Chapter 91: You Can’t Catch Him
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
“Are you implying that Jie Jindong is lying?” Qian Lindu frowned, questioning the accusation.
“I have no need to lie. I truly used the white candle to lure the ghost yesterday!” Jie Jindong responded coldly upon hearing Qian Lindu’s words.
“I didn’t say that Jie Jindong was lying. I merely mentioned that my two disciples also used the white candle to lure the evil spirits,” Feng Xiupu clarified, shaking his head.
“Claiming false credit is a grave offense,” the Shang Gong Hall deacon stated in a deep voice. He had believed the matter to be straightforward, but he hadn’t expected two groups to come forward. Either one of them was lying, or both sides had indeed encountered trouble. The fact that the number of casualties had decreased yesterday was indisputable.
Qian Lindu turned his attention to Chen Fei and the other two, asking, “Do you have anything to say?”
Jie Jindong remained silent but approached Chen Fei, examining him closely. Sensing that Chen Fei was only at the Bone Tempering realm, Xie Jindong furrowed his brows and turned to Guo Linshan.
“Guo Linshan, if I recall correctly, movement techniques have never been your strong suit. I doubt you’d be able to lure those creatures away with your technique alone!”
“That’s true. The main credit for this goes to Junior Brother Chen. I only showed him the way,” Guo Linshan replied with a smile. His movement technique was indeed mediocre, and if it had been exceptional, he would have been able to lure the evil spirit alone last night without risking Chen Fei’s life.
“Him?” Jie Jindong looked at Chen Fei in surprise. If Guo Linshan had claimed that Chen Fei’s movement technique had recently improved, Jie Jindong would have believed him. After all, Guo Linshan had always been talented, and his focus had been primarily on the Origin Connection Technique. This was a common practice among inner sect disciples, prioritizing the cultivation of the Origin Connection Technique and treating other techniques as secondary. Once their martial arts realm improved, learning additional techniques became easier from a strategic standpoint.
“It’s me!” Chen Fei replied, cupping his hands.
“How can you prove that?” Xie Jindong questioned, doubting Chen Fei’s abilities.
“How do you want me to prove it? And how will you prove yourself?” Chen Fei couldn’t help but laugh.
“Hahaha, now you’re questioning me!” Jie Jindong laughed heartily, scanning the surroundings. He pointed to a small bird dozens of meters away from Shang Gong Hall and said, “Do you see that bird? How long do you think it would take me to catch it?”
Everyone turned their heads to observe a small bird pecking at bugs on the ground in the open space outside Shang Gong Hall. Charging towards it from here would startle the bird, possibly causing it to fly away. Sneaking up and suddenly capturing it would be meaningless.
“I don’t think you can catch that bird,” Chen Fei glanced at the bird before returning his gaze to Xie Jindong.
“I don’t think you can either,” Guo Linshan chimed in with a loud laugh.
“Then observe closely and see fo yourself if I can catch it.” Xie Jindong, filled with anger, laughed back. He narrowed his eyes, surveyed the area outside Shang Gong Hall, and with a slight arch of his body, swiftly dashed forward.
In just a few steps, Jie Jindong reached the bird. The bird sensed the movement and immediately spread its wings to fly.
A smile appeared on Jie Jindong’s face as he stretched out his right hand, ready to catch the bird. However, before he could reach it, someone else’s hand swiftly grabbed the bird. Jie Jindong was taken aback and turned around, only to find Chen Fei standing there.
Jie Jindong was stunned. His right hand instinctively reached out to grab Chen Fei, but with a single motion, Chen Fei vanished from sight. When Jie Jindong looked up again, he saw Chen Fei standing in Shang Gong Hall, observing him from a distance.
Jie Jindong’s eyes widened gradually. Wasn’t Chen Fei supposed to be in the Bone Tempering realm? How could he possess such incredible speed? It seemed to surpass even the Visceral Tempering realm.
Not only Jie Jindong, but everyone in Shang Gong Hall was astonished by Chen Fei’s movement technique. While Jie Jindong missed the action, they witnessed every step Chen Fei took, from the moment he set off to catch the bird until he returned.
Despite starting earlier and Chen Fei’s slight delay, he still arrived at his destination before Jie Jindong. This movement technique completely overshadowed Jie Jindong’s abilities.
Qian Lindu glanced at Chen Fei and then at Feng Xiupu. This disciple was impressive, displaying remarkable skills in movement techniques. However, it was unfortunate that his cultivation level was still relatively low, only at the Bone Tempering realm at his age.
Feng Xiupu remained expressionless. He was already aware of Chen Fei’s movement technique, but upon witnessing it again today, he noticed some improvements.
Chen Fei released the little bird from his hand and watched as Jie Jindong slowly retreated.
“Now, do you believe me?” Chen Fei asked with a smile.
“Did you intentionally suppress your cultivation?” Jie Jindong stared at Chen Fei, feeling as if he had been toyed with. How could someone in the Bone Tempering realm possess such a remarkable movement technique?
With the time and effort he spent on that, why didn’t he focus on improving his cultivation? Jie Jindong suspected that Chen Fei intentionally suppressed his cultivation just to deceive him.
“Chen Fei is indeed in the Bone Tempering realm, and he didn’t suppress his cultivation,” Qian Lindu clarified.
Jie Jindong turned to Qian Lindu in disbelief, and Qian Lindu confirmed it with a slight nod. Jie Jindong’s eyes widened. What kind of monster was Chen Fei? How did he cultivate such a movement technique? Did he manipulate his cultivation time?
Feng Xiupu didn’t seem concerned, allowing his disciple to cultivate in this manner.
Various thoughts raced through Jie Jindong’s mind, but he had to face one reality. Chen Fei’s movement technique was incredibly fast, surpassing his own abilities. If he were to lure the evil, Chen Fei would have a far greater chance of success.
The other disciples who had accompanied Jie Jindong to Shang Gong Hall were there to testify on his behalf. Yet, they, too, were bewildered and uncertain about what to say.
Why did it seem like Senior Brother Jie had become the imposter?
“I did use the white candle yesterday to lure the ghost. I didn’t lie about it!” Jie Jindong exclaimed.
“Senior Brother Jie indeed lit the white candle to attract the evil. We wouldn’t dare to fabricate such claims!” a disciple softly added.
“Yes, yes. We only dared to come forward because we witnessed it
ourselves. We are aware of the sect’s rules.”
“Martial Zhang, did Jie Jindong mention how many evils he lured yesterday?” Guo Linshan, approaching the Shang Gong Hall deacon, asked respectfully.
“He said there were about a dozen.” The Shang Gong Hall deacon recalled after a moment.
“Martial Qian, do you know how many disciples returned safely yesterday?” Guo Linshan asked Qian Lindu.
“There should have been fifty or sixty, but I didn’t count them specifically,” Qian Lindu replied, puzzled by the question.
Guo Linshan smiled and approached Xie Jindong, cupping his hands. “You claimed to have lured a dozen while Junior Brother Chen and I lured about fifty. The numbers match.”
“You lured fifty?” Xie Jindong was shocked. He had attracted only a dozen evil creatures, and it was already overwhelming for him.
The others present furrowed their brows. If Guo Linshan’s claim was true, then the credit for saving so many disciples yesterday should go to Chen Fei and his companions. After all, the difference between fifty and a dozen was substantial.
“Do you doubt my words?” Guo Linshan asked, smiling.
“Words are not enough. Can you provide evidence?” Jie Jindong raised his head slightly. Although his movement technique was inferior to Chen Fei’s, it didn’t explain the large number of creatures he had attracted. After all, Chen Fei was only in the Bone Tempering realm.
“Apologies, but I do have evidence!” Guo Linshan said confidently.
From his sleeve, Guo Linshan pulled out a Photostone. He had taken a picture on purpose back then, thinking it would be more convincing if presented to Shang Gong Hall. And he happened to have it with him at the moment.
Jie Jindong’s eyes widened at the sight of the Photostone in Guo Linshan’s hand. What was Guo Linshan up to? Why did he carry a Photostone with him?
Photostones were expensive and could store only a limited number of images. Ordinary people wouldn’t typically use them.
Of course, there were some wealthy individuals who enjoyed capturing embarrassing moments and kept a few stones for personal entertainment.
Everyone present stared at Guo Linshan with curiosity and confusion, which made him feel somewhat perplexed.
“I carry this Photostone because it contains some key techniques of the Origin Connection Technique that Master taught me,” Guo Linshan explained, activating the image within the stone.
As everyone looked up, they saw Chen Fei holding a long sword. In the flickering light of the white candle, dozens of monsters appeared in the distance, their eerie figures overlapping and sending shivers down people’s spines.
Approximately fifty of these strange creatures were counted. Jie Jindong turned to Chen Fei and the others in astonishment. How did they manage to do this?
The dozen or so monsters from yesterday had nearly overwhelmed him. If not for the timely intervention of Zigui, Jie Jindong might not have survived.
“It appears they saved your life yesterday,” Qian Lindu remarked, observing Jie Jindong. Since Jie Jindong’s master had suffered severe injuries, he was absent from the gathering.
Initially concerned when Feng Xiupu mentioned that Chen Fei and his companions had also attracted the evil, Qian Lindu now saw that both sides had made the same decision, albeit with Chen Fei and the others displaying exceptional performance.
Jie Jindong lowered his head, his mind filled with conflicting thoughts. Yesterday, Jie Jindong genuinely believed he was the only one who had returned to lure the evil spirits. Given his remarkable movement technique among the many disciples on the mountain, Jie Jindong assumed the credit was rightfully his.
At that time, he was genuinely afraid, but when he lit the white candle, only a dozen strange creatures pursued him. After that, there were no more.
Upon returning to the sect, Jie Jindong noticed many surviving disciples and herb pickers. Naturally, he assumed it was all due to his efforts.
However, Jie Jindong never expected that someone else had also lured the monsters and that there were so many of them. Not only did they attract a large number, but they also recorded it with a Photostone. It was simply unbelievable.
The warden of Shang Gong Hall smiled, observing the unfolding scene. The situation had taken unexpected turns. Initially, he had suspected a disciple’s audacity in claiming undeserved credit, but fortunately, it turned out to be a misunderstanding..