Chapter 2795 — Breaking the Rules

This trial was unlike those of previous years. In the past, the Xuantan Sect's aim had been simply the spirit herbs of the trial grounds and the hefty security deposits paid by the participants; this time, it was entirely for the sake of a plan.

That was why the Xuantan Sect had loosened the conditions for entry, replacing the old requirement of Mystic Rank and above but below Earth Rank with Mystic Rank and above with no upper limit at all. Others might not know why, but how could the Tomorrow Upon Tomorrow Sect, itself descended from the same ancient stratum and one of the architects of the Cloud Rank Island plan, fail to understand what lay behind it?

Had Zhang Naipao not obtained the map, Zhong Yongliang would never have let him take the risk. He would sooner forgo the Marrow-Cleansing Bone-Transforming Pill, sooner leave Wei Zhao unpunished!

Of course, Zhong Yongliang naturally hoped Wei Zhao would die in this trial as well, but for some reason he could not shake a certain premonition: that Wei Zhao would not die in the trial.

Having become the Mad Dragon Patriarch, Zhong Yongliang's perception was far keener than before, yet even he could not tell whether this premonition of his was true.

Not only did he feel Wei Zhao would come to no harm—he felt that in the end it would be Zhang Naipao who suffered. And yet he could not make sense of it: with Zhang Naipao's present strength, Wei Zhao should pose no threat to him, especially with two fine Heaven Rank mid-stage experts sent along to protect him. There should have been no problem at all.

Still, Zhong Yongliang could not shake the feeling that he had overlooked something. But because the two souls had only just merged, his memories were somewhat disordered, and he could not recall just what it was he had overlooked.

Zhang Naipao saw Wei Zhao now as well, and his expression shifted slightly. Enemies meeting face to face—that was exactly what this was. He had never imagined that the moment he arrived he would run into Wei Zhao. Truly, enemies were bound to meet on a narrow road!

"Wei Zhao, I didn't think you'd actually dare come. Looks like Brother Liang was right—you're just asking for a beating. I didn't go looking for you in East Sea City, and here you are delivering yourself to my door." Zhang Naipao gave a cold laugh and strode toward Wei Zhao, his two lackeys following at his heels.

"Are we allowed to strike at each other before the trial begins?" Wei Zhao did not know the trial's rules, so he turned to look at Zhao Qilei, ignoring Zhang Naipao's words entirely.

"You may. So long as the trial has not truly begun, you may strike." Zhao Qilei explained, "But on the Xuantan Sect's territory, even if you fight, you must not strike to kill. You cannot put your opponent to death—that is the bottom line."

"Of course, that doesn't include suicide," Zhang Naipao added blandly.

"Suicide?" Wei Zhao glanced at Zhang Naipao and asked, "You mean you're going to kill yourself?"

"Heh, who's killing himself isn't certain yet. Wei Zhao, don't you want to beat me up right now?" Zhang Naipao asked.

"And what if I do?" Wei Zhao countered.

"Then don't say I never gave you a chance. I'll stand right here and let you hit me—give you a chance to vent your anger. But if you don't raise a hand, don't say I look down on you." Zhang Naipao spoke with great swagger.

"?" Wei Zhao gave Zhang Naipao a puzzled look, unable to fathom what had gotten into the fellow, that he would actually invite Wei Zhao to strike him. "You won't hit back?"

"If you beat me crippled, of course I won't hit back. But if you don't raise a hand, then don't blame me for showing no mercy," Zhang Naipao said.

Listening to Zhang Naipao, Wei Zhao found his doubts piling higher and higher, yet he still swiftly circulated the mental formulae of the ninth stance of the Mad Fire Fist, then sprang up and struck: "Mad Fire Eight Trigrams Palm—Ninth Stance!"

"No—Young Hero Lin—!" Ge Xian seemed to have realized something and shouted to stop him, but it was already too late...

Yet Wei Zhao's Mad Fire Eight Trigrams Palm did not land on Zhang Naipao. He had chosen as his target one of Zhang Naipao's Heaven Rank mid-stage lackeys!

"Bang—!" With a tremendous crash, the Heaven Rank mid-stage lackey to the left behind Zhang Naipao was sent flying backward, landing heavily on the ground far across the dining hall. But who knew what materials the hall was decorated with—the floor was utterly unscathed!

Perhaps the Xuantan Sect had anticipated that these cultivators would come to blows here, and so had used special materials.

"Aagh—!" The left lackey gave a scream. His chest was instantly reduced to a bloody mess, caved in; after a single cry, his eyes rolled back and he fainted dead away...

Wei Zhao had not used his full strength. He had held back a few parts of it—a few parts for fleeing! In part he feared Zhang Naipao would strike, and in part he feared that killing the left lackey would violate the trial's rules.

But even though Wei Zhao had shown mercy and not killed the left lackey, the man was now a cripple. Clearly, even the Great Return Pill could not save him.

Wei Zhao's strikes now were no longer what they had been back in the Mystic Rank days. Feng Nitian had been saved by the Great Return Pill, but this left lackey was beyond saving.

"You... why did you hit him?" Zhang Naipao was both startled and furious. He had stood there to let Wei Zhao strike him, yet Wei Zhao had not hit him, and had instead gone for the lackey behind him. The lackey had not even understood what was happening before he was reduced to a wreck!

This was a Heaven Rank mid-stage expert—even the Tomorrow Upon Tomorrow Sect had only a handful of them! But what left Zhang Naipao even more aghast was that Wei Zhao could actually wound a Heaven Rank mid-stage expert. And with a single move?

Zhang Naipao's expression shifted darkly, uncertain. He wanted to strike here, yet he feared Wei Zhao's strength—especially since there were four others at Wei Zhao's table. Apart from Zhao Qilei, whom he knew, the other two were of unknown strength, and he dared not act rashly.

Birds of a feather flock together. If Wei Zhao could bring down a Heaven Rank mid-stage expert in one move, who could guarantee the people around him lacked the same ability? Zhang Naipao had never expected to be thwarted the moment he arrived at the Xuantan Sect trial!

And the one who had thwarted him was none other than Wei Zhao! How alike this was to the Ice Palace trial of old! Back then, it was he who had given Wei Zhao a show of force, reducing Wei Zhao to a ruined man; and now Wei Zhao had given him a show of force in return, crippling one of his Heaven Rank mid-stage lackeys!

Zhao Qilei was surprised too, but he had long known that Wei Zhao could slay Heaven Rank mid-stage experts in an instant, so his feeling now was merely excitement. Feng Shihua and Ge Xian were different, however—both knew something of Wei Zhao's strength, and to see that a late Earth Rank could cripple a Heaven Rank expert—what a feat that was!