Chapter 38: A Slap to the Shangqing Sect, the Autumn Wild Hunt Begins!
Cultivation World.
Mingzhong Island, Imperial Capital of the Great Qian Dynasty.
A viewing platform had already been built on the water outside the island.
This was the annual site of the Autumn Wild Hunt held by the imperial family of the Great Qian.
Gu Fan and Lin Yi were awakened by the Second Prince Zhou Rong before dawn. They then rode in his carriage to the boarding point for the island.
As soon as the two of them appeared, they attracted numerous gazes.
Immediately, murmurs began to spread.
"The Second Prince? Seems like he still hasn’t given up."
"When it comes to the position of Crown Prince, how could he? But these two retainers of his look unfamiliar. Where’s the Whirlwind Blade?"
"Heh, don’t joke. Someone like Whirlwind Blade dares to participate in the battle for the Crown Prince’s position?"
Just then, someone let out a soft gasp.
"Wait! These two, one in black and one in white, so young yet exuding such intense killing aura—aren’t they the Demonic Path Twin Stars?"
"They really are! How dare they? After killing so many Righteous Path disciples, they still dare to enter the Autumn Wild Hunt?"
"Only disciples from the Five Major Righteous Sects can enter. No matter how powerful the Heavenly Evil Sect is, it’s too far away and lacks top-tier cultivators to oversee things."
"Maybe the Second Prince offered too much. Haha, this is going to be entertaining."
"Demonic Path Twin Stars? More like Twin Dead Stars! Humph!"
Hearing the chatter, Lin Yi curled his lips.
While munching on a freshly baked sesame flatbread, he said indignantly,
"Why is it that wherever we go, there’s always this kind of scum who looks down on others? Makes me want to kill them all!"
Gu Fan stuffed the rest of his flatbread into his mouth in two bites, utterly unconcerned.
"Talking behind others’ backs is human nature. Don’t take it to heart. We’ll just slaughter their masters’ followers later, then it’ll be their turn to regret. If they’re still annoying after the Hunt ends, we can just kill them then."
"Brother Gu is right, but let’s agree on this—leave some for me today. Don’t hog all the kills."
Lin Yi reminded him again, worried. He knew that when it came to killing, he definitely couldn’t outmatch Gu Fan.
Moreover, upon waking up, he clearly sensed that Gu Fan had gotten stronger—again!
He even suspected that Gu Fan hadn’t really slept.
Could it be that after he fell asleep, Gu Fan spent the entire night secretly cultivating?
Why was it that after a full night’s rest, he was still at the same realm, while Gu Fan had already advanced again?
"Sigh, fine. By the way, what exactly is your cultivation technique? Why does it require killing to improve?"
"It’s not that I don’t want to tell you—I honestly don’t know. My master arranged it all for me."
Gu Fan rolled his eyes.
What a typical simpleton—didn’t even care about his own cultivation method.
He might get sold off one day and not even realize it.
Would a master really never harm their disciple?
Heh, that’s hard to say...
Suddenly, his brow furrowed.
A familiar yet unfamiliar aura flashed through the crowd.
"This is..."
"What’s wrong, Brother Gu?"
"Nothing, just felt like an old acquaintance showed up. Might’ve been my imagination."
"Oh, alright then..."
While the two chatted idly, several other princes’ retainers also arrived one after another.
But as they passed by the duo, they all gave polite yet insincere smiles.
One dressed in black, one in white, both exuding murderous aura.
Such obvious characteristics immediately drew the attention of the Five Major Righteous Sects’ disciples.
At that moment, five disciples from the Shangqing Sect slowly walked up to the pair.
"You two are the Demonic Path Twin Stars?"
Lin Yi naturally played the diplomat role, calmly asking,
"And who are you to speak to us?"
"This is our Shangqing Sect’s Senior Brother, Senior Brother Lian Huo!"
One of the lackeys quickly introduced with enthusiasm.
But Lin Yi and Gu Fan merely exchanged glances and shrugged.
"Never heard of him. Who’s this trash?"
Lian Huo’s expression darkened. Before he could speak, someone else jumped in for him.
A female disciple stepped forward and mocked,
"Still acting tough? One at the fifth layer of the Spirit Sea Realm, the other at the sixth. With such weak cultivation, you dare provoke our Senior Brother Lian Huo? If fighting weren’t prohibited here, I’d—"
"Ugh! Such a noisy mouth!"
Before Gu Fan could finish speaking, Lin Yi’s figure blurred like lightning and slapped the Shangqing Sect female disciple across the face.
Then came a vicious kick to the chest, sending the opponent flying!
"You dare!" Lian Huo shouted angrily.
"Hmph, what’s there to dare or not? Haven’t I already done it?"
"You..."
Lin Yi didn’t continue attacking.
The commotion had already drawn the attention of some royal observers.
Any further action might provoke intervention.
On the Shangqing Sect's side, their group caught the female disciple who had been sent flying.
"How are you, Junior Sister? Are your injuries serious?"
The female disciple was about to speak, but before she could get a word out, more than half of her teeth fell out.
She then touched her chest.
What little size she had was now completely flattened by that kick!
"Lin Yi! Gu Fan! I’ll kill you both!"
She tried to gather her qi to strike.
But Lian Huo quickly stopped her.
"Senior Brother! This is an unbearable humiliation—I must kill them!"
"Calm down. I promise you, those two won’t survive the Autumn Wild Hunt."
"Just now, the royal observers already looked this way. If we act again, we’ll be breaking the rules."
Hearing this, the female disciple took a few deep breaths and finally stepped back, albeit unwillingly.
Lin Yi was honestly shocked—was this the Righteous Path’s famed tolerance?
A slap and a kick like that, and they still held back from retaliating?
That was truly impressive!
"Brother Gu, these people are seriously good at enduring. Look at that woman’s face—swollen like a flatbread, and her chest’s so caved in it’s even flatter than her senior brother’s. And she still held it in?"
He didn’t lower his voice, and upon hearing it, the faces of the Shangqing Sect disciples grew even darker.
Especially that female disciple—she nearly drew her sword to charge.
Gu Fan let out a hearty laugh.
"Hahaha! You’re right—they really can endure!"
At this point, Lian Huo, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke.
"Just mid-stage Spirit Sea Realm, relying on sneak attacks, and you think you’re some prodigy?"
He took a step forward, revealing the aura of a half-step Primordial Yang Realm.
"Heh, I don’t know about being a prodigy, but killing you would be like slaughtering a dog!"
"Empty words! On Autumn Hunt Island, we’ll let our fists do the talking!"
With that, Lian Huo glanced coldly at Gu Fan, then flicked his sleeve and led his group away.
...
At this moment, several other princes’ retainers had been watching this side for quite some time.
When they saw the Shangqing Sect clashing with the Demonic Path Twin Stars and getting the short end of the stick, their expressions turned slightly grave.
"The Shangqing Sect actually suffered a loss?"
"Heh, not really. Lian Huo didn’t make a move. Without him, their advantage was fake."
"Half-step Primordial Yang is indeed powerful. For now, let’s avoid them. We should prioritize killing the Demonic Path Twin Stars first."
"I agree. Save our killing blows for Lian Huo."
On the high platform, the royal family members watched the conflict below with great interest.
"Second Brother’s pretty formidable—silently brought in two experts who even beat up disciples from the Shangqing Sect."
The Third Prince grinned.
He was clearly pleased to see the First Prince’s men getting embarrassed.
Zhou Rong chuckled lightly.
"I’m just here to make up the numbers. See, everyone else has five retainers, and I’ve only got two—just wanted to take part."
The other three princes sneered inwardly.
That excuse might fool a three-year-old.
To make up the numbers, you brought in such terrifying retainers?
Still, there was one downside—only two of them.
No matter how strong they were, against full teams of five from other princes, they’d still be doomed!
At this moment, the Fourth Prince spoke.
"Compared to Second Brother, Eldest Brother is even more ruthless—he brought someone at half-step Primordial Yang Realm."
Zhou Jing showed no change in expression.
Their conversation seemed like mere childish chatter to him.
He remained calm, with a touch of pride.
"Father doesn’t seem to have set a limit on cultivation levels. Fourth Brother, do you have any objections to His Majesty’s arrangements?"
"You! Hmph!"
Zhou Qin snorted but said nothing more.
He didn’t dare challenge that kind of accusation.
"The auspicious hour has arrived! The Autumn Wild Hunt officially begins! Contestants, board the island!"
At these words, everyone’s hearts trembled.
The battle for the Crown Prince of the Great Qian Dynasty... had begun!