Chapter 98: Chapter 97: A Confident Person
The very next morning, just as Wen Qingye was preparing to head for the Purple Stone Arena, Lil Ya arrived.
Lil Ya looked at Wen Qingye, his tone turning grave. "Lang Feng is incredibly strong. Even as a new student, he had the power to challenge the seniors. He lost back then, but after a year of consolidation, I’d say his strength has become even more terrifying. What’s more, his cultivation has reached the Refining Essence Seventh Layer Heaven. You’re probably not his match. To prevent him from doing something malicious, I think you should just forfeit today."
Wen Qingye turned his head, his eyes calm as he looked at Lil Ya. "Oh? Is that what all of you think?"
Lil Ya gave a dry laugh. "More or less."
"Hahaha!"
Wen Qingye tilted his head back and roared with laughter. He twirled his sheathed sword in a fluid circle before swiftly sliding it onto his back. The movement was impossibly suave and graceful. Wen Qingye shook his head and said, "Forfeit? I will never forfeit in my entire life! This battle, I will win!"
Having said his piece, Wen Qingye strode off with long, decisive steps.
A glimmer shone in Xiaxia’s eyes when she heard Wen Qingye’s words. She grabbed Yunshan’s hand and hurried after him.
Lil Ya shook his head helplessly and said slowly, "Ah, you... you’re still too young."
........
The area around the Purple Stone Arena was a sea of people. The crowd spread out like a tide, stretching as far as the eye could see.
Hearing that Lang Feng intended to go to South Mountain, many students from the Inner Courtyard had come to watch this final match.
"Sis, the way I see it, Wen Qingye has no chance of winning. We can only let that scoundrel Lang Feng have his moment," Yann Xiangyang said helplessly.
The woman beside him had a calm expression, a faint smile playing on her lips. Her breathtaking beauty seemed to dim the surroundings, and she exuded the natural aura of an Exiled Immortal—unapproachable and aloof—instantly drawing the gazes of many in the crowd.
Yann Chuxue smiled faintly. "It’s fine. It’s just one Lang Feng leaving. Qig Mountain Academy’s Inner Courtyard is full of talent; we don’t care about losing him."
Yann Xiangyang frowned. "Sis, that’s not what I mean. In this Four Mountains Martial Arts Gathering, Lang Feng is already unstoppable. He’s just one small step away from claiming the championship. Once he wins the title and then goes to the Purple Sun Prefecture, Qig Mountain Academy will lose all its face!"
Yann Chuxue’s cool gaze fell upon the distant arena as she said quietly, "I know. But Lang Feng’s strength is truly impressive, no worse than that of an average Inner Courtyard student. This is the Outer Courtyard’s gathering, so there’s nothing we can do. I was able to defeat him once back then, but this year, I no longer have the chance to make a move."
At that moment, a figure appeared on the empty Purple Stone Arena. It was Lang Feng.
Lang Feng gazed arrogantly at the crowd below. His eyes found a cold and beautiful figure—Yann Chuxue. ’You defeated me back then,’ he thought. ’My strength was indeed far beneath yours. But in another year, when I return from the Purple Sun Prefecture, I will show you what true strength is. I will show you who the real frog in the well is.’
Ren Hua sighed. "Lang Feng’s strength is just too great."
"Let’s just take it one step at a time," Wei Qiutong said after a long silence.
At this moment, the crowd saw Wen Qingye approaching. A collective shiver went through them, and they quickly parted to make way. Wen Qingye walked forward with a calm expression.
Watching Wen Qingye, Guu Lei couldn’t help but sigh. "Wen Qingye truly has a great bearing. Unflustered by favor or disgrace, his expression unchanging. In a year, I believe he will be even more formidable than the Lang Feng of today."
From a distance, Gao Yuerou bit her lip as she watched Wen Qingye walk up step by step. She couldn’t help but cheer silently in her heart: ’Qingye, you can do it!’
"Go, Wen Qingye! Beat Lang Feng!"
"Yeah, beat that scoundrel!"
"Make him crawl back to the Purple Sun Prefecture with his tail between his legs!"
Seeing Lang Feng standing on the stage, the crowd was incensed. They waved their hands and shouted encouragement for Wen Qingye.
Huu Yucui looked at Wen Qingye down below the stage and said, "Lil Ya, so Wen Qingye came after all?"
Lil Ya shook his head. "There was nothing to be done. He insisted on coming."
Nie Qinglan nodded. "It’s alright. Let’s watch closely. If Lang Feng makes any strange moves, we will intervene. Geniuses have their pride. If Wen Qingye had forfeited outright, it would have only disappointed us."
Everyone on the viewing platform nodded, fully agreeing with Nie Qinglan’s words.
......
Lang Feng looked at Wen Qingye with a mocking smirk. "What, it’s you? Is Guu Lei too scared to come up and fight?"
Down below, Guu Lei’s expression changed when he heard Lang Feng’s words.
Wen Qingye smiled. "I hear you’re going to the Purple Sun Prefecture?"
A playful glint in his eyes, Lang Feng retorted, "You want to go too?"
Wen Qingye shook his head and smiled faintly. "Send my regards to Situ Haoming for me. And thank him."
Hearing Wen Qingye’s words, Lang Feng couldn’t help but frown. ’Could it be that this Wen Qingye knows Situ Haoming?’ At this thought, Lang Feng felt the situation had become a little tricky.
"If I were you, I’d forfeit right now," Lang Feng said calmly, looking at Wen Qingye. "Don’t hold on to any false hope. You are no match for me at all."
Lang Feng’s calm words echoed through the arena, but no one dared to shout back. Everyone knew that what Lang Feng said was the truth.
"Forfeit? There is no ’forfeit’ in my life," Wen Qingye said proudly, tilting his head up. "Heaven and Earth cannot make me surrender, let alone you."
Lang Feng’s eyes narrowed slightly. "To be honest, you aren’t even qualified to challenge me. I was just giving you a chance to back down gracefully."
Wen Qingye scoffed, then looked at Lang Feng. "Then who here is qualified?"
"No one in Qig Mountain Academy’s Outer Courtyard," Lang Feng said, his gaze sweeping over the crowd below. His eyes lingered for a few seconds on the Inner Courtyard students before he shook his head. "And in a few more years, I imagine no one in all of Qig Mountain Academy will be able to stand in my way."
What arrogance!
What insolence!
Lang Feng’s arrogant posture not only angered the Outer Courtyard students but also made the Inner Courtyard students frown deeply. For a moment, the arena was filled with a chorus of angry curses.
Lang Feng turned his head back to Wen Qingye. "Your aptitude is decent. To be honest, I don’t particularly enjoy suppressing a rising genius, but you made your own choice today. Don’t blame anyone else."
The moment Lang Feng said this, the expressions of everyone present changed. In a match, if someone was crippled, no one would be held accountable; after all, injuries were expected in a competition. However, the duels in the Four Mountains Martial Arts Gathering were supposed to stop once a victor was clear, and situations involving crippling injuries or death were not meant to occur.
But in Lang Feng’s words, everyone detected a sinister chill.
Wen Qingye looked at Lang Feng with a faint smile, completely unfazed. "I’m waiting!"
UPROAR!
Wen Qingye’s words were like a spark, instantly igniting the atmosphere of the entire venue. Everyone’s blood was boiling, their eyes bloodshot as they stared at the two men on the stage.
