Chapter 669: I’ll Be s.n.a.t.c.hing Yours
Xiao Chen left his courtyard and rushed to the mission hall.
As it was the start of the month, there were very few people there. Due to some unspoken rule, regular inner sect disciples had to wait until after the tenth before they accepted missions. They had to let the wealthy disciples and the giants take their pick first.
Xiao Chen had easily defeated Gui Wu and fought with Situ Gang without ending up at a disadvantage. His strength had already been acknowledged. When the inner sect disciples saw him stride in, their expressions merely changed slightly before calming back down.
“I am seeking missions for killing loose cultivators and have contribution points of more than two thousand.” Xiao Chen directly informed the black-robed administrator of his requirements.
When the others heard this, their faces filled with astonishment. Missions with over two thousand contribution points were extremely difficult.
But most importantly, the five big faction leaders and Yun Feiyu monopolized them under normal circ.u.mstances.
Others could take such missions only if these giants were too busy or did not want them. Otherwise, if these missions were s.n.a.t.c.hed away, the giants would personally seek trouble with the disciples who took the missions.
The black-robed administrator was aware of this unspoken rule but did not care about it. The operating principle of any sect was survival of the fittest. Whosever fist was larger had more sway.
Doing his work as required of him, the administrator proffered a stack of mission sheets that met Xiao Chen’s criteria. He said, “You have to be a true inheritor to take missions rewarding three thousand contribution points and above. The remaining are here.”
Xiao Chen received the stack and looked through them carefully. After eliminating some extremely time-consuming missions, he chose a total of ten missions and said, “I will take these.”
“Xiao Chen, are you seeking death?! How dare you s.n.a.t.c.h our missions?!”
A ferocious roar came from outside the hall. The origin of the voice was the strongest faction leader, Yu Zhiqiang. When he and the others received word of Xiao Chen’s actions, they had all hurried to the hall.
Lan Feichen appeared to be the most furious. He immediately rushed over with giant strides and tried to s.n.a.t.c.h away the mission sheets in Xiao Chen’s hand, disregarding him entirely.
A murderous intent flashed in Xiao Chen’s eyes. He casually held the mission sheets behind his back with his left hand and circulated his Vital Qi to his right before pus.h.i.+ng forward.
“Bang!”
Xiao Chen’s palm landed on Lan Feichen’s shoulder. A tremendous force burst forth, sending the off-guard Lan Feichen flying.
As Lan Feichen went flying back, he rammed into various inner sect disciples in the way. The force that knocked him back was outrageously strong.
This sight stunned everyone; it felt like their brains had short-circuited. Unexpectedly, Xiao Chen could knock back Lan Feichen, the leader of one of the five big factions in the inner sect, with a casual push.
The other faction leaders outside the doors were thoroughly astounded as well. Although Lan Feichen had been careless, they had not expected Xiao Chen to oppose him so blatantly in front of everyone.
Xiao Chen had casually pushed Lan Feichen and sent him flying. Furthermore, the force behind the push knocked back all the cultivators in Lan Feichen’s way—which was rather horrifying.
“Bang!”
By the time Lan Feichen reacted, he had already flown back a hundred meters. He tried to stop himself, skidding across the ground and giving off ‘chi chi’ sounds.
This push had not contained any offensive force. All Xiao Chen had done was push, so Lan Feichen did not suffer any harm.
However, this incident made Lan Feichen look lame. Rage built up in his heart. A newcomer inner sect disciple actually humiliated him despite his status! How could he bear it?
“Very good, Xiao Chen. Unexpectedly, you dare to push me. I—”
Before Lan Feichen finished speaking, he saw a figure flash in front of him. Then, a leg tore through s.p.a.ce, heading towards him, and a strong wind blew.
This sight greatly astonished Lan Feichen. He had not expected Xiao Chen to be so bold. First, Xiao Chen had pushed him. Then, before Lan Feichen even finished speaking, Xiao Chen took the initiative to attack.
Good, you are the one who attacked first. Even if I cripple you today, reason is on my side. Lan Feichen steeled himself and circulated his Quintessence, preparing to attack.
However, he underestimated Xiao Chen’s kick. This kick did not receive any support from Quintessence, so Xiao Chen saved on the time needed to circulate Quintessence.
By the time Lan Feichen circulated his Quintessence in preparation for beating up Xiao Chen, he no longer had any opportunities. If he followed through on his attack, Xiao Chen would end up kicking him first.
Recalling Xiao Chen’s strong physical body, which allowed him to clash head-on with Situ Gang, Lan Feichen did not dare to be careless. He lowered his leg and s.h.i.+fted the Quintessence to his right hand, thinking of blocking first.
“Xiu!”
Xiao Chen smiled coldly to himself. Then, he opened an acupoint on his sole. Instantly, strong energy fired out from his foot. He spun around in midair, immediately s.h.i.+fting his position.
There was a loud ‘bang’ as Xiao Chen’s foot struck Lan Feichen’s left shoulder. A considerable force instantly exploded out, catching Lan Feichen off-guard; he had gathered his Quintessence on his right hand, not leaving any defense on his left shoulder.
“Pa!” Xiao Chen knocked Lan Feichen to the ground. The entire process took only an instant.
All the crowd saw was Xiao Chen sending a kick at Lan Feichen as Lan Feichen was speaking, then Lan Feichen circulating Quintessence to the spot that would be hit, preparing to block with his right arm and catch Xiao Chen’s leg.
However, just when everyone thought that Xiao Chen’s kick would be blocked, Lan Feichen fell miserably to the ground, his momentum shattering entirely in that instant.
“You… How dare you kick me?! Today, I will definitely—”
Lan Feichen lay on the ground with blood leaking out of his mouth. He trembled slightly as he pointed at Xiao Chen, glaring furiously. Usually, the inner sect disciples were all filled with respect when they saw him. No one was as unruly as Xiao Chen.
However, Xiao Chen again did not wait for him to finish speaking. As Lan Feichen struggled to get up, Xiao Chen spun in the air without touching the ground and kicked him back down.
“Chi! Chi!
That was not all. After Xiao Chen’s kick landed, it not only knocked Lan Feichen back to the ground but also sent him skidding a hundred meters. Lan Feichen crashed into the doorsill and vomited a mouthful of blood.
[TL Note: Ancient Chinese doors were not flush with the ground. They had a large 15- to 30-centimeter-high doorsill protruding that one had to step over. They believed that this protrusion would keep ghosts and demons out as these cannot bend their knees to step over the doorsill.]
“How dare you kick me again?! I’ll kill you!”
Lan Feichen was now exasperated and completely lost his temper. Quintessence surged throughout his body as he got up and charged at Xiao Chen.
Yu Zhiqiang and the others outside the door reacted. They all snorted coldly and attacked. Instantly, a strong wind blew in the mission hall.
When the black-robed administrator saw that things were getting out of hand, he shouted furiously, “Stop! This is the mission hall. If you have a personal grudge, go settle it somewhere else!”
He sent out a palm strike that felt like a mountain moving in the air. Yu Zhiqiang and the others flying gave off dull thuds as the palm wind knocked them back.
Lan Feichen regulated his aura reluctantly and pointed at Xiao Chen. Then, he said in an upset tone to the black-robed administrator, “Lord Administrator, please look carefully. We are not the ones causing trouble. This brat is the one who attacked first.”
The black-robed administrator replied coldly, “I saw everything very clearly. You violated the rules first by trying to s.n.a.t.c.h the mission sheets away from him. Only then did he make a move. Furthermore, he did not use his Quintessence. He only took the initiative to push you back. Nothing more!”
Lan Feichen argued, “That’s not right. From the start to the end, I truly have not made a move. He did everything.”
“How laughable!” The black-robed administrator laughed coldly, “It is not that you did not want to make a move, it is that you did not have an opportunity to make a move. Since you already decided to attack, why bother quibbling? Do you think that a fight between cultivators is like little children playing house?
“You were beaten up to the point where you were helpless, throwing your face. Yet, you are still not embarra.s.sed to try and speak reason here? I feel ashamed for you.”
The other people in the mission hall felt that the old man was right. This Lan Feichen thought too highly of himself, expecting that the other party should not dare do anything due to his prestige.
Even after being knocked back by Xiao Chen two or three times, Lan Feichen still had the delusion that he could use his prestige to scare Xiao Chen off. If he had used his true strength from the start, he would not have lost face like that.
“You really think you are some incredible character, so others must listen to you? If you really think that, then you can first settle this privately outside for s.n.a.t.c.hing away the missions. In here, the mission hall, as long as one is capable, anyone can take the missions.”
The black-robed administrator did not show any mercy and lectured Lan Feichen again.
Lan Feichen’s complexion alternated between red and green. He was so ashamed after the scolding that he did not want to face people. No longer able to suppress his internal injuries, he vomited another mouthful of blood.
Lan Feichen looked at Xiao Chen. He hated that he could not leap over and kill him right at this moment. This time, he had utterly embarra.s.sed himself due to Xiao Chen.
Yu Zhiqiang snorted and gave Xiao Chen an unfathomable look. Then he said, “Come, let’s go first.”
With the black-robed administrator here, Lan Feichen knew that he could not do anything about Xiao Chen today. Filled with anger, he stomped out of the mission hall.
As Xiao Chen watched these people leave, he did not give this much thought. If he wanted to get the top rank, he would end up offending these people anyway.
If the other party did not want to give way, all the more Xiao Chen would not give way. Avoiding conflict would be hard. Since he could not avoid it, he would not bother speaking so much nonsense with these people. He would simply clash head-on.
After putting away the mission sheets, Xiao Chen said to the black-robed administrator, “Many thanks to Senior for helping.”
The black-robed administrator expressionlessly and calmly said, “Even if I did not make a move, you have your means of dealing with the situation as well. So there is no need to thank me. Furthermore, the inner sect has stagnated for many years already. I really hope there will be more people like you; the more, the better.”
Xiao Chen did not find it strange that the black-robed administrator could roughly figure out his bottom line. As for the administrator’s last sentence, he did not really care about it. He casually said goodbye and prepared to leave.
“Wait a moment. It would be very difficult for you to surpa.s.s Yun Feiyu by relying on the missions you have taken. I will give you a mission worth three thousand contribution points. Do you dare to accept it?”
This stunned Xiao Chen for a moment. Then, he asked, “Didn’t you say that missions worth three thousand points and above are reserved for true inheritors?”
The black-robed administrator said indifferently, “There are always exceptions to things. In the past, Yun Feiyu was an exception. Today, you are another. Look at the mission details yourself. Whether you take it or not is your decision. I will not interfere.”
Xiao Chen took the mission sheet and could not help but frown after reviewing it. The difficulty and risk were rather high. However, the rewards and contribution points were astonis.h.i.+ng as well.
“Good! I will accept this mission too!” Xiao Chen had always been decisive. He was quite resolute in his goals, and he quickly made a decision.
A light flashed in the black-robed administrator’s eyes. He smiled faintly as if he had long expected this outcome.
When Xiao Chen turned around and walked out, the other inner sect disciples looking at him in the mission hall hurried to make way and open up a path for him.
From the start to the end, Xiao Chen never said anything. He only used his actions to prove himself silently, beating up Lan Feichen into a sorry state.
Although Lan Feichen had been careless, regardless, just Xiao Chen’s courage had impressed them. Normally, all these five faction leaders had to do was gaze at them and they would be frightened to death, obediently handing over their Spirit Gathering Pearls.