Chapter 576 Treacherous
Although they knew that there was a lot of friction between the Sacred Palace and the Cangxuan Sect, they had not expected Fan Yao to immediately tear apart all pretense of civility without the slightest hesitation.
Under the numerous gazes of the Hundred Flowers Fairy Palace disciples, Zhou Yuan’s gaze clashed with Fan Yao’s somewhat scarlet pupils. The former’s expression remained calm, not the least bit affected by Fan Yao’s concealed killing intent.
Zhou Yuan slowly said, “What bold words, but I’m afraid you’re not that capable.”
Zhou Yuan did not back down, but instead pressed forward in an even more unyielding manner.
His response caused the many Hundred Flowers Fairy Palace disciples to gasp in surprise. Fan Yao was obviously not someone you wanted to offend, but with such a defiant response, was the Cangxuan Sect really planning on going to war with the Sacred Palace group here?
“Zhou Yuan...” A trace of worry flitted across Luluo’s large eyes.
“Humph, this guy really overestimates his abilities.” Zhao Ru icily snorted and said, “The one leading the Sacred Palace side is Fan Yao, someone whose strength is highly ranked even amongst the ten chief disciples of the Sacred Palace. Choosing to face such a person head-on is foolhardy at best.”
In her eyes, Zhou Yuan was merely putting on a tough act, and was willing to go as far as offending Fan Yao in order to save face. However, Zhou Yuan’s sharp tongue would only end up bringing an extremely unfavorable outcome.
Tang Xiaoyao fell silent. Although Zhao Ru’s words were tough to swallow, they were indeed quite logical. It was not wrong for one to give in when the other party was stronger.
Stubbornly insisting on saving face would instead implicate all the other Cangxuan Sect disciples as well.
From the current situation, the Sacred Palace side was clearly stronger than the Cangxuan Sect.
“Senior sister Xiaoyan.” Luluo pulled at the corner of Tang Xiaoyan’s clothes with an anxious look on her face, hoping that the latter would be able to help neutralize this situation.
She had heard of Fan Yao’s reputation, and knew that he would be part of the top ten even when placed amongst all the chief disciples in the Shengzhou Continent. In one on one combat, even their senior sister Tang Xiaoyan would not be able to gain much of an advantage over the former.
Tang Xiaoyan hesitated somewhat in response to Luluo’s pleading gaze. After all, if she were to interfere, it would undoubtedly offend the Sacred Palace side, an unwise decision to make as the leader of this group.
“Xiaoyao, the grudge between them has nothing to do with our Hundred Flowers Fairy Palace!” Zhao Ru’s expression darkened a little when she saw this. “We have no reason to interfere.”
She was on considerably good terms with Fan Yao, and naturally did not want to take the risk of offending him to help a Cangxuan Sect disciple she did not even have a favorable opinion of.
“Moreover, this matter was caused by Zhou Yuan’s recklessness. It will do him good to be taught a lesson.”
Some of the disciples who were closer to Zhao Ru also nodded in agreement, indicating that they had no wish to be involved in the grudge between the two sides for no reason.
Tang Xiaoyan could only cast an apologetic gaze to the anxious Luluo. Zhao Ru was not wrong after all, they had no reason to help the Cangxuan Sect.
While they were discussing things on this side, Fan Yao’s eyes narrowed slightly as he stared at Zhou Yuan, before a chiling arc soon rose from the corners of his lips. “Zhou Yuan, you killed our junior brother Ning Mo and yet you still dare to act so arrogantly. Do you really think that we Sacred Palace people are pushovers?”
The hostile gazes of the surrounding Sacred Palace disciples locked onto Zhou Yuan, their eyes filled with hatred.
These words immediately caused a small commotion on the Hundred Flowers Fairy Palace side. This time, even the two chief disciples, Tang Xiaoyan and Zhao Ru, looked towards Zhou Yuan in astonishment.
Zhou Yuan had actually slayed a chief disciple of the Sacred Palace?!
Zhao Ru could not help but mutter, “How is this possible? He’s only at the seventh layer, how did he manage to kill a chief disciple of the Sacred Palace?!”
Tang Xiaoyan’s amazed gaze swept across the composed Zhou Yuan, as her red lips parted slightly. “It seems that this chief disciple of the Cangxuan Sect is not as simple as we had imagined.”
“I told you, Zhou Yuan is really amazing!” Exclaimed Luluo in a rather pleased manner.
Zhao Ru swept a glance at the former and sneered, “He’s amazing at infuriating Fan Yao. Let’s see how he’ll be able to settle this after killing a chief disciple of the Sacred Palace!”
Upon hearing this, Luluo’s willow leaf like eyebrows involuntarily knitted together.
“Ning Mo is dead?”
Zhou Yuan was also rather surprised by this information. Although Ning Mo had been gravely injured by him previously, it should not have been enough to kill the latter...
However, it was meaningless to dwell on such matters, Ning Mo deserved to die after all.
Zhou Yuan uncaringly said, “He killed several dozen disciples of my Cangxuan Sect. It’s only fitting that he dies.”
His ten fingers clenched into fists, golden Genesis Qi slowly rising from his body as he stared at Fan Yao and smiled, “Let’s cut the crap, if you want to fight, the Cangxuan Sect will gladly accompany you.”
“However...”
He paused for a moment, as he suddenly cast a glance at the Hundred Flowers Fairy Palace side. “If you intend to eat us, you’d better pace yourself carefully, or you might instead end up being devoured by a third party.”
In the distance, Tang Xiaoyan and Zhao Ru were taken aback by these words.
Zhao Ru’s eyebrows immediately turned vertical. “What a crafty guy, to think that he actually dares to use us!”
Tang Xiaoyao’s eyes flickered in thought as she shot a meaningful glance at Zhou Yuan, but did not say anything.
Fan Yao laughed loudly, before he mockingly said, “Haha, kid, I’m acquainted with the two junior sisters of the Hundred Flowers Fairy Palace. Such tricks are useless.”
Zhou Yuan chuckled. “In that case, take it as me overthinking things. Come on then, let’s do this.”
The smile on Fan Yao’s face receded little by little as he stared at Zhou Yuan, while the expression in his eyes darkened somewhat. He was a very skeptical person, and it was impossible for him to trust the Hundred Flowers Fairy Palace.
Under the temptation of the six color treasure location, he may not even trust his fellow disciples, let alone outsiders?
Given the strength of this Cangxuan Sect group, the Sacred Palace would certainly suffer substantial losses if they fought. With them weakened, the situation would become extremely unfavorable towards them if the Hundred Flowers Fairy Palace group were to suddenly have other plans.
By the side, Wang Yuan also hesitated for a moment, before he said to Fan Yao in a low voice, “The Hundred Flowers Fairy Palace is no flower vase.”
He was also trying to warn Fan Yao. Although the Hundred Flowers Fairy Palace were just a bunch of girls, as a faction that could become one of the six overlord sects, anyone who views them as useless flower vases would likely end up paying a painful price.
Fan Yao remained expressionless, while a dark and stormy look churned in his eyes. Zhou Yuan was quite an insidious individual. A single sentence from him had now placed Fan Yao in a rather difficult position.
Fan Yao’s gaze flickered in thought. Moments later, he suddenly took in a deep breath as all the storminess on his face faded away. After two soft snorts, he pointed at Zhou Yuan, and nodded as he smiled.
“You are very cunning...”
Fan Yao looked deeply at Zhou Yuan and said, “However, this is indeed not the place to deal with you. But believe me, if you do not choose to scram from now, don’t blame me for whatever happens later on.”
Zhou Yuan nonchalantly said, “We’ll wait and see.”
Fan Yao sighed. “It truly is a pity.”
After speaking, he turned around, seemingly intending to end the conversation.
At the sight of this, the tensed Jin Zhang and the rest quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
However, blood-red light suddenly rose in Fan Yao’s pupils the moment he turned around. A split second later, the ground under Zhou Yuan’s feet was suddenly torn open.
A flash of blood-red light shot out with a piercing whistle, heading straight for Zhou Yuan’s throat.
It was an extremely unexpected and treacherous attack. Even Jin Zhang and the rest were unable to react, and could only watch the flash of blood-red pierce towards Zhou Yuan’s throat in horror.
Fan Yao had clearly acted as if he was willing to let things go for the moment, while preparing such a vicious move in secret. This was practically the apex of deceitfulness.
On the Hundred Flowers Fairy Palace side, numerous female disciples cried out in alarm, while Luluo’s pupils widened in horror.
“Zhou Yuan!”
Her piercing cry rang out.