CHAPTER 51: BLACKMAILING OR DESERVED?

"In fact, Zhiran, I sensed you using your Sword Qi before and even felt a faint intent. But I wasn’t sure if I felt right. That’s why I asked Qiu Ronghai to fix your match early."

Elder Hua paused and looked around awkwardly before continuing.

"I was afraid that you might not use your sword intent easily. That’s why I relaxed the rule slightly so I could see if what I sensed was right. But... I never thought..."

He stopped and shook his head with a bitter smile, making everyone speechless.

After all, they didn’t need the follow-up, as they had seen what happened with their own eyes.

Now that they thought about it, somehow, it really did seem like Elder Hua was responsible for Wu Zhen being crippled like this.

"Sigh... forget it."

"That was my mistake after all. I cannot allow a deserving candidate of my sect to suffer injustice, can I?"

"So, I helped Wu Zhen get his dantian repaired and even managed to restore his realm, fortunately."

Elder Hua said with a smile as if he felt fortunate that the situation turned out for the better.

"As for him being here with you all, I decided to recommend him to the inner sect as an apology. After all, if not for me, he could have entered it easily."

He said while portraying the perfect image of an elder who couldn’t stand injustice.

And to be honest, from a certain angle, he did seem like that.

Unfortunately, that angle wasn’t Mo Zhiran’s.

"Then... what about me?"

Zhiran truly felt speechless after realizing the ins and outs of the matter.

However, he sensed something was wrong with Elder Hua’s explanation and how he resolved the issue.

"Hmm? You? What do you mean?"

Elder Hua was feeling better seeing the appreciative eyes of the outer disciples when he suddenly heard Mo Zhiran’s question.

For a moment, he didn’t understand what he meant. After all, in this match, if there was any winner, it was Zhiran, wasn’t it?

He felt that not pursuing Zhiran for crippling Wu Zhen in front of the whole crowd was already reward enough.

Unfortunately, it seemed not.

"Elder Hua, are you slow?"

Zhiran was really fed up with this clueless guy.

He now wondered how this elder even managed to reach the Peak of the Foundation Establishment Realm with that brain of his.

’No wonder he dared to offend a Core Disciple. Maybe this guy didn’t even realize.’

"W-What... Mo Zhiran!..."

"Elder Hua, in this fight, there are two victims, and one of them is me."

Zhiran didn’t allow the elder to get angry and rudely interrupted him midway without fear.

"Just because of your curiosity, I was forced to crush his balls."

He said while pointing at Wu Zhen, who couldn’t help but flinch unconsciously.

"Just because of your curiosity, I had to cripple him so that he wouldn’t take revenge in the future. But now, you directly cure him like this."

"What is your intention?"

He asked with an innocent look, shamelessly questioning an elder far higher than his realm.

For a moment, the boat went silent as even Tianyu seemed speechless at how smoothly Zhiran shifted the blame.

But Zhiran didn’t care and continued berating Elder Hua.

"Now look at him. Can you see the hatred and murderous intent in his eyes? Do you think he’ll forgive me just because you cured him now?"

Mo Zhiran said while pointing at Wu Zhen, who was still silently sitting in the corner without a word. But anyone with eyes could see the deep hatred he held for Zhiran.

"For nothing, you forced me to make a strong enemy who wants my life. And you think it’s over?"

"Do you think life is that easy? Although I can kill this guy even more easily now, what about my compensation for this extra risk?"

"Why don’t you give it to me already?"

Mo Zhiran demanded shamelessly, extending his hand toward Elder Hua, who looked extremely embarrassed.

Never in his life had he been called a fool by a disciple right to his face. And unfortunately, all of Zhiran’s reasoning sounded right.

"Otherwise, how about you let me be alone with him for a while and call it even?"

Mo Zhiran suddenly proposed with a sly teasing smile,

"Don’t worry, Elder, I won’t kill him."

"Just let me crush those balls of his again, so he won’t leave any descendants who’ll come to take revenge on me after his death."

Zhiran said while looking at Wu Zhen with such thick malice that Wu Zhen visibly shuddered in his place. It was as if he were reliving that painful moment all over again.

"E-Elder..."

For a moment, his tough persona wilted completely as he looked at Elder Hua with fear.

After all that happened today, he had absolute trust that Zhiran would do what he said without hesitation. This guy was completely crazy.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t even resist this time with his weaker strength.

Followed by the unexpected cry for help from Wu Zhen, the atmosphere in the boat suddenly turned silent until it was broken by a faint, muffled laugh from a corner.

"Pfft..."

It was Mei Xuan who finally couldn’t hold back her laughter anymore.

Hearing Zhiran’s rude remarks, Elder Hua’s embarrassed look, and Wu Zhen’s desperate plea, it was too much for her to endure.

She didn’t know why, but she felt that Mo Zhiran was more of a demonic cultivator than she was.

This guy was just too ruthless and sharp.

"Cough, sorry... I was just thinking about something else."

Mei Xuan saw everyone looking at her after she laughed and hurriedly covered her mouth with her hands, trying to regain control.

Fortunately, Elder Hua didn’t seem to care about her gaffe.

"Okay, enough."

Elder Hua finally couldn’t take it anymore and looked at Mo Zhiran, a little unkindly and irritated.

"Mo Zhiran, what you said has some truth, and I don’t want to argue with disciples. We are already late as it is."

He said and suddenly threw a storage ring from his finger, which Zhiran caught immediately.

"If you think you’ve been wronged by me, so be it. Let this be your compensation."

"Now, let’s leave for the inner sect. I have no time to entertain you all anymore."

Elder Hua’s mood was completely ruined by Mo Zhiran’s antics.

So, after giving Zhiran something, he immediately infused spiritual energy into the spirit boat, making it fly rapidly toward the center.

He feared that if he waited any longer, Zhiran might do something even more outrageous.

Unfortunately, Su Ruyue had just been accepted as the personal disciple of an elder ranked higher than him.

So, he couldn’t let this matter blow out of proportion and had to calm Zhiran down somehow.

’Come to think of it, did this guy think about it too? Is that why he was suddenly so fearless?’

Elder Hua thought with surprise while glancing at Mo Zhiran in suspicion, who was smiling like a kid while gripping his storage ring.

He seemed happy with the compensation he received from how cheerful he looked.

’Tch... better not look. My mood will be ruined again.’