Chapter 320: Secretly Intervening
Translator: Reverie_ Editor: Kurisu
In order to avoid being frequently harassed, Ling Han planned on going to a place where there were less people.
He squeezed through the crowd, and after a few steps, he suddenly stopped—he unexpectedly saw Qi Yong Ye, Zhao Huan, and other old friends from the Rain Country. There were still many people he didn’t know. It should be because of him that the youngsters of Rain Country walked together, warming each other up.
It truly was quite the coincidence. Before they met at the small town in the Fallen Moon Gorge, and now here, making Ling Han feel as if he were still in the Imperial City in the Rain Country—why’d he see these people everywhere?
“…Unfortunately, Ling Han didn’t attend, or else with his strength, not only would he firmly enter top hundred, but also would he have a chance of taking first in the second round’s exam,” Qi Yong Ye said, feeling deeply moved.
“Yeah, that guy is too freakish. He was obviously at the first layer of the Gushing Spring Tier, but his strength was heaven-defying, killing even a warrior in the Spiritual Ocean Tier.” Zhao Huan nodded. He originally thought extremely highly of himself, even the Third Prince wasn’t in his eyes—he thought that the Third Prince’s cultivation was only slightly higher than his, and that was why the Third Prince was ranked above him.
However, seeing Ling Han attack, he was completely convinced.
Not to mention Ling Han, he absolutely couldn’t compare with Feng Yan, Yan Tian Zhao, and even Hu Niu would completely overrun him.
He already completely abandoned his haughty airs, and after possessing a normal heart, he instead had great gains, already feeling the great door to the Spiritual Ocean Tier.
Qian Wu Yong shook his head as he said, “It can’t be helped. Ling Han and the Winter Moon Sect have hatred solved only by death, so how could he possibly come here to find a teacher? Moreover, he’s an Earth Grade alchemist, would he need to walk through these procedures? As his status can even parallel a sect master’s, which large sect wouldn’t want to clasp him in their palms?”
“Sigh, that’s Thunder Battle Armor, and it’s said to be passed down from the ancient times. There’s even a strong art inside that can operate the power of lightning. Unfortunately, if Ling Han doesn’t come, none of us here will get it.” Qi Yong Ye shook his head repeatedly.
“Yeah!” Everyone nodded. They already developed some sort of blind faith regarding Ling Han’s battle prowess.
Ling Han couldn’t help but secretly laugh. If he were to take first, and if these people found out later on that it was he, what sort of expressions would they have then?
“Hahahaha, truly laughable.” A sudden mocking laugh resounded as a youngster wearing a long gray sleeve robe walked over, picking his nose as he said, “Is it my ears that have problems, or is it that you frogs at the bottom of the well have a leak in your mouths, actually saying that someone in the first layer of the Gushing Spring Tier can take first place in this time’s exam?”
“What does our conversation have to do with you?” Zhao Huan stood forward.
He was now the strongest one that walked out of the Rain Country’s doors. Thus, encountering this situation, he naturally was unwilling to leave such responsibility to others, standing out first.
“If you guys spoke the truth, then there naturally wouldn’t be a problem. The key is that you guys talk too big, so I just couldn’t hold back!” The gray robed youngster shook his head repeatedly. “How ’bout you guys call out the guy called Ling Han and let me have a look? I, Zhao Hong Cheng can suppress him with one hand.”
“You want to battle, I’ll keep you company!” Zhao Huan said without any fear.
“A mere ninth layer of the Gushing Spring Tier.” Zhao Hong Cheng sneered and said in disdain, “I’m at the first layer of the Spiritual Ocean Tier! You guys do know just how large the difference is between the Spiritual Ocean Tier and the Gushing Spring Tier? Even for a ninth layer of the Gushing Spring Tier, the distance to first layer of the Spiritual Ocean Tier is separated by a great chasm. I wouldn’t want to bully you.”
Qi Yong Ye and the others’ expressions stiffened. The higher the martial arts tier, the harder it was to cross tiers to battle, especially a large tier. They weren’t so freakish like Ling Han, being able to dominate a Spiritual Ocean Tier warrior while at the “first” layer of the Gushing Spring.
“Oh, so you guys come from the Desolate North!” Zhao Hong Cheng clapped his hands abruptly, and laughed out loud. “No wonder the lack of experience, turns out you’re a bunch of country bumpkins! Sigh, I’m truly bored to have lowered myself to the level of country bumpkins. If anyone were to know, they’d definitely mock me.”
“Whatever, whatever, you guys continue to look at the sky from the bottom of the well. Wait till you encounter me tomorrow, hehe, I’ll kill you guys one by one!”
As he spoke the last few words, his expression was already full of threat.
Qi Yong Ye and the others’ expressions turned blue with anger, but the contrast in strength was clear—so what if they got more infuriated than ever? Besides, brawling wasn’t tolerated at the bottom of the mountain gate of the Winter Moon Sect, and if they dared to attack, they’d only invite humiliation and suffer the Winter Moon Sect’s expulsion, having no chance in tomorrow’s exam; that would be an even worse loss.
“Sadly, Ling Han isn’t here, or else would this guy dare to be so arrogant?” Everyone was deeply resentful.
Not to mention Ling Han, Feng Yan or Yan Tian Zhao could easily suppress Zhao Hong Cheng, even Hu Niu could do it!
How unfortunate, how unfortunate…
Ling Han heard it all, and couldn’t help but smile slightly, picking up a few random stones off the ground and curling his fingers to flick them.
“Ai Ya!” Zhao Hong Cheng stumbled abruptly as his right left leg went soft and he couldn’t help but half-kneel on the ground. He immediately stood up again and shouted furiously, “Who, who dares to blindside me?”
Qi Yong Ye and the others were momentarily started, but after they heard Zhao Hong Cheng’s words, they couldn’t help but crack into laughter.
“Great expert Zhao, aren’t you a great expert, so how come you don’t know who surprise attacked you?
“As I see it, this guy just naturally loves to kneel and has weak legs, so he found an excuse.”
“Hehe, Great expert Zhao, your master’s here, come kneel down again!”
Zhao Hong Cheng was so angry that his eyes burned with rage; he turned around fiercely, looking towards Qi Yong Ye and the others; even he didn’t believe that amongst those people were an expert that could surprise attack him.
He looked toward his surroundings, and felt that most of the presences were at the Element Gathering Tier, and only a few practitioners were in the Gushing Spring Tier, much less the Spiritual Ocean Tier—he was the only one.
Could he really just have had a cramp?
He turned to try to walk, but as his right leg raised up, he felt a fierce pain in his left leg. He staggered and knelt down again.
“Pwhahahaha!” Qi Yong Ye and the others guffawed again, but also revealed surprised expressions.
Once might have been by chance, but would a Spiritual Ocean Tier have such an accident twice? Then, someone definitely did sneak-attack Zhao Hong Cheng, and that person had to possess incredible strength to be able to do it while hidden so well.
“Subject Zhao, you may rise.” Everyone naturally wouldn’t let go of such a good chance to ridicule him.
Zhao Hong Cheng stood up, and this time he really was hurt somewhat seriously. Once he stood up, he stumbled once again, kneeling straight back down. He lowered his head, and revealed an horrified expression.
Shockingly, on his knee was a bloody hole, which must’ve penetrated right through his kneecap.
‘Hiss!’
If the person wanted to kill him in secret, wouldn’t that person’s attack be able to easily penetrate through his skull? There were several hundred thousand people here, and even the Winter Moon Sect couldn’t possibly control everything, right? One hit to kill without witnesses, how would they find the murderer?
Besides, he would be dead, so what if he could get revenge?
Zhao Hong cheng wasn’t stupid, hurriedly stood up on one leg, paid respect towards his surroundings, and said, “This Senior, this junior doesn’t know where he has offended you, please forgive me. No matter what this junior has done or said, he was simply sharp-tongued but without malice!”
He paused momentarily, and when he saw that there were no movements in the surrounding, he attempted to leave with a crippled leg. And this time, he no longer suffered another attack, finally resting assured. He felt cold sweat all over his body; his clothes were soaked thoroughly, sticking close to his body.
Ling Han smiled slightly. He intentionally beat Zhao Hong Yong into a cripple, so that, at least tomorrow, Zhao Hong Yong wouldn’t be able to attend the exam. Thus, Zhao Hong Yong naturally wouldn’t encounter Qi Yong Ye and the others, and neither would he be able to enforce his threat and kill them.