Chapter 433: People as Collateral

The disciples, who had just been in an uproar, shouting about unfairness and threatening to withdraw from Sunset City, were suddenly silenced as if doused with cold water. Each of them looked awkward, exchanging glances, and not a single sound was made.

Jiang Fan looked at them coldly, "Where's the person who just now said they'd let me kick their head like a ball? Come out and fulfill your promise."

Under everyone's watchful eyes, a True Thunder Sect disciple, hunched over and attempting to slip away, stammered awkwardly, "Junior... Junior Brother Jiang, I was just joking!"

Jiang Fan leaped over. He kicked the disciple to the ground and snapped, "A joke? You looked like you wanted to condemn me to eternal damnation just now! And now you call it a joke?"

With that, he stomped on the disciple's chest. Several cracking sounds echoed as his ribs were instantly crushed, and the immense force caused severe internal organ damage. The disciple coughed up a large mouthful of blood.

Immediately after, Jiang Fan coldly swept his gaze over the remaining disciples and stated, "Who else wants to question me? Step forward!"

The entire hall fell silent. The rightful first-place holder had just been hysterically denounced by them without any evidence. If Jiang Fan hadn't presented his undeniable achievements, his reputation would have been utterly ruined.

Seeing no one dared to speak, Jiang Fan walked, hands behind his back, to Jin Zhongming. "You were the most unyielding just now," he said coldly. "So, do you concede now?"

Jin Zhongming's veins bulged across his body, and his face was contorted with fury! To be so aggressively challenged in front of the elite disciples of the Nine Sects — was he yielding or not? This was a blatant provocation! A direct challenge to Jin Zhongming himself!

"Don't get carried away!" Jin Zhongming retorted, glancing at Ye Cangyuan and the two Heavenly Secret Pavilion envoys present. He forcibly suppressed his urge to retaliate.

Jiang Fan sternly snapped back, "You are the arrogant one! Who gave you permission to hold my Sky Halberd? Hand it over!"

Jin Zhongming froze, then suddenly realized the implications: he had forced Jiang Fan into a ranking challenge. If Jiang Fan lost, he would lose his limbs and tongue. If Jin Zhongming lost, he would hand over his Sky Halberd. Yet, Jin Zhongming had never even considered the possibility of losing, convinced it was impossible.

However, reality was proving absurd. Not only had he lost, but he had lost so thoroughly that there was no room for argument. First place versus sixth place. Eight hundred merit points versus five hundred merit points. All his excuses were utterly useless!

"Jiang Fan, don't be so extreme; always leave yourself a way out!" How could Jin Zhongming possibly part with his Sky Halberd? It was a customized artifact that added a full thirty percent to his combat power! Losing it would severely impact his future mission performance.

Jiang Fan took a step forward, his aura daunting. "When you wanted me to lose my limbs and have my tongue cut out, did you think about leaving me a way out?" he challenged. "If you can't afford to lose, then don't shamelessly challenge others! You're a disgrace!"

Jin Zhongming was utterly furious! "Jiang Fan!" he seethed. To be humiliated in front of so many people! Yet, his blatant unwillingness to accept defeat genuinely earned him many disdainful looks.

The disciples present, in particular, rolled their eyes. "That's typical of the Giant Sect!" one whispered. "They bully those they think they can control relentlessly. But when they realize they can't, they either change their tune or resort to cheating. It's quite an eye-opener to see their chief disciple behaving this way. If he couldn't handle losing, why was he so aggressive and demanding in the first place, threatening to sever hands and cut out tongues?"

How could Jin Zhongming possibly endure such humiliation? If he didn't honor the agreement now, his reputation would be utterly ruined. He stared at Jiang Fan with extreme anger, snorting, "Who said I wouldn't give it to you? If you're strong enough to lift it, then take it!"

*Thud!* He gripped the Sky Halberd and plunged it forcefully into the ground. The ten-foot-long halberd sank deep, leaving only a short section of the handle exposed. Many disciples rolled their eyes. "He still can't accept losing!" one muttered. "If you're going to hand it over, just do it gracefully, why make it difficult and embarrassing for everyone? The Sky Halberd alone weighs a thousand jin; someone who hasn't practiced body cultivation can't even lift it, let alone when it's driven into the ground like that. Jiang Fan will either not try to take it, or he'll definitely make a fool of himself if he does."

Jiang Fan scoffed. With one hand behind his back, he extended the other, lightly gripping the handle. Then, with a casual pull, *whoosh*—the Sky Halberd, with its keen edge, was instantly drawn from the ground.

Next, Jiang Fan held the Sky Halberd with a single hand, as if it were a mere wooden stick. He brandished it with powerful, fluid movements, incredibly agile and effortless. There was not a hint of its immense weight, making observers wonder if the Sky Halberd truly weighed a thousand jin.

Little did they know, having grown accustomed to the Purple Sword, the Sky Halberd's weight felt only slightly heavier than a regular sword to him.

After a few flourishes, Jiang Fan hoisted the Sky Halberd onto his shoulder and declared, "From now on, this Sky Halberd is mine."

Jin Zhongming's pupils sharply contracted! He couldn't even wield the Sky Halberd as effortlessly as Jiang Fan. What's more, the halberd had been plunged deep into the ground, and even he would have to exert considerable effort to pull it out. But Jiang Fan... It was only then that he realized Jiang Fan was a master of body cultivation! A hidden, formidable expert! He had truly made a colossal mistake!

"Jiang Fan! I'm not done with you!" Jin Zhongming's face burned with humiliation. The chief disciple of a sect had his divine weapon won from him. This would be the biggest joke among the Nine Sects this year!

Jiang Fan turned his head and glanced at him. "If you have any other valuable items in the future, feel free to challenge me with them," he said. "I welcome all comers!"

*Gritting sound!* Jin Zhongming was so enraged his lungs felt like they would explode!

Suddenly, he caught sight of Liu Qingxian, her face alight with pleasant surprise as she welcomed Jiang Fan's triumphant return. He sneered, "Fairy Liu, I'm in a bad mood right now. I'd like to have a spar with you!"

"Sparring?" This was clearly an attempt to retaliate against someone close to Jiang Fan. Jiang Fan's eyes narrowed. "Sparring? Why not try with me instead?" he suggested.

Wasn't this exactly how the Giant Sect had bullied Liu Qingxian before? They'd see something valuable on her, then injure her under the pretense of sparring, only to steal it. But Liu Qingxian interjected, "Junior Brother, I'll handle this myself. Some debts are best settled personally!"

Jin Zhongming chuckled, "Oh? So, what good fortune has made you bold enough to challenge me? Fine! I'll see how much you've improved!"

With that, he channeled his power and launched an attack towards Liu Qingxian. Liu Qingxian drew her sword, gritted her teeth, and actively met his assault.

The moment they clashed, Jin Zhongming was startled. "You've broken through to the second layer of Core Condensation?" he exclaimed. "How could you be so fast?" It hadn't been long since Liu Qingxian had first reached the Core Condensation realm, and it usually took at least half a year to advance to the next layer!

"Of course, Jiang Fan helped me!" Liu Qingxian's confidence surged, and her moves became incredibly sharp. Previously, at the first layer of Core Condensation, she was completely defenseless against Jin Zhongming's third-layer Core Condensation combat power. But now, it was different; every one of her moves could threaten him. Furthermore, Jin Zhongming had lost his immensely powerful Sky Halberd, which had diminished his overall combat strength.

Despite his shock and fury, Jin Zhongming couldn't easily injure Liu Qingxian as he once could, even after a full twenty rounds.

"Alright, that's enough," Ye Cangyuan interjected, stopping the spar. "Don't interfere with the other disciples exchanging their merit points for resources!"

Liu Qingxian gracefully disengaged, a radiant smile gracing her face. She couldn't believe she had managed to fight Jin Zhongming for so long! She tilted her head and smiled at Jiang Fan, "Thank you!"

"There's no need for thanks between us," Jiang Fan replied. "Now, go exchange your resources."

His eyes were full of anticipation. Finally, it had come to this point. He wondered if he could exchange for a spatial storage artifact, and the Void Lotus!