Chapter Twenty-Nine: Lin Jing’s Challenge

"Brother Hu has won! As expected of him!"

"This battle was truly exhilarating to watch. Both senior brothers are incredibly talented!"

"Senior Brother Ning Feng is also very impressive, he just happened to choose the wrong opponent."

"This competition for the Holy Son title will likely end with Senior Brother Hu Junfeng as the victor."

Seeing the spirited Hu Junfeng, Yi Hong nodded slightly. Hu Junfeng was a talent he had personally groomed, and seeing him achieve such success and suppress his peers brought him great pride. Even the lingering frustration from his loss to Lu Xingchen vanished completely.

"Is there anyone else who wishes to challenge?" Yi Hong shouted.

For a moment, everyone remained silent. Ning Feng was the only one in the entire Lingxiao Sect capable of going toe-to-toe with Hu Junfeng; the other chief disciples were inferior in cultivation, and stepping onto the stage would be a futile effort.

Just as Yi Hong prepared to announce the final results, a cold, clear voice rang out: "I would like to try!"

The crowd turned in unison toward the source of the voice, seeing a beautiful woman walking over from the distance. She was dressed in white, her long, dark hair cascading to her waist. Her legs were dazzlingly fair, and she clutched a crimson longsword in her hand. Her face appeared soft and delicate, yet she exuded an aura that warned others to keep their distance.

"Who is she? To dare challenge Senior Brother Hu Junfeng!"

"I’ve never seen her before; she’s a new face."

"A new disciple? And she dares to challenge Senior Brother Hu?"

"Are you all blind? That’s Senior Sister Lin Jing, she’s been in the Lingxiao Sect for a long time!"

Beside Lu Xingchen, Wang Dongxuan let out a gasp. "Oh my heavens, it’s Senior Sister Lin Jing! Why is she here?"

Lu Xingchen, feeling puzzled, asked in a low voice, "Senior Sister Dongxuan, who exactly is this Lin Jing? You seem to hold her in such high regard."

Wang Dongxuan took a deep breath and explained, "Senior Sister Lin Jing is the sister of Senior Brother Lin Xu. Senior Brother Lin Xu was the most brilliant genius our Lingxiao Sect has seen in a century. Less than three years after joining the sect, he had already reached the Great Martial Master realm."

Hearing this, Lu Xingchen drew a sharp breath. A disciple at the Great Martial Master realm? Even with his own "cheating" abilities, he couldn't compare. This Lin Xu was truly a dragon among men!

"Then what happened?" Lu Xingchen asked, his curiosity piqued.

"Our Lingxiao Sect has always had friction with the Wuyun Sect. When they learned of a genius like Lin Xu, the Wuyun Sect couldn't sit still. They captured Senior Sister Lin Jing to lure him into an ambush."

"Senior Brother Lin Xu charged into the Wuyun Sect alone, sword in hand. He killed one of their Vice Sect Masters and countless elders and disciples, successfully rescuing Senior Sister Lin Jing, but he lost his own life in the process."

Lu Xingchen sighed softly. "Those guys from the Wuyun Sect are truly shameless! Using the power of an entire sect to deal with a single disciple—how could they do such a thing?"

"Senior Sister Lin Jing used to be a kind-hearted woman, but after that, her personality changed completely. She stopped training at the Lingxiao Sect and began wandering around the Wuyun Sect, incessantly hunting down their disciples."

"Over the past year, a large number of Wuyun Sect disciples have died at her hands. She is on their most-wanted list, living life on the edge every single day."

After hearing all of this, Lu Xingchen was filled with deep emotion. He understood her; the pain of losing a loved one was not something an ordinary person could bear. If his own father had died on the battlefield, he would have slaughtered the entire Fengming Kingdom as well.

Lu Xingchen said solemnly, "So this time, Senior Sister Lin Jing returned specifically to become the Holy Maiden of the Lingxiao Sect, intending to lead us in a fight to the death against the Wuyun Sect."

"After all, those heading to the Chuyuan Secret Realm are the elite disciples of each sect. Killing many ordinary disciples doesn't cause as much damage as eliminating a few elites."

Wang Dongxuan nodded heavily. "That must be it."

"But wasn't it said that only chief disciples could challenge Hu Junfeng? How did she obtain the qualifications?"

Wang Dongxuan shook her head slightly. "I’m not sure. But we are about to find out!"

Seeing Lin Jing, Yi Hong was momentarily stunned, and his eyes reddened. After all, both Lin Xu and Lin Jing had once been his disciples.

Yi Hong immediately guessed her intentions and shouted, "Only the chief disciple of each peak has the right to challenge Hu Junfeng. Lin Jing, you resigned as a chief disciple a year ago; you are not qualified to compete!"

Lin Jing replied unhurriedly, "Mo Xuan has already ceded the position of chief disciple of Dazhu Peak to me. I believe I have the right to compete!"

Lu Xingchen was taken aback. "That’s allowed?"

Wang Dongxuan nodded slightly. "The position of chief disciple can be freely transferred; it belongs to whoever is strongest."

Hearing this, Yi Hong’s face darkened as he looked at Mo Xuan of Dazhu Peak. "Mo Xuan, is this true?"

Feeling Yi Hong's burning gaze, cold sweat dripped from Mo Xuan's forehead, but he gritted his teeth and said, "What Senior Sister Lin Jing says is true."

Mo Xuan felt bitter. He had encountered Lin Jing during a training excursion and she had saved his life. Even though he knew her true intentions, he had no choice but to repay the debt of gratitude.

Yi Hong knitted his brows together. He walked over to Hu Junfeng and said in a low voice, "Hu Junfeng, everything depends on you now. You must not let Lin Jing become the Holy Maiden. Otherwise, I fear few of our seven chief disciples will return alive!"

Hu Junfeng nodded gravely. "I will give it my all!"

Lin Jing gripped her longsword and stepped onto the arena.

Lu Xingchen asked, "What is Senior Sister Lin Jing's cultivation level?"

Wang Dongxuan replied, "Although she is not as astonishing as Lin Xu, she is still a genius. A year ago, her cultivation had already reached the eight-star Martial Master realm."

Lu Xingchen frowned. "That strong? In a year, reaching the next two minor realms shouldn't be a problem. She has been living on the edge of life and death, so her combat experience must be incredibly rich. I have a feeling Hu Junfeng is going to lose!"

Wang Dongxuan was also worried. "Now we can only pin our hopes on Hu Junfeng!"

Off the stage, only a handful of older disciples recognized Lin Jing; most of the others favored Hu Junfeng. Thus, the cheers and shouts were all directed at him.

"Go, Senior Brother Hu! Defeat this Lin Jing!"

"While I do sympathize with Senior Sister Lin Jing, choosing the Holy Son is a major event. We must prioritize strength."

"Senior Brother Hu Junfeng is the strongest!"

However, Hu Junfeng on the stage did not dare to be arrogant. As the current Holy Son, he had heard of Lin Jing's story. This woman's talent for cultivation was no less than his own, and she had an extra year of training on him. The pressure was immense!

Hu Junfeng bowed to Lin Jing. "Senior Sister Lin Jing, I am deeply sorry for what happened to Lin Xu. But the Lingxiao Sect and the Wuyun Sect are evenly matched in strength. If we insist on a fight to the death, we will suffer heavy losses."

"I understand your feelings, but I do not agree with your methods. Therefore, I must defend this position of Holy Son today!"