Chen Sheng had barked orders at Yun Shu's followers multiple times, but he was completely ignored. However, Yun Shu's single word weighed more than a thousand kilograms in his followers' eyes.
This happened right in front of so many people. Chen Sheng felt that he was slapped on his face.
He stared at Yun Shu coldly and said, "You bunch of sinful, violent offenders! All of you were just released from the Valley of Crime a second ago, but now, you're already beating up other disciples for no apparent reason! As an Elder of the outer sect—"
Yun Shu directly cut him off, "Seriously, Elder Chen Sheng? For no reason? You didn't even ask!"
Chen Sheng snorted. "The four of them were besieged by your men. This is obvious."
Yun Shu smiled. "Elder Chen Sheng, we're not beating them up. This was a fair fight between disciples of the same sect. The four of them started it first, and they were also fine with the fact that we outnumber them greatly. You can ask them."
Yun Shu looked back. Feng He and the rest of the disciples hurriedly nodded.
"True! They asked for it! They wanted the fight!"
"Right! They said they wouldn't blame us if we broke their legs and arms!"
"They deserve it!"
Chen Sheng's face turned gloomy.
"Criminals' words don't count," Chen Sheng said indifferently.
Yun Shu sneered. "Elder Chen Sheng, because of the grand amnesty, we are no more criminals. Instead, we're just like everyone else in the sect. You keep calling us 'criminal' in front of so many people, which means you show no respect for the decision made by the sect at all! You're trampling on the dignity of the sect!"
Yun Shu knew that he must make a significant accusation against Chen Sheng first. Otherwise, he would just charge Yun Shu with breaching the sect rules, not leaving him the slightest chance to fight back.
Indeed. When the audience started to agree with Yun Shu and make comments, the look on Chen Sheng's face kept changing like a chameleon, but he could not utter a word.
Seeing that, Fan Wen switched the topic. "Yun Shu, you're good at nothing other than sophistry! If you didn't have so many people on your side, I would have crippled you already!"
Yun Shu immediately asked, "Oh? So you can easily defeat me… Is this what you just said?"
"Are you kidding? I can kill you with a single move!" Fan Wen sneered.
He hadn't seen Yun Shu breaking the heavy chains on Yun Wanli. In his eyes, Yun Shu was still a loser who could not cultivate.
Defeating such a loser would not waste more than a second of his time.
Hearing that, a beam of cold light flashed in Yun Shu's eyes. "Then, Senior Brother Fan Wen, you dare have a life-and-death duel with me?"
Yun Shu's words shocked Fan Wen and Chen Sheng.
A fight for life and death?
Was Yun Shu crazy?
Private fights were strictly prohibited in the Fire Mystic Sect. However, a public contest was still permitted.
If both sides agreed, witnessed by three Elders in the sect, an even harsher fight could also happen.
There were no rules at all in the duel. Both sides chose to fight at their own risk, although it was possible to be killed. The disciple who killed the other would bear no responsibility.
"I agree!" Fan Wen hurriedly said, in fear that Yun Shu would change his mind.
Then, eyes lighting up, he looked back at his master. In Fan Wen's eyes, he was absolutely going to win.
After a second of hesitation, Chen Sheng nodded with a smile. "I see. You asked for it, boy! I give permission to the life-and-death duel!"
Chen Sheng turned around and looked at the other two Elders. They had always been close to Chen Sheng, so both of them nodded. "We agree."
In their eyes, with no one backing him up, Yun Shu was just a nobody who had no idea what was waiting for him. If so, doing Chen Sheng a favor would do them no harm.
Thus, witnessed by the three Elders, the decision had been made.
Yun Wanli's face had turned ashen by now. He grabbed Yun Shu's arm and said in a trembling voice, "Shu, are you crazy? I know you're a cultivator now, but Fan Wen has been studying under Chen Sheng for so many years, and he is Chen Sheng's personal disciple! Although Fan Wen has not joined the inner sect yet, he's still very competitive as a cultivator. You…"
Yun Wanli spluttered, clearly in a state of panic.
"Father, don't worry. I'm not gonna lose." Yun Shu comforted his dad with a smile.
Obviously, Yun Wanli was still beyond concerned. Yun Shu, however, didn't spend time on explaining to his father. After making sure that Su Lingwen was still sitting on the side safe and sound, he turned around and looked at Fan Wen. "Where do you want to die? Pick a place!"
Fan Wen was so pissed that he broke out into laughter, "Boy, the only thing you learned from the past several months is arrogance! We'll go to the Wind and Cloud Platform, and I'll kill you right in front of your father!"
Fan Wen cast a vile and furious glance at Yun Wanli and walked to the designated location. Yun Shu didn't say anything but followed.
In the entire Fire Mystic Sect, a fight for life and death was rare. Therefore, all of the disciples on the scene followed the contestants.
On their way, more people joined them. Soon, under the Wind and Cloud Platform, an audience of almost three thousand gathered.
"What's going on?" asked one of those who had just joined the crowd.
"Yun Shu is having a fight for life and death with Elder Chen Sheng's student!" explained another disciple.
"Yun Shu? That loser? He wants to kill himself so bad?"
"True. Fan Wen is Elder Chen Sheng's personal disciple and probably one of the top ten disciples in the outer sect. Yun Shu is out of his mind!"
"Maybe he was just trying to catch people's eyes, but it's gone too far…"
They all believed that Fan Wen was definitely going to win, except Feng He and the rest of Yun Shu's followers.
"It's too late to regret it now." Fan Wen grinned at Yun Shu triumphantly.
"Are those your last words?" said Yun Shu coldly.
"You're still trying to talk smart. Pull out your sword!"
"You don't deserve my sword." Yun Shu grinned.
"Bastard!" Fan Wen flew into a rage, his power immediately bursting out.
Bang!
A fierce blow of freezing air swept the Wind and Cloud Platform.
"This is… Fan Wen has reached the Aqua Sky Realm?!" exclaimed someone.
"He's indeed the personal disciple of Elder Chen Sheng. Yun Shu is gonna be killed today!"
"He has no idea what he's doing!"
The discussion spread out over the crowd. Hearing that, the triumphant smile on Fan Wen's face grew even more prominent.
"Boy, today, you'll see my true power!" Fan Wen lifted his feet and jumped right at Yun Shu.
"He's fast! The fight'll end very soon…"
One of the Elders said to Chen Sheng.
However…
Crack!
Fan Wen was just slapped on his face by Yun Shu and was thrown backward by the strength.
"What?"
Even Chen Sheng was stunned.