Please Approve My Challenge to a Duel

The Dao Alliance has invaded!

Lu Li shouted at the top of his lungs, his voice carrying for miles.

At the sound, the man in gold paled.

The man in blue looked just as alarmed.

The next moment, a vast aura descended like a mountain, pressing down on everyone's heart.

It was the pressure of a Golden Core cultivator.

Then, high above the ninth heaven, two figures appeared: a burly, towering red-haired man and a bewitching, voluptuous woman draped in black gauze.

"Who was shouting just now? How dare you claim the Dao Alliance has invaded? Are you looking to die?"

The red-haired man's tiger-like eyes swept over them, killing intent surging.

The bewitching woman beside him said nothing. Through the black gauze, her limpid eyes lingered on Lu Li.

"Li Jing, Core Disciple of True Lord Yellow Spring, pays his respects to True Person Red!"

Seeing the two Golden Core cultivators appear, the man in gold put away his flying sword and bowed with clasped hands. "This disciple was on patrol when he discovered this man might have harmed a fellow sect member. I was just about to capture him when he suddenly shouted, 'The Dao Alliance has invaded!' His crime is truly heinous..."

"Heinous your mother."

Before he could finish, Lu Li cut him off with a scornful snort.

"You!"

The man in gold, Li Jing, heard this and his face filled with fury, a murderous glint flashing in his eyes.

If there hadn't been Golden Core cultivators present, he would probably have already killed Lu Li!

Yet Lu Li wasn't the least bit intimidated by his murderous glare. He took out his jade identity token, held it up for the two Golden Core cultivators in the sky to see, then bowed and said, "Two True Persons, I'm Lu Li, a Core Disciple under Ghost Demon True Person. I was practicing in this Stone Forest when I accidentally broke a piece of Black Steel Stone and discovered a Low-grade Spirit Ghost inside. But this man was hiding nearby. He ambushed me and tried to steal my Spirit Ghost. I ask you to see justice done."

"What?"

"A Core Disciple of Ghost Demon True Person?"

The man in blue and Li Jing exchanged a glance, their expressions darkening.

They'd assumed this kid was just an ordinary disciple of some True Person, someone they could manipulate as they pleased. They hadn't expected him to be a Core Disciple!

And a Core Disciple of Ghost Demon True Person, who was on the verge of advancing to the Nascent Soul stage, at that!

This was getting troublesome.

But the matter had blown up so badly that if they admitted guilt now, they'd have their cultivation crippled even if they escaped death.

Thinking this, Li Jing shot the man in blue a meaningful look.

The man in blue understood at once. He clasped his hands solemnly and said, "True Person, this kid is lying! The Spirit Ghost in this Stone Forest is mine! He came to steal it while I was away! Luckily, I caught him in time. But when he was discovered, he didn't run—instead, he tried to snatch the Spirit Ghost by force! His crime is unforgivable! I have witnesses and evidence to prove it!"

"What witnesses and evidence?"

The red-haired man asked.

"The witness is naturally my patrol partner, Senior Brother Li Jing. As for the evidence, all the stone sculptures in this forest were carved by me..."

"Carved by your mother."

Lu Li's expression was cold, but his mouth was still as foul as ever. He cut in again: "You say you carved them, so that makes them yours? I could just as well say I carved the tombstone over your mother's grave. Would you believe me?"

"You! You brat! You've gone too far!"

At this, the man in blue's sinister face twisted with fury. He ground his teeth and cursed.

Li Jing beside him also glared darkly, murder surging in his eyes.

"Too far your mother!"

Lu Li glanced at him with utter disdain, then turned back and bowed to the two True Persons. "I came to Ten Thousand Ghost Cave to find a Low-grade Spirit Ghost and prepare a gift for my master. My master has shown me boundless kindness, and I'm devoted to him with all my heart. So I absolutely won't let anyone steal the gift I prepared for him. I ask you to judge this fairly!"

"..."

The red-haired man said nothing. He turned to look at the bewitching woman beside him.

There was no need to look at the jade token. Just hearing the kid open his mouth to insult someone's mother told him he was definitely a Core Disciple of Ghost Demon True Person.

Now that the kid had invoked Ghost Demon True Person, this was getting tricky.

After all, the patrol disciple—Li Jing—was a disciple of True Lord Yellow Spring, a Nascent Soul Middle Stage cultivator.

Neither side was one they could afford to offend.

At that moment, the bewitching woman lightly brushed back her hair and said with a charming smile, "This is actually easy to settle. Whoever is telling the truth and whoever is lying will be clear after a trip to the Heart-Questioning Mirror in the Penalty Prison Hall."

"That works. The elder in charge of the Penalty Prison Hall today is my martial uncle. He's always been impartial and righteous."

Li Jing said coldly.

Nearby, the man in blue looked at Lu Li with the poisonous malice of a snake, making no effort to hide his murderous intent.

This was bad.

Lu Li furrowed his brow.

The Penalty Prison Hall was like a law enforcement hall, responsible for enforcing the Ghost Sect's rules and meting out punishment. It was infamous for its harshness.

Once you entered the Penalty Prison Hall, it was hard to get out without leaving a layer of skin behind.

These two had powerful connections. With them pulling strings, they could make black seem white.

The plaintiff could end up becoming the defendant!

"Lu Li, was it? Do you want to go to the Penalty Prison Hall and prove your innocence? Once you go in there, it's not easy to get out," the red-haired man said meaningfully from above.

"Hmph."

The man in blue snorted, looking pleased with himself.

He seemed to think victory was already in his grasp.

"Of course I'm going!"

But the next moment, Lu Li showed not a hint of fear. He declared proudly, "I, Lu Li, found two Low-grade Spirit Ghosts in less than a month. Fate itself favors me! This man tried to harm me, so I suspect he's a Dao Alliance spy! He deliberately tried to kill me and damage my Ghost Sect's fortune! I'll take this all the way to the Sect Master and demand justice! I want to see the Sect Master!"

He shouted the last sentence at the top of his lungs.

The man in blue and Li Jing immediately looked flustered, afraid the Sect Master might actually show up.

The red-haired man and the bewitching woman, on the other hand, looked impressed.

This kid could turn a small matter into a big one, then blow it sky-high. He was sure to become an outstanding young talent of the demonic path.

"Enough."

The red-haired man spoke up. "Li Jing, compensate Lu Li with a hundred Mid-Grade Spirit Stones, and we'll pretend this never happened."

"True Person Red, this..."

Li Jing frowned, looking displeased.

"Li Jing, you and your brother have pulled this kind of stunt here more times than I can count. I've turned a blind eye out of respect for your master. What, do you really want these ugly little affairs brought before the Sect Master?"

The red-haired man glanced at him and sent the words by voice transmission.

"..."

Li Jing's heart sank. He changed his expression and bowed to the red-haired man. "This disciple will obey."

"Wait!"

Just then, Lu Li spoke up.

"Hmm? What is it?" the red-haired man asked, turning to him.

"A hundred Mid-Grade Spirit Stones isn't enough compensation!"

Lu Li's voice rang out, firm and clear.

"Kid, don't push your luck! A hundred Mid-Grade Spirit Stones is ten thousand Low-grade Spirit Stones. That's enough for a useless wretch like you to spend for the rest of your life!"

The man in blue gritted his teeth and cursed viciously.

At this point, he'd realized that he was going to take a loss.

And after being cursed out so badly, the anger in his chest was still blazing. Naturally, he had to curse back and blow off some steam.

"Relax. Your father will die before I do."

Lu Li crossed his arms, his expression cold. "That hundred Mid-Grade Spirit Stones is what I'll use to buy your father a shroud. On top of that, you broke my Ghost Raising Tower, so you'll have to pay for that! And my medical bills, emotional damages, nutrition, travel, cold drinks, haircut, this fee and that fee... You'll have to pay more!"

The man in blue was so furious his seven orifices smoked. He nearly ground his steel teeth to dust. "You brat, you, you... How much do you want?"

"Just a casual twenty thousand eight hundred Mid-Grade Spirit Stones. That's only two million eighty thousand Low-grade Spirit Stones. Not much."

Lu Li replied as if it were nothing.

"Damn it!"

The man in blue finally couldn't hold back. He whipped around and bowed to the two True Persons.

"This kid is too vile, too arrogant! Please approve my challenge to a duel with him! To the death!"