The Prodigies War

No one became enemies for no reason. 

In Lin Xun’s view, Sha Liuchan’s action was no different from that of Zhongli Wuji and Qing Lian’er. He only wanted to use him as a stepping stone to rise to the top and boost his reputation. 

“Huh?”

Just as Lin Xun turned around and was about to leave the News Tree, a familiar figure made him raise his eyebrows and curled his lips. In life, where will you not run into other people?

It was an old man as thin as a bamboo pole and with shifty eyes. He urgently went over to Sha Liuchan and said, “Young Master Sha, I come from the Windspeaker Clan, can I ask you something about Demon God Lin?”

It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from "pawread dot com".

Sha Liuchan wrinkled his forehead at first, irritated that someone blocked his path, but when he heard the name Demon God Lin, he immediately stopped and swept a glance over Bai Fengliu. He nodded reservedly and said, “If you have a question then just ask away. I have nothing to fear about Demon God Lin.”

His words were tough and direct.

“As expected of a peerless genius from the Fiend Devil Sea. It’s hard for us to not be impressed by Young Master Sha’s grace.”

Bai Fengliu still wore a solemn expression on his face, but he shamelessly flattered Sha Liuchan before he asked eagerly, “Young Master Sha, can I ask you what you think of Demon God Lin?”

Sha Liuchan answered without any hesitation, “He is just someone trying to deceive the world and doesn’t deserve his fame! I doubt any of the rumors about him are true. They are just made up. If he dares to show up here, then I will definitely sweep away his reputation and make the world know the truth!”

His words were calm but sonorous, making no disguise of his contempt for Lin Xun. He directly accused Lin Xun of deceiving the world and that he didn’t deserve his fame.

Watching from the dark, Lin Xun couldn’t help but smile coldly. This guy seems determined to make things difficult for me.

But Bai Fengliu’s face was alight with excitement. This is top-tier news!

Even after Sha Liuchan and his party left, Bai Fengliu was still mulling things over in his mind. He wanted to think of the best way to use the news to cause a sensation in Star Cliff City. 

“Sha Liuchan is such an idiot. What makes him think he can step on Demon God Lin to rise to the top? What wishful thinking…”

“But this makes it more interesting. After all, a clash between the peerless geniuses of the world will definitely attract worldwide attention.”

“Are you a friend from the Windspeaker Clan?” At this moment, an honest-looking youngster with a plain aura approached Bai Fengliu.

Bai Fengliu nodded absently. “Why? What’s the matter, little fellow?”

The youngster scratched his head, glanced around vigilantly, leaned closer, and whispered, “I have information about Demon God Lin…”

Before he could finish speaking, Bai Fengliu’s eyes lit up. “Are you sure?”

The young man said in a displeased manner, “If you don’t believe me, I can sell the information to other people.”

He turned around to leave, but Bai Fengliu urgently stopped him and said apologetically, “Little Brother, it’s not that I don’t believe you, but just that a lot is riding on this matter. If you lie to me, then the consequences for me will be very serious.”

The young man grumbled, “I can take you to see him, but you must pay me first.”

Bai Fengliu calmed down. The youngster shouldn’t be lying to me.

He generously brought out a storage bag and handed it to the young man. “There are one hundred mid-grade aeth essences inside. If I see Demon God Lin, then it will be all yours!”

The boy beamed, put away the storage bag, and said, “Come with me.”

Bai Fengliu hurriedly followed him. 

It was only a few minutes later when Bai Fengliu sensed that something was wrong. The youngster was taking him farther and farther away from the city center, and they had taken many turns along the way. It was getting more and more remote. 

“Say, little brother, could your intel be wrong? This place is too remote...” he asked suspiciously.

The young man casually explained, “Impossible. I’ve heard that Demon God Lin is being targeted by many people so he doesn’t want to show up in crowded places. It makes sense that he’s hiding in some quiet place.”

Bai Fengliu chuckled and his suspicion faded. “Little Brother, you don’t understand,” he said smugly. “The more it is like that, the more it highlights the extraordinariness of Demon God Lin. As the saying goes, it is the taller trees in the woods that get their tops blown off. The greater the uproar, the more it attracts the attention of the world, and when Demon God Lin appears…”

The more he talked, the more excited he spat out, “Imagine it, when Demon God Lin appears and competes with the other peerless talents, what a wonderful scene it would be! There is no doubt that it will cause a sensation in the entire West Infinity World!”

“Well, of course, I will also spread the news as soon as possible. I can also enjoy the limelight then!”

The young man asked, “Are you doing all this just to enjoy the limelight?”

Bai Fengliu said in a patronizing manner, “Little Brother, you don’t understand. If Demon God Lin gets rid of all the obstacles and survives, then his fame would soar even more. And how did he get his fame? Wasn’t it created by me? Not everyone can have such glory!”

The youngster nodded and continued to ask, “But what if Demon God Lin is unfortunately defeated by a certain peerless figure?”

Bai Fengliu laughed and explained idly, “You are too young and naive. Even if Demon God Lin is defeated, what does that have to do with me? I am just responsible for spreading news and the world won’t blame the failure of Demon God Lin on me. If he fails, at worst, I will just have to find another seedling like Demon God Lin and help them build fame like I did before.”

The young man thoughtfully said, “Then does that mean whether or not Demon God Lin succeeds or fails won’t damage you in any way and even benefits you?”

Bai Fengliu smiled and praised, “What a smart boy!”

“Shut up!” The youngster abruptly stopped and slapped Bai Fengliu on the back of his head.

PA!

Bai Fengliu stumbled and almost fell. He saw stars fly before him. He roared, quivering with anger, “Damn, little bastard! Why did you hit me?” 

Before he finished speaking, the youngster threw and held him on the ground, beating him violently. Bai Fengliu screamed like a slaughtered pig.

“Help! Help!” Bai Fengliu shrieked with a swollen face. 

“Keep shouting, I want to see if anyone will come to rescue you in this remote place!” The youngster snorted and launched another round of beating on Bai Fengliu’s skinny body. 

“Young hero, spare me! Young hero, please spare me! I know I am wrong, and I won’t dare to do it again!” Bai Fengliu clutched his head as he wailed. 

Just now, he was smug, calm, and patronizing, but now he was frantically begging for mercy again and again. The stark difference highlighted his spinelessness. 

“I can spare you, but from now on, you must stop investigating and spreading the news about Demon God Lin. If you promise to do that, then I will release you right away.”

The youngster stared at him. 

Unexpectedly, Bai Fengliu reacted fiercely and refused despite the violent beatings, “Impossible! My Windspeaker Clan was born to broadcast and spread the news. I would rather die than do as you said!”

“Do you think that I don’t dare to kill you?” The youngster raised his eyebrows and his eyes shot out murderous intent. 

Bai Fengliu snorted coldly and said righteously. “It’s useless even if you kill me. So what if I die? I have clansmen who will stand forward! Even if I die, I will be commemorated for generations! My death will be remembered by my clan and my name will live forever!”

The youngster stared speechless at him. Even at death, this old man is still thinking about spreading his name and how to leave a mark for generations to come. What an old weirdo!

“Stand up, I have something to ask you,” the young man snapped. 

The old man might have sounded righteous, but in truth, he was so scared of dying that his hands were clutching around Lin Xun’s leg.

“Are you not going to kill me?” asked Bai Fengliu.

“If I kill you, won’t I be letting you leave a mark for generations to come?” the young man remarked sarcastically.

Bai Fengliu smiled awkwardly. Then, grimacing, he endured the pain all over his body and forced himself to his feet. He opened his mouth to say something but when he saw the youngster’s face, no words came forth and his eyes bulged wide open. He was petrified like a ghost. 

After a good while, he jumped up and cried out, “Demon God Lin?”

That youngster was precisely Lin Xun. He had just restored his original appearance. 

“What? Are you not looking for me? I showed up in person, but why do you seem to not be pleased to see me?” Lin Xun teased.

Bai Fengliu stood rooted to the spot with a bruised nose and a swollen face, looking very pitiful. He couldn’t think of anything at that moment. 

How could he have imagined that while he was so focused on bragging, the target would show up in front of him?!

What a shock!

Bai Fengliu wanted to slap himself in the face.

“Let me ask you, has Yue Jianming, the successor from the Thousand Illusions Sect of the Fire Spirit Province, arrived in Star Cliff City yet?” Lin Xun asked. This was his real purpose in searching for Bai Fengliu.

After all, it was Yue Jianming who gave him a token to participate in the Dao Lantern Festival and invited him to attend the event with him. Lin Xun should pay him a visit now that he had come. 

And if he wanted to know about Yue Jianming’s whereabouts, it was a good idea to ask the Windspeaker Clan. 

“Yue Jianming?”

Bai Fengliu was taken aback for a moment and then he pondered before he answered, “He seems to have come to Star Cliff City more than ten days ago. However, talents like him can only rule a place like the Fire Spirit Province. He isn’t that impressive when you compare him to other people in the entire West Infinity World.”

The old man might be very well-informed, but he was a loose cannon and he didn’t miss out on the chance to ridicule Yue Jianming.

“Do you know where he is now?” asked Lin Xun. 

“Four Seasons Pavilion!”

Bai Fengliu answered without any hesitation this time. “Anyone qualified to participate in the Dao Lantern Festival will hang out in the Four Seasons Pavilion. This allows the geniuses and talents to get to know each other in advance. They can use the opportunity to assess their opponents and evaluate their own strength and size up the situation so that they won’t offend people whom they shouldn’t offend.”

After understanding the situation, Lin Xun suddenly turned around to leave, but Bai Fengliu quickly caught up to him and said with an ingratiating smile, “Young Master Lin, I believe you have just arrived in the city. If you would allow me the chance to redeem myself then please let me guide you there, what do you say?”