Protecting Their Own Together, Leaving with a Grudge

"You..."

Flame Lord Ancient Sage looked as though he had eaten shit.

But he did not dare talk back.

Yin Ya was now a supreme Great Emperor!

If he angered him, Yin Ya would slap him dead without a moment's hesitation...

"Sect Master Lin, our Crimson Flame Valley's prodigy merely came to issue a challenge!"

"We agreed beforehand to stop short of serious injury, yet this brat has wounded my disciple so badly. You owe Crimson Flame Valley an explanation!"

Flame Lord Ancient Sage spoke in a low voice.

He looked at Chu Luo, who wore an expression of complete innocence and clearly did not mind the spectacle getting any bigger.

The killing intent in his heart spilled out uncontrollably.

Sensing Flame Lord Ancient Sage's killing intent toward Chu Luo, Lin Feng, Yin Ya, and several senior elders instantly turned cold.

The temperature throughout heaven and earth plummeted.

Wind and clouds shifted between heaven and earth, and the air grew as cold as winter.

"Ant, you still dare demand an explanation from us?"

"The slap this emperor plants on your face in a moment will be the Forbidden Sect's explanation to your Crimson Flame Valley!"

Supreme imperial might surged skyward from Yin Ya, enveloping heaven and earth.

Yin Ya's figure became immeasurably imposing as he lowered his eyes toward Flame Lord Ancient Sage, as though looking down at an ant.

Flame Lord Ancient Sage shuddered, realizing he had exposed his killing intent toward Chu Luo.

He immediately reined it in.

"An explanation?!"

"What if our Forbidden Sect refuses?"

"What can your Crimson Flame Valley do about it?"

Lin Feng narrowed his eyes slightly, making no attempt to conceal his icy killing intent.

The elders beside him did the same!

After witnessing Chu Luo's heaven-defying abilities, Lin Feng had already come to regard him as the Forbidden Sect's precious treasure!

If this old bastard still refused to recognize the situation, he would not mind slaughtering an Ancient Sage today to liven things up!

Standing behind them, Chu Luo sensed the killing intent emanating from Lin Feng and the elders and could not help shivering.

He had never seen their usually approachable sect master look like this before...

[Ding! Apprentice-Protection Points from the sect master +5,000]

[Apprentice-Protection Points from your Great Emperor master +10,000]

[Apprentice-Protection Points from the fourth elder +5,000]

Just then, notifications sounded in Chu Luo's mind.

Watching his Apprentice-Protection Points keep coming in, Chu Luo grinned so broadly his face nearly split.

Chu Luo looked at Han Wujie, who kept clutching his head and wailing, and a flash of inspiration struck him.

He knew how to earn Apprentice-Protection Points quickly.

All he needed to do was beat every prodigy on the Heavenly Prodigy Ranking into the same state as Han Wujie.

Once he beat the young ones, the old ones would naturally come running to target him.

Then his master would naturally stand up for him as forcefully as he had today!

Wouldn't that bring in the Apprentice-Protection Points?

Hahaha...

He really was a genius!

Chu Luo made up his mind.

Once he grew a little stronger, he would challenge the prodigies on the Heavenly Prodigy Ranking!

"You..."

"Fine... Sect Master Lin, I hope you can remain this overbearing when our Crimson Flame Valley's ancestors come knocking!"

With a dark expression, Flame Lord Ancient Sage grabbed Han Wujie beside him, turned, and tore open space to leave.

Everyone present scoffed at Flame Lord Ancient Sage's words.

He spoke as though their Forbidden Sect had no ancestors of its own...

"My dear disciple, well done!"

Elder Yin Ya turned and gave his treasured disciple a thumbs-up, growing more satisfied the longer he looked at him!

"Brat, I never imagined you were hiding so much!"

"You actually learned four of the sect's secret arts!"

"But you need to be careful from now on. Although every move of our Forbidden Sect's Forbidden Secret Arts defies the heavens, their power will increase as your strength grows, and the price you pay will grow ever greater!"

"Unless you have absolutely no other choice, use the Forbidden Secret Arts sparingly from now on!"

Looking at Chu Luo before him, Lin Feng was also filled with fondness.

Their Forbidden Sect had unearthed another monstrous talent!

"Yes, I will remember your advice!"

Chu Luo nodded and cupped his hands.

Even without Lin Feng's reminder, Chu Luo had already experienced this firsthand.

When he used the Great Void Maitreya Palm at the Beginningless First Realm, he had lost only fifty years of lifespan.

But after raising his cultivation and using three Forbidden Secret Arts, each move had actually cost him a hundred years of lifespan...

At this moment, he had eleven hundred and fifty years of lifespan remaining.

After advancing five minor realms, his original thousand-year lifespan had increased by five hundred years.

Bzz... Bzz... Bzz...

Just as Chu Luo was lost in thought, heaven and earth suddenly shook, and golden light appeared in the sky.

Within the golden curtain of clouds, an illusory ranking list emerged...

"This is... the Heavenly Prodigy Ranking!"

Chu Luo was no stranger to this sight.

Over the past dozen years or so, he had often seen the phenomenon that appeared whenever the Heavenly Prodigy Ranking changed.

At this moment, countless powerful cultivators throughout the Three Thousand Great Worlds saw the Heavenly Prodigy Ranking appear in the sky.

"Hiss... After two and a half months, the Heavenly Prodigy Ranking has changed again..."

"I wonder which prodigy has been knocked off this time. Across our entire Three Thousand Great Worlds, only two hundred prodigies can make the list..."

"Who knows... The Heavenly Prodigy Ranking has been changing frequently lately. That means monstrous talents keep bursting onto the scene. A golden age is coming..."

Under the gazes of countless powerful cultivators and prodigies, the words "Crimson Flame Valley, Han Wujie," ranked one hundred and fiftieth on the Heavenly Prodigy Ranking, gradually disappeared and became "Forbidden Sect, Chu Luo"!

"So it's a prodigy from the Forbidden Sect. That's no surprise. After all, aside from the secluded Four Great Imperial Clans and Four Great Desolate Ancient Families, the Forbidden Sect stands at the head of the Three Thousand Great Worlds' top powers!"

"Indeed. Even the Four Great Imperial Clans and Four Great Desolate Ancient Families, which have never emerged into the world, might not be a match for the Forbidden Sect..."

"But why have I never heard of this Forbidden Sect prodigy, Chu Luo?"

"Right. Could he be a newly risen disciple?"

"Very likely..."

Amid the discussions of powerful cultivators from countless factions, the Heavenly Prodigy Ranking gradually faded away.

Within the Forbidden Sect, Chu Luo had not expected to take Han Wujie's place!

He ought to be famous now!

And that suited Chu Luo perfectly.

Once he became famous, prodigies on the ranking would come to challenge him of their own accord.

That would save him from searching the whole world for them!

"Heh..."

"Fellow Daoist, you've watched for so long. Isn't it time you showed yourself?"

"Or must I personally invite you out?"

Just then, the disciples who had been about to disperse suddenly saw Sect Master Lin Feng and the elders raise their heads toward the depths of the void.

Chu Luo froze as well and instinctively looked up.

Was there another sneaky bastard hiding in the shadows?

"Hahaha..."

"Congratulations, Sect Master Lin! The Forbidden Sect has gained another prodigy!"

An aged yet hearty laugh rang out.

Immediately afterward, Chu Luo saw a gray-haired old man in multicolored robes descend from the depths of the void and appear before him.

Chu Luo recognized the old man.

He was a senior elder of the Pill Sect, another of the top powers.

Ancient Sage Qingdan!

The Pill Sect had a good relationship with their Forbidden Sect, and the two sects frequently interacted.

During the dozen or so years Chu Luo had spent lying low in the sect, he had seen Ancient Sage Qingdan visit several times!