Hearing Ling Luo, Ling Xiao was bewildered. He was the first ranked disciple of the Genius Hall, but he didn’t qualify to participate in the Heavenly Peak Gathering. This was somewhat abnormal.
This was a rare opportunity to exchange pointers. Ling Xiao had struggled to find opponents, so this Heavenly Peak Gathering was tailor-made for his need.
Originally, he had thought that he would certainly be able to participate. Therefore, he had only freed up his schedule for when it occurred. But now, he was not qualified? This was too ridiculous.
“Ling Luo, don’t be angry. What’s going on?”
Ling Xiao was not impulsive. He needed to understand this matter first.
“I don’t know the details. I heard some senior apprentice brothers saying that the three Supreme Elders are unwilling to let you participate, saying your nature is eccentric and that you like to cause trouble. They fear that you might cause a disturbance, so your qualifications were revoked.”
Ling Luo angrily said, “Although Patriarch wanted you to go, it’s not good for him to antagonize the three Supreme Elders for you.”
“Then, who is qualified?”
Ling Xiao asked.
“Ling Chen, Ling Yun, Ling Yihang, and Ling Feng!”
Ling Luo answered.
“Ling Chen and Ling Yihang are fine, but that Ling Yun is unacceptable. From the recent battle, his current strength is inferior to Senior Apprentice Sister Ling Yixue’s. How is he qualified to participate? Furthermore, that Ling Feng is also going. Isn’t this hilarious?”
Ling Xiao was inwardly unhappy.
“Yes, Big Brother. I heard that after the competition, Ling Shuang, Ling Zhan, Ling Xiaopeng, Ling Dapeng, and the others entered seclusion to cultivate, so they can’t participate in this Heavenly Peak Gathering. Ling Feifan also went out to temper himself, but Ling Feng didn’t even reach the finals, so how can he go?”
Ling Luo was even more upset.
“Wait a minute.”
Ling Xiao suddenly signaled Ling Luo to stop speaking before looking towards the door.
Two people entered. One was Ling Xiaotian, and the other was Ling Wuhen.
“Patriarch! Second Uncle!”
Ling Xiao and Ling Luo cupped their hands.
“You should already know the matter of the Heavenly Peak Gathering. The quotas were set by the three Supreme Elders and I. It can’t be changed. However, to make up for your loss, I have brought you an Entry-level Peak Martial Art.”
Ling Xiaotian’s attitude was not bad, but he unfortunately didn’t understand what Ling Xiao needed.
What Ling Xiao needed was to compete with experts, not an Entry-level Peak Martial Art.
What he needed even more was respect!
“Patriarch, please forgive this disciple for being not polite, but this Ling Xiao doesn’t need this Entry-level Peak Martial Art. Please take it back.”
Ling Xiao looked at Ling Xiaotian.
Although he had a good impression of Ling Xiaotian, the Patriarch being unable to preserve justice in such a little thing was honestly too disappointing. Moreover, this old man still wanted to win his heart?
Compared to Ling Wuhen, Ling Xiaotian was too naïve.
“Father, just an Entry-level Peak Martial Art? Do you truly want to only go through the motions with this matter? Do you think that this is a trifling matter? Has the Ling Clan become the three Supreme Elder’s Ling Clan?”
Ling Wuhen was also angry.
Among the three he associated with, only Ling Yihang had received an opportunity, unlike Ling Xiao or Ling Yixue.
“Shut up!”
Ling Xiaotian’s complexion changed and his attitude suddenly became tough: “This is the end of the matter. It’s pointless to speak more about it. No matter whether you want this Peak Martial Art or not, this matter has already been decided by the clan. Even if you are unhappy in your heart, you have to accept it.”
After speaking this, his tone relaxed, and he sighed: “Youngster, I greatly admire your character, but if you are too firm, you will easily break. You should be more flexible.”
After speaking, he shook his head and turned away.
Perhaps, Ling Xiaotian’s words had some truth.
However, Ling Xiao couldn’t accept it.
This was blatantly unfair. He absolutely wouldn’t swallow such an insult.
Ling Yun and Ling Feng could participate in the Heavenly Peak Gathering?
Hehe, I happen to have enmity with Ling Shisan. It seems I have to do something.
He didn’t tell anyone his plan, including Uncle Ling Er and Ling Yixue.
A day later when the Heavenly Peak Gathering was to be held.
Ling Clan suddenly revised their four participants to Ling Chen, Ling Xiao, Ling Yixue and Ling Yihang.
The reason was simple.
Last night, someone had attacked Ling Yun and Ling Feng in their homes. They had been injured to the point of being incapable of participating in the competition.
Ling Shisan flew into a rage, but he couldn’t find any evidence.
Although Ling Xiaotian inwardly suspected this to be Ling Xiao’s doing, he couldn’t quite believe that Ling Xiao could actually deceive Ling Shisan and severely injure Ling Yun and Ling Feng right under his nose.
According to eyewitnesses, the intruder simultaneously injured both Ling Yun and Ling Feng in one move before fleeing.
No had seen the intruder’s face or movement technique.
Was Ling Xiao so strong?
Ling Xiaotian and the three Supreme Elders expressed doubts.
This matter couldn’t be resolved for the time being.
Naturally, this was Ling Xiao’s doing. Since you all didn’t follow the rules, then I also can break the rules.
The day of competition, he, Ling Yixue, Ling Yihang, and Ling Chen along with ten other disciples of the Genius Hall went to the castellan residence led by Ling Xiaotian and Supreme Elder Ling Yin.
On the way, Ling Yixue deliberately fell behind with Ling Xiao.
“Junior Apprentice Brother, that matter was your doing, right?
“Senior Apprentice Sister, what do you think?” Ling Xiao didn’t answer; however, his profound smile revealed everything.
“Thank you, I don’t dare to do such a thing.” Ling Yixue didn’t feel that Ling Xiao’s actions were inappropriate.
Like Ling Xiao, she was also an externally recruited disciple. Originally, they had truly pledged loyalty to the Ling Clan.
After all, they had been very grateful to the Ling Clan.
However, with the passage of time, the Ling Clan had bitterly disappointed them many times.
Now, although they wouldn’t become an enemy of the Ling Clan, they were no longer deeply grateful.
To them, the Ling Clan was nothing more than a place to practice martial arts. They no longer had a feeling of so-called family affection.
“No matter, they didn’t abide by the rules first.”
Ling Xiao smiled at the castellan residence in front of them.
The castellan residence of Heavenly Peak City covered a large area, and the Heavenly Peak Gathering was held on the mountain to the rear of the castellan residence.
There were several pavilions and kiosks on the mountain. The four major clans each occupied a pavilion that had tea and snacks prepared. It was very considerate.
As for the remaining clans, they could only sit in the kiosks. Some didn’t even have a kiosk and could only sit on the ground.
This was the difference in their treatments.
Ling Xiao had been focusing on cultivation, so he didn’t have a great understanding of the other three clans besides the Ling Clan, let alone the various individual experts.
He took a few glances at the Li Clan.
Li Xingyun whom he had killed belonged to this Li Clan.
“Ling Xiao, you seem very interested in the Li Clan. That person is Li Xinghui, ranked-first among the four noble sons. Moreover, he is the elder brother of Li Xingyun who was killed in the past. He is also far stronger than Ling Feifan.”
Ling Yihang pointed at the Li Clan’s pavilion and commented.
“Oh?”
“It seems like you don’t believe me. In fact, I also didn’t believe it, but I saw it with my own eyes. In the last Heavenly Peak Gathering, this Li Xinghu crushed the other three noble sons. He used one move to defeat everyone!”
Ling Yihang feared that Ling Xiao might underestimate the opponent and spoke very seriously.
“Defeating Ling Feifan in one move? That’s truly amazing!”
Although his mouth said so, Ling Xiao was not alarmed. From Li Xinghui’s aura, he knew that this person was an unconventional gambit: a glass cannon.
