Chapter 4801 — Then Let Us Duel!
The Blossom Guardian · Page 1 of 3
"Sorry, but I'm not selling either of these." Wei Zhao spoke flatly. The man's whole bearing was no manner of trade at all—it was plain coercion, and given Wei Zhao's temper, hell itself would freeze over before he agreed.
Ren Zhongyuan and the others let out a breath at once. Thank goodness this Wei Zhao brat was every bit as stubborn as they had hoped; otherwise the whole scheme would have fallen apart today, and one Beauty Pill wasted for nothing.
"Not selling?" Leng Rufeng's face shifted. He looked down at Yang Qianshuang in his arms with a pang of pity, then his gaze turned cold and sharp. "Since you won't sell, I'll beat you until you do. Armed or formal—take your pick."
There was no dodging this fight today, it seemed. Wei Zhao's mind stirred, though his face betrayed nothing. "What does armed mean? And what does formal mean?"
"Armed means a private duel—no rules, no limits, each man to his own fate. I kill you, then take the Beauty Pill and the Thunder Mystic Vine myself. Formal means a public challenge, everything conducted by the rules of engagement. If you lose, you surrender both items." Leng Rufeng regarded Wei Zhao and spoke slowly.
"Then let us duel." Wei Zhao's tone was calm. He himself had no fear of a private fight; it was only that such a course might drag Ning Xuefei into the affair. Even if the odds were slim, it remained a hidden danger, and he would not have her exposed to the slightest risk.
"Fine. Then come." Leng Rufeng turned and walked off with Yang Qianshuang in his arms. Wei Zhao's choice spared him no small amount of trouble—after all, the man was the Western Isle's consort, and if a private duel ended in a death, the academy's higher-ups would never let the matter rest. A public challenge, though, left nothing to argue about; even the Western Isle's lord himself could say nothing against it.
"Wait." Wei Zhao suddenly called a halt—just when everyone thought he meant to back out. Instead he shot Leng Rufeng a sidelong glance. "You haven't said what happens if you lose. It can't be that I hand over the Beauty Pill and Thunder Mystic Vine if I lose, while you lose and walk away scot-free, can it? There's no cheating like that..."
"I won't lose." Leng Rufeng did not even glance at Wei Zhao. He paused, and when Wei Zhao did not follow, turned back. "What do you want?"
"My fiancee happens to be short one personal guard." Wei Zhao thought for a moment. He had already glimpsed the tip of the iceberg of Leng Rufeng's strength—a truly formidable foe—yet a man so devoted to his woman could not be rotten at heart. If Ning Xuefei had such a guard at her side, he could go about his own business with an easy mind.
Leng Rufeng did not refuse. A cold snort served as his consent, and he at once led the way to the arena grounds—a place set aside expressly for the academy disciples' challenges. Wei Zhao was no disciple of Xiangyun Academy, but his status was peculiar, and his opponent was Leng Rufeng; there could be no objection to his use of the arena.
Ren Zhongyuan and Yi Xiaotian exchanged a smile of conspirators whose plot had borne fruit. The two had unexpectedly chosen a public challenge, true, but once blows were struck their goal was as good as met—after all, even a formal duel could end in a man's death.
The party reached its destination, and the arena grounds, bustling a moment before, fell silent. Even the few pairs locked in challenge bouts on the platforms stopped of their own accord, every face turning to Leng Rufeng with awe. This man was the arena's undefeated legend; the longest winning streak the grounds had ever seen was his record still.
Leng Rufeng had fought his way up from this very place, from utter obscurity to fame in all directions. Here, he was the god of victory.