In the direction the voice came from, the figures of several people appeared, all of them in the air, rapidly flying towards them.
The people flying over included both male and female cultivators and apparently while flying, they hadn’t used any kind of talisman tools, so they were obviously all at the sixth qi layer or above. Yang Chen’s eyebrows wrinkled, it was a rare occasion for him and his Senior Sister to speak, but all of a sudden a heap of garbage had come to interrupt them? Seeing Gongsun Ling, who was frowning resentfully, he immediately thought of a plan within his heart.
“Who says that? Complete nonsense!”
Yang Chen surprisingly refuted without taking the time to think.
“Who is spreading this rumor? You must not spread falsehoods, there is no reason to throw away your dignity as cultivators!”
The other party was approaching with great momentum, but they hadn’t expected that Yang Chen would declare it as untrue. Suddenly the cultivator who had earlier taken the lead to talk had gotten caught up in an awkward situation. Originally he had thought to use this rumor to ridicule Yang Chen, but how could he expect that Yang Chen would immediately deny it Yang Chen had outrightly denied it, What did he mean by flaring up the rumor? In addition to that, Yang Chen’s tone was unforgiving, denying what he had said and directly putting the label of a person who spreads falsehoods on him, actually making him appear like someone who is reckless to everyone.
“Fellow Daoist Gongsun Ling of the Pure Yang Palace is also here, why don’t you say something, this Fellow Daoist Yang Chen, could it be that he is not that Yang Chen of those mad rumors, who had killed those assassins?”
Under the lead of the male youth, these people landed and started raising difficult questions for Gongsun Ling. Yang Chen had immediately denied it, without using any kind of excuse, however being defeated by Yang Chen, left all of them inwardly sulking so they could not avoid asking the higher level disciple of the Pure Yang Palace.
“This is my younger apprentice brother Yang!”
Gongsun Ling put on an icy expression, and rudely asked back:
“However, what relation does this have with you? Could it be those assassins were sent by you?”
“Not at all, we had no grudges with this Younger Brother Yang, nor any recent hatred. Why would we look for assassins?”
The leading youth, without paying the slightest attention to Gongsun Ling’s questions, continued as before and smiling happily said:
“Moreover, if we really had any disagreement, could we not take care of it by ourselves? To ask other people to take care of this, truly ridiculous. Unless, like some people we were afraid to injure the disciples of the same sect and not dare do it by ourselves?”
Within his words, mockery for Pure Yang Palace’s internal strife was evident.
“In that case, does Fellow Daoist Han intend to replace me now and clean house in the sect?”
Although Gongsun Ling was usually very good natured, when facing this kind of provocation, she would absolutely counterattack severely regardless. Even though Yang Chen was on her side, she was also his Senior. This time, she wanted to help Yang Chen out of the predicament.
“I dare not, I dare not!”
This male, surnamed Han was known as Han Jian De, he was an outer disciple of TianQuan sect and similar to Gongsun Ling he was a sixth qi layer disciple. Today he had received the information that Yang Chen was coming over, so he had intentionally rushed over to ridicule him, however, he hadn’t anticipated meeting Gongsun Ling.
Facing Gongsun Ling, whose cultivation level was similar to him, Han Jian De did not dare to taunt Yang Chen with that kind of tone. Saying ‘I dare not’ few times afterward, Han Jian De immediately turned his sight towards Yang Chen and, laughing happily, said:
“Younger Disciple Yang, since it is just a rumor, whether it is true or not, Younger Disciple Yang should not deny it in front of everyone, so as to avoid influencing Pure Yang Palace’s reputation, alright!”
“Naturally, naturally!”
Under Gongsun Ling’s astonished gaze, Yang Chen took a step forward and very affirmatively said:
“I don’t know which bastard had spread this rumor to create confusion, but if it attracts, even more, senseless people, who are depraved enough to kill their mothers and fathers, running to come here, how can it be alright if I do not deny the rumor?”
It was like a buddhist monk cursing a bald donkey. If Han Jiande and the group of people who had come with him could have restrained themselves, they would not have come to trouble Yang Chen just because of some rumors. Even in this life there was no lack of such laughably annoying people among cultivators, who couldn’t tolerate it if other people’s reputation was stronger than theirs.
“Does Fellow Daoist Yang have any way to disprove this rumor? Do you want to kowtow and apologize to all the people who have heard the rumor?”
Han Jiande sneered and rudely said. All the people behind him were same type of people and Yang Chen’s earlier words had evoked their rage, but now naturally they all had heard what was said and burst into laughter, trying to make fun of him.
“Oh? So Fellow Daoist Han’s sect’s rule to disprove a rumor, is to kowtow to all the people who had heard the rumor from the person who the rumor was about!”
Yang Chen opened his mouth and in a flash turned around towards Gongsun Ling and said:
“Senior Apprentice Sister, when I was on my way here, I heard a few rumors pertaining to Fellow Daoist Han’s sect leader, we must not allow Fellow Daoist Han to take this message, otherwise, wouldn’t his sect’s leader have to come to me to refute the rumor?”
Gongsun Ling started laughing without saying anything. However hearing this, Han Jiande’s lungs almost exploded. What kind of words? What could make his sect leader come and kowtow to Yang Chen to refute them?
“You dare to humiliate my sect leader? To dishonor Tian Quan Sect’s sect master?”
Han Jiande was greatly angered and shouted towards Yang Chen in his fury.
“Eh?”
Yang Chen was standing right next to him, but without the slightest amount of fear he said:
“In accordance with Han Fellow Daoist’s way of thinking, wouldn’t refuting the rumor be insulting your sect leader, Tian Quan sect’s sect master? Then I cannot understand how can you insult my Pure Yang Palace’s Palace Master?”
“You!”
Han Jiande pointed his fingers towards Yang Chen, suddenly finding himself at a loss for words. Yang Chen had just a moment ago had certainly said that his sect master would have to come to refute the rumor, however, he hadn’t said his sect master must kowtow and apologize, but what he said before was clearly implying this. But, regardless of the words used, he was unable to find any fault with Yang Chen, because whatever Yang Chen had said was all in accordance with his own opinion, using his own words to counterattack. If he said that Yang Chen was wrong, then it would be like beating his own face.
“Then it seems it was just that Fellow Daoist Yang had stated the facts, we just misunderstood!”
Han Jiande was just about to say something but was obstructed by a female standing behind him. After stopping Han Jiande, the female turned towards Yang Chen and said to him with a smiling expression.
“We are also not aware which bastard had spread this rumor!”
Yang Chen started cursing fiercely and then said:
“The words that were passed on were only half of the truth, is he not aware that this can cause misunderstandings?”
As soon as he opened his mouth to start talking, even Gongsun Ling was turning around somewhat astonishedly. What did he mean by ‘half of the truth’? Could it be that Yang Chen actually had killed more than three seventh qi layer and one-eighth qi layer assassin? And was even doubling the number?
The people sitting opposite to him, including Han Jiande, had almost gone silly listening to this. Not because of shock, though, the shock was already over at an earlier time, what they were amazed by was where Yang Chen could get this kind of guts, actually daring to talk rubbish like this? He had already denied the rumor, wouldn’t anything else he bragged about immediately be considered as a lie?
“Could it be that Fellow Daoist Yang meant that the rumor was missing half the information? Are you saying that Fellow Daoist Yang killed six seventh qi layer and two eighth qi layer masters?”
With such an opportunity, Han Jiande had to open his mouth and ask this with sinister intentions.
“What I am saying is that I have the strength of the second qi layer and not the first qi layer!”
Yang Chen looked at the group like he was looking at a group of idiots, then softly mumbling to himself:
“Damn, I have finally realized who had spread these rumors, what the heck!”
Although Yang Chen mumbled in a very soft voice, all the people present at the scene were cultivators, so each and everyone clearly heard Yang Chen’s words. Yang Chen started cursing even more, which could be heard very clearly, without missing a word.
However after hearing Yang Chen’s words, Gongsun Ling slightly laughed within her heart, the coldness on her face decreasing by a little. This Younger Disciple Yang was not someone easy to deal with.
Han Jiande almost exploded with anger, the group had come to make Pure Yang Palace lose face, but, in the end, were being abused by Yang Chen’s vagueness and without any opportunity to fight back, how could they not to be furious at him?
“I do not know if Fellow Daoist Yang will be interested, but how about we compare notes with each other?”
Within his anger Han Jiande was unable to deal with the fact that he had the strength of the sixth qi layer while the opponent was merely at the second qi layer and as soon as he opened his mouth, he issued a challenge.
“Compare notes?”
Yang Chen shook his head.
“I am not a worthy opponent for you to compare notes with, let it pass ok!”
“Why, does Younger Disciple Yang not have the guts?”
Hearing Yang Chen admit defeat just like that, everyone, including Gongsun Ling, were all somewhat astonished. Han Jiande had nearly coughed up a mouthful of blood, as he had so lightly and elegantly avoided him, it was as if he, Han Jiande, had used his full strength to launch a punch but was only able to hit empty air, that kind of uncomfortable feeling.
He wanted to provoke him, but the opponent had already admitted defeat, how could he be provoked now? Even worse, Yang Chen was a second qi layer cultivator, for him to be defeated by a sixth qi layer cultivator was not a matter for which he would lose his face.
“This has nothing to do with guts.”
Yang Chen shook his head and walked behind Gongsun Ling:
“There are a lot of rules when comparing notes in a contest, so I will not be your opponent. However, if Fellow Daoist Han is really interested, he might as well find me anytime and issue a life and death duel!”
After he finished speaking, he did not pay any more attention to Han Jiande, and directly turned towards Gongsun Ling and said:
“Has Senior Apprentice Sister not come here to receive me? Surely the elders of the sect will be anxious, we must leave at once!”
Gongsun Ling nodded without speaking and immediately started walking. Yang Chen followed suit started following her closely, directly arriving in front those people. However these people did not dare to stop them, and their bodies moved sideways, letting the two go by. Walking a few steps ahead, Yang Chen then came back and said:
“There are only a few days left until the assembly ends, I will be here the entire time, Fellow Daoist Han must not delay!”
He walked a few steps again, but Yang Chen once again turned back and left behind this sentence:
“Fellow Daoist Han, by all means, don’t tell me, you don’t have the guts!”
Just a moment ago Han Jiande had ridiculed Yang Chen, but Yang Chen had returned his words to him. Even if Han Jiande was considering to not initiate this challenge again, this time, he could not help himself.However Yang Chen’s last words, to find him anytime, clearly did not allow him any reasons to settle the dispute in private, Han Jiande was forced into a corner.
Watching Gongsun Ling and Yang Chen enter the small town, Han Jiande and the people together with him looked at each other in dismay, soon they started blaming each other and rapidly left to go to look for their own sect’s elder.
“Younger Disciple, you should not have forced him like that a moment ago.”
After Gongsun Ling entered the small town, she suddenly gasped and said:
“If you keep on making enemies for no reason at all, the gains will not make up for your losses!”
“If I hadn’t provoked him, then would he not still come knocking on my door?”
Yang Chen laughed.
“Anyway they had already come to my door, so making them understand the consequences is not bad, otherwise others would take me for a pushover!”
Gongsun Ling had thought of saying something, but hearing Yang Chen’s words in the end she didn’t say anything, merely rapidly leading Yang Chen to the branch of the Thousand Autumn Pavilion here. It was a stronghold of the Pure Yang Palace, every year at the assembly at Floating Mountain, it was their responsibility to take care of the Pure Yang Palace’s disciples’ everyday life.
The Pure Yang Palace also had a JieDan stage expert hurry to come here, but he was not a person who Yang Chen was familiar with. Yang Chen merely paid a formal routine visit once and then went to the room arranged for him to rest in, no longer caring about others. Gongsun Ling however was not as free and easy as Yang Chen and had to report the incident to the elder.
“This youngster, he is quite resolute, contrary to what one might assume!”
This JinDan stage expert, the Hall Master Xu Chengxin of the Foreign Affairs Hall in the Pure Yang Palace, he seemed to have more foresight than other people.
“To use a petty guy and to make other people no longer look at Pure Yang Palace with skepticism was a good trick. As long as he wins this time, I will handle the remaining ones, our Pure Young Palace has not had such an interesting disciple in a long time!”
Hearing Xu Cheng Xin’s words, Gongsun Ling also let go of the worries in her heart. Merely in her heart she was still somewhat uneasy, if Han Jiande insisted on having a Life and death challenge, how would Yang Chen be able to continue? She could only hope that Yang Chen had received a genuine killer weapon when killing those assassins.
Han Jiande quickly returned to Tuan Qing sect’s encampment and hurriedly reported the incident to his own sect’s elder. The elder in charge of Tian Quan sect’s affairs in this town, was the master of Tian Quan sect’s Foreign Affairs Hall, and the same as Pure Yang Palace’s elder, a JieDan stage expert. In front of his own Hall Master, Han Jiande didn’t conceal the slightest bit of truth, he was aware that if he told lies, his hall master could determine even the smallest of lies so he basically did not dare.
“You have made enemies with the Pure Yang Palace?”
The foreign affair hall’s hall master wrinkled his brows while listening and asked with a frown.
“I have not!”
Han Jiande hastily replied, what a joke, he was an outer disciple, why would he make enemies with the Pure Yang Palace, even if the Pure Yang Palace was a small sect it still had a few YuanYing experts to keep a watch and he wasn’t arrogant enough to dare to challenge Pure Yang Palace.
“Then do you have an enmity with that Yang Chen?”
The Foreign Affair Hall’s Hall Master again asked wrinkling his brows.
“No, I don’t!”
Han Jiande, not daring to hide anything, shook his head again.
“You had no grievance or enmity with Pure Yang Palace, neither do you have any grievance or enmity with that Yang Chen, but hearing some rumors that someone has killed few people above his realm you immediately go to seek that person to trouble him?”
The Foreign Affair Hall’s Hall Master could not help but ask this question. His voice contained extreme dissatisfaction.
“Disciple, disciple…….”
Han Jiande did not know what he should say at that time and could only make a few mumbling noises, he was unable to say any other words.
“A sixth qi layer cultivator challenging a second qi layer cultivator, you also really said it and did it, still you merely dared to challenge him to compete with him to learn by interaction, but did not dare to challenge him to life and death duel, you really did give my Tian Quan sect great face!”
The Foreign Affair Hall’s Hall Master did not know what to say to Han Jiande.
“Will your win be honorable? Would his loss give you any benefits? Don’t tell me you have never used your head before?”
The color of Han Jiande’s face turned ashen, only then he noticed how pointless and stupid his previous actions had been. If Yang Chen was unable to defeat him, the faults in Pure Yang Palace’s rumors could be easily exposed, but he would make himself the target of Pure Yang Palace’s hatred. Has the lard gotten to his head at the time that he insisted on troubling this person?
“He has already invited you to fight a life and death challenge if you don’t dare then immediately admit defeat and return and enter seclusion for ten years!”
The Hall Master of the Foreign Affairs Hall instructed him to do as he wished.
“And if you dare, then tomorrow you have to challenge him at once and must not lose face for my Tian Quan sect!”