Then let him die!

Looking at the brimming confidence on Tieniu's face, Lin Bei couldn't help wondering, Had I misjudged him before?

Aside from his diligence, what had stood out most to Lin Bei about Tieniu in the past was his honesty and simple, good-natured manner.

And now?

The moment this kid opened his mouth, he wanted to tear someone else out by the roots!

Still, Lin Bei quite liked this side of Tieniu.

He was generous and sincere toward his own people, but utterly decisive toward his enemies.

Beyond that, Tieniu's recent performance had made Lin Bei see him in a new light.

Not only was he meticulous, he also had his own distinctive views on things.

This kid has grown up, too...

After that thought, Lin Bei said directly, "All right. Whatever you want to do, go ahead and do it."

"Yes, Master!" the two replied in unison.

"We'll go tomorrow!"

Watching their retreating backs, Lin Bei was filled with emotion.

Never mind Tieniu-even Xiao Liuzi seemed to have matured a great deal lately.

Time passed.

Night fell, with a bright moon and scattered stars.

Lin Bei came to the Martial Arts Grounds. The disciples had all gone back to rest, leaving only Zhang Teng still practicing his punches.

As he watched, Lin Bei could clearly see that Zhang Teng's cultivation efficiency had dropped considerably.

"Teng, come here!"

The moment Lin Bei spoke, Zhang Teng stopped practicing and ran over.

"Master!"

"Spirit refining requires more than diligence. You also need to make sure you have enough energy. You've practiced long enough. Go back and get some proper rest."

Lin Bei instructed him.

"Yes! I've made you worry, Master."

Those words jolted him awake as if from a dream. Zhang Teng, too, felt that he had been too impatient with his cultivation lately.

"Punch practice and meditation need to complement each other. Don't cultivate solely through punches just because spirit refining seems faster that way." Lin Bei offered a few more pointers.

"Yes. I understand my mistake."

"Off you go!" Lin Bei waved a hand.

Zhang Teng hurriedly took his leave with due respect.

Watching Zhang Teng leave, Lin Bei was also deeply moved.

Once, he had relied on nothing but bluffing. Now, he could actually give Zhang Teng proper guidance.

Just then.

A voice as clear and sweet as an oriole's came from behind Lin Bei.

"Field Master Lin, why are you still awake so late?"

The newcomer was none other than Mu Qingyue.

As the notary, she had arrived at the Martial Arts Grounds ahead of time and naturally stayed there as a guest.

"With such a clear moon and gentle breeze, naturally, I'm admiring the moon."

Lin Bei lied through his teeth. In truth, spirit refining had tired him out, and he was simply wandering around aimlessly.

"How refined of you, Field Master Lin." Mu Qingyue smiled. "Field Master Lin, was Xiao Liuzi's message your idea?"

Lin Bei paused, then immediately realized that Mu Qingyue meant Xiao Liuzi's advice not to waste her time on immortal cultivation.

"Your heart is filled with the martial path," Lin Bei said calmly. "You want to take the strengths of the Immortal Cultivation Method and use them to improve the martial path. That very idea dooms you to never learning the Immortal Cultivation Method."

"Is that so?" Mu Qingyue gave a bitter smile. "It seems I have no affinity with the Immortal Cultivation Method."

Lin Bei smiled faintly and said nothing more.

At that moment.

Mu Qingyue suddenly said, "Field Master Lin, the challenge letter sent to the Zhang Household should have arrived by now, shouldn't it? How do you think they're reacting?"

Lin Bei fell silent for a moment before softly uttering three words.

"It doesn't matter."

With that, Lin Bei turned and left.

In Mu Qingyue's eyes, his retreating figure grew ever more mysterious.

Elsewhere.

At the Zhou Clan.

At that moment, many of the Zhang Household's outstanding members and clan elders had gathered in the Zhang Clan's hall, every face grave.

"Zhang Yong! You still have the nerve to come back?"

Looking at the badly injured Zhang Yong, whose face was ashen, the Zhang clan leader seethed with anger.

An elder with a hooked nose stood beside him. Furious, he flung the challenge letter in his hand at Zhang Yong and snapped, "Zhang Yong, look at the fine grandson you raised!"

Another clan elder also lashed out.

"A beast who disowns his own kin! He deserves death a thousand times over!"

The Zhang clan leader snorted. "What do we do now? Zhang Tao is dead. How are we supposed to explain this to Zhang Conglong?"

At those words, no one in the Zhang Clan's council hall spoke.

Zhang Tao's death was a tremendous blow to the Zhang Clan.

A clan elder spoke coldly.

"Explain it? What else can we do? Capture Zhang Teng. Before handing him over to the Zhou Clan, take him to the border and let Zhang Conglong punish him!"

"Didn't that brat issue a challenge letter? Then let's wait for him to come!"

Just then.

The Zhang clan leader frowned slightly.

"Everyone, don't you find this strange? Zhang Teng's cultivation was clearly crippled, yet he managed to kill Zhang Tao? And he even injured Zhang Yong. Does that make any sense?"

At those words, everyone exchanged glances.

The hook-nosed elder snorted.

"Killing Zhang Tao might have been the work of that whatever-it's-called Martial Arts Grounds. But injuring Zhang Yong? You actually believe that nonsense? As I see it, Zhang Yong deliberately made up that rubbish to buy time!"

Another clan elder gave Zhang Yong a contemptuous look, then spoke with a sneer.

"Exactly. Zhang Teng is Zhang Yong's own grandson, after all. First, Zhang Xiaoxiao ran off to warn him. When she saw that Zhang Teng refused to leave, she called Zhang Yong over. It was all just to buy time for Zhang Teng to escape."

"Enough!" Zhang Yong finally lost his temper. "For the sake of the clan, I've already severed all ties with Zhang Teng! Have you no conscience, saying such things?"

Cough, cough, cough!

After coughing violently three times, Zhang Yong abruptly stood and picked up the challenge letter from the floor.

"You say I went to capture Zhang Teng just to shield him? Then what is this? This is a challenge letter! He's already had the Central Hall notarize it! Do you think this could still be fake?"

At those words.

Everyone in the Zhang Clan exchanged glances.

Under normal circumstances, a challenge letter that had been notarized could not possibly be false.

"Ah!"

At that moment, an old man with white hair and a white beard suddenly sighed.

At his sigh, everyone in the Zhang Clan fell silent and turned their eyes toward him.

He was none other than the Zhang Clan's ancestor, who had returned not long ago.

Zhang Zhong!

His return had sent the Zhang Clan into wild delight! Everyone had thought he had died on the border battlefield.

Zhang Conglong had originally gone to the border battlefield to take his place.

Who could have imagined that not only had he survived, he had even made a breakthrough in cultivation, successfully returned to the border, and come back to the Zhang Household?

"I only want to ask one thing. If Zhang Teng truly has regained his strength and is once again a heaven-favored prodigy, could the clan make an exception and allow him to return?"

The old man continued.

"As for Zhang Tao, all we can say is that his skill fell short. I can speak to Zhang Conglong myself. And as for the Zhou Clan, this old man can also go to the border and ask some acquaintances to intercede."

At those words, the Zhang clan leader paused, then looked at him and sighed.

"Ancestor Zhang Zhong, I'm afraid that's no longer possible. Look at this challenge letter. Is there even a shred of affection for the clan left in it?"

Zhang Zhong fell silent, then sighed.

"Clan Leader Zhang, you handled this dishonorably. That's why Zhang Teng's heart was shattered."

The Zhang clan leader hurriedly lowered his head and admitted his fault. "It was my mistake."

Zhang Zhong looked at the Zhang clan leader, his face filled with helplessness.

"When Zhang Teng comes, give him one last chance. If he still holds any familial affection for the clan, let him return."

At those words, delight appeared on Zhang Yong's face.

The Zhang clan leader hurriedly asked, "And if he doesn't?"

"If he doesn't?"

A trace of resolve flashed across Zhang Zhong's aged face.

"Then we can only... let him die!"