Chapter 294: Sorry, I'm late.
In the immortal Sword Sect Battle Arena, a huge crowd of outer disciples gathered, buzzing with excitement at the prospect of the upcoming battle.
The air buzzed with chatter as disciples whispered eagerly among themselves.
"I can't believe a newcomer would dare to make Senior Brother wait!"
"It was bold of him to challenge someone as strong as Senior Brother Lin in the first place! I heard that the newcomer was in the Qi Refinement Realm!"
"What! Hahaha, who's that idiot~"
"Damn, that person is really fearless; he's already 12 minutes late! Senior Brother Lin must be getting impatient."
The battle arena was as big as half a football field, unlike the training grounds. This battle arena was designed specifically for disciples to compete against each other.
The smooth, polished stone floor gleamed under the afternoon sun, reflecting the nervous energy crackling in the air.
Inscribed runes shimmered faintly around the perimeter, forming a powerful barrier that would confine the battles within and prevent stray energies from harming spectators.
If Chen Tian were here, he would have noticed that the formation around the arena was a 7th-grade formation that could stop the power of soul formation cultivators.
As the disciples gathered on the sidelines, their faces twisted in confusion and surprise as they noticed the absence of Lian Feng's opponent.
Some whispered among themselves, wondering if their rival had chickened out at the last minute.
Some believed that Lian Feng's opponent really escaped, since who wouldn't!
If they were also in that newcomer's shoes and only a Qi Refinement Cultivator, they wouldn't dare to confront someone in the Foundation Establishment realm.
In the center of the arena, two figures stood, one young man and one old man who looked to be in his 60s; he was the elder responsible for the battle arena.
Lian Feng stood confidently, a chilly look in his eyes as he waited for Chen Tian to show up.
'Did that newcomer really escape?' Lian Feng thought, growing impatient as he stood there, waiting for his opponent to arrive.
With Lian Feng's cultivation, it wasn't hard for him to not hear the murmurs of other disciples as they speculated about Chen Tian's whereabouts.
His expression turned darker.
'Fucking bitch, where the hell is he?' Lian Feng muttered inwardly, his impatience growing as time passed.
If Chen Tian did not come, not only would he lose face, but the rewards that he took from Hu Jianyu and Wang Hao to deal with Chen Tian would be wasted.
With the help of the Jade Lotus Pill's, his cultivation that was in the Foundation Establishment 2nd Stage is now at the Peak of the 3rd Stage.
He was one step away from advancing to the 4th Stage and becoming a Mid-Foundation Establishment realm cultivator.
With this, Lian Feng would have the chance to advance in the Outer rankings and have more chances to become an inner disciple.
Humiliation and anger simmered within him, if Chen Tian didn't come, Lian Feng would have to take matters into his own hands and would go search for Chen Tian.
Hu Jianyu and Wang Hao had already given him half the spirit stones and the Jade Lotus Pill, and it was impossible for him to return the pill since he had already consumed it.
His only option was to teach Chen Tian a lesson, no matter what it took.
He was still in the Outer area, so Chen Tian couldn't keep hiding. Lian Feng's fists clenched at his sides.
The thought of being stood up by a newcomer who was only in the Qi Refinement Realm in front of the other disciples was unbearable to him.
The old man cleared his throat, breaking the tense silence that had settled over the arena. "It seems our challenger has decided to forfeit the match," he announced loudly.
The old man, Gao Shun, held the esteemed position of an inner elder and is a Dao King Realm Expert.
He was also dissatisfied with Chen Tian acting in such a cowardly manner.
As he was on the verge of announcing Chen Tian's disqualification, he abruptly halted, his expression shifting to a serious demeanor, unnoticed by the spectators.
Just now, he got a voice transmission from that freak, Xu Zhiyuan, the great elder of the Sword Peak.
Gao Shun's wrinkled brow furrowed as he listened intently, and his expression turned surprised.
Xu Zhiyuan, that old man, would never speak for anyone unless it was something of utmost importance.
Gao Shun's eyes narrowed as he realized that this kid named Chen Tian was related to that old man, Xu Zhiyuan.
After a moment of thought, he turned to the crowd and declared, "It seems there has been a misunderstanding. The match will start shortly."
The tension in the arena lifted slightly as Gao Shun's words reverberated through the crowd.
Lian Feng's facial expression changed, but before he could speak, a voice echoed from the side of the arena,
"Sorry, I'm late."
Everyone turned to see a young man approaching the arena entrance, his tall figure and confident demeanor catching everyone's attention.
With more than half of his hair turned white, he exuded an aura of wisdom that belied his youthful appearance.
As he walked towards the center of the arena, Gao Shun couldn't help but feel a sense of curiosity about this Outer disciple.
Knowing that Xu Zhiyuan was behind this kid, he chose to closely monitor the upcoming fight.
With his cultivation, it would be easy to check Chen Tian's cultivation, but he decided not to do it.
'Someone who has that old man as a backing wouldn't be easily underestimated,' Gao Shun thought to himself.
"So you didn't run away after all," Lian Feng said, his tone laced with a hint of amusement.
He was also relieved since Chen Tian dared to come and face him. Lian Feng intended to teach a valuable lesson to his confident newcomer.
Lian Feng's eyes tilted in a certain direction, and he saw Hu Jianyu and Wang Hao standing there, watching the arena beside the other disciples.
Hu Jianyu grinned and looked at Lian Feng, giving him a sign that Lian Feng understood pretty well.
"Deal with him."