Displaying Divine Might Before the Crowd

"Right, I heard about them a few days ago. Aren't they that trash hall that went looking for trouble and got slapped in the face instead?"

Ye Xiu's words made the crowd below unable to hold back their snickers.

That day at the market, Fang Qiong had stormed in with men to cause trouble for Ye Xiu, only to end up fizzling out and admitting fault.

Even though the Punishment Hall later used its own prestige to forcibly suppress the matter, the countless tongues of the outer sect could never truly be stopped.

Most people usually feared the Punishment Hall and the inner sect disciples behind it, so they did not dare discuss it much. But today, seeing Fang Qiong suffer a setback before this newly appeared mysterious disciple, they were naturally delighted to watch.

Watching Fang Qiong's face turn ugly while he still did not dare lash out, Ye Xiu inwardly thought that Fang Qiong truly had no small amount of composure to have risen to his current position.

The other man clearly understood that, at present, tangible benefits mattered more than saving face.

Otherwise, being made to reopen an old wound before so many people would inevitably invite retaliation.

"Junior Brother, I think there may be some misunderstanding here."

Anger churned in Fang Qiong's heart. Since receiving support from that person in the inner sect, even the outer sect elders and stewards had to give him some face. Even when disputes arose, others would still maintain a basic level of courtesy.

This brat was only at the sixth layer of Foundation Establishment. With that strength, could he last three exchanges under Fang Qiong's hand?

Yet no matter how dissatisfied he was, Fang Qiong forcibly suppressed it and put on a smile.

He was already one step behind his competitors. If he did not hurry to make amends now, and truly lost because of this in the outer sect grand competition later on, then the whole board would be lost.

Today, no matter what means he had to use, he had to get his hands on one of those new weapons. Even if it meant making an enemy, Fang Qiong believed that the person behind him could cover for him.

"Misunderstanding? I don't think that's necessary."

Fang Qiong was yielding, but Ye Xiu had no intention of letting him muddle through it so easily.

Walking out of the private room, he stood atop the stairs and looked down at Fang Qiong.

"If you really want to talk to me, you're not qualified."

"Get lost!"

As he spoke, the spiritual energy around Ye Xiu spread outward without the slightest courtesy, intending to force Fang Qiong out of his way.

Now this was going to be a show.

Seeing Ye Xiu give him so little face, the disciples watching immediately grew interested.

Everyone could see from what had happened earlier that this mysterious disciple was arrogant, but Fang Qiong was hardly an easy target.

Setting aside his cultivation and strength, the person backing him would not allow him to lose face.

Not to mention that several of his peers and competitors had already succeeded before him.

Those people also had inner sect disciples standing behind them.

On a smaller scale, this was a contest over ranking in the advancement competition. On a larger scale, it was the prelude to the first clash between those inner sect figures.

If Fang Qiong simply let Ye Xiu leave today, the face of the person behind him would truly be lost beyond recovery.

"Stop!"

Fang Qiong shouted Ye Xiu to a halt. His expression darkened; clearly, he understood this as well.

"Refusing a toast only to drink a forfeit—you really think that just because you have a good master behind you, you can swagger through the outer sect sideways?"

As he spoke, the spiritual power around him also began to stir.

From the intelligence he had received earlier, Fang Qiong knew that Ye Xiu's cultivation was not high and that his main capability rested entirely upon that artifact.

Without knowing the other party's background, Fang Qiong had not wanted to make a move. But now that he had been placed over the fire, if he still did not act, he would lose both face and substance.

"You want to fight?"

Ye Xiu put on an angry expression and unhesitatingly gripped the gun in his hand.

But before he could make a move, a cloud of black mist suddenly erupted beside Fang Qiong, engulfing them both.

"Ah!"

Accompanied by a scream, the spectators who had yet to react saw the smoke and dust disperse. The previously incomparably arrogant Ye Xiu was kneeling on the ground, clutching his right hand.

Fang Qiong, meanwhile, stood proudly before him, Ye Xiu's gun still in his hand.

"Relying on external power, and you really thought you were something?"

Fang Qiong snorted coldly.

"Today's lesson is to let you know that beyond the heavens are still higher heavens!"

The watching disciples immediately erupted into an uproar.

"What was that black mist? Could it be an inner sect cultivation technique?"

"A sixth-layer Qi Condensation cultivator couldn't even block one move. Senior Brother Fang's strength has improved again!"

Clearly, Fang Qiong's easy subjugation of Ye Xiu greatly shocked everyone.

Although Yan Lou, whom Ye Xiu was impersonating, was not at a high realm, with the advantage of his weapon, ordinary seventh- or eighth-layer Qi Condensation cultivators were no match for him in a single exchange.

Even an outer sect elite like Xie Xun found it difficult to block his attacks head-on.

Yet Fang Qiong, a cultivator of the same level, had subdued him with ease. He had even disregarded the person behind him and directly seized his gun.

After this, everyone instead came away with the impression that Fang Qiong was stronger and had deeper backing.

As for those earlier unsavory incidents, no one mentioned them again.

Noticing the looks in everyone's eyes, Fang Qiong felt rather pleased with himself.

Today, he had not only reversed the Punishment Hall's previous bad impression and reestablished its authority, but also obtained this new weapon.

Though he might have made enemies of the artifact refiners from Ye Xiu's faction, so what?

The Grand Elder of the Inner Sect Artifact Refinery Hall belonged to their faction. As long as he could get his hands on this weapon, would he need to fear being unable to produce it later?

Thinking further, perhaps the person behind this newly emerged brat was from the Inner Sect Artifact Refinery Hall...

His authority had been established, and the tangible benefits were in hand. Fang Qiong had no intention of lingering any longer.

He stepped toward the exit, and the surrounding disciples respectfully and fearfully made way for him.

"Who allowed you to leave?"

An aged voice sounded from behind him.

Fang Qiong instinctively turned his head, only to see a sheet of white radiance.

At some point, Ye Xiu, who had been kneeling on the ground, had risen to his feet.

To everyone's astonishment, a massive humanoid phantom had appeared out of thin air behind him.

Its face was obscured amid drifting clouds and mist. The only thing they could see clearly was a pair of eyes gleaming with eerie light.

Though it did nothing at all, under the gaze of those eyes, everyone present dropped to their knees with thuds.

"Spare my life, Senior! Please, for Senior Brother Xu's sake..."

Feeling that immense pressure, Fang Qiong's former cold arrogance instantly turned into panic.

He fell to his knees, wanting to explain, but before he could make himself clear, a thunderous boom sounded from the sky.

The roar exploded outward.

Everyone looked up and, horrified, discovered that a crack had appeared in the sky from nowhere.

Crimson lightning spread from within it, and in a single instant, blanketed the entire heavens.

"Are you threatening this old man?"

Brighter light burst from the giant's eyes, and amid the lightning filling the sky, it looked like a demon god.