<h4>Chapter 259: Shameless Punk</h4>


    Everything happened so quickly.


    The brawl between the disciples of the immortal sectssted only a short while, but it resulted in significant destruction. Within a short while, they wrecked the entire hall and the fight spread across half of the public square.


    The disciples of Mount Shu, whose cultivation energy wascking, didn''t dare to step in and stop the fight—besides, most were enjoying the spectacle.


    "<i>Wow... ouch</i>... that person hit way too hard," Monk Pushan remarked, shaking his head in disapproval as he stood next to Chu Liang.


    Chu Liang stared at him and asked, "Aren''t you going to join them?"


    "Monks arepassionate and do not engage in violence," replied Monk Pushan.


    Before he could finish speaking, a figure was hurled from the fight, crashing to the ground and sliding several zhang beforeing to a stop. It was a disciple from the Monastery Tower, his bald head standing out.


    "He''s a warrior monk," Monk Pushan quickly added.


    Chu Liang nced at Pushan and at the warrior monk, thinking that there was indeed a stark difference between a warrior monk and a monk who practiced silent meditation.


    Themotion didn''tst long. Soon, a terrifying pressure of authority descended upon the area, immobilizing all the disciples of the immortal sects. Whether they were talented or ordinary, every single one of them was rendered motionless as they looked up at the sky.


    An old woman in ck, with a frosty demeanor, descended from the sky. She red at the disciples of the various immortal sects, who were in a state of chaos, and said, "You might be used to acting freely in your own sects, but here on Mount Shu, you must abide by the rules of the Mount Shu Sect. Any act of causing a scene or disying violence will not be tolerated. If this happens again, you will be banished from Mount Shu without exception."


    It was the Discipline Master!


    With just a few light and casual words, she instantly brought the situation under control. She didn''t bother to investigate the reason behind the brawl, clearly not wanting to judge the disputes between the disciples of these immortal sects.


    In reality, it was impossible for the elders of the sect to notice the brawl only after it had been happening for a while. They likely didn''t intervene initially, thinking it wasn''t a big deal, but decided to step in once they saw things getting out of hand.


    This aligned with their usual attitude towards their disciples.


    Feng Chaoyang withdrew his divine light, his body spotless, as if he had never been in a fight.


    He looked at Deng Yixiao and snorted coldly, "If you want to continue, let''s set a time at the foot of Mount Shu. I''ll be ready anytime."


    Deng Yixiao had clearly suffered some minor injuries, with bloodstains on one of his brows. Yet, he remained unfazed. In fact, the bloodstains made him look even fiercer.


    As Deng Yixiao faced Feng Chaoyang''s re, he remained calm and said, "When the Mount Shu Summit is over, I will settle this with you."


    The grudge between Feng Chaoyang and the three brothers of the Thunderbolt Stronghold now seemed irrevocable.


    Both sides departed with their own groups.


    As Chu Liang watched Deng Yixiao''s retreating figure, he suddenly sensed that something was odd.


    Rather than being someone who would impulsively start a fight in another immortal sect, Deng Yixiao appeared to be more reserved and introspective in nature.


    Could it be simply because of the existing grudge between his second elder brother and Feng Chaoyang?


    However, since Chu Liang wasn''t familiar with either side and didn''t know much about the matter, he didn''t dwell on the confusion and moved on.


    After all, he had many other things to do.


    ...


    The following day arrived.


    In light of yesterday''s events, the Mount Shu Sect prepared separate viewing areas for the disciples of the other sects in the Divine Nine and Terrestrial Ten, hoping to prevent further encounters between them.


    As for the disciples of the other immortal sects, they were more well-behaved. After the incident blew up, they had likely received warnings from their elders and didn''t dare to cause a scene again.


    Chu Liang would be spending his entire day watching the fighting tournament matches.


    The tournament had advanced to the stage where participantspeted to move from the top thirty-two to the top sixteen. Every winner today would secure a ce in the top sixteen, and all of them were exceptionally strong. It was crucial for Chu Liang to study his opponents at this stage.


    Currently, the match on the stage featured Ling Ao, a disciple of Solitude Peak.


    Even with the lock of ck hair covering his eyes, he moved with the agility of the wind. Multiple afterimages trailed behind him as he effortlessly evaded his opponent''s strikes, then shattered their defenses with a single, powerful punch.


    This was exactly how he had defeated Shang Ziliang before.


    Apart from disying his powerful physique, Ling Ao revealed nothing else. Yet Chu Liang grew more convinced that Ling Ao had not yet shown his full potential.


    In the past few days, rumors about Ling Ao had been spreading wildly throughout Mount Shu. Previously, he wasn''t famous, and with so few disciples from Solitude Peak, almost no one was familiar with him. Now, with his sudden rise to prominence, he naturally attracted a lot of attention.


    Such urrences were not unusual. Every year at the Mount Shu Summit, one or two dark horses whose strength exceeded their reputation would emerge into prominence.


    Insiders revealed that he wasn''t this strong six months ago, and his sudden surge in power suggested a lucky encounter. Given his origin from Solitude Peak and his immense physical strength, the most epted theory was that he had received a gift from a True Dragon.


    There was even spection that he might have received theplete legacy of a True Dragon.


    But Chu Liang knew this guess was entirely wrong as he was the one who had received the legacy of a True Dragon.


    And from Ling Ao, he felt no trace of dragon breath.


    "The next match: Chu Liang from Silver Sword Peak versus Fang Ting from Jade Sword Peak!"


    "<i>Wow—</i>"


    Excitement rippled through the crowd like a wave.


    So far in the mainpetition of the Mount Shu Summit, this was the first sh between two Golden Core Realm cultivators. Typically, cultivators at this level would have secured a spot in the top sixteen, but now one of them would have to be eliminated early.


    One of them was going to be the unlucky one.


    Fang Ting stepped onto the stage with a confident smile.


    He was sure that the unlucky one wouldn''t be him.


    "Senior Brother Fang," Chu Liang greeted him with a smile, sping his hands in salute.


    The two were quite familiar with each other. Fang Ting had led Chu Liang on his first mission to the Southern Bastion Mountain in the Southern Regions. At that time, Fang Ting was in the early stage of the Golden Core Realm, and to Chu Liang, he seemed incredibly powerful.


    But now, it only took half a year for Chu Liang to stand proudly before Fang Ting as an equal.


    "Junior Brother Chu," Fang Ting said, cupping his hands in a salute. "I know you''ve had many fortuitous encounters and progressed rapidly over the past six months, even forming an ultimate-tier Golden Core. You''ve been standing outtely, taking first ce at both the Mountain God Memorial Ceremony and the Stairway to the Heavens event.


    "But I haven''t been idle either. Today, I''ll show you what true strength is!"


    <i>Bang!</i>


    With these words, a powerful surge of foundational qi burst forth from him, like a raging inferno.


    Fang Ting was at the middle stage of the Golden Core Realm!


    It seemed Fang Ting had also made significant progress recently.


    Many people were aware of the bet between Silver Sword Peak and Jade Sword Peak. They oftenpared the eldest senior brothers of each peak, pitting Chu Liang against Xu Ziyang.


    But Fang Ting believed that they would know the result of this bet today.


    He had seen how weak Chu Liang was when he first descended Mount Shu and always thought that no matter what lucky encounters he had, he couldn''t have grown that strong in such a short time.


    <i>Even if you formed an ultimate-tier Golden Core, so what?</i>


    <i>Can your physical body keep up? Can your divine abilities match the challenge? Is your mental state strong enough?</i>


    <i>Regardless of the tier of your Golden Core, you stepped into this stage toote. It hasn''t been that long since you formed your core. On the other hand, I have been at the Golden Core Realm for a long time. I have reached the middle stage of the Golden Core Realm.</i>


    <i>I will show you the true power of the Heavenly Golden Core of Five Lightning today!</i>


    These were the thoughts running through Fang Ting''s mind.


    As he drew the Thunderstrike Sword with his right hand, it seemed as though there was a golden dragon coiling around the de, suppressing the powerful flow of qi coursing through the sword! Clearly, Fang Ting was eager to showcase his abilities through this fight. He couldn''t wait!


    He had been itching for a thrilling fight ever since he reached the middle stage of the Golden Core Realm. His opponent in the previous round was too weak to bring out his full strength. Chu Liang, however, was the perfect match.


    <i>Let''s do this!</i>


    <i>A full-on fight!</i>


    As he shouted inwardly, thunder seemed to roar within his heart.


    "<i>Ha! </i>I''ve been eagerly anticipating this match as well!" Chu Liang retorted with enthusiasm. "Let''s do this! And let''s give your teacher Wang Xuanling, who''s watching from below the stage, a show to see whose disciple is stronger!"


    As he spoke, his gaze shifted behind Fang Ting.


    Hearing the name Wang Xuanling, Fang Ting shuddered.<i> Is my teacher really here? </i>He thought to himself.


    <i>I didn''t hear about himing to spectate the fight?</i>


    Instinctively, he turned to look, but saw nothing.


    <i>sh.</i>


    It was the dull sound of a saber piercing into flesh.


    Chu Liang''s hand was in a position as if he had just thrown a hidden weapon, and a gleaming curved saber was embedded in Fang Ting''s chest.


    "..."


    The crowd became silent.


    Fang Ting turned back, his lips trembling in disbelief. He couldn''t speak as he fell backward with a thud. Disciples from the Hall of Alchemy then rushed to his aid. Though the wound looked severe, Chu Liang had avoided all vital points. For a cultivator, such wounds on the flesh would heal very quickly.


    Inparison, healing the wound in Fang Ting''s heart might be more challenging.


    After a long moment, a weak but clear voice expressed everyone''s thoughts: "Shameless!"