"Greetings, Sect Chief!" Chen Xiong, Zhu Wanchen, and the several core disciples stepped forward and knelt in salute.
Chen Hao and Huang Xiaolong also stepped up to salute Gu Ling, but due to the status granted by their king rank godheads, neither of them were required to kneel. This was their special right.
Gu Ling nodded. Together with Lin Shen, Cao Yang, Zhuang Xuan, and the others, he looked at Chen Hao and Huang Xiaolong.
"Chen Hao, this matter ends here. If this happens again, I will punish you according to the rules." Gu Ling warned Chen Hao, his tone irrefutable.
It was clear Gu Ling was genuinely angry this time.
"Yes, Sect Chief." Chen Hao respectfully complied. At this point, he dared not refute the Sect Chief in public.
Seeing this slightly eased Gu Ling's expression as he looked at the collapsed mansion behind Huang Xiaolong. As an afterthought, he added, "You destroyed Huang Xiaolong's Sanctity of Order Mansion, this Sect Chief will deduct a year of your monthly allowance and give it to Huang Xiaolong as compensation."
Chen Hao's smooth brows creased a little, but he still complied in the end.
Gu Ling finally nodded with satisfaction at Chen Hao's behavior.
However, right at this time, Huang Xiaolong who had been silent this entire time suddenly spoke, "Sect Chief, I would like to challenge Chen Hao!"
"What?!" Out of everyone's expectation, Huang Xiaolong actually wished to challenge Chen Hao, even Gu Ling was stunned by this request.
Subsequently, Cao Yang, Zhuang Xuan, Huang Junfei, and the other Grand Elders close to Chen Hao snickered in contempt as they looked at him. This Huang Xiaolong's Sanctity of Order Mansion was just destroyed by Chen Hao and he was nearly forced to kneel, he had basically lost all face. But now was he was trying to use this challenge as an excuse to restore some face?
'He truly doesn't know how to write the word 'death'!'
Chen Hao slowly tilted his head in Huang Xiaolong's direction, erupting into sudden laughter. Anyone could hear the ridicule and disdain in his voice.
Gu Ling's face turned grim, snapping at Huang Xiaolong, "Nonsense!"
Just like everyone else, he thought that Huang Xiaolong was too impulsive and only wanted to regain some face, thus recklessly uttering some foolish words.
Huang Xiaolong watched Chen Hao, who was barely able to stand straight from laughing, and said, "Chen Hao, I officially challenge you in the upcoming battle for the chief disciple position, dare you accept?"
Truthfully, Huang Xiaolong challenging Chen Hao wasn't because he was impulsive.
Although Chen Hao complied with Gu Ling's orders, it didn't mean he wouldn't cause trouble for Huang Xiaolong in the near future. If he was within the Barbarian God Sect, Chen Hao would not personally attack him, but what if he left the sect? He couldn't hide here forever.
Moreover, although it might be inconvenient for Chen Hao to do anything himself, he had his cronies and others who were willing to obey him. Instead of waiting for a hidden arrow out of nowhere, it was better to challenge Chen Hao.
This way, Chen Hao's hands would be restricted to a certain degree until the chief disciple competition.
Everyone was a little stupefied looking at Huang Xiaolong, he wanted to challenge Chen Hao to battle during the chief disciple competition?
Chen Hao stopped laughing and observed Huang Xiaolong with bloodthirst in his eyes, mocking, "Dare I accept?" He turned toward Gu Ling, "Sect Chief, you've seen it for yourself. This is Huang Xiaolong himself challenging me to battle, I am not to blame." Then he scoffed at Huang Xiaolong, "Huang Xiaolong, I accept your challenge. On the battle stage, I will make sure you understand the tragic consequences of offending me, Chen Hao!"
"Sect Chief, if there's nothing else, we will take our leave." Chen Hao bowed slightly at Gu Ling.
Gu Ling opened his mouth, but could only nod in the end.
Chen Hao, Chen Xiong, Zhu Wanchen, and the others flew away.
Gu Ling looked at Huang Xiaolong, unable to disguise the disappointment in his eyes as he shook his head. He then turned to Lin Shen and the other Grand Elders, "Let's go."
In a short moment, everyone had left. Before leaving, Cao Yang, Zhuang Xuan, and a few Grand Elders snorted in ridicule.
Huang Xiaolong watched Gu Ling's group leave with a calm expression. It was obvious that Gu Ling was disappointed in him, thinking he was too impulsive when no one thought he was capable of defeating Chen Hao, yet still stubbornly challenged him.
In Gu Ling's eyes, Huang Xiaolong's action was too childish.
After everyone left, Huang Xiaolong's gaze swept over the collapsed mansion, snorting coldly, "Chen Hao, I too will let you know the tragic consequences of offending me."
Two hours later, Huang Xiaolong appeared at the Soaring Sky Hall. When the Hall Elder understood that Huang Xiaolong was there to arrange for a new cultivation mansion, he looked at him with a weird expression, but did not ask too many questions, directly arranging another place.
His new accommodation was still on the Stone Lion Peak, as the few cultivation mansions on the Stone Lion Peak were the best among the ones allocated to inner disciples.
When Huang Xiaolong walked out of the Soaring Sky Hall, some inner disciples saw him and shook their heads, laughing and whispering.
About two hours had passed since he had challenged Chen Hao, and most of the inner disciples already got wind of it by now.
"I heard that, after Huang Xiaolong's mansion was destroyed by Eldest Senior Brother Chen Hao, in order to regain some face, he challenged Eldest Senior Brother Chen Hao to battle in the upcoming chief disciple competition!"
"Really?"
"Of course it's true, it just happened two hours ago. The news has spread by now."
"Huang Xiaolong also has a king rank godhead. His talent is amazing, but still far from Eldest Senior Brother Chen Hao's, yet he still dared to challenge him? Is he out of his mind? Eldest Senior Brother Chen Hao's strength is unfathomable, he may have already broken through to Ninth Order Heavenly God Realm. By the time the chief disciple competition arrives, he may even be even a Tenth Order Heavenly God! At that time, what could Huang Xiaolong's cultivation be, maybe only Fourth Order Heavenly God Realm or so."
"Eldest Senior Brother Chen Hao already said he would let Huang Xiaolong know the tragic consequences of offending him, that Huang Xiaolong is dead for sure. He himself went and challenged Eldest Senior Brother Chen Hao, the Sect Chief cannot stop it."
Various similar conversations were taking place.
Huang Xiaolong remained unaffected, ignoring these inner disciples as he returned to the Stone Lion Peak, to his new cultivation mansion whose name he changed to 'Sanctity of Order'.
In the Barbarian God Sect's back mountain, Lu Zhuo's brows were locked together after hearing Gu Ling's report about Huang Xiaolong's challenge, only saying, "I know." He then waved Gu Ling away.
Lu Zhuo shook his head, sighing, "This Huang Xiaolong…"
No further sound came from the cultivation dwelling.
Ten days later, Huang Xiaolong appeared on the streets of Pingyi City.
Coming out this time, he planned to go to the Lin Family Fort and take that Zhenyu Sect treasure map. At first, Huang Xiaolong wanted to take care of Lin Chaoqun's son before leaving, but Lin Sheng had been keeping himself inside the Barbarian God Sect these days, not giving Huang Xiaolong any chances to do so. This matter had to be postponed.
After staying for a day in Pingyi City, Huang Xiaolong left, entering the Blood Phoenix Forest.
Just like how he crossed through the Blood Phoenix Forest more than a year ago, Huang Xiaolong planned to do the same to reach the Lin Family Fort. This way, he could hunt and cultivate while traveling.
Not long after he entered the Blood Phoenix Forest, inside an Elephant Genesis Sect palace hall, Zhao Chenyuan received news of Huang Xiaolong entering the Blood Phoenix Forest alone.
"Master, that Huang Xiaolong shouldn't be the person who killed Junior Brother, right?" Chen Wenyuan hesitated.
He knew very well his Junior Brother Han Yang's strength.
Zhao Chenyuan sneered, "Whether it was him or not, we'll know after capturing Huang Xiaolong and scouring his soul. However, I have something else to do and am unable to go personally, you go and capture him. Remember, do it discreetly, do not leave any traces that can bring linked to us."