Yet just as she could no longer restrain herself and was about to act, a familiar voice came from behind her: "Hold on. She is not going anywhere."

"Wei Zhao?!" Leng Leng spun around at once and looked at that familiar figure she had yearned for day and night; tears burst from her eyes beyond all control. She had never asked for much—only to see Wei Zhao one last time, to know for certain that he was safe and sound. That was enough.

"You?!" Xue Jianfeng had never imagined that Wei Zhao would come here. He glanced at Xin Yijie, who stood by with a bland expression, then at Fei Yangsheng, who had appeared at Wei Zhao's side, and in an instant he understood everything. He cursed on the spot: "Fei Yangsheng, you traitor! Biting the hand that fed you!"

Fei Yangsheng was badly startled. Seeing Xue Jianfeng in that murderous state, he hastily ducked behind Wei Zhao. When he had returned to the sect gate just now and heard that Xue Jianfeng had brought men to the Primordial Passage, he had not stopped to think—he had simply led Wei Zhao straight over, never imagining Xue Jianfeng would denounce him as a traitor on the spot. Of course, a traitor was exactly what he was.

Wei Zhao paid Xue Jianfeng no attention whatsoever. In front of everyone he walked straight up to Leng Leng and said with a smile, "Wait for me a moment. I will be quick about it."

For some reason, from the very instant she saw Wei Zhao appear, Leng Leng's heart settled into stillness. It seemed that so long as Wei Zhao was here, she would not fear even the sky falling—an unprecedented sense of security and calm.

Still, she pursed her lips, and the corners of her mouth curved into a lovely arc. "Braggart," she said softly.

Watching the two of them flirting as though no one else existed, Xue Jianfeng was nearly mad with rage. He turned on the Snow Sword Sect disciples beside him and bellowed: "Are you all blind? This is Wei Zhao, the man who ruined my dantian—the enemy of our Snow Sword Sect! Kill him, now!"

"Insolence! Whoever dares to lay a hand on my martial grand-uncle of the North Island Cangwu Sect had best not blame this old man for showing no mercy!" Xin Yijie stepped forward at once and snorted coldly.

The Snow Sword Sect disciples were cowed on the spot. Had Xin Yijie not been present, they might truly have been goaded by Xue Jianfeng into attacking Wei Zhao, but now, facing Xin Yijie—a formidable early Golden Core cultivator—what use was their superior numbers?

And if it truly came to numbers, the North Island Cangwu Sect was in no way inferior to the Snow Sword Sect. Both were among the ten minor sects and clans, their strength evenly matched; if pressed, the Cangwu Sect could even call upon the Chongtian Sect and the Xuanji Sect. The three great sects of the North Island had always stood as one. The Snow Sword Sect might not be able to afford to provoke them.

Seeing the other Snow Sword Sect disciples cowed, Xue Jianfeng ground his teeth in fury and could not resist the urge to strike himself—only to be cowed by a single glance from Wei Zhao. Recalling how Wei Zhao had utterly crushed him before, he could not help trembling inwardly. To face Wei Zhao alone was simply to court death.

"Oh? Looks like you have recovered, have you? You snatched the fifth-grade Great Return Pill I gave to Leng Leng, never even said thank you, and now you want me killed?" Wei Zhao said, his expression unfriendly. Along the way Fei Yangsheng had told him the whole story from beginning to end. That Xue Jianfeng had restored his dantian and meridians did not surprise him, nor had it ever weighed on his mind. In others' eyes Xue Jianfeng might be strong, but to Wei Zhao he was a pathetic weakling—a weakling worth less than nothing.

"You have some nerve! You ruined my dantian and became the sworn enemy of my Snow Sword Sect, and you still dare come here—do you truly think no one in my Snow Sword Sect can deal with you?" Xue Jianfeng sputtered, beside himself with rage.

"If you think someone can deal with me, by all means go and fetch him. I will wait right here," Wei Zhao said with an unhurried sneer. True, to this day he was still only at the peak of Foundation Establishment, but his true body was after all an existence comparable to a titan of the Mountain-Opening stage. He did not even fear the Snow Sword Sect on Cloud Terrace Island—how could he possibly fear this cut-rate imitation from the Primordial Alliance?

"You!" Xue Jianfeng was choked speechless. He would have liked nothing better than to summon his own father to vent his spleen, but the trouble was that without the Primordial Alliance's consent it was simply impossible. Apart from Xin Yijie, the senior uncle leading the expedition, only Foundation Establishment disciples were permitted to take part in the secular world's trials. That was ironclad, carved in stone. No one could defy it.

"Can't fetch anyone, can you? Then let me offer you a bit of well-meant advice. I have always had a foul temper, so whatever you do, do not yammer at me—otherwise I might carelessly stomp your dantian to pieces again, or simply stomp you to death outright, and that would be a shame. Wouldn't you say that makes sense?" Wei Zhao said with a smile, as though open to negotiation.

"You dare threaten me?" Xue Jianfeng's mouth twisted with rage. He pointed at Xin Yijie. "You are the senior uncle leading this expedition! This creature threatens me openly and brazenly before everyone, and you stand there unmoved?"

"Threat? What threat? My martial grand-uncle was plainly discussing the matter with you in the kindest of tones. How is that any sort of threat?" Xin Yijie said with a contemptuous sniff.

"..." Xue Jianfeng had only just repaired his dantian and meridians these past two days thanks to the fifth-grade Great Return Pill; his body was far from back to normal. The surge of fury nearly made his vision go black and sent him collapsing unconscious. With great effort he forced himself to hold on and gasp out: "Fine. Then just wait and see. Men! Escort Leng Leng back to the Snow Sword Sect at once!"

"Sorry. Leng Leng has already been conscripted by me. She is not leaving," Wei Zhao said mildly.

"What did you say? This is an internal affair of my Snow Sword Sect. By the rules of the Primordial Little Jianghu, whoever interferes we may strike back on the spot. Xin Yijie, even you cannot argue with that, surely?" Xue Jianfeng snorted.

Xin Yijie frowned. In a case like this he truly could not well step forward and force the issue, so he could only look to Wei Zhao and leave the decision to him.

"Heh. You flatter yourself. This is not merely an internal affair of your Snow Sword Sect—it also concerns a matter of great importance to the entire secular world and the Primordial Alliance. Do you really think you can escort her back just because you say so?" Wei Zhao said with a disdainful curl of his lip.

"Rubbish! She is nothing but an ordinary disciple. How could she possibly concern the entire secular world and the Primordial Alliance?" Xue Jianfeng retorted.

"Have you been eating dung? How can your mouth stink so?" Wei Zhao tossed off the jab, twisting the other man's face with fury once more before saying mildly: "I have already united all the cultivation forces of the secular world. In a few days a grand disciple selection assembly will be held—convened specifically for the Primordial Alliance. You will all have the chance then to recruit disciples who meet your requirements. Is that not a matter of great importance to the entire secular world and the Primordial Alliance?" (To be continued.)