, but once weighed, they are heavier than a thousand catties.

Allowing a servant to murder a fellow Disciple was a capital offense.

Seeing Wei Ruolan silent, Lin Yuan pressed him step by step.

"What a Wei Family! Today you dare to murder a fellow Disciple; tomorrow, will you dare to plot against Sect Master Tie? The day after, will you simply launch a counterattack on the Inner Sect and let the entire Liuyun Sect be ruled by your surname, Wei?"

Still using the old-school tactics.

"You're spouting nonsense, slandering me!"

Wei Ruolan was furious and instinctively stepped forward.

Considering the gap in their martial strength, he quickly retreated.

"Lin Yuan, do you really want to make an enemy of my Wei Family?"

"It is your Wei Family that insists on being my enemy."

"Fine, fine, fine! Just you wait. Don't think that just because you've made it onto the Heroes Ranking you can be arrogant; the power of the Wei clan is not something you can imagine!"

Wei Ruolan was exasperated.

Before Lin Yuan could respond, the surrounding Disciples erupted into an uproar.

"What? Senior Brother Lin Yuan entered the Yue Kingdom's Heroes Ranking? When did this happen?"

"In the latest issue! He killed the 'Blood-Hand Butcher' Hong Tianming and took his spot, known as the 'Soundless Blade'!"

"Heavens, we joined the sect at the same time; why is the gap so large!"

Wang Yunshan, Ye Hai, and the others wore bitter smiles.

Especially the latter, who felt that he hadn't really been defeated back then—it was just that his condition was poor, the ground was too slippery, he hadn't eaten enough breakfast, and he was still preparing to wash away his shame in the Hidden Dragon Ranking battle.

Now looking at this, what's the point of fighting!

Just give up.

The commotion naturally caught the attention of the Outer Sect Elder, and someone had long since gone to report it. Soon, Gate Master Tie Kongshan arrived at the scene.

He glanced at the Blood Guard's corpse and immediately understood the cause and effect of the matter.

"Wei Ruolan, your intent to harm a fellow Disciple has already violated the sect rules. Come with me."

Gate Master Tie Kongshan said.

The Blood Guard had a mark unique to the Wei Family; there was no denying it.

But Wei Ruolan was not afraid at all, and even bit back: "I did indeed send the Blood Guard out, but not to kill—it was to deliver a message. Lin Yuan killed my man without distinguishing right from wrong; it is he who violated the sect rules."

Gate Master Tie Kongshan's expression remained unchanged: "You should tell such things to the Disciples of the Law Enforcement Hall."

"Gate Master Tie Kongshan, are you determined to go against me and the Wei Family?"

Wei Ruolan's face was ferocious.

"You alone cannot represent the Wei Family."

Gate Master Tie Kongshan snorted coldly.

"Men, take him away!"

"Let's see who dares!"

Terrifying True Qi erupted from Wei Ruolan's body, and the powerful pressure caused the ground to crack open.

The might of the second Rank of the True Aperture Realm was fully exposed.

"Seeking your own death."

Gate Master Tie Kongshan said coldly, then his figure flashed; he became blurry for a moment before instantly becoming clear again.

Everyone saw that Wei Ruolan, who had been arrogant just a moment ago, was now held in his hand like a dead dog, having lost all consciousness.

"And you."

Gate Master Tie Kongshan turned his head to look at Chen Siyi, who was watching the show from the side with an innocent expression.

"Sect Master Tie, this has nothing to do with me."

Chen Siyi's expression changed slightly, but she immediately pretended to be completely oblivious.

"Do you think I don't know that you were one of the people fanning the flames behind the scenes?"

Gate Master Tie Kongshan said calmly: "Are you coming with me voluntarily, or should I invite you to leave?"

Chen Siyi's face changed several times, but she dared not provoke him like Wei Ruolan, so she had to leave with him.

Waiting for them was the interrogation by the Disciples of the Law Enforcement Hall.

Lin Yuan looked at his departing back, lost in thought.

As an Outer Sect Leader, his strength seemed exceptionally powerful—at least at the seventh Rank of the True Aperture Realm or higher, which was quite unusual.

Usually, a Martial Artist at the third or fourth Rank of the True Aperture Realm was enough to suppress the Outer Sect.

Moreover, wasn't his attitude a bit too firm? He didn't fear the retaliation of the Wei Family and the Chen Family at all.

These two families were famous wealthy clans in the Inner Sect. The fact that they spent a huge price to send the two down showed their status; even if they weren't core Disciples, they were certainly valued.

Gate Master Tie Kongshan's action was entirely to attract attention for him.

Could he really think that highly of me?

No, definitely not.

There must be something fishy about this.

Lin Yuan kept this in mind, chased away the gathered bloodthirsty spectators, and continued his arduous cultivation.

Three days later, news came.

Wei Ruolan, for attempting to harm a fellow Disciple, was sentenced to three years of hard labor in the Red Copper Mountain mines.

Chen Siyi, for fanning the flames behind the scenes as an accomplice, was punished with one year of wall-facing at the Cliff of Repentance.

The powerful hands of the wealthy clans had exerted their influence; such a level of violation was raised high but landed lightly, showing just how corrupt the Inner Sect had become.

However, because of this, the Outer Sect's Hidden Dragon Ranking had gained a few more variables.

Disciples who originally had no hope suddenly had a chance again, causing many to regain their fighting spirit and decide to give it a shot.

What if?

What if they obtained the qualification for the trial? What if they were favored by an Elder and became a True Disciple? What if they achieved a late-blooming success? What if they reached the King Realm, and the Liuyun Sect Master slapped his thigh and said the next Sect Master would be you!

Just thinking about it made them a little excited.

Thus, as the end of the year approached, the atmosphere of cultivation in the Outer Sect became more intense, which in turn caused the sales of Medicinal Pills to rise by 30%.

When the legitimate Medicinal Pills were sold out, there were still less legitimate ones available.

From time to time, sneaky shadows could be seen wandering in the small grove outside the Liuyun Sect.

"Brother, care to learn about some Qi Gathering Pills?"

"What fake medicine? This is a special medicine developed specifically for your stage."

"Do you know Lin Yuan, the top Disciple of your Outer Sect? He's my brother, and he used to get his goods from me all the time!"

"Cheaper? You get what you pay for... Fine, fine. Seeing as you're my brother's Junior Brother, I'll give you a 30% discount. Don't go telling everyone, though; if I sold them all at this price, I'd lose a fortune."

...

Amidst the anticipation of the masses, the battle for the Hidden Dragon Ranking finally kicked off.