Chapter 191: Clashing Once More

Lian Li: “? No way, just like what happened with you back then? Then am I supposed to just stop doing my own thing? What if he uses the excuse of competing for rankings? Wouldn’t I be forced to accept the challenge? Otherwise, I’d lose by default for some inexplicable reason and lose my rank?”

“Exactly. That’s why it’s so annoying if they decide to go that route,” Yun Huizhou said, his face clouding with a look of impatience. He seemed to be recalling those past frustrations, and a surge of killing intent rippled around him once more.

The people from Maple Leaf Valley revealed themselves the moment the two of them pulled their horses to a halt.

They had heard every word Lian Li and Yun Huizhou said with perfect clarity, and Yun Huizhou and Lian Li could see the expressions on their faces just as clearly.

The leading Eldest Senior Sister, Zhang Ning, stared at Yun Huizhou with a frown, while Zhou Yu stared at Lian Li with eyes full of fire.

The other disciples weren’t quite as targeted in their focus, but they all glared at the duo with indignation.

Lian Li and Yun Huizhou stopped talking and moved closer to each other, their bodies tensed and ready to strike at any moment as they confronted the six people opposite them.

After a long silence, Zhang Ning spoke: “Young Hero Lian and Junior Brother Zhou are of similar age and martial prowess; they are excellent rivals for one another. Why not, in the future…”

“See?” Yun Huizhou didn’t even wait for Zhang Ning to finish before turning to Lian Li. “That’s just how they are.”

“Yun Huizhou!” Zhang Ning gritted her teeth and shouted his name.

Yun Huizhou picked at his ear and didn’t respond, pretending he hadn’t heard her.

The moment Zhang Ning spoke, Lian Li didn’t even need her to finish to know exactly what she meant.

Yun Huizhou had hit the nail on the head—they were planning to bind him to Zhou Yu.

“Wait, on what basis? Does he think I have to accept just because he wants to challenge me? I’m not his parents, nor am I his master or his fellow disciple. Why should I spar with him every single day and act as his training partner? If he wants to fight every day, am I supposed to stay on standby twenty-four hours a day, ready to serve at his beck and call? What does he take me for? His family slave?”

“Fight every day, fight every day… and then the day he finally wins, he’ll slip away like grease and go tell the Jinman Records that he won so he can take my rank? Who would I even go to for justice then? He’s probably just looking for a way to cheat. If you can’t afford to lose, don’t come playing.”

“Is he the center of the universe? Does everyone have to revolve around him? He’s got a lot of nerve. Who the hell does he think he is?”

Yun Huizhou hadn’t expected Zhang Ning’s words to trigger such a long tirade from Lian Li.

At the same time, he felt that Lian Li had put it perfectly—it made total sense. He almost wanted to put down his blade and give Lian Li a wild round of applause.

Back then, he had simply found it annoying. He had spent his time refusing, ignoring, and saying many harsh things.

But he had never been able to accurately articulate exactly how he felt at the time. Now, he felt that Lian Li was practically his spokesperson; every word was spot on.

“Exactly! On what basis?” Yun Huizhou couldn’t help but mutter under his breath.

The expressions on Zhou Yu and Zhang Ning’s faces instantly became extremely unsightly. To them, Lian Li’s words were nothing short of a humiliation.

The other disciples, meanwhile, looked utterly enraged.

Lian Li didn’t pay much attention to Zhou Yu. Instead, he looked at Zhang Ning. Seeing her expression and connecting it to what he had just said, a wave of irritation rose in his heart.

So you actually know how to feel embarrassed? Isn’t this all your own doing? You nearly lost your life back then, yet you still dare to come looking for us now. Are you that confident you can survive Yun Huizhou?

“You! You dare insult me!” Zhou Yu drew his sword and pointed it at Lian Li in a rage.

“You brought it on yourself,” Lian Li snapped back fiercely. “I didn’t even settle the score for all those little tricks you pulled before the match, trying to use me as a stepping stone to boost your reputation. And yet you have the gall to block our path and demand I be your training partner?”

“You are already my defeated opponent. By fighting me, you’re challenging a stronger opponent to gain experience and improve yourself. But if I spend every day fighting someone weaker, not only does it sound bad, but at most, I’d just get a bit of personal satisfaction. It does absolutely nothing for my own strength. Why on earth should I be bound to you?”

“You’re the only ones benefiting from this entire arrangement. How can there be such a good deal in the world? Are you idiots, or do you think we are?”

“Have some shame. Don’t throw away the dignity you were given.”

Lian Li’s words were harsh, especially that last remark about throwing away dignity, which insulted Zhang Ning as well.

But he was truly fed up.

Where did they get the nerve?

Besides, if they had something to say, couldn’t they have said it in Linjiu City?

They just had to block the path in the middle of nowhere, as if they were afraid of others finding out. This was a classic sign of having a guilty conscience.

They knew perfectly well that they were trying to take advantage of the situation and that they were in the wrong.

If they hadn’t thought that deeply about it, they wouldn’t have specifically chosen a deserted place in the wild to intercept them. They could have just paid a formal visit in Linjiu City and brought it up openly, couldn’t they?

Thinking of this, Lian Li felt a wave of disgust.

No wonder the West Island Lord disliked them, and no wonder Yun Huizhou disliked them.

They weren’t some small, insignificant sect, so why were they so petty and narrow-minded? And why were they like a clingy nuisance?

You fight someone once, decide they’re a suitable opponent, and then you stick to them like glue demanding a permanent bond? He was truly over it.

Zhang Ning’s expression shifted at Lian Li’s words, but she quickly regained control. She turned to Yun Huizhou and asked, “Yun Huizhou, do you think the same?”

Yun Huizhou was silent for a moment, then his lips curled into a smirk. “What do you think? Is my attitude not obvious enough? Or do you think all those unpleasant things I said in the past were just for fun?”

Zhou Yu was driven mad with rage. He raised his sword and charged forward.

Lian Li wasn’t about to tolerate him. He drew his whip and leaped out, clashing with Zhou Yu.

As soon as they engaged, Lian Li realized that Zhou Yu was truly blinded by fury; he wasn’t holding back in the slightest.

During the previous tournament, although both had given their all, they had still observed the etiquette of stopping at the point of contact.

But now, Lian Li felt that every one of Zhou Yu’s moves was a ruthless strike.

Yun Huizhou naturally saw it too. Although he knew that Zhou Yu was no longer a match for Lian Li, his expression still turned incredibly cold. His blade left its sheath as he stared down the people from Maple Leaf Valley.

“In a duel, you might still have a chance against me. But when it comes to killing… none of you are enough for me to kill.”

“Zhang Ning, are you planning to lead your junior brothers and sisters to their deaths?”

Zhang Ning had also noticed Zhou Yu’s moves by now. Her expression was unpredictable, but she remained relatively calm.

She felt that these were just ruthless moves, not lethal ones, and shouldn’t be enough to trigger Yun Huizhou’s killing intent.

Even as she thought this, just as Zhou Yu thrust his sword directly toward Lian Li’s face, a sudden blast of blade qi surged toward Zhou Yu’s own face. It was a lethal strike that Zhou Yu absolutely could not block on his own.

That blade qi would take Zhou Yu’s life.

Zhang Ning could no longer remain calm. She hurriedly drew her sword and rushed forward to block the blade qi.

Both Zhou Yu and Lian Li were startled by the sudden escalation.