Reporting in Public

Lin Chen narrowed his eyes slightly and looked at Huang Mingyuan.

He did not rush to defend himself.

Because he had not cheated.

He had seen with his own eyes how the elders present had supervised the entire assessment.

There had been no possibility of cheating at all.

Therefore, Huang Mingyuan's accusation was clearly questioning every elder present.

He was even questioning the entire Green Mountain Sect.

"What an idiot!"

Lin Chen felt that this fellow had most likely been pushed out to be someone else's weapon.

The one plotting behind the scenes was probably Liu Ruyan.

If his guess was right, she had definitely sent out more than just this one pawn.

"I also report him! He clearly has a Five Elements Waste Spirit Root and only the First Layer of the Body Tempering Realm. What right does he have to climb the Ninety Thousand Steps?"

"That's right! With cultivation as weak as his, how could he have passed through the Trial Ground so quickly without cheating?"

"He was already deemed a menial by the Sect Leader before. Why was he still allowed to take the assessment and compete with us for rewards?"

In an instant, dozens of people stepped forward to accuse him.

Even Lin Chen was startled.

This was no longer a simple conflict of competition. It was aimed directly at the sect itself.

Who had given these people such courage?

Sure enough, the elders' faces darkened.

Elder Liu rose to his feet, his gaze sweeping over the disciples present. "If any of you still have objections, step forward and state them!"

His eyes were like blades, and a terrifying aura spread outward.

The examinees, who had just been clamoring in a noisy mess, instantly fell silent.

Seeing this, Elder Liu's gaze settled on Huang Mingyuan as he asked,

"You claim he cheated. Can you produce any evidence?"

"I... I..." Faced with the pressure, Huang Mingyuan finally felt fear. He stood there stammering for a long while without managing another word.

"Since you have no evidence, then this is a false accusation. You falsely accused a disciple of our sect. What crime should that be?" Elder Liu thundered, his voice like an exploding bolt of lightning.

Only then did all the examinees come to their senses.

Lin Chen was already a disciple of Sect Leader Peak.

Meanwhile, they had yet to pass the assessment and were not considered official disciples of Green Mountain Sect.

Falsely accusing someone else's disciple before the elders of Green Mountain Sect—was that not simply courting death?

"Evidence?" Seeing that things were going badly, Huang Mingyuan no longer cared about anything else. He directly pulled out the booklet made by Jin Yuanbao and held it high.

"Elder Liu, does this count as evidence?"

He looked at Jin Yuanbao. "This thing was fabricated by that Little Fatty.

Lin Chen clearly has a Five Elements Waste Spirit Root. Why is he ranked third, and why is his information marked mysterious and unknown? What bullshit!

I say it is just a cover for Lin Chen. They deliberately exaggerated his abilities to make everyone think he is strong."

Huang Mingyuan seemed to have seized a lifeline, his eyes bloodshot. "In truth, he is nothing at all. He is just trash who won through cheating."

"Elder Liu."

Huang Mingyuan threw the booklet onto the ground and pointed at Lin Chen. "If you want proof, then let him fight me. If he defeats me, I will submit to whatever punishment you deem fit."

Hearing this, Lin Chen narrowed his eyes.

This man clearly intended to attack him.

They had never met before and held no grudge against each other. Why was he doing this?

Could it simply be that he could not accept it?

No!

Could this guy have been arranged by Lord Qin's Nephew?

Lin Chen instantly became alert.

But he immediately overturned that guess.

There had not been enough time for Lord Qin's Nephew to receive the news and investigate the truth.

Even if he knew the truth, he would not be foolish enough to seek revenge on him at this time and place.

So what exactly was this man's purpose in challenging him?

Lin Chen could not figure it out.

Hahaha...

On the platform, Elder Liu was so angry that he laughed instead. This was the first time he had encountered such a person.

Did this brat think he could do whatever he pleased just because he had good talent?

At that thought, Elder Liu's tone turned cold. "Ignorant child, I shall give you this opportunity today. Lin Chen..."

At his call, everyone's gaze fell upon Lin Chen.

"Lin Chen, are you willing to accept his challenge and let him know that Green Mountain Sect is not a place that bullies the weak or engages in favoritism and cheating?"

Elder Liu's meaning was obvious: he wanted Lin Chen to teach Huang Mingyuan a proper lesson.

That way, the conflict would shift from the sect to the individuals involved.

They really were all old foxes!

Seeing the wisdom in Lin Chen's eyes, Elder Liu inexplicably felt a flicker of panic. This brat couldn't have seen through my intentions, could he?

Ahem!

Thus, he quickly added, "If you are willing, I will serve as the referee and offer five hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones as a reward."

Don't you like Spirit Stones, brat?

This old man had no shortage of such things.

Sure enough, upon hearing there were Spirit Stones to be had, Lin Chen's eyes immediately lit up.

Spirit Stones were life itself. Besides, he could earn five hundred in one go.

At his current stage, that was an enormous fortune.

And it was not only him. The other disciples participating in the selection were secretly drooling as well.

Jin Yuanbao in particular knew best that Lin Chen had already earned five hundred Spirit Stones in just one day.

If another five hundred were added, that would make one thousand.

That ability to make money was something he could only admire from afar.

At this moment, Lin Chen looked at Huang Mingyuan across from him.

This was not an enemy, but a boy who delivered wealth.

He extended his right hand, curled his index finger at Huang Mingyuan, and spoke.

"Come over here—"

That provocative gesture instantly ignited Huang Mingyuan's fury.

Just as he was about to charge forward, Liu Ruyan grabbed his arm from beside him.

She leaned close to Huang Mingyuan's ear and whispered, "Brother Mingyuan, we righteous cultivators do not fear heretics and evil paths. Such unlawful acts ought to be exposed before everyone.

Don't worry. We both possess superior talent and will be valued wherever we go. Even if you are forced to leave, I will never abandon you."

Liu Ruyan's voice was cold and clear, yet threaded with a faint seductive charm.

Huang Mingyuan's heart and mind began to race, leaving him with no ability to think.

He only felt hot blood rushing to his head as he strode forward.

At this point, Lin Chen had confirmed that Huang Mingyuan was absolutely being used as a weapon by Liu Ruyan.

What an idiot!

Seeing the two assume fighting stances, everyone around them scattered and formed a circle.

"Who do you think will win?"

"Do you even need to ask? Of course it will be Senior Brother Huang Mingyuan."

"Exactly. Lin Chen is just trash with a Five Elements Root. How could he compare to Senior Brother Huang Mingyuan?"

"Senior Brother Huang Mingyuan fights for justice. We all support him."

Listening to the surrounding discussion, Huang Mingyuan's lips curled upward slightly.

He pointed at Lin Chen. "Heretic, today I shall uphold justice for Heaven and force you to reveal your true form!"

Lin Chen could not hold back and laughed aloud.

This was way too childish.

Still, for the sake of five hundred Spirit Stones, he would definitely act his part well.

"Stop dragging this out. Hurry up and make your move."

Lin Chen folded his arms, pinched his chin with his right hand, tilted his head, and looked at the other party from the corner of his eyes.

Huang Mingyuan flew into a rage on the spot. He did not know why, but every movement Lin Chen made could provoke him.

"Fine, fine, fine! Let's see how long you can remain arrogant. Die!"

With that furious roar, Huang Mingyuan circulated his cultivation, unleashing the strength of the Peak of the Body Tempering Realm.

His feet pounded the ground with thud after thud, kicking up a trail of dust as he lunged forward.

While still in mid-charge, he drew his right fist back at his waist to gather force. Once he neared, he suddenly smashed it forward.

That punch tore through the air with a booming blast.

A wave of air crashed into Lin Chen first, sending his black hair flying and making his robes billow loudly.

As the fist drew near, even the skin on his face was blown into wrinkles.

A victorious smile appeared on Huang Mingyuan's face. This punch of his could kill a Fierce Beast tiger.

If it landed on Lin Chen, it would surely break his bones and snap his tendons, sending him flying ten meters away.

Seeing that his opponent did not move at all, as if he were an idiot, he laughed triumphantly. "Lin Chen, it is time to reveal your true form."

It had to be said that Huang Mingyuan was indeed remarkable to produce such power at the Peak of the Body Tempering Realm.

Unfortunately, he had encountered Lin Chen.

Lin Chen did not even change his stance. Only when the fist came within a foot of his face did he lightly raise his palm.

With a slap, he blocked the fist that carried the weight of a thousand jin.