Chapter 115: Fame on the Stage, Thoughts on the Future

Hiding in the crowd, Zhang Yang listened to the discussions, his venomous eyes locked on Qin Haoxuan. He secretly wondered, Why is he so strong? Is it really just because of the Qi-Circulating Powder? Others might attribute the achievement to the medicine Xu Yu refined, but Zhang Yang felt that wasn’t the whole story.

The powder could only speed up cultivation; it couldn’t strengthen the body to the point of being immune to blades and spears. Qin Haoxuan had to have some great treasure on him.

Although his previous attempt to report Qin Haoxuan for possessing a treasure had been dismissed by the elders, he still felt that Qin Haoxuan must have had some kind of fortuitous encounter. Otherwise, with the aptitude of a weak seed, how could he possibly be so ferocious?

If he were to report him again without proof, the elders would surely punish him severely. But if not that, then how could he deal with him? Zhang Yang was lost in thought when a flash of inspiration struck.

Qin Haoxuan’s body was inhumanly tough, far exceeding the normal limits of a cultivator. Only demons and monsters possessed such bodies of steel and iron. It was possible that a powerful, ancient demon had possessed him, making him so formidable! Yes, that was it! He would report him for demonic possession! Given his performance, it was a very plausible explanation.

News of Qin Haoxuan’s feat quickly spread throughout the entire Grievance Resolution Plain, stunning everyone who heard it.

A death in the arena was already big news, but a death that resulted from such a lopsided victory of the weak over the strong was almost absurd. Many curious onlookers began to ask around about this Qin Haoxuan.

Those in the know, such as the disciples from the Four Great Halls who did business with him, began to describe him with great enthusiasm.

The gossip and tales spread like wildfire. “Not only is he on excellent terms with the Unsurpassed Purple Seed Xu Yu, but he’s also a thorn in the side of another Purple Seed, the ferocious Zhang Kuang! On top of that, he has the nickname ‘Monkey King.’ He raised a clever little monkey that commands two hundred Mighty Apes to manage spirit fields for others.

I have them managing my field, and it’s more meticulous than any person could be!” The talk of his connections, his enemies, and his miraculous monkey spread, painting the picture of a legendary new disciple. His name was now on everyone’s lips, and many who heard about his monkey management service were eager to discuss a partnership.

All this talk about Qin Haoxuan’s fame was built upon the utter humiliation of the Ancient Cloud Hall. Every story of his victory was a reminder that their Twelfth-Leaf disciple had been killed by him, and it was often followed by sneers, as if the disciples of the Ancient Cloud Hall were all fragile statues made of mud.

Finally, Zhou Li could bear it no longer. He took a step forward, his eyes fixed coldly on Qin Haoxuan and the calm Pu Hanzhong behind him.

“In six months, someone from our Ancient Cloud Hall will issue a challenge to you, Qin Haoxuan. And not just you. Every single person in your Nature Hall will receive a challenge!”

Zhou Li’s voice was cold and deliberate. The surrounding discussions came to an abrupt halt. It was obvious to everyone what he was doing. The Ancient Cloud Hall had lost all face, and they planned to bully the entire Nature Hall in half a year to get it back.

All eyes turned to Pu Hanzhong, wanting to see how the representative of the Nature Hall would respond.

Despite his pale face and grievous injuries, Pu Hanzhong was the picture of calm composure. He looked at Zhou Li’s declaration as if it were nothing. “If your Ancient Cloud Hall issues a challenge, we disciples of the Nature Hall will of course accompany you,” he said calmly. “The principle of our Nature Hall is this: we will not bully you because you are weak, nor will we fear you because you are strong!”

Pu Hanzhong’s words were righteous and grand, and they struck Zhou Li’s face like a heavy slap. While stating the Nature Hall’s position, he had also mocked them for being bullies who preyed on the weak.

Zhou Li’s face flushed with anger, but he had no rebuttal. Challenging the entire Nature Hall was, indeed, a clear act of bullying.

Hearing Pu Hanzhong’s response, the onlookers felt a newfound respect for the Nature Hall. Their calm and dignified demeanor, coupled with this show of backbone, made everyone begin to re-evaluate their impression of the so-called “trash hall.”

After a final cold glance at Zhou Li, Qin Haoxuan supported Pu Hanzhong and left, heading back to the Spirit Field Valley.

Once Pu Hanzhong was resting in his bed, a Nature Hall disciple skilled in medicine rushed over to tend to him. Leaving them, Qin Haoxuan then went to Xu Yu’s room.

“Brother Haoxuan, what’s with all the secrecy?” Xu Yu asked, curious, as she watched him carefully check the surroundings to make sure no one was listening.

Qin Haoxuan’s expression was serious. “Little sister,” he said, “killing Yan Dong this time will likely stir up a lot of trouble. I have several extremely important things that I need to entrust to you.”

Xu Yu’s expression tensed. She remembered a similar situation before and felt a thrill of excitement. Brother Haoxuan always entrusted his secrets only to her. It was not just because of her status as a Purple Seed, but because he knew he could rely on her.

“This little snake, this map, and this small sword are my greatest treasures. You must keep them safe. Don’t let anyone know about them, and don’t lose them.

If any of them were to get out, it would bring me endless trouble and might even implicate you.” Qin Haoxuan’s tone was grave. “I didn’t want to burden you with this, but I’m sure many people have their eyes on me now. I can no longer risk carrying them on my person.”

Xu Yu nodded earnestly, her voice like an oath. “Brother Haoxuan, don’t worry. As long as I am alive, your things will not be lost! And I won’t let anything happen to you!”

With that, she glanced fearfully at the small snake on the table. She had been afraid of it the last time, and seeing it again still sent a chill down her spine. After steeling her nerves, she tucked the snake into her robes.

When she picked up the Formless Sword, she was even more certain that it was no ordinary item. From the bottom of her heart, she was happy for him. With so many secrets, Brother Haoxuan’s cultivation would surely not fall behind.

Seeing Xu Yu secure the items, Qin Haoxuan nodded gratefully and then left. A great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. No matter how bold others were, they wouldn’t dare to capture an Unsurpassed Purple Seed. His treasures were far safer with Xu Yu than with him.

Even before they had returned, news of Qin Haoxuan’s victory had already swept through the Spirit Field Valley. As he helped Pu Hanzhong from the Immortal Cloud Cart, the eyes that watched him were filled with a complex mix of awe and fear. To have beaten a Twelfth-Leaf cultivator to death was beyond shocking.

Those in Zhang Kuang and Zhang Yang’s camp felt a deep unease. As for those in Xu Yu’s faction, they were ecstatic, greeting him at the cart station with a flood of congratulations and flattery.

“Senior Brother Qin, your fame now shakes the Grievance Resolution Plain! No one will dare look down on you again!”

“Senior Brother Qin is a weak seed, and so am I! I am so ashamed of my lack of accomplishment!”

“How can a piece of trash like you compare to Senior Brother Qin? He is the role model for all of us weak seeds!”

Qin Haoxuan felt no joy from their praise. All he wanted was to get Pu Hanzhong back to his room to rest. With every step, his senior brother’s face grew paler, and fresh blood began to seep from his wounds.

The news of the duel reached Master Guyun just as quickly. He was stunned. A new disciple killing one of his own Twelfth-Leaf cultivators was a huge blow to the Ancient Cloud Hall’s reputation. The news brought him both distress and a secret, twisted sense of pride.

Having provided Qin Haoxuan with countless Corrosion Pills, Master Guyun firmly believed that this achievement was his own. Otherwise, how could a mere Sprouting Stage disciple possibly survive, let alone defeat and kill, a Twelfth-Leaf expert?

“He’s already so monstrous now,” he mused to himself. “He’ll be even more incredible when he finally becomes a corpse soldier! But… being in the spotlight like this is also a problem…”