In the blink of an eye, two days passed.

While Lu Ming was cultivating, a loud yell suddenly boomed from outside, “Lu Ming, get your butt out here!”

“Ning Feng?”

Lu Ming remembered the voice very well. It was that senior apprentice who had caused him trouble back when he had just joined the sect.

‘Ning Feng, you sent someone to kill me during the test. Before I could hunt you down, you’ve come here yourself!’ There was a cold glint in Lu Ming’s eyes as he got up, opened the door, and walked out.

After exiting his room, he saw that Pang Shi and Hua Chi had gone out as well. Evidently, they were startled as well.

“Senior Brother Lu, what’s going on?” Pang Shi wore a worried expression.

“Everything’s fine!” Lu Ming grinned.

“Lu Ming, you’d better hurry up and show yourself,” Ning Feng’s voice rose again, rumbling across a vast distance.

Creak!

Lu Ming opened the gates of the courtyard and walked out.

Standing outside the courtyard were seven or eight youths. Ning Feng was heading the group with Yin Kai actually beside him. As for the others, they had overbearing auras as well. Clearly, they were senior apprentices of the Vermillion Bird Hall.

“Lu Ming, you’re finally out. I’d thought you were cowering like a tortoise in its shell!” Ning Feng glared at Lu Ming icily as he spoke. In the depths of his gaze, there was a flash of deadly intent.

Lu Ming had far surpassed his expectations.

During the newbies’ test, along with the Duanmu family’s cooperation, Ning Feng had sent a Master Realm expert to kill Lu Ming. Despite all that, he did not manage to kill him.

To their outrage, Lu Ming had even become the Apprentice Champion. The moment Ning Feng heard about this, he had practically leaped up in shock.

Lu Ming’s talent exceeded his imagination. He must kill Lu Ming before the latter grew even stronger.

“Cower like a tortoise? Ning Feng, why would I do that just because of someone like you?” Lu Ming said breezily as he stared at Ning Feng.

“Heh heh! Lu Ming, don’t think that you can act so impudently just because you’ve achieved the hollow title as the Apprentice Champion. In my eyes, you’re nothing.

“Furthermore, your Apprentice Champion position was merely seized through underhanded methods. Lu Ming, do you know that you’ve committed a great crime? You should be kneeling down in confession!” Ning Feng bellowed.

By this point, the whole area had been disturbed. People started popping out of their courtyards. It was not just the new apprentices. Most of them were senior apprentices.

All of them observed the situation, discussing animatedly.

“Why is Ning Feng looking for Lu Ming? Is there bad blood between them?”

“I don’t know. Still, Ning Feng’s father is the Chief Elder of the Vermillion Bird Hall. Thanks to his father’s authority, he’s always been arrogant and tyrannical, and he’s used to pushing others around. Ha, to think that Lu Ming is the target this time!”

“I heard that on the day Lu Ming joined the sect, he disrespected Ning Feng, causing Ning Feng to be publicly humiliated.”

“No wonder!”

Ning Feng’s energy was aggressive, but Lu Ming was not afraid in the slightest. “Ning Feng, there’s no need for malicious slander. What have I done wrong?”

“What wrong? Let me ask you. During the test, Junior Brother Yin Kai obtained that 500-point metal piece initially. However, out of your own selfish desires, you colluded with the apprentices of other halls to intercept him, causing him to lose the 500-point metal piece. The position of Apprentice Champion originally belonged to Junior Brother Yin Kai!

“Not only that, in order to snatch the 500-point metal piece, you brutally murdered the genius apprentice of my Vermillion Bird Hall, Yuan Lang. Such behavior makes one’s blood boil. You should die ten thousand deaths for your sins. Now, shouldn’t you be kneeling down to accept your punishment?” Ning Feng roared furiously with a domineering aura.

Not far away, some of the senior apprentices were conversing.

“Ning Feng really knows how to pin the blame on someone.”

“Isn’t that so?”

In the Mystical Sword Sect, there were rules, and one of them included the fact that those from the same sect must not kill one another.

However, at certain times and in certain places, there were exceptions such as in a life-or-death fight or during the newbies’ test.

The newbies’ test was a long tradition in the Mystical Sword Sect. In truth, everyone was well aware that the test would verify one’s full capabilities. During the test, any method was fair game, including killing.

Nonetheless, this was an unspoken rule that must not be proclaimed aloud. Otherwise, it was indeed a crime to kill someone from the same sect.

However, which year’s Apprentice Champion did not kill anyone during the test?

It was impossible. This was clearly a trumped-up charge.

“Ning Feng, did you come here to say this? With this idiotic excuse? I don’t have time to entertain your nonsense.”

With that, Lu Ming turned around to go in. He could not be bothered with Ning Feng’s bullsh*t.

“Damn you!” Lu Ming’s attitude set Ning Feng’s teeth on edge before he howled, “Brazen Lu Ming, do you even respect the sect’s rules? Kneel down at once.”

Swoosh!

Ning Feng’s palm slammed toward Lu Ming. The force from his palm created a whistle in the air. If this strike hit its target, Lu Ming would be gravely injured, if not killed.

“Senior Brother Lu Ming, be careful!” Pang Shi warned.

Boom!

At the crucial point, Lu Ming promptly twisted around and struck with the Flame Dragon Fist.

Bam!

Lu Ming’s fist and Ning Feng’s palm collided.

There was a deafening rumble.

Thud, thud, thud!

Lu Ming took five steps back. He shuddered and coughed up a mouthful of blood.

“You’re the so-called Apprentice Champion! Hmph, you’re more like a piece of trash. Today, I’ll cripple you, then take my time interrogating you,” Ning Feng’s expression was cruel as he spoke disdainfully. Following that, he stepped out and slammed his palm down on Lu Ming.

“Trying to cripple me? I’ll make you pay a painful price too!” Lu Ming gripped his sword hilt as his eyes blazed viciously. He decided to explode his blood meridian. Even if he had to suffer Ning Feng’s palm strike, he would make him pay.

“Stop right there!”

However, just then, a delicate voice rang out as a figure dashed over like lightning. A burst of powerful palm force shot toward Ning Feng.

The palm force was fierce and intense and was no weaker than Ning Feng’s.

Ning Feng had no choice but to turn back and counter the blow.

Bam!

Two palms clashed, and Ning Feng’s figure trembled slightly.

“Yuan Hui, it’s you! Why did you stop me?” When Ning Feng saw who it was, his expression shifted.

Lu Ming was flabbergasted as well. The one who had attacked was a young lady who was around eighteen years old and was extremely pretty.

Still, Lu Ming did not know her. Why would she step in to help him?

However, he understood in the next instant.

Another figure came flying over. It was Feng Wu.

“Lu Ming, are you alright? Don’t worry. Senior Sister Yuan is with Big Sis Mu Lan. She won’t let Ning Feng do as he pleases.” Feng Wu looked at Lu Ming with a glimmer of concern in her eyes.

“I’m fine!” Lu Ming beamed.

Yuan Hui said, “Ning Feng, I might as well tell you that Lu Ming got in through a recommendation from Elder Mu Lan. Surely now you know why I stopped you!”

“What? Elder Mu Lan?” When Ning Feng heard Mu Lan’s name, he turned solemn all of a sudden.

On the side, Yin Kai’s face had sunk as well.

‘How could Lu Ming be so lucky? Dammit!’ Yin Kai clenched his jaw. Initially, he had rejoiced inwardly when he saw Lu Ming being injured by Ning Feng. However, Yuan Hui had popped up unexpectedly.

“Now that you know this, you’d better leave at once.” Yuan Hui glared at Ning Feng.

Ning Feng’s eyes gleamed, then flared up with resentment. “Yuan Hui, so what if Lu Ming was recommended by Elder Mu Lan? He killed someone from the same sect. Such a despicable act must be severely punished. Otherwise, everyone will disregard the rules in the future. Won’t that cause utter chaos?”