“I really have the worst luck. It’s my first time to the Treasure Exchange Pavilion and the first thing I see is an intolerably smelly face…”
Under the dazed expressions of bystanders, Long Chen pinched his nose as he turned his back on Feng Wutian and bypassed him, heading straight for the entrance.
“Stop in your tracks, you little thief!”
Before Feng Wutian made any move, the girl behind him was already fuming mad and obstructed Long Chen’s way. She glared at Long Chen fiercely, expression icy as she spoke, “What did you just say?”
Upon seeing this girl, the two Green Sun Hall disciples couldn’t help but shrink back.
“This Long Chen won’t be able to live peacefully having provoked Liu Ling. The elder of our Green Sun Hall is Lord Liu Yuan, who is Liu Ling’s father. She also has a sister who’s an enforcer!”
Long Chen, however knew nothing of this girl’s identity. From his perspective, she was just another adoring fan of Feng Wutian, and even though was rather pretty, she could not hold a candle to Lingxi.
Long Chen held no interest for her and said sarcastically, “I’m saying both of you are smelly. So? Are you going to bite me?”
“You!”
Liu Ling was seething with rage. It was the first time that someone with such a lowly status had spoken to her in such a manner. She was so frustrated that she was on the verge of crying as she prepared to launch an attack at Long Chen!
However, Feng Wutian made his move and held onto her arm and stood between her and Long Chen.
Though he had been humiliated by Long Chen, Feng Wutian’s face remained unchanged and he glanced at Long Chen indifferently as he shook his head, “I originally had some respect for you, but upon meeting you, it’s a surprise that you’re just a vile person who’s all talk.”
Long Chen chuckled, “Right, I’m a person that’s all talk. So what? Are you going to make a move against me right here in the Treasure Exchange Pavilion?”
Seeing him act in such an uncivilised manner, the desire to murder him sizzled in Liu Ling’s heart. If not for her status as a disciple of the Lingwu Family and not being able to have private fights in public areas, she would have long since attacked!
Long Chen was well aware of this fact, which was why he was acting so brazenly. However, this was his style and perhaps also a show meant for Liu Lan.
Just thinking of Liu Lan caused Long Chen to feel suffocated in his annoyance. He could feel she was treating him like a pet, confining and raising him.
“What?”
Feng Wutian was not so easily bullied and watched Long Chen. “Since you’re silver tongued, how about I pull out that tongue of yours and we’ll go to the Platform of Life and Death. Do you have the guts for that?”
Upon hearing the words “Platform of Life and Death”, the bystanders immediately burst out in conversation.
Though people of the Lingwu Family were not allowed to settle private disputes in public, if there really was some grievances and both parties agreed, they could go to the Platform of Life and Death. There would be no need to argue further.
“Seems like this Feng Wutian is preparing to eliminate Long Chen. Will he agree?”
“Of course not, unless he’s an impulsive blockhead. Battling against Feng Wutian on the Platform of Life and Death is just looking for death!”
Long Chen had heard of this “Platform of Life and Death” before. Feng Wutian’s current gaze was like a sharp blade piercing towards Long Chen!
Long Chen sneered and went round Feng Wutian as if trying to provoke him, and then pulled a face at Liu Ling before leaving elegantly.
“Does his silence mean consent then?”
That was the consensus amongst the public now.
Long Chen’s words were a little too much, and he had even insulted Liu Ling’s knight in shining armour. For her, this was an unforgivable sin. While Long Chen was leaving, she exclaimed coldly, “Remember. At dawn tomorrow, come to the Platform of Life and Death. If you don’t dare to come, then you, Long Chen, are the most cowardly person to ever exist! You’re not a man!”
At her last words, Long Chen turned back and snickered, “If I’m not a man, are you thinking of personally experiencing what I am for yourself? I wonder if that person beside you is willing to let you do so.”
At Long Chen’s words, Liu Ling’s face immediately flushed a deep red, but in the blink of an eye, Long Chen was gone and she had nowhere to vent her anger.
“Ling’er, having a grudge against this type of person is just a waste of your strength. You don’t have to get angry over a small character like him! I’ll speak to Feng Lingye on your behalf.”
In response to Long Chen’s humiliating words, Liu Ling was thoroughly red and gritted her teeth, itching to murder Long Chen. Feng Wutian, however, had no reaction and looked as if the person Long Chen was aiming at was not him.
“Fine. Brother Wutian, do you think that scoundrel will come tomorrow?”
Feng Wutian pondered over it for a moment and replied, “With his arrogance and pride, it’s likely that he’ll come. When that happens, I’ll pull his tongue out in front of you.”
“Ugh, no, I don’t want to see that. It’s too disgusting! Let’s just find Feng Lingye instead.”
Though she was spewing fire inside, Liu Ling eventually returned to her coquettish ways with her crush pacifying her. She held onto Feng Wutian’s arm as they entered the Treasure Exchange Pavilion, acting as if nothing had happened. Seeing that the show was over, the crowd dispersed while still whispering amongst themselves.
“Tomorrow at dawn? Seems like there’ll be a show tomorrow.”
“Do you think Long Chen will really go there? How’s that possible? Is he an idiot? He doesn’t seem to be a very courageous person. I’m pretty sure it’ll just be a waste of time if you go tomorrow.”
“I think so too. Besides, with his current power, he doesn’t even possess a tenth of Feng Wutian’s strength. It would be better to endure and be ridiculed than to lose his own life right?”
Feng Wutian’s matter was just an interlude for Long Chen, but he still took it to heart.
“That Feng Wutian was humiliated so badly by me and did not even blink. He’s a rather difficult character who he surpasses me in multiple areas. The Sky Martial Realm competition is going to be difficult…”
The trial for the Sky Martial Realm competition was right around the corner and Long Chen was well aware he lacked power. Hence, he quietened his mind and began to cultivate, not bothering to deal with his bet with Feng Wutian.
Though Long Chen was impulsive at times, he wasn’t brainless. It was his principle to pretend to be weak and then devour the strong.
“Hey, you’re not actually thinking of going, are you?”
“Only stubborn idiots would go.”
“But…”
Lingxi hovered before Long Chen, furrowing her brows as she gazed at Long Chen, “Aren’t you afraid that you’ll be looked down upon and viewed to be lesser than a man?”
“What do you know? You’ll know whether I’m a man once we get going in bed.”
Long Chen’s words were so direct that even Lingxi found it a little intolerable. She glared at Long Chen and then spoke, “Quick, quick, you idiot! Give me that Spirit Recovery Fruit. I’m hungry!”
Long Chen produced the Spirit Recovery Fruit, as well as the Origin Reverting Fruit that was worth about 200 Spirit Jades. Just seeing this Origin Reverting Fruit made his balls hurt.
He had spent much effort to kill Proctor Shi and Huang Feiyang and obtained a total of over a hundred Spirit Jades. This stupid fruit alone cost 200 Spirit Jades.
He waited until Lingxi got all excited and completely refined the Spirit Recovery Fruit, before pushing the Origin Reverting Fruit to Lingxi. Impatiently, he asked, “Tell me now. What’s the use of this stupid fruit?”
“You’re the stupid one here!”
Lingxi rolled her eyes at him and her little body landed on the fruit, pretending to be a stern little master as she explained, “The Origin Reverting Fruit is no healing fruit, but a rare item that grew from the heavens and earth. Basically, it cannot be priced.”
“It’s that amazing?”
Looking at this jet-black fruit, it was a huge disparity from what Long Chen had expected.
“What is it actually? Spill everything, don’t keep me waiting.”
“What are you so impatient for? Hasty people don’t get to eat hot tofu.” [2]
Now that Long Chen needed something from her, Lingxi was complacent and deliberately slowed the speed at which she spoke.
Long Chen was dazed for a moment as he looked at this little girl, and then clicked his tongue as he laughed, “If you’re not going to let me eat hot tofu, then I’m going to eat your soft tofu…”
His words resulted in a healthy blush on Lingxi’s face as she scolded him amidst smiles. She then shook the Origin Reverting Fruit, “The flesh of this fruit is indeed useful in healing wounds, but the most important thing is its core. The Origin Reverting Fruit is a rare item, and since it’s rare, it must have something special about it. Within the core of this fruit, there is a battle technique hidden inside!”
“A battle technique? A hidden battle technique in the core? Goodness, Xiao Xi, how is your imagination so wild?”
Long Chen was tongue-tied and could do little but widen his eyes in shock.
Seeing that Long Chen didn’t believe her at all, Lingxi inwardly cursed at him, “Just you wait, and you’ll know how amazing I am!”
At this thought, she spoke with a professional tone, “Whether you believe it or not, I believe it. Remove the flesh of the Origin Reverting Fruit first.”
“Remove it?”
Long Chen’s heart twitched at that. The flesh was worth 20 contribution points, and if Lingxi was wrong and there was nothing inside there…
“Quick!”
“Understood, your humble servant will do so now…”
Splitting open the Origin Reverting Fruit, a surprisingly soft and white flesh was revealed as a sweet smell wafted through the area. Just as Lingxi instructed, Long Chen removed the flesh and left behind a black core.
This core was only the size of a thumb and looked to be nothing special. Long Chen was right about to ask how it was used, and Lingxi was already answering, “Swallow the core and use your real qi to refine it as best as you can. After refining for a day and a night, you’ll probably be able to refine it into powder form. Once that happens, all information about that battle technique will naturally appear in your body.”
“Oh?”
Long Chen attempted to pinch at the core in his hands, only to find it was as hard as steel. Only fools would bother trying to refine this piece of metal.
“Xiao Xi, are you sure?”
Lingxi’s brows furrowed as she gathered that Long Chen still did not believe her and said indifferently, “Swallow it if you want to. It doesn’t matter to me. After all, your 20 contribution points are now wasted!”
Long Chen had no choice but to swallow that piece of metal into his stomach. It was extremely hard and made it quite uncomfortable on his stomach. Long Chen immediately circulated real Qi and worked at wearing down this core!
“Then again, if it’s too simple, everyone would know that the Origin Reverting Fruit is a great item and I wouldn’t even have the chance to obtain it.”
Making his decision, Long Chen then submerged his mind into his dantian and began to refine the steel-like core in his stomach.
This core was abnormally hard and with Long Chen’s current real Qi, at least a full day was required to fully refine it.
With his great efforts, an entire day passed and on the second morning, the core had been refined and whittled down to the size of a pinky, using his real Qi. There were even cracks on the surface.
At that moment, the cracks split with a loud bang!
[1] The Initial Returning Fruit from the previous chapter has been changed to the “Origin Reverting Fruit”, and will be referred as such in the following chapters.
[2] One should be more patient.
[3] Reference to previous note. “Eating tofu” here means to take advantage of someone.