"If that's the case, I'll beat you until you listen."
When those words came from Elder Ling, Su Ming aside, everyone else who knew him immediately panicked.
"Captain!"
"Su Ming!"
Chi Qian and Xu Xiayan were the first to speak, seemingly wanting to rush over and pull Su Ming back.
Su Ming merely raised his hand, stopping Chi Qian, Xu Xiayan, and the others, while his gaze remained fixed on Elder Ling.
There was no nervousness, solemnity, or even resolve in his eyes. There was only indifference and calm.
"Beat me until I listen?"
Su Ming laughed.
His laughter left everyone baffled.
But when Su Ming spoke again, everyone was stunned.
"Are you sure you can beat me until I listen to you? Old man?"
There was no mockery in his words, but everyone could still hear the uncertainty hidden within them.
Clearly, Su Ming had not taken Elder Ling's words to heart. There was even a faintly amused look on his face.
"Looks like you're looking down on me." Elder Ling found it both amusing and exasperating. He said calmly, "Your strength has improved quite a bit, hasn't it?"
In Elder Ling's view, the only reason Su Ming dared to say such things was that his strength had improved.
During this period, Su Ming had been cultivating in seclusion at home. With Elder Ling's support and his team's efforts, he had also obtained many precious resources.
With those resources in hand, it was only natural that Su Ming's strength had improved.
Only—
"Don't tell me you think you're already very strong now?" Elder Ling's tone was astonishingly calm. "Did that battle with Elder Qin make you think you're qualified to say such things?"
There were probably two reasons why Su Ming dared to say this in Elder Ling's eyes.