“Tantai, stop it at once!”
Chang Yueying shouted.
Tantai Lingzi frowned slightly, throwing the three people out.
Ming Tian collapsed on the ground, panting heavily, utterly exhausted.
Yue Ren was in slightly better shape, but his body trembled, barely able to stand.
Bai Feifei was in the best condition, though a trickle of blood escaped her lips, yet she managed to save face.
“You all, I appreciate your concession.”
Tantai Lingzi cast a cold glance at the group before her.
She was now certain she was the most powerful disciple in the Yuehua Sect. Her next goal was to challenge Lan Yuer, claim the top spot among the ten core disciples, and become the young sect leader!
“Tantai, you performed exceptionally well. With your current strength, even Lan Yuer is likely no match for you. You are undoubtedly the foremost disciple of the Yuehua Sect!”
Chang Yueying’s face lit up with excitement.
Her position as sect leader had been stripped, but her disciple had not let her down!
Meng Yuan lay unconscious.
Yue Ren stood to the side, dejected.
Bai Feifei and Ming Tian were filled with hatred.
But their hatred was not directed at Tantai Lingzi, but at Ling Xiao!
If not for Ling Xiao, they wouldn’t have been eliminated so early. Perhaps they too could have gained such a formidable martial soul inheritance.
If that had happened, they wouldn’t be in such a pathetic state now.
They wished they could tear Ling Xiao to pieces.
“Yueying, there’s no rush to challenge Lan Yuer. Let Tantai bide her time and keep a low profile for now. With her current ranking, she’s sure to achieve great results at the Four Sects Martial Assembly. If she performs outstandingly there, even Wu Xiang will have to provide her with ample resources, making her cultivation easier. And as for Ling Xiao trying to kill her, that’s even less likely.”
Chang Yueli reminded her.
“Master, you’re absolutely right!”
At the mention of the Four Sects Martial Assembly, Chang Yueying nodded in agreement.
Meanwhile, Ming Tian and Yue Ren looked utterly crestfallen.
With their current rankings, they didn’t even qualify to participate in the Four Sects Martial Assembly.
Bai Feifei did qualify, but she was now worried about one person.
Ling Xiao!
If Ling Xiao challenged and defeated her, she would lose her fourth-place position, a result that would be utterly devastating for her.
“Tantai Lingzi, Bai Feifei, Ming Tian, Yue Ren! After hearing the summons, gather at the inner sect plaza. Someone is challenging you!”
Suddenly, a loud voice echoed through the sky.
This was the Yuehua Sect’s summons, transmitted through the sect’s protective array to every corner, using minimal true essence.
But it wouldn’t work outside the sect.
“Someone’s challenging us?”
Tantai Lingzi was stunned. Who was bold enough to challenge four people at once?
Suddenly, a name flashed in her mind.
“Ling Xiao!”
Almost in unison, Tantai Lingzi, Bai Feifei, and Ming Tian shouted the same name.
“It’s definitely him. No one else would be so arrogant as to challenge four core disciples at once!”
Demon Flame Heavenly Venerate roared, “This kid has no respect for his fellow disciples, does he?”
“Demon Flame, no need to get angry. The core disciple challenge follows the sect’s rules. Since he’s issued the challenge, Tantai and the others must respond.”
Chang Yueying smiled, “But this Ling Xiao probably doesn’t know how powerful Tantai has become. Since he wants to make a fool of himself, this is the perfect chance to let him fall into ruin!”
“Exactly. He’s challenging four people, isn’t he? Yue Ren, Ming Tian, Feifei, you three do your best to wear down Ling Xiao’s strength. I refuse to believe he won’t lose!”
Elder Jin sneered.
“No need for all that trouble. Ling Xiao is nothing. He’s not Lan Yuer. I can handle him alone!”
Bai Feifei snapped, “I’m not the same as I was before. If he tries to pull any tricks with arrays, he won’t stand a chance!”
“Feifei, be cautious. This Ling Xiao is not to be underestimated. If he dares to openly challenge all four of you, he must have some tricks up his sleeve.”
Chang Yueli said gravely.
“I understand, Master.”
Bai Feifei nodded, suppressing her complacency.
She didn’t dare underestimate Ling Xiao, having suffered enough at his hands. She couldn’t afford to repeat her mistakes!
“Let’s go, then!”
With that, Chang Yueying, Chang Yueli, Elder Jin, Tantai Lingzi, Yue Ren, and Bai Feifei set off.
Demon Flame Heavenly Venerate pulled Ming Tian aside and whispered, “With your current strength, you’re no match for Ling Xiao. If he challenges you, you’ll lose for sure. But I have a way to ensure your victory. Are you willing to accept it?”
“I’m willing, Master!”
Ming Tian nodded.
At this point, Ming Tian had lost all sense of judgment.
His sole focus was defeating Ling Xiao, no matter the method. Even if it meant turning himself into a monster, he didn’t care.
“Good. Wait a moment! Meng Yuan, come here too. I have a gift for you!”
Meng Yuan, just waking from his coma, shivered at Demon Flame Heavenly Venerate’s words.
He knew full well that the so-called gift was nothing good.
But he had no choice.
Against Demon Flame Heavenly Venerate, he didn’t dare resist.
“Yes, Master!”
At the inner sect plaza, a crowd had already gathered. Apart from disciples away on missions, most had come to watch the spectacle.
The summons had been so conspicuous that no one could miss it.
On one of the sparring platforms, Ling Xiao sat cross-legged, idly chewing on a blade of foxtail grass.
Suddenly, he stood up, his terrifying aura spreading outward.
Disciples near the platform hurriedly backed away in fear.
“Heh, you’ve finally arrived. I thought you were too scared to show up.”
Seeing the approaching figures, Ling Xiao gave a satisfied smile.
“Hmm? Where’s Ming Tian? Too frightened to come?”
The group soon reached the plaza. Chang Yueying and the others took their seats, while Tantai Lingzi and the rest stood together.
But Ming Tian was nowhere to be seen.
“You won’t need Junior Brother Ming Tian. I alone can deal with you!”
Yue Ren had little direct interaction with Ling Xiao, but that was only on the surface. In reality, his life had been completely upended by Ling Xiao.
He had been the third-ranked core disciple, his strength nearly matching Lan Yuer’s.
His plan was to defeat Lan Yuer, and once Ren Xingtian advanced to the Celestial Realm, he would take the top core disciple spot.
But what happened next left him utterly despairing.
Lan Yuer advanced to Half-Step Heavenly Venerate, far surpassing him.
That was bad enough.
What infuriated him most was that Leng Hao, a disciple who hadn’t even been in the sect for a year, defeated him.
And the nightmare didn’t end there.
If Leng Hao’s victory could be excused as the work of a genius, Dai Yuling defeating him was utterly unacceptable.
And all these people were connected to Ling Xiao, with Ling Xiao himself as the root cause!
