Chapter 5197 — Apologizing on His Behalf
The Blossom Guardian · Page 1 of 2
"Fine. If you insist on seeing it that way, feel free to report it to the Primordial Alliance." Xin Yi'an shot him a glance.
Xue Jianming could only give a tsk of annoyance and let the matter drop with ill grace. True, he could seize upon this slip of Xin Yi'an's and refuse to let it go—but even if he really did report it to the Primordial Alliance, it would do him no damn good.
Because this was only human nature. Apart from that shameless wretch Lie Yingzu, what Xin Yi'an had done was cause for rejoicing for everyone else. The Primordial Alliance would never punish him for it—otherwise it would, by that very act, be encouraging the sort of shameless conduct Lie Yingzu had displayed.
A short while later, Leng Leng finally broke through successfully. Under the envious gazes of the crowd, she formally advanced to the realm of Foundation Establishment Perfection, becoming a figure truly standing at the very pinnacle of all the Primordial Alliance's disciples.
She had been born with the Shattered Ice constitution, and now she had become the stuff of legend with a single rank-up. From this point on, apart from Ling Tianyou and Xue Jianming, not a single disciple present could be mentioned in the same breath as her. Even the likes of Duanmu Yu would have to concede a notch. This—this was what it meant to have a boundless future.
"Miss Leng Leng, I truly must apologize for what happened earlier. This old man apologizes to you on behalf of the Cangwu Sect of North Island." Xin Yi'an walked up before her and bowed deeply with a grave expression.
"Ah?" Leng Leng was taken aback. Her whole mind had just been fixed on her breakthrough; she had not noticed Lie Yingzu's little maneuver at all, much less known what had happened afterward.
It was only when Wei Zhao came over and explained a few things in a low voice that Leng Leng understood. She said hurriedly, "You are too serious, Uncle Xin. There is no need to apologize to me—if anything, I ought to be thanking you properly. After all, it was you who protected me."
Even if Xin Yi'an had not stepped forward, Lie Yingzu could never have harmed a single hair on Leng Leng—Wei Zhao had been watching, after all. Still, Xin Yi'an had, in the end, done her no small favor. Whatever his considerations might have been, Leng Leng remained the one who benefited most, and that was beyond all doubt.
"You are too kind, Miss Leng Leng. It was simply what this old man ought to do." Xin Yi'an gave a bitter smile, nodded meaningfully to Wei Zhao, and then announced to the crowd that the matches would continue.
The matches that followed passed without incident. A day later it was once again the turn of Qiu Lingshan and the other early-stage Foundation Establishment disciples, and this time the great majority passed safely through their trials as well. After the first round of adaptation, everyone had clearly grown more accustomed to this entirely new realm of early-stage Foundation Establishment, and they had also become more deft at the counter-moves Wei Zhao had taught them. Facing opponents of their own level, they naturally had far more to spare.
This time, apart from the own-side matches drawn by lot, the only one who truly lost was Ying Ziyu. In the first round this girl had drawn Yu Bingbai and picked up a free win; it had looked like a stroke of excellent luck, but in truth it was a hidden disadvantage.
Had she, like the others, gone all out in the first round and fought a real battle instead of going through the motions, she might not necessarily have lost this second round. Her opponent, strictly speaking, was not particularly strong, and the sole reason Ying Ziyu lost was that she had not yet fully adjusted to the strength and atmosphere of early-stage Foundation Establishment. The tuition fee that had to be paid, in the end, could not be avoided.