Chapter 1261 - 1261: Fan Lei's Refusal

"Who is it?"

Brother Cheng heard the commotion and came out. When he saw Daoist Venerable Lin Jing, he didn't recognize him either.

Couldn't be helped—back then, even though Daoist Venerable Lin Jing could sit inside during meetings, he wasn't among the absolute top tier.

There were hundreds of people who could sit in the main hall for meetings at the time.

"Someone's finally here to challenge us?"

Jiang Cheng had long wanted to play with this challenge thing, and instantly pulled out the Challenge Order with great interest.

"I'm taking this one!"

When Daoist Venerable Lin Jing saw that familiar handsome face, he directly fell on his butt to the ground.

"Heav—"

"My heavens!"

He rubbed his eyes hard, suspecting he might be hallucinating.

Brother Cheng was just as dumbfounded.

Was the Challenge Order's pressure too strong, or did he look that intimidating?

They hadn't even started the challenge and the guy was already scared into sitting down?

"Sect Leader Jiang!"

"My god, it really is you!"

Sitting on the ground, Daoist Venerable Lin Jing finally confirmed that this was the Divine Being he'd been muttering about for years.

"Hahaha, Sect Leader Jiang, this is great! This is just too great!"

He was so excited he rolled and crawled forward, lunging straight at him.

Brother Cheng was so startled he hurriedly dodged away.

"Fellow Daoist, please show some self-respect!"

"Sect Leader Jiang, it's me, back then I was Saint Lin Jing of the Star Roar Domain…"

After a long bout of back-and-forth, Brother Cheng finally realized this was also an old acquaintance from the Lower Realm Ten Thousand Realms.

Then Daoist Venerable Lin Jing stated his purpose.

"Your sect has been challenged with a battle letter?"

"That's right."

Brother Cheng asked curiously, "Do you and they have some deep-seated grudge?"

Daoist Venerable Lin Jing shook his head. "No, no injustice and no enmity!"

"Then it's just a friendly sparring challenge?"

"Of course not, deaths and injuries in these challenges are routine."

Brother Cheng's mouth twitched. What were these sect-versus-sect challenges even for?

"What happens if you lose?" he asked with keen interest.

Daoist Venerable Lin Jing let out a long sigh.

"Then our Mowu Sect will cease to exist. The disciples will either scatter or be absorbed into them."

Well…

That didn't sound much different from exterminating a sect.

Not only Yan Yi and Fan Lei at the side, but even Sect Leader Jiang himself found this very bizarre.

From the Lower Realm, to the Immortal Realm, to the Ice Realm Primordial Immortal Realm, this was the first time he'd run into something like this.

Normally, if one sect wanted to wipe out another, it was either sneak attacks or massive assaults.

With spies on the inside, alliances and betrayals in between, and usually some historical grudges and tangled feuds mixed in for flavor.

But this kind of formal, procedural battle letter, like coming to kick the gym, was something he'd never seen.

Guess you could call it a local custom unique to Duan Yang Dao.

The Three-Eyed Tiger at the side couldn't help but start roasting him.

"Junior Brother Lin Jing, you're really not doing well out here."

He proudly lifted his chin. "Back in the day we were so domineering, always the ones taking the initiative to go kill our way over and wipe other sects out. And now you're getting treated like a meat chicken by others. You're really throwing away the face of our Lower Realm Ten Thousand Realms…"

Daoist Venerable Lin Jing really wanted to spit in his face.

You've mixed for so many years and you're still just a Supreme, and you've got the nerve to mock me?

He, like Void Abyss, also looked down on the Three-Eyed Tiger.

But considering this Tiger Demon was close to Sect Leader Jiang, he held it in.

Brother Cheng waved his hand and continued his questions.

"What kind of power does that Wuding Palace have? Are they much stronger than you?"

"Not really. They also have three Daoist Venerables sitting in town and twenty-two Ultimate Elders. In terms of power, they're actually about the same as our Mowu Sect."

"But they're asking for help everywhere. As far as we know, they've invited a full six Daoist Venerables."

"I came out this time precisely to look for helpers to bolster our side."

Daoist Venerable Lin Jing rubbed his hands together, his old face smiling like a chrysanthemum.

"So, um… hehehe…"

Before Brother Cheng could speak, Fan Lei Daoist Venerable beside him jumped straight to refusal.

"I don't even know you, don't expect anything from me."

He stroked the Storage Ring holding his smokes, as if he had 'anticipated' that Daoist Venerable Lin Jing would babble on begging him.

So he put his reasons out in advance and cut things off.

"As a Second-Grade Immortal Official of the Celestial Palace, I absolutely disdain getting involved in the disputes of this Land of Dao Extinction."

"No matter how much you say, it'll be useless."

"Even if you offered payment, I still wouldn't consider it!"

Looking at him with his chin arrogantly raised, Daoist Venerable Lin Jing was stunned.

He suspected this guy might have a serious mental issue.

Otherwise, why would he suddenly jump out and start monologuing to himself?

I never asked you to fight for us, what are you even rejecting?

"Ahem!"

He could only choose to ignore him, then rubbed his hands again.

Smiling squint-eyed, he looked toward Brother Cheng.

"Sect Leader Jiang, I've come this time specifically to ask for your help. If you're willing to fight for us, then there'll be no chance of failure…"

The Three-Eyed Tiger laughed out loud.

"Nice one, you really know how to talk. You didn't even know Brother Cheng was here before, right? Or are you actually a Prophet?"

"Hahaha, it's fine, it's fine!"

Jiang Cheng laughed and waved his hand.

"You're asking me to help you fight?"

"Yes, yes, yes!"

Daoist Venerable Lin Jing's head bobbed like a pecking chicken, and he took the chance to flatter him.

"With you here, there won't be anything to worry about in this battle!"

They kept chatting among themselves, completely ignoring Fan Lei Daoist Venerable's existence, as if his earlier speech had been nothing but a fart.

This made the Chief of the Divine Thunder Bureau feel a bit embarrassed.

What's that supposed to mean?

You hear me refuse, then deliberately ignore me and pretend you came to invite Jiang Cheng?

He couldn't take it, so he jumped out again.

"You're actually asking him to help in battle?"

Daoist Venerable Lin Jing frowned and glanced at him.

"Yeah, is there a problem?"

"Ha! Ridiculous. Didn't you see he's only in the Celestial Venerable Realm?"

"I saw. So what?"

Daoist Venerable Lin Jing had nowhere near as much courtesy for him now; even his smile vanished.

"Sect Leader Jiang killing above his level is like eating and drinking water, just standard routine. I believe he can suppress the entire field again."

"Hahahaha…"

Fan Lei Daoist Venerable threw his head back and laughed, thinking this guy had to be insane.

"I'll admit, this kid is pretty freakish. Killing a Supreme across one Great Realm probably isn't a problem for him."

"But a Daoist Venerable… are you kidding me?"

He'd seen Jiang Cheng kill Emperor Xiu's son, but that had been on Emperor Sword Star, a very special place.

Over there, aside from Sword Origin, Daoist Venerables couldn't connect to any other Origin.

Whereas here on Duan Yang Dao, Daoist Venerables could unleash their full power.

In that situation, what was Jiang Cheng going to fight with? Was he supposed to leap across two Great Realms now?

Daoist Venerable Lin Jing couldn't be bothered to argue with him. He snorted coldly and tossed out a line.

"Summer bugs can't speak of Ice."

Then he went back to rubbing his hands and fawning at Brother Cheng.

"Sect Leader Jiang, about this challenge, when would it be convenient for you to come over to our Mowu Sect?"

Brother Cheng had actually been itching for some challenges.

Ever since he comprehended all those Sword Dao Realm insights, he hadn't once gone all-out.

It felt very unsatisfying.

Now the opportunity was being delivered to his door.

"I can agree, but there are a few conditions that need to be made clear first."