Chapter 10: Confrontation

“Soaring on a rainbow!”
“Isn’t it true that not even those in the Spirit Gathering Realm have crossed this threshold?!”
Everyone was stunned.
After all, during all these years within the Inner Sect of Idle Cloud Sect, it was the first time they had ever seen Jiang Ning make an entrance in such a manner.
For a moment, they were caught off guard.
“He’s finally come...”
A cold smile flickered at the corner of Wang Shuo’s mouth as he descended from the summit and, together with Zhao Feng, stood before the formation, facing Jiang Ning.
“Let him go!”
In the half year since arriving at Idle Cloud Sect, this was the first time Jiang Ning had been truly furious.
He had been hiding in the shadows earlier; when Er Huang was taken away by Li Qiaochan, a sense of unease filled him, prompting him to follow.
At the tenth layer of the Aperture Opening Realm, he could utilize spiritual sense. He dared not spread it wide to probe, but he could at least wrap himself in it, concealing his presence.
He followed all the way, watching as Er Huang fell into the trapping formation, while he hid on the mountainside of another peak, observing in secret.
At first, seeing that Er Huang was not in mortal danger, he had not intended to reveal himself.
But the unexpected came from the killing formation hidden within the trap. He and Er Huang shared a mysterious connection; he could sense that two strikes from that killing formation would spell certain death for Er Huang.
Even without the two strikes, he could already feel Er Huang’s aura growing feeble, their connection forcibly severed in part.
Er Huang possessed spiritual intelligence and innate skills, but ultimately lacked the cultivation of a true cultivator!
“Release him, or release the dog?”
Wang Shuo sneered.
“With methods like yours, you’re not even as good as a dog.”
Jiang Ning’s demeanor was uncharacteristically sharp. He knew Wang Shuo wanted to force his hand, but his concern for Er Huang outweighed everything.
He had been with Er Huang for ten years; after traversing to this world, he had no attachments—Er Huang was his only reverse scale!
“Rescue Er Huang swiftly, then leave!”
He was certain that exposing his ability to soar on a rainbow wasn’t much—every Inner Sect disciple had this skill.
It was only his habit of keeping a low profile that had made others so surprised.
“Wang Shuo is hurrying to force me out... there must be more to this.”
No one here was a fool. Sure, becoming a personal disciple had put him in Wang Shuo’s crosshairs, but not enough to act so clumsily—to force him out just because he was popular?
To orchestrate such a spectacle?
It was far too shortsighted.
“Perhaps someone is manipulating things from behind the scenes. What’s their purpose?”
He was extremely cautious.
“If I’m exposed, at worst I’ll rescue Er Huang and leave without looking back.”
“Jiang Ning, this is the day your worthlessness is laid bare!”
A sharp-tongued, bitter-faced female cultivator sprang out from among the Inner Sect disciples behind Wang Shuo, shouting at Jiang Ning as if they were mortal enemies.
“Zhang Yanli.”
Jiang Ning recognized her.
She was present in every quarrel, often heard berating new Outer Court disciples, while endlessly flattering the stronger Inner Sect disciples like Wang Shuo.
In short, a weathercock.
“Release him.”
Jiang Ning repeated himself, sensing Er Huang’s aura growing ever weaker.

Er Huang lay on the ground, coughing up another mouthful of blood.
Jiang Ning dared not recklessly break into the formation.
He knew nothing of formations; if he acted blindly, he might not only fail but perhaps trigger the deadly mechanisms within, making things worse.
“What kind of tone is that to use with Senior Brother Wang Shuo?”
Zhang Yanli’s acrid face was insufferable.
“Scram.”
Jiang Ning knew she was provoking him on purpose and couldn’t be bothered to respond.
“No need for Senior Brother Wang Shuo to act; I myself could end you at any moment.”
Zhang Yanli’s shrill voice grated on the nerves. “It was only because of a spiritual energy infusion that you broke through to the Aperture Opening Realm, wasn’t it? After half a year in the Inner Sect, enjoying such resources, it took you this long to even soar on a rainbow—what a waste!”
“Even Zhang Yanli has it out for Jiang Ning...”
Her shrewish scolding left some of the onlooking Inner Sect disciples speechless.
But most still held resentment toward Jiang Ning and relished the spectacle.
“This kid’s in for a real loss today.”
A figure stood atop a distant peak.
It was Li Zhenyu.
At this moment, his eyes narrowed slightly, his aura still ethereal and untouched by the mundane world.
Robed in Daoist attire, he gazed from afar at the unfolding farce.
“Hm? She’s here too?”
He turned his head in another direction, momentarily surprised, but soon resumed his calm.
...
“Shut up already. No one would take you for a mute. With a mouth that venomous, it’s no wonder you can’t find a man.”
Jiang Ning was finally annoyed.
“You...”
Zhang Yanli was so flustered by his retort, she nearly leapt in anger.
“Wang Shuo, you just want to force me to act. There’s no need to let this madwoman out. I’ll fight you—let Er Huang go.”
Jiang Ning didn’t want to waste any more words on this fickle shrew.
Zhang Yanli’s eyes widened in fury.
She was about to erupt when Wang Shuo stopped her.
“You fight me. Win, and I’ll let him go. Lose, and he dies.”
Wang Shuo stepped forward.
“Killing is forbidden within the sect.”
Jiang Ning’s gaze was calm, but a chill had already settled in his heart.
Kill Er Huang?
“It’s forbidden for Inner Sect disciples to kill each other, but this is... just a dog.”
Wang Shuo was unmoved. He knew full well how much Er Huang meant to Jiang Ning—otherwise, he wouldn’t have used such means.
But to the sect?
He didn’t think the sect would punish him.
After all, there were forces behind this move...
“Just a dog—if it dies, so be it!”

Zhang Yanli, infuriated by Jiang Ning’s words, acted true to her volatile nature.
In a fit of rage, she snatched the formation core from Zhao Feng and activated the array herself!
A harsh light gathered once more, and those mysterious beams of white light surged toward Er Huang to slice him apart!
“Die!”
A cruel smile twisted Zhang Yanli’s face as she pictured Er Huang’s miserable death within the formation.
“Enough!!!”
At that instant, Jiang Ning moved!
He had no choice but to act.
His three guiding principles only applied when his bottom line was not threatened.
Er Huang’s life, his own life—these were his bottom lines.
He would never stand by and watch Er Huang be killed by the formation, trapped and helpless.
“He’s making a move!”
Everyone was momentarily stunned.
Since joining the Inner Sect, this seemed to be...
The first time they had seen Jiang Ning take action.
Li Qiaochan’s gaze flowed with emotion; from the beginning, she had stood silently behind Wang Shuo and the others. Since Jiang Ning appeared, she neither spoke up nor aided Wang Shuo—she had simply watched quietly.
Wang Shuo did not intervene.
He watched as Jiang Ning swept forward, heading straight for Zhang Yanli.
A resounding slap—
A palm imbued with both spiritual law and force struck Zhang Yanli’s face with a heavy crack!
Her expression shifted from a vicious grin to utter shock.
After trying to block, she realized Jiang Ning’s strength was overwhelming; terror replaced surprise on her features!
In the next instant, she lost her grip, and Jiang Ning seized the formation core from her hand.
She was sent flying two or three meters away, collapsing onto the ground like a beaten dog.
“How dare you hit me!!”
She shrieked.
“I told you to get lost.”
Jiang Ning’s face was expressionless, his contempt for the shrew clear. Holding the formation core in one hand, he stepped forward and kicked her in the lower abdomen.
His aim was her dantian; had he not controlled his strength, she could have been severely injured or bedridden.
“That’s enough!”
Zhao Feng and Wang Shuo both sprang into action.
A flash of light from the ring on Zhao Feng’s hand, and a flying sword, manipulated by spiritual energy, shot out at lightning speed to hover before Jiang Ning’s forehead, halting his next move.
Wang Shuo was no slower. With a single stride, light interlaced around him as he appeared before Jiang Ning, spiritual energy erupting, his foot clashing with Jiang Ning’s in a thunderous impact.
Bang!
Jiang Ning halted his advance at that moment.