Chapter 3500 — Zhang Naipao Arrives
The Blossom Guardian · Page 1 of 2
Since no one had ever disproved the rumors about Wei Zhao, there had to be something to them. Putting on airs when he was safely alone was one thing, but the moment he truly came face to face with Wei Zhao, he had no intention of risking his own neck.
Back at the Mystic and Earth ranks, there had always been a few soreheads who refused to accept their place and fancied themselves the strongest. But once they reached the Heaven rank, everyone grew prudent—their strength had been hard-won, and with no grudge between them, no one was eager to fight to the death.
That was precisely Lou Taixie's thinking now. Against those plainly weaker than himself—Xiao Che, say, who was a single minor grade below him—he could trample them as he pleased. But Wei Zhao's strength was still unknown; word had it he could kill a Heaven-rank Great Perfection expert in a single blow, which surely meant he was Great Perfection himself. Against an equal, Lou Taixie did not dare make trouble.
Wei Zhao glanced at him, faintly amused, then took Wang Xinyan and Han Jingyi off to buy food.
Perhaps Han Jingyi did it on purpose—she whispered something to Wang Xinyan, and at once the two of them let loose their full auras, both at the peak Great Perfection of the late Heaven rank. Lou Taixie, who had just stepped aside, was stunned on the spot, then so terrified he nearly dropped to his knees.
These were no household dependents of Wei Zhao's—they were clearly two top-tier trial takers come to compete! What in the world kind of monstrous strength was this? At the thought, Lou Taixie wasted no time. "Please, ladies, after you—haha, I was only worried someone else might grab the seats first, so I held them especially for you great heroes. Please, order whatever you like..."
Xiao Che, watching from the side, was genuinely at a loss for words—yet for the first time he felt the weight of Wei Zhao's power. A man as arrogant as Lou Taixie had turned meek as a lamb. After all, he and Tu Xiaoshou were two Heaven-rank Great Perfection experts, and merely upon seeing Wei Zhao alone they had begun to lose their nerve. Now, seeing that the two girls Wei Zhao had brought were also at Great Perfection, he was so frightened he rather regretted the high-and-mighty words he had spoken before. It was fortunate Wei Zhao did not hold it against him—otherwise he would have been crippled before the trial even began.
To be sure, the Five Luminaries Sect had rules: no private fighting was permitted during the period when trial takers lodged at the inn beforehand. But rules were dead and people were living. Wei Zhao had killed several of the Five Luminaries Sect's finest in a single breath—did the sect's rules really mean anything to a man like that? Lou Taixie very much doubted it.
Without a sound, he withdrew with Tu Xiaoshou. But as he passed Xiao Che's table, he caught Xiao Che looking up at him, and fury flared at once. "What the hell are you staring at, you piece of shit? Looking for a beating?"
Xiao Che started, then lowered his head in some fear. He had only been glancing over idly—who would have thought Lou Taixie would vent his displeasure straight onto him? Yet knowing full well how it was, he dared not talk back, and could only say, "I wouldn't dare..."
"Wouldn't dare? You look like you'd dare plenty—you've got more nerve than anyone! You're laughing at me, aren't you?" Lou Taixie had finally found an outlet, and how could he let it slip so easily? Wei Zhao he dared not provoke, but Xiao Che was another matter—a lone cultivator at the peak of the late Heaven rank, and dealing with him would be no trouble at all.
"I wasn't—I just sensed the aura of a Heaven-rank Great Perfection and looked up to see..." Xiao Che said with a bitter smile.
"Weren't? You look like you very much were—you've got more nerve than anyone!" Lou Taixie slammed the table. "Get your ass up!"