Chapter 83 - Divine Gale Peng

Long Chen shivered when he heard Huang Feiyang’s name.

Huang Feiyang hates me to the bone and yet Liu Lan is placing me in his team? Is she sending me to my death?

Thinking back on how the enchanting lady had treated him before, Long Chen was confused.

“You don’t have to worry too much. The examiners do not have the power to fight you directly. The Lingwu’s family network of information is vast. As long as you are careful, he won’t make a move on you in public.”

Long Chen was not afraid of Huang Feiyang, but Liu Lan’s arrangement was still quite brutal.

“Senior Gan, if there’s nothing else to discuss, I would like to go back and prepare.”

Gan Lin nodded and said pitifully, “Unfortunately, there is nothing I can do since Administrator Liu had arranged this herself. Go back and prepare. Hopefully, you can come back unscathed!”

Long Chen finally left. Staring at his back, Gan Lin shook his head and sighed. “One hundred and five steel hearts. That’s even more than what the genius of the outer family, Mo Xiaolang, obtained. What is Administrator Liu thinking? Such a pity!”

Even though Long Chen had left, he still heard Gan Lin’s sigh.

He had heard the number one hundred and two from Zhao Tianfang earlier. Was Gan Lin comparing him to the same person? He assumed that both people were talking about Mo Xiaolang.

Part of the reason why Long Chen had joined the Lingwu family was because of Mo Xiaolang. The latter had asked him to join the Lingwu family after reaching the Human Core Realm, but Long Chen had joined prematurely due to the threat of the Blood Saints. He had only been at the Lingwu family for two days and hadn’t even managed to find Mo Xiaolang yet, but it seemed Gan Lin knew where he was.

Long Chen chuckled when he recalled Mo Xiaolang. He turned back, which left Gan Lin confused.

“Why did you come back?”

“Senior Gan, you mentioned Mo Xiaolang just now. Do you know where he is?”

Gan Lin’s expression changed when he heard Long Chen mention Mo Xiaolang. “Shut up!”

Long Chun was taken aback, his eyes growing colder. “Why?”

Gan Lin became serious. “Long Chen, I don’t care what kind of relationship you had with him, but don’t try to find out where he is in the Lingwu family. We don’t have anyone called ‘Mo Xiaolang’ here!”

Long Chen was even more confused, but sensing how serious Gan Lin was, he knew something had happened to Mo Xiaolang. Long Chen nodded. “I understand.”

He left the Martial Hall and returned to his room.

“Xiao Xi, what do you think?”

Ling Xi was confused too. “I have no idea either. Didn’t he say he was part of the Lingwu family? And it seems that he was treated quite well by the family before. Why did that guy earlier act like they had chased him away? He didn’t even let us mention his name!”

Long Chen frowned. “He did say he had something urgent to do back in Yuanling City. Maybe something happened to him?”

“Oh, right ...” Ling Xi suddenly thought about another possibility. “It feels like everyone hates him even though he was previously called the genius of the outer family. Maybe he betrayed the Lingwu family?”

Long Chen thought about it and felt it was possible.

“He probably wouldn’t do it out of his own accord, but it might be possible if someone forced him to.”

“Yeah, just like that stinky bitch!” Ling Xi’s face turned red with anger when she recalled Liu Lan. “She masqueraded as a good person and then assigned both you and Huang Feiyang together for the mission. She’s definitely trying to get rid of you! Long Chen, why don’t we go to the Dawn Trading Alliance? Maybe we will meet Mo Xiaolang!”

𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

Long Chen shook his head. “Let’s not be hasty. These are all just speculations. Xiaolang is stronger than me, and there’s not much I can do to help for now. It’s better if I cultivate and get stronger first. As for the first mission ...”

Long Chen's eyes glinted coldly. “They cannot imagine how patient I am. I will kill Huang Feiyang!”

Ling Xi was shocked by his sudden cruelty. Long Chen took out a Soul Nourishing Fruit from his Universe Pouch.

“Refine it. I need to practice the Burning Devil Sun Fist and Nine Heavens Dragon Step. I need to master them before the mission!”

***

On the morning of the fourth day, Gan Lin knocked and opened Long Chen’s door. “The details of the mission are here. This is a level three mission. Huang Feiyang and Wen Ya will be the vanguard, so all you need to do is follow them. Perform as best as you can. They will be your examiners. Their assessment of you will become an important reference point for you to obtain various cultivation resources from the Lingwu family!”

Long Chen silently cussed in his heart.

If Huang Feiyang did not kill him, he would most certainly give the worst evaluation possible!

I don’t know what that bitch is thinking, but there’s no way the two of them will give me a fair assessment! I’m certain they will try to kill me during the mission!”

Long Chen tried to think of a plan while following Gan Lin.

“The location of the mission is Yanluo Town. According to the mayor, there have been several disappearances involving only girls, including the mayor’s daughter. The kidnappers were most likely at the Human Core Realm, so even the mayor could do nothing. We have to rely on you three.”

Long Chen noted down what Gan Lin had said. They soon arrived at the courtyard of the Turquoise Willow Residence. Long Chen had heard that the people here had tamed many demonic beasts, but he was still surprised to see a massive Peng[1] sitting on the ground and staring at the passersby. Its wings were at least fifteen meters long!

“This is a Category Seven Yellow-tier beast, the Divine Gale Peng! It flies unseen and has exceptional stamina and speed. Lingwu family members usually ride one.”

The beast suddenly retreated when it saw Long Chen, its stare containing a hint of fear and respect.

Did it detect the sliver of dragon aura in me?

Long Chen then saw two people standing beside the Divine Gale Peng. Both of them were staring at him. Huang Feiyang was smirking, while Wen Ya was calm.

Even though Huang Feiyang was smiling, his killing intent was clear.

Liu Lan was not here.

“So you are finally here?”

Huang Feiyang approached Long Chen. “Not bad. Both me and Wen Ya will be your examiners today. As long as you perform properly, I will give you a high grade! Am I right, Wen Ya?”

Wen Ya forced a smile.

Huang Feiyang dismissed Gan Lin. “Senior Gan, you can go back and rest now. I will take care of Long Chen properly. He will be unharmed with my protection!”

“What a deplorable bastard. If I catch him with my own two hands I will smack him silly!”

Ling Xi had been following Long Chen for quite some time and had picked up a couple of words from him here and there.

Long Chen was pissed at Huang Feiyang’s behavior. Gan Lin reminded Long Chen and told Huang Feiyang, “Junior Huang, we have a lot of informants at Yanluo Town. If things start going awry, contact the Lingwu family as soon as you can.”

Gan Lin was warning Huang Feiyang.

If Huang Feiyang harmed Long Chen in public, the news would spread to the Lingwu family. Huang Feiyang would be dead then.

Huang Feiyang naturally knew what Gan Lin meant, but he played innocent. “Of course. I will ensure Junior Long Chen will never be harmed.”

This was all Gan Lin could do, and he gave Long Chen one last look. “Time’s up. It’s time for you to leave now.”

Huang Feiyang gestured for Long Chen and Wen Ya to ride the Divine Gale Peng with him. Wen Ya took out a green whistle and blew a strange tune. The Divine Gale Peng became tame and lowered its body, allowing Huang Feiyang and Wen Ya to leap onto its back. Long Chen had never ridden one before, but he showed no fear and jumped onto its back too.

Under Wen Ya’s control, the Divine Gale Peng flapped its wings and flew into the sky. Long Chen held onto its feathers tightly and anchored his body on the bird. He broke out in cold sweat from almost falling off.

Huang Feiyang turned around and snickered.

***

Gan Lin sent them off and bit his lips. “Sigh. Such a talented young man. Why must it end in this way?”

“Gan Lin, are you unhappy with my arrangement?”

A cold voice came from behind him. Gan Lin turned around and lowered his head. “Administrator ...”

Liu Lan approached him and chuckled.

“You can tell me what you are thinking.”

Gan Lin thought about it and gathered his courage. “Administrator, I think it's wrong to use such an extreme method to discover their potential. Adding in Long Chen, we have already lost six talented individuals. Is this not enough?”

Liu Lan was still smiling as she stared in the direction Long Chen had disappeared. “A true genius is born from numerous trials and life-threatening situations. I want him to experience such a thing. If he survives, he will be a dragon amongst mortals. If he dies, then he dies.

She then turned around to look at Gan Lin. “Gan Lin, which do you think is better? Six worms, or a single dragon?”

Gan Lin finally understood what she meant. But thinking about the juniors that had perished, he sighed. “I just hope you can nurture a dragon soon ...”

“I have no idea whether this will work either.”

“Do you think Long Chen has the potential?”

Liu Lan smiled at the thought of Long Chen and shook her head. “His lineage is poor and his family is not influential. Without these, there’s nothing much he could do. Up till today, Feng Wutian is the only one who has met my expectations, albeit barely. But he has blood connections to the inner family, the Vermilion Bird family ...”

1. A Peng is a giant bird in Chinese mythology ?