“Feng Yanran! You’re royalty, yet you defend a lowlife like this?”
“Feng Mingbo, don’t forget that when the Divine Phoenix Emperor founded the empire, he relied on the support of countless commoners. Tens of thousands of years ago, our Phoenix Clan was no different from them. Has being emperor for so long made you forget the oath of ‘sharing blessings and hardships together’?” Feng Yanran shot back sharply at Feng Mingbo.
“What’s the use of sharp words? I won’t waste breath with you. Those nobodies might talk big like you, but do you dare let them face Leng Chan in a match?”
The Fire Phoenix Clan bore the surname “Feng.”
The Ice Phoenix Clan bore the surname “Feng Ming.”
The former never forgot the Divine Phoenix Emperor’s teachings, striving to coexist peacefully with commoners. Complete equality was impossible, but at least they treated commoners as people.
The latter, however, believed only the Ice Phoenix, Fire Phoenix, Nether Phoenix, Great Peng, Thunder Eagle, Vermilion Bird, and Peacock Clans with divine phoenix bloodlines were true nobility.
Only they deserved the empire’s full privileges.
Other clans were mere commoners or riffraff, let alone humans from the Heavenly Dragon Continent.
This stark divide caused ongoing discord between the two clans.
Though the Fire Phoenix Clan had more commoner support, the Ice Phoenix Clan had more noble backing, resulting in nearly equal turns as emperor over the ages.
Over tens of thousands of years, the Ice Phoenix Clan held the throne three times more than the Fire Phoenix Clan, showing the nobles’ greater influence.
To Feng Mingbo, Leng Chan, though not pure nobility, was from the rising Golden Eagle Clan, barely qualifying as new nobility.
His strength was undeniable, a Breakthrough Period Heavenly Vein warrior, stronger than Feng Mingyu.
He was also very close to the Heavenly Human Realm.
As for those humans, especially the insolent youth who looked fifteen or sixteen, his cultivation couldn’t possibly match Leng Chan’s.
In a one-on-one fight, Leng Chan couldn’t lose.
That’s why they made such a challenge.
“This isn’t fair. Leng Chan’s a Divine Phoenix Academy disciple, a hair’s breadth from the Heavenly Human Realm. Isn’t that bullying?” Feng Mingyu couldn’t help but speak up.
She knew Ling Xiao’s strength and said this to spare Leng Chan embarrassment.
But she was too naive, not realizing such words were meaningless.
Would shameless people care about bullying?
What a joke!
“Feng Mingyu, since when did you become so soft-hearted? I heard someone crippled your martial skills. Was it these people? Look at your pathetic state!” Feng Mingbo sneered. “Your cultivation’s weak, so losing to them is no surprise, but you’ve shamed our Ice Phoenix Clan. Keep your mouth shut, or even as your brother, I’ll slap you!”
“I just don’t want Leng Chan to suffer!” Feng Mingyu blurted out in a panic.
“Sister Jade, don’t be afraid. I know you’re shaken, so you’re wary of them. But since they hurt you, I’ll cripple them today!” Leng Chan’s face lit up with excitement, as if he thought this would make Feng Mingyu fall for him.
By then, she’d surely throw herself into his arms.
“Leng Chan, remember to cripple them thoroughly, destroy their martial veins, and leave no chance for recovery! Let these humans know this is the Divine Phoenix Continent, not the Heavenly Dragon Continent, and we’re the masters here!” Feng Mingbo’s words were even more vicious.
Ling Xiao glanced at Feng Mingbo from afar, memorizing his face.
All this talk of nobility, when tens of thousands of years ago, they were just a bunch of scruffy chickens following the Human King. They really thought highly of themselves.
Leng Chan grinned at Feng Mingbo. “Young Master Bo, rest assured, I won’t shame our Divine Phoenix Continent.”
“Good, it’s all on you!” Feng Mingbo dismissed Feng Mingyu’s words. After all, his sister was only at the eighth level of the Mortal Realm, far from a Breakthrough Period Heavenly Vein warrior.
It wasn’t surprising someone could defeat her—a ninth-level Mortal Realm warrior or any half-step Heavenly Venerable could do it.
But such cultivation was nothing to Leng Chan.
Feeling he represented the entire Divine Phoenix Continent, Leng Chan grew excited and inflated with pride.
He looked at Ling Xiao with disdain, nose almost to the sky, and said coldly, “Lowly human, I’ll give you a chance. Kneel, cripple your own cultivation, and shout ‘I’m human scum’ three times, and I’ll spare you!”
Ling Xiao frowned. Why did these Divine Phoenix Continent nobles love making others kneel and self-cripple?
And Leng Chan was worse, not only demanding he destroy his cultivation but also utter such humiliating words.
Hearing this, Feng Mingyu gave a helpless, bitter smile.
She didn’t need to think to know what would happen.
She even looked at Leng Chan with a trace of pity.
“Don’t worry, Jade. I’ll go easy, then hand this lot over to you!” Leng Chan mistook her look as concern for him, his heart blooming with joy.
“Is this guy brain-dead?” Ling Xiao asked Ji Mingkong beside him.
“Seems like it,” she replied.
The crowd burst into laughter.
“Leng Chan, they’re calling you brain-dead. Your grandeur doesn’t seem so grand!” someone teased.
“Don’t embarrass us in front of the newbies!”
“Yeah, especially losing to a few lowly humans—that’d be pathetic!”
“Come on, stop talking and act. Keep jabbering, and I’ll think you’re brain-dead too.”
The mocking and goading voices reached Leng Chan’s ears, making him uncomfortable.
He felt like a monkey being toyed with, utterly humiliated.
His anger flared, his face turning as red as the legendary human martial saint, Lord Guan.
“Lowlife! Listen up, you’ll pay for your actions today! I was only going to cripple you, but now, I’ll cripple all of them!” he roared.
Feng Yanran, in the crowd, gave a wry smile. Feng Mingyu had threatened Ling Xiao the same way, and the outcome was predictable.
The smile on Ling Xiao’s face vanished, replaced by cold killing intent.
Before coming to the Divine Phoenix Continent, he didn’t want to offend anyone. He just wanted to train, grow stronger, defeat the remaining demon kings of the True Demon Empire, and even the True Demon Emperor if he reappeared.
But first Feng Mingyu, and now Leng Chan.
He suddenly realized his earlier low-profile approach was a mistake.
Being too discreet just made others think you were easy to bully.
