44: Chapter 44 Today I'll teach you a lesson you won't forget.

He did not say much, seemingly accustomed to such matters, as he flipped forward a few more pages and spoke.

"Among the last twenty, only the eighty-fifth, Shi Lei, can be challenged."

Chun Xiaobai was somewhat surprised; the only two he could challenge were both his defeated opponents.

Feeling a bit displeased, he said bluntly.

"Elder, just help me flip forward. Whoever can be challenged, I will challenge them!"

He had originally intended to slowly grind his way up.

Now it seemed he had thought too simply. These big shots on the list were either not in the Sect or had already been challenged by others.

Elder Fu's mouth twitched.

He had originally intended to offer some advice, but upon hearing that tone...

Today, I must teach you a lesson.

He raised his hand, his fingers flying across the jade register. After flipping through a dozen pages, his finger finally stopped, and he spoke.

"Currently, the fiftieth, Lu Mang, is in the Sect and can accept a challenge."

"Are you sure you want to challenge him?"

The old man looked up, revealing a look that said, "It is not too late for you to regret it now."

Chun Xiaobai scratched his head in frustration, his Face twisted in discomfort.

This was a huge loss!

If he started his challenges directly from the fiftieth rank, once he won, those ranked after him—fifty-first, fifty-second... all the way to the hundredth—would not be able to come up and ask for a beating.

According to the rules, he would not be able to go back and challenge those with lower rankings.

This meant he could only obtain fifty Storage Pouches at most!

No, no, this was too much of a loss!

This deal was not worth it!

"Elder Fu, please... please help me check again. Is there really nothing else? Among the top fifty, can not even one be challenged?"

A faint, almost imperceptible sneer appeared on Elder Fu's Face.

Hmph!

You brat, do you know fear now?

It is too late!

However, he did not say this to his Face. He simply shook his head impatiently and replied, "There are none."

"This Elder guards this place every day; I know exactly which Disciples can accept challenges."

"Those ranked after the fiftieth are either not in the Sect or have already been challenged by others."

"Damn it, why is my luck so bad?"

Chun Xiaobai subconsciously glanced at Bai Jiner, muttering to himself, "It is all this woman's fault. She had to put on such a buzzkill Face early in the morning, ruining This Great King's luck!"

Bai Jiner was left bewildered by his glare and froze for a moment.

Elder Fu assumed that Chun Xiaobai would finally give up and return, and he was just about to wave them away.

However, Chun Xiaobai suddenly slapped his thigh, as if he had made a major decision.

"Fine! I will challenge him!"

"Hmm???"

Elder Fu raised an eyebrow slightly and sized up the youth before him once more.

Although he could not see through the fellow's specific Realm, judging solely from the aura he emitted, he was clearly far inferior to those battle-hardened Disciples on the heavenly pride list.

Truly a case of a newborn calf not fearing the tiger.

Very well!

It will be good to let you learn a lesson.

Elder Fu shook his head to himself, then waved his hand to produce a bronze token. With a pinch of his fingers, he cast a spell into it.

"Just wait."

Chun Xiaobai rubbed his hands together and waited to the side, his Face full of excitement.

Half a quarter of an hour later, a Disciple wearing green robes with a build as burly as a bear stomped onto the Heavenly Pride Platform. He looked around and immediately roared.

"Which blind fool wants to challenge me?"

"Get out here! See if I do not beat the living daylights out of you!"

This shout immediately startled the Disciples who were sparring around the Martial Arts Field.

"A Disciple from the genius list has initiated a challenge?"

"Hurry over and take a look! Challenges from the genius list are a rare sight!"

"Let's go, let's go! Let's go watch the show!"

The Disciples stopped their sparring one after another, swarming toward the Heavenly Pride Platform like a tide.

In the distance, Chun Xiaobai, who was chatting idly with Fang Yuan, heard the commotion and walked over. He caught sight of the fellow standing on the platform with a Face as purple as pig's liver, still cursing up a storm.

"Hurry up and get out here! Let me finish beating you so I can go back to Cultivate! If you do not come out, believe it or not, I will make sure you cannot get out of bed for a year!"

"Whoa, so arrogant?"

Chun Xiaobai immediately pushed through the crowd and stepped forward, glaring as he roared, "It was your grandfather here who challenged you, so what?"

"You?"

Lu Mang turned his head and sized up Chun Xiaobai. Finding the kid completely unfamiliar—someone he had never seen before—his anger flared even higher.

These Disciples on the heavenly pride list valued their Face above all else.

Naturally, no one dared to challenge those powerful and renowned Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters.

Only those like them, who were ranked in the middle or lower tiers and possessed slightly weaker or unstable strength, were often treated as soft persimmons to be squeezed.

Therefore, the number of times one was challenged became an unwritten matter of Face.

If anyone was found to be challenged often, they would be mocked by other Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters on the list, who would call them "gatekeepers of the heavenly pride list."

The surrounding Disciples also saw that Chun Xiaobai was a stranger, and they could not help but begin to whisper among themselves.

"Who is this guy? Do you guys know him?"

"I do not know him. Judging by his appearance, could he be a new Disciple who just joined?"

"It is very likely! After all, every year there are a few hotheads who do not know the immensity of heaven and earth and want to challenge the heavenly pride list as soon as they arrive."

As soon as these words were spoken, they immediately triggered a burst of raucous laughter.

"That is Senior Brother Lu, ranked fiftieth on the heavenly pride list and known as the 'Mad Blade.' Just wait a moment to see how this arrogant fellow cries!"

Chun Xiaobai heard these grating whispers, and his Face immediately felt a bit awkward.

He walked straight up to Lu Mang, sized him up from head to toe, and then curled his lip in disdain.

"You do not look like much. You have a big build, but I do not know if you are just all show and no substance."

"You! You! You!"

Lu Mang was so furious that his voice became tangled. He pointed at Chun Xiaobai, his finger shaking as if he had Parkinson's.

In his life, he hated nothing more than others bringing up his size.

It was one thing to be teased by those Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters, but for a wet-behind-the-ears brat who had popped out from some unknown corner to dare look down on him?

He let out a roar and waved his hand. A cold, gleaming tiger-headed broadsword appeared out of thin air in his palm.

Chun Xiaobai was not about to back down either; he simply rolled up his sleeves.

"What are you doing? What are you doing?"

Elder Fu suddenly walked over. His murky, aged eyes glared, and an invisible pressure instantly spread, causing the entire noisy Martial Arts Field to fall silent.

He walked up close and said in a deep voice, "Private fighting is forbidden below the Heavenly Pride Platform!"

"If you want to fight, get on the platform! Whoever dares to break the rules will have their Cultivation crippled and be expelled from the Sect!"

Lu Mang had no choice but to forcefully suppress the anger in his heart. He glared viciously at Chun Xiaobai and said, "Kid, once we get on the platform, I will teach you how to behave!"

Chun Xiaobai curled his lip and retorted without showing any weakness, "Just wait, I will let you experience firsthand what it truly means to be all show and no substance!"

"Enough, both of you shut up! I will give you a quarter of an hour to prepare." Elder Fu waved his hand impatiently.

"Elder, I do not need to prepare!" Lu Mang immediately said.

He stared fixedly at Chun Xiaobai, feeling that letting this fellow stand before his eyes for even one more breath was an added disrespect to his reputation as a Genius.

Elder Fu looked at Chun Xiaobai again.

Chun Xiaobai also shook his head and said disdainfully, "Does someone of his caliber even need to prepare?"

Seeing his arrogant demeanor, Elder Fu's gray beard twitched.

Even he, a dignified Elder, found it difficult to watch any longer.

Having guarded this Martial Arts Field for over a hundred years, he had never seen such an inflated Disciple!