Chapter 381: The Top Geniuses Convene
A tall, strong, and bald young man sat crossed legged in the center of a spacious residence wearing golden colored armor. His features were clearly defined, as if having been chiseled out by blades and axes, full of definition. He gave others a strong feeling of awe when they looked upon him, and had a naturally imposing aura without exerting himself to any effort.
His name was Lei Gangyang, and he was the most accomplished of the younger generation in the Purple Sun Sect.
Even Long Juxue with her innate constitution, didn’t dare put herself in a position higher than Lei Gangyang’s at the moment. The strength of his aura was thus apparent.
She and Ceng Shi were both standing on his left side. Another three youngsters were standing on his right side. Judging from their postures, they had no qualms about Lei Gangyang’s role as the leader of the younger generation in the sect.
These six were ranked in the top six of the Purple Sun Sect.
Therefore, it had been Lei Gangyang’s right without a doubt, to call for this meeting this time.
Representatives from the other three sects were all present, with the exception of Tang Hong,. However, one could see that the those from the Precious Tree Sect were all maintaining a distance between themselves and weren’t standing close to each other. Just a simple stance was enough to tell that the three from this sect didn’t have intentions of sticking together, and had no desire to select one of their companions as a leader.
Lei Gangyang’s quick and forceful gaze swept over the Precious Tree Sect side and a hint of a smile leaked out from the corners of his lips. He was obviously happy to see such internal strife amongst the Precious Tree sect.
The two girls and one guy from the Flowing Wind Sect was arranged around one girl with an indifferent demeanor and pretty features.
There were also three from the Myriad Spirit Sect who were clustered around a strong young man as their leader. His name was Luo Xi, and he was a martial dao genius of the Myriad Spirit Sect. His ranking in the sky quadrant was now second to only Lei Gangyang.
Even the best amongst the other two sects couldn’t challenge the position of number two.
Lei Gangyang’s cold eyes suddenly glared as he looked around, his stern voice rang out shortly afterwards.
“Why is there only 15?”
His voice was neither sharp nor low, but those faintly spoken words had the aura of striking lightning, making listeners’ blood boil and roil.
Iron Dazhi on the Precious Tree Sect side had an odd smile at the corners of his lips. “Tang Hong from my sect has quite a bearing about him. Daoist Lei’s message glyph may not have been enough to spur him to action.”
Traces of disdain appeared in both of the other Precious Tree Sect members after they heard this. Although they didn’t look that favorably upon Tang Hong, they wouldn’t strike someone of their own sect like Iron Dazhi had done.
Iron Dazhi’s heart was filled with jealousy after he failed to recruit Tang Hong that day. He naturally wouldn’t pass up this opportunity to kick Tang Hong when he was down.
“Tang Hong?” Lei Gangyang rumbled as Tang Hong’s brash image floated up in his mind. His brow wrinkled. As the first seed of the sky quadrant, Tang Hong had dared not show him any face when he’d issued an invitation?
An ear piercing round of laughter traveled in from the outside at this moment.
“Haha, my apologies everyone. Nature called just now and I dumped a pile of shit outside. I’m late, sorry I’m late.”
Footsteps thundered forth before these words had finished as Tang Hong came striding in.
Tang Hong’s body was at least a head taller than ordinary folk, and he likely towered even higher than that. He walked with the vigor of a tiger, giving one a very barbaric feeling.
When the geniuses present heard such crass words as “dumped a pile of shit”, a domino effect of frowning was set off across the room. However, one of the Flowing Wind Sect female disciples covered her mouth as she laughed softly, seeming to find Tang Hong’s crass words rather funny.
Iron Dazhi shouted when he saw Tang Hong walk in. “Tang Hong, what are you playing at? Everyone’s been waiting for you, you’ve put on quite some airs huh!”
Tang Hong spread his hands out. “What, do I need your approval before I shit now?”
He sauntered over to the Precious Tree Sect side after speaking and sat down, grinning at the other two. “I haven’t washed my hands since shitting, you don’t mind if I sit here right?”
Of the other two in the sect, a skinny young man in a white shirt frowned slightly, “Would you die if you spoke a few words less?”
Another young man in an almond yellow robe smiled, “Come Tang Hong, sit with me.”
The almond yellow robe youth’s name was Xie Yufan, a genius of the Xie family.
The white shirted, skinny youth was Lian Canghai. In terms of cultivation, he ranked first amongst the four great disciples of the Precious Tree Sect and was solidly in the top four of the quadrant.
Lian Canghai however, was the Iron family’s elder, Iron Long’s, personal disciple. He was a genius whom Iron Long had personally mentored all along the way.
His potential was vastly superior to characters like Iron Dazhi.
Since Lian Canghai was one of the Iron family, that forced Xie Yufan to have to rope in Tang Hong in order to balance things out. He hoped to make use of Tang Hong’s strength to form a power that would be a counterweight to the Lian Canghai and Iron Dazhi combination.
It was a good thing that although Lian Canghai had a cold and arrogant personality, and even though he was Iron Long’s personal disciple, he didn’t look to Iron Dazhi for directions in everything.
He sometimes even disdained being lumped in with Iron Dazhi.
Therefore, it could be said that out of the four sects, the geniuses of the Precious Tree Sect were the least united and had the most estranged relationships with each other.
Lei Gangyang was a bit displeased that Tang Hong had caused his plans to go awry with his buffoonery.
However, he was the person who’d called for this meeting after all, so he had to maintain a certain composure.
“Everyone, there is only one goal in summoning everyone here today. What attitude does everyone have towards that secular freak?”
Lei Gangyang spoke faintly as he offered a contribution to start the conversation.
He’d thought that everyone would leap at the chance to share their opinions once the topic was open, but after waiting for a while, the geniuses of the three other sects all maintained remote expressions and didn’t speak up.
Iron Dazhi twitched his lips and seemed to want to speak, but also seemed to feel that his identity had not yet reached the point in which he’d be first to speak up and thus managed to curb his impulses.
“What? Is it that no one has any opinions?” Lei Gangyang’s tone dropped. “Or do you value your status so that you’re unwilling to be the first to step out and be a villain?”
His gaze swept across the faces of all the other geniuses.
Lian Canghai of the Precious Tree Sect retained the look of cold arrogance on his face, as if a normal expression had never crossed it.
The strong young man, Luo Xi, of the Myriad Spirit Sect looked around with vigorous eyes. Not much of an expression could be gleaned from his face, giving one a feeling of fathomless mysteriousness.
The indifferent, pretty girl from the Flowing Wind Sect was Shi Yunyun. She had the faint smile at the corner of her lips, giving one a feeling as ethereal as the clouds embracing the wind.
These three were the representatives of their sects, but no one dared speak without careful consideration.
A cold voice rang out from behind Lei Gangyang. “That guy puts on airs and looks down with contempt on others, possessing not the slightest bit of respect for the disciples of our sects. His crazed momentum is an even further provocation of us. This ill wind cannot be allowed to flourish and must be suppressed.”
That was Long Juxue. She was the first to take a stand and express her opinions.
Since someone had taken the initiative, there would naturally be another who followed her. Iron Dazhi from the Precious Tree Sect side also nodded. “I concur with fairy Long’s opinions. This fellow is arrogant and bullying. I’ve seen it with my own eyes and have felt this deeply.”
He’d once offered an invite attempting to recruit Jiang Chen after he’d passed the level five exam in the pills area. However, apart from being thoroughly humiliated, he’d gained nothing from that encounter.
Therefore, even though the narrow minded Iron Dazhi didn’t know the secular genius was Jiang Chen, he wanted to thoroughly suppress him regardless.
Lei Gangyang was obviously not that interested in Iron Dazhi’s opinions. His gaze once again rested on Lian Canghai, “Canghai, what do you think?”
Since Canghai had been personally called out, he couldn’t refrain from responding.
“I have no opinion. All of us top geniuses have an accord that no one has brought forth their full strength thus far. His actions have ruined the agreement between us and is forcing us to change our tempo. This is indeed inappropriate.”
Lian Canghai’s opinion was met with great approval. Many nodded their head lightly in agreement.
They were the preeminent geniuses and had yet to fully bring their strength to bear or challenge the level four and five missions.
It wasn’t that they couldn’t handle those missions, but that they felt that it wasn’t time to take the risk and call upon their reserves just yet.
Lei Gangyang seemed to be quite satisfied with Lian Canghai’s words. He turned to look at Luo Xi, first genius of the Myriad Spirit Sect. “Luo Xi, what are your thoughts?”
“Logically speaking, he has indeed impacted our tempo. But from a personal angle, I rather admire him. Looking at this from another perspective, if we were in his shoes, would we have the courage and determination to offend a group of top geniuses with no fear, even with his potential and strength?”
His words made everyone sink into deep contemplation.
Tang Hong laughed heartily. “Well said, I feel that no one here present can measure up to this kind of courage and determination!”
Everyone frowned after his words. They all knew that Tang Hong was biased. His butt was firmly in the secular genius’ camp, and he was even willing to be the latter’s follower.
“Tang Hong, you shut your mouth! Just because you’re willing to wallow in degeneration doesn’t mean you need to embarrass yourself here.” Ceng Shi, disciple of the Purple Sun Sect’s Master Shuiyue, shouted coldly.
“Yo! Who’s that huh? Aren’t you full of it? Are some of you filled with righteous indignation only because you want to help your master regain some face?” Tang Hong jeered.
Ceng Shi and Long Juxue’s face both grew cold when they heard this.
Long Juxue in particular had a frosted over expression as she looked at Tang Hong. “Silly brute, you better clean up your mouth, or your tongue will be cut out by someone, someday.”
This kind of threat was obviously completely useless to Tang Hong. He smiled lazily and stretched. “I’m a man and won’t argue with a wench.”
Pretty girl Shi Yunyun spoke up at this time. “Everyone, my Flowing Wind Sect has always remained neutral and have not become embroiled in controversy. We will not protest whatever decision is made here. Daoist Gangyang, since you’re the one who called for this meeting, please make a decision.”
“Yes, senior brother Gangyang, please give the word.” Apart from Long Juxue, those on the Purple Sun Sect spoke almost unanimously.
“Does the Precious Tree Sect and Myriad Spirit Sect support my decision?” Lei Gangyang called out.
Lian Canghai responded coldly, “Just a small matter. You make the decision.”
Luo Xi sighed softly. “What else can I say?”