Chapter 594 Stirring up the situation

Hearing that Hua Jin was going to join forces with the evil flower king to deal with her sisters, frost suddenly formed under Han Yue's long dark eyelashes.

Her silver hair moved without wind, and her light purple pupils glowed with a cold light like ice. She met Hua Jin's determined eyes and said coldly:
"The ancestral rules of the Hua Sect are the cornerstone of maintaining the sect's righteousness. When did they become a fig leaf for you to bully the weak? If you can steal the position of the sect leader simply by fighting with your partner, then what we have been practicing day and night is nothing more than a fleeting marriage, right?"

Han Xuelian took light steps and stood side by side with her sister. Her pearly silver hair fell on her shoulders, making her slightly pale face look even colder.

"You teamed up with the Evil Lord. It seems that you followed the ancestral rules, but in fact, you just used the rules to make things difficult for us sisters. The mercy and justice that the Flower Sect has passed down for thousands of years are not as good as a calculation in your eyes? With such behavior, are you really worthy of the title of 'Flower Sect Master'?"

The two sisters' sonorous questions were like thunder in spring, exploding in the stagnant air.

All of a sudden, whispers from all around the square surged like the tide, and the guests watching the ceremony were either whispering to each other or nodding frequently.

Amidst such discussions, voices of agreement with the remarks made by the two sisters Han Xue and Han Yue could be heard from time to time. Some even whispered that Hua Jin's behavior was really unkind. As the acting sect leader, he completely disregarded the solemnity of the position of sect leader and actually used the name of ancestral rules to bully the weak and the majority.

Hua Jin listened to Han Xue and Han Yue's rebuttal, every word of which was as sharp as a knife, and his already gloomy face instantly turned cold.

The discussions coming from all around were like tiny needles piercing her heart.

She couldn't help but clutch her wide sleeves tightly, her knuckles turning white from the force, and the shadow on her face distorted as her muscles trembled. Her originally bright and beautiful face now looked a little hideous, and the sneer at the corners of her mouth seemed particularly distorted, which was completely incompatible with her usual identity as the acting leader of the Hua Sect.

Hua Jin's chest rose and fell violently, her nails almost digging into her palms, but she forced a grim smile on her face: "The rules have been in the sect's code for hundreds of years. Didn't you read them when you joined the sect?"

She deliberately dragged out the last word and waved her wide sleeves, "The ancestral rules clearly state that 'partners can join the war together'. As members of the Hua Sect, do you sisters want to openly disobey? Or are you so self-righteous that you disdain to abide by this rule?"

Before she finished her words, she turned to the elders' seat on the high platform and asked casually,
"The elders are highly respected and should uphold justice according to the ancestral rules. If we set a precedent of breaking the rules today, where will the dignity of the Hua Sect be in the future?"

She deliberately softened her tone, but could not hide the connotation of her words, "I wonder if the elders think what I said makes sense?"

Hua Jin's aggressive words instantly drew everyone's attention to the seats of the Hua Sect elders on the high platform.

Under the scorching gazes of countless people, several elders on the gilded platform looked solemn. In the face of Hua Jin's questioning, they neither nodded in agreement nor refuted him out loud, as if they did not care at all about the commotion on the field.

The burning gazes that sisters Han Xue and Han Yue cast towards the podium were filled with questioning and expectation, but they were like a stone falling into a deep pool, unable to stir up any ripples at the elders' table.

The elders of the Hua Sect all looked away. Some coughed lightly and adjusted the silver embroidery on their cuffs, while others cast their gazes toward the rolling sea of ​​clouds in the distance.

This kind of deliberate avoidance is more chilling than any response.

The air in the square became increasingly stagnant, with only the rustling of the sea of ​​flowers.

In fact, the elders knew very well that in this competition with a huge disparity in strength, the so-called "partner cooperation" rule was tantamount to giving legal cover to bullying the weak.

But the code of laws passed down by the Hua Sect for thousands of years is as hard as iron and cannot be easily shaken.

Sisters Han Xue and Han Yue looked at the avoidant gazes of the people at the elders' table. Under their pearly silver hair, both of their faces were cold and pale.

On the other side, Hua Jin saw that the elders all showed a tacit attitude, and the arc of his lips could not help but rise a little more.

She chuckled with a long tail, and her narrow and long phoenix eyes glanced at Han Xue and Han Yue's slightly embarrassed faces at the moment. The pride that surged in her eyes almost solidified into substance, as if the position of the leader of the Hua Sect was something she was bound to obtain.

"I really didn't expect that the Hua Sect actually has such a unique rule."

"However, from this perspective, my trip today was not in vain."

In this tense silence, a male voice as casual as spring clouds suddenly pierced the stagnant air.

The voice clearly came from the seats on the west side of the square, but it seemed to ring right next to everyone's ears, causing everyone to turn their heads to look.

Under the gaze of the crowd, they saw a high-end seat on the west side of the square, covered with gold brocade, shining brightly in the sun. It was obviously more luxurious than the surrounding ordinary seats.

Just as everyone turned their heads towards the sound, a figure in black clothes slowly stood up from the gilded cushion.

The jade pendant with a dragon pattern hanging on the man's waist swayed slightly, reflecting a cold halo. He raised his hand to adjust the cloud pattern embroidered on his cuffs. His half-smiley eyes penetrated the stagnant air and fell directly on the people confronting each other in the field.

Amusement and interest filled those azure eyes, as if he regarded this battle for the leadership of the clan as a great drama. The curve at the corner of his lips carried a bit of nonchalant laziness, yet also revealed a sense of oppression that should not be underestimated.

The person who spoke was none other than Xiao Ling. His black clothes fluttered, and the jade pendant with dragon pattern on his waist made a clear sound as he moved. His eyes swept across the tense situation like a hawk.

Even though he didn't know the whole story yet, with his intelligence, he had already guessed most of the ins and outs.

Looking at the slightly embarrassed but stubborn faces of the sisters Han Xue and Han Yue, and Hua Jin's arrogant attitude, Xiao Ling's eyes were filled with fire. How could he allow others to make things difficult for these two women who were as precious as treasures in his heart?

When Xiao Ling walked out slowly from the gilded seat, the sisters Han Xue and Han Yue were struck by lightning, and their light purple and silver-gray pupils trembled violently.

Looking at the mysterious figure walking against the light, the scenes buried in the dust of time deep in their memories suddenly surged up. The young man who was imprinted in the depths of their memories was gradually overlapping with the man with a stern aura in front of them.

After not seeing each other for several years, his figure has become more upright, and his eyes have lost their youthfulness, but they still have the gentleness that they are familiar with.

This familiar feeling that has penetrated into the bone marrow is still as hot as ever even after the passage of time and the settling of years, turning into a sour yet sweet tremor in the heart.

Ever since he parted with Xiao Ling, the news that he had become famous in Zhongzhou had spread to Han Xue and Han Yue's ears, even though he had little contact with the outside world due to the Hua Sect.

After all, in recent years, Xiao Ling's rise in Zhongzhou has been rapid and unparalleled, and his every deed has become a hot topic among the people.

Especially in the last alchemy meeting, he defeated all the competitors with his nine-color eighth-grade top-level elixir and won the championship in one fell swoop. Since then, he has been crowned with the title of "the best alchemist in the continent".

Such legendary deeds spread like wildfire, and even among the deep-rooted Hua Sect, many female cultivators had heard of his charisma.

The female disciples of Hua Sect who had seen Xiao Ling's portrait regarded him as their dream lover. His handsome appearance became the topic of conversation in the boudoirs of countless people. And the little news about Xiao Ling that they heard from time to time, like the spring rain, quietly soaked their hearts. In countless sleepless nights, the two girls' minds sketched out the appearance of the boy after his transformation.

Today, this figure that had appeared in rumors countless times was no longer vague and illusory, but appeared before their eyes clearly.

Although his demeanor and posture had changed a lot compared to the past, it seemed as if nothing had changed.

The eyes looking at them were still filled with easy-goingness and tenderness, as if they had never been apart.

Seeing Han Xue and Han Yue standing there in a daze with shock in their eyes, Xiao Ling raised the corner of his lips into a gentle smile.

After not seeing each other for many years, they met again in this tense competition arena. Even though he had experienced countless storms, there were ripples in his heart at this moment.

But he had been traveling in Zhongzhou for many years and had seen countless different scenes. This kind of experience had enabled him to hide his emotions perfectly.

Although the smile was sincere, it was not inappropriate at all. He just nodded slightly, his eyes full of unspoken concern.

However, in stark contrast to the undercurrent of emotions between Xiao Ling, Han Xue and Han Yue, everyone in the field looked at the black-clothed figure that suddenly appeared with a look of shock on their faces.

Whispers spread like a spider web among the audience. Countless eyes were focused on Xiao Ling, and everyone was talking to each other in confusion.

Everyone was filled with doubts. What was the purpose of Master Xiao Ling, who was well-known in Zhongzhou, suddenly showing up at this moment? Could it be that he really wanted to challenge Hua Jin, who was very likely to be the next leader of the Hua Sect, on behalf of these two seemingly helpless women?

Hua Jin raised her wide sleeves slightly and was about to start the competition with thunderous force, but was suddenly interrupted by a man's voice.

Anger instantly rose to her brows, and she turned around abruptly, with a cold light in her eyes.

However, when he saw clearly that the person coming was Xiao Ling, who was famous in Zhongzhou, the pink fighting spirit condensed on his fingertips suddenly froze.

Even though she was filled with resentment, she had to suppress her surging emotions. This famous figure's ability and background could not be underestimated. Even if he was the acting leader of the Hua Sect, or even the next leader of the Hua Sect, he would not tolerate any disrespect.

However, she was still extremely dissatisfied with Xiao Ling's rash behavior of disrupting the situation.

Of course, there was more confusion. Xiao Ling suddenly spoke at this critical moment. What was his plan?

Hua Jin tightened his fingertips slightly, and in an instant he suppressed the emotions surging in his eyes. He raised a decent smile again, and the light flick of his wide sleeves revealed the demeanor of a sect leader.

She bowed towards Xiao Lingying, her voice as gentle as the song of an oriole: "Master Xiao Ling, do you have something important to discuss? If you are interested in this competition, why not condescend to be the referee and add some glory to this contest."

Hua Jin's question was like a sharp blade that picked up the doubts in everyone's hearts, and the whispers in the room froze in an instant.

Because of these words, Xiao Ling's gaze, which was originally fixed on Han Xue and Han Yue, finally turned and fell on Hua Jin.

But Hua Jin had an elegant posture, a warm tone, and his every move was flawless. He showed the demeanor of a sect leader, but without the slightest arrogance.

However, even though she was very polite, Xiao Ling had no intention of playing along with her.

Under the gaze of everyone, Xiao Ling tapped his toes lightly and took a step forward as if stepping on an invisible staircase.

As his feet lightly touched the void, a circle of dark blue space ripples spread out with him as the center. In a flash, the figure in black clothes appeared on the bluestone square like a ghost, standing firmly beside the two sisters Han Xue and Han Yue, with his clothes not stained with a trace of dust.

As soon as he stood still, Xiao Ling's ink-black robe fluttered in the wind. He raised his hand to adjust his cuffs, and a faint smile appeared at the corner of his lips.

Then, Xiao Ling looked directly at Hua Jin and Demon Flower Evil Monarch opposite him, his voice clear and firm, but with an unquestionable momentum:

"Haha, Master Hua Jin is very polite. But the position of referee is really not attractive to me. After all, how can it be as exciting as being there in person when judging from a distance? If I want to be a participant and have a competition with the two of you, I would be very interested and would love it."

As soon as Xiao Ling finished speaking, the seats around the square suddenly exploded.

The exclamations that came one after another were like a surging tide, and the whispers of the crowd almost blew the ceiling off.

"The continent's number one alchemist is actually going to compete?"

"Master Xiao Ling is actually going to stand up for the sisters!"

Various speculations were boiling like boiling water in a cauldron. Everyone could see clearly that Xiao Ling's words were clearly a declaration of war against Hua Zong. This famous figure in the entire Central Plains was obviously not used to Hua Zong's aggressive behavior and was willing to use himself as a blade to compete, which supported the two sisters who were bound by the rules.

Xiao Ling's powerful words were like a heavy hammer, hitting Hua Jin and Yaohua Xiejun's hearts.

The two looked at each other, their eyes filled with shock and disbelief. They had never expected that Master Xiao Ling, who seldom took the initiative to contact other forces, would openly go against them for a stranger woman.

As for the possibility that Xiao Ling already knew Han Yue and Han Xue, no one had even thought about it.

In Hua Jin's opinion, if she were to meet a big shot like Xiao Ling, she would definitely try her best to use his identity and abilities to benefit herself and make this relationship public as soon as possible.

She also naturally thought that if the sisters Han Xue and Han Yue were really familiar with Xiao Ling, they would definitely act in the same way.

However, she did not expect that although Han Xue and Han Yue knew very well that if they could make use of Xiao Ling's power, it would be much easier to deal with daily trivial matters or even the fight for the position of the leader of the Hua Sect.

But the two sisters were always aware of the gap between themselves and Xiao Ling.

They have their own persistence in their hearts and are unwilling to rely on the protection of others. Instead, they are determined to catch up with the figure that is as unattainable as a star through their own efforts.

(End of this chapter)