Peng Cheng and Shi Quan exchanged glances, still not speaking, clearly having second thoughts.
“Just a Red Armor Army soldier, and he’s scared you all stiff?”
Tian Jingyi snorted coldly.
Peng Cheng sneered, “You speak with quite an attitude. A mere soldier can make your Tian Family unable to raise their heads?”
Shi Quan was equally blunt: “Exactly! If a soldier is so formidable, what will happen when Marquis Chiye returns?”
Ultimately, they feared not the Red Armor Army, but Chen Yu!
He was a Celestial Phenomenon Realm expert, capable of killing them like dogs!
Tian Jingyi was repeatedly provoked, his eyes flashing with anger, but at this moment, he needed their help, so he forcibly suppressed it and couldn’t be bothered to argue with those two.
“I’ll be direct! I need your two families to eliminate that good-for-nothing in the Hunting Ground!”
As soon as Tian Jingyi said this, Peng Cheng and Shi Quan’s eyes widened.
“Are you insane?”
“The Red Armor Army has already arrived, and you still want to act?”
“If you want to die, don’t drag us down with you!”
The two shook their heads repeatedly.
Tian Jingyi said in a deep voice, “Then I’ll tell you two the truth: Chen Yu won’t be coming back!”
Peng Cheng and Shi Quan’s hearts stirred, and they frowned, “Why should we believe you?”
Tian Jingyi exhaled deeply: “If Chen Yu could return, would I dare to lay a hand on his son? And use your brains to think carefully: if Chen Yu could truly return, our three families would probably already be razed to the ground by him, and we wouldn’t have the chance to be talking nonsense here!”
Peng Cheng and Shi Quan fell silent, still not relenting.
Tian Jingyi continued to press: “Think about the things you’ve done. Do you really think you still have a way out? You don’t know Chen Yu’s temperament? Will he give you a chance to explain?”
The two felt a chill in their hearts, and their Faces turned grim.
Seeing that the time was ripe, Tian Jingyi further enticed them: “I guarantee you, as long as that boy is killed, the position of Marquis Chiye will definitely fall to your two families. As for who gets it, you can discuss it yourselves afterward.”
Peng Cheng and Shi Quan were instantly tempted.
The Tian Family was now in the same boat as them; there seemed to be no need to deceive them?
“But that boy is so strong, how can we kill him?” Peng Cheng frowned.
Shi Quan also nodded, “Exactly!”
Tian Jingyi looked at them as if they were fools: “You don’t still think that the people from our three families were killed by that boy, do you?”
Peng Cheng subconsciously replied, “If not him, then who else could it be…?”
Suddenly, he remembered Chen Hongying.
“It’s that woman!” Shi Quan said as if waking from a dream.
Tian Jingyi nodded: “Exactly! That good-for-nothing Chen Zheng was almost beaten to death by Tian Tong in the arena, then miraculously revived, and not only that, he suddenly transformed from a good-for-nothing into a Genius! That woman must have returned around that time!”
Speaking of Tian Tong, a flicker of hatred crossed Tian Jingyi’s Face, but now was not the time to dwell on such matters. He took a deep breath and continued to analyze for the two.
“That woman deliberately didn’t show herself to plot against our three families! First, to weaken our three families’ strength, and second, to buy time!”
Tian Jingyi looked at Peng Cheng and Shi Quan with conviction: “Think about it, with Marquis Chiye’s temper, how could he have so many schemes to deal with us?”
“Since he even has to scheme against us, doesn’t that further indicate that Chen Yu has reached a dead end? And that woman is just the only force their Chen Family can rely on now!”
After Tian Jingyi’s analysis, which was well-reasoned and logical, Peng Cheng and Shi Quan nodded repeatedly.
“So that boy isn’t that strong after all?” Shi Quan asked doubtfully.
“That’s right! Before that boy entered the Demonic Beast Mountain Range, he was only at Acquired Sixth Layer cultivation. It must have been that Red Armor Army woman who was hidden in the Demonic Beast Mountain Range in advance, assassinating the people from our three families!” Tian Jingyi nodded.
“That makes sense!” Peng Cheng acknowledged.
The two followed Tian Jingyi’s words, gradually clarifying their thoughts.
They felt they had seen the “truth,” and their confidence grew!
Tian Jingyi said with certainty: “That boy had only just Broken Through to Acquired Sixth Layer when he left Yan City. Only a month has passed, so no matter how much of a Prodigy he is, his cultivation will definitely not exceed Acquired Ninth Layer!”
Peng Cheng raised an eyebrow: “But that boy can challenge those beyond his level. Our three families’ people combined might not be enough to fight him, right?”
Shi Quan also nodded: “Exactly! And the Xuanlin Academy examiners are not just for show. Internal conflict is forbidden during the Autumn Hunt. If discovered, eligibility to enter Xuanlin Academy will be permanently revoked. We dare not take such a risk lightly.”
The two’s meaning was clear: they could act, but Tian Jingyi must provide a complete plan.
Tian Jingyi was well-prepared for this, and with a malicious smile, he said: “Don’t worry, I have my own plans. Just do as I say!”
...Meanwhile.
Chen Zheng had already collected his engraved token at the Hunting Ground entrance.
The entire Hunting Ground covered an area of twenty li, and the Demonic Beasts inside had been fed a special medicine. As long as they were killed by someone carrying a token, the token would automatically record points.
Demonic Beasts below First-Tier Third Layer did not count for points.
Fourth Layer counted for one point, Fifth Layer for two points, Sixth Layer for four points, Seventh Layer for eight points... and so on.
Excluding a few pre-determined spots, the fifteen people with the highest points would have the opportunity to enter Xuanlin Academy.
Chen Zheng looked around and roughly estimated that there were at least over five hundred participants! The competition could be said to be extremely fierce.
Of course, with Chen Zheng’s strength, he didn’t need to worry about any of this.
He was only there as a formality.
Just as Chen Zheng was silently waiting, a sudden commotion arose in the crowd.
“Peng Yu is also participating? Didn’t he already get a pre-determined spot and could be exempt from the test?”
“And Shi Tianhao! He’s also a pre-determined contestant!”
“Zhu Hai!”
“Sun Sheng!”
“Why are they all here?!”
All five pre-determined contestants, except for Tian Yilin who was crippled and not yet fully recovered, had arrived at the Hunting Ground entrance and collected their engraved tokens.
After collecting their tokens, the four looked towards Chen Zheng in unison.
Especially Peng Yu and Shi Tianhao, whose killing intent was undisguised.
Everyone instantly understood.
“They’re all here for Chen Zheng!”
“I heard Peng Yu already Broke Through to Acquired Ninth Layer a few days ago!”
“Shi Tianhao also Broke Through to Acquired Ninth Layer!”
“Then Chen Zheng is in for it! Even if he can fight beyond his level, he can’t possibly defeat four people at once, can he?”
Amidst the discussions, everyone’s gaze fell upon Chen Zheng.
In the observing crowd, Ai Linna brought He Lan to Chen Hongying’s side, worriedly saying: “It seems the Tian Family intends to throw away their Face. Can your Young Lord handle it?”
Her thoughts were actually similar to Tian Jingyi’s. Chen Zheng had struggled so much to defeat Tian Yilin back then. In just one month, even if Chen Zheng’s combat power had increased, it must be limited!
Now, fighting one against four would probably be even more difficult!
Chen Hongying, however, couldn’t be bothered to respond. Her gaze swept over the three family camps, and killing intent flickered in her eyes.
But remembering Chen Zheng’s instructions, the killing intent gradually receded.
And Chen Zheng, who was the center of attention, showed no sign of panic on his Face. Instead, he revealed a brilliant smile.
He pointed at the four, then made a throat-slitting gesture, as if to say:
“Those who aren’t afraid of death, come!”