Cao Youqian: Master, I Want to Cultivate!

"Eldest Senior Brother!"

Hearing that heavenly voice, Cao Youqian instantly wept with joy.

The Dao-Seeking Academy disciples standing opposite him turned pale, each staring at Xiao Chen as though they had seen a ghost.

Ma Bin and the others who had stirred up trouble were especially frightened, their legs trembling.

Only one thought remained in their minds: escape.

But their legs felt as though they had been filled with lead and refused to obey.

Only Lin Ping'an glared at Xiao Chen, his face full of defiance. One day, he would defeat this fellow surnamed Xiao.

Xiao Chen descended from the sky and landed beside Cao Youqian. "Junior Brother, what happened?"

Cao Youqian gave him a rough account of what had happened earlier.

Xiao Chen's brows knitted after hearing him out. He had always hated evil as bitterly as an enemy and detested such injustice.

"Junior Brother Cao, are you sure you haven't lied to me?"

"How would I dare lie to you, Senior Brother?"

Cao Youqian looked completely serious.

Xiao Chen nodded slightly, then turned his gaze to Lin Ping'an. "Junior Brother Lin, my junior brother Cao was indeed in the wrong first. How would you like him to make amends?"

At that, Lin Ping'an's lips curled into a cold smile.

"Well, well, the outer institute competition champion really is fair and impartial. Will Cao Youqian actually do whatever I say?"

Xiao Chen was displeased by Lin Ping'an's tone, but he still said, "As long as it isn't too excessive, I can make Junior Brother Cao agree."

"Hmph!"

Lin Ping'an snorted coldly. "Xiao Chen, put away that hypocritical face of yours. It's not impossible for me to forgive Cao Youqian today.

"All he has to do is crawl between my legs. Otherwise, the next time I see him, I'll tear him to pieces!

"Senior Brother Xiao, you can protect him for a while, but you can't protect him forever!"

As soon as he said that, the students standing beside Lin Ping'an were all dumbfounded.

Had Lin Ping'an lost his mind? How dare he speak to Senior Brother Xiao like that? He might not value his life, but they valued theirs.

Although the Dao-Seeking Academy forbade disciples from killing one another, if Xiao Chen beat them up, no one would stand up for them even if they took the matter to the academy.

After all, they had started the trouble.

Xiao Chen narrowed his eyes, a trace of coldness flashing through them. He had spent the past six months fighting and killing.

There was no telling how many people had died to the sword in his hand.

Otherwise, he would never have earned the title of Black-Robed God of Slaughter.

A single glance from him made the students opposite him feel the hairs on their bodies stand on end.

"Are you provoking me?"

Lin Ping'an said disdainfully, "I'm only telling the truth. If Senior Brother wants to use his strength to bully the weak, I'll accept my fate today."

Though he couldn't beat Xiao Chen now, he had a trump card of his own.

Three months ago, he had accidentally obtained a ring while he was out gaining experience.

Within the ring was a supreme being. Only after receiving that being's guidance had his cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds.

With his master's help, he was confident he could escape unharmed even if Xiao Chen attacked.

As long as he returned to the Dao-Seeking Academy, Xiao Chen would have no chance to make a move against him.

As for the people who had come with him, he didn't care about them at all.

He, Lin Ping'an, was no fool. He had long since seen that these fellows were fanning the flames.

If they were taught a lesson, they would have brought it entirely upon themselves.

"Hmph!"

Xiao Chen snorted coldly. "I, Xiao Chen, never draw my sword against the weak. You have two choices today: take your sword and leave, or defeat me and do as you please with Cao Youqian."

I bet right.

Lin Ping'an breathed a long sigh of relief. Xiao Chen was just as the rumors said: someone who guarded his reputation.

"Senior Brother Xiao, I'm indeed no match for you. I'm willing to admit defeat today.

"But would you dare give me two years? Let's have a match two years from now."

"You're not qualified to challenge Senior Brother Xiao. One year from now-the two of us will have a match in one year. Win or lose, our grudge will be wiped clean!"

Cao Youqian, who had been standing behind Xiao Chen, stepped forward and spoke with a resolute expression.

As the ancients said, if this could be tolerated, what could not?

Cao Youqian had originally wanted nothing more than to be a good-for-nothing who ate his fill and waited for death.

But his experiences over these past days had made him understand that without strength in this world, he would be targeted at every turn.

He could ignore it when others insulted him, but not when they insulted his eldest senior brother and master.

Yet today, because of him, his eldest senior brother had been provoked again and again by a brat who didn't know the immensity of heaven and earth.

It was because he was useless, because he was in the wrong.

If he were strong enough, these fellows wouldn't dare come to their door and provoke them.

When Xiao Chen heard this, his lips curled up slightly. He was very satisfied with the outcome.

Seeing the smile on Xiao Chen's face, Liu Yue'er looked as though she had suddenly understood.

I was wondering why Senior Brother Xiao, the man known as the Black-Robed God of Slaughter, would give way to an outer disciple at every turn.

So he wanted to rouse Cao Youqian's fighting spirit and get him back on his feet.

Cao Youqian's words left the students opposite him dumbfounded.

Even Lin Ping'an was somewhat surprised. He had only wanted to step on Cao Youqian to climb higher, using the opportunity to challenge Xiao Chen, make a name for himself, and enter the inner institute sooner.

"Fine, you said it. One year from now, we'll meet on the life-and-death platform!"

"It's a deal!"

Cao Youqian clenched his fists as he spoke.

"Let's go."

Now that Cao Youqian had agreed, Lin Ping'an could hardly continue provoking Xiao Chen.

When the outer institute disciples behind him heard that, they hurried after Lin Ping'an.

Only after they had disappeared from Xiao Chen's group's sight

did Ma Bin speak. "Junior Brother Lin, you really opened our eyes today. You actually dared go head-to-head with Senior Brother Xiao."

Lin Ping'an smiled. "I was only standing on the side of justice. Besides, Senior Brother Xiao isn't an unreasonable person."

The others wore varying expressions as they listened, already calculating how to spread the news of what had happened today.

"Eldest Senior Brother, I'm sorry. Because of me, you had to put up with that in front of outsiders."

Cao Youqian's face was full of shame as he spoke.

Xiao Chen patted him on the shoulder. "It's all right. As long as you can pull yourself together, I don't care at all. Cultivate diligently once we get back."

At the mention of cultivation, Cao Youqian gritted his teeth. "Then sorry for the trouble, but I'll have to ask for your guidance from now on, Senior Brother."

Xiao Chen shook his head. "No, I'm not strong enough yet. I'm not qualified to guide you. Go back and ask Master. He'll certainly be able to tailor a suitable cultivation method for you."

At those words, both Cao Youqian and Liu Yue'er looked at Xiao Chen in surprise.

Seeing their puzzled expressions, Xiao Chen smiled. "Junior Brother Cao, once you've seen how powerful Master is, you'll understand what I mean."

"All right, let's go back."

Though Cao Youqian had many questions, he followed Xiao Chen back to the Dao-Seeking Academy.

"Why did you all come back together?"

Inside the Miscellaneous Dao Institute,

Chu Feng asked in puzzlement when he saw Xiao Chen's group of three.

"Master..."

Xiao Chen told Chu Feng what had happened that day.

After listening, Chu Feng muttered, "How did you two suddenly end up looking like villains?"

His fiancée had been taken from him, so he devoted himself to cultivation, came seeking revenge, was stopped by the villainous eldest senior brother, and arranged a match with him.

He knew that plot well.

It looked like the days ahead would only get more exciting.

But Chu Feng wasn't worried. After all, Xiao Chen was also a man with a protagonist template. All he had to do was fight.

Xiao Chen and the other two, however, were utterly puzzled.

Liu Yue'er said, "Senior, please enlighten us."

Chu Feng smiled. "Was Lin Ping'an previously unknown, only to suddenly rise to prominence recently?"

"How did you know?"

Liu Yue'er was astonished. Lin Ping'an really had been a nobody at the Sword Dao Institute before.

Quite a few people had even mocked him over what happened to his fiancée.

Yet in this outer disciple competition, Lin Ping'an had stunned everyone with a single feat. He had become a seed disciple among the outer disciples and a strong contender for the position of chief disciple of the Sword Dao Institute within the next three years.

Chu Feng continued unhurriedly, "It seems I was right. Like Chen'er, that fellow is a Child of Fortune. Chen'er, you have a whetstone for your sword now."

"How is that possible?"

Liu Yue'er was still astonished. In her eyes, Eldest Senior Brother was the strongest. What right did Lin Ping'an have to be considered his equal?

Xiao Chen asked, "Master, how should we deal with Lin Ping'an, then?"

"Kill him when you get the chance. Remember, a Child of Fortune like him is very difficult to kill. If you intend to do it, make thorough preparations. It would be best if you could sever his destiny."

Chu Feng spoke casually, as though killing a Child of Fortune were a trivial matter.

Xiao Chen had never imagined that his master would be so hostile toward Junior Brother Lin Ping'an, but since his master had said so, he would simply do as told.

He was now the eldest senior brother of the Miscellaneous Dao Institute, and protecting his junior brother was his responsibility.

Just then, Cao Youqian suddenly spoke. "Master, I want to cultivate. Please grant me a cultivation method!"