Bai Yiyi felt deeply indignant. She really had been a bit flustered just now, but that was only because concern had thrown her off. She believed that under normal circumstances, she carried herself quite well as a Master.
Still, Ye Ling's actions made her realize how out of line she had been.
Realizing it was one thing, but her nature was what it was. For the moment, all she could do was flip through the white cloth her junior sisters had left behind.
After receiving a resentful glance from Bai Yiyi, Ye Ling pretended not to notice. Seeing her start reading the white cloth again, he continued,
"Envoy Leng, if it's only a matter of disciple numbers, the Heavenly Gate Sect can still come up with three thousand disciples."
Whether they could cultivate was beside the point. If all that was required was headcount, he could always hire enough people from the foot of the mountain.
Even if cultivators were required, he could claim they were newly recruited disciples. Not having reached the Qi Cultivation stage yet would be perfectly normal.
When it came to maneuvering within the rules, Ye Ling was confident he could leave everyone in this world far behind. Before his transmigration, surviving had depended precisely on his ability to make proper use of rules.
Seeing Leng Qingqiu sink into thought, Ye Ling pressed on.
"So I believe this requirement can be met through other means. Blindly clinging to the rules would be far too rigid."
"You do have a point."
Leng Qingqiu neither argued stubbornly nor lashed out over being challenged. After a brief pause, he nodded.
"I acknowledge your reasoning, but I must report this to higher authorities—"
Before he could finish, Bai Yiyi suddenly cried out excitedly,
"Found it!"
"Uh..."
Bai Yiyi quickly realized she had overreacted. She hurriedly brushed her snow-white bangs aside and, pretending nothing had happened, read from the white cloth as she spoke,
"Envoy Leng, I remember that there is a rule within the Righteous Path Alliance. If the weakest disciple of a sect can defeat the Envoy, then the sect passes the inspection."
"Indeed."
Though interrupted again, Leng Qingqiu showed no irritation. He nodded in confirmation.
"The Righteous Path Alliance does have such a rule. However, that regulation dates back to the alliance's founding. Many years have passed since then, and I can't be sure whether it still applies."
When the Righteous Path Alliance was first established, strength was everything. The weakest Envoys sent out were at least at the Foundation Establishment stage. If such an envoy could be defeated by the weakest disciple of a sect, then that sect truly needed no inspection.
But as time passed, many things became standardized and quantified. This rather uncivilized rule gradually fell into disuse.
In truth, Leng Qingqiu had long memorized the Righteous Path Alliance's regulations and knew this rule still existed. However, seeing that Ye Ling's cultivation was nowhere near his own, he deliberately spoke in vague terms to make Bai Yiyi back down.
After all, he didn't believe Ye Ling could defeat him. Even if it were Bai Yiyi, a Nascent Soul Stage cultivator, he believed he could still win with the power of the Jade Pendant. If Nascent Soul cultivators could bully the weak, then cheating by using Tribulation Transcendence Stage power wasn't really wrong, was it?
But—
"It's still in effect."
A Jade Slip suddenly appeared in Bai Yiyi's hand. As she offered it to Leng Qingqiu, she said,
"This is the latest set of regulations from the Righteous Path Alliance. That rule is still recorded inside. If you don't believe me, Envoy Leng, you can take a look."
Leng Qingqiu did not accept the Jade Slip. Instead, he spoke directly,
"Since Sect Master Bai says so, I naturally believe her. However—"
He turned his gaze toward Ye Ling, the meaning in his eyes unmistakable.
Only then did Bai Yiyi realize the problem.
"No… that's not right!"
She hurriedly flipped through the white cloth again and found an utterly shameless line written on it—
"I am currently the weakest in the sect. I request a duel with the Envoy."
Envoys of the Righteous Path Alliance were usually at the Foundation Establishment stage. Those sent to Transcendent-Grade sects might be stronger, but at most they would reach the Golden Core stage.
And Bai Yiyi?
A Nascent Soul Stage great expert. With her strength, any Envoy would be nothing more than a free kill.
However, whoever had written the white cloth clearly hadn't expected Bai Yiyi to take on a disciple. As things stood, the weakest disciple in the Heavenly Gate Sect was Ye Ling.
Ye Ling looked at Leng Qingqiu, then at Bai Yiyi. A thoughtful expression appeared on his handsome face.
He didn't really mind that the final battle would end up falling on him. As a transmigrator, he had long since prepared himself for trouble to drop onto his head out of nowhere.
What truly concerned him were the martial aunts he had never met. They must know something, which was why they had arranged this situation in advance.
He didn't even need to look at what was written on the white cloth. Just from Bai Yiyi's expression, he could tell exactly what it said.
Nothing more than having Bai Yiyi step in, fight the Envoy, and easily crush him. But with Ye Ling's sudden appearance, that plan on the white cloth had been completely thrown off.
"Master, let me do it."
Ye Ling wasn't afraid of a fight. Although Leng Qingqiu was clearly stronger than him, he didn't think he was completely without a chance.
After all, as a transmigrator, fighting above one's level was basic stuff, wasn't it?
Besides, he hadn't said they had to fight right now—
"Envoy Leng, it's getting late, and your…"
Ye Ling pointed at Leng Qingqiu's tattered white robe before continuing,
"Why don't we have our match tomorrow instead?"
Leng Qingqiu naturally wasn't provoked by Ye Ling's clumsy attempt at stalling. His jade-green eyes met Ye Ling's as he said,
"Junior Brother Ye, a duel must be fought with one's true cultivation. I won't suppress my strength when facing you."
In truth, even if he did suppress his strength, Leng Qingqiu wouldn't fear Ye Ling in the slightest. He had never been afraid of anyone at the same level.
But the Righteous Path Alliance's rules were meant to test a sect's lower bound. That was why the Envoy would not restrain his strength, instead confronting the sect's weakest disciple head-on.
A Demonic Sect certainly wouldn't hold back for you either.
"I understand that."
Ye Ling didn't mind at all. Locking eyes with Leng Qingqiu, he said,
"If Envoy Leng is worried, you can choose the location for tomorrow's duel."
"Right here."
Confident that the Tribulation Transcendence Stage Jade Pendant in his possession was more than enough insurance, Leng Qingqiu had no fear of Ye Ling pulling any tricks. When absolute strength was on his side, technique hardly mattered.
Let alone a Fourth Level Qi Cultivation Ye Ling. Even if Bai Yiyi, who didn't look like a Nascent Soul Stage cultivator at all, joined in, he wouldn't be afraid. In fact, he vaguely hoped Ye Ling and Bai Yiyi would try something underhanded.
Certain that victory was already his, he cupped his hands toward Bai Yiyi and Ye Ling.
"Then I'll take my leave. We'll meet again tomorrow."
With that, he turned and headed straight down the mountain, without the slightest intention of lingering.
"Th-this… this, this…"
Leng Qingqiu left with ease, but Bai Yiyi was completely flustered. She turned to Ye Ling and said anxiously,
"My good disciple, let's not fight anymore. You're so weak, there's no way you can beat him!"
Pfft…
Ye Ling, who had just been about to comfort Bai Yiyi, was instantly taken out by that single sentence.