C6 Some People Were Really Asking for Trouble

Watching Sect Master Yang's retreating figure, Hee Wudao felt a sense of impending doom.

To his dismay, Sect Master Yang refused to take his side. What was he to do now? Su Ping'an's mocking gaze only intensified Hee Wudao's indignation.

With fists clenched in anger, Hee Wudao glared at Su Ping'an, his words laced with venom.

"Don't think you've fooled the Sect Master and gotten away with it. If you dare, let me search you and see if you're hiding any medicinal herbs," Hee Wudao snarled menacingly.

Su Ping'an couldn't help but find humor in the situation. The herbs were indeed on him, but Hee Wudao would never find them.

Looking down at Hee Wudao with undisguised contempt, Su Ping'an's disdain for the man grew.

"Just because you say so, you think you can search me? Do you fancy yourself the Sect Master? The sect rules clearly prohibit such baseless suspicion," Su Ping'an retorted with a sneer.

Hee Wudao felt the sting of Su Ping'an's words, especially since the sect rules considered all members as brothers.

Now at a loss, Hee Wudao didn't know how to proceed with Su Ping'an. He couldn't possibly force a search without compromising his status as the Elite Wound Sect's senior disciple.

Su Ping'an observed Hee Wudao's newfound meekness and decided to twist the knife even further.

"And you think you have the strength to search me? Dream on. Take a good look at yourself," Su Ping'an scoffed.

He then spat disdainfully on the ground, a clear sign of his contempt for Hee Wudao's capabilities.

This only served to enrage Hee Wudao further. He had never been so insulted.

Shaking with fury, Hee Wudao pointed at Su Ping'an and bellowed, "You're the one with something to hide! If you're so confident, let's settle this in the ring. If you lose, you'll let me search you, and I'll make sure your name is dragged through the mud."

Seeing Hee Wudao so blinded by rage was satisfying for Su Ping'an, but he knew better than to accept the challenge on a whim. He couldn't let Hee Wudao gain the upper hand so easily.

"You're so blinded by rage that you've forgotten the stakes of our contest. If I lose, you can search me. But what if you lose?" Su Ping'an bellowed.

Hee Wudao eyed Su Ping'an's self-assured demeanor. Could this kid actually have an ace up his sleeve?

But Hee Wudao had already thrown down the gauntlet; he couldn't just walk away now without losing face.

With a sneer, Hee Wudao began to mock Su Ping'an. "Me, lose? Don't you know I'm the Elite Wound Sect's eldest senior brother? Scared of a nobody like you? Not a chance."

Hee Wudao burst into a haughty laugh, brimming with confidence in his own abilities.

Yet Su Ping'an remained unfazed by the taunts. He locked eyes with Hee Wudao and spoke deliberately, "If you lose, you'll kneel and give me three resounding kowtows to salvage my honor. Otherwise, what will the sect think of me?"

Hee Wudao's face twisted at the challenge; he hadn't expected such a harsh demand. This could ruin his reputation, possibly leaving him unable to lift his head within the sect ever again.

But the die was cast, and Hee Wudao had no choice but to follow through. Clenching his fists, he declared firmly, "Fine, let's do it your way, kid. I'll expose you for what you are to the whole sect. And I won't be the one losing!"

His words seemed more like self-reassurance, and Su Ping'an saw right through his bravado.

As the duel was set, word spread like wildfire throughout the sect.

"Su Ping'an dares to challenge Senior Brother Hee? Isn't he worried about becoming a laughingstock? Doesn't he realize his own limits?"

"It seems Su Ping'an is courting death, brazenly provoking Senior Brother Hee."

"Let's hope Senior Brother Hee can be merciful, or we might just end up retrieving Su Ping'an's body."

The crowd buzzed with speculation as they watched the two figures on the Elite Wound Sect's arena.

Hee Wudao's heart swelled with delight. His status within the Elite Wound was unshakable, far beyond the reach of any upstart youngster.

Meanwhile, Su Ping'an maintained a serene composure on the stage, eyes closed, utterly unaffected by the spectators.

Internally, he scoffed at the crowd below. Let them laugh now; they'd soon see who would have the last laugh.

The Elite Wound Elders strode onto the stage with grave expressions and laid out the rules. "This is merely a sparring match between disciples. Lethal force is strictly forbidden, and any violation will result in expulsion from the sect!"

Once the sect elder descended from the stage, Hee Wudao glared malevolently at Su Ping'an, cracking his knuckles menacingly to psych him out. "Su Ping'an, there's still time to back out. Otherwise, I'll shatter your bones one by one, leaving you to die in agony."

Despite the elder's warning against killing, Hee Wudao rationalized that breaking a few bones could be passed off as an accident.

He chuckled to himself, a demented grin spreading across his face as he imagined Su Ping'an's forthcoming torment.

Su Ping'an regarded Hee Wudao's foolish grin with utter contempt, a look that said 'disgusting' was an understatement.

Without giving Hee Wudao another thought, Su Ping'an casually beckoned with a crooked finger, a provocative glint in his eye, daring him to make a move.

Hee Wudao's fury boiled over. His fists clenched, veins popping like coiled serpents ready to strike.

He charged at Su Ping'an, intent on delivering a crippling blow.

But the crowd was left in awe as Hee Wudao's ferocious punch, reminiscent of a tiger pouncing, was effortlessly caught in the palm of Su Ping'an's hand.

Su Ping'an looked utterly at ease, as if he hadn't exerted the slightest effort.

The disciples gathered around the ring began to slap their cheeks in disbelief, convinced they were seeing things.

Su Ping'an cracked a wide grin and let out a deep chuckle. Leaning in close, he whispered in a voice meant only for Hee Wudao.

"First it was Song Yuanqing, now it's your turn. You're just another stepping stone on my road to victory. Dream of defeating me? Maybe in your next life."

With that, he unleashed a powerful palm strike, sending Hee Wudao flying out of the ring like a kite on the wind.

As Hee Wudao hit the ground, a stunned silence enveloped the spectators below. The quiet was so profound, you could hear a pin drop; they simply couldn't believe the spectacle before their eyes.