482 Another Challenge (II)

"What?"

"What!"

Chen Wentian and Long Yifei shouted at the same time. They had still been in the middle of a celebratory hug. The turnabout was so sudden and unexpected that they didn't know how to respond.

"Abbotess Li, what is the meaning of this?" Long Yifei asked frantically.

Li Shishi shook her head with an apologetic expression. "I'm sorry, sacred daughter. The council has voted. It is out of my control."

"But… but…" Long Yifei tried to search for an answer, one that didn't exist.

One glance around her told her the truth of the situation. Too many people were happy with the situation, Li Shishi included. They all secretly wanted Yang Gehu to get another chance. They wanted another chance to kick Chen Wentian out. In the eyes of the Seven Potentates of Jiannan and even those raised by the Order, abandoning honor and fairness to bend rules in their favor was completely justified.

"Master, what should we do?" She asked softly so only Chen Wentian could hear.

They had expected their enemies to be shameless but not to this extent. They had not prepared in abundance for the Gift Duel but not for this.

"Stay calm." Chen Wentian replied even though he was nervous too, "It's only one more challenge. From what I remember, it shouldn't be a Gift Duel again."

At the same time, Abbotess Li and Abbotess Yang were negotiating the details of the second challenge. Just as he thought, a Gift Duel was not suitable for the second accusation which was against his cultivation potential. A Noble Acolyte Duel was proposed instead, where the challenger and the accused acolyte faced off in a duel of honor in front of the school and gathered guests.

Chen Wentian felt a bit of confidence return. He had no more gifts for another Gift Duel but he could handle a Noble Acolyte Duel. They all assumed that he would be an easy person to beat up but they underestimated him far too much. He had no doubt that Yang Gehu was strong and came prepared with plenty of spiritual weapons and armor. But he wasn't weak either, not after recently absorbing three powerful Spirit Lord souls.

"Fei'er, listen. This duel is unavoidable, they really want to beat me up. But don't worry, I can take him. We just can't give them that chance without making them pay a heavy price."

"Are you sure?"

The way she looked at him at that moment, he knew that she trusted his every word. It filled him with warmth. Their relationship had come so far; he wasn't about to let her down.

"I am. Now, what I need you to say to them is the following…"

Two sets of discussions wrapped up around the same time. Chen Wentian and Long Yifei faced their opponents with defiance, unwilling to bow down in the face of injustice. Yang Gehu eyed them with ferocity and vigor, eager to get his revenge. Abbotess Yang sat in her seat with a great aura of superiority, her arms crossed fruitlessly in front of her flat chest.

Abbotess Li gathered everyone's attention once again, "Sacred daughters, acolytes, honored guests of the Millennium Mountains Campus, this executive council has decided to accept this second and final challenge from Yang Gehu!"

She paused to bask in the clearly positive reaction.

"Acolyte Chen Wentian has been accused of failing to meet another important covenant, one specifically about his cultivation talent or lack thereof. For this second challenge, a Gift Duel is not appropriate. Instead, we will hold a Noble Acolyte Duel."

A buzz of excitement swept through the crowd, with many hoping that Chen Wentian would finally get put in his rightful place.

"That's right, a Noble Acolyte Duel. Yang Gehu is someone who is widely known to have tremendous talent. The Spirit Lord Realm is merely a stepping stone for him. If Chen Wentian cannot beat him, then Chen Wentian won't qualify to be Long Yifei's acolyte."

"The rules are as follows. It is a duel between Chen Wentian and Yang Gehu. Nobody else may assist them in any way. Any spiritual equipment and items they own may be used. This is a noble duel so killing is not allowed, nor is maiming the face or the severing of limbs. Otherwise, they may beat each other into submission using any method they can think of."

Abbotess Li glanced down at the two men before her, "Regarding the outcome of this duel, just like before, if Chen Wentian loses, he will lose his acolyte status and be banished for one hundred years. Yang Gehu's punishment from the prior Gift Duel will also be annulled since he succeeded in his challenge. If Chen Wentian instead wins, he will of course be safe whereas Yang Gehu will suffer double the original punishment and be banished for two hundred years. Do you two have any objections?"

"I do not!" Yang Gehu said, his back straight as a board, radiating confidence.

"I don't accept!" The one that spoke up wasn't Chen Wentian but Long Yifei. She stepped forward, putting her own spiritual power on full blast in a brave display of defiance in front of so many immortals. "One hundred years of banishment is already enough to destroy Yang Gehu's future. It is already enough to ensure that he will never break through to the Spirit King Realm. What is the point of adding another one hundred years on top of that? It is completely worthless!"

Her voice was agitated and sharp. It was filled with anger and raw emotion. And because of this, it made her even more alluring to everyone.

"From the beginning, you all have wanted to see my acolyte gone. Fine! I, Long Yife, have never been afraid of a fight. However, I will never accept injustice! Either challenge my acolyte fairly, with fair stakes, or there won't be a challenge at all!"

Abbotess Yang scoffed loudly, "Little lass, are you threatening to quit again?"

"It's not a threat." Long Yifei replied.

With one swift motion, she pulled out her Order badge and held it in front of her. A cluster of ice formed around her hand and around the small white stone.

"Have you lost your mind?" Abbotess Yang snapped.

"It's not a threat." Long Yifei repeated, "It is a demand!"

Abbotess Yang glanced at Abbotess Li as if asking her for help. Li Shishi pretended not to see anything, making it clear that this situation was Yang Mengshi's to deal with. If Long Yifei actually withdrew from the Order, then it would be her fault and not Li Shishi's.

Abbotess Yang finally let out a soft curse and sigh, "Fine, what do you want?"

Long Yifei's face softened and she bowed gracefully, "Respected abbotess, if I may ask, what is Yang Gehu's future worth to you, a man who has the potential to be the next clan leader of the Yang Clan? Because even if I withdraw from the Order right now, he cannot avoid ruin. He still lost the Gift Duel so he must suffer his punishment. You want to wash away his failure but you can't without this second challenge. In other words, you need this duel far more than me."

"You…"

"How much is a man like him worth to the Yang Clan of Great Waves?" Long Yifei asked, her voice ringing throughout the grand banquet hall, reverberating against the backdrop of the Gift Giving Ceremony.

"You…" Abbotess Yang spluttered.

"Can't think of anything? I have a fair offer. My acolyte is willing to duel Yang Gehu for the price of five hundred kilograms of orange spiritual crystal!"

"What!?"

---

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