*Swish* That glistening, luminous glob of sticky phlegm trailed behind it a comet-like tail as it shot toward Gong Luyun's face at lightning speed.
Everything happened far too abruptly, and at such close range, by the time Gong Luyun realized what was going on, it was already too late. With a crisp *smack*, the sticky glob landed right on his face.
"I'm going to kill you!" Gong Luyun howled in a frenzy, feeling the gooey mess on his cheek. He formed a fist with one hand and threw a devastating punch straight at Chu Feng's head.
This punch was no ordinary strike. It tore through the air itself, sending out a roaring rush of wind. Before it even landed, Chu Feng was already struggling to withstand the force—his hair was whipped into chaos, and his very features were being distorted by the sheer pressure of the blow. If this fist connected, even if Chu Feng were made of copper skin and iron bones, he would be smashed to pieces.
At the sight of this, some spectators couldn't bear to watch and squeezed their eyes shut. They were certain Chu Feng was about to die right here, yet there was nothing anyone could do. After all, he was the one who had provoked Gong Luyun.
This man was the Azure Dragon Sect's foremost disciple, a figure of tremendous standing within the sect. Everyone knew he was destined to become the next Sect Master. In the eyes of a future Sect Master, what was the life of a mere Core Disciple worth? Even if Chu Feng were killed, Gong Luyun would receive no meaningful punishment—perhaps nothing more than a verbal scolding.
But compared to those who couldn't bear to look, far more people were watching with gleeful anticipation. There was not a shred of sympathy on their faces—quite the opposite. They were eagerly looking forward to it.
Looking forward to Chu Feng's death. Looking forward to the splatter of blood. Relishing the prospect of that gory scene. Because in their minds, this was only natural. This was how things should end for anyone who dared offend the first disciple.
*Smack* But just when everyone was certain Chu Feng was finished, a withered hand—thin as a skeleton's—suddenly appeared and seized Gong Luyun's wrist, halting his descending fist in its tracks.
"Him?"
This turn of events shocked everyone, but when they made out who had intervened, their shock turned to utter astonishment. The one who had stopped Gong Luyun was a gaunt, hunched-over old man with thinning hair and a crooked spine. His appearance was positively corpse-like, and more than a little unsettling.
As for his identity, everyone knew him well. He was the elder tasked with guarding the Green Dragon Garden and welcoming the new disciples. No one knew his real name—people simply called him Elder Li.
Elder Li's standing in the Core Area was exceedingly low. At best, he was nothing more than a doddering old watchman. Every elder looked down on him, and every disciple did the same. No one gave him a second thought.
Yet here he was, having caught Gong Luyun's punch as though it were nothing. The realization sent a jolt of shock through the crowd—they suddenly understood that this unremarkable old man was no weakling. Quite the contrary: he was a powerhouse.
"Step aside."
Gong Luyun was still consumed by rage and gave Elder Li no face whatsoever. Activating his Mystic Art, he swept his great hand in a flinging motion, intending to throw the elder aside.
But the effort yielded a startling result. Gong Luyun discovered with disbelief that he couldn't budge the old man even a fraction. His wrist was locked tight in the elder's grip, utterly immovable.
"Gong Luyun, as the Azure Dragon Sect's foremost disciple, you ought to protect your junior brothers. What is the meaning of this behavior?" Elder Li spoke at an unhurried pace, a mild smile on his face—though the smile was somewhat unsettling to behold.
"As the foremost disciple of the Azure Dragon Sect, I have every right to discipline my junior brothers. He spoke with wild arrogance and showed no regard for my words. If I punish him for that, what is improper about it?"