Chapter 131

The sparring continued. It appeared to be fought quite fiercely, but in reality, everyone was holding back; no one wanted to delay the Wu Ke Dragon Ascent.

In the next four matches, Lu Ren and Yang Lin were both defeated; only Jiang Ping and Zhao Zhifei won. The Weiyuan Hall lost three of the five matches.

Lin Cheng did not have much emotional fluctuation; he had long anticipated this result.

"Today's fight wasn't satisfying enough. Once the Wu Ke Dragon Ascent ends, we shall ask for pointers again," Kong Yu said with a smile.

Everyone had been holding back today, not daring to use lethal force. He could defeat Sun Tao, but he also feared others might use ruthless tactics against the Gale Hall people.

"At the Wu Ke Dragon Ascent, there might be an opportunity to cross hands," Lu Ren countered.

He actually wanted to clash with Kong Yu, who had always been a step ahead of him, but since Sun Tao had stepped forward, he couldn't very well reject Sun Tao's face.

He had also held back today because it was a martial arts hall spar, and everyone was using things taught by the Weiyuan Hall, but the one he truly practiced the most was a martial art passed down to him by the Gu family.

When it came to the Wu Ke Dragon Ascent, all kinds of methods could be displayed at will, and only then could one show their true skills.

"Then let's clash at the Wu Ke Dragon Ascent," a Gale Hall disciple named Zhu Yang spoke up.

It was he who had defeated the Weiyuan Hall's Yang Lin during the spar earlier. His strength should be in the top three of the Gale Hall, a master who had reached the pinnacle of Qi Gathering Major Success.

If his luck was good, by the time of the Wu Ke Dragon Ascent, he might have already cleansed his marrow.

As he spoke, his gaze shifted toward Xu Yang: "By that time, I hope your cultivation base has stabilized."

The Gale Hall disciples most wanted to teach Xu Yang a lesson because Xu Yang had mocked their master, Ji Yun, today.

"I will naturally accompany you!"

Xu Yang didn't say much, looking instead at Yang Jun.

Originally, there hadn't been much between them, but now the relationship between the two martial arts halls had become even more tense. If serious consequences arose during the Wu Ke Dragon Ascent, then the matter between them would no longer be a small one.

Yang Jun's face was pale; clearly, he had also thought of this aspect.

"Brother Lin, farewell!"

Ji Yun cupped his hands and then left with a group of Gale Hall disciples.

"Everyone disperse. Xu Yang, come with me!"

Lin Cheng walked toward the inner courtyard with his hands behind his back. Xu Yang had no choice but to follow behind, soon arriving at Lin Cheng's courtyard.

"He is quite composed; I fear he doesn't yet know that a great disaster is imminent."

Lin Cheng sat down, looking at this disciple who had astonishing comprehension but not much grit, feeling a wave of helplessness in his heart.

If only this kind of comprehension were in Sun Tao, how good that would be.

"Do you know that you caused Ji Yun to lose face today? If you encounter Gale Hall disciples at the Wu Ke Dragon Ascent, they will inevitably cripple you," Lin Cheng said.

Xu Yang was too timid; he intended to intimidate him, using a life-or-death crisis to ignite Xu Yang's grit. Perhaps at the Wu Ke Dragon Ascent, he could deal a head-on blow to the Gale Hall disciples.

"This disciple knows," Xu Yang said, cupping his hands.

Lin Cheng's eyes widened: "Knowing that, you still dared to speak to Ji Yun like that? Aren't you afraid he would tear you apart on the spot?"

Xu Yang said: "Wasn't Master there? This disciple couldn't possibly lose face for Master and just swallow his anger while being targeted."

Upon hearing this, Lin Cheng's expression softened significantly. So this disciple was considering his own face, and it was difficult for someone as timid as him to stand up to the Gale Hall Hall Master, Ji Yun, for that reason.

"Now you have two choices: first, do not participate in the Wu Ke Dragon Ascent; second, bury yourself in hard cultivation and raise your cultivation base. By then, even if you encounter Kong Yu, with your cultivation of the Mountain-Shaking Bear Fist, self-preservation will not be a problem.

However, not participating in the Wu Ke Dragon Ascent is only a temporary avoidance. With Ji Yun's petty nature, if he can't teach you a lesson at the Wu Ke Dragon Ascent, he will come to your door after it is over."

So he still had to fight!

Xu Yang felt somewhat helpless and said: "Since Master asked me to come, you must have thought of a method for me. I ask for Master's guidance."

Lin Cheng rolled his eyes: "What method could I have? I am only reminding you, lest you naively think the matter is over. Every time my Weiyuan Hall and the Gale Hall have a Wu Ke Dragon Ascent, they fight to the death whenever they meet, let alone this time when you also caused Ji Yun to lose face.

Catch!"

As he spoke, a porcelain bottle traced a parabola and landed in Xu Yang's hand.

"Inside are three Qi-Benefiting Pills. Cultivate your cultivation base well for me. If you encounter Gale Hall disciples at the Wu Ke Dragon Ascent, don't be a coward; use lethal force and kill them for me."

"Many thanks, Master!" Xu Yang was overjoyed.

He had originally thought Lin Cheng asked him to come to reprimand him for mocking Ji Yun earlier and deepening the conflict between the two halls; he hadn't expected to be given benefits.

This master was qualified.

Not only had he waived his tuition fees earlier, but now he was also gifting Qi-Benefiting Pills.

Such items were said to be worth ten taels of silver each, belonging to the kind that couldn't be bought even with money, and their medicinal effect was even more fierce than ordinary Qi-Benefiting Pills.

Although Lin Cheng gave him things because he wanted him to use the Wind-Thunder Strength to kill a few Gale Hall disciples at the Wu Ke Dragon Ascent, for him, it was ultimately a substantial benefit.

Lin Cheng waved his hand: "Go. Whether you live or die depends entirely on yourself."

A genius who had mastered Wind-Thunder Strength in less than a year of martial arts training—he ultimately couldn't bear to see him go. If his cultivation base was sufficient before the Wu Ke Dragon Ascent and he had the Wind-Thunder Strength to rely on, even if he were timid, he could defeat Kong Yu, or at the very least, ensure self-preservation.

The resources were given, and all the stakes were made clear. If he still cowered and was killed by others, then he couldn't be blamed.

"This disciple takes his leave!"

Xu Yang cupped his hands and retreated from Lin Cheng's small courtyard.

The Huang family!

Huang Jin was pacing back and forth with some irritation. The Weiyuan Hall had just recommended another retainer to the Huang family, but this person had taken three months just to successfully gather Qi, and he was hesitating whether to hire him.

Since the second talent selection had only cultivated one martial artist, the Huang family hadn't conducted a third, because basically everyone willing to participate in such selections had already come.

It was impossible to select someone with good innate talent in a third round. The Huang family needed martial artists and could only choose from those cultivated by the martial arts halls.

But hiring such people was not only expensive, the key was that the Huang family was a small household, and those with talent were unwilling to come. Those who were willing were the ones left over by others with nowhere else to go, and they didn't think much of them.

"Stop pacing in front of me. If you don't think much of them, just don't hire them."

Huang Ping was also somewhat annoyed; seeing Huang Jin pacing back and forth in front of him made him feel even more annoyed.

"If we don't hire them, how will the business run?" Huang Jin asked.

"What use are these people who have only just gathered Qi?" Huang Ping was very dissatisfied with Huang Jin's tone.

Huang Jin was almost laughed to anger. If they were useful, they would have to think well of the Huang family. They were unwilling to spend money, yet they wanted experts to work for them—how could there be such a good thing?

At this moment, a servant entered and handed Huang Jin a note. Huang Jin looked at it, and his entire person froze on the spot.

Xu Yang had reached Qi Gathering Major Success.

Qi Gathering Major Success! Even the head of the Huang family had only reached Qi Gathering Major Success!

"What is that expression? What happened?" Seeing Huang Jin not speaking, Huang Ping frowned deeply.

"See for yourself!" Huang Jin immediately handed the note in his hand over.

Huang Ping took one look, his face filled with disbelief: "How is it possible? How could he reach Qi Gathering Major Success so quickly?"

It had only been half a month since Lu Ren's breakthrough.

Clearly, Xu Yang only had Grade C-minus innate talent, while Lu Ren had Grade B-plus innate talent. Why, under circumstances where his cultivation resources were far inferior to Lu Ren's, could he still break through at a speed that didn't lose to Lu Ren's?

If he had the same cultivation resources as Lu Ren, wouldn't he be even more formidable than Lu Ren?

At this moment, Huang Ping truly felt some regret, especially since the Huang family had no one to use, and because of the matter with Lu Ren, they had lost face. He regretted his actions even more.

"My Huang family discarded a piece of unpolished jade and chose dross, only to be betrayed. I fear we will once again become a laughingstock," Huang Jin sneered.

Huang Ping's expression shifted: "You go find him immediately and have him become a retainer for our Huang family. The treatment will be the same as Lu Ren's, and we won't require a marriage alliance."

"It's too late. He won't agree," Huang Jin shook his head.

For the Huang family to go find Xu Yang at this time—it couldn't even be considered icing on the cake.

Huang Ping snorted coldly: "Didn't you say he values loyalty and righteousness? My Huang family has a debt of gratitude to him; would he still refuse?"

"The moment Linger humiliated him and he didn't refute it, the Huang family's debt of gratitude to him was already repaid."

Huang Jin looked at Huang Ping as if he were an idiot, knowing that Huang Ping still thought of Xu Yang as that mud-legged boy who couldn't even get enough to eat. The so-called Second Master of the Huang family meant nothing in front of a Qi Gathering Major Success expert.

"If you won't go, I will. How could the Huang family's debt of gratitude be repaid with just a few words? If he doesn't want to end up like Lu Ren and ruin his reputation, he can only agree," Huang Ping said angrily.

"Second Brother, are you sure you want to force a Qi Gathering Major Success expert like this?" Huang Jin's gaze was burning.

Huang Ping's expression shifted, and he finally sat down dejectedly.

Qi Gathering Major Success—even his eldest brother could only converse with such a person as an equal.

"What are you arguing about?" Suddenly, a voice rang out.

Huang Jin and Huang Ping were overjoyed and hurriedly looked over, only to see a middle-aged man walking over with large strides, his expression looking somewhat pale.

"Eldest Brother, you've come out of seclusion. Have you cleansed your marrow?" Huang Ping walked up to the man, his expression excited.

The person who arrived was none other than the head of the Huang family, Huang Xu!

Huang Xu's face was despondent: "I failed. What are you and Fifth Brother arguing about?"

Huang Ping's expression shifted, and he had no choice but to bite the bullet and explain the matter.

"Short-sighted, still the same stingy nature as before. You don't need to worry about this household anymore; from now on, leave it to Fifth Brother," Huang Xu snorted coldly.

Huang Ping's face turned deathly pale. ===== CHAPTER 132 =====