Chapter 52

“Ning Feng, do you have to come up with such crude excuses just to target me? Why don’t we go to the magistrate elder and determine whether I’m guilty?” Lu Ming cast a scornful glance at Ning Feng.

“Why do we have to go to the magistrate elder for such a small matter?” Ning Feng laughed coldly.

At this point, Pang Shi came forward, scratching his head with a guileless expression. “Senior Brother Ning, this is where you’re wrong. I’m a new apprentice who has just participated in the test as well. During the test, killing each other is very common. I saw a senior brother being murdered by someone from the Duanmu family. Senior Brother Ning, why didn’t you lead your crew to capture that apprentice from the Duanmu family?”

“That’s right, Ning Feng. If you’re so devoted to being righteous, go and seize that guy from the Duanmu family. All you can do is whine and complain here. Aren’t you embarrassed?” Feng Wu stood beside Lu Ming and scoffed with her pretty face.

Ning Feng’s face darkened all at once. He had just been asked to seize an apprentice from the Duanmu family. How could he possibly do that?

Instantly, he shot an unfriendly look at Pang Shi and berated, “And who are you again? How dare you speak in this manner to me? F*ck off.”

After that, he looked towards Yuan Hui and shouted, “Yuan Hui, step aside at once.”

“Ning Feng, defeat me if you can. Otherwise, you can forget about harming a single hair on Lu Ming’s head!” Yuan Hui was unyielding.

Seeing that Yuan Hui was being so steadfast, Ning Feng’s gaze flitted around uncertainly before landing on Lu Ming once more. “Lu Ming, what kind of Apprentice Champion are you? Is hiding behind women all you can do?”

“Ning Feng, you’ve been enrolled for four, five years, haven’t you? And you have the nerve to say that. How about this? You and Lu Ming shall fight after a year. How does that sound?” Yuan Hui suggested.

“Senior Sister Yuan, why wait for a year? A month is enough!” Lu Ming stepped out and faced Ning Feng directly. “Ning Feng, I hereby challenge you. After one month, we shall meet on the Vermillion Bird Stage for a battle to the death. Are you brave enough?”

His clear voice carried over a long distance, arousing a loud clamor.

“What? Is Lu Ming challenging Ning Feng? And the fight will be in a month. Does he have a death wish?”

“Ning Feng has already reached the top of the Sixth Grade Master Realm. Apparently, he’s only a step away from the Seventh Grade Master Realm. Moreover, he’s been working hard to hone a Superior Yellow Level martial arts technique for nearly five years. He’s already reached the Fifth Stage, which is Perfect Divine-like Usage. Yet, Lu Ming dares to challenge him within a month?”

“That’s right. Lu Ming’s cultivation is only at Fourth Grade Master Realm at most. It’s impossible for him to defeat Ning Feng in a month. He’s too arrogant. I think that after he became the Apprentice Champion, he’s acquired this blind confidence.”

“He doesn’t know his own strength!”

Those who were commenting were mostly senior apprentices who all felt that Lu Ming was being too arrogant.

Ning Feng’s eyes flashed with a gleeful light. “Lu Ming, are you challenging me in a month’s time?”

“That’s right. Do you have the guts?” Lu Ming said.

“Hahaha, what’s there to be afraid of? I accept your challenge!” Ning Feng guffawed.

Based on Lu Ming’s talent, surpassing Ning Feng in a year might not be a problem, but doing so a month from now was impossible.

Lu Ming was asking for it. Since Yuan Hui stopped Ning Feng today, he might as well accept the challenge. He would slay Lu Ming in front of everyone in a month.

At the thought of killing an Apprentice Champion, he was endlessly invigorated.

“Lu Ming, I hope that in a month, you won’t be cowering like a tortoise in its shell,” Ning Feng taunted.

“I was just about to say that to you,” Lu Ming retorted.

“Hmph! Big talk doesn’t mean anything. Let’s go!” Ning Feng waved his hand and swaggered off with the other senior apprentices.

After Ning Feng and the rest had left, Feng Wu spoke rather anxiously, “Lu Ming, you’re too rash. How can you challenge Ning Feng, and within one month at that?”

“That’s right. You could have promised to fight him in a year or even six months. With me around, Ning Feng can’t do anything against you,” Yuan Hui frowned as she chimed in. She felt that Lu Ming was too cocky and she did not quite like this sort of pride. One would suffer sooner or later.

Lu Ming smiled. “It’s fine. Still, I must thank you for your help today, Senior Sister Yuan.”

“There’s no need for that. I did so in consideration of Elder Mu Lan. I hope that you’ll do well for yourself.”

After saying that, Yuan Hui turned to leave.

“Lu Ming, train diligently during this time. If you need help with anything, feel free to look for me,” Feng Wu said.

Lu Ming nodded. “For sure!”

“I’ll be leaving then.” She shot him a look, then went off as well.

“Senior Brother Lu Ming, I believe that you’ll certainly win,” Pang Shi came over and assured her.

“How could it be that easy to beat Ning Feng? Let me tell you. Ning Feng’s cultivation has apparently reached the top of the Sixth Grade Master Realm. Plus, his father is a Chief Elder of the Vermillion Bird Hall,” Hua Chi said coldly from the side.

Lu Ming smiled faintly. Although Hua Chi appeared aloof, he was actually concerned, hence he was warning Lu Ming.

“I believe in Senior Brother Lu Ming, the Apprentice Champion!” Pang Shi cracked a wide grin.

“Ha, how naïve!” Hua Chi shook his head and returned to the courtyard.

“The top of the Sixth Grade Master Realm, is that it?” Lu Ming muttered with a determined look.

After exchanging a few words with Pang Shi, he went down from Vermillion Bird Peak and headed towards the Mystical Sword Sect’s Contribution Hall.

The Mystical Sword Sect’s Contribution Hall was near the center of the four halls and was the busiest place in the Mystical Sword Sect.

As the center of the four halls, Qilin Hall was in this area, along with the Contribution Hall, the Mission Hall, and so on.

Lu Ming decided to go to the Contribution Hall and see if there were any Blood Mist Rocks he could exchange.

After half an hour, he arrived at the Contribution Hall which spanned dozens of hectares. It was very spacious with throngs of crowds that livened up the place.

Small rooms were built in the four corners of the hall. Lu Ming noticed that a person would come out before someone else could go in.

Each time someone entered, a sign saying “Occupied” would be hung on the door of the small room.

This was to safeguard the privacy of the apprentices in the halls. After all, some apprentices might be exchanging precious items. If those with ill intentions learned of this, it might be detrimental to those apprentices.

Lu Ming looked around and noticed a room from which someone was coming out. He then hurriedly entered that room.

The space inside was not very large. There was a table, along with some chairs.

At one side was the counter, by which sat an old man with silvery hair. When the old man saw Lu Ming, he beamed and asked, “Young one, are you exchanging items for contribution points? Or contribution points for items?”

“Senior, I want to ask if there are Blood Mist Rocks here that I can exchange for?” Lu Ming asked and stared at the old man expectantly.

“Blood Mist Rocks? You want to exchange items for Blood Mist Rocks?” the old man raised an eyebrow and asked in astonishment.

Were they unavailable?

Lu Ming’s heart leaped as he asked, “Senior, are there no Blood Mist Rocks here?”

“There are, of course, but the price of Blood Mist Rocks isn’t low. One catty of Blood Mist Rocks costs 3,000 sect contribution points!” the old man said.

Despite being mentally prepared, this price still made Lu Ming gasp in shock. “What? 3,000 sect contribution points?”