Frank and Open

Zhuo Junjie and Zhong Ling stared at each other with dark expressions, neither saying a word. The atmosphere became somewhat strange.

Chang Tianyou instinctively frowned, a trace of unease rising in his heart. He could not help asking, "Why aren't you speaking?"

"Congratulations, Senior Sister Zhong!"

"Congratulations, Junior Brother Zhuo!"

Zhong Ling and Zhuo Junjie spoke in unison. The moment the words left their mouths, both their expressions turned even uglier.

"What do you mean?"

They asked in unison again. Both thought the other was humiliating them. Clearly the other party had broken through, yet they were congratulating them instead. What else could that be but mockery?

Congratulating themselves for falling behind the other?

Chang Qianqian and Chang Hao stared blankly at the scene. Simple-minded Chang Qianqian subconsciously asked, "Could it be that neither of you broke through?"

As soon as she said that, Zhong Ling and Zhuo Junjie were both stunned. Their expressions were incredibly complicated, filled with surprise, disbelief, bewilderment, and more.

"Wasn't the Heavenly Tribulation caused by Senior Sister Zhong? I didn't break through either." Zhuo Junjie hurriedly spoke, and Chang Tianyou's expression immediately darkened.

"It wasn't me." Zhong Ling shook her head, her face full of ruefulness. "I thought it was Junior Brother Zhuo. It seems it must have been some senior within the sect."

Chang Tianyou and the elders instinctively looked at one another, their expressions becoming increasingly grim.

Nearly all the Xuanling Sect elders had gathered here. They could first rule out the possibility of a Golden Core Realm elder breaking through to the Mortal Transformation Realm. Now Zhong Ling and Zhuo Junjie had both denied causing the Heavenly Tribulation, so who could it have been?

"Could it have been Qin Jun and the others..." Chang Hao suddenly asked. He deliberately left his sentence unfinished, putting on an awkward expression.

Chang Qianqian knew Qin Jun's identity was special. Moreover, she had promised Qin Jun something. Now that Chang Hao had brought it up, her father would definitely press the matter further.

Stupid Senior Disciple Brother!

"Those people who saved you?" Chang Tianyou asked with a frown.

To withstand the Heavenly Tribulation, the Xuanling Sect had activated its sect-protecting formation. The spirit stones it consumed amounted to more than half a year of expenses for the entire sect. Now that he heard the Heavenly Tribulation might have been caused by outsiders, he could not help feeling as though they had been used as a shield.

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. He immediately shouted, "Bring them here!"

"Father! They're all resting. Whatever it is, can't it wait until tomorrow?" Chang Qianqian hurriedly stopped him. She was not protecting Qin Jun, but Chang Tianyou.

Even a vicious man like Xiahou En had died miserably at Daji's hands. Added to what happened to the Cheng Family in Qing Tan City, she understood that neither Daji nor Qin Jun was a kind person.

Looking at Chang Tianyou's current expression, the two groups would certainly clash if they met.

When that happened...

It was not that Chang Qianqian looked down on her own sect. Daji had simply acted far too domineeringly, and the Howling Celestial Dog was a demon king in his own right. Both were terrifying experts above the Mortal Transformation Realm. If they truly fought, she feared the Xuanling Sect would be leveled to the ground.

"No!" Chang Tianyou instinctively refused. At the thought of the Xuanling Sect blocking the Heavenly Tribulation for outsiders, his chest felt stifled.

"Do you not even care about the debt they're owed for saving your daughter's life?" Chang Qianqian pretended to look pitiful.

Chang Tianyou immediately felt guilty upon hearing that. Chang Qianqian's mother had unfortunately passed away when she was young, so he had always spoiled this daughter of his beyond measure.

He cherished her so much that he was afraid she would melt in his palm.

When he heard Chang Qianqian had been abducted by Xiahou En this time, cold sweat had drenched his back. So when Chang Qianqian spoke like that, he could no longer insist on summoning Qin Jun and the others immediately.

"Fine. Invite them over tomorrow morning!"

Chang Tianyou waved his hand. Though the elders were somewhat unwilling, none dared object after hearing him say so.

Zhuo Junjie and Zhong Ling exchanged a glance, both seeing the confusion in the other's eyes.

Who was Qin Jun?

Early the next morning, the rising sun gradually illuminated every corner of the Xuanling Sect.

Qin Jun slowly opened his eyes. A night of cultivation had not left him tired at all; instead, he was full of energy.

The Purple Rainbow Lightning Method truly deserved to be a heaven-grade cultivation method. Just one night of cultivation had made him feel a substantial increase in spiritual power. Compared to it, the Qi Refining Art was like shit, not worth mentioning at all.

After washing up, Qin Jun walked out of the courtyard. Daji and the Howling Celestial Dog had already been waiting in the yard, along with Chang Qianqian.

"Qin Jun, you're finally awake. Was last night's Heavenly Tribulation caused by you?" Chang Qianqian rushed forward and grabbed the cloth at Qin Jun's chest.

"Heavenly Tribulation?" Qin Jun was puzzled. He still had no idea how immense the Heavenly Tribulation caused by inheriting a divine ability last night had been.

Chang Qianqian hurriedly explained, focusing especially on how many spirit stones the Xuanling Sect had consumed because of it.

"It had something to do with me? But I didn't break through to the Golden Core Realm." Qin Jun wore an innocent expression.

"Impossible. Everyone in the Xuanling Sect has been checked. No disciple broke through to the Golden Core Realm last night, and it's even more impossible that someone broke through to the Mortal Transformation Realm." Chang Qianqian cried out. For some reason, she always felt the matter was related to Qin Jun and the others.

Qin Jun was baffled. He suddenly recalled the unexpected thunderclap that had sounded when he inherited the divine ability last night. He muttered, "Could inheriting a divine ability also bring down a Heavenly Tribulation?"

"A divine ability?" Chang Qianqian's beautiful eyes widened, filled with curiosity.

Daji covered her mouth and laughed charmingly. "That is correct. For Young Master to comprehend a divine ability at such a young age is truly extraordinary!"

Qin Jun suddenly understood, while Chang Qianqian became even more curious about divine abilities.

"Fine, take me to see your father. A man takes responsibility for his own actions!" Qin Jun said with a sweep of his sleeve. Since it was his fault, he had no intention of evading it. After all, he had no grudge against the Xuanling Sect, and he had his own moral standards.

Besides, he did not have any spirit stones to compensate them with anyway!

Barefoot men aren't afraid of those wearing shoes!

Chang Qianqian immediately breathed a sigh of relief. Qin Jun's frank admission improved her impression of him even further. She was not far from falling for him.

Thus, Qin Jun and Daji, along with a dog, followed Chang Qianqian toward the Xuanling Sect's council hall.

The disciples they encountered along the way all looked at him with complicated expressions, filled with jealousy, disbelief, and envy.

"Is he the one who caused the Heavenly Tribulation last night?"

"No way, he's too young!"

"Senior Brother Chang Hao already let it slip. It should be him. Right now, they're the only outsiders in the Xuanling Sect."

"The woman beside him is so beautiful... even prettier than Senior Sister Zhong and Junior Sister Qianqian..."

"Yeah..."

Qin Jun, at the fifth level of the Foundation Establishment Realm, had extraordinary hearing and could vaguely make out their conversation. He merely smiled faintly.

But Chang Hao kept trying to trip him up. It seemed he needed to find another chance to teach that brat a lesson.

Chang Qianqian seemed delighted, skipping along the entire way. In her view, Qin Jun, as the Third Prince, certainly would not lack spirit stones. Once this matter was settled, her father would treat Qin Jun more warmly.

After that, everything would be easy...

Before long, they entered the council hall.

The Xuanling Sect's council hall was magnificent and resplendent, giving Qin Jun the strange feeling that he had entered an imperial palace. It was clear just how lofty the status of the three great sects was within the Gan Yue Kingdom.

Ordinary clans and factions would never dare build something like this.

"You're Qin Jun, the one who broke through to the Golden Core Realm?" Zhuo Junjie was the first to ask. His tone was somewhat hostile, leaving Qin Jun bewildered. Did I offend this guy?