The lightning around Xu Lie gradually faded, and his true qi slowly dispersed. At the same time, his body underwent several changes.
Wrinkles actually appeared on his face, and quite a bit of white had appeared in his hair. Xu Lie had originally been in his twenties, but at that moment, he looked as old as a thirty-four-year-old man.
The Thunderclap Saint Body is overbearing beyond compare, but the backlash afterward is actually this terrifying. Seeing the changes in Xu Lie's body, Luo Zheng was secretly alarmed.
Around the arena, most people looked toward Luo Zheng, their eyes revealing traces of fear.
This kid had only just set foot on Little Rain Peak and had not even been there a month, yet he had actually defeated Xu Lie, who ranked thirtieth among the Outer Sect Disciples. Such an unbelievable event had truly happened right before everyone's eyes.
Moreover, it was said that Luo Zheng was only in the Viscera Refining Realm.
Given enough time, if he entered the Marrow Refining Realm and then reached the Half-Step to the Innate Realm, wouldn't he be able to challenge experts in the Innate Secret Realm?
Everyone reached this assumption in unspoken agreement.
Whether this assumption would come true was another matter, but it was an established fact that Luo Zheng's strength was far beyond that of others at the same level.
Seeing Xu Lie defeated, He Bing suddenly stretched out a hand and shouted at Mo Can, "Hand it over!"
It turned out that during the wager, He Bing's High-Grade Profound Artifact, the Purple Azure Treasure Sword, along with Luo Zheng's several hundred Square Crystal Stones, had been handed to Mo Can. At the time, He Bing had thought that Xu Lie could never lose, no matter what, so he had lent the Purple Azure Treasure Sword to Xu Lie as the wager.
After all, in He Bing's eyes, the risk of this wager was not great. He could make fifty Square Crystal Stones simply by passing his Purple Azure Treasure Sword through his hands. Only a fool would refuse such a bargain.
Yet the result had been completely unexpected. Xu Lie had actually lost to that kid, Luo Zheng.
At that moment, He Bing could no longer worry about his pride. Naturally, he wanted to get the Purple Azure Treasure Sword back first.
When Mo Can saw He Bing asking him for the Purple Azure Treasure Sword, his expression grew somewhat tense. He took two steps back and said, "Wasn't this the wager? Xu Lie lost, so of course this High-Grade Profound Artifact belongs to Brother Luo Zheng."
"This is my property. I merely lent it to Xu Lie. What do I care about whether you win or lose?" High-Grade Profound Artifacts were precious beyond compare to Outer Sect Disciples, and He Bing no longer wanted to reason with him.
Luo Zheng suddenly stepped forward two paces, snatched the Purple Azure Treasure Sword, and said coldly, "I won this from Xu Lie. If you want it, go ask Xu Lie for it!"
"But the Purple Azure Treasure Sword..." He Bing grew anxious.
Luo Zheng fixed him with a frigid gaze. "If you refuse to accept this, we can meet on the arena!"
Luo Zheng's words immediately made He Bing fall silent.
He Bing's strength was not weak. Among the Outer Sect Disciples, he ranked thirty-fifth.
But even Xu Lie, who ranked thirtieth, had lost to Luo Zheng. How could He Bing possibly be Luo Zheng's match?
Thus, He Bing could only choose to keep quiet. It seemed he could only settle this account with Xu Lie.
Steward Zhu had watched the battle from beginning to end. Seeing Xu Lie defeated, he shook his head and muttered, "Useless." Then he turned around and was about to leave.
A sword shadow suddenly shot out and plunged into the ground in front of Steward Zhu. It was the Purple Azure Treasure Sword. Its blade swayed violently before him, blocking his path.
"Xu Lie challenged me. You were the one who urged him to do it?" Luo Zheng walked over at an unhurried pace and stared coldly at Steward Zhu.
A faint smile appeared on Steward Zhu's face. "So what if I was? Who among those who offend my Zhuge Clan can escape death? If my Young Master wants you dead, then you will naturally die. I advise you to quickly write your last words and prepare your funeral arrangements, so you won't die too suddenly and have no time to make preparations!"
"The Zhuge Clan? Who are you to the Zhuge Clan?" Luo Zheng asked again.
"Me?" The fat on Steward Zhu's face trembled twice, and his smile grew even wider. "I am the personal servant at the side of the Third Young Master of Zhuge Clan."
"The Third Young Master of Zhuge Clan? So it was the Third Young Master of Zhuge Clan who wanted to meddle in this matter!"
"When did Luo Zheng offend someone from the Zhuge Family? And of all people, he had to provoke that madman!"
Clearly, quite a few people present had heard of the Third Young Master of Zhuge Clan's reputation.
The Third Young Master of Zhuge Clan's original name was Zhuge Feng. He ranked third in the Zhuge Family and had the nickname "Third Madman."
He had earned such a nickname because Zhuge Feng acted with violent eccentricity. He was extremely crazed and arrogant, and thus had acquired the title "Third Madman."
"Oh?" A strange glint appeared in Luo Zheng's eyes. "The personal servant of the Third Young Master of Zhuge Clan—what an impressive reputation! How mighty! You actually dared to incite people from our Little Rain Peak to fight among themselves. You have quite some nerve!"
There had always been no shortage of internal fighting on Little Rain Peak, but those struggles were all matters within Little Rain Peak itself.
The moment other peaks became involved, all of Little Rain Peak would immediately become a solid iron plate. In truth, the same was true of all thirty-three peaks of the Azure Cloud Sect. They fought endlessly behind closed doors, but the moment people from another Outer Sect peak became involved, they instantly united and stood shoulder to shoulder against outsiders.
Steward Zhu had incited Xu Lie to make trouble for Luo Zheng, which could be considered a taboo.
Thus, the moment Luo Zheng said this, he pushed Steward Zhu to the center of the storm.
The expressions of the onlookers also became unfriendly.
Everyone shared the same thought. Even if Little Rain Peak ranked dead last among the Thirty-Three Peaks, it was still not your place, an outsider, to come here and point fingers.
Zhuge Feng's strength was certainly formidable, and the Zhuge Family was certainly a giant.
But did that mean the people of Little Rain Peak deserved to be trampled beneath your feet? Besides, the person standing before them was merely a servant at Zhuge Feng's side!
Steward Zhu, however, remained completely calm. In his mind, these Outer Sect Disciples were merely a rabble. Upon hearing Zhuge Feng's name, each of them should have been frightened into kneeling on the spot. He sneered, "So what if I have nerve? I did exactly that today. What are you going to do about it?"
"What am I going to do?" Luo Zheng turned his head and found Zhou Xian in the crowd. He then asked loudly, "Zhou Xian, do we have to bear responsibility for teaching someone like this a lesson?"
Zhou Xian walked out of the crowd, glanced at Steward Zhu, and then said, "This man is merely a servant of the Zhuge Family, not a disciple of the Azure Cloud Sect. Moreover, he incited the people of our Little Rain Peak to fight among themselves. Of course he should be taught a lesson. Even the instructors would approve!"
"Very good!" After hearing Zhou Xian, a smile spread across Luo Zheng's face as he slowly walked toward Steward Zhu.
"You—you want to do what?" Realizing that Luo Zheng intended to attack, Steward Zhu retreated several steps and shrieked, "I am the personal servant of the Third Young Master of Zhuge Clan. If you dare touch me, the Third Young Master will—will..."
Before Steward Zhu could finish, Luo Zheng's hand shot out like lightning. He seized Steward Zhu's thick neck and pressed it against the edge of the Purple Azure Treasure Sword. Then he planted one foot on his back and said, "If I touch you, what will your Third Young Master do to me?"
The edge of the Purple Azure Treasure Sword was pressed tightly against Steward Zhu's neck. As long as Luo Zheng applied even a little more force with his foot, Steward Zhu's head would be separated from his body.
Steward Zhu's face flushed crimson, and he let out a pig-slaughtering squeal. How could he still get any words out?
At that moment, however, an Outer Sect Disciple stepped forward and reached out to pinch the blade of the Purple Azure Treasure Sword between two fingers.
"Luo Zheng, this man is from the side of the Third Young Master of Zhuge Clan. If you really kill him, it will be difficult to answer to the Third Young Master of Zhuge Clan. With the Zhuge Family's strength, you cannot afford to provoke them." The Outer Sect Disciple had darkish skin and was not tall, but his body looked exceptionally solid and sturdy.
Luo Zheng had not actually intended to kill Steward Zhu. This man had come to Little Rain Peak to incite Xu Lie against him, and even after Xu Lie was defeated, he had dared to remain so arrogant. Someone like this had to be given a lesson that would leave a deep impression.
But with this person stepping forward, the situation changed once again.
"Whether I can answer to the Third Young Master of Zhuge Clan has anything to do with you?" He stared coldly at the Outer Sect Disciple. This man's words seemed to be taking Luo Zheng's side, but in reality, he was using the Zhuge Family to pressure him.
Before that man could answer, Steward Zhu beneath Luo Zheng's foot howled again. "Cao Lei, help me take him down! Kill this Luo Zheng! The Third Young Master of Zhuge Clan will remember you!"
Cao Lei ranked fifteenth among the Outer Sect Disciples of Little Rain Peak. Although he was also only at the Half-Step to the Innate Realm, his strength was considerably greater than Xu Lie's. Though he could not curry favor with a figure like Zhuge Feng, he had excellent relations with several collateral descendants of the Zhuge Family.
Cao Lei's purpose in acting at this moment was to sell Zhuge Feng a favor.
"Luo Zheng, I respect you for defeating Xu Lie despite being a newcomer, which is why I advised you with good intentions. Don't refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit." Seeing that his words had no effect and that Luo Zheng remained so unyielding, refusing to give an inch, Cao Lei's tone hardened as well.
"Is that so? Toast and forfeit—what are you talking about? I don't like wasting words. If you refuse to accept this, we'll meet on the arena." Needle point against wheat spike—under these circumstances, Luo Zheng did not retreat in the slightest.
"Don't keep talking about the arena all day. Fighting and killing are so unpleasant. I think each of you should take one step back." Another person walked over. He was covered in fat, with a round head and broad face, and wore a genial smile.
"Zhang Wuxian, are you meddling in other people's business again?" Cao Lei's expression immediately darkened when he saw the fat man.
The fat man, Zhang Wuxian, ranked seventh among the Outer Sect Disciples. Among the Azure Cloud Sect's more than ten thousand Outer Sect Disciples, he was absolutely a top-tier figure. He revealed two tiger teeth as he smiled. "Meddling in other people's business? Cao Lei, I know you have a good relationship with the Zhuge Family, but you shouldn't have stepped forward today. This kind of servant grows arrogant through favor, thinking that being a servant of the Zhuge Family makes him all-important. Little does he know that even if he were a servant of the imperial family, he would still be a servant! In my opinion, killing him would be too severe, but letting him go just like this won't do either. How about this? Brother Luo Zheng, just teach him a lesson with your fists! Each side taking one step back is best!"
This fat man was rather interesting. A faint smile appeared on Luo Zheng's face. Although Fatty Zhang Wuxian seemed fair and impartial in his words, anyone with eyes could see that he was clearly favoring one side. Most people understood that Luo Zheng would not kill Steward Zhu on the spot, but a savage beating was unavoidable.
In the end, Zhang Wuxian had talked in circles only to make him beat Steward Zhu. Yet it sounded as though both sides had taken a step back.
Seeing this, Cao Lei gritted his teeth and could only withdraw.
The strength Luo Zheng had displayed moments earlier had already made Cao Lei wary. Now that Zhang Wuxian had meddled in the matter, he truly could not protect Steward Zhu.
"Brother Luo Zheng, you can 'teach' Steward Zhu his lesson now," Zhang Wuxian said with a beaming smile, putting special emphasis on the word "teach."
Luo Zheng nodded and seized Steward Zhu by the back of his neck. Steward Zhu suddenly seemed to fly into a rage, his eyes bloodshot. "Luo Zheng, if you have the guts, beat me to death! Third Young Master Zhu will certainly exterminate your entire clan and grind your bones to dust!"
Luo Zheng shook his head. These fellows kept repeating the same lines over and over, without the slightest originality. He then raised his hand and slapped Steward Zhu twice in rapid succession before striking him in the chest with his palm and sending him flying. Steward Zhu rolled across the ground.
Everyone revealed astonishment, feeling that Luo Zheng had gone too easy on him.
Steward Zhu even climbed back to his feet and continued cursing. He seemed not to have suffered much harm. But the moment he stood upright, muffled explosions rang out from inside his body.
"Pfft, pfft, pfft..."
A bloody hole burst open in each of his hands and feet. He then toppled backward onto the ground, motionless like a dead pig.
"What exquisite short-force technique!"
"That idiot got what he deserved! He dared come to our Little Rain Peak to cause trouble. He must not want to live!"
Several people loudly praised him, but most remained somewhat silent and did not echo them. They knew very well that this matter would not be easy to settle. The Third Madman of the Zhuge Family was not someone who reasoned with others, while Luo Zheng appeared to have no backing at all. No one could protect him. It seemed he would not be able to remain on Little Rain Peak for long...
"You offended the Zhuge Family to death the moment you arrived. Aren't you afraid?" Zhang Wuxian asked with a cheeky smile.
Luo Zheng smiled. "I've offended plenty of people. When there are too many lice, you stop itching. Why think so much about it?"
"Good! How bold! The most important quality of a great hero is precisely this courage. Shall we go have a drink?" Zhang Wuxian proposed.
Luo Zheng said nothing more. He grabbed Mo Can and Zhou Xian and went drinking with Zhang Wuxian.
On a small building in the distance, Su Lingyun finally let out a sigh of relief. Luo Zheng truly was no easy mark. Not only had he beaten Xu Lie to the ground, he had also shown the Zhuge Family not the slightest bit of respect.
This was good, too. Only under immense pressure could a person advance rapidly.
What if the Zhuge Family truly used ruthless methods against Luo Zheng?
Su Lingyun thought for a moment, then blinked her large eyes twice. When that time came, she would step forward herself. After all, Madam Qiushan of the Zhuge Family still owed her a favor.
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