Do You Concede?

After Chen Ning left the Grand Elder's residence, he thought of returning to his main peak, Vermilion Bird Peak, only to discover that he had used his Divine Speed Talisman the day before. If he relied on his own two legs, he wouldn't get there even in two days.

"If I'd known, I would have drawn a few more Divine Speed Talismans to keep in reserve."

Chen Ning had no choice but to put the cake in his storage ring. Fortunately, time flowed very slowly inside it, so the cake wouldn't spoil anytime soon.

He had brought these two pieces of cream cake back especially for Su Ling'er to try. The little loli was so loyal and protective of her master that he certainly wouldn't treat her poorly.

With no Divine Speed Talisman to use, Chen Ning had no choice but to visit the Azure Feather Pavilion on Verdant Peak.

The Azure Feather Pavilion was a facility established on several of the Dragon-Seeking Sect's peaks, where disciples could rent flying spirit beasts to travel outside for training.

They served as transportation, after all, not everyone could transform their primordial Qi into wings.

When Chen Ning arrived at the Azure Feather Pavilion, a middle-aged man who called himself Xu Zhong received him with utmost respect.

"Sect Master, what brings you here?"

"I'm looking for a spirit beast to take me back to Vermilion Bird Peak."

Chen Ning spoke calmly.

Xu Zhong, however, looked troubled. After a long pause, he said, "Sect Master, you've come at an unfortunate time today. The flying spirit beasts have all been rented out."

Xu Zhong had never expected the newly appointed sect master to come here. If he had known, he would have kept one in reserve.

This was a once-in-a-thousand-years chance to get on good terms with the sect master.

"All rented out? Then I'll look elsewhere."

Chen Ning sighed and was about to leave when he saw a Golden-Winged Peng flying toward them in the distance, its wings beating. It landed steadily on the ground.

Seeing this, Xu Zhong couldn't help smiling. "Oh, Qin Lie, you're back? Perfect timing. Quickly, bring the Golden-Winged Peng over. The sect master needs it."

Xu Zhong was delighted. Better to arrive at the right moment than to arrive early; someone had just returned a rented flying spirit beast.

A young man in splendid clothes jumped down from the Peng's back. Though young, he was already an inner disciple.

Qin Lie glanced at Chen Ning, but merely went on stroking the Golden-Winged Peng's feathers, paying no heed to Xu Zhong's instructions.

"What's going on? The sect master needs it urgently."

Xu Zhong urged him on, while Chen Ning asked, "I do need to return to Vermilion Bird Peak urgently. If you're done with this spirit beast and it's free, could you let it take me there?"

At that, Qin Lie gave a chuckle and said loudly, "I never said I was done with it. Sect Master, surely you're not trying to use your position to bully me? Besides, this spirit beast has dignity too. If a mortal without any cultivation rides it and wounds its pride, what then?"

Qin Lie made no effort to lower his voice. It carried far and wide, and all the disciples present heard him clearly.

They all understood that he was deliberately making things difficult.

"Senior Brother Qin Lie rented the Golden-Winged Peng to train at Ten Thousand Peaks Mountain. He's back now, so why is he still keeping the spirit beast?"

"You don't even know that? Senior Brother Qin Lie's talent is unmatched, and he's one of the ten greatest inner disciples. He's used to holding his head high, so how could he possibly accept a mortal sect master his own age who has no cultivation?"

"So that's why. But I heard the sect master was able to activate the jade stone at the Azure Cloud Rite. Doesn't that mean he has primordial power?"

"What's so strange about that? It was only activating a jade stone. Even a Body Tempering Realm martial artist can do that. The sect master could have done it with the slightest bit of cultivation, but no matter what, he can't match Qin Lie's cultivation."

"That's true. Senior Brother Qin Lie only respects the strong. He's very proud."

A group of disciples gathered together, whispering among themselves.

"Could you do me this favor?" Chen Ning asked, looking at Qin Lie.

Qin Lie shook his head, a cold smile on his lips. "Sect Master, when we disciples encountered something like this before, we would spar to settle it. Only the winner would be qualified to use the flying spirit beast first. Perhaps you could also..."

The moment Qin Lie said this, the disciples present all knew full well that he intended to humiliate the sect master.

"All right!"

Yet no one had expected Chen Ning to actually agree.

Even Qin Lie froze for a moment before laughing disdainfully. "Forget it, forget it. I never hold back when I fight. If I were to injure the sect master and the elders blamed me, I couldn't bear the consequences."

"Just spar with me. Win or lose, I promise you'll be all right."

Chen Ning loosened his muscles as he made the promise.

He also wanted to take this opportunity to truly test the strength he currently possessed.

And Qin Lie was just the right whetstone.

An inner disciple was an ideal benchmark, whether in terms of talent or strength.

"Qin Lie, how dare you act so rashly? That is the sect master. You're being far too disrespectful..."

Xu Zhong tried to pull Qin Lie back, but Qin Lie dodged him with a look of disgust.

"It's fine. We'll follow the rules you disciples use. The winner goes first."

Having limbered up, Chen Ning prepared to take his first battle since coming to this world seriously.

"Sect Master! Don't go down too quickly!"

Qin Lie struck first. Pushing off the ground, he sprang into the air and unleashed a heavy, powerful punch.

Chen Ning frowned and dodged aside.

Qin Lie missed, and the smile on his face grew wider. "All you can do is dodge? Then why didn't you dodge when they gave you the position of sect master? Trash like you thinks he's fit to be sect master?"

An inexplicable anger flared in Qin Lie's heart, and he attacked again.

All around them, people watched Qin Lie and Chen Ning tensely. Qin Lie's presence burst forth, unmistakably carrying the fluctuations of the Spirit Martial Realm.

"Senior Brother Qin Lie is at the Third Heaven of the Spirit Martial Realm. How could the sect master possibly be his match?"

"Actually, it wouldn't matter if the sect master's cultivation were lacking. Across the Nine Provinces, there are two superpowers whose leaders aren't cultivation experts either. But the sect master should never have accepted the challenge. He's simply bringing humiliation upon himself!"

After dodging several more of Qin Lie's attacks, Chen Ning had finally finished warming up and got a feel for his current level of cultivation.

Now it was time to test the divine ability rewarded by the system!

Qin Lie laughed wildly and threw two more punches. He guessed Chen Ning would dodge, so he had already prepared a follow-up. This time, he had to finish the sect master in an instant.

This time, however, Chen Ning did not dodge.

Standing calmly, he thrust out a palm, and even the sky instantly darkened.

Fire God Seal!

The palm imprint roared forth like a long crimson rainbow and slammed into Qin Lie. He spat out a mouthful of blood and flew backward.

The surrounding disciples were all dumbstruck.

They stood dazed for a long time.

Had the sect master really defeated Qin Lie with just one palm strike?

Qin Lie struggled to crawl back up. He was in a sorry state, and the splendid clothes on his body had been burned away completely by the flames.

Blood at the corner of his mouth, Qin Lie staggered to his feet. His eyes were bloodshot as he shouted, "Impossible! That's impossible! You're just a mortal. How could you possibly beat me?"

Qin Lie roared in anger and turned his palm, circulating his primordial power once more.

"Myriad Manifestations, Ten Thousand Breaks!"

Whoosh!

A fist shadow blasted forth. Chen Ning merely raised his palm, and the fist shadow reached him in an instant. But just as it was about to touch him, the flames on his palm melted it away.

He struck back with his palm, and a fiery seal landed on Qin Lie in an instant.

Looking down at him, Chen Ning said calmly:

"Do you concede to that strike?"