The space between heaven and earth fell silent once more.
The middle-aged judge, radiating an extraordinary aura, laughed in fury. The deterrent power unique to a Bound Ranking expert emerged, causing the entire Jade Pond Immortal Realm to tremble.
"Boy, do you know that with your attitude right now, regardless of whether you broke any rules or not, I can kill you."
"And no one will avenge you!"
Upon hearing this, Yan Yu shook his head again.
"I don't believe it."
"Enough!" the middle-aged man declared, summoning a ten-thousand-zhang tall bone king Dharma manifestation above his head. Its power was immense. He glared at Yan Yu, his voice filled with murderous intent, "I am the three hundred and seventy-second generation patriarch of the Zhongtian Li clan, ranked eighty-sixth on the Bound Ranking."
"State your sect. I want to see who your master is, to have taught such an ignorant thing!"
Yan Yu, facing the surging winds, felt the terrifying pressure emanating from the Dharma manifestation. His face instantly turned pale, and he stumbled back several steps.
"Li Huan, why bother arguing with a junior."
At this moment, an ancient voice echoed, and the terrifying oppressive force in the air immediately dissipated.
The middle-aged judge, addressed as Li Huan, narrowed his eyes, turned his head, and looked at the Daoist robed elder beside him, asking in surprise, "Daoist Tian Shui from Bai Yun Daoist Temple, you are here..."
"One must know how to endure. If you insist on being defiant, won't you be the one to get hurt in the end?"
The old Daoist did not answer the man. Instead, he walked directly to Yan Yu's side and said irritably.
Hearing this, Yan Yu first glanced at the middle-aged man standing frozen on the other side, then turned his head, clasped his hands, and said,
"Because I did nothing wrong."
"Master taught me, it is better to break than to bend."
The old Daoist sighed helplessly, looking at Yan Yu with a headache and said, "Your master said that because no one could break him. But you are different!"
"If I hadn't been here today, have you considered what your fate would have been?"
"I had considered it. Nothing would have happened, because Uncle Jiu the Wine Immortal would have been here," Yan Yu replied sincerely.
Daoist Tian Shui was instantly rendered speechless.
On the other side, Li Huan, the patriarch of the Li clan, who had recovered somewhat, frowned and walked over, hesitantly asking,
"Daoist Tian Shui, is this... your disciple?"
Daoist Tian Shui turned his head, glanced at the man, and then shook his head, saying, "No."
"Hoo—"
Upon hearing this, Li Huan breathed a sigh of relief.
"This boy is my senior brother's disciple. He is here to represent our Bai Yun Daoist Temple in the Myriad Races Alliance."
"What!" This statement immediately caused a huge uproar outside. Countless cultivators were shocked, especially the female Daoist from Tianshi Mountain.
"This is impossible. If he is here to participate in the Myriad Races Alliance representing Bai Yun Daoist Temple, then who is that Mu Xu!" Mu Qing stared intensely at Yan Yu, then suddenly understood, gasping in shock, "Could they have sent two?"
"Impossible. In every Myriad Races Alliance, Bai Yun Daoist Temple only sends at most one disciple. It's a rule, there cannot be a second one." The old Daoist from Tianshi Mountain looked at Yan Yu and shook his head.
Mu Qing's expression stiffened, then he spoke, "Then who is that Mu Xu who mastered Daoist arts and killed Zhou Jie? Who taught him the Eight Trigrams techniques?"
"How would I know?" The old Daoist sighed, his face full of sorrow. In his heart, he was silently lamenting, for he already had a deduction.
Mu Xu was likely a hidden genius cultivated by another lineage, which explained his mastery of the Eight Trigrams.
"Just Bai Yun Daoist Temple is not enough. Now other lineages have arrived. This is truly worrying..."
Within the Jade Pond Immortal Realm, Li Huan was visibly stunned upon hearing Yan Yu's identity.
Disciple of Senior Brother Tian Shui.
Representing Bai Yun Daoist Temple in the competition?
"Moreover, I am clear about his strength. He did not violate the rules or cheat, Daoist Li can rest assured," Daoist Tian Shui said to Li Huan, his calm expression carrying a hint of hidden meaning.
If he remembered correctly, Li Huan had just unleashed his Dharma manifestation to pressure Yan Yu.
A trace of anger slowly rose in Daoist Tian Shui's heart.
Were people from their Bai Yun Daoist Temple so easily bullied? Kuaishu Pavilion
"Your senior brother's disciple!" Finally, Li Huan seemed to recall something, his mind going blank with a buzzing sound, leaving him completely dazed.
Earlier this year, a mysterious Human King expert had appeared from Bai Yun Daoist Temple. The purpose of that Human King's appearance was simply to take a young boy from the Great Xia Dynasty as his disciple.
This news was no secret, so he knew more details, such as how that Human King expert had personally descended into the Gloomy Night Domain, met with a Bound Ranking expert from the Demon Slaying Division, and then personally brought the boy back to the Daoist Temple to accept him as a direct disciple.
Centuries of reclusion, only to emerge to take a disciple, showed how important the boy was to him.
And what made Li Huan nervous was that, at first, he thought Xu Mu was that disciple. But now, it seemed he had guessed wrong. Xu Mu was not from Bai Yun Daoist Temple, but from another lineage.
Instead, it was Yan Yu, the person he had just threatened in front of the world, who was actually that Human King's only direct disciple!
And he had boasted that he would drag Yan Yu's sect and family down with him, and insulted him. What kind of person could teach such a beast!
If that Human King were to know all of this, what price would he have to pay?
"This matter is purely a misunderstanding!"
Li Huan swallowed, a slightly nervous smile on his face. He stepped forward, intending to pat Yan Yu's shoulder, but was dodged by the latter. Immediately, he pulled out a pill and hastily said,
"Young brother Yan Yu, I am truly sorry. I misunderstood you. This fifth-stage Spirit Returning Sacred Pill is my apology. I hope you do not take offense."
Yan Yu looked at the obviously valuable pill handed over by the man, and stared at him with a half-smile, asking, "Excuse me, Judge, if I take this, does it count as a violation?"
"No, of course not. Because my mistake caused you to be injured, how could this count!" Li Huan said with a chuckle, forcibly stuffing the pill into Yan Yu's hand. Then he smiled at Daoist Tian Shui again, his eyes filled with a hint of pleading, asking, "Brother Dao, would this be a satisfactory resolution?"
"Whether it is satisfactory depends on his wishes," the old Daoist said, looking at Yan Yu. Li Huan then had no choice but to focus his gaze back on Yan Yu, his expression extremely bitter.
"Forget it. Let's continue the competition and not waste time." After a two-second silence, Yan Yu returned the pill and turned around, saying.
"This..." Li Huan was taken aback, not understanding Yan Yu's intention. Was he letting it go, or would he settle the score later?
But regardless of which it was, Daoist Tian Shui had already left. Li Huan also knew that he could not dwell on it any further. After all, he was a judge for this Myriad Races Alliance, a respected Bound Ranking expert admired by all. No matter how panicked he was, he could not show it.
"Since that is the case, I shall leave as well. You may continue your competition." Li Huan cast one last look at Yan Yu, then sighed. His projection also vanished from this realm.
Thus, the place fell silent once more.
Only Xu Mu was clapping on the side, his laughter hearty.
...