NOVEL NEXT Chapter 174 Outside Zhilan Valley
"Quit bullshitting! That guy definitely embezzled our money and is now trying to frame a scapegoat on purpose!"
"Right, that Zhang Xuan I've heard of is just a Fate Master who has just passed the assessment. He hasn't even reached the Galaxy Realm, and you're saying he's impersonating you... Elder Bai Ye, have you no shame? Why don't you say that he's the one who caused your injuries too?"
Elder Bai Ye clenched his teeth and trembled all over, "The injuries on my body... indeed, they were caused by him..."
"Bullshit! You can actually come up with such an absurd excuse... It's completely shameless!"
"So you're saying you don't want to repay your debt, huh? Fine, let's just beat you to death!"
...
A short hour later, Elder Bai Ye stood in front of an Aerial Origin Beast, full of injuries and with a face ready to cry.
If not for his quick reaction, agreeing to enter Zhilan Valley, leading the way for everyone, and offering all the artifacts found to repay his debt, he probably would have been beaten to death by the angry mob just now.
"Zhang Xuan, I swear I won't rest until I've killed you!"
His teeth were clenched, and his body trembled slightly.
He had thought the other party was just a small fry who hadn't even broken through to the Galaxy Realm, but as a Vice Hall Master of Heaven Mandate Hall, a Galaxy 6-dan Peak expert, it should have been easy to teach him a lesson. He never dreamed that after all the effort, it was as if nothing had happened to him, while he himself had plummeted in cultivation, lost an arm, had his estate sold off, and was even heavily in debt...
This vendetta cannot be shared under the heavens!
Zhilan Valley was less than three hundred miles from Zouyi City. It took less than half an hour for the Aerial Origin Beast to arrive.
This valley was a vast and boundless gorge, its end out of sight, with steep cliffs covered in strong vegetation as if an ancient forest.
Controlling the Aerial Origin Beast to land at the valley's sole entrance, this place was already crowded with people and a variety of Aerial Origin Beasts.
As a region ranked 21st in the Heaven Mandate Domain, it was filled with countless treasures. Its sudden opening attracted not just the Zhou Yi Dynasty, but also other surrounding dynasties and even some powerful clans and massive gates. Anyone who was close by had come in large numbers.
Shi Yunjing, the Hall Master of Zouyi, was indeed powerful, but he didn't stand out here. Perhaps even an unassuming beggar or cook could have killed him.
Landing on the ground, Elder Bai Ye looked around, thinking about how to find the experts he had invited and how to discuss making a big splash in the domain for greater benefits, when he suddenly saw a huge Black-scaled Phoenix Hawk land in front of him.
Upon clearly seeing the figure standing on the back of the Primordial Beast, his eyes immediately turned red.
It was none other than Zhang Xuan.
"Zhang Xuan, I want you dead..."
Shaking with rage, Elder Bai Ye couldn't hold back any longer. With a roar, he charged at the young man.
"Elder Bai Ye, what are you doing!"
Before he got close, a few Elders of the Fu Family stepped in front of him, their eyebrows raised and full of displeasure.
In Zouyi City, the Fu Family was considered a major clan, so being blocked as soon as they arrived, no matter who it was, they couldn't just let it slide.
"Fu Qingyao, this has nothing to do with you. I am here for Zhang Xuan..." Elder Bai Ye's Mo Dao trembled in his hand, dispersing saber Qi and emitting a strong oppressive aura.
"Zhang Xuan is a guest of our Fu Family. To disrespect him is to oppose our Fu Family..." The leading Elder narrowed his eyes.
This was none other than the First Elder of the Fu Family, Fu Qingyao, a Galaxy 6-dan expert!
Although her rank was much higher than Elder Bai Ye's, she would surely be no match for him in a real fight.
It was at this moment that a faint voice came from the back of the Phoenix Eagle. Zhang Xuan smiled as he jumped down, "First Elder, you flatter me... This is my personal matter; I'll handle it!"
"Alright!"
Seeing him stepping forward, Fu Qingyao nodded, "Don't worry, if he dares to make a move, our Fu Family won't be afraid!"
"Thank you!"
Zhang Xuan looked gratefully at her and then turned his gaze to Mo Baiye in front of him, his expression filled with anger, "Master Mo, you kidnapped my student, claiming that as long as I gave you 3,000 Destiny Plates, you would return her before the opening of Zhilan Valley... I've already paid, so where is Liu Mingyue now?"
"3,000 Destiny Plates?"
Mo Baiye was startled.
When did I ever ask you for so much money? And when did you ever give it to me?
Oh no, this guy is spouting nonsense!
Turning an iron shade of green and about to refute, he saw a young man not far away, tears welling up in his eyes.
"You are the leader of the Mo Blade Sect and the Vice Hall Master of Heaven Mandate Hall, with unparalleled power, while I... am just an ordinary cultivator who only became a true Fate Master after passing an assessment a few days ago... Compared with you, naturally, I can't match up in anything! But you can't break your promise, taking away the Destiny Plates and then pretending ignorance!"
"Intimidating someone's student, extorting Destiny Plates in exchange?"
"Taking away the artifacts, but not releasing the person... Isn't that too much?"
"Is this the behavior of a Vice Hall Master from the Heaven Mandate Hall in Zouyi City?"
...
Zhang Xuan's voice, filled with a special momentum, spread out like a tidal wave.
Everyone tends to sympathize with the underdog, Mo Baiye being a Galaxy 6-dan expert and the Vice Hall Master of Heaven Mandate Hall, while Zhang Xuan was just a minor figure... No matter how you looked at it, it was a situation that engendered sympathy.
Sure enough, after hearing the explanation, indignation filled the surroundings, with anger written on everyone's faces.
"Don't listen to his nonsense... Zhang Xuan, when did you ever give me Destiny Plates..." Seeing the public's mood turning sour, Mo Baiye's complexion darkened, unable to contain his rebuke.
"This was a private transaction; you denying it now leaves me without any recourse! But... in front of so many experts, have you kidnapped my student, or have I wronged you?" Zhang Xuan said.
"Your student was rude to me, and indeed I captured her..." Seeing the crowd's gaze turning on him, Mo Baiye gestured with a sweep of his hand.
"It's good that you admit it. You captured my student, and fearing she might be hurt, I paid you with Destiny Plates for her release... This matter, your disciple Min Jiangtao can testify for me!" Zhang Xuan asserted.
"Min Jiangtao?"
Mo Baiye's eyelid twitched, a premonition of ill fortune growing in his heart.
Before he could dwell on this feeling, Min Jiangtao stepped out from the crowd, bowed with clasped hands, "Everyone, I am indeed a student of Elder Mo, Min Jiangtao... Although he is my teacher, I must speak objectively, what Young Friend Zhang Xuan mentioned is correct, my teacher... indeed kidnapped his student and extorted 3,000 Destiny Plates!"
"You..."
Seeing this renegade student turning against him at this time, Mo Baiye was so furious he was about to explode, on the verge of lashing out.
"Master Mo, if you still won't acknowledge it, then tell me, did you have some urgent need for money yesterday? Not only extorting me but also borrowing from others... This matter, there should be quite a few people who have experienced it firsthand and can testify for me!"
Zhang Xuan looked around.
"It's true, Mo Baiye was indeed borrowing money from everyone yesterday!"
"Yes, he also borrowed 100 Origin Currency from me, I still have the note here..."
As the young man's words were heard, many Fate Masters around started discussing, and once again all eyes were on Mo Baiye, each pair filled with suspicion.