A mournful voice rang out from the observation gallery.
It came from Sun Wenshan.
The hubris he had displayed earlier had vanished, replaced by sheer misery as he unleashed mournful cries.
His son had been killed, struck down by Chen Fan with a single punch!
Qin Changkong, Su Yuntian, and many others stood up, their gazes fixed on the tenth fighting arena, their expressions filled with shock.
Despite holding esteemed positions as elders of the outer sect for many years, overseeing the affairs of the vast sect, they were profoundly shaken.
Had an eighth-level martial artist blown up Sun Youwei with a single punch, they wouldn’t have spared it a second glance. After all, it would have been within their expectations.
However, Chen Fan, a sixth-level Qigong martial artist who, just three months ago, was still regarded as a martial arts trash, had accomplished this. This turned the situation into something entirely different.
Shock was the prevailing emotion coursing through their veins
They weren’t the only ones shocked. Even the disciples around the fighting arena were similarly astonished. The referee’s mouth hung open wide, looking like he had just seen a ghost.
“Ahh! Little bastard, I’m going to kill you! I’ll kill you! You dare kill my son! I want you dead!”
Sun Wenshan’s furious proclamation rang in the area, his killing intent soaring to the heavens, sending shivers down the spines of those present.
Filled with a burning desire to avenge his son by killing Chen Fan, he moved fast as lightning.
Sun Youwei might have been a disappointment, but he was Sun Youwei’s son, his one and only son.
“Audacious!” exclaimed Qin Changkong, his voice cold as he unleashed his Yuanfu realm aura, manifesting a terrifying qi pressure.
Qin Changkong's shout, infused with primal strength, surged toward Sun Wenshan, instantly dispersing the gathered qi.
Sun Wenshan shook and spat out a mouthful of fresh blood. He turned to look at Qin Changkong angrily, wanting to shred him to pieces.
Even so, Qin Changkong was unmoved. With an icy expression, he said, “Sun Wenshan, how dare you attempt to harm a disciple during the Outer Sect Grand Competition! It seems that after being an elder for so long, you no longer respect the sect's rules! The Grand Elder is here, and you still dare act recklessly; you’re simply revolting!”
Qin Changkong had pinned Sun Wenshan with a grave accusation, but he spoke the truth.
At the Outer Sect Grand Competition, weapons would fly everywhere, and one's well-being was not guaranteed. Sun Youwei was not as skilled as his opponent, yet he dared to taunt his opponent onstage. It was nothing short of seeking death. He died in vain, but his opponent could not be blamed for it.
Sun Wenshan spat out another mouthful of blood; his extreme anger agitated his heart. He pointed at Qin Changkong and said, “You, you, you...!”
“Sun Wenshan, you were being unruly!” Su Yuntian finally said, his voice cold and his expression even more displeased.
Had Sun Wenshan succeeded in his attempt earlier, he would have succeeded in trampling upon the sect's rules. How would they keep the masses in check in the future, then?
What message would it send to the outer sect disciples?
That other lives were cannon fodder, but a sect elder’s descendant was special, and no one was allowed to harm them?
“I...” Sun Wenshan spoke up, trying to explain himself.
He finally regained his composure, feeling cold sweat forming on his back.
His anger had made him lose his rationality, leading him to lose control and try to kill Chen Fan, nearly making a grave mistake.
If he had succeeded in killing Chen Fan, he would not have been able to survive either.
Not only would the sect have not shown him any leniency, but Qin Changkong also could have publicly executed him.
“No need for excuses. As an outer sect elder, you allowed your emotions to overpower you. I hereby strip you of your position as an elder and demote you to the rank of deacon. Additionally, you will be fined a year's worth of salary. Do you understand the consequences?” Su Yuntian said coldly.
Sun Wenshan lowered his head, his eyes flashing with chilling intent, but he suppressed it and replied, "Yes, I understand."
“Good.” Su Yuntian nodded.
Qin Changkong saw that the matter was settled, so he said coldly, “Sun Wenshan, hand over your Bone Spirit Flame. I trust you won't have the audacity to go back on your bet in front of the Grand Elder, will you?”
Sun Wenshan glared at Qin Changkong, trembling violently.
However, when he met Qin Changkong's icy gaze, he had to reluctantly toss a crystal ball with a flick of his sleeve.
Inside the crystal ball burned a greenish-white flame that emitted a frigid aura instead of scorching heat.
“It really is the Bone Spirit Flame.” Qin Changkong grabbed the crystal ball. A smile appeared on his face as he looked at the flame dancing inside the crystal ball. b
Legend had it that the Bone Spirit Flame only materialized in mass graves, arising from a combination of substances found in human skeletons, their grievances, and the primeval qi of heaven and earth.
These flames didn’t emit terrifying heat but were instead very cold, capable of freezing a person and sealing their soul in ice.
Once caught in the grip of this flame, it was incredibly challenging to extinguish, as it could even burn through primeval qi.
“Congratulations, Qin Changkong. If Qin Yao, that girl, successfully fuses with this Bone Spirit Flame, her path to becoming an Alchemist will be within reach. Looks like our Spring Autumn Sect will welcome another Alchemist into our ranks in the future,” Su Yuntian said, smiling.
Alchemists and Weaponsmiths had very high statuses in the Tianwu Continent since they could create items needed by martial artists.
However, not even one in ten thousand martial artists could successfully become Alchemists or Weaponsmiths.
These individuals were considered the chosen ones, favored by the heavens, and wherever they went, they were treated as honored guests.
Spring Autumn Sect might seem enormous, but they only had six or seven Alchemists.
However, it was those handfuls of Alchemists who refined the pills supplied to the entire sect, meeting the Spring Autumn Sect’s needs. Their status surpassed that of elders and was on par with the Outer Sect Master.
If Qin Yao succeeded in merging with the Bone Spirit Flame and became a genuine Alchemist, her status within the Spring Autumn Sect would skyrocket. It would become comparable to core disciples, perhaps even standing shoulder to shoulder with Duan Jingtian.
It was equivalent to reaching the heavens with a single step!
Being Qin Yao’s father, Qin Changkong would also rise by virtue of his daughter. It was possible that he could ascend to the inner sect and become an inner sect elder.
“Haha, I hope Grand Elder’s auspicious words come true.” Qin Changkong said, laughing. He was in an excellent mood.
However, merging with a primeval flame was no simple matter.
Many people have tried fusing with primeval flame, but ninety percent of them were devoured by the flames instead, leaving nothing behind. It was a hazardous thing to do.
Although he’d now obtained the Bone Spirit Flame, for the sake of Qin Yao’s safety, he needed to make a lot of preparations.
“Grand Elder, I still have some things to tend to, so I’ll be leaving first,” Sun Wenshan said, bowing respectfully to Su Yuntian before departing.
Before leaving, he cast a long, penetrating gaze at Chen Fan. His icy stare was filled with a palpable intent to kill, making Chen Fan feel as if his soul had frozen.
Chen Fan knew that killing Sun Youwei had sown the seeds of hatred between them. However, he had no regrets.
If he hadn't encountered those fortuitous opportunities and remained an ordinary sixth-level Qigong cultivator, he would have been the one to perish fighting Sun Youwei, who wore the soft, scaly armor.
Sun Wenshan wouldn’t have acted this way then. He would have encouraged Sun Youwei, praising him for doing a good job winning the Realm Breaking Pill for him.
As for Sun Wenshan's grudge against him, Chen Fan wasn’t worried at all.
If he entered the top ten and received generous rewards from the sect, his cultivation would advance even further. At that point, even if Sun Wenshan was a Qi Grandmaster, so what?