He even dared to slap our Sect Master, and you're provoking him?

"Let me see who dared bully a disciple of my Jade Water Sect!"

The old man's voice boomed like a great bell, brimming with thunderous fury.

In his eyes, one of the Jade Water Sect's geniuses had been publicly beaten and humiliated at Shrek's assessment plaza. It was practically trampling the Jade Water Sect's dignity into the ground!

Today, he had to seek justice and severely punish this ignorant youth in order to restore the sect's honor!

Everyone present held their breath, concern flashing through their eyes.

This youth in glazed brocade robes was probably finished for good!

In the blink of an eye, the gray-robed elder strode up to Ning An, his furious gaze abruptly locking onto the youth before him.

Yet the instant he clearly saw Ning An's refined and handsome face—

His raging fury seemed to be instantly frozen by ten thousand feet of ice!

The old man's entire body stiffened. His feet rooted themselves to the ground as all his anger vanished without a trace!

It was him!

How could it be him?!

The young sect master of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect—Ning An!

The Ning An who had slapped their sect master until he did not dare make a sound, then overwhelmed the prodigies of every major sect—

After returning, the Jade Water Sect's sect master had strictly ordered everyone in the sect that, for the rest of their lives, they must never provoke the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, much less offend this young sect master!

He had repeatedly warned every disciple and elder to keep a low profile outside and avoid his edge!

Yet who could have imagined—

Their own young sect master was blind enough to this extent!

He had provoked this god of slaughter!

It was over!

Completely over!

In an instant, the old man's back was drenched in icy sweat. His heavy gray robe clung to his skin, and his body was as rigid as a clay statue.

Beside him, the Jade Water Sect's young sect master—dazed from two slaps, his cheeks swollen red like a pig's head—had not noticed his elder's terrified loss of composure at all.

He clutched his burning, stinging cheeks, malice surging in his eyes as humiliation and rage clouded his mind.

To him, the elder's arrival was his greatest support!

With a sect elder here to back him up, this glazed-robed youth who did not know his place was dead for sure!

He staggered to his feet, his hair disheveled and clothes dirty, looking utterly miserable, yet he remained as arrogant and domineering as ever.

He glared at Ning An, his finger nearly poking Ning An's nose as he launched into a string of filthy, vicious insults. His voice was hoarse and shrill, filled with endless venom.

"I'm telling you, it's already too late to beg for mercy!"

"Today, I'll break all four of your limbs, cripple your martial soul and soul power, and make you crawl out of Shrek City on your knees!"

"I'll let you know that offending my Jade Water Sect is the greatest mistake of your entire life!!"

The surrounding spectators listened with pounding hearts, secretly shaking their heads. They felt that the Jade Water Sect's young sect master was far too arrogant and overbearing.

The gray-robed elder standing before him trembled all over, his scalp tingling as his face turned paper-white!

Every insult was like a sharp blade stabbing viciously into his heart!

Every word was a death sentence for the Jade Water Sect!

He wished he could strangle this blind idiot to death on the spot!

That was the young sect master of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect!

A man who had even dared to slap a sect master!

And this insignificant junior from a sect dared point at his nose and insult him so wantonly?!

This was no longer merely embarrassing. This was fucking courting death!

Cold sweat continuously slid down the old man's forehead and dripped from his cheeks. His entire body was taut, and he did not even dare breathe too loudly.

The atmosphere at the scene became oppressive to the extreme.

Ning An stood quietly where he was, his expression still gentle and calm, though a faint chill flashed through his eyes.

He looked at the gray-robed elder, whose body was stiff and face devoid of color, and spoke in a clear voice.

"I remember you."

"You're an elder of the Jade Water Sect. Back then, you came to my Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect as a 'guest' alongside your sect master, didn't you?"

The old man's legs went limp, and he nearly collapsed to his knees.

The next moment, Ning An's tone sank slightly. Carrying an authority that allowed no objection, he slowly spoke.

"It seems the lesson wasn't profound enough."

"Or was it that the Jade Water Sect deliberately sent this thing here to pick a fight?"

The instant the words fell!

An aura belonging solely to one in power bore down on the old man.

"No!! Young Sect Master, please forgive me!!" The old man's voice trembled.

"Forgive you? Have you lost your mind? Just beat the hell out of him!"

The old man could no longer hold himself together.

Before Ning An could continue holding him accountable, he suddenly turned his head, a vicious glint flashing through his eyes!

He raised his hand and delivered a savage slap!

Smack—!

The earth-shaking sound of the slap exploded!

That slap carried terrifying force!

The Jade Water Sect's young sect master, who had been hurling insults just moments ago, did not even have time to scream!

Like someone struck by a speeding boulder, his body traced a miserable arc through the air before crashing heavily onto the bluestone pavement over ten meters away!

Pfft!

A mouthful of blood mixed with broken teeth sprayed out!

Half of the Jade Water Sect young sect master's face caved in. His already swollen cheek became a bloody mangled mess, while agonizing pain and numbness swept through his entire body, instantly blurring his consciousness.

He lay on the ground, twitching nonstop, unable to make another sound!

The sect elder who had been fiercely protective of his own just a second ago had personally crippled his own young sect master with a single slap the next!

This reversal shattered everyone's understanding!

The old man had no time to spare for his severely injured junior lying on the ground, and there was not the slightest hint of pity in his eyes.

His body shook violently as he hurried forward and gave Ning An a deep ninety-degree bow. His posture was humble to the extreme, cold sweat covered his forehead, and his voice was hoarse and trembling:

"Young Sect Master!!"

"I have failed in my discipline! The Jade Water Sect has failed in its teachings!"

"I beg Young Sect Master to calm your anger!"

The old man remained bent over, his body trembling as he pleaded humbly for mercy.

At this moment, where was even a trace of a sect elder's imposing dignity?

With Ning An's talent, he would certainly be valued upon joining Shrek Academy. When that time came, the Jade Water Sect would be nothing more than fish on the chopping block before the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

His only hope now was that Ning An would show mercy, beat that idiot senseless to vent his anger, and let the matter end there.

The onlookers were completely stunned, staring at the scene in shock as stormy waves rose within their hearts.

At that moment, everyone understood!

This young man in glazed brocade robes, who looked gentle and refined, had a status far greater than that arrogant fool's.

Ning An lowered his gaze at the old man bowing and begging for mercy, his eyes utterly still.

He had never been a forgiving person, nor would he let bygones be bygones simply because the other side lowered their head and begged.

Ning An's tone was indifferent, carrying bone-chilling coldness and absolute dominance:

"I'll give you one chance."

He raised his eyes and calmly fixed his gaze on the old man, speaking words that instantly chilled the old man to the bone:

"Either he disappears, or the entire Jade Water Sect disappears."

"Choose one."

Boom!

It was as though thunder had exploded inside his mind!

The old man's body jolted violently. He abruptly raised his head, his face white as paper and his eyes bloodshot.

No matter what he chose, the sect master would give him a brutal lesson when he returned.

This matter clearly had nothing to do with him. He merely enjoyed bullying people now and then and backing up the young sect master, who liked bullying people just as much.

He had always been a "good person."

Yet now, "good people" got no reward.

His lips trembled madly, and his voice carried a sob and the last shred of humble pleading:

"Young Sect Master... is there truly... truly no room for negotiation?"