Chapter 218: Chapter 126: Zhong Ming: You’re Too Late
"Who do you guys think will win this fight? Young Master Zhong Ming or the True Disciple from the Void Moon Sect?"
"I’m betting on Zhong Ming. His Pupil Technique is too strong. So far, no one’s been able to withstand a single look from him."
"But the True Disciples from the Major Sects are strong too! I’ve heard they’re on a completely different level from Inner Sect Disciples. Some True Disciples can take on ten opponents at once!"
"Young Master Zhong Ming has already defeated way more than ten Cultivators. It’s probably closer to fifty by now!"
"But that was one by one. It’s not the same as being ganged up on..."
Because both Zhong Ming and Lin Kong were incredibly powerful, the crowd on the Crescent Lake Shore argued endlessly over who would win.
And while the crowd passionately debated, each stating their case, the atmosphere within one group on the third floor of a tavern by Crescent Lake was particularly strange.
They were the three major sects of Jade Lake City.
Gazing at Zhong Ming, who stood tall in the center of Crescent Lake, facing challenges from heroes from all corners, Luo Qi wore a dazed expression as if in a dream, even though he had witnessed this sight several times before.
"How can he be this strong?!"
"What did the Seven Profound Sect ever do to deserve this? How could they possibly cultivate a hidden dragon, a chosen one like him?!"
As the Sect Leader of the Mist and Smoke Sect, who also had connections to the Cloud Heaven Sect, Luo Qi had once been full of ambition.
Back in Jade Lake City, and when he first arrived in Qinghe Prefecture City, he had planned to use the power of Jiang Ye, the Cloud Heaven Sect’s True Disciple, to suppress the Golden Armor Sect and the Seven Profound Sect. He wanted to consolidate the power of Jade Lake City’s three major sects to face the coming calamity together.
However, his plans had been wonderful.
But before he could even act on them, his world came crashing down. The Seven Profound Sect had produced a hidden dragon—one of their disciples had allied with Princess Qingyue and was arrogantly treating everyone in the Qinghe Commandery Mansion as a challenger.
What pained him even more was that Zhong Ming had largely succeeded, subjugating countless people with nothing but his eyes.
"On what basis? Why would a small sect like the Seven Profound Sect be able to cultivate such a peerless genius!"
The bitterness in Luo Qi’s heart was accompanied by an unspoken thought: ’A genius like that... why couldn’t he have been one of ours!’
Heartache, jealousy, and the feeling that his ambitions were now impossible to achieve—this was the sour state of Luo Qi’s mind.
Meanwhile, a young woman in the room was also staring, dumbfounded, her face a mask of disbelief.
That person was Luo Xiaoxuan, Luo Qi’s own daughter.
"Impossible. He shouldn’t be this powerful!"
She found Zhong Ming’s power somewhat difficult to accept.
The reason for this was related to a private conversation she’d had with her father after arriving in Qinghe Prefecture City.
Before all this, Zhong Ming had already been a rising star in Jade Lake City. To recruit this hero, Luo Qi had planned for his daughter to return to the Mist and Smoke Sect and start a relationship with Zhong Ming.
Naturally, the proud and arrogant Luo Xiaoxuan was unwilling. She felt that being paired with Zhong Ming from the ’countryside’ was an insult to her, and she had a huge fight with her father over it.
"I’m not coming back! I’m doing great at the Cloud Heaven Sect, and I don’t need you meddling in my future!"
In response to Luo Xiaoxuan’s rebellion, Luo Qi remained calm—and cut off her financial support.
Luo Qi understood that his own daughter looked down on the Mist and Smoke Sect, and even on him, but he had never taken it to heart.
As an adult, he knew very well that strength, status, and money... these were everything.
His daughter liked the Cloud Heaven Sect and thought it was a wonderful place because she used to have Spirit Stones and could spend lavishly to make friends.
Once she lost all that, she would be nothing in the Cloud Heaven Sect.
’You don’t need me? Heh, if you can last even one month, I’ll acknowledge your willpower... Besides, once I unify the three major sects, I can call Qing’Er, Yan’Er, and the others back.’
In reality, it didn’t even take a month. In just three days, Luo Xiaoxuan experienced the cold realities of the world.
After arriving in Qinghe Prefecture City, the Cloud Heaven Sect disciples still invited her out as usual, but they made her pay for everything.
Having no habit of saving, on the very first day, she was mortified to discover she didn’t have enough Spirit Stones to cover everyone’s bill.
By the second day, forget about paying for others; she didn’t even have enough for her own expenses.
On the third day, the way the others looked at her had already started to change. There were hints of resentment, and her status within the group plummeted...
By then, without Luo Qi needing to say another word, Luo Xiaoxuan understood. She couldn’t do anything on her own, and the Cloud Heaven Sect was not the kind and perfect place she had imagined.
However, Luo Xiaoxuan had not yet given in. So, instead of reflecting on her own faults, she came to resent her father... and Zhong Ming.
’It’s all your fault I was so humiliated...’
Blaming everything on Zhong Ming, she wished from the bottom of her heart for him to fail. She even held on to a naive hope—that if Zhong Ming were defeated, her life would return to ’normal.’
But Zhong Ming’s successive victories shattered her fantasy again and again.
Now, she had her hands clasped together, silently praying for Zhong Ming’s defeat.
Then, she turned her gaze to Jiang Ye, hoping to hear his assessment.
The other disciples from the Cloud Heaven Sect did the same.
In response, although Jiang Ye’s hands, hidden in his sleeves, were clenched tightly, his expression remained relatively calm.
"Zhong Ming’s strength is somewhat beyond my expectations, but this time, barring any surprises, he is bound to lose... The Major Sects value their reputation greatly. Since the Void Moon Sect dared to send Lin Kong out, they must be completely confident of victory."
This statement made Luo Xiaoxuan breathe a sigh of relief, but before a smile could even form on her face, a cold snort sounded from nearby. "Heh, if the Major Sects valued their reputation as much as you say, they wouldn’t have waited until now to make a move! I’ve been listening, you know. Everyone outside is saying the Void Moon Sect is useless and doesn’t dare to fight. That Lin Kong was probably forced into this with no other choice!"
