Killing intent surged within Xu Yang as he felt the intense hostility. ’Luo Xin is trying to get me killed.’
"I survived because I have the strength. You’re here slinging mud at me, which makes me suspect your intentions. I’d say you’re the real Blood Lotus Sect spy. When you couldn’t kill me, you decided to try and frame me instead.
I’ve killed Blood Lotus Sect disciples on multiple occasions. What about you, Luo Xin? How many have you killed?"
Luo Xin sneered. "Says you. Who saw it?"
The surrounding crowd looked on as if watching a good show. It was obvious Luo Xin was just making a scene, trying to sling mud at Xu Yang.
Everyone was curious about the history between Xu Yang and Luo Xin that would make Luo Xin target him so relentlessly.
"You moron. Don’t you even know enough to check the records at the Outer Sect’s Task Hall?" Xu Yang looked at him as if he were an idiot.
"I will check. And I’ll report you to the Law Enforcement Hall," Luo Xin said, his gaze turning ice-cold.
"Then go ahead. I have nothing to hide."
Having stated his position, Xu Yang didn’t want to waste any more words on Luo Xin. He just silently added Luo Xin’s name to his little book.
Luo Xin sneered and left. Xu Yang got his food, sat down, and began to eat.
"Xu Yang, when did you get on Luo Xin’s bad side?" someone asked curiously.
Luo Xin wasn’t some righteous busybody. Even if Xu Yang really were a spy for the Blood Lotus Sect, it would be none of his business. This was clearly a personal attack.
"I don’t know either!"
Xu Yang said, "Perhaps it’s because when I first started practicing the Thousand Forging Technique, he wanted me to pay him for guidance, and I refused."
As far as he could recall, that was the only unpleasant incident between him and Luo Xin.
"That explains it," the man who had asked laughed. "Luo Xin is incredibly petty and narrow-minded. You embarrassed him by refusing, so it’d be a miracle if he didn’t jump at the chance for revenge."
He was a senior disciple and knew Luo Xin’s character better than Xu Yang did.
"It’s not because of that!" another voice chimed in.
Xu Yang looked over and recognized him. It was a senior brother who often practiced the Thousand Forging Technique in the Forging Pavilion. His name was Shen Lin, if he remembered correctly, and he was another one of the people Xu Yang had refused to pay for guidance.
"I heard that one of the eighteen Outer Disciples who died was his cousin. You survived, but his cousin died. It’s only natural he’d suspect something is wrong with you."
No one said a word.
So Luo Xin was one of the aggrieved parties from the Earth Vein Fire Valley tragedy. No wonder he was targeting Xu Yang.
Experts at the Great Success stage of Marrow Cleansing had all died, yet Xu Yang, a Martial Artist who had just reached the Marrow Cleansing realm, was the sole survivor. The man certainly had reason to suspect Xu Yang was a spy.
"My conscience is clear. If there was really a problem, the Sect’s Law Enforcement Hall would have arrested me long ago."
After finishing his meal, Xu Yang left.
Luo Xin actually did go to the Law Enforcement Hall to accuse him of being a Blood Lotus Sect spy. However, the hall paid him no mind, because Elder Huoyun had already stated that Xu Yang was not a spy and had, in fact, killed a Blood Lotus Sect disciple during the Earth Vein Fire Valley incident.
’Elder Huoyun trusts me that much?’ Xu Yang was puzzled.
He had already decided that if the Law Enforcement Hall really came looking for him, he would just reveal his Minor Achievement in Bone Marrow Cleansing Cultivation to prove his innocence. He never expected Elder Huoyun to have already quashed the matter.
He had no idea that Elder Huoyun didn’t actually trust him, but was merely waiting for a way to determine if he was truly a spy.
This incident served as a warning, however. He couldn’t retrieve the buried Spirit Iron for now. If he were discovered, it would be a situation he couldn’t explain his way out of—the accusation would stick, whether it was true or not.
Now that he was under suspicion, someone was probably already watching him, just waiting for him to slip up.
He had wanted to take on a mission to get away from this place of trouble for a while, earning some contribution points for a Pill Formula in the process. But given the current situation, the outside world was just as dangerous. The Blood Lotus Sect could strike at any time.
Waves of heat rolled through the Forging Pavilion in the afternoon. When Xu Yang arrived with his Forging Hammer, he saw that no one was training; instead, everyone was gathered together, talking.
"Tianfeng Valley is finally going to open."
"Has the date been confirmed this time? They’ve said it was opening several times before, but it never happened."
"It must be for real this time. The news came from Tianquan Peak. They’ve confirmed that Tianfeng Valley will open in three days."
...
Xu Yang moved closer to listen and learned that the Tianfeng Valley everyone had been longing for was finally about to open.
He had asked about Tianfeng Valley before. It was a natural Cultivation Treasure Land, much like the Earth Vein Fire Valley, that could aid one’s training.
The only difference was that the Earth Vein Spiritual Fire was only effective for those below the Bone Marrow Cleansing realm. Tianfeng Valley, on the other hand, offered great benefits even to Bone Marrow Cleansing Martial Artists and could aid in the Marrow Cleansing process itself.
"If Tianfeng Valley is opening, doesn’t that mean the Ten Heroes List is about to be published?" Xiong Kun suddenly asked.
The Ten Heroes List was a ranking similar to the Outer Sect’s Ten Heroes List, but for the Inner Sect. It listed the ten disciples with the most potential from across the Four Peaks who were under the age of twenty-eight.
The list was updated every time a new batch of disciples entered the Inner Sect and just before Tianfeng Valley opened.
’With my talent,’ he thought, ’if the Ten Heroes List is published, I have a great chance of making it on.’
’Once I’m on it, I’ll have both fame and fortune.’
’The Inner Sect’s Ten Heroes List is different from the one for the Outer Sect. It’s not just a simple ranking. Getting on the Outer Sect’s list only earns you some fame, with no tangible benefits.’
’But if you can make it onto the Inner Sect’s Ten Heroes List, the Sect will funnel resources to you. It’s not just for show.’
Shen Lin smiled. "It’s not ’about to be.’ It’s already been published. That’s why I’m so sure Tianfeng Valley is opening."
Xiong Kun’s eyes lit up. "Quick, Senior Brother Shen, tell us! Who made the list?"
Xu Yang also pricked up his ears, listening with great interest. He had been in the Inner Sect for three months and still knew nothing about its genius disciples. There wasn’t much interaction between the Four Peaks, after all.