Chapter 1226, Audacity

Translator: Silavin

  

As Jin Ran’s words faded, the atmosphere over the square grew heavy and stifling.

 

Though they knew Jin Ran’s identity well, being spoken to so plainly still left Mo Qi and the others visibly uncomfortable.

 

“Young Master Jin Ran, there are three spots in total regardless. Leaving them unused is simply wasteful.”

 

In the end, Mo Qi and Zhong Nian exchanged a glance and said, “We would hope that Young Master Jin Ran, in consideration of all these years we have given our best efforts, would grant them this chance.”

 

“A chance?” Jin Ran gave a cold laugh, and a sharp glint passed through his eyes.

 

Had he not needed to make further use of these two, he would have had them cut down long ago for their covert defiance. What need would there be for this much conversation?

 

“Very well, Young Master Jin Ran. Since you believe the two Brothers we have brought are dead weight, then have someone step forward. So long as they can defeat them, Zhong Nian has nothing further to say on the matter.”

 

Zhong Nian paused, then spoke abruptly.

 

Under ordinary circumstances, they would never have dared utter such words. The Golden Flame Race’s foundations were plain for all to see. Each time that place opened, the experts dispatched by the Golden Flame Race were almost invariably at the Half-Saint Realm. Such existences, apart from Saints themselves, could not be matched by anything their own subordinates could field.

 

Yet this time, they had heard the rumours and knew that something had occurred within the Golden Flame Race, and Jin Ran had arrived alone.

 

An opportunity like this comes perhaps once in a generation. They had no intention of letting it pass.

 

And scanning those present in Golden Flame City, though there was no shortage of talented young people, Mo Qi and the others harboured absolute confidence in their own. Mo Bai and Zhong Daqi had forged fearsome reputations across this entire territory. The battles of life and death they had survived were simply beyond what these hothouse flowers could compare to.

 

Save for Jin Ran himself, who had arrived this time, they did not believe the Martial Ancestors within Golden Flame City could produce anyone capable of standing against them.

 

The moment Zhong Nian’s words fell, the expressions of the young people gathered around the square shifted sharply.

 

Though they thought quite highly of themselves, in terms of sheer presence, they fell short of those two ferocious individuals behind Zhong Nian by more than just a little. Many of them had come here solely for the dense World Energy. How could they possibly compare to those who had spent their days killing their way through the outside world?

 

“Very well, I’ll give you this chance!”

 

Yet to everyone’s surprise, Jin Ran did not pause to think at all. He agreed without hesitation.

 

“Truly worthy of Young Master Jin Ran, with generosity like this, Mo is impressed. In future, Mo will do his utmost to serve the great ones wholeheartedly!”

 

A flash of surprised delight crossed Mo Qi’s eyes as he laughed out loud.

 

“Mo Bai, Zhong Daqi, go and exchange pointers with the great ones. Remember, this is not a place for recklessness. Keep it controlled and stop when a point has been made.”

 

Zhong Nian also let out a light laugh and addressed the two behind him.

 

“Understood!”

 

Upon hearing this, Mo Bai and Zhong Daqi strode out from behind them, their gazes sweeping across the young people gathered around the square.

 

Even without deliberately releasing the fierce killing energy that came from having survived countless life-and-death battles, those eyes of theirs were enough to make the faces of many a young member of the Golden Flame Race change colour sharply.

 

Jin Xianduan also frowned slightly, though he made no comment. Jin Ran’s standing within the clan was not low, and with his mind, he would certainly not take such a course of action without good reason.

 

“Could it be…”

 

Jin Xianduan’s pupils shrank slightly, and the corner of his eye drifted, almost involuntarily, towards Qin Yichen, who had not spoken a single word since appearing.

 

“Which of the great ones would be willing to come and give guidance?”

 

Looking out at a crowd of young people who could not even meet his gaze steadily, the corner of Zhong Daqi’s mouth curved into a cold smile.

 

Figures like these hothouse flowers had died at their hands more times than could be counted. Were it not for the constraints of this place, they would have had a hard time holding back the urge to charge in and start a proper slaughter.

 

“Brother Qing, I will leave this to you.”

 

Amidst the silence, Jin Ran’s voice broke through suddenly.

 

That particular form of address, ‘Brother Qing,’ struck like a stone dropped into still water. Mo Qi and Zhong Nian’s expressions changed in an instant, and their gazes, for the very first time, snapped towards the tall, slender figure standing behind Jin Ran like an unremarkable attendant.

 

*Whoosh!*

 

Every gaze in the square followed, fixing simultaneously on Qin Yichen.

 

“He is so young?”

 

“A Peak Martial Ancestor. Though from the looks of it, he seems to have only recently broken through.”

 

Looking at Qin Yichen’s face, with its faintly scholarly air, the brows of those Martial Ancestors knitted together involuntarily. Clearly, this unfamiliar young countenance inspired no small amount of scepticism.

 

“This youth is not simple.”

 

Mo Qi and Zhong Nian exchanged a look, and their expressions grew slightly more guarded.

 

It was not Qin Yichen’s aura that gave them pause, but rather the title Jin Ran had just used to address him.

 

Without real ability to back it up, they could not bring themselves to believe that an ordinary Peak Martial Ancestor could have earned the right to be called “Elder Brother” by someone like Jin Ran.

 

The entire square went quiet at that moment. Countless gazes trained themselves carefully on the figure they had all but ignored until now.

 

Though Qin Yichen’s aura was likewise that of a peak Martial Ancestor, not one of them was willing to believe that such a young man could hold his own against Mo Bai and Zhong Daqi, individuals who had built a ferocious reputation across the entire Myriad Beasts War Domain.

 

After all, Mo Bai and Zhong Daqi’s names were said to be on par with Blood Hand Zhao Xueqi himself.

 

“En.” Under the weight of all those gazes, Qin Yichen gave Jin Ran a nod, a composed smile resting on his face, and stepped forward at an unhurried pace.

 

“My apologies. I would also like one of those spots.”

 

After walking forward, Qin Yichen clasped his hands lightly towards Mo Bai and the two others and said with a mild smile.

 

“Is that so? Then that depends on what you are capable of!”

 

Mo Bai’s eyes narrowed, and a cold gleam flickered within them.

 

They had worked hard enough for a chance to pursue the Saint Realm. This opportunity, seized after no small amount of effort, was not one they intended to relinquish lightly. Anyone who stood in their path would be swept aside without mercy.

 

“Both of you, please enlighten me.”

 

Qin Yichen gave a quiet smile, nodded, and spoke.

 

“What does he mean by that?”

 

“Surely he is not intending to take on both Mo Bai and Zhong Daqi simultaneously?”

 

The young members of the Golden Flame Race blanched at those words. Already sceptical of Qin Yichen, were it not for Jin Ran’s presence restraining them, there would likely have been no shortage of voices jumping out to call him out for his presumption.

 

“He has nerves, at least.”

 

“*Hmph!* Not any different from those that are in over the heads.”

 

Mo Qi and Zhong Nian exchanged a glance, and each quietly breathed a small sigh of relief.

 

They had absolute confidence in Mo Bai and Zhong Daqi. Among Peak Martial Ancestors, those two were genuinely among the very best.

 

And Qin Yichen’s brazen attitude only reinforced the familiar profile of the kind of arrogant young talent who had grown up coddled within a Top Tier Race.

 

In their estimation, Qin Yichen was most likely nothing more than an ignorant fool who had not yet come to understand how the world actually worked.