Chapter 971 – You Only Have Yourself To Blame

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Arousing interest was inevitable. Lin Ming didn’t care about the eyes of these disciples and began listening to the lecture in peace.

He already expected that the disciples of Phoenix Hall would ask him questions, and the more notorious amongst them would have ideas of taking his Phoenix Blood Spear just like Huang Yuegong. Lin Ming didn’t bother with them. He closed off his mind, refusing all of their true essence sound transmissions.

“This brat, I wanted to ask him about the details but who would’ve thought he’d be so decisive as to refuse all sound transmissions. It’s impossible to speak to him.”

“Fifth stage Life Destruction, that is the third lowest cultivation in our Phoenix Hall. Besides a Revolving Core disciple called Huo Shaoyan and a second stage Life Destruction martial artist from the Xiao Family Clan, the lowest would be him. Let’s wait and take a good look at just what ability he has. Although the Saint Artifact Pavilion’s artifact spirit is known for having ruthless judgement, I don’t believe that it could accurately see through the secrets of heaven to predict the growth of talent with so many variables as well as look at one’s potential. Well, at least not every time. If Lin Ming’s strength is found to be inferior, it’ll be a good show when he is expelled.”

The disciples discussed amongst themselves. Geniuses tended to have arrogant and haughty personalities. Of those that could enter Phoenix Hall, which of them weren’t among the most outstanding young elites of Phoenix Cry Palace? Of these people, ignoring those with magnificent family backgrounds, they were all the center of existence since their childhoods. There were those that came from small family clans and common mortal origins that were a bit worse, but they were still chosen from the hundreds of millions of Ancient Phoenix clansmen in Phoenix Cry Palace. They got to where they were know by successively emerging as victor through intense series of competitions. They were the chosen amongst all the chosen prides of the heavens, so whom of them would acknowledge they were inferior to others?

Now, the Saint Artifact Pavilion’s artifact spirit had recognized that a martial artist from the lower realms, who was younger than them, had a talent that surpassed their own. The artifact spirit had even given him the Phoenix Blood Spear that had been unmoved for 36 years. How could they be convinced about this?

Who was strong and who was weak, one had to battle in order to truly find out. As a genius, one needed to have an unyielding mindset that never admitted to loss. If others said someone else was stronger and they didn’t confirm this through battle, that genius would lose their proud heart and their future achievements would also diminish.

High above the lecture hall dais, Old Man Sun was lecturing without end.

Lin Ming didn’t bother with the sound transmissions that the disciples were shooting his way. He was wholeheartedly listening to Old Man Sun’s lecture instead. Although Old Man Sun didn’t have any particularly good intentions toward him, the Fire Concepts and fire-attribute cultivation methods that he lectured on were quite mysterious and interesting. Even when he spoke of the most basic Fire Concept, the Concept of Burning Heat, Lin Ming was still able to derive a great number of truths from it. These truths contained profound principles. Lin Ming would be able to slowly mull over them later.

This lecture continued for six hours, all the way until the nine suns began setting in the sky. Old Man Sun said, “Very well, this lecture is over. You may all go back to your residences and meditate.”

Old Man Sun floated away, leaving behind Lin Ming deep in thought. By listening to the lecture of a master, he was able to obtain many experiences that he couldn’t from a jade slip. Old Man Sun had spoken a great deal about theorems and Lin Ming gained many inspirations.

“The conditions the heroic young elites of the Divine Realm are raised in are truly not what martial artists from the lower realms can compare with. In the lower realms, a martial artist is already extraordinarily lucky if they can have a Divine Sea realm master. But these Divine Realm martial artists have instructors at the Divine Lord realm and masters at even higher boundaries…” Lin Ming sighed.

But luckily, he managed to find the Magic Cube in the Sky Spill Continent, and in lower realms with its barren desert-like resources, he had racked up a number of achievements.

As he was thinking, a loud voice spoke up. “Lin Ming? I am a junior from the Huo Family Clan, Huo Yanguang. My cultivation is at the eighth stage of Life Destruction and I am also a disciple of Phoenix Hall. Hall Master Sun said that you obtained the approval of Saint Artifact Pavilion’s artifact spirit, and you even took the Phoenix Blood Spear?”

“What do you want to say?” Lin Ming faintly frowned. Huo Yanguang stood in front of him with several other disciples backing him up. They had cultivations at Life Destruction and the Divine Sea, none of them lower than his own. He could tell from their postures that they didn’t come here with any good intentions.

“What I want is to have a short little bout with you. Saint Artifact Pavilion’s artifact spirit may have recognized that your talent and potential are better than mine, but I do not believe this! I want to verify whether or not you are truly fiercer than I am. Although my cultivation is higher than yours by three stages of Life Destruction, you still have the Phoenix Blood Spear which is more than enough to make up for the disparity in our cultivation. In fact, I would say you even have the advantage! If you lose to me, that proves you are not fit to be the master of the Phoenix Blood Spear. What about it, do you have the guts to take me on?” As Huo Yanguang spoke, a sharp momentum followed him, aimed right at the point between Lin Ming’s eyebrows. This feeling was just as if someone had taken a cold dagger and pressed it to his forehead.

Lin Ming thought this was funny. “What do you mean? You think that I don’t deserve the Phoenix Blood Spear, so if I lose I have to give it to you?”

“Hey, jewelry has always been gifted to beautiful women, and divine weapons have always been bestowed upon heroes. A top grade saint artifact should definitely go to someone who deserves it. If you, with your fifth stage Life Destruction and top grade saint spear, fight me with my eighth stage Life Destruction and lose, then what honor do you have left to keep that Phoenix Blood Spear?”

Huo Yanguang loudly laughed, trying to stir up Lin Ming. According to the rules of Phoenix Hall, disciples could not privately battle against each other, but had to do so at the Nirvana Altar under the supervision of the Hall Protectors. The loser would have to pay the agreed upon price, and what Huo Yanguang wanted was Lin Ming’s Phoenix Blood Spear.

As Huo Yanguang finished speaking, the other martial artists behind him began to add oil to the fire. “A good show is about to stay. Huo Yanguang’s cultivation is at the peak of the eighth stage of Life Destruction, and he is also an outstanding disciple amongst the juniors of the Huo Family Clan. He’s just a single step away from reaching the ninth stage of Life Destruction. I don’t think Lin Ming is his match!”

“Yeah, ninth stage Life Destruction, Phoenix Hall doesn’t even have 30 of them. Most of those people have reached the Divine Transformation realm, and there are even those at the middle Divine Sea and late Divine Sea. After achieving the ninth stage of Life Destruction, it becomes extremely easy to step into the Divine Lord realm in the future. Huo Yanguang is destined to become a Divine Lord powerhouse and Lin Ming isn’t too bad either. He managed to obtain the approval of Saint Artifact Pavilion’s artifact spirit and even took the Phoenix Blood Spear. I think this will be a battle between two lions.”

“You know nothing! Saint Artifact Pavilion’s artifact spirit is equal to an early Divine Lord realm master. It has lived for a long time and its vision is exemplary, but in the growth of talent, there’s countless variables involved, so how could it possibly correctly assess talent every time? Perhaps it made a mistake this time. Huo Yanguang has already proven his strength through countless battles. His ‘Raging Fires Burning Heaven’ combat technique has already reached an extremely high boundary, and he has even comprehended the third level of the Concept of Fire – Creation. He already defeated numerous geniuses of his own age!”

Several disciple bantered together, trying to deliberately provoke Lin Ming’s ire.

Huo Yanguang had an extremely obvious goal in challenging Lin Ming. First, he refused to accept the judgement of Saint Artifact Pavilion’s artifact spirit and wanted to prove that he was stronger than Lin Ming. Second, and most importantly, he wanted to obtain the Phoenix Blood Spear. As long as he could anger Lin Ming and bait him into a battle, then even if he was defeated it would only be losing a bit of face; the losses wouldn’t be too big.

Lin Ming watched them as if he were watching a bunch of clowns putting on some silly act. He suddenly laughed and said, “Your plan is far too second-rate. I don’t know who you think you are fooling, but do you really believe everyone in this world is as idiotic as you are? If you challenge me and win, you want my Phoenix Blood Spear, but if you lose all you lose is some face? Is there such a great bargain in this world? Do you think your face is as valuable as a top grade saint artifact?”

Lin Ming’s words caused all of the disciples in front of him to have ugly and horrible expressions. All of the clownish expressions they wore on their faces suddenly froze.

Before, they were indeed trying to bully Lin Ming for having just arrived at the Divine Realm and having far too little experience. They thought he would be rash, impulsive, and lacking in sensibility, but as a result they were the ones who seemed like fools.

“Lin Ming, I thought you were some amazing character, but it looks as if you’re as timid as a mouse. Are you not fighting me because you’re afraid you will lose? Hehe, it seems this is all you are. It will be hard for you to achieve anything in the future.” As Huo Yanguang’s plan was poked through by Lin Ming, he wasn’t embarrassed at all. Instead, he continued to antagonize Lin Ming.

Lin Ming sneered. He mockingly said, “Your ability to reason is truly not one of your flattering points. When did I say that I wouldn’t fight? If you want to challenge me you can, but you will need to put forth a top grade saint artifact as the gambling stake!”

Lin Ming had come to Phoenix Hall to calmly cultivate in order to attack the sixth stage of Life Destruction. He was preparing to enter the Ancient Phoenix smelting trial half a year from now so he could win the rich rewards offered there. He didn’t have time to be pestered by all these people.

If he agreed to Huo Yanguang’s challenge today, then even if he won, tomorrow there would still be Huang Yanguang, Xiao Yanguang, and all the other Yanguang’s would pile up to challenge him.

Huo Yanguang was only at the eighth stage of Life Destruction. Above him there were Divine Sea powerhouses, even Divine Sea powerhouses that reached the ninth stage of Life Destruction. These Divine Sea powerhouses cared about their status and wouldn’t disgrace themselves by challenging him. It was the same as an adult challenging a little child to battle; it couldn’t be justified to anyone in anyway.

However, if he continued to win again and again, then it might not be too long until a Ninefall Divine Sea master challenged him. Lin Ming wasn’t so full of himself that he believed he could defeat a Ninefall Divine Sea martial artist. Once he lost, he really would be an idiot.

“You!” Huo Yanguang’s face turned red. Although he came from a prestigious family background, his cultivation was only at the Life Destruction realm. Just where would he be able to find a top grade saint artifact?

“How about it? Is there a problem with what I said? I thought you were some amazing character, but it looks as if you’re as timid as a mouse. Are you not fighting me because you’re afraid you will lose? Hehe, it seems this is all you are. It will be hard for you to achieve anything in the future.”

Lin Ming threw Huo Yanguang’s mocking words back in his face. In this world, one of the most depressing things was to have your own words tossed back in your face.

This caused Huo Yanguang’s complexion to turn even uglier.

“Oh. I get it now. It’s because you don’t have a top grade saint artifact. If you can’t take one out, then stop wasting my time and get out of my way. When you find a top grade saint artifact, come back and bother me again.”

Lin Ming was disinclined to speak to these fools. He stepped upon Golden Roc Shattering the Void and flew straight back to his own mansion residence.

“Damn that brat!” Huo Yanguang never managed to take even the tiniest bit of advantage from Lin Ming. He was humiliated and made a joke in front of everyone instead.

There were numerous martial artists that saw the little play. Some were at the Divine Sea realm and some were even at the Divine Lord realm.

“Hehe, how interesting. Although that boy is only from the lower realms, he’s not some naïve little baby. Huo Yanguang tried to take him as a fool, but now he’s been embarrassed and he only has himself to blame. In the future I should also be wary of this Lin Ming fellow; he might become one of my great rivals.” In the crowd, a man with an earring rubbed his chin, smiling. The competition between the disciples of Phoenix Hall was extremely intense. Here, there were no friends, only competitors. For instance, the Ancient Phoenix smelting trial, if one wanted to reach first place and obtain the rich rewards there, one would have to step over everyone else to get there.

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