Chapter 868 Making a Move in Public
Chapter 868: Chapter 868: Making a Move in Public Chapter 868: Chapter 868: Making a Move in Public One Flying Boat after another approached, with those of the Long Family and the Ling Family moving side by side; the other Flying Boats maintained a respectable distance from them, as if wary of the two families.
Seeing this scene, some people outside the Wuji Battle Temple unconsciously shifted their expressions.
“Our North Town Hall’s Flying Boat has arrived too,” Mo Yun pointed to the sky not far away, and indeed they saw the Flying Boat that had brought them to the Wuji Battle Temple.
Upon closer look, standing atop the Flying Boat was an elder, none other than Elder Miao of the North Town Hall.
Many Flying Boats came from afar, slowly descending around the North Town Hall. On each Flying Boat, figures could be seen standing, some with powerful auras, some with restrained auras, and still others whose figures were not even visible.
Among them, the most shocking was the figure atop the Long Family’s Flying Boat.
He was an elegant old man dressed in a blue robe, with white hair and beard and a gentle visage, hands clasped behind his back, wearing an approachable smile on his face.
Yet it was such an elder who made everyone feel chilled to the bone, as the powerful figures on the other Flying Boats also showed reverence and apprehension towards him.
Fang Lin and his two companions noticed that Elder Miao also bowed to the blue-robed elder, displaying a very respectful demeanor.
On the Ling Family’s Flying Boat, there stood a middle-aged man, vibrant and dignified, embodying pride and authority. However, even in the presence of the blue-robed elder, this man of the Ling Family maintained humility, making an effort to contain his own aura and not act too presumptuously.
Fang Lin’s eyes narrowed at the sight of the middle-aged man on the Ling Family’s Flying Boat, and his face darkened.
Fang Lin recognized the middle-aged man from the Ling Family; it was Ling Haoyang, who had once been to North Town Hall, acting very aggressively.
Fang Lin remembered clearly how Ling Haoyang had humiliated him that day. Had not Ye Mengxian been there, Ling Haoyang would have probably suppressed him on the spot.
Now, this Ling Haoyang had appeared here once again, and it seemed he was specifically there to pick up Ling Zhongri and the other Ling Family disciples.
However, this meant that Fang Lin was about to face Ling Haoyang. Given the bad blood between him and the Ling Family, something was certainly about to happen.
“Fang Lin, let’s retreat to the Wuji Battle Temple for now,” said Mo Yun worriedly to Fang Lin.
Dugu Nian nodded as well, also hoping that Fang Lin would avoid the situation for the time being.
Fang Lin nodded and was about to head back into the Wuji Battle Temple with the others, only to find himself blocked by Ling Zhongri and several Ling Family disciples.
“Where do you think you’re hiding?” Ling Zhongri said with a cold, mocking laugh, the jeer clearly evident in his eyes.
Members of the Xu and Zhu Families were also implicitly standing together, blocking Fang Lin and his friends’ path, as if they were deliberately targeting Fang Lin.
Fang Lin’s gaze hardened as he scanned the group, sending a wave of panic through the disciples from the three families who involuntarily took a few steps back.
“Audacious! Dare to show aggression before me?” Out of the blue, Ling Haoyang, who had evidently been watching Fang Lin, saw that Fang Lin was being stopped by disciples from three families and immediately shouted out in admonition.
With the shout, an intangible authority spread out, seemingly intentional on Ling Haoyang’s part; the pressure did not affect anyone else but was aimed straight at Fang Lin.
This was an unabashed move against Fang Lin, disregarding the opinions of others, indeed utterly indifferent to the views of everyone else.
The moment Ling Haoyang made his move, the blue-robed elder standing on the Long Family’s Flying Boat showed no reaction, as if he had seen nothing.
Long Zhiming stood not far away, frowning slightly, seemingly dissatisfied with Ling Haoyang’s strong-arm tactics against those weaker than himself.
As the pressuring force arrived, Mo Yun and Dugu Nian were shaken back in an instant, and though they were not harmed, their chests felt stifled, their faces pale.
Fang Lin, however, bore the full brunt of Ling Haoyang’s pressure, and immediately let out a stifled grunt, his figure wobbled, but he did not fall.
Seeing this, Ling Haoyang’s originally teasing gaze became more solemn, and a thick murderous intent rose in his heart.
When he had seen Fang Lin before, the latter, in Ling Haoyang’s eyes, was frail enough to be crushed with a flick of the wrist.
But now, Fang Lin had become so much stronger; although still not a concern for Ling Haoyang, Fang Lin had become a threat, making Ling Haoyang think that if Fang Lin were allowed to grow unchecked, he might indeed become unmanageable in the future.
To nip the problem in the bud, it was best to act sooner rather than later!
A more piercing aura spread out from within Ling Haoyang, turning into a sharp sword, heading straight for Fang Lin.
This was a killing move. Ling Haoyang intended to slay Fang Lin in front of everyone, showing no hesitation whatsoever.
“You dare!” Elder Miao snapped angrily upon seeing this, ready to resist, even against a strong figure from the Ling Family, Ling Haoyang.
Elder Huang, emerging from the Wuji Battle Temple, also darkened in expression, let out a cold huff, and made a move to save Fang Lin.
The others, witnessing Ling Haoyang’s aggressive move to put Fang Lin to death, showed shocked expressions, silently commenting on the audacity of Ling Haoyang.
Ling Haoyang was not a fool – he surely knew that taking action here to kill Fang Lin would bring a lot of trouble upon himself.
Whether from Ye Mengxian or the higher-ups of the Pill Alliance, someone would definitely condemn him, but Ling Haoyang didn’t care. His concern was for the Ling Family, not himself.
By eliminating Fang Lin, he would be removing a potential threat to the Ling Family. Although Fang Lin did not currently pose a threat to the Ling Family, prevention is often the most effective strategy.
It was wisest to snuff out a threat before it became one.
To the Ling Family, Fang Lin was a potential threat, and Ling Haoyang’s mind would not be at ease until Fang Lin was dead.
Therefore, he was prepared to forsake everything, even if it meant facing the repercussions from the Pill Alliance’s higher echelons or Ye Mengxian’s investigation, to eliminate Fang Lin.
As for taking on some censure himself, Ling Haoyang did not care in the slightest; the Pill Alliance would not make life difficult for him over a dead person.
Elder Huang and Elder Miao coordinated well in their response, one pulling Fang Lin away, while the other blocked Ling Haoyang’s assault.
“Ling Haoyang, what are you doing? Are you intending to kill Master Ye’s direct disciple?” Elder Miao rebuked loudly, fixedly staring at Ling Haoyang.
Ling Haoyang, expressionless, said, “Fang Lin is an enemy of my Ling Family; any of us has the right to kill him upon sight.”
His words were incredibly domineering, a bid to overpower others with his position.
“Ling Haoyang, Fang Lin has just come out from my Wuji Battle Temple, and you want to move against him? Are you not taking me into account?” Elder Huang spoke, his tone not as furious as Elder Miao’s, but it still conveyed deep dissatisfaction.
Ling Haoyang, facing Elder Huang, dared not be too presumptuous, as Elder Huang, who was in charge of the Wuji Battle Temple, held a not insignificant status in the Pill Alliance. Although he was approaching the end of his life, he was still a respected elder who had made significant contributions to the Pill Alliance and was not someone to offend lightly.