Chapter 115: Not Knowing One’s Own Limits

Chapter 115: Chapter 115: Not Knowing One’s Own Limits

Liu Wenying watched, stunned, as Chen Yue’s unassuming figure disappeared beyond the courtyard gate. Only then did she snap back to reality as if waking from a dream. She slapped her thigh and cried out in frustration:

"Damn it! I was so busy watching the show!"

She quickly leaped down from the large tree where she’d been hiding and took off in the direction Chen Yue had vanished, shouting as she ran:

"Hey! Wait! Junior Brother, wait for me! Don’t be reckless!"

However, after just two steps, Liu Wenying froze.

She realized that the distance between her and Chen Yue wasn’t closing. Instead, it was rapidly increasing.

With just a few bounds along the winding mountain path, Chen Yue’s figure was already about to vanish from sight.

Chen Yue’s steps seemed casual, yet each one landed with a certain rhythm. His speed was astonishing, but he moved with an effortless ease.

In her haste to break through to the Marrow Refining Realm, Liu Wenying had poured nearly all her energy into cultivating the Panshi Skill and accumulating Qi Blood.

She hadn’t spent much time studying Body Techniques; for travel, she still used the Panshi Stepping that came with the Panshi Skill.

To Liu Wenying, Cultivation was the foundation of everything. She believed it wouldn’t be too late to improve her Body Technique after her Cultivation Realm had advanced.

Besides, she believed that even if Body Techniques weren’t her strong suit, her foundation at the peak of the Bone Forging Realm meant she couldn’t be that bad.

But this chase was a harsh slap of reality in the face. She actually couldn’t catch up!

Liu Wenying had to stop, staring in the direction where Chen Yue had completely vanished, her face filled with disbelief.

She took a deep breath to suppress her shock and immediately changed direction, dashing toward Meng Yu Jin’s residence on Panshi Peak.

’There’s no catching him. And even if I did, with that ferocity and determination he just showed, I probably couldn’t stop this Life and Death Decision anyway.’

’The only thing to do now is to inform Master immediately. Only if Meng Yu Jin intervenes is there any chance of stopping this completely mismatched duel.’

She had to admit, she admired Chen Yue’s unyielding temper. Within the Panshi Sect, there weren’t many who dared to say "no" to such oppression.

Disciples without backing almost always submitted meekly to the bullying.

’But admiration is one thing; a temper isn’t the same as strength! For a Life and Death Decision, you should at least be in the same realm to have a fighting chance. Charging in headfirst when you’re a whole realm weaker... it’s just too reckless!’

Liu Wenying couldn’t help but sigh. If she was any later, this junior brother of hers, who hadn’t even formally joined the sect, would probably be beaten to death on the Life and Death Platform.

Liu Wenying burst into Meng Yu Jin’s small courtyard in a frantic rush, too breathless to even bother with pleasantries. She gasped out:

"Master! This is bad! That Chen Yue... he challenged Jiang Linkuo of the Law Enforcement Hall and the outer sect disciple Cheng Jun to the Life and Death Platform! And... and he’s challenging both of them by himself!"

Meng Yu Jin, who had been leisurely sipping her tea, froze the instant she heard the words "Life and Death Platform."

When Liu Wenying’s meaning registered, she shot to her feet. Her expression changed drastically, and a few drops of tea sloshed from the cup in her hand.

She had never imagined things would escalate to this point.

She wasn’t unaware of phenomena like the Mutual Aid Association, a thinly veiled system of exploitation for outer sect disciples within the Panshi Sect. It was a long-standing disease, and as long as no one was killed and the Sect Rules weren’t openly violated, the upper echelons tended to turn a blind eye.

She had seen disciples who accepted their fate, obediently paying their Mutual Aid Association Contribution Points on time.

She had also seen defiant disciples who struggled under all sorts of harassment, both soft and hard, only to eventually either submit or leave in despair.

But she had never seen an outer sect disciple respond to oppression in such a fierce and resolute manner.

To immediately issue a challenge on the Life and Death Platform, and to do so with a Bone Forging cultivation, challenging a Marrow Refining Realm Law Enforcement Disciple and a Bone Forging outer sect disciple at the same time!

"Nonsense!" Meng Yu Jin snapped, her face ashen.

It was probably too late for her to rush to the Life and Death Platform now. But without a moment’s hesitation, she took a single step, appeared beside Liu Wenying, grabbed her arm, and said grimly, "Let’s go!"

Before the word was even out, her figure flickered and vanished, streaking toward the main peak’s Martial Arts Arena.

The mountain wind howled, whipping at her sleeves, but it could not disperse the heavy worry etched on her brow.

「At the same time, on the main peak’s Martial Arts Arena.」

Jiang Linkuo and Cheng Jun had already arrived.

The Martial Arts Arena was quite lively. As the designated place for Panshi Sect disciples to settle grudges and spar, it was never short on people.

In the center stood a stone platform, about three feet high and paved with hard bluestone. Dark red inscriptions were carved along its edges, emitting a grim, murderous aura.

This was the Life and Death Platform. Once you stepped onto it, fate would decide your survival, and the Sect Rules would not hold anyone accountable.

The bluestone on the platform’s surface was a deeper color than elsewhere, a stain left by countless bloodbaths, silently telling of the brutal battles that had taken place here.

Seeing Jiang Linkuo and Cheng Jun appear, many of the surrounding Inner Sect Disciples who recognized Jiang Linkuo looked over.

Someone walked up with a smile, his tone familiar and curious as he greeted them:

"Senior Brother Jiang? Aren’t you on duty at the Law Enforcement Hall today? What brings you to the Martial Arts Arena for a stroll? Did your hands get itchy for a spar?"

Jiang Linkuo’s face darkened at the question. He replied coldly, "Someone wants to die and issued me a Life and Death Decision."

As soon as he said this, the smiles on the faces of the surrounding Inner Sect Disciples froze, replaced by looks of utter shock and astonishment.

The Life and Death Platform was rarely used. Most duels were ordinary spars where one could retreat. Even if you were losing, you could jump off the arena to concede.

But on the Life and Death Platform, even if you jumped off, there was no chance to surrender. Your opponent could still chase you down and kill you!

Besides, Jiang Linkuo was a Law Enforcement Disciple!

The primary requirement for entering the Law Enforcement Hall was having combat power far exceeding one’s peers. Otherwise, if a sect disciple broke the rules, what strength would you have to suppress them?

Therefore, spars involving Law Enforcement Disciples were extremely rare, and a Life and Death Decision was even more so.

The last time a Law Enforcement Disciple had stepped onto the Life and Death Platform was five years ago. That time, the challenger had been an Inner Sect Disciple at the Peak of Marrow Refining Realm.

The two fought for over a hundred rounds, with the Law Enforcement Disciple ultimately winning by a narrow margin.

Hearing this, some of the Inner Sect Disciples grew even more curious and pressed for details:

"Oh? Who’s so blind as to challenge you to a Life and Death Decision, Senior Brother Jiang? Is it some new hothead who doesn’t know his own worth?"

Jiang Linkuo sneered, his tone dripping with undisguised contempt and impatience:

"Just some arrogant outer sect disciple who doesn’t know his place. All because I needed his cooperation with an official investigation, he went crazy and insisted on a Life and Death Decision, acting as if he’d suffered some great injustice."

At his words, the surrounding Inner Sect Disciples’ eyes widened slightly. They looked at each other, seeing the same shock and sense of absurdity in each other’s eyes.

’An outer sect disciple? Challenging an Inner Sect Disciple from the Law Enforcement Hall to a Life and Death Decision?’

’How desperate, or rather, how utterly clueless about death, must someone be to do something so insane?’

The highest cultivation an outer sect disciple could have was the peak of the Bone Forging Realm. But which Inner Sect Disciple from the Law Enforcement Hall wasn’t a Marrow Refining Realm expert who had fought their way through fierce competition?

The gap between them was like a chasm. ’Has he lost his mind?’

Seeing everyone’s expressions, Cheng Jun chuckled softly from the side:

"And he didn’t just challenge Senior Brother Jiang. He declared he wants both of us on the platform at the same time. He’s going to fight one against two."

"HISS!"

This time, even the Inner Sect Disciples, who had seen their fair share of things, couldn’t help but suck in a sharp breath. For a moment, they were at a loss for words.

’One against two?’

’With a Bone Forging cultivation, challenging a Marrow Refining Realm Law Enforcement Disciple plus an outer sect disciple at the peak of the Bone Forging Realm?’

This wasn’t just arrogance; this was pure suicide.

Where did this hotheaded fool come from? Was he tired of living and looking for a new way to die?

Just then, the gazes of Jiang Linkuo and Cheng Jun both sharpened as they looked toward the entrance of the Martial Arts Arena.

A figure was walking unhurriedly toward the Life and Death Platform.

The figure wasn’t tall, even appearing a bit thin, but his steps were steady and his back was ramrod straight. It was as if he wasn’t about to face a duel with almost no chance of survival, but just an ordinary spar.

The surrounding Inner Sect Disciples followed their gaze and saw a very unfamiliar face. The newcomer wore the uniform of an outer sect disciple and looked young, no more than seventeen or eighteen.

His aura wasn’t particularly strong either. He was indeed only at the Bone Forging Realm, not even at its peak.

For a moment, the disciples’ gazes toward Chen Yue grew complicated, but mostly, they looked at him as if he were an ignorant, fearless idiot.

Someone even muttered under their breath, "He must be possessed by something to do something so suicidal."

Chen Yue walked up to Jiang Linkuo, his expression cold. His voice wasn’t loud, but it carried clearly to everyone nearby. "Let’s go. We just need to ask the Steward Martial Uncle to bear witness, and then we can get on the platform."

Jiang Linkuo stared at Chen Yue, his gaze as sharp as a knife. He was silent for a moment before suddenly speaking, "It’s not too late to regret this. I have no interest in taking your life."

Jiang Linkuo wasn’t being entirely insincere. He really didn’t want this fight.

Beating and killing an outer sect disciple in the Bone Forging Realm would bring him no glory. On the contrary, it would make people think he was a bully picking on someone weaker, a dishonorable victory.

Besides, the whole situation of an outer sect disciple challenging a Law Enforcement Disciple for no apparent reason was strange.

If Chen Yue really died on the Life and Death Platform, Jiang Linkuo, while not caring about one life, was worried that a subsequent investigation might fall on him.

That could lead to the exposure of the Mutual Aid Association’s shady dealings, which would be the real trouble.

The Law Enforcement Hall wasn’t a monolith. If someone used this incident to make a move against him, he would have a hard time explaining himself.

Cheng Jun obviously understood Jiang Linkuo’s concerns. Although he wished he could strangle Chen Yue right then and there, he suppressed his anger and said coldly to Chen Yue:

"Kid, if you bow your head and admit you’re wrong now, you can still save your own skin. Don’t throw your life away! We can pretend this never happened."