An Elder Makes Trouble

Feng Zhuo really had defeated Chu Yunfei?!

The disciples watching stared wide-eyed, wondering if they had fallen under an illusion. How else could they be seeing a Foundation Establishment Middle Stage spell cultivator thrashing a Golden Core Early Stage sword cultivator who had grasped Sword Intent?!!

Yushang was dumbstruck, too astonished to speak. "Junior Brother Feng... you... I..."

After personally taking the field and venting his frustration, Feng Zhuo finally handed Chu Yunfei over to Yanba, giving him the perfect chance to avenge the peaceful dreams Chu Yunfei had disturbed these past few months.

Now he stood calmly beside Yushang and asked without a care, "What did you want to say, Senior Sister?"

The corner of Yushang's mouth twitched. "N... nothing..."

She couldn't very well say that she and Chu Yunfei had fought openly and secretly for nearly ten years without her ever gaining the upper hand, only for this thirteen-year-old boy to beat him till the blossoms fell and the waters scattered?

Was this right?!!!

At that moment, Yushang suddenly recalled how her good friend Ling Shuanghua was always saying "the Heavenly Dao is unfair," and found herself wanting to shout it too.

The Heavenly Dao was unfair!

After Yushang left in a daze, Feng Zhuo caught sight of Ye Qingyu approaching out of the corner of his eye.

In front of Feng Zhuo, Ye Qingyu stopped pretending to be blind. He cupped his hands to Feng Zhuo and said with a smile, "Congratulations, Senior Brother Feng. After this battle, your fame for defeating a Golden Core cultivator at Foundation Establishment should spread throughout the Central Continent."

Feng Zhuo did not respond to that, deliberately changing the subject. "I thought you had come for Fellow Daoist Nangong's safety, Junior Brother Ye?"

Ye Qingyu merely smiled without answering. Feng Zhuo, for once, offered an explanation. "Fellow Daoist Nangong and Junior Sister Yun Li are still in the secret realm. They'll come out shortly."

He said no more after that, silently considering his plans for what came next.

On the Primordial Ancient Plain in the Central Continent stood a Demon-Suppressing Stele. Every hundred years, ten names could be engraved on it, and cultivators of the Profound Firmament Continent respectfully called it the "Heaven's Chosen Ranking."

Two thousand years ago, Feng Qingge had ranked fourth on it.

In his previous life, Feng Zhuo had never considered competing for a place on the ranking, as his Life-Bound Spirit Fire had not awakened and his spirit physique was incomplete.

But this life was different.

Feng Zhuo's Life-Bound Spirit Fire had awakened, his Yi Wood Sacred Physique had recovered thirty percent, and he had a Calamity Beast and a vicious plant from High Antiquity at his side. He naturally had to bring glory to Carefree Peak and the Feng Household.

The contest for the ten places on the Heaven's Chosen Ranking was called the Heaven's Chosen Battle.

Participants had to meet two major requirements.

First, their bone age had to be under a hundred years, and their cultivation had to have reached Nascent Soul.

Second, they had to rank among the top five hundred on the Hidden Dragon Ranking compiled by the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion.

The words "hidden dragon" came from the phrase "a hidden dragon in the depths." The ranking covered a period of a hundred years and recorded the various achievements of newly risen Heaven's Chosen.

Cultivation progress, slaying fiends and demons, and challenging the powerful figures on the ranking could all serve as a basis for assessment.

Although Chu Yunfei had grasped Sword Intent at Golden Core, he had only ranked one hundredth on the Hidden Dragon Ranking.

Now, at the tender age of thirteen and with a cultivation of Foundation Establishment Middle Stage, Feng Zhuo had defeated him across a cultivation realm. By the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion's standards, such talent was certain to put him directly among the top hundred.

With this single battle, Feng Zhuo had made a name for himself far and wide.

What he gained from it was worth far more than ordinary resources.

As for intimidating the disciples of both sects who were present into keeping it secret afterward?

The Heavenly Secrets Pavilion's Trace-Shadow Water Mirror would reveal the truth.

But the matter of making his name still required careful consideration.

There were still fifty years until the next Heaven's Chosen Battle. Feng Zhuo was only at Foundation Establishment for now, and planned to begin preparations after forming his core.

Besides, the grudges from his previous life remained unsettled, and the tragic fates of his master and senior brothers and sisters in the story had yet to be changed.

The most pressing task now was to wait for the Demon Lord Li Tianxing to appear and thoroughly root out the cause of his master's death!

But before that, Feng Zhuo still needed to return to the Feng Household...

Chu Yunfei rolled away in sorry fashion, narrowly avoiding Yanba's claws wreathed in demonic fire. Hatred surged into a sea within him.

Feng Zhuo!!

Feng Zhuo!!!

For a moment, he felt as though he had returned to his childhood, when he had followed the old beggar through the streets begging for food.

Since joining the Supreme One Divine Sect and becoming Lingxiaozi's personal disciple, when had he ever suffered such humiliation?!

One day!

"One day..."

Chu Yunfei clenched his teeth, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth, and roared in his heart, I'll skin you and pull out your tendons to wash away today's humiliation!!!

Though they saw their former eldest senior brother in such a sorry state, the forest remained silent.

The Supreme One Divine Sect disciples tacitly remained neutral, while the members of the Purple Yang Pill Sect were unwilling to intervene after seeing Chu Yunfei's true colors.

Only the branch peak's personal disciple still wanted to plead for him, but one indifferent glance from Feng Zhuo left him cold all over, and he no longer dared speak up for his role model.

"Enough!"

A cold shout came from the Supreme One Divine Sect's cloud vessel. The guardian elder, who had remained behind the scenes all this time, finally appeared.

The dark black elder's emblem on his chest gleamed coldly in the sunlight, proclaiming his status as an inner sect elder.

The elder's surname was Zhong, and his cultivation was at Nascent Soul Peak.

Frost gathered at Zhong Mingxuan's fingertips as he said coldly, "A mere branch peak's personal disciple dares strike the sect master's personal disciple so viciously? Did your master never teach you about the proper order between superior and inferior?!"

Chu Yunfei seized the chance to swing his sword with all his might, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed the bloody froth in his mouth. Even so, he only barely managed to extinguish the demonic fire Yanba sent at him.

Feng Zhuo's fingertips paused.

A few hours ago, when Chu Yunfei had relied on his superior cultivation to unleash deadly moves against him, intent on killing him, where had this elder been?

Now he had merely taught Chu Yunfei a lesson and made him lose face before the disciples...

And that meant he didn't know his place?

How laughable.

The pressure of Nascent Soul Peak crushed Feng Zhuo's protective spiritual light in an instant, and Yanba was forced to stop as well.

"May I ask, Elder,"

Feng Zhuo swallowed the metallic sweetness rising in his throat, every word ringing out, "what is the proper order between superior and inferior?"

"Is Chu Yunfei allowed to shout about beating and killing me, while I don't know my place if I fight back with my own strength?!"

Yanba's Heart-Scorching Flame erupted, forcibly breaking through the restraints of the Nascent Soul pressure.

Nine chains shot straight for Chu Yunfei's throat.

Before, Feng Zhuo had only meant to give him a small punishment as a stern warning, but now he was truly furious.

It's perfectly justified for Chu Yunfei to kill me, but if I lay a hand on him, I don't know my place?!

Utterly absurd!

Zhong Mingxuan's pupils suddenly contracted. "How dare you!"

Three chains of dark ice instantly formed, two of them shooting straight for Feng Zhuo's throat!

The red jade bracelet on Feng Zhuo's right wrist suddenly grew hot, and the Nine Nether Soul-Devouring Vine transformed into a vicious barrier of thorns.

"Boom!"

The turbulent spiritual power unleashed by the collision of chains and demonic vine severed the cloud vessel's mast halfway up!

Blood seeped from the corner of Feng Zhuo's mouth, but his eyes held nothing but defiance.

A mere inner sect elder thinks he's fit to speak of rank and status before a direct descendant of my Feng Household?!

Seeing that Feng Zhuo had blocked his dark ice chains and that the lion-headed, dragon-bodied Demon Beast was still pursuing Chu Yunfei, Zhong Mingxuan immediately roared, "How dare you, vile beast!"

He brought his fingers together in a hand seal, and a cage of dark ice appeared from thin air.

The red jade bracelet suddenly flew into the air, its blazing red light melting an opening in the ice cage.

Feng Zhuo wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and smiled brazenly. "Why wouldn't I dare?!"

Yanba's nine tails shot outward, and Chu Yunfei's sword broke with a snap.

Had he not crushed a life-saving jade talisman in time, that tail wreathed in Heart-Scorching Flame would have separated his head from his body!

"Arrogant!"

Zhong Mingxuan was furious. Twelve icicles formed in an instant.

Under such force, Feng Zhuo's breathing hitched.

He was only at Foundation Establishment Middle Stage and had just come through a fierce battle. Facing a full-strength strike from a Nascent Soul Peak cultivator...

If not for the Nine Nether Soul-Devouring Vine and the red jade bracelet, he couldn't even have blocked the previous two attacks.

Should I use my life-saving jade talisman?

He stared fixedly at the twelve icicles. Though they carried no killing intent, Feng Zhuo had no doubt they could take his life in an instant.

Then I'll use it.

Feng Zhuo was deeply unwilling to accept it, but he still consoled himself.

He is a Nascent Soul Peak cultivator, after all. Once I'm strong enough, I'll find another chance to avenge today's grudge.

Just as he was about to crush the jade talisman!