Chapter 34

Wang Meng was taken aback, "Can't we talk this out? We are all disciples of the Holy Hall, we can reason with each other."

"Reason with you, my big head ghost! Take this hammer!"

Just as Wang Meng walked in with his hoe, Suo Ming swung a hammer straight at Wang Meng's face.

Everyone cursed at the despicable act. Wang Meng seemed startled, and his hoe flew out of his hand as if it had slipped, drawing a beautiful arc in the air and hitting Suo Ming's back of the neck.

For a physical cultivator, such an attack was like a tickle, but Suo Ming fell to the ground as if he had been bewitched.

"Sorry, sorry, my hand slipped."

Wang Meng quickly picked up the hoe and slung it over his shoulder, but his hand slipped again, and it landed right on Suo Ming's mouth.

There was no scream, but Suo Ming's front teeth fell out, and Wang Meng felt even more embarrassed.

He quickly picked up the hoe and said a bit regretfully, "I said, as disciples of the Holy Hall, we should reason with each other."

He patted Suo Ming's face, "Don't show your teeth anymore."

Shentu was stunned, was this guy really stupid or just pretending???

Was that hoe swing really that powerful?

Shentu looked at Wang Meng, who was dirty from the fields, and couldn't decide if he was bluffing.

The disciples of Leiguang Hall, however, were invigorated. Regardless of what happened, they had won, and it seemed that Hengshan Hall was just a paper tiger!

Seeing the Leiguang Hall disciples eyeing them like tigers, the atmosphere was just right.

"Alright, this is how you treat guests in Leiguang Hall? I, on behalf of Hengshan Hall, challenge you to a Hall Battle. Do you dare to accept?"

This was a formal challenge. Refusing would definitely be a loss of face, but accepting had a problem: Hall Battles required rewards, which were provided by both sides, and the winner took everything.

Undoubtedly, Hall Battles were not only about honor but also about seizing cultivation resources.

Zhou Qian's first reaction was to give up. What was face worth? Besides, Leiguang Hall had no face to begin with.

This was basically everyone's reaction, except for... Zhang Xiaojiang.

Hu Jing knew something was wrong the moment she saw Zhang Xiaofat's face turn red, but it was too late to stop him.

"Battle, then battle! Who's afraid of who? We'll flatten your Hengshan Hall, everyone say yes!" At that moment, Zhang Zhenren had the air of a leader, full of confidence and determination.

... The surrounding area was silent, everyone staring at each other, wondering if this guy was crazy to agree to such a challenge.

Shentu laughed smugly, "Good, very good. You must be Zhang Xiaojiang, the disciple of Elder Wan. You can represent Leiguang Hall. Since you've accepted, each side will put up twenty medium-grade spirit stones and two hundred low-grade spirit stones. Five people from each side, best of five wins all the spirit stones!"

"Ah, spirit stones too?" Zhang Xiaofat was stunned. Twenty medium-grade and two hundred low-grade spirit stones, he didn't know if Leiguang Hall even had that much. At that moment, Zhang Zhenren saw the cunning look in the other's eyes and cursed, "Damn, I've been tricked."

Zhou Qian smiled bitterly. This fat guy was all brawn and no brains. Hall Battles were a way for the strong to exploit the weak, and he actually dared to accept. Wasn't he just asking for death?

Shentu and the others left smugly, leaving a mess behind. The Leiguang Hall disciples who had been watching the show scattered quickly to avoid being involved.

Spirit stones were the most practical things for cultivation, and everyone treasured them. No one would be willing to put them up for a Hall Battle with no chance of winning.

When Zhang Xiaojiang looked at Zhou Qian, Zhou Qian quickly waved his hands, "Oh, sorry, I have a stomachache, I'll go first."

He disappeared instantly, showing no signs of a stomachache.

Only Zhang Xiaojiang, Hu Jing, and Wang Meng, who had been watching the show, were left. Ma Tian'er seemed to want to say something but was dragged away by her senior sisters.

Back at Wang Meng's place, Zhang Xiaojiang looked dejected, and Hu Jing couldn't hide her worry, "Zhang Xiaojiang, you were too rash. They set this up on purpose. If we lose the Hall Battle, Leiguang Hall will be finished. Twenty medium-grade spirit stones and two hundred low-grade spirit stones, they're targeting our entire year's inventory."

Without Hu Jing saying it, Zhang Xiaojiang had already realized it. Damn, Hengshan Hall was not only a gang but a shameless one, setting up a trap to trick him.

"What can we do now? I've already said it, can I back out?" Zhang Xiaojiang suddenly clung to the last straw.

"At the time, you should have refused. Now that you've agreed, it's probably... impossible," Wang Meng said.

"Even if we back out now, they probably won't let it go. If it escalates, it will involve the elders. After all, no one forced us. If you were just an ordinary disciple, it would be one thing, but you're the last disciple of Wan Jing, which involves Elder Wan's dignity."

Hu Jing sighed, "Impulsiveness is the devil. In the world of cultivators, the first thing you need is calm."

Zhang Xiaojiang gritted his teeth, "I'll take responsibility for the trouble I caused, I won't involve anyone else!"

Wan Jing was like a parent to Zhang Xiaojiang. It was one thing to embarrass himself, but he couldn't drag his master into it.

Bang...

Zhang Xiaojiang's forehead was hit with a nut, "Take responsibility? With what?"

Wang Meng laughed, "There's always a way to solve any problem. Xiao Jing, is there a time limit for the Hall Battle?"

"Generally, the longest preparation time is six months," Hu Jing said, but six months wouldn't help much.

"Six months, maybe there's still a chance," Wang Meng said. "Since the situation can't be changed, we'll face it. It seems no one will help us. I have three people here, we just need to find two more to make up the numbers."

"Wah, Brother Meng, you're really my brother." Zhang Xiaofat immediately pounced over.

"Save it, save it. Focus on your cultivation, so you don't get beaten so badly that even your mother won't recognize you."

Hu Jing bit her lip, "Even if we gather the people, how do we get so many spirit stones? No one will help us."

That was a problem. They couldn't use Leiguang Hall's inventory, and they couldn't raise funds. Leiguang Hall was already in a bad state, and many disciples were looking for their own ways out. Who would put their precious spirit stones into a useless battle?

"Alright, I'll think of a way to get the spirit stones. I'll find two more people. You two focus on training and be ready to take the lead."

Hu Jing and Zhang Xiaojiang stared at Wang Meng in disbelief. Twenty medium-grade spirit stones and two hundred low-grade spirit stones, even the elders would find it difficult. This?

"Brother Meng, you have a plan?" Although he trusted Wang Meng, Zhang Xiaofat thought it was a pipe dream.

"Secret, but I won't sell you out. If I do, I'll sell Xiao Jing, hahaha."

Wang Meng's joke eased the tension a bit.

The Hengshan Hall disciples who had left were laughing, "Senior, you really played it well. The fools in Leiguang Hall actually took the explosive fire talisman seriously. Explosive fire talisman, hahaha, too funny!"