97: Challenge + Bargain Hunt

“Eh? Yang Lingchen, why are you here?”

At that moment, a pleasant voice rang out from behind Yang Lingchen.

Yang Lingchen turned around at the sound and saw Chen Xueqi standing there with a beaming smile, her beautiful eyes filled with surprise as he looked at him.

“Young Miss Xueqi, so it's you!” Yang Lingchen said with a slight smile.

“It really is you! Why have you come to the Immortal Sword Sect?”

Excited as a little bird, Chen Xueqi quickly grabbed Yang Lingchen’s arm.

Her Face overflowed with an irrepressible joy, as if she were seeing a dear friend she hadn't met in a long time.

“Ahem, I thought about it and felt that the Immortal Sword Sect was more suitable for me. Plus, with a friend like you here, I decided to come,” Yang Lingchen said with a smile, his eyes reflecting his sincerity.

“Xueqi, who is this?”

A young man wearing the robes of a Core Disciple walked over. His gaze swept up and down Yang Lingchen, filled with a hint of doubt and scrutiny.

“His name is Yang Lingchen, he's my friend,” Chen Xueqi replied with a faint smile, her smile as bright and moving as a flower blooming in the spring.

“Yang Lingchen, this is Senior Brother Wang Chenyu,” Chen Xueqi continued the introductions, her eyes flitting between the two.

Seeing Chen Xueqi holding Yang Lingchen’s arm, a shadow of gloom flashed deep within Wang Chenyu’s eyes.

Although that dark look vanished in an instant, it was still keenly captured by Yang Lingchen.

Wang Chenyu asked with a faint smile, “Which Peak is this Junior Brother a Disciple of?”

His tone seemed peaceful, but it carried a faint, imperceptible trace of arrogance.

“Lingxiu Peak,” Yang Lingchen said indifferently.

Yang Lingchen had no interest in getting to know this Wang Chenyu person.

He could see that the other party was very hostile toward him.

“Lingxiu Peak?” Wang Chenyu frowned and continued, “Doesn't Lingxiu Peak only accept Female Disciples?”

His words carried a hint of skepticism.

“I am a newly recruited Disciple of Lingxiu Peak, and also the only male Disciple,” Yang Lingchen spoke up, his tone neither humble nor arrogant.

“Yang Lingchen, then you truly are lucky! I’ve heard that Lingxiu Peak is a place where beauties are as numerous as the clouds!”

Chen Xueqi’s tone held a slight hint of sourness. She looked at Yang Lingchen with a bit of a pout, her eyes reflecting a complex mix of emotions.

“As for beauties, I really haven't paid much attention,” Yang Lingchen said with a chuckle.

He could tell that Chen Xueqi was interested in him, but at the moment, he didn't want to easily provoke any girls.

Currently, his only focus was to work hard and Cultivate at the Immortal Sword Sect to improve his strength.

“Yang Lingchen, are you at the Mission Hall to take on a task?” Chen Xueqi asked with a beaming smile, trying to change the subject and ease the slightly awkward atmosphere.

“Yes, I am indeed here to pick up some missions,” Yang Lingchen nodded and replied.

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Yang Lingchen and Chen Xueqi headed toward the Mission Hall.

Inside the Mission Hall, there was a dazzling array of various tasks. Yang Lingchen selected carefully and casually picked up two tasks with high points: one for gathering precious medicinal herbs and the other for hunting a specific Yao Beast.

These two tasks were quite difficult, but the corresponding point rewards were also very generous.

After claiming the tasks, Yang Lingchen walked out of the Mission Hall.

At this time, Wang Chenyu walked straight toward Yang Lingchen. Chen Xueqi, however, had already left.

“Senior Brother Wang, do you have some advice for me?”

Yang Lingchen spoke up, a faint sense of foreboding already rising in his heart.

“Kid, regardless of how good your relationship with Xueqi was before, from today onwards, I don't want to see your figure by her side again, otherwise, you will bear the consequences,” Wang Chenyu said coldly, his eyes full of threats.

“Senior Brother Wang Chenyu, actually, there's something I want to tell you,” Yang Lingchen said. A faint smile remained on his Face, but a glint of craftiness flashed in his eyes.

“What is it! Speak,” Wang Chenyu said coldly, his expression extremely impatient.

“Senior Brother Wang, you're so hideous that even if I didn't show up, with Xueqi's standards, there's no way she would ever take an interest in you!” Yang Lingchen said with a playful smile on his Face.

He spoke these words loudly on purpose, causing the surrounding Disciples who were passing by to look over one after another.

“Kid, you're looking for death!”

Wang Chenyu instantly flew into a rage and directly struck a palm toward Yang Lingchen. This palm strike contained powerful spiritual energy, the wind from the palm whistling with a fierce Aura.

Facing Wang Chenyu's palm strike, Yang Lingchen didn't hesitate to use the heaven-reaching staff, swinging it directly at him.

“Bang!”

The powerful forces collided, producing a dull, heavy thud.

Although Yang Lingchen had used a weapon, he was still knocked back several steps by Wang Chenyu's palm strike.

He only felt a wave of numbness in his arm and secretly marveled at the formidable strength of Wang Chenyu.

“Senior Brother Wang's strength really lives up to its reputation. My Dog-Beating Staff Technique actually couldn't gain the slightest advantage against you. Impressive, impressive,” Yang Lingchen said with a smile, his words filled with mockery.

By now, the situation here had already attracted many passing Disciples to gather and watch.

“You ignorant fool!”

At this moment, Wang Chenyu was so angry that his Face had turned green. He couldn't care less about anything else and directly swung his battle sword at Yang Lingchen.

His sword stance was sharp and fierce, carrying a determined intent to kill.

“Stop!”

Just then, an elderly figure suddenly appeared in front of Yang Lingchen, blocking Wang Chenyu’s full-strength strike with a wave of his hand.

The newcomer was none other than the Elder of the Mission Hall, Ling Yunlong.

“What is going on with you two?” Ling Yunlong said coldly. His gaze swept back and forth between Yang Lingchen and Wang Chenyu, his expression grim.

“Elder, save me! Senior Brother Wang Chenyu has gone mad!”

Yang Lingchen cried out for help and then ducked behind Ling Yunlong. He put on a look of extreme terror, as if he were truly under a great threat.

“Speak, what happened?” Ling Yunlong said, his tone stern and authoritative.

“It's like this: Senior Brother Wang Chenyu likes a girl, but that girl and I are quite close. So he came to threaten me, forbidding me from appearing before her again, or else he would kill me. Senior, tell me, isn't he incredibly shameless?”

Yang Lingchen said with a Face full of grievance. His expression was very convincing, making people instinctively believe what he was saying.

“Ah! This Wang Chenyu is way too shameless!” one of the onlookers commented.

“Yeah! I didn't expect him to be this kind of person.”

“Tsk tsk tsk... This Wang Chenyu usually looks so dignified, but behind the scenes, he's actually this disgusting.”

A group of onlookers whispered among themselves, each adding their own comments.

“Elder Ling, this kid is clearly framing me!” By now, Wang Chenyu was so angry his Face had turned green. His eyes were practically spitting fire as he glared furiously at Yang Lingchen.

“Wang Chenyu, as a Core Disciple, to try and kill a new Outer Sect Disciple over a fit of jealousy—don't you find it embarrassing?” Ling Yunlong glared at Wang Chenyu and said, his tone full of reproach.

“Kid, today I'll give Elder Ling Face and let you off. Cherish your final moments!” Wang Chenyu gave Yang Lingchen a fierce glare.

“Wang Chenyu, you like to act tough, don't you? I'll give you a chance. Seven days from now, we'll meet at the Life and Death Stage. Whoever doesn't show up is a coward!” Yang Lingchen gave a cold laugh, cupped his fists toward Ling Yunlong, and turned to leave the scene.

“Fine, This Young Master will let you live for seven more days!” Wang Chenyu left a parting threat and also departed from the scene.

“This kid is quite interesting. This seat looks forward to your performance,” Ling Yunlong said with a smile, stroking his beard.

After leaving the Immortal Sword Sect, Yang Lingchen hurried all the way toward the Cangyun Mountain Range.

He traveled non-stop along the way, with only one thought in his mind: to complete the tasks as quickly as possible and improve his strength to Face the Life-and-Death Battle in seven days.

After two days of traveling, Yang Lingchen finally arrived at the Cangyun Mountain Range.

The Cangyun Mountain Range is the largest primordial mountain range in the Southern Wilderness, surrounded by the Four Great Sects. Therefore, the younger generation of Disciples from the Four Great Sects usually come here to train.

Along the way, wherever Yang Lingchen went, he would scavenge every medicinal herb he found and kill every Yao Beast he encountered. His eyes were filled with determination and resolve, as if he were racing against time.

During the day, he continuously hunted Yao Beasts for experience, and at night, he would madly consume Medicinal Pills to Cultivate within the haotian jade space.

To prepare for the upcoming Life-and-Death Battle, Yang Lingchen didn't want to waste a single moment because he knew that Wang Chenyu’s cultivation level was likely at the ninth layer of the Spirit Sea Realm.

Yang Lingchen estimated that if he wanted to defeat Wang Chenyu on the Life and Death Stage in a few days, he would need to at least break through to the Peak of the ninth layer of the Spiritual Profound Realm.

That day, as Yang Lingchen passed by a valley, he heard the sound of an intense fight coming from within.

Immediately, Yang Lingchen came up with a plan and slowly crept forward. He knew that in this wilderness, some treasure must have surfaced; otherwise, why would there be a fight? Although Yang Lingchen didn't want to admit he was that kind of person, his actions betrayed him—he wanted to pick up the scraps.

Holding the immortal demon sword, Yang Lingchen carefully and gradually crept through the thickets. His movements were light and agile, trying his best not to make a sound.

Looking from a distance, he saw a woman dressed in a snowy white silken dress fighting mid-air against a young man in black.

“Ouyang Yunmeng, I was the one who first discovered this black spirit ginseng. If you continue to be troublesome, don't blame this seat for being heartless toward a beauty!”

The young man in black said with a sinister look in his eyes. A savage smile was on his Face, and the weapon in his hand emitted bursts of cold light.

“Hong Tianyi, natural Spirit Treasures belong to those who are capable. This black spirit ginseng is growing right here; if you have the ability, why don't you try and pick it?”

Ouyang Yunmeng gave a cold snort, her battle sword continuously releasing Sword Qi toward Hong Tianyi. Her gaze was firm, showing no fear of the other's threat.

Yang Lingchen crouched carefully in the thickets. Upon hearing the words 'black spirit ginseng', his heart couldn't help but burn with fervor.

However, after he clearly saw the strength of those two, he couldn't help but feel depressed: “This scrap... won't be easy to pick up!”

Yang Lingchen could see that the strength of these two should be in the King Realm, and not just any ordinary King Realm.

With his strength, trying to pick up scraps from these two was simply a pipe dream.