Chapter 16

"What? Time's up. You dared to challenge this deacon, but now you don't have the guts to show up?"

The area around the Life and Death Arena was packed with people. Lin Xuan was still some distance away, so no one had spotted him.

At that moment, Niu Fang stood on the platform, his face full of disdain.

Lin Xuan suppressed his doubts about the Three Sect Trials and turned to look, a faint killing intent immediately surging into his eyes.

"Hahaha... Deacon Niu, isn't it better if he doesn't dare come? You get 100 Contribution Points for free."

"That's right, that's right. Let him keep showing off. Spending 100 Contribution Points just to show off—this is killing me."

"Does he think that because he's only been in the sect a short time, he can intimidate our entire Servant District?"

"But speaking of which, he's only been here a few days. How did he scrape together 100 Contribution Points?"

"Are you an idiot? His childhood sweetheart was accepted into Ice God Peak and became the ninth True Disciple. A hundred Contribution Points are nothing but a drizzle to her."

"So he lives off a woman. Too bad this time he bit down on a steel ball."

Discussion buzzed around the Life and Death Arena.

"How can they say such things?"

Yu Bing's lovely face flared with anger upon hearing them.

"All right, Xiao Yu'er. These people will shut up soon enough. Wait for me here."

Lin Xuan reached out and held back Yu Bing, who was preparing to step forward and argue.

"Brother Lin Xuan..."

Yu Bing looked worried and grasped Lin Xuan's hand in return.

"Hmph... If you go up on the Life and Death Arena, will you even come back alive?"

"Junior Sister, let's go. There's no need to waste words on a dead man."

Lu Xun finally found an opportunity to speak mockingly.

"Brother Lin Xuan won't die. Eighth Senior Brother, go back by yourself. I don't need you to accompany me."

Yu Bing turned toward him, her words firm and forceful as she directly drove him away.

Lu Xun's face darkened. He said nothing, nor did he show any intention of leaving.

Lin Xuan glanced at him, then patted Yu Bing's soft hand and said gently, "All right. Believe in me. Xiao Yu'er, watch closely. The best way to make people shut up is... to kill!"

As the last word, "kill," fell, Lin Xuan's aura had already changed, becoming sharp and fierce.

Even Yu Bing was stunned for a moment by that sharpness crashing into her.

By the time she came back to herself, Lin Xuan had already walked toward the crowd, then leapt onto the Life and Death Arena in a single step.

At that instant, the entire venue abruptly fell silent, and everyone frowned.

None of them had expected Lin Xuan to actually dare step onto the Life and Death Arena.

Was there really someone in this world so unafraid of death?

Almost everyone had the same question rise in their hearts.

Niu Fang narrowed his eyes as well, sizing Lin Xuan up.

"Interesting. You actually dared to come up here. Fine. Since you're seeking death, I'll grant your wish."

"Who dies is still uncertain!" Lin Xuan's expression did not change in the slightest.

"Haha..."

Niu Fang laughed. "You think killing one Zhang Tao through sheer luck makes you invincible?"

"How naive!"

"Do you know where this is? This is the Divine Firmament Holy Land, one of the three great immortal sects of the Southern Region."

"You've only entered the sect for a few days. How many steps have you taken on the path of immortality? Do you know that Zhang Tao was no more than a grain of sand on that path, utterly insignificant?"

"Whether it was luck or not, try me!"

"Once one steps onto the Life and Death Arena, victory and defeat will be decided—and so will life and death!"

Lin Xuan spoke flatly.

"Hiss..."

The sound of people drawing sharp breaths immediately came from all around.

"How arrogant!"

"I've been in the sect for seven years and barely reached the late stage of Body Tempering. Even facing Deacon Niu, I wouldn't dare be this arrogant."

"What gives him the right?"

The discussions rose again.

But just then, a slender figure suddenly stepped onto the Life and Death Arena.

Everyone froze. Then, when they saw the white robes and the golden Disciple Token at her waist, their expressions drastically changed.

"Greetings, True Disciple Senior Sister!"

"Greetings, True Disciple Senior Sister!"

Apart from Lin Xuan, everyone lowered their heads at that moment and called out respectfully, including Niu Fang.

However, Niu Fang's brow had deeply furrowed, his thoughts growing unsettled.

Yu Bing merely stood there, yet her special status as a True Disciple had already placed immense pressure on him.

"Pay her no mind. Kill if you should kill. This True Disciple will protect you."

At that moment, a voice suddenly entered Niu Fang's ears.

"Voice transmission!"

Niu Fang was horrified. This was a method only those in the second major cultivation realm could wield.

He hurriedly looked beneath the Life and Death Arena and immediately saw Lu Xun.

Lu Xun gave him an almost imperceptible nod.

Niu Fang was overjoyed.

He had never expected that today's challenge would give him the chance to come into contact with a True Disciple.

That was a True Disciple—at the very least possessing Eighth- or Ninth-Grade Talent, the absolute pillar of the Holy Land's future.

If he could cling to such a thigh, then even a little soup leaking through the gaps between their fingers would let him soar straight into the sky.

With his heart settling, Niu Fang already knew what to do.

At the same time, Yu Bing's voice carried outward.

"This is a challenge match. Stop at the point of contact. Deacon Niu, I ask that you give me some face. There will certainly be generous thanks afterward."

Yu Bing's voice was melodious, and paired with her peerless beauty, she made everyone feel as though they were bathed in a spring breeze.

Countless disciples revealed envious looks. The gazes they turned upon Lin Xuan were mixed with jealousy so intense it was outrageous.

But then Yu Bing's tone abruptly changed. "If anything happens to Brother Lin Xuan, I will not let this rest easily."

Everyone was startled, and their envy deepened even further.

For a True Disciple to go this far, what kind of dogshit luck had Lin Xuan stepped in?

Even Lu Xun felt somewhat envious, though his gaze remained cold.

At this moment, Niu Fang raised his head, his heart somewhat flustered.

But upon seeing Lu Xun, he relaxed considerably.

He first looked toward Yu Bing and respectfully said, "This disciple would not dare disobey True Disciple Senior Sister's orders."

But then he looked at Lin Xuan and said, "So Junior Brother Lin has such a powerful backer. I am impressed. If that is the case, I can simply offer up this deacon position with both hands. Why must Junior Brother challenge me?"

The moment he said this, nearly everyone except Yu Bing heard the mockery in his words.

One after another, they showed teasing expressions and began whispering among themselves.

"Ah... I want to live off a woman too."

"No wonder he dared challenge for a deacon position after only a few days in the sect. He had this all planned out long ago."

"Can't envy it, can't envy it!"

Yu Bing naturally heard the discussions as well. Her heart tightened, and she was about to explain.

But at that moment, Lin Xuan held her back.

"Xiao Yu'er, you're too innocent. Watch carefully. Watch how your brother teaches them how to behave. Go down."

Lin Xuan's eyes shone with a light that allowed no doubt.

Yu Bing, who understood Lin Xuan's temperament extremely well, finally fell silent.

She bit her lip and softly said, "Brother Lin Xuan, if anything happens to you, Yu'er will never live alone."

Only after saying that did she leap down from the Life and Death Arena.

Lin Xuan gently let out a breath and turned to face Niu Fang.

"Come fight!"

As his words fell, his blood and qi boiled, and an invisible aura surged upward.