A Proposition

Me Feng and Ge Peng met in the air, their fists clashed against each other, creating a shocking, thunderous boom. While Me Feng was in glee, meeting a worthy opponent he could fight with, Gu Peng widened his eyes in shock.

"You... You are only at the Qi Gathering phase?!"

I, Gu Peng, the genius who reached the Foundation Establishment realm at the age of 19, and was at the Foundation Completion phase at the age of 20, was evenly matched with a Qi Gathering phase kid who suddenly appeared out of nowhere?

"Unacceptable!"

Feeling that his authority as a genius was challenged, Gu Peng did not hesitate to give his all. Unlike the two elders who could only practice the Yellow-grade technique, he, as the Core Disciple, could have access to the highest technique possible.

He coated his fists with a layer of fog. When Me Feng clashed against them, it felt like he just hit a pair of cotton, absorbing all of the impacts he exerted. He widened his eyes.

Before he could react to the sudden situation, the soft, gentle fog suddenly turned into an overbearing, vicious pair of condensed clouds. Gu Peng smashed Me Feng ruthlessly, sending him tumbling down the fence.

With a thunderous crack, Me Feng was embedded into the cold, hard ground, creating a swarm of fog that covered the area. Even when his head starts to bleed, he does not flinch. Instead, a gleeful laugh could be heard as a figure rises within the fog.

"Not bad! You did not disappoint me!"

"Just who are you?!"

Gu Peng couldn't keep his composure anymore. It was fine if a cultivator could fight those above them in phase. He himself could beat a Foundation Elevation phase expert when he was at the Foundation Completion phase.

But to skip a whole realm is another matter. Now, Gu Peng couldn't act as he pleased anymore. He knew just how much of a prodigy one must be to do such a legendary act!

After he cooled down his wounded pride, Gu Peng realized this crucial point!

"Are you perhaps a disciple the Sect Leader secretly nurtured?"

Although Gu Peng could be overbearing, like how he easily extorted two elders just for the sake of fulfilling his little brother's desires, he was crystal clear about the line he should not cross. A legendary genius like Me Feng could not simply be brushed off as an 'impostor'!

Me Feng was inwardly surprised. He creased his eyebrows as he watched Gu Peng slowly retract his fists. So this kid was not as bad as he thought.

"If you are, then please accept my apology. It was not my intention to do such a dishonorable act. The thing is, Gu Chen was the son of the main wife back in my family, while I was the firstborn from a mere concubine. So to protect my beloved Mother, I was forced to comply with his selfish wish. Please accept my bow!"

Me Feng was quite impressed. What a decisive kid! Knowing that if I was the disciple of the Sect Leader, not even the status of the main wife could eclipse his authority. After all, a master is like a parent.

It was like how a mere wife of a farmer wished to seek justice for her son who was caught stealing money from the son of the land's owner. No matter how high the position the farmer's concubine's son had, the main wife couldn't seek justice.

Instead, she would be the one punished!

Me Feng showed a smirk. Although his status was not official, playing the tiger as a pig would be very interesting!

"Still, it's the truth that you were the mastermind in the attempt to silently kill off an Outer Disciple, and that Outer Disciple happened to be my confidant."

As he bowed, Gu Peng sweated slightly. Killing a fellow disciple was bad enough, but he was scheming to secretly kill off a disciple! The punishment wouldn't be as simple as being exiled from the sect. To do such a despicable thing was only befitting that of a Demon Cultivator!

It would be a blessing already if he could get a modest tombstone!

Gu Peng gritted his teeth. That fat f*ck, just what the hell is wrong with you? Randomly snatching the wife of the confidant of a Personal Disciple! Now see just what sort of trouble you get me into! It's better for you to just die!!!

Just as he was about to beg for mercy, Me Feng's next words caused his eyes to be widened.

"But I do have another proposition. Do you want to hear it?"

Hearing the hidden meaning in Me Feng's tone, Gu Peng looked up, noticing Me Feng's small smirk.

"Would it be alright if I ask what is the proposition?"

"Naturally. Besides, you have no other choice, right? But first, I want you to take care of those 2 elders who know this whole ordeal. Can't let our deal have some witnesses, no?"

Gu Peng was filled with bitterness. He asked Elder Pe to kill Me Feng off just now, intending to have one of the elders be the sacrifice. But now, he was the one in his shoes, getting asked to do the same thing.

"But don't worry, you don't have to be the so-called sacrifice. I have a better plan in mind."

Gu Peng snapped his head to Me Feng, who had a mischievous smirk on his face. The latter merely pointed out the unconscious Elder Mu, playfully fiddling his finger, "Now here is what we're gonna do."

"But before that, I just want one thing out of you."

"Tell me what you need, Young Master!"

Seeing how Gu Peng easily adapted to his current situation, Me Feng was getting more and more satisfied with him. Clearly, as the firstborn born from a concubine, he learned how to survive in a very harsh environment, where he must discard his integrity and his pride.

To please his unreasonable father and the impulsive main wife, he, as the firstborn, must have been struggling incessantly, just so he could get a favorable opinion out of them.

"Gu Peng, we will erase any evidence related to this ordeal, and we will pretend nothing has ever happened here, in exchange for you becoming one of my goons."

"Do you accept my proposition?"

Meanwhile, Elder Pe did not notify a single disciple. Instead, he went straight to the Detainment Hall.

He knew that if this matter exploded out of proportion, instead of Gu Peng, he would be the one who would get interrogated! A Core Disciple is the sect's future, while a mere Elder of the Outer Division could be replaced anytime.

In the worst case, he would be tortured by the elders of the Detainment Hall. The worst case would be the involvement of the Sect Leader, who was famous for exposing the spies within the sect as soon as she took up the mantle.

By that time, what could he do to cover up his involvement in holding an illegal, dishonorable deathmatch?

So it would be better for him to report the case. He could manipulate the accident a bit, so he'll be the one in favor. Elder Pe's eyes darkened.

Gu Peng, just because you're a young master doesn't mean that you could trick me at will by using certain tricks in your sentences. Causing a commotion? Why would be do that?

As soon as he arrived, he screamed out for help, "S-Senior Brother! Help!"

It was still early morning when Elder Pe barged into the Detainment Hall and caused a commotion.

The sleepy disciples under the Detainment Hall were alerted by the desperate scream. They quickly reported the matter to one of the elders in charge.

Soon, a ferocious-looking Elder with a stout build and a white mane-like beard came out running. He is one of the Vice Heads of the Detainment Hall, Elder Tang!

"What's wrong, Junior Brother Pe? Why are you screaming for?"

"Senior Brother Tang, when I went to the sparring building to retrieve something I left behind, I saw that an unofficial death match was being held! I was so terrified that I left! Please, Senior Brother Tang! For the sake of upholding the honor of our ancestor who built the Deathmatch Stage to solve an irreconcilable grudge, you must stop it!"

"What?! A dishonorable, dishonest Deathmatch was being held?! Who dares!?"

As the people in the Detainment Hall were in shock by the sheer audacity of holding an unofficial deathmatch, Elder Pe inwardly sneered. Good luck untangling those irreversible knots I just made, Young Master Gu!

It's fine that I did not get what you promised, but at least I could see the downfall of someone who wished for my death!

Elder Tang did not hesitate, "Disciples, let's go and see who dared to do such a thing!"

The crowd from the Detainment Hall was noticed by the disciples nearby, and their sleepiness got washed away, replaced by a look of confusion and curiosity.

"Hey, what's going on? Why do the disciples of the Detainment Hall go out like that?"

"Look! There's also Elder Tang leading the group. Let's go! I just want to see what sort of troubles they have discovered!"

Solemnity and rage were brewing within the crowd, with another group of curious disciples trailing behind them. Soon, they quickly arrived before the sparring building, where a pair of disciples were found unconscious.

Elder Tang glanced at Elder Pe for confirmation, to which the latter informed, "They blocked my way when I wanted to retrieve my thing. Unfortunately, they're so adamant about keeping the building empty, so I was forced to move my hand."

While the other disciples absentmindedly nodded, eager to see just what was going on inside, Elder Tang narrowed his eyes for a split second.

No matter how much they wanted to keep it a secret, would they risk offending an elder by doing so? It sounds unbelievable. Still, Elder Tang merely nodded to his explanation. He will question him later about this.

As soon as they entered the building, they immediately noticed the peculiar stage that was surrounded by dozens of meters tall fences. On the stage, a fat, indiscernible figure was covered in puke, piss, and excretion, emitting a disgusting smell.

At the side, Gu Peng was crying out for Gu Chen, but Me Feng resolutely held him back, with a face full of sadness. From a look, it was obvious that Gu Peng was unwilling to let the deathmatch proceed, but Me Feng was forced to hold him back, for an honorable deathmatch cannot be interrupted!

Before the indiscernible fat thing was Li Yuan. His bloodied, exhausted face was filled with rage, regret, unwillingness, sadness... It's impossible to decipher them all.

"Although you snatched my fiancé, I don't think it was worth getting killed just because of me accidentally peeking at your 'wife'. What a shame..."

"Noooo!!! Brother!!!"

"Stop it! I know it's hard, but it's something those elders have decided, and according to them, both parties were willing to proceed with it. Looked at what have you done to Elder Mu, maiming him down so bad he couldn't even speak no more."

On the stage, Li Yuan was standing before Gu Chen's corpse, his face was filled with regret. At the side, the emotional Gu Peng was being held down by Me Feng. And before them was someone embedded into the hard ground upside down.

Before the crowd could react, Gu Peng's bloodshot eyes landed on Elder Pe, who was flabbergasted by what he saw, "You! You old bastard! How dare you! Holding a fake death match involving my brother without his consent along with that Bastard Mu!! You deserve to die!!!"

Me Feng, who held him down, couldn't help but twitch. My second goon, you're quite good at this.