Chapter 467: Chapter 466: Our Commander Has a Sensitive Soul
The final verdict.
Xu Lingjun receives fifty lashes.
Liu Siyun, for overestimating himself and provoking a far stronger comrade, is confined for three days!
Sun Qian, for bullying weaker comrades and nearly causing a fatality, is confined for seven days!
Sun Qian had no objections...
Although he was panicked, he had almost resigned himself to the idea of paying with his life. He didn’t expect that it would only result in seven days of confinement. Though it was somewhat terrifying, it was far better than before.
On the other hand, Liu Siyun felt rather indignant.
Evidently, he was not reconciled to being categorized as a weakling by Xu Lingjun, but when he looked down at the bloodstains on his chest,
and recalled the hazy glimpse of his grandmother from the Celestial Kingdom,
he knew if it wasn’t for the commander’s divine intervention that saved him, he would have been dead by now... and it would have been due to his own careless words.
In the end, he could only plead guilty.
Along with contributing 200 Source Value to Xu Lingjun.
Xu Lingjun glanced around and asked, "Does anyone object?"
The room fell silent.
Without any fatalities, the previously tense atmosphere dissipated.
Though the members of the Cuowu Sect were unwilling, since they had already lost, there was nothing more to say...
Xu Lingjun chuckled scornfully, saying, "I’ve been aware of most of the things that have happened among you recently. People reported them to me... yet I didn’t intervene, because I thought you would eventually recognize reality. However, I didn’t expect it would almost lead to a death. I really don’t understand this."
He shook his head, exasperated, saying, "You are clearly the weakest, so how can you be so arrogantly conceited? This one you look down upon, that one you disdain... where do you get the courage from? Is it your feeble strength?"
As he said this.
The faces of the Cuowu Sect members immediately turned ugly.
Elder Brother Liu Shuang of the Cuowu Sect stepped forward and said, "Supreme Elder, we truly admire your prowess, but for you to say we are the weakest..."
"Have you ever killed anyone?"
Xu Lingjun interrupted him directly, asking.
Liu Shuang was taken aback and nodded, "I have."
"How many?"
"Five!"
"Not bad, but did you know that apart from you, the person with the least kills here has killed at least a hundred people? In battles, using teeth to bite through an enemy’s throat, even when dying, using their own guts to strangle the enemy... have you ever experienced such brutal combat?"
Xu Lingjun observed Liu Shuang’s subtly changed expression and said, "It’s good that you’ve killed, but among Cuowu Sect disciples, probably more than half have never shed blood... Possessing strength but when encountering life-and-death battles, can they even stand firm out of fear? What good is strong martial prowess if a martial artist is scared senseless?"
He continued, "Sun Qian’s strength is not necessarily greater than Liu Siyun’s. Why do I say he bullies the weak? It’s about attitude... he is in a killer’s stance because mercy cannot be afforded on the battlefield. And Liu Siyun? His combat experience, mindset, and even his willpower are nowhere near Sun Qian’s. Sun Qian can exert 200% of his ability, while Liu Siyun couldn’t even bring out 70%. Liu Siyun, what justification do you have for your arrogance?"
Liu Siyun flushed red with embarrassment, replying contritely, "I’m sorry, Elder, it was reckless of me."
"If you are unsatisfied, pick anyone, put on protective gear, and get on the stage to fight. Even if they’re not as skilled, including members of the Baoyan Army Legion, see how much combat prowess they can exert compared to yourselves... and reflect honestly."
Xu Lingjun waved his hand dismissively, saying, "The Baoyan Army Legion and Bei Xuanwu Martial Mansion, hear me—everyone must accept challenges from the Cuowu Sect to the fullest extent permitted, as long as it’s not fatal, anything goes... Even if it leads to fatalities, it doesn’t matter. You’ve witnessed the power of the Immortal Bean earlier; though it’s not yet mass-produced and its supply is low, surely people won’t be dying daily?"
"Yes!"
Everyone responded in unison.
Even Liu Shuang was startled.
Yet Xu Lingjun’s words were undeniably persuasive. Having killed himself, Liu Shuang naturally knew the difference between a blade that has seen blood and one that hasn’t.
He gained a slight understanding of why Xu Lingjun evaluated the Cuowu Sect as the weakest among the three factions.
"Do your best!"
Xu Lingjun patted Liu Shuang’s shoulder, saying, "There’s still a vacant position for a Deputy Commander... waiting for you to fill, provided you have the strength. Otherwise, I’d rather keep it empty."
"Yes!"
Liu Shuang responded loudly.
Meanwhile, Ji Xiufeng, unable to contain his curiosity, asked, "Commander, what is the deal with the Immortal Bean? Clearly, Liu Siyun was seriously injured, even if he was saved, his internal organs would’ve been damaged, making martial arts impossible for life... How could an Immortal Bean heal him entirely?!"
This sparked a shift in everyone’s attention towards the miraculous scene just witnessed.
The Immortal Bean, Liu Siyun’s injuries were clearly severe enough to be fatal... This was why Cuowu Sect members were so infuriated.
But now, they realized,
their commander had used merely a small bean to completely heal Liu Siyun’s critical injuries.
Ji Xiufeng asked with concern, "His healing—does it have any side effects?"
These words startled Liu Siyun, who had not been taken away yet. He patted himself all over, exclaiming, "Does it mean I’ve expended all of my life force?"
"Rest assured, it does not."
Internally amused, Xu Lingjun sighed on the surface with resignation and said, "You all, you probably paid no heed to my previous words, did you? I’ve said before, I’m an honorary fellow of the Four Great Academies, so devising something miraculous is entirely understandable, right? Like the Interceptor Factory I mentioned earlier, did you believe me?"
The crowd remained silent.
"And the subsequent Prism Tower suggestion, and the Magnetic Storm Coil... do you know, by constructing these defensive structures, just how many casualties we could potentially reduce?"
Xu Lingjun sighed, "And yet, none of you have genuinely heeded my words."
At this, everyone displayed signs of unease and suspicion.
Liu Shuang curiously asked, "But these research topics shouldn’t require any action from us, right? Although we don’t agree with the notion that martial artists are coarse, we really aren’t well-versed in these matters..."
"But it was never my intention to build these defenses within our fortifications; I aim to construct them outside. That way, if an enemy were to invade, their forces would be thinned before they even reached our defenses."
Xu Lingjun sighed, "I already researched all this and stored it in the Transformation Capsule, but because you doubt me, how could I ask you to risk venturing with me?"
"I believe!"
Liu Siyun stepped forward resolutely, saying, "Elder, I believe you. I’ve witnessed the wonder of the Immortal Bean firsthand. Please allow me to redeem myself; you’re right. My prowess is not inferior to Sun Qian, yet I was injured by him. It indeed reflects my inadequacies. I am willing to follow you beyond the military zone, into the Outer Realm!"
"Commander, I want to go too!"
"Commander, please let me join the battlefield!"
Though slightly puzzled...
Why didn’t they believe earlier? Why didn’t Xu Lingjun simply command them to accompany him out of the city and instead insisted on them believing first?
Perhaps it’s because the Commander in Chief has a delicate and sensitive heart, having only just assumed command, and he wishes to earn everyone’s approval swiftly, rather than wielding authority to coerce.
However, with the Immortal Bean being so wondrous, what he spoke of might indeed be more remarkable.
Thinking this way, everyone promptly volunteered!
