The Trouble Caused by Laughing at the Wrong Time

Feeling the Sect Leader's murderous gaze, Lin Chen could not help but shudder.

He raised his right hand high and said with an awkward expression:

"If I said I thought of something funny, would you believe me?"

The moment those words left his mouth, the scene grew even quieter.

The Sect Leader's face darkened. He glared at him without saying a word.

Cold sweat broke out on Lin Chen's forehead. He could feel an invisible pressure radiating from the Sect Leader, hanging above his head like Mount Tai bearing down on him.

If that pressure truly came down, it could reduce him to ashes in an instant.

An idea suddenly struck him, and he blurted out, "I have the kind of storybook the Sect Leader wants."

Only his lips moved; no sound came out.

So everyone else thought he had been frightened speechless.

Only Lin Chen himself felt that, after he finished speaking, the pressure suddenly vanished.

The Sect Leader had understood.

My god, just how obsessed is this man with storybooks?

"Continue the testing." The Sect Leader withdrew his pressure and pointed at Lin Chen. "You there, let him test first."

Lin Chen wiped away his cold sweat and walked onto the platform awkwardly.

This time, he had truly become famous.

He could only steel himself as he walked to the Spirit Testing Stele, stretched out his palm, and pressed it against it.

The Spirit Testing Stele trembled lightly, and five colors immediately appeared.

They resembled five vividly colored flower petals.

Every attribute was absolutely balanced, not differing by even the slightest fraction.

"Lin Chen, Five-Element Perfectly Balanced Spirit Root..."

The disciple announcing the result stopped there and looked up at the Sect Leader.

Even he knew that this kind of spirit root was garbage among trash spirit roots.

By all rights, Lin Chen absolutely could not be admitted into the sect.

"Have him serve as a menial on Sect Leader Peak."

To everyone's surprise, the old Sect Leader actually wanted him.

The reporting disciple hurriedly shouted, "Pass!"

"Wait!"

Lin Chen suddenly spoke up. "Talent does not determine everything. I request to take all the examinations and enter the sect based on my score."

"What score could you possibly earn?" Seeing this, Elder Liu hurried forward and grabbed Lin Chen by the ear. "Little ancestor, you dare defy the Sect Leader's will? Have you gone mad?"

Seeing Lin Chen's unwillingness, Elder Liu continued explaining, "The menial on Sect Leader Peak serves only the Sect Leader. It is an even better position than being an inner sect disciple. Countless people would smash their heads against the wall just to squeeze in, yet you..."

"Elder, let me ask just one thing." Lin Chen covered his ear. "Is there a Spirit Stone reward for taking first place in the later examinations?"

Elder Liu was dumbfounded. Is that what I was talking about?

Angry as he was, he still answered, "Of course. And the later the examination, the richer the reward."

"Then that settles it. I want the rewards." Lin Chen remained insistent.

Elder Liu narrowed his eyes and studied Lin Chen for a few moments. Why does he have the same temperament as the Sect Leader?

He then hurriedly turned around and clasped his fists toward the Sect Leader. "Sect Leader, Lin Chen agrees to your request, but he insists on taking all the examinations so as not to leave the Sect Leader with any leverage against him."

"Granted!" The Sect Leader replied perfunctorily before drifting away.

Just as Lin Chen returned to the testing queue, the Sect Leader's voice transmission rang in his ear.

"Lin Chen, I want to see that storybook within three days."

Pfft... Cough, cough, cough...

Lin Chen broke into a violent coughing fit, understanding dawning on his face.

Sure enough, the Sect Leader had taken a liking to the storybook, not to him.

Then he had to put on an even better performance.

After this little interlude, the examination continued.

However, no one with a spirit root above Mid-Grade Spirit Root appeared again.

Even so, the many elders and the Sect Leader were quite satisfied.

From their words, it seemed that this batch of disciples had the highest overall talent quality.

"Brother Chen, you're amazing!"

Just as Lin Chen was worrying about how to get hold of a storybook, Jin Yuanbao suddenly came over with a fawning expression.

Lin Chen threw an arm around his neck. "Are we brothers?"

"Of course! Brother Chen, you're now someone under the Sect Leader's wing. Having a brother like you is my honor." Jin Yuanbao flattered him in a low voice.

Lin Chen patted his shoulder hard. "Then help me with something. Find out what kind of storybooks the Sect Leader reads.

Once it's done, I'll give you a grand plan for getting rich."

The moment he heard the words "getting rich," Jin Yuanbao smiled so widely that his eyes disappeared.

The old ancestors truly had not lied to him. Lin Chen was his lucky star.

He pounded his chest until it boomed. "Don't worry, Brother Chen. I guarantee I'll handle this beautifully."

"Good brother, get back to me within one day. I'll wait for your news." Lin Chen released Jin Yuanbao.

But the fellow suddenly became bashful. "Brother Chen, I've taken a fancy to that Liu Ruyan. How do you think I should move her?"

Lin Chen's ears were practically growing calluses from hearing that name.

She was the heroine of a grand tale. A little fatty like him had no chance whatsoever.

Lin Chen gave Jin Yuanbao a meaningful look. "Brother, that woman is beyond your grasp. Listen to me—forget her. Wouldn't it be better for us to make money together?"

Jin Yuanbao suddenly raised his head and looked into Lin Chen's eyes.

He seemed to understand what Lin Chen meant.

A beauty like that was worthy only of Brother Chen.

Sigh! Forget it. I'll fulfill their destiny. I can call her sister-in-law from now on.

Lin Chen had no idea Jin Yuanbao had come up with such thoughts. Just as he was about to say something else, Elder Liu's voice rang out again.

"The next test shall begin: strength assessment."

Elder Liu's voice carried in all directions. "The best standard for testing one's strength is battle.

As cultivators, you are destined to walk the path of punishing evil and promoting good, fighting demons and fiends. Battle and bloodshed are unavoidable."

As he spoke, he flicked a finger, sending a strand of spiritual power into the stone wall beside the Spirit Testing Stele.

The spiritual power was like a water droplet falling into a pond, sending ripples outward. A Portal appeared out of thin air on the stone wall.

"There are several thousand Fierce Beasts inside. Entering it may mean death. To pass this test, courage, wisdom, and strength are all indispensable."

"Furthermore, whoever kills the most Fierce Beasts, and whoever is first to reach the other exit, will each receive one hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones. Now, make your choice."

Upon hearing that death was possible, many among the more than four hundred people present hesitated.

However, those with great strength and firm resolve all stepped forward.

Especially the few with Two-Attribute High Grade Spirit Roots; all of them headed toward the Portal.

Jin Yuanbao was among them.

But at that moment, a black shadow flashed past them.

Before they could see who it was, the shadow had already rushed into the Portal.

"It's Brother Chen!" Jin Yuanbao had sharp eyes and recognized him at once.

He quickened his pace as well, becoming the second person to charge into the Portal.

The moment he entered, he saw a pile of Fierce Beast corpses.

Lin Chen's figure had already charged far into the distance.

"So monstrous?" Jin Yuanbao had entered only two breaths later than Lin Chen.

Yet there were already twenty or thirty Fierce Beast corpses piled up at the entrance.

How had he done it?

"Brother Chen, wait for me!" Jin Yuanbao stood there blankly for only a moment before hurriedly chasing after him.

Several breaths later, the people behind them entered as well.

Seeing the pile of corpses, then seeing Jin Yuanbao's figure racing ahead, they all drew in sharp breaths.

"Is Jin Yuanbao really that powerful?"

"He has a Metal Spirit Root. Naturally, his attack power is not weak."

"Enough, hurry and catch up. We can't let him take first place."

The second group also gave chase.

However, their arrival, along with the bloody scent on the ground, had already drawn even more Fierce Beasts over.

By the time the third group entered, they faced even more Fierce Beasts.

The slaughter began.

Lin Chen, who was in front, knew nothing of this.

With the Extreme Path Method and an entry-level Body Forging Art, he was a humanoid weapon.

Most importantly, these Fierce Beasts looked ferocious.

But in truth, they were merely unranked Demon Beasts.

They were only a little stronger than ordinary wild beasts, roughly at the level of the Body Tempering Realm.

It was only their overwhelming numbers and enormous size that made people afraid at first sight.

But these Fierce Beasts could not break through Lin Chen's defenses at all.

What was there to fear?

Just charge.

His footsteps never stopped.

Every Fierce Beast that rushed up to him was smashed to death with a single punch.

Wherever he passed, all was devastation.

"Brother Chen, watch out!"

Just as Lin Chen spotted the exit and was preparing to rush through in one final burst, Jin Yuanbao suddenly shouted from behind.

Lin Chen turned around and pointed at the enormous tiger more than five meters long ahead of him. "Is that your Brother Chen too?"