The man obediently walked over, pointed at Ling Xiao, and said, “That’s right, Senior Brother Tang Jiu. It’s that Ling Xiao who killed Senior Brother Tang Qi!”
“Did you hear that, Ling Xiao?” Tang Jiu questioned.
“Calm down, Brother Tang Jiu. You can’t start a conflict just based on one side of the story. The Poison King Sect’s Bei Duanchang died at Ling Xiao’s hands, so naturally, their disciples would frame him.”
At that moment, someone actually stood up to speak for Ling Xiao, which surprised him. He didn’t think he had any friends out here.
Batian Hu?
Ling Xiao then recognised the person. It was Batian Hu from the Beast King Palace, an honest man.
Tang Jiu snorted coldly and suddenly made a move. A flash of cold light appeared, and a poisonous dart struck Batian Hu’s body. It was only because of Batian Hu’s strong defence and quick reaction that he wasn’t killed on the spot.
This Tang Jiu was truly overbearing, not allowing anyone to speak for Ling Xiao.
“Brother Ba, thank you for standing up for me. This is the Tang Sect’s antidote. Take it. I did indeed kill Tang Qi, and not just him, but the few people with him as well. So, Tang Jiu, what are you going to do about it?”
The antidote Ling Xiao offered was obtained from Tang Qi’s storage ring, capable of neutralising most common poisons. The dart Tang Jiu had used wasn’t a special one, so it was fine.
“Oh no, Big Brother Ling, you’re too impulsive. This Tang Jiu is so ferocious. How could you admit it outright?” Long Chen’s face paled with fear. Tang Jiu gave off a terrifying vibe, and offending someone like him was like having ten lives and still not enough.
Ling Xiao smiled and said, “Long Chen, don’t worry. He can’t do anything to me.”
“This Tang Jiu is truly brutal and domineering. Batian Hu only spoke a fair word, yet he almost got killed for it. Isn’t he afraid of offending the Beast King Palace?” Lan Yuer couldn’t help but say.
“Sister Lan, this is the law of the jungle. The Tang Sect is stronger than the Beast King Palace. Besides, it seems the three southern sects have formed an alliance. They might be looking for a chance to wipe out the Beast King Palace and our Moonlight Sect,” Ling Xiao sighed.
“What nonsense are you spouting? You just admitted to killing my brother, didn’t you?” Tang Jiu’s face darkened as he approached Ling Xiao, questioning him.
The other Moonlight Sect members were extremely nervous, and Lan Yuer was almost ready to act. But Ling Xiao remained calm and composed. “That’s right, I admitted it. So what? They tried to gang up on me, and I killed them in passing.”
“He wanted to kill you, so you should have knelt and let him. How dare you fight back?” Tang Jiu said coldly.
“Now, I’ll give you a chance. Kneel, kowtow, and admit your mistake, then end your own life. Otherwise, I’ll kill everyone from your Moonlight Sect!”
“You can try. I guarantee you’ll die before they do,” Ling Xiao retorted, not yielding an inch.
The situation had reached a tense stalemate. Neither side was willing to back down, so it was inevitable that a fight would determine the outcome. The result was hard to predict.
Apart from the Moonlight Sect members and Long Chen, everyone else from the other sects was just watching the drama unfold.
Batian Hu seemed reluctant to stand by, but he was helpless. Tang Jiu’s display of strength earlier was too terrifying. One move had immobilised him, nearly killing him. He absolutely didn’t dare provoke such a fearsome opponent again.
“Junior Brother, your cultivation has improved greatly. Why not help out?” Batian Hu said, looking at Ying Wuya.
Ying Wuya shook his head. “It’s best not to get involved in troubles that shouldn’t be provoked. The Moonlight Sect’s affairs have nothing to do with our Beast King Palace.”
“Exactly. Senior Brother Ying is right. Offending Tang Jiu for the Moonlight Sect isn’t worth it. That Ling Xiao is reckless and arrogant. He deserves to die!”
“Right, Ling Xiao killed quite a few of our people. We should be happy if he dies!”
“Absolutely, if we’re helping anyone, it should be Tang Jiu, not Ling Xiao!”
The remaining disciples of the Beast King Palace were gloating.
The hatred from the Sword King Sect was even more apparent.
“Senior Sister, Master just told us to deal with this Ling Xiao, but it seems we won’t get the chance. He’s offended quite a few people,” Chen Meng nodded. “Let’s observe the situation first. It’s not certain until the end.”
She both hated and feared Ling Xiao. His performance was too astonishing, forcing her to be cautious. Of course, if Ling Xiao died, it would be a joyous occasion for her, eliminating both her worries and a lot of trouble.
“I reckon if Tang Jiu makes a move, it won’t just be Ling Xiao who dies. The others from the Moonlight Sect will go down with him. Heh, I can’t wait to see Wu Xiang’s expression. Wasn’t he all high and mighty in our Sword King Sect?”
Both sects had grudges against Ling Xiao, so their words were far from polite. The discussions from others were relatively neutral but still didn’t favour the Moonlight Sect.
“This is what they call youthful bravado. Too ignorant, never seen the world. They think being invincible in their sect means they can act arrogantly outside.”
“Once Tang Jiu makes a move, it won’t just be Ling Xiao who dies. The others will have to pay the price too. That’s the cost of impulsiveness!”
“Though Tang Jiu is overbearing and unreasonable, that’s the law of the Mysterious Realm. The stronger one holds the right to speak and decides others’ life and death.”
The discussions were loud, but Ling Xiao paid them no mind. He had seen such scenes many times. All along his journey, there had been voices of distrust and disbelief. Yet every time, he managed to shock those who looked down on him.
This time would be no different. If Tang Jiu dared to act, Ling Xiao would make him pay the price. He wasn’t certain of defeating Tang Jiu, but he definitely wouldn’t lose. At worst, they would both go down together. But he believed if one person survived, it would surely be him.
Tang Jiu’s attacks and hidden weapons were formidable, but his defence was a weakness. Compared to Tang Jiu, Ling Xiao had no obvious flaws. He wasn’t mediocre in every aspect but excelled in all of them.
“Hahaha, interesting! Truly interesting! I’m Tang Jiu, and this is the first time I’ve seen someone so bold in front of me. Since you won’t kneel and end your life, I’ll kill you myself to avenge my brother!” Tang Jiu laughed in anger.
Buzz!
With a loud sound, a thousand-hand shadow appeared behind him.
“The first time? Didn’t you act like a grandson in front of the Six Young Masters of the Holy Dynasty?” A giant demonic sword shadow appeared behind Ling Xiao as he spoke disdainfully.
“Hahaha, Tang Jiu, this kid’s mocking you. Hurry up and act. I’m getting impatient. If you’re scared, let me handle it. This kid killed Bei Duanchang, making him a common enemy of our three sects. I can kill him just the same,” Li Youdao laughed loudly from the side.
Tang Jiu’s facial muscles twitched violently. He had no choice but to act now, or he would lose all face.
