Chapter 121: My Actions in Ghost Valley—Why Should I Explain Myself to You?

Ling Xiao frowned slightly.

“What does the destruction of Kongtong have to do with them? They should mind their own business!”

Feng Wu looked somewhat awkward.

“Young Master, according to the Martial Arts Pact and the rules of the martial world, no sect is permitted to mobilize troops on a large scale before the Hundred Sects Tournament begins. Yet once the tournament opened, eighty thousand cultivators suddenly appeared in Jiangzhou. Naturally, they wanted to seize upon that weakness and extort us—or even find a way to disqualify Ghost Valley from participating in the tournament! If that happened, with Ghost Valley and Kongtong removed from the competition, their rankings would rise considerably.”

A trace of disdain flickered through Ling Xiao’s eyes.

“These ants are capable of nothing but such despicable tricks.”

“The Valley Master said that since you were the one who carried this out, Young Master, you should return and explain yourself.”

“That old man is quite skilled at passing the buck. Very well. I happen to have some accounts to settle with Ning Xuanyuan as well, so I may as well return for a while.”

With that, he pinched Mu Yiren’s cheek.

“Wait obediently for me in Jiangzhou. I’ll be back soon.”

Mu Yiren nodded obediently.

“I’ll wait for you to come back!”

...

Four hours later, a private aircraft landed in Ghost Valley.

Several private aircraft were already parked there, and representatives from a number of sects had arrived.

As Ling Xiao entered Ghost Valley, everyone he passed bowed respectfully.

“Greetings, Young Master!”

“We welcome Young Master back to the valley!”

Ling Xiao nodded, his expression calm.

“Where are the people from those sects?”

“In reply to Young Master, the Valley Master has arranged for them to wait in the main hall.”

“I’ll go take a look.”

“Yes!”

With that, Ling Xiao clasped his hands behind his back and headed toward the main hall.

Before long, he arrived outside. Even before entering, he could hear the uproar within—the clamoring voices and heated arguments blending into a deafening din.

He gave a cold snort. His aura burst forth and surged into the hall as he strode inside.

“What are you all making such a fuss about? Ghost Valley is not a marketplace. Carrying on like a pack of shrews brawling in the street—what kind of decorum is that?”

Those two sentences left everyone momentarily stunned. The next instant, they were furious.

“What did you say? How dare you insult us! Do you know who we are?”

“You dare call us shrews? Who are you? State your name!”

Ling Xiao did not even bother to acknowledge them. He walked straight to the seat of honor and sat down.

An elder of Ghost Valley beside him said sternly, “This is the Young Master of Ghost Valley—Ling Xiao, the Invincible Ling!”

The entire hall fell silent once more.

“You’re the Young Master of Ghost Valley?”

Everyone began sizing Ling Xiao up. Only then did a look of astonishment appear in their eyes.

On closer inspection, they finally realized what made him so formidable.

His features were undeniably striking, but more than that, the natural authority radiating from him, together with the crystalline brilliance in his eyes, made it clear that he was no ordinary figure.

As expected of the Young Master of Ghost Valley.

But the people present had not come to admire Ling Xiao.

Soon, an old man rose from the seats on the left. His face was filled with arrogance and displeasure.

“Hmph! Young Master Ling certainly has quite the grand manner! So many elders from our sects have been waiting here for half a day, and only now do you arrive. You’re even busier than your own Valley Master.”

Ling Xiao cast him a faint glance.

“If you’re dissatisfied, then keep waiting. My throat is a little sore, and I was thinking of having a cup of tea.”

“You—!”

That single remark left the elder speechless. He was so enraged that his beard bristled and his eyes bulged.

The elders from the other sects could not help shaking their heads. Another elder stepped forward and addressed Ling Xiao.

“Young Master Ling, we won’t waste time arguing with you. The Hundred Sects Tournament has only just begun, and you have already annihilated Kongtong. Don’t you have anything to say to the various sects gathered here?”

Ling Xiao glanced at him while idly turning the jade ring on his finger.

“Which sect are you from?”

The elder thrust out his chest and raised his chin, standing as rigidly as a spear.

“I am the Fourth Elder of Autumn Water Sect.”

“Autumn Water Sect?”

Ling Xiao gave a contemptuous laugh.

“If I remember correctly, Autumn Water Sect ranked eighty-ninth in the last Hundred Sects Tournament. A worthless sect like yours actually has the nerve to interfere in disputes among the upper-tier sects?”

“You—!”

The elder nearly vomited blood.

Seeing him silenced, another elder rose. His expression was cold and indifferent.

“If Autumn Water Sect lacks the qualifications, then I wonder whether my Eight Trigrams Sect is qualified to ask Young Master Ling a question?”

Ling Xiao swept his gaze over him, his expression calm.

“Eight Trigrams Sect ranked seventeenth. You still have a long way to go, but I happen to be in a good mood today. I’ll reluctantly grant you the qualification. Ask.”

The elder immediately felt as though something were stuck in his throat. He was choking with discomfort, and his expression grew extremely ugly.

After a moment, however, he drew a deep breath, expelling the foul air compressed in his chest. Then he spoke with solemn seriousness.

“Young Master Ling, this is only the first day of the Hundred Sects Tournament, yet you have already annihilated Kongtong. Jiangzhou is ten thousand miles from Ghost Valley. How did you move Ghost Valley’s army to Jiangzhou and then wipe out a sect in the northwest?”

Ling Xiao smiled faintly.

“Jiangzhou was already Ghost Valley territory before the Hundred Sects Tournament began. What is wrong with sending troops to protect my own backyard?”

“You only took Jiangzhou a few days ago. Without prior planning, how could you have moved tens of thousands of Ghost Valley soldiers to Jiangzhou at the very first opportunity? Does that not violate the Martial Arts Pact?”

“That is not something I need to explain to you, is it? If you have evidence proving that I mobilized troops on a large scale, go directly to the Dragon Group and file a complaint.”

“Young Master Ling, stop playing the rogue! Although we have no evidence proving that you mobilized troops on a large scale, that does not mean you can escape. Heaven’s net may be vast, but it lets nothing slip through. We will certainly find the evidence!”

“And then? You’ll report me to the Dragon Group?”

Ling Xiao gave a contemptuous laugh and rose to his feet. A vast pressure descended upon everyone’s hearts.

Then the smile gradually vanished from his face.

“A bunch of ants, and you actually think you matter?”

“Even if you had evidence, so what? By the time you brought your complaint to the Dragon Group, I would already have annihilated several of your sects!”

“Kongtong ranked ninth, yet it was no match for me. Not one of the top-ranked sects has dared to come forward and accuse me of wrongdoing. And you clowns are jumping up and down, putting on airs here. But tell me—can you afford to?”

The faces of those present turned pale.

“You... Your Ghost Valley is being far too overbearing! Aren’t you afraid that all our sects will join forces and surround Ghost Valley, destroying you first?”

Ling Xiao took one step forward. His aura erupted, directly forcing everyone back several paces.

“If you’re not afraid of death, then try it! We’ll see whether you destroy Ghost Valley—or Ghost Valley destroys all of you!”

“Seventh Elder, every person who came to Ghost Valley today is to leave behind one arm. Otherwise, these fools will truly believe that Ghost Valley is something they can bully at will!”

Everyone’s expressions changed drastically.

“You... You dare! Ling Xiao, if you take our arms, our sects will never let you off!”

“Enough nonsense. Add another arm. Each person leaves both arms behind. Seventh Elder, supervise it personally. Anyone who resists is to be killed without exception!”

“Ling Xiao, how can you be so ruthless? You... You have no humanity at all! We merely came to question you. How can you attack us?”

Ling Xiao gave them a calm glance, clasped his hands behind his back, and walked away.

“Why would Ghost Valley need to explain its actions to you?”