Chapter 19: Ling Yao

The profound light dissipated, and the restriction vanished.

A tall figure stepped out, leisurely and carefree—it was Lu Fan. Everyone around was horrified and astonished.

"You finally came out; I thought you were going to be a shrinking turtle for the rest of your life!"

Jiang Sheng smiled sinisterly. He couldn't do anything while Lu Fan was hiding in the forbidden room, but now that he was out, he was meat on the chopping block, ready to be manipulated.

Lu Fan smiled slightly, hands behind his back, exuding an indescribable aura as he walked as if in a leisurely courtyard. This made the eyes of many female students shine, infatuated.

"I thought the Rock Society was all trash and wastes, but it seems Brother Yang is not among them!"

He nodded at Yang Sheng, then said sarcastically to Jiang Sheng, "I also thought the Academy's teachers were all heroic and extraordinary, but today it seems you, Jiang Sheng, are just a wine-bag, a rice-sack, a turtle, and a bastard!"

The surrounding area was in an uproar. It wasn't rare for students to challenge instructors at Tianyuan Academy.

Many students with profound cultivation were unruly and often did such things.

But those people were all experts from the Academy's Martial Refining Hall; Lu Fan clearly didn't have that qualification.

Jiang Sheng was trembling with rage, laughing out of extreme anger, "Haha, I was wondering why you dared to come out—so you broke through to the peak of the Gathering Essence Realm. You dare to challenge me with this little cultivation? You're asking for death!"

Yang Sheng and the others were slightly stunned, then looked at Lu Fan in disbelief, as if seeing a monster.

Lu Fan, who had always been known as a waste, had advanced by leaps and bounds. After seven days of seclusion, he had actually reached the peak of the Gathering Essence Realm.

For others, it was truly unimaginable. He had been at the late Gathering Essence Realm for at least a year and hadn't even touched the threshold of the peak.

Other students were also screaming, but their cultivation was worse, and their understanding wasn't deep, so they could only exclaim in wonder.

"Challenge you? Do you think you're worthy?"

As the words fell, the students in the entire hall could no longer sit still, their eyes wide open.

Lu Fan was too arrogant. Challenging an instructor was one thing, and insulting an instructor could be understood. But to say such things was simply too unrealistic and ignorant of the heights of heaven and earth.

Jiang Sheng took a deep breath; he was already furious to the extreme. Even among martial artists of the same level, no one dared to have such an attitude.

*Fine, I'll just kill you now, and the elders of the Academy won't be able to find any fault with me. *

Once the thought took hold, he calmed down completely, a cold light on his face as he smiled sinisterly and pounced toward Lu Fan.

"Instructor Jiang, stop!"

Just at this moment, the gate of the Wulian Tower opened with a bang, and two figures walked in.

One was an old man in a white robe with a goat beard—it was he who spoke—and the other was a middle-aged man in a green shirt.

"Elder Bai!" Jiang Sheng was slightly stunned, having recognized the voice. But the arrow was on the string and had to be fired; if he missed this opportunity, he would never have such a chance again.

His figure didn't stop for a second; he was already in front of Lu Fan, his True Qi raised to the extreme, aiming for a one-hit kill.

Lu Fan frowned, having long been prepared. He summoned the art refining crystal furnace again, pushed it fiercely in front of him, and catalyzed his True Yang Qi. The crystal furnace instantly turned into a fire furnace, as if it were going to burn and refine this piece of heaven and earth.

"Sizzle—"

Jiang Sheng slapped his palm onto the flaming crystal furnace. The expected boom didn't ring out; instead, a sizzling, strange sound like iron plate roasting meat spread out.

"Ah—"

He let out a scream, holding his charred hand and howling. The enticing aroma of meat drifted out, making the students who had long been without dry rations swallow their saliva.

"Instructor Jiang, we've been training for so long and are already hungry, but no one can stomach your salty pig hand!"

Lu Fan put down the crystal furnace, slapped it hard, and laughed heartily.

He was no match for Jiang Sheng, but by relying on the power of the profound artifact and the furnace fire, he had tricked the other party—it was truly satisfying.

"Nonsense! Instructor Jiang, what are you doing?"

The goat-bearded old man walked over, looking angry. A distinguished guest had arrived, and this Jiang Sheng had attacked a student and even been tricked—it was truly shameful.

Jiang Peisheng's eyes were about to drip blood. He suppressed his injuries but didn't dare to attack again, only saying in a low voice, "Elder Bai, this kid is a thorn; I..."

"Hehe, these young people are full of vigor; I truly miss it!"

The middle-aged man in the green shirt walked over, having no interest in listening to Jiang Sheng, and interrupted him directly.

After speaking, he stared at Lu Fan, especially the crystal furnace, which he looked at several times more.

Lu Fan frowned slightly. In the past, when students caused trouble, the Academy would definitely punish them severely to maintain the dignity of the instructors. He had already prepared to be confined for a while to cultivate away from prying eyes.

Why was Elder Bai reprimanding Jiang Sheng instead? Even if he cherished talent, he should have given him a beating and then a sweet treat!

"Could it be..."

Lu Fan stared at the middle-aged man in the green shirt. The other party must be of noble status and have a great background. That was why Elder Bai was like this, just wanting to calm the situation and not wanting to be distracted.

"Alright! Instructor Jiang, I'm here to find someone, you lot..."

Elder Bai didn't have the mind for small talk and had already stated his purpose, but halfway through, he was interrupted by the middle-aged man.

"Teacher, no rush!"

The middle-aged man in the green shirt shook his head, then looked toward a forbidden room. The restriction on it dissipated, and a figure slowly walked out—it was none other than Liu Yang.

"Teacher Jiang, I've broken through!"

Liu Yang walked with wind in his steps, energy surging, his Tendon Refining Realm Martial Master cultivation revealed as he walked excitedly toward Jiang Sheng.

Jiang Peisheng's face finally squeezed out a smile, but the corners of his eyes

were still staring fiercely at Lu Fan, the hatred deep as the sea!

"Liu Yang, very good! You've just broken through, so you need someone to practice with. This kid Lu Fan is not bad; you two should spar!"

Liu Yang's expression stalled. Following Jiang Peisheng's gaze, he saw Lu Fan and immediately understood. He looked pleasantly surprised, rubbed his wrists, and walked toward Lu Fan.

The surrounding students were horrified. Liu Yang had advanced to the Tendon Refining Realm, and he was no longer on the same level as them. It was heaven and earth; Lu Fan was doomed.

Some people felt indignant, thinking Jiang Sheng was too shameless. He hadn't succeeded in his own attack, and now he wanted Liu Yang to attack—this was clearly meant to take Lu Fan's life.

"Hmph! The old one had the cultivation of a Great Martial Master and returned empty-handed. This waste just entered the Tendon Refining Realm, a mere Martial Master, and wants to deal with me?" Lu Fan sneered, his face full of mockery.

"Asking for death! I don't want to wait for the year-end competition; I'll kill you today!"

Liu Yang leaped into the air, his momentum surging, his Martial Master cultivation erupting as he swung his fists.

"Black Water Tiger Fist!"

He shouted, his body like a fierce tiger, even using a Yellow Grade high-grade martial skill. It was imposing, and the energy was surging.

"Hmm! Fighting a martial artist one level weaker than himself with full force—he's a bit smarter than that trash Jiang Sheng!"

Lu Fan nodded, showing a look of approval.

The people around shook their heads. At such a life-and-death moment, he actually had the "heart" to say such things—wasn't he just asking for death?

"But that's all there is to it. In front of me, you're all just chickens and dogs!"

Before the sound had even faded, Lu Fan summoned the art refining crystal furnace again, repeating his old trick, and pushed it out.

"Puff, puff."

A mist of water exploded outward; the Black Water Tiger Fist contained a subtle, fluid agility that countered Lu Fan's Blazing Flame True Qi. As water and fire merged, the momentum was immense.

The two drilled in and out of the water mist, dazzling the eyes of the people around. After fighting for a hundred moves, they seemed evenly matched, stunning everyone.

Elder Bai nodded slightly and praised the middle-aged man beside him, "Hmm! This kid is not bad; at the peak of the Gathering Essence Realm, he's fighting a Tendon Refining Realm martial artist to a standstill—not simple!"

The middle-aged man smiled without a word, staring fixedly at Lu Fan, as if afraid of missing a single move.

No, to be precise, he should be staring fixedly at the art refining crystal furnace, as if wanting to see through its mysteries and changes.

Jiang Sheng's face was extremely ugly. He had attacked personally and, out of carelessness, returned empty-handed. He had high hopes for Liu Yang, but now it seemed there was no hope there either.

Just as Lu and Liu Yang were stalemated, an array in the hall opened, and someone walked down from the upper level of the Wulian Tower.

Her steps were graceful, her waist slender, her full chest almost bursting out, and her crystal eyes seemed capable of hooking souls and stealing spirits.

Anyone in the hall who looked at her felt that she was staring at them, unable to extricate themselves.

"Jiang Sheng, what is going on? It's a mess, and the little brats in the Martial Refining Hall can't even be at peace."

Ling Yao put one hand on her waist and pointed at Jiang Sheng with the other, scolding him. This made the surrounding students breathe rapidly, their faces flushed red.

Jiang Sheng didn't know how to speak, making Ling Yao shake her head, "What is going on with these two little brats? Eh! Another Tendon Refining Realm!"

Seeing Liu Yang, she looked pleasantly surprised, "This is good, the Martial Refining Hall can add more manpower!"

As soon as she finished speaking, her figure swayed, and she lightly slapped a palm toward the battle group. The clouds and mist retreated, the energy dissipated, and an aura of a king was revealed.

Liu Yang's expression changed drastically, and he leaped away. Lu Fan could only put down the art refining crystal furnace and stare at Ling Yao.

"Opening Origin Realm, Martial King!"

Lu Fan was slightly stunned, his expression suddenly becoming serious. When a martial artist enters the fifth tier, their True Qi condenses into True Yuan—this is the Opening Origin Realm, known as a Martial King, the king of martial artists.

Ling Yao's face was slightly suspicious, "Yo! Little brat, you have some insight!" She couldn't help but look at Lu Fan a few more times, unable to see through his mystery.

She only thought that his ability to fight a Tendon Refining Realm martial artist across levels was due to that cauldron.

"Yao girl, children are fighting, why are you interfering!"

Elder Bai walked over and shook his head, seeming a bit dissatisfied.

"Old Ghost Bai, what did you say?" Ling Yao's expression changed, and she pointed at Elder Bai's nose and scolded: "I'm interfering? According to Academy rules, third-tier Martial Masters must be taught separately and must enter my Martial Refining Hall. This kid has broken through, so he belongs to me!"

Elder Bai's face turned pale, and he puffed out his beard and glared.

But thinking of how Ling Yao acted, if he offended her, he didn't know how many male students and male instructors would hate him! His old bones couldn't withstand the tossing of these young people.

Ling Yao was unforgiving and snorted coldly, smiling charmingly at Liu Yang: "Look at you fighting so vigorously, yet you can't even deal with a Martial Warrior. Truly shameful, let me guide you!"

Before she had even finished speaking, she flicked her sleeve, and with a crisp "crack," Liu Yang didn't even have time to react before he was sent flying, hitting the wall, spitting out a mouthful of blood, and passing out directly.

Lu Fan raised his eyebrows, his expression one of disbelief, muttering to himself: "People from the Xuan Yin Hall have appeared..."

"Yao girl, can you change your rules? Why is every disciple who enters the hall beaten half to death!" Elder Bai smiled bitterly, helpless.

"Hmph! For this kind of waste, if I don't give them a lesson, their tails will be in the sky later!"

As soon as Ling Yao finished speaking, she moved her feet and was about to return the way she came, but was stopped by a voice.

"Instructor Yao, I want you to guide me separately!" ===== CHAPTER 20 =====