Upon hearing this, the smile on Han Shuanghe’s face faded slightly.
Although he still maintained a composed demeanor, his tone now bore a sharp edge.
“Senior Qin, we’ve traveled thousands of miles to come here, yet we can’t even see his face. Isn’t that a bit disrespectful?” Han Shuanghe asked. “Young Hero Chen became famous in a single battle in Jinyang City and is now renowned across the realm. Why is he so afraid to even show himself?”
Qin Tiegu’s face darkened, and he was just about to flare up.
However, Xu Fu of the Fuyang Sect was already losing his patience.
He slammed his twin hammers into the ground, creating two shallow craters as a thunderous boom resonated.
“What’s all this talk about secluded cultivation?! A Grandmaster of the Wind-Riding Realm hiding like a coward—what kind of hero is that?”
“Exactly!”
Several others in the crowd chimed in to stir up trouble.
“Is he feeling guilty, perhaps?
He only broke through in Jinyang City by riding the coattails of two Sword Immortals’ sword intent fragments. Now that he’s had his moment of glory, he runs back to hide.
What kind of Grandmaster is that?”
The moment those words left their mouths, the mountain-guarding disciples behind Qin Tiegu all paled with anger.
The youngest Furnace-Listening Pavilion disciple flushed red, the veins bulging on his neck.
He violently stepped forward, pointing his finger nearly right at the nose of the speaker, and snapped furiously.
“Watch your filthy mouth!
Young Hero Chen put his life on the line in Jinyang City for his cultivation! Who are you to talk smack about him?
If you people were so capable, why didn’t you go to Jinyang City back then?
Why didn’t you go take the brunt of Qingyangzi’s self-destruction?
What kind of skill is running your mouth here!”
The tirade was delivered in a rapid, stinging flurry, every word barbed.
The crowd’s faces turned pale and green in turn, unable to utter a single word of rebuttal.
And every single one of them was someone who had achieved fame at a young age, hailed as the favored darlings of heaven among the new generation.
When had they ever suffered such verbal abuse?!
With those words, the powder keg instantly ignited.
The twenty-some people behind Han Shuanghe drew their weapons one after another.
Not to be outdone, the mountain-guarding disciples of Furnace-Listening Pavilion drew their arms as well, weapons forged by Furnace-Listening Pavilion unsheathing one after another.
Separated by only a few paces, tension ran high, on the verge of erupting into a bloodbath.
Song Shuanghe waved his folding fan and unhurriedly stepped in to smooth things over.
“We’re all here to exchange pointers, so why ruin the harmony?
However, to be fair...
Senior Qin, Young Hero Chen refusing to see us and putting on such grand airs really is a bit unreasonable, isn't it?”
Then, he called out toward the mountain gate in a clear, ringing voice.
“Chen Zui! We came seeking a meeting in good faith, yet you repeatedly decline. That is hardly the conduct of a Grandmaster.
We have come here today solely to seek guidance face-to-face.
If you truly possess the ability to break through two realms in succession back in Jinyang City, then step out and show us a thing or two.
If you win, we will be thoroughly convinced and never utter another word against you, Chen Zui.
But if you don’t even dare to show your face, then don’t blame others for calling you a fraud when you walk the martial world in the future.”
His words rang out with powerful force, and the crowd behind him voiced their agreement one after another.
Xu Fu slammed his twin hammers together, producing a deafening crash, as if cheering Wu Yang on.
Qin Tiegu’s face was dark enough to drip water.
These people kept spouting “seeking guidance.”
It sounded nice, but in reality, they were here to step on Chen Zui's shoulders to make a name for themselves.
Yet at this moment, he could not make a move.
Though their words were harsh, they had not actually used force so far, merely clamoring verbally.
If he acted, it would instead give others an excuse to accuse Furnace-Listening Pavilion of using its power to bully others.
Moreover, the sects behind this crowd were no small factions.
The Ten Directions Sect, the Fuyang Sect, Canglang Pavilion...
Taken individually, Furnace-Listening Pavilion wouldn't care less about them.
However, offending all of them at once would also be a major headache.
He turned and asked the disciple beside him in a low voice, “Where is Supreme Elder Qi?”
The disciple replied with a bitter face, “Someone’s already gone to fetch him, he should be here soon.”
Right at that moment, Han Shuanghe suddenly raised his voice.
“Chen Zui!
You’ve hidden in Furnace-Listening Pavilion for over a month, relying on opportunities seized through cunning during the battle between two Sword Immortals to enter the Wind-Riding Realm.
Now you don’t even dare to come out and accept a challenge.
Could it be that the legendary young Grandmaster who broke through two realms in succession is nothing more than an imposter deceiving the world?”
The moment his voice fell, a majestic aura surged skyward from within the mountain gate.
Like an avalanche or a tsunami, that aura pressed down thunderously from above the heavens.
Han Shuanghe felt as though two massive mountains had suddenly settled onto his shoulders, his knees buckling an inch downward uncontrollably.
He gritted his teeth firmly to endure it, fine beads of cold sweat instantly breaking out across his forehead.
The crowd behind him fared even worse; those with weaker cultivation staggered back five or six steps before barely managing to stabilize themselves.
Xu Fu hurriedly propped his twin hammers against the ground to steady himself, the handles plowing two inch-deep grooves into the earth.
Even Wu Yang, who had maintained a calm demeanor all along, involuntarily froze his folding fan.
The figure of a green-robed old man stepped through the air from within the mountain gate, his robes fluttering without wind as the spiritual energy of heaven and earth converged toward him like a pilgrimage.
Supreme Elder of Furnace-Listening Pavilion, Earthly Immortal Qi Tianchen.
Standing in the void with his hands behind his back, his cold gaze swept over the trembling youths below. His lips parted slightly, his voice not loud, yet making everyone’s eardrums buzz.
“What immense audacity.”
He took a step forward, and the pressure filling heaven and earth suddenly doubled.
“Blocking Furnace-Listening Pavilion’s mountain gate, insulting our honored guest, hurling verbal provocations and foul slanders, treating the rules of our sect as nothing.”
Han Shuanghe raised his head against the pressure. Though his face was deathly pale, his voice remained neither servile nor overbearing.
“Senior Qi, we came today merely to spar with Chen Zui, with no intention of offending Furnace-Listening Pavilion.
You are an Earthly Immortal—surely you wouldn't resort to bullying the small and make a move against us juniors?”
Someone in the crowd chimed in.
“Right! We came for Chen Zui, not Furnace-Listening Pavilion!”
“Senior Qi, as an honorable Earthly Immortal, aren't you afraid of lowering your status by holding a grudge against us?”
Qi Tianchen looked down at Han Shuanghe, listening emotionlessly until he finished, before speaking slowly.
“So you know you are juniors? A junior ought to act like a junior.”
He pointed a finger at Han Shuanghe. A wind from his finger sliced through the air, sending a chill rushing from the soles of Han Shuanghe's feet straight to the crown of his head.
“Today, this old man shall teach you what rules are on behalf of your sects!”
He raised his palm as true qi gathered within his hand, gold light swirling.
Right at that moment, a voice sounded from behind the mountain gate.
“Senior Qi.”
Hearing the voice, Qi Tianchen’s raised palm froze in midair.
Everyone’s eyes turned toward the space behind the mountain gate.
A young man wearing a green robe stepped slowly out from inside the mountain gate.
At his waist hung a sword so plain it bordered on shabby.
Chen Zui walked out of the mountain gate and stood on the stone steps, looking down as his gaze swept over the twenty-odd people below.
Han Shuanghe’s eyes narrowed.
Is this Chen Zui?
Someone in the crowd muttered softly.
“He’s Chen Zui?”
Chen Zui ignored the whispers.
Standing on the stone steps, his gaze drifted from one face to another as he spoke calmly.
“You were looking for me?”
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