Nine Star Hegemon Body Art (WN)
Nine Star Hegemon Body Art (WN) - Chapter 1011: Contest of Strength

Only Mu Qingxuan was aware of Long Chen’s past interaction with Lu Minghan. In the Eastern Wasteland, he had once cut off Lu Minghan’s head.

Of course, that was just because Lu Minghan had been careless. It didn’t truly represent Long Chen had the power to fight against Kings.

The other disciples present were unaware of this. Through his words, it seemed that he knew this Elder and had also once cut off his head. They doubted his words at first, but Lu Minghan’s furious expression verified his words. That scared them witless. What kind of monster was Long Chen?

“Long Chen, you’re courting death!” raged Lu Minghan, killing intent erupting out of him.

“I don’t know whether or not I’m courting death, but I do know that you definitely are. If I could cut off your head once, I can cut it off again. And this time, I guarantee I won’t give you any chance to reconnect it,” said Long Chen.

Originally, Long Chen had no intention of infuriating Lu Minghan, as that wasn’t a smart move. But thinking of how this bastard had been greedy for his treasures and tried to use soulsearch on him, his hatred got the better of him.

If he was stronger, he’d definitely go all-out to kill him right now and then flee from the Xuantian Dao Sect. But right now, he was too weak and could only endure. However, he wouldn’t give up any chance to humiliate his opponents.

His words caused everyone to suck in a cold breath of air. Their guess was right; he had truly once cut off the head of a King.

That made their hair stand on end, especially those disciples who had failed the trial and tried to charge up by saying Long Chen had cheated.

Their thought was that the law was unable to punish so many people and that no one would dare to do anything to them. And by saying that the Eastern Wasteland’s people had cheated, there was a high chance they would be able to muddle their way into the Xuantian Dao Sect.

Now they realized how wrong they were. Long Chen was someone who dared to cut off the head of a King, so of course he dared to kill them.

Thinking of that, they felt that life was a blessing. Just now, they had truly brushed past a death god.

Even Yan Mochen, Wei Changhai, and Han Yunshan’s expressions changed, their faces pale as paper. They hadn’t known Long Chen had such a terrifying history.

That was especially true of Han Yunshan and Wei Changhai. They had exchanged blows with Long Chen- no, that was wrong, they hadn’t exchanged blows, they had been beaten like children. As soon as they had attacked, Long Chen had knocked them unconscious with a slap to the face.

“Little brute, you want to offend your superiors? You’ve slaughtered innocent people, so you need to be brought to the Law Enforcement Hall to receive your punishment!”

Lu Minghan’s face was ashen with rage. The other person who had come with him was a stern-looking man. With a cold snort, the chain in his hand flew toward Long Chen.

The chain was like a bolt of lightning. A terrifying pressure descended, one that froze space and made it so none of them could move.

This was the irresistible pressure of a King. The disciples felt like an invisible hand was wrapped around them, and it was like they would be crushed to death with just a thought.

Furthermore, what they were enduring was just some aftershocks. Long Chen was the one the pressure was focused upon.

The chain seemed to fill heaven and earth. It possessed some bizarre law that made it impossible to dodge. Despite knowing he couldn’t block it, Long Chen was just about to go all-out. But suddenly, a large hand caught it.

“Matters of the disciple trials aren’t for the Law Enforcement Hall to interfere with.” An Elder appeared in front of Long Chen.

“Li Changfeng!”

Lu Minghan ground his teeth furiously. He was still infuriated about being suppressed by him last time. He had been unable to retaliate because all the evidence said that he was the one who had been in the wrong.

Li Changfeng waved a hand, and the person who had sent out the chain immediately felt a powerful force knock him back dozens of steps. That person shouted, “The disciples’ trials are under the purview of the Elder’s Hall, but now someone has broken the rules and willfully slaughtered innocent people. It has exceeded the scope of the Elder’s Hall’s responsibility and must be handled by the Law Enforcement Hall. Today, Long Chen, as well as the killer using the crossbow, must be brought away by us!”

As expected, no matter where he went, there were always muddied waters. Looking at Lu Minghan clenching his teeth as well that sanctimonious fellow, Long Chen sneered inside.

His delight in arriving in the Central Plains had diminished a great deal. To him, the Central Plains was a battlefield even crueler than the last. As for the Xuantian Dao Sect, it would very likely just be a starting point.

“How did he break the rules and slaughter the innocent? Killing those people wasn’t against the rules, but protecting the rules. Long Chen saw that Mu Qingxuan’s hands were tied and she had lost control of the situation, so he had no choice but to quell the uprising. Otherwise, there would have been even greater casualties. There was nothing wrong with Long Chen’s actions.

“Furthermore, those people weren’t innocent. They failed the trial, and because of their resentment, they wanted to break the rules of the Xuantian Dao Sect’s trial. Each time we hold this trial, it is an opportunity to bring in fresh blood to the Xuantian Dao Sect, and that makes it an important event that decides whether the sect will rise or decline. How could people trying to ruin that important event be called innocent?” said Li Changfeng.

Although his tone was calm, his words seemed to possess blades, making his opposition unable to say a word in retort. Li Changfeng’s mouth was indeed the sharpest.

“Even so, Long Chen can’t just kill people of his own discretion; he doesn’t have that authority! If everyone was like that, the Xuantian Dao Sect would become completely chaotic.”

“He was simply acting in accordance with the situation, and in order to protect the sect, he had no choice but to be vicious. That requires bravery and courage. The Hall Master himself said that his conduct should be rewarded. If someone worked so hard for the sect but was punished instead of being rewarded, don’t you think it would bitterly disappoint the sect’s members?” said Li Changfeng.

“You… you’re just spouting sophistry, inverting right and wrong!” raged Lu Minghan’s fellow expert. Somehow killing people had become something just and to be rewarded? He was clearly twisting his words!

“I think that’s enough. This matter can be handled by the Elder’s Hall on its own. There’s no need for the Law Enforcement Hall to waste the effort. If you dislike this, you can go register a complaint at the Xuantian Tower instead of shouting here and ruining the image of the sect. Leave now, and don’t disturb the trial’s process again, or we’ll be the ones to register a complaint,” said Li Changfeng coldly. Now his words contained no courtesy at all. He was expelling them like two dogs.

In truth, Li Changfeng’s arrival here was set up by the Hall Master. The Law Enforcement Hall’s hands had stretched too far in the past few years. It dissatisfied the Hall Master, and he was no longer planning on enduring it.

“Good! Li Changfeng, just you wait! And you Long Chen, pray you don’t land in my hands, otherwise… hehe.” Lu Minghan glared at Long Chen.

Long Chen smiled and said, “Hurry up and fuck off. Threats won’t show your dignity; instead, it’ll just expose your idiocy and treachery. For a Law Enforcement Elder to be so petty as to threaten a disciple of the Dao Sect for personal reasons, you really are trash. I wonder, what kind of place is the Law Enforcement Hall for it to raise such a tyrannical and selfish blockhead like you? If people like you were to enforce the law, well, I don’t believe you wouldn’t harbor any selfish intentions. You’d frame and entrap people if it was to your benefit. How are you supposed to carry out the law fairly?”

Long Chen’s words were even less courteous than Li Changfeng’s. They were like slaps in the face.

“Long Chen! Let’s just wait and see then!” Lu Minghan ground his teeth. He had no choice but to leave with the other Law Enforcement Elder.

Once the two of them left, Li Changfeng looked over everyone, and his gaze landed on Long Chen in the end.

“Take care of how far you go,” warned Li Changfeng.

“Many thanks for the reminder, Elder.”

Long Chen bowed slightly. He understood what he meant. He was telling him not to overstep.

As long as he didn’t go too far, the Elder’s Hall would protect him. But once he went too far, he would have exposed an opening to the Law Enforcement Hall, and then it would be troublesome.

Long Chen now realized something. He was being used in a competition of strength between the Law Enforcement Hall and the Elder Hall. He had become the Elder’s Hall’s weapon.

But he didn’t mind. When joining a tangled and complicated power, you had to choose a side. Wanting to offend no one was a fool’s dream.

The most important thing was to choose the right supporter. Having completely destroyed his bridges with Lu Minghan, the Elder Hall was the best choice.

Furthermore, through the characters of Li Changfeng and Lu Minghan, he was almost sure that the Elder Hall was much friendlier than the Law Enforcement Hall.

“The trial is to continue. If anyone else dares to wildly make accusations, they’ll be executed immediately,” said Li Changfeng before vanishing from their sight.

Those disciples that had failed didn’t dare to make a sound. Their indignation was completely quelled.

Mu Qingxuan finally had a chance to say, “The disciples that failed the trial have two options. You can return to your old sect, or you can stay in the Xuantian Dao Sect.”

“We can stay?” They were delighted and surprised.

“Yes, but if you do, you will not have the status or treatment of disciples. You’ll be workers who are paid with cultivation resources. The bad news is that those resources will be very limited, and your room for growth will be minimal. It might be better for you to return to your original sect and be a tyrant there. The good news is that as long as you stay in the Central Plains, anything is possible. So ask yourselves if you’re willing to bet your lives on a chance.

“That’s all. Someone will come to get you in a bit. As for whether you want to stay or leave, think carefully. Your fates will be in your own hands.”

Mu Qingxuan led away the people who had passed. Amongst the disciples who had failed, the ones who had been spoiled didn’t want to stay as workers. They felt it to be too embarrassing, and it would be better to return to their old homes and live out a glorious life.

It was the ones who had come from poorer origins that wished to stay behind. Even if they returned, they wouldn’t be able to become tyrants at their level.

“Congratulations on passing. Follow me. Welcome to the Xuantian Dao Sect,” said Mu Qingxuan.

The huge stone gate slowly opened, the sound shaking their eardrums. Incredibly dense spiritual qi crashed over them.