In mere moments, Zhang Zongjin's lips had swollen to a terrifying size, like sausages. He lay on the ground, wailing nonstop, both hands clamped around his throat and his eyeballs nearly rolling out of their sockets.
Yang Zhen put on a look of profound anguish and pointed at Duan Langcai in righteous indignation. "Duan Langcai, how could you be so cruel and ruthless? You used such a vicious trick to harm Young Master Zhang! You're finished! I'm going to tell the elders of the Tonglin Sect. You're finished!"
"N-no... this has nothing to do with me! It was you! You suddenly let out that shout. Otherwise, how could the Blood Silkworm have gotten startled and bitten Young Master Zhang by mistake?" Duan Langcai's face went white with fright. Even if he had ten thousand times the courage, he would never have dared let the Blood Silkworm bite Zhang Zongjin.
It would have been better if the bite had killed him. If it didn't and the Tonglin Sect found out, not even the entire Sword Attendant Sect could protect Duan Langcai.
Yang Zhen had no intention of listening to Duan Langcai's explanation. He glanced pityingly at Zhang Zongjin, who was still writhing on the ground, and started chasing after the Blood Silkworm. "Quick, give him artificial respiration! Don't tell me you don't know how. Just put your mouth on his and suck out all the poison, or you really will be finished."
"Huh? Oh!" Duan Langcai was panic-stricken. Then he seemed to decide Yang Zhen's idea really was a good one. He swallowed as he looked at Zhang Zongjin's lips, then clamped down and sucked hard.
"Morals are going downhill. See no evil." Yang Zhen grinned as he hurried after the Blood Silkworm.
The little thing wasn't big, but it ran quite fast. Yang Zhen only just managed to catch up to it by using Skyward Cannon.
After slapping it to death, Yang Zhen took some of its blood and smeared it on a piece of wood he carried with him.
Buzz!
The arm-thick piece of wood suddenly gave off a terrifying glow. In an instant, the ordinary piece of wood drew in the surrounding heaven and earth Qi like a whale gulping water and an ox drinking its fill.
The light flared brilliantly, then vanished as quickly as it had come. Moments later, the wood returned to its original appearance.
After tying the wood to his back, Yang Zhen rushed up the mountain.
"Bad news! Terrible news! Two men are kissing! Heaven have mercy!"
Yang Zhen's voice carried so well that everyone on the summit heard him. At once, their expressions turned strange.
"Yang Zhen, don't talk nonsense. What two men?" Luo Yan rebuked him sternly.
Yang Zhen pointed down the mountain. "Duan Langcai and Zhang Zongjin fell for each other. They're lying on the ground, kissing like there's no tomorrow. The sight's enough to burn your eyes."
"Hmph!"
Ma Dexing's expression changed drastically. With a cold snort, he rushed down the mountain.
The others hurried after him in the direction Yang Zhen had pointed.
By the time they reached Duan Langcai and Zhang Zongjin, Duan Langcai was still sprawled on top of Zhang Zongjin, sucking away with wet smacking sounds.
"You bastard, get off him!" Ma Dexing was so furious that flames seemed to shoot three feet above his head. Many of the women present flushed and turned away, their expressions a strange mix of embarrassment and indignation.
Duan Langcai's whole body shuddered. He slowly turned his head.
Ma Dexing jumped when he saw Duan Langcai's face. "Y-you... what are you?"
"I'm Dwan Langcai fwom the Sward Attendant Sect. Senier, pwease save Young Masher Zhang..."
Duan Langcai's lips were swollen like two big sausages, and his face was a livid blue. He looked anxiously at Ma Dexing, unable to speak clearly.
Zhang Zongjin had long since lost consciousness and could only groan nonstop.
"Zongjin!" Ma Dexing's expression changed drastically. He rushed forward, shoved Duan Langcai aside, and slapped a pill into Zhang Zongjin's mouth.
Only when Zhang Zongjin's complexion gradually began to improve did Ma Dexing rise. He stared at Duan Langcai with a dark expression. "What happened?"
Duan Langcai's expression changed several times. Suddenly, he spotted Yang Zhen and pointed at him, wailing, "It was him! He's the one who did this to Young Master Zhang!"
Boom!
A terrifying blast of Qi erupted from Ma Dexing, sending sand flying and stones rolling. His true essence surged, knocking Duan Langcai head over heels. Ma Dexing pointed at Yang Zhen and roared in fury:
"Yang Zhen, it's you again! Do you really think I don't dare kill a little bastard like you?"
Luo Yan and Duan Qing exchanged glances, their expressions also somewhat grim. Frowning, they said, "Elder Ma, could there be some misunderstanding?"
"A misunderstanding?" Ma Dexing roared. "Yang Zhen has made Zongjin so angry that he spat blood again and again. That alone gives me reason enough to kill him several times over! You two old fellows, tell me, what misunderstanding could there be?"
Luo Yan was taken aback. He glanced at Yang Zhen and said, "What do you have to say?"
Yang Zhen curled his lip. "When someone wants to pin a crime on you, they'll never lack a pretext. Since this senior says my crimes are beyond forgiveness, what good would any explanation of mine do? I can only... fucking come and bite me if you've got the guts, old man!"
"You..." Ma Dexing staggered back two steps, staring at Yang Zhen, dumbstruck.
Everyone else was startled too, staring at Yang Zhen in bewilderment.
At first, they had thought Yang Zhen was right. If an esteemed elder of the Tonglin Sect wanted to kill a disciple from a minor sect, what could Yang Zhen do, no matter how grievously he had been wronged? Wouldn't he still end up stretching out his neck for the blade?
But just as everyone was beginning to feel sorry for Yang Zhen, he suddenly changed tack and cursed Ma Dexing until he was drenched in dog's blood.
This... wasn't Yang Zhen afraid of death?
"Good! Good! Good!" Ma Dexing was so furious he laughed. Pointing at Yang Zhen, he said, "It's been a long time since I've seen such an arrogant junior. Today, I'll clean house on behalf of your sect."
Yang Zhen really couldn't understand these old geezers. Not only did they lord their seniority over others at every turn, they also found high-sounding excuses for themselves. He sneered and said, "Come on, bite me! You think I'm afraid of you?"
As he stood his ground and met him point for point, Yang Zhen put his hand behind his back and gripped the piece of wood carved with countless arrays.
Buzz!
The terrifying blast of Qi around Ma Dexing suddenly condensed into a raging dragon and charged at Yang Zhen.
Yang Zhen's eyes narrowed as he prepared to fight for his life. The old man was at least in the Golden Core Realm, and perhaps even the Nascent Soul Realm. With his current Foundation Establishment Realm strength, he had no hope of surviving against him unless some unexpected trick worked. He hoped the thing he had just made would do the job.
Just then, Luo Yan suddenly made his move. With a casual wave, he unleashed a terrifying burst of true essence. It crashed into the raging dragon with a boom, sending out a terrifying blast of Qi that shattered the surrounding earth and sent stones flying.
"Elder Ma, calm down first. There may be some misunderstanding here. How can you decide that Yang Zhen harmed Zhang Zongjin based solely on this man's word?"
"If not him, who else?" Ma Dexing snorted coldly.
"Zhang Zongjin has clearly been poisoned. What kind of poison is it?"
"Hm?" Ma Dexing's expression shifted. He crouched down gravely and examined Zhang Zongjin's symptoms.
Everyone hurried over and gathered around, examining him curiously.
A moment later, Ma Dexing's expression changed. He stared coldly at Duan Langcai. "Blood Silkworm? The Sword Attendant Sect?"
Duan Langcai's face went deathly pale. "Senior, listen to me..."
Boom!
Ma Dexing slapped Duan Langcai on the head, killing him on the spot without even giving him a chance to speak.
Tsk, tsk, tsk. Yang Zhen shook his head as he watched. The old man really was swift and decisive.
Luo Yan glanced at Yang Zhen with a strange expression, then said with a smile, "All right, now that the truth has come to light, have you decided which sect you'd like to join, young friend Yang? With your aptitude, I'm sure all five major sects of the Youyang Kingdom would be willing to take you as a disciple."
Ma Dexing snorted coldly and made no response.
Duan Qing chuckled as he looked at Yang Zhen. "Joining a sect is no small matter, young friend Yang. You should think it over carefully. But if you choose the Martial Mountain Sect, I can't promise anything else, but I will make sure you're nurtured as a pillar of the sect."
"What?" Luo Yan scoffed. "At Elixir Valley Lake, not only will we make you a pillar of the sect, but we'll also take you directly as a final disciple. You may choose any elder except the sect master as your teacher."
Seeing the two about to start arguing again, the people around them all looked at Yang Zhen with envy.
Yang Zhen hesitated. "Seniors, could I perhaps... choose neither?"
What?
Everyone was dumbfounded!