Chapter 351: Chapter 351

"Bai Zihan, he isn't playing a prank, right?"

Bai Xueqing muttered as she waited for Bai Zihan to show up.

She was well-aware that he wouldn't be scared by someone like Lu Xiangyuan, but she also knew him well enough to know that he might not take this fight seriously.

For Bai Zihan, it might just be some insignificant stuff, but for the rest, it was an important fight that might change the influence in the Heaven Sword Sect.

Chu Ziyan didn't know for sure either.

Everyone else began the count in their mind.

Each one passed heavier than the last.

By the fifth breath, the crowd's murmurs had grown restless.

By the seventh, whispers had turned into open ridicule.

"Looks like he really ran."

"He actually didn't dare show up..."

Even the Sect Leader's Faction members exchanged bitter, resigned

expressions as if they could already feel the political blow crashing down on them.

Elder Wu Heng's smile deepened, smug and satisfied.

Although there wasn't a fight and perhaps the effect would be less than if Lu Xiangyuan won against Bai Zihan, it was still good enough.

All the Disciples should come to know that even Bai Zihan, the one feared by many, ran away in fear after challenging Lu Xiangyuan.

The Anti-Sect Leader Faction's influence would be unmatched.

He simply watched the empty entrance path with a cold, superior stare. Eighth breath.

His lip curled slightly.

He sneered, his voice dripping with contempt.

"So this is Bai Zihan. Truly fitting-no matter how hyped he becomes, a coward remains a coward."

Lu Xiangyuan raised a hand, ready to declare the obvious.

"A challenger who fails to appear-"

His voice rose proudly.

Because at that very moment-

Gasps rippled across the audience with all looking in the other direction.

A faint, unhurried footstep echoed from the far end of the walkway.

Unrushed-as if the entire sect wasn't waiting on him.

The conversations died instantly.

Thousands of heads turned.

The Elders stopped speaking. All can talk behind his back, but when in front of him, one can't help but swallow those words.

After all, Bai Zihan-if he seeks revenge against you, no matter how much you look down on him, you can't help but be scared for your life.

Bai Zihan walked toward the Dueling Platform with calm and cool composure. Every gaze locked onto him.

Bai Zihan simply walked-each step quiet, but somehow louder than all the noise that came before.

Bai Zihan stepped onto the final stretch of the walkway, his robes fluttering gently in the breeze.

Not hurried. Not tense. Not even remotely apologetic.

He finally stepped onto the edge of the dueling platform, his gaze sweeping lazily across the thousands of disciples, elders, peak masters, and hall masters seated above.

His expression remained calm-unbothered, almost bored.

Bai Zihan exhaled lightly and spoke in a tone neither loud nor soft, yet

somehow every single person heard him clearly.

"Hm? I didn't expect so many people to gather here."

Then, he tilted his head slightly, his voice carrying a faint, almost lazy

"It seems the Heaven Sword Sect has far too much free time on its hands."

The atmosphere froze.

"Outer Disciples, Inner Disciples, Core Disciples... and even Elders."

He paused, letting his words sink in.

"All of you standing around here watching instead of cultivating. Tsk! Tsk!"

A ripple of outrage exploded through the crowd.

"What did he just say?!"

"He's the reason we're all here-how dare he blame us?!"

"Is he insane?! Does he want the entire sect to hate him?!"

Even those who supported him stiffened in disbelief.

Bai Xueqing and Chu Ziyan, who almost always focused on cultivating and

practicing, were here today to support Bai Zihan.

And now-he insulted everyone for showing up.

Even they felt a bit angry when they were insulted after they decided to

sacrifice their time to come and support him.

Several Elders' faces darkened visibly, their expressions contorting.

"Does he have no respect for seniority?!"

"He dares to lecture us?!"

Even Peak Master Qinglan rubbed her temples, silently wondering what she

should do to fix that damn mouth of Bai Zihan.

There is no need to say how insulted Elder Wu Heng and the others felt. They

just waited for the moment that Lu Xiangyuan would fix Bai Zihan's mouth.

Bai Zihan-he was the reason they were here. If not for him challenging Lu Xiangyuan, none of them would be here.

Yet-here he was, criticizing them for not working harder despite him being the literal reason as to why they were there.

His expression twisted, a sharp vein pulsing on his forehead.

This arrogant bastard challenged him before everyone, showed up late, insulted the people for coming to see him, and acted as if he were the one

Lu Xiangyuan's qi flared wildly, ripping through the air in jagged waves.

He was angry because Bai Zihan was still focused on doing other things rather

than focusing on fighting him.

He expected Bai Zihan to be solely focused on him, but he instead treated it as

if the fight with him were his side mission.

"Bai Zihan, you dare make me wait! Come quickly and face your defeat."

Bai Zihan finally turned his attention toward the center of the stage-toward Lu

Their gazes met for the first time.

Bai Zihan's brows slowly knitted together.

But in... genuine confusion.

He tilted his head, stared at Lu Xiangyuan for a long, uncomfortable second-

Then he deliberately looked to his left.

Finally, he looked back at Lu Xiangyuan.

A faint frown tugged at his lips as he asked, voice innocent yet somehow

dripping with confusion.

"Why is Lu Xiangyuan still not here?"

The entire sect collectively choked. Lu Xiangyuan's face froze.

Bai Zihan blinked, raised a hand, and politely cupped his fist toward him.

"Uncle, have you seen him? I was supposed to fight a fellow disciple named Lu

The word hit like a meteor.

The disciples gasped as if struck. "U-Uncle?! Did he just-?!" "He called Lu Xiangyuan uncle?!"

"Is he deliberately mocking Lu Xiangyuan or does he really not know?

Lu Xiangyuan's hand trembled from sheer fury.

He had expected Bai Zihan to mock him for his age-after all, Bai Zihan had

done that and used that as justification to challenge him.

He had even prepared his heart before the duel, thinking:

He will definitely jab at my age... stay calm, stay calm.

This was beyond anything he imagined.

A slap followed by a kick, followed by being buried alive.

Lu Xiangyuan's jaw twitched violently as his qi surged uncontrollably, the tiles

beneath him cracking.

"You" he hissed, teeth grinding, "-are courting death!"

"Uncle, why are you getting angry?"

Bai Zihan looked genuinely startled. Then someone from the crowd called out loudly.

"Young Master Bai Zihan, that uncle is Lu Xiangyuan!"

"Oh?" Bai Zihan blinked innocently. "You're Lu Xiangyuan? I apologize. You just

looked a bit... seasoned."

He narrowed his eyes slightly, pretending to inspect him.

"You know-wrinkles here, wrinkles there... I truly thought you were some

elder who came to supervise."

Several disciples physically recoiled while others couldn't help but find this

Even Bai Xueqing and Chu Ziyan winced in unison.

This is Bai Zihan's ability. Killing the opponent with his word before the fight

Lu Xiangyuan could no longer restrain his killing intent.

"You-shameless-arrogant-Bai Zihan!!"

His spiritual Qi exploded outward, shaking the platform.

But Bai Zihan simply leaned back slightly, almost leisurely, as if watching a mild

He let out a soft sigh.

Bai Zihan apologized.

Everyone thought that finally Bai Zihan was apologizing as indeed, he had

"I thought that Lu Xiangyuan had yet to appear, hence why I waited for him. I

thought he got cold feet and didn't accept my challenge."

Bai Zihan continued, as if it were really genuine.

"I didn't think that the referee Uncle was actually Lu Xiangyuan. However,

please forgive me, for I didn't think that you would look so old."

Bai Zihan added. His words were as insulting as they could get, hitting Lu Xiangyuan right where it hurt. Lu Xiangyuan's veins bulged so hard one could draw a map from them.

The crowd watched with wide eyes, unable to fathom how Bai Zihan was alive

considering the level of provocation he had achieved within less than a minute. Hatred. Fury. Shock. Disbelief. And in the center of it all-

Bai Zihan stood there, the picture of calm, looking at Lu Xiangyuan with the

same expression one might use when examining a curious insect.

The tension thickened like a storm ready to explode. Thᴇ link to the origɪn of this information rᴇsts ɪn NoveI★Fire.net

The duel hadn't even started-

And already, Lu Xiangyuan had lost all composure.