Chapter 199: Fire-Starter Expert

Liu Wenchen also realized what was happening. A surge of anger shot straight to his head. Tie Bubai had audaciousy come to Qingyun Sect, publicly extorting them with an empty jade box! He recalled Tie Bubai's previous arrogance, his condescending attitude, his veiled threats, and his inflated demands. He was furious. He slammed the table, leapt to his feet, and roared, "Where do you think you're going?"

Like a great bird, he immediately blocked Tie Bubai and struck him in the chest with a palm.

Tie Bubai paled in shock and quickly raised his palm to counter. But how could he be a match for Liu Wenchen, the Sect Master? He was sent stumbling backward by the blow. Seizing the opportunity, Liu Wenchen snatched the jade box, tore off the seal, and opened it. It was indeed empty!

This completely settled the minds of Liu Wenchen and the elders. Although they didn't know why the Giant Sect, despite successfully bidding for the jade talisman, was left with an empty jade box, Tie Bubai had truly attempted to extort a million spirit stones with an empty box! The realization filled everyone with a deep sense of insult.

He was treating the Qingyun Sect members like three-year-olds! If Jiang Fan hadn't timely reminded them to inspect the box, they would have been fooled. What was even more hateful was that even after it was revealed the box was empty, he pretended as if nothing had happened and continued to threaten Qingyun Sect. If Jiang Fan hadn't prompted them again, Qingyun Sect would have believed his sudden "realization" and politely sent him away as a guest. All these actions made them feel as disgusted as if they had swallowed a fly.

Wen Hongyao, who had the most fiery temper, slammed the table and exclaimed, "You dog!" She continued, "How dare you treat all our Qingyun Sect elders like fools? Sect Master, don't let him off!" The other elders were also seething with rage.

Tie Bubai hastily said, "Sect Master Liu, Elders, it's all a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding. Please, let's not harm the harmony between our two sects."

Jiang Fan scoffed, "When you held the jade box and tried to manipulate us from your high horse, you didn't seem to care about the harmony between our sects, did you?" He then turned to Liu Wenchen. "Master! If word gets out that our Qingyun Sect was humiliated like this, yet he was allowed to leave unscathed, won't just any Tom, Dick, or Harry dare to try their luck with us in the future?"

He didn't want to fan the flames. Doing so would make an irreconcilable enemy. However, Tie Bubai clearly held a grudge against him. If he didn't take this chance to incapacitate him, he would face trouble later.

Liu Wenchen, who had no intention of letting Tie Bubai off the hook, became even more enraged upon hearing Jiang Fan's words. His eyes gleamed with a cold light as he stared intently at Tie Bubai: "Daring to act so presumptuously in my Qingyun Sect demands a suitable price!" With that, he decisively made his move!

Tie Bubai shrieked in alarm. But how could he, alone in the main hall of Qingyun Sect, possibly escape? *Crack!* In just a few moves, Liu Wenchen severely injured his chest, breaking several bones. Immediately after, his arms were broken. Only then did Liu Wenchen stop, huffing, "Breaking your arms will teach you a lasting lesson! It will also let the world know what happens when one acts audaciously in my Qingyun Sect!"

The other elders secretly nodded in agreement. After all, he was a Grand Elder of the Giant Sect; breaking his arms was sufficient punishment.

Tie Bubai, having suffered a great loss, endured the intense pain and bowed in apology, saying, "Thank you, Sect Master Liu, for your leniency!" As he spoke, his peripheral vision was fixed on Jiang Fan with intense malice. Everything that happened today was thanks to him! He swore that given the chance, he would flay him alive!

A chill ran down Jiang Fan's spine. He had been targeted by a viper! He rolled his eyes and said, "Master, isn't this punishment a bit too light? If one of our sect's elders went to extort the Giant Sect with an empty jade box, would Sect Master Kong let them off so easily?"

Liu Wenchen and the elders put themselves in that position and their expressions darkened. How petty was Kong Yuanba? His own nephew, inferior in skill, had lost to Jiang Fan, and he had vilely triggered the beast horde in Beast King Mountain. If an elder from Qingyun Sect truly dared to imitate Tie Bubai, given Kong Yuanba's temperament, he would have instantly struck them down. How could he be so lenient as to merely break a pair of arms?

Seeing Liu Wenchen swayed, Jiang Fan continued, "Master, the beast tide is imminent, and chaos is bound to erupt across the lands of the Nine Sects. At that time, everyone will be looking out for themselves, and conflicts will be unavoidable. Even among the Nine Sects, clashes will be difficult to prevent. If other sects think Qingyun Sect is lenient and easily bullied, we will face endless trouble. Why not seize this opportunity, before the great chaos arrives, to use decisive measures to deter the other sects? Let them know that Qingyun Sect is not to be trifled with!"

This... Liu Wenchen and the elders exchanged glances, all falling into thought. Clearly, Jiang Fan's words made perfect sense. Under normal circumstances, letting Tie Bubai go would not have been an issue. At worst, they might have been secretly scorned for being too lenient. But at this critical juncture, whoever appeared weak would be seen as easy to bully during the beast tide. Therefore, not only could they not be lenient with Tie Bubai, they had to deal with him severely. This would sternly warn everyone.

Seeing the shift in their expressions, Jiang Fan added fuel to the fire, saying: "Master, Tie Bubai publicly committed such an egregious act, no matter how we deal with him, the Giant Sect won't dare to utter a sound! They'll just have to swallow their pride and their blood!"

This undoubtedly struck a chord with Liu Wenchen. His previous restraint was indeed out of consideration for the Giant Sect's reaction. Hearing this, his mind cleared instantly! Tie Bubai had committed such a disgraceful act; how could the Giant Sect possibly endorse him? As he thought this, and recalled Kong Yuanba's previous act of triggering the beast tide, new grievances and old hatreds merged, to be settled all at once today!

Liu Wenchen's eyes grew cold. "Tie Bubai, my disciple is absolutely right. Letting you go like this would be far too lenient!" Tie Bubai turned ashen, "Sect Master Liu, calm down, don't let your disciple mislead you... What are you doing... Ah..." He screamed, "Liu Wenchen! You... you severed my tendons!"

As a martial artist specializing in physical techniques, their physical body was paramount. With severed tendons, one couldn't exert any strength, rendering their entire cultivation useless. It was equivalent to a cultivation practitioner having their Dantian crippled. The elders also felt their hearts leap in shock. The esteemed Grand Elder of the Giant Sect had been crippled just like that!

Liu Wenchen's eyes were cold. He snorted, "Come on, throw him out of Qingyun Sect!" Several disciples immediately stepped forward and carried Tie Bubai out.

Jiang Fan was utterly speechless! With his tendons severed, why not just kill him outright? Why leave him with a breath to return to the Giant Sect, only for him to target him relentlessly afterward? Even if his physical body was crippled, his previous connections and resources remained. He could still pull strings and mobilize others to harm Jiang Fan! No! He couldn't let him return to the Giant Sect!

"Master, if there's nothing else for this disciple here, I'll take my leave," Jiang Fan said calmly.

"Wait." Liu Wenchen revealed a slight smile, patted his shoulder, and said, "You performed exceptionally well this time! You've earned my admiration!" The other elders also showed expressions of approval. Wen Hongyao said, "Thanks to Jiang Fan's timely reminder, our sect would have lost both money and face!" Zhao Wuji wholeheartedly agreed, "Sect Master, you should definitely reward him handsomely this time." Liu Wenchen chuckled, "Of course!"

Pondering, he somewhat reluctantly took out a jade pendant shimmering with a clear light. "I owe the Sect Master of Ten Thousand Swords Sect a favor. With this jade pendant, you can enter the Sword Forest of Ten Thousand Swords Sect to cultivate for one day. If you're lucky, you might even break through an entire Foundation Establishment level."

Sword Forest? Break through an entire Foundation Establishment level? Jiang Fan quickly accepted it, "Thank you, Master!" Liu Wenchen nodded, "If you get a chance to go to Ten Thousand Swords Sect, don't forget to use it." "Yes!" With nothing else for Jiang Fan to do there, he bid farewell and left. He then swiftly descended the mountain to pursue and kill Tie Bubai!