Chapter 83: A Fight in Vain

The inner disciple who led the bullying was named Zhao Ling; Xiao Huai said this was his senior brother.

Zhao Ling sneered, "You're nothing but a menial disciple of the Profound Rank, what right do you have to speak to me like this?"

He glanced at his junior brother, who had been sent flying, then looked at Ning Xianyu.

"So you’re Senior Sister Xianyu? My apologies for the lack of courtesy." As he spoke, he cupped his hands in a mock gesture of respect, his face nonetheless brimming with arrogance and disdain.

Ning Xianyu replied coldly, "At least you have some manners, but I heard you wanted my Ironclad Beast, is that right?"

Zhao Ling's expression shifted, but he forced a smile. "Senior Sister, you must be joking. I was only asking these disciples for their Ironclad Beast. They’re all outer sect disciples, lacking in cultivation. Keeping such a treasure would be wasted on them." He sought her approval, "Isn’t that right, Senior Sister?"

His words mocked the outer sect disciples, but even more so Ning Xianyu herself, implying that she hadn’t risen through diligent cultivation but had been promoted by others.

Most people would have been furious at such words—no one likes being looked down upon, and everyone has their pride. But Ning Xianyu was too lazy to care.

If she hadn’t agreed to be the team leader and brought these disciples in, she would have simply watched the quarrel from the sidelines, munching on melon seeds, without any intention to intervene.

Ah, these petty disputes—how childish. They were cultivators now; shouldn’t they be cultivating their inner selves? What kind of immortal relies on bullying the weak?

"Drop the veiled insults. It’s exhausting to listen to. Just say it plainly: you’re picking on them because their cultivation is weaker than yours, right?"

Honestly, why make things so complicated? Just speak directly and save the trouble.

Zhao Ling hadn’t expected her to be so blunt. She looked sweet, and rumor had it she was favored by the Grand Elder, so he’d assumed she would be a coy and tactful woman, delicate in both speech and action.

Who would have thought she was more straightforward than Elder Xuanyuan himself?

Could this be the very reason the Grand Elder favored her?

"So what if I am?" Zhao Ling paused, then smirked mockingly, "The law of the jungle—survival of the fittest—is the way of the world. Wouldn’t you agree, Senior Sister?"

Since she had become a Nascent Soul cultivator thanks to the Grand Elder, she had no right to deny the law of the jungle.

Xiao Huai couldn’t bear to listen any longer and tried to counsel him, "Senior Brother Zhao Ling, the Sect has rules—disciples mustn’t fight excessively, and mustn’t constantly bully the weak."

Zhao Ling thundered, "Who do you think you are? Did I ask for your opinion?"

Xiao Huai, outranked, was left speechless and dared not say more.

Ning Xianyu looked him up and down and nodded as if suddenly enlightened. "No wonder you sound so strange—you’re jealous of me."

"You must be jealous that I’m a woman, that I can use my looks to please others. You probably wish you could turn into a woman yourself, don’t you?"

Zhao Ling froze for a moment, then realized what she meant. His face flushed with rage, and he drew his sword, slashing at her.

"How dare you shame me, a proud man! I’ll kill you!"

Ning Xianyu didn’t even move; her expression was calm, but inwardly she was terrified.

"I’m dead, I’m dead—Grand Elder, save me!"

Xuanyuan Tunhan, exasperated, scolded her, "Draw your sword and block!"

Instinctively, Ning Xianyu drew her sword to parry.

Zhao Ling sneered and swung his blade at her seemingly ordinary, unenchanted sword.

With a clang, Zhao Ling’s sword snapped in half.

Everyone was stunned. Then they saw Zhao Ling’s face drain of all color; he staggered back two steps and coughed up a mouthful of blood.

"What happened?" Ning Xianyu was shocked and quickly asked in her mind, "Grand Elder, what’s wrong with him?"

He was a disciple of the Third Elder; she’d only meant to teach him a lesson, not kill him.

Xuanyuan Tunhan replied lazily, "His life-bound treasure was broken by you. The backlash is only natural."

"Will he die?"

"No, but his cultivation will regress by a stage, his vitality severely damaged. He’ll need at least a decade to recover."

Heavens, a decade of recuperation! That was a harsh punishment indeed.

And it hadn’t even been intentional—how was she to know he’d use his life-bound treasure in a spar? And if he did, how could she have known it would shatter so easily?

Xuanyuan Tunhan pinched her, thinking she probably had no idea what a peerless artifact she was holding in her hands.

Meanwhile, Ning Xianyu asked, "Are you alright, Junior Brother Zhao Ling?"

Would damaging one’s life-bound treasure make someone so angry they’d die on the spot?

Zhao Ling spat, "Ning Xianyu… fine, fine… we’ll meet again."

He repeated "fine" several times, then led his people away without another word.

His followers obeyed; as soon as he left, they followed, vanishing from sight in an instant.

Ning Xianyu called after them, "Don’t go, I’m not finished!"

But they were already gone.

Xiao Huai came over. "Senior Sister Xianyu, don’t worry. Senior Brother Zhao Ling is strong—although he lost his life-bound treasure, he’ll be fine."

Ning Xianyu sighed regretfully, "I only meant to say, isn’t it proper to reciprocate in kind? Since he believes so strongly in survival of the fittest, and I beat them, shouldn’t they leave behind all their valuables for me? It’s really poor sportsmanship to lose and then run off, leaving nothing behind."

What a shame!

She noticed Zhao Ling’s broken life-bound treasure discarded on the ground, hurried over, and picked it up for a closer look.

"Do you think this is still worth something?"

There was a spirit-gathering stone set in the hilt—it looked valuable enough.

Xiao Huai forced an awkward smile, "It’s definitely worth something. Zhao Ling is actually related to the Second Elder—his family has plenty of assets."

Oh, so he was a rich second generation! Even more of a shame—she’d gotten nothing out of that fight.

Lin Kaishu and the others came over to thank Ning Xianyu for her help.

Ning Xianyu waved it off with the air of a true senior sister. "I’m the team leader—I promised to look after you, and seeing you all injured, I couldn’t stand by and do nothing."

Of course, she thought to herself, just because she couldn’t stand by didn’t mean she was going to offer any compensation.

Lin Kaishu said awkwardly, "We were incompetent. We should have known from the start that this wasn’t a place we belonged."

A trial in a secret realm was a major event in the sect, attracting only the most capable. They shouldn’t have joined just because a Nascent Soul senior sister was willing to lead them.

Given their lack of strength, it was only natural they were bullied and humiliated.

Ning Xianyu said nothing.

Everyone has their own ideas—she didn’t care what others thought.

Seeing Chang Qi, Ding Hong, and the others looking so dispirited, and disliking the gloomy atmosphere, she quickly changed the subject.

"Well, since you’re here, and we now have information on where the Astrolite is, why don’t you all rest for a bit and then we’ll set out?"

Lin Kaishu hesitated, glancing back at the others.

The disciples lowered their heads; some were clearly having second thoughts.

Heading to the Astrolite meant facing even more formidable opponents. If they went, they’d only be seeking further humiliation.

Go, or not go?