The moment the needle on the compass stopped moving everything got really quiet. It was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. The bright red light was shining at one person, in the crowd: Ye Lingyun!
Ye Lingyun felt really bad inside. His heart sank.
Something is wrong. This is completely wrong!
From the moment Lin Yanchen appeared, he had felt a sense of dissonance. But only now did he realize with a jolt that everything had deviated from the trajectory of his previous life. In his past life, he had never even heard the name Lin Yanchen, let alone had any interaction with him. So why is he getting pulled into this thing about the stolen pill now that he has been reborn?
The day of his rebirth is when it all started and it is definitely not an accident that things are happening this way on the very first day of his rebirth!
The people around him completely lost it. They were so scared that they backed away fast making a big empty space, around him. The only one who did not move was Xue Lang, who stayed right by his side.
Lin Yanchen looked at Ye Lingyun with a sneer, on his face. "Heh" . His eyes were fixed on Ye Lingyun. "So, you're the little thief who stole my Mystic Spirit Pill? What is your name?"
Without giving Ye Lingyun a chance to speak, he immediately added, "Actually, it doesn't matter. As a disciple of the Phoenix Sect, committing such filthy, underhanded acts is a disgrace to your character! Today, I will do something to help the Phoenix Sect. That is to get rid of people like you who are bringing shame to the Phoenix Sect."
Before his voice was even gone, two disciples standing behind him umped forward fast. They rushed at Ye Lingyun with a lot of force the air making a whistling sound as they moved and it was clear that they wanted to catch Ye Lingyun right away and hold him in place.
"Wait!"
Ye Lingyun said something suddenly. His voice was calm, yet it carried an indisputable power that forced the two disciples to freeze mid-air.
He looked over at Wang Qingcang who was standing on the platform then turned his cold eyes back, to Lin Yanchen. "Senior Brother, you are blaming me in front of everyone based on nothing but an unknown compass? Is this how the Phoenix Sect handles matters? It's beyond absurd!"
"Absurd?" Lin Yanchen laughed as if he had heard the world's greatest joke. "I am ranked on the Inner Sect's Phoenix-Brocade List and a disciple of the Seventh Elder. With my status, why would I stoop so low as to slander an outer sect ant like you?"
"But since you want evidence... According to what I know, you were only at the late stage of the Body Tempering Realm just a few days ago. Yet now, you've broken through to the Fifth Level of the Qi Refining Realm. If you didn't consume a treasure like the Mystic Spirit Pill, how do you explain this sudden breakthrough?!"
Ye Lingyuns eyes felt really heavy as he thought about how to deal with this false accusation. Then a loud and annoying voice suddenly broke the silence.
"There are thousands of pills in this world that can boost cultivation! Just because of that fucking broken compass, you are completely sure that he stole your pill?"
Xue Lang was really skinny like a bamboo pole. His fox-like eyes glared at Lin Yanchen as he pointed a finger.He talked loudly on purpose so everyone could hear what he was saying: "By your logic, does that mean every genius in the sect who levels up quickly must have stolen something? I think you just lost your pill and now you are looking for someone to blame!"
The people around Xue Lang, the disciples they were not really sure, about things but when they heard what Xue Lang had to say they started to nod their heads and whisper to each other that they thought Xue Lang was right.
Lin Yanchen's face instantly turned black. He gave Xue Lang a look, like he wanted to hurt him. "Where did this jumping clown come from? Keep blabbering, and believe me, I'll take you down along with him!"
Xue Lang laughed, showing no fear. "Other than using your status as an inner disciple to bully people, what else can you do? If you're so capable, why don't you try arresting all of us right in front of the Elder!"
Lin Yanchens eyebrows were scrunched up tightly and he was so angry that he could feel it burning in his chest. He was already calculating how to find an opportunity to kill this brat later.
Ye Lingyun patted Xue Lang's shoulder. he felt really happy that Xue Lang would do much for him. However, Lin Yanchen was clearly out for blood today. Without a "satisfactory conclusion," he wouldn't let this go.
Lin Yanchen looked at Ye Lingyun. He sounded really nice. It was not real. "Ye Lingyun if you didn't steal my pill, come with me to the Hall of Punishment. If I made a mistake with you I, Lin Yanchen will say sorry, to everyone. Give you a Bone-Washing Blood-Rebirth Pill. How about it?"
"Not interested," Ye Lingyun rejected him coldly without a second thought. "Everyone knows the Hall of Punishment is under the direct jurisdiction of the Seventh Elder. Since you are his disciple, wouldn't going there be like walking into a tiger's den? At that point, wouldn't 'the truth' be whatever you say it is?"
Lin Yanchen thought about it for a moment then spoke again. "Fine! Since you refuse to admit it, I'll give you a second chance!"
"Among the disciples being at the middle level of the Qi Refining Realm is good enough to be in the top ten." He shifted his tone, lacing it with provocation. "Today, I shall set aside my status and duel you! If you can defeat me, the matter of the stolen pill is dropped. I will still grant you the Bone-Washing Blood-Rebirth Pill as a reward for discovering a talent for the sect and also, I'll even give you my spot on the Brocade List! But if you lose, you will follow me quietly. Do you accept?"
Ye Lingyun couldn't help but let out a mock laugh. "Heh, you've already entered the Golden Core Realm. Are you joking?"
He had already asked the System. The man before him was a genuine First-Level Golden Core expert—two whole realms above him. This wasn't a duel; it was a blatant attempt to crush him under the guise of "fairness."
"I will suppress my cultivation to the Qi Refining Realm and let you have three free moves. " Lin Yanchen said, seemingly surprised that Ye Lingyun could see through his hidden cultivation level.
The crowd erupted again. A Golden Core expert suppressing his realm and offering three free moves? It sounded fair, but in reality, it was a guaranteed trap.
Wang Qingcang, sitting on the high platform, didn't said nothing. On one side was a ranked inner disciple backed by the powerful Seventh Elder; on the other was a nobody from the outer sect. It was obvious which side carried more weight. If Lin Yanchen wanted to set up this "fair duel," he was happy to let it happen to avoid offending the Seventh Elder's faction.
"Fine! I accept."
Ye Lingyuns voice was really loud and clear but filled with an unshakable resolve. This stopped everyone from talking at once.
Everyone froze. Even Lin Yanchen was momentarily stunned. Knowing the gap in power, Ye Lingyun actually dared to accept this suicidal duel! The outer disciples looked at him as if he were a madman seeking his own death.
"Brother Ye! Are you crazy?" Xue Lang hopped with anxiety, whispering urgently. "You just said he's in the Golden Core Realm! Even if he suppresses it, you can't fight him!"
Ignoring the noise, Ye Lingyun looked up at Wang Qingcang and said loudly, "However, Elder, I have one condition."
"Said it." Wang Qingcang replied tonelessly.
Beside him, a smug, triumphant smirk played on Lin Yanchen's lips. He thought he had caught a flicker of panic in Ye Lingyun's eyes,a sign that the boy was just pretending to be confident.
But then, he heard Ye Lingyun speak:
"Swords have no eyes on the dueling platform. If, during our clash, I accidentally maim or even kill Senior Brother Lin... I ask the Elder to be my witness: the Sect must not hold me responsible for any of it!"