Chapter 83: Liu Qingxian's Frustration

By the tenth move, Jiang Fan casually pointed his sword at Zhong Qizhen's throat. The sharp tip pierced his skin, revealing a trace of crimson.

Shaking his head, he indifferently waved his brush, delivering his final assessment: “In summary: Strong on the outside, hollow within; utterly disappointing.”

He had thought it would be a sparring match to test himself. Instead, it didn't even provide as much pressure as the branch leader had given him back then.

The entire area fell silent. Staring blankly at the brief assessment on the ground, they involuntarily swallowed.

It had been agreed that Jiang Fan would withstand ten moves from Zhong Qizhen. But it turned out to be Zhong Qizhen who awkwardly endured ten moves under Jiang Fan's sword!

No, it was clear Jiang Fan had held back; otherwise, Zhong Qizhen would have been defeated within ten moves.

Xu Youran, overjoyed, burst into tears and threw herself into his arms. “Xiao Fan! You did it! You did it! You can come to Qingyun Sect now!”

The heavy burden that had stifled her could finally be lifted.

Xu Yining stood rooted to the spot, stunned. “Jiang Fan… Jiang Fan is that strong?” He can easily defeat Senior Brother Zhong Qizhen?

Zhong Qizhen also stared in disbelief, his eyes unfocused, at the drop of blood on his neck, which had fallen to the ground. He had actually lost! Lost to a good-for-nothing he despised?

Impossible! This can't be happening! How could he possibly lose?

While Jiang Fan had his back turned, rage swelled within him, and malice took over. He suddenly raised his golden saber and brutally slashed at Jiang Fan's back, roaring, “You little beast, I haven’t lost!”

Jiang Fan was already guarding against him. How could such a despicable person easily admit defeat? He had secretly been preparing his movement technique, and upon hearing the saber's whistle, he immediately activated it. He directly sidestepped while holding Xu Youran, easily dodging the slash. At the same time, without hesitation, he delivered a flying kick to his face.

Bang—

Zhong Qizhen, who thought his killing blow would succeed, was unprepared for the kick. He was kicked, sent spinning in place, and then crashed heavily onto the ground. Blood flowed freely from his mouth.

Xu Zhengyan, having witnessed the entire scene, furiously chastised, his heart pounding. “Zhong Qizhen! As a dignified inner disciple, you can’t accept defeat and resort to a sneak attack! Have you no shame?”

Li Qingfeng also felt utterly humiliated. He kicked Zhong Qizhen from the ground, sending him flying onto the roof before he crashed heavily back down, causing Zhong Qizhen to wail in pain. His expression was terribly grim. “You useless wretch!”

Losing was already shameful enough! But to be a sore loser and resort to a sneak attack! And not only did he resort to a sneak attack, he was also knocked down! How could he have taught such a disgraceful disciple?

“Xu Youran! Xu Yining! Pack your things, and come with me now!” He no longer had the face to remain there.

Noticing his severe expression, Xu Youran cautiously whispered, “Master, what about Xiao Fan…?”

Li Qingfeng glanced sideways at Jiang Fan, annoyed. His original intention was for his disciple to act, to make Jiang Fan retreat in the face of difficulty. Instead, it was he, the master, whose reputation was disgraced. How could he possibly have any good feelings for Jiang Fan?

However, as a dignified elder, he had made a promise; how could he not fulfill it? After a brief thought, he snorted, “Although he is strong, he ultimately overdrank his potential through unorthodox and crooked means. I cannot accept him as a disciple, but I can take him back to Qingyun Sect. If any elder takes a liking to him, he can become an inner disciple. If no one does, he will be an outer disciple.”

Disciples of Qingyun Sect could generally be divided into three categories: True Disciples, Inner Disciples, and Outer Disciples. The first two were the sect's elite, true disciples. The latter, though bearing the title “disciple,” were essentially just odd-jobbers.

Anyone willing to spend money or use connections could secure the status of an outer disciple. As an outer disciple, one could not access the sect's core resources. It was purely working for Qingyun Sect for free.

Xu Youran’s expression changed, but remembering Li Qingfeng’s previous promise, it was only to give Jiang Fan a chance to enter Qingyun Sect. He hadn't promised to take him as a disciple. So she had nothing more to say.

Jiang Fan, however, looked pleased. No matter what, entering Qingyun Sect meant a chance to acquire resources. If he couldn't get in, there would be no hope at all.

“Thank you, Elder Li!”

Li Qingfeng nodded. “You should also pack your things; we’ll be departing soon.”

Jiang Fan's eyes flickered as he said, “I heard that Chen Siling, the daughter of the Chen family, has a sixth-grade spirit root. Elder Li, would you be interested in taking her as a disciple?”

Sixth-grade? Li Qingfeng was startled. “How can such a small, remote place like Lone Boat City have so many high-grade spirit roots? In remote small cities like Lone Boat City, finding even one sixth-grade spirit root was cause for celebration. Now several had appeared in succession.”

Jiang Fan said, “Elder Li, you’ll know if you ask your disciple, Zhong Qizhen.”

Li Qingfeng immediately looked at him. Zhong Qizhen, not daring to conceal it, nodded through the pain. “Y-yes, it is indeed a sixth-grade spirit root. But this has nothing to do with Jiang Fan.” He quickly added, as if afraid Jiang Fan would gain something from it.

“Nonsense, can Jiang Fan give her a spirit root?” Li Qingfeng glared at him, then excitedly mounted his white crane and flew off towards the Chen family estate.

Jiang Fan also rolled his eyes at Zhong Qizhen. As long as Chen Siling could also go to Qingyun Sect, he couldn't care less about advantages or disadvantages.

While Li Qingfeng was gone, Zhong Qizhen revealed a resentful expression, gnashing his teeth. “Jiang Fan! For today’s humiliation, once we reach Qingyun Sect, I’ll make you pay a hundredfold! In Qingyun Sect, you, an outer disciple, will be like meat on a chopping block before me, an inner disciple, completely at my mercy!”

Jiang Fan indifferently raised his brush and said, “We'll see when we get there!” He didn't believe that he truly had no spirit root. Even more, he didn't believe that among all the elders in Qingyun Sect, not a single one would recognize true talent.

Not long after, Li Qingfeng returned, beaming with laughter, bringing Chen Siling with him. “Hahaha, although I didn’t find a ninth-grade spirit root this time, the harvest is immense! Two sixth-grade spirit roots and one seventh-grade spirit root! Those old fellows in the sect will be green with envy, won’t they? Hahaha! Let’s go!”

Everyone followed him, leaping onto the flying beasts, soaring directly upward!

Meanwhile, at Qingyun Sect, in the main hall of the Sovereign Peak. Liu Qingxian, looking aggrieved, hung her head, listening to the reprimands from her father, the Sect Sovereign.

“It’s one thing that you didn’t find the three-star Soul Master! Such an existence probably wouldn't bother coming to our Qingyun Sect anyway! Even if you found them, it wouldn’t matter. And the peerless prodigy from the Ascending Dragon Path, you didn’t even find him! He has already defeated Nangong Liuyun; surely you know what that signifies? Alright! It’s fine if you couldn’t find that peerless prodigy, but how could you not find the ninth-grade spirit root you’ve already met?”

The Qingyun Sect Sovereign’s chest heaved with anger. Poking her forehead, he said, exasperated beyond measure: “Our Qingyun Sect’s greatest opportunities, you’ve missed them all! You’re too accustomed to living in luxury, aren’t you? Go! Go to the plaza and welcome the new disciples; this task is yours!”

Liu Qingxian left the main hall, her eyes red-rimmed. She felt utterly wronged. She had tried her best to search, but the ninth-grade spirit root was like playing hide-and-seek; she simply couldn't find it. Because of this, she was actually punished, assigned the most arduous and tiresome task of welcoming new disciples.

“Ninth-grade spirit root! You scoundrel!” She gritted her teeth. “It’s all your fault! If it weren’t for looking for you, I wouldn’t have gone to Lone Boat City again, wouldn’t have missed the three-star Soul Master and the peerless prodigy, and certainly wouldn’t have been reprimanded or punished! You’d better pray I never meet you in this lifetime, or else I’ll make you regret it!”

After saying it fiercely, she couldn't help but let out a self-deprecating laugh. “Such an existence must have gone to the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets. Why would they actively come to Qingyun Sect? If he were to come, I’d even be his wife!”