Chapter 3947 — The Cross-Pavilion Challenge

Pavilion Master Hu Yunfeng took in the expressions of all the newcomers, and a cold, triumphant laugh rose in his heart: So you newcomers clamored for fairness, did you? Well, a golden opportunity now lies right here before you. This Pavilion Master is rather eager to see just what you will bring to bear against this fairness you have dreamed of!

Faced with such a disparity in strength, the newcomers of the Mystic Mechanism Pavilion and the Azure Cloud Pavilion, who had been so full of ambition moments before, all fell silent at once.

True, these newcomers of the Skyward Pavilion were powerful, but that did not mean every one of them was a skilled hand at the early Foundation Establishment stage. Of the fifteen, at least five were merely at the Great Perfection of the Heaven Rank—hardly what one would call formidable.

The problem was this: if only a scant few stepped forward to challenge, then even if they succeeded, what their situation would be once they set foot on the Skyward Pavilion's territory—any fool could figure that out with his toes.

They would not merely become the target of universal attack; they might well be blacklisted by the many Skyward Pavilion disciples, hounded at every turn thereafter, every step a struggle. Such consequences were not something an ordinary newcomer could withstand!

In the end, the psychology of cultivators was not so very different from that of ordinary people. When one's strength was not outstanding enough, everyone tended to follow the herd.

Had everyone been launching challenges at the Skyward Pavilion newcomers, then perhaps many would have been eager to try. But now, with everyone nursing misgivings, the scene could not help but fall into a cold deadlock.

In the minds of the Mystic Mechanism Pavilion newcomers, the mountaintop caves of the Skyward Pavilion were fine indeed, but their own caves were not so shabby either. A gap of only this much was not enough to make them take such a risk.

As for the Azure Cloud Pavilion newcomers, they did truly covet those mountaintop caves. Yet most of them were still only at the Great Perfection of the Heaven Rank. Even against the weakest newcomer of the Skyward Pavilion, they might not stand a chance of victory. Were they to leap out and challenge in earnest, they would only make themselves laughingstocks.

"What's this? Was this not what you so vehemently demanded? Now that the moment has come, why has every one of you fallen silent?" Hu Yunfeng, high above, deliberately swept his gaze over the Azure Cloud Pavilion newcomers and raised an eyebrow with undisguised contempt.

All the newcomers were struck dumb, and one after another they unconsciously shrank their necks. At a time like this, none of them dared to stick their heads out rashly.

"The cross-pavilion challenge—this was granted by the higher-ups at my special request, and only because you demanded it so vehemently. Yet in the end, you do not even dare let out a fart. So timid, so irresponsible—how will you ever accomplish anything great in the future?" As Hu Yunfeng lectured the newcomers, his gaze finally came to rest on Qiao Hongcai. He still remembered clearly that this fellow had been the loudest of them all.

Under Hu Yunfeng's stare, Qiao Hongcai's composure began to crack. His temper was fiery to begin with—how could he endure such provocation from a hypocrite like Hu Yunfeng?

What was more, with his current strength, unless he faced a peak early Foundation Establishment expert like Meng Zhou or Murong Zhen, he ought in theory to have some chance of victory against any skilled hand of the Skyward Pavilion—at the very least, enough force to put up a fight.

But Wei Zhao had given prior instructions: he and Xiao Che were not to take the initiative to step forward and challenge. Neither Qiao Hongcai nor Xiao Che was the sort to bully the weak, yet if they challenged the Skyward Pavilion's early Foundation Establishment experts of their own level, it was hard to say how much chance of winning they would have—the risk was considerable.

And because of Wei Zhao's presence, they were guaranteed a sufficient supply of pills. By comparison, their need for mountaintop caves was not so great. To take such a risk merely for a mountaintop cave was simply not worth it.

Qiao Hongcai was hot-tempered, but he had always heeded Wei Zhao's words. Since Wei Zhao had already spoken, he could only suppress his impulse, simply shut his eyes, and pay no heed to the mockery in Hu Yunfeng's words.

Qiao Hongcai ignored Hu Yunfeng's jab, and Xiao Che all the more so. As for the other capable hands of the Azure Cloud Pavilion: Meng Zhou was still recovering from grave injuries; Murong Zhen had been driven out of the Skyward Pavilion in the first place, so at a time like this he would hardly rush to deliver himself up for mockery; and Li Zhengming was bent on keeping a low profile. In the end, not one of them showed any intention of stepping forward to challenge.

"Still no one dares to challenge? This Pavilion Master has heard many people say what a remarkable batch of newcomers the Azure Cloud Pavilion has this year—how heaven-defying they are. But now it looks to be nothing but a joke. Cowering like turtles with your heads pulled in—is this what you call strength?" Hu Yunfeng continued to goad them with cold words.

It was not merely that he would not let up once he had the upper hand; the key was that this was a rare chance for him to greatly consolidate his prestige, to teach these short-sighted newcomers a proper lesson so that he could manage them all the better in the days to come.

Yet he forgot that not every newcomer would be cowed into lowering his head by such scheming manipulation. At the very least, Wei Zhao would not.

Forbidding Qiao Hongcai and Xiao Che from stepping forward did not mean Wei Zhao himself could not. After all, remember that with his current strength, he was absolutely overwhelming against any newcomer—there was no question of risk at all.

"Pavilion Master Hu, it seems you have not even announced the specific rules. How is anyone supposed to challenge? As for cowering turtles, is it not a bit early to say that?" Wei Zhao spoke calmly.

Hu Yunfeng's old face flushed red at this, and then he realized he had been a bit too hasty. Stiffening his neck, he said, "You newcomer really have no sense. Is there any need for this Pavilion Master to spell out such a thing? The rules are naturally the same as for a challenge duel—the only difference is that one may challenge across pavilions!"

Wei Zhao smiled unconcernedly, then stepped forward and said, "Very well, then. I will take the lead and issue a challenge by name—Kang Jingming, newcomer of the Skyward Pavilion."

At these words, the whole assembly erupted in an uproar, and all eyes immediately fixed upon Kang Jingming.

Looking over all the newcomers of the Three-Tier Pavilion this year, if one were to name the most prominent figures, there were two: one was the monstrously powerful upstart of the Azure Cloud Pavilion, Wei Zhao; the other was Kang Jingming of the Skyward Pavilion, favored and supported by Young Master Xu and Pavilion Master Hu Yunfeng.

The key point was that these two focal figures both came from the mortal world, and rumor had it that a deep hatred existed between them. Yet all along, because they belonged respectively to the Azure Cloud Pavilion and the Skyward Pavilion, the two had, in everyone's eyes, been like two kings who never met—never once having the chance to clash head-on.

But this time, the opportunity had finally come, and everyone present was seized with the urge to watch the show.

Being named publicly by Wei Zhao, Kang Jingming had actually anticipated this. Given the grudge between him and Wei Zhao, if Wei Zhao caught such an opportunity, he would certainly strike at him.