Chapter 91: Kicking a Steel Plate

The next day, as dawn broke and the sky brightened, the square gradually grew lively. Groups of new disciples, gathered in the square, awaited selection by the elders. If they caught an elder's eye, they would immediately ascend, becoming esteemed inner disciples. Otherwise, they would remain outer disciples, forever overlooked.

"Xiao Fan, don't be nervous." Xu Youran said softly, "Gongsun Nan has such high hopes for you; there's no way you won't make it."

Chen Siling leaned happily against his shoulder. "Exactly," she chimed. "It would be truly unfair if you didn't get into the inner sect." Both of them had only narrowly made it into the inner sect thanks to Jiang Fan. It defied logic that he, of all people, would be left behind.

Jiang Fan embraced the two girls and smiled faintly. "I'll do my best," he said.

Suddenly, a disciple dressed in Punishment Hall robes walked over, his face stern. "Are you Jiang Fan?" he demanded. "I heard you trespassed into the female disciples' spiritual pond yesterday. Come with me; I have some questions for you."

Jiang Fan's heart jolted. "That's a misunderstanding," he said.

The disciple replied indifferently, "I'll give you a chance to explain."

Jiang Fan sighed, resigned. "Alright," he said.

Xu Youran and Chen Siling's expressions subtly changed. "We'll go with you," they insisted. Jiang Fan felt it would be improper to let the two girls know about such a matter. Moreover, the Punishment Hall was a strict and forbidden place; they wouldn't be able to enter even if they followed.

"No need," he assured them. "Just wait here; I'll be right back." He followed the Punishment Hall disciple, swiftly departing.

However, as they walked, Jiang Fan gradually realized something was amiss. He wasn't being led to the Punishment Hall at all, but rather to a secluded, sparsely populated area.

"Where are you taking me?" Jiang Fan stopped, his voice firm.

WHOOSH—

Suddenly, a figure leaped down from the tree above. He held a long saber, slashing fiercely at Jiang Fan. Already prepared, Jiang Fan instinctively activated his movement technique, retreating several steps and leaving a trail of afterimages. The figure's strike met empty air, revealing his face.

"Zhong Qizhen?" Jiang Fan's eyes narrowed. "I knew it was you! If I'm not mistaken, Liu Yong, who tricked me into the female spiritual pond yesterday, was also acting on your orders, wasn't he?"

Zhong Qizhen sneered. He waved a dismissive hand at the Punishment Hall disciple, who glanced at Jiang Fan before silently departing. Clearly, he too had been instructed by Zhong Qizhen to lure Jiang Fan here.

"So what if it was?" Zhong Qizhen chuckled maliciously. "As I said, in Guizhou City, I couldn't touch you. But here in Qingyun Sect, finishing you off will be child's play!"

Jiang Fan smiled faintly. "Just you, a defeated opponent?"

Zhong Qizhen immediately recalled the utter humiliation of their previous sparring match. His eyes blazed with fury. "That was just sparring!" he retorted. "I held back, which is why I was at a disadvantage! Do you really think a mere Foundation Establishment Stage 3 can lord it over me? Today, I'll show you my true power!"

Driven by a desire to avenge his past shame, he swept his saber towards Jiang Fan, shouting, "Five Tigers Soul Severing Saber!"

Jiang Fan watched and shook his head slightly. "No improvement whatsoever," he scoffed. "My guidance was wasted on you." This time, he didn't even bother with his sword. He casually picked up a twig. "Then today," he said, "I'll use this to teach you a lesson."

"Lone Star Blue Dot!"

SMACK—

Zhong Qizhen's face was struck by the twig, leaving a bloody scratch. The stinging pain ignited Zhong Qizhen's rage. "You're asking to die!" he roared. He swung his great saber, every move vicious, clearly intending to kill Jiang Fan.

Jiang Fan's eyes turned cold; he would show no more mercy!

"Three Stars Reflecting the Moon!"

Zhong Qizhen screamed in agony as the twig pierced one of his eyeballs. "I'll kill you! I'll kill you!!" he roared, wildly swinging his saber, but his attacks were as childish as a baby's in front of Jiang Fan. Jiang Fan simply unleashed Seven Stars Pointing North. A single twig sent him flying backward, his long saber clattering from his grasp.

Clutching his bleeding eye, Zhong Qizhen shrieked venomously, "What are you waiting for? Chop him into pieces and feed him to the dogs!"

SWISH, SWISH, SWISH—

As his words fell, several older outer disciples, close to thirty years of age, leaped down from the trees. Their cultivation levels were not low; the weakest were at Foundation Establishment Stage 3, and some were at Stage 4. There were nine of them in total.

Jiang Fan's heart sank. Unless he used his Purple Sword, a quick victory would be difficult. His opponents wasted no time; the nine immediately swarmed him, and Jiang Fan, relying on his movement technique, found himself in a tough, drawn-out battle.

Seeing that Jiang Fan wouldn't be killed quickly, Zhong Qizhen wasn't in a hurry. He sneered spitefully, "Don't rush, just wear him down slowly! He's the one who's anxious now! The elders are already selecting disciples. If he misses this, he'll never get another chance, hahaha!"

Jiang Fan was indeed growing anxious. Today was the day his destiny would be decided. If he missed the elders' selection, all hope of becoming an inner disciple would be lost.

Zhong Qizhen let out a furious laugh. "Just keep him trapped like this! I'm going to Medicine Peak to get my eye treated!" Enduring intense pain, he ran towards Medicine Peak. As he passed the square, he saw that many elders had indeed already selected their disciples and were preparing to leave. Meanwhile, Xu Youran and Chen Siling, waiting on the outskirts of the square, were burning with anxiety.

Zhong Qizhen walked past them with a cold smirk. "Junior Sister Youran, Junior Sister Siling, give up hope," he said. "Jiang Fan will never become an inner disciple in this lifetime!"

Xu Youran's expression changed instantly. She realized that Jiang Fan being led away earlier was likely a scheme. "Was this your doing?" she demanded. "Where is Jiang Fan? Where is he?!"

Seeing Xu Youran's frantic worry, Zhong Qizhen felt a surge of satisfaction. He laughed heartily. "That good-for-nothing should have thought of this day when he humiliated me! This is Qingyun Sect, *my* territory!"

Chen Siling, equally distraught, stated coldly, "I'm going to report this to Master!"

Zhong Qizhen was even less afraid. He shrugged. "Then you'd better hurry," he chuckled. "If you're late, the elders will all be gone."

The two girls were both desperate and enraged. Even if they managed to get justice for Jiang Fan, what then? That would be much later. Jiang Fan would have no chance to be selected by the elders again!

"You're despicable!" Xu Youran hissed, her voice filled with loathing.

Zhong Qizhen licked his lips, a half-smile playing on them. "It's not impossible to make Jiang Fan come quickly..." he drawled. "Kneel and beg me!"

"Pah!" Chen Siling spat in disgust. "Don't be repulsive!" They knew that even if they truly knelt, a person like him wouldn't bring Jiang Fan back.

Zhong Qizhen's smile only widened. "Then just wait for Jiang Fan to be an outer disciple for life!" he gloated. "No elder will ever know he even existed. Hahahaha!"

Perched on a flying beast from Carefree Peak, Gongsun Nan, who was accompanying his Peak Master, scratched his head. "Strange," he muttered. "Where is he?" He had scanned the crowd several times but still couldn't spot Jiang Fan. The Carefree Peak Master beside him mumbled, "You didn't drink too much and mistake a large rock for a sword genius, did you?"

Gongsun Nan's face darkened. "Is this disciple really that confused?" he asked.

Suddenly, he spotted the two beautiful girls on the outskirts of the crowd. His spirits instantly lifted. He agilely leaped from the flying beast and darted towards Xu Youran and Chen Siling. "Junior Sisters!" he exclaimed with delight. "Where's Jiang Fan? Quickly, have him come out! My Master stayed up all night just waiting to take him as a disciple!"

Zhong Qizhen, who had been laughing nearby, instantly froze.