CHAPTER 203: CHAPTER 199 FAME

At Yunlai Inn, after returning, Li Fan ordered a pot of wine and a few appetizers on the inn’s terrace.

After today, peace would likely no longer be an option.

When he first arrived in Chi Xiao City, no one knew him in Seven Star Alley. Naturally, there was no attention drawn to him. But now, he knew that his days in Chi Xiao City would no longer be tranquil.

Still, there was no regret, even though it might have been an impulsive action. At least his heart felt lightened. *People laughed at him, mocked him, deemed him reckless and foolish beyond measure. If he had endured their ridicule, his Sword Heart would have been stifled.*

*And in the future, if his identity as a disciple of Li Mountain were to be exposed, wouldn’t that bring shame to the name of Li Mountain?*

"Brother Zuo, why didn’t you go to visit the Shadow Bearing Sword Arena today? People on the Green Cloud List all have their chances, you know!" someone said upon spotting Li Fan, smiling with a slightly playful tone.

"I did go," Li Fan responded.

"Oh? Back already?"

"Didn’t qualify," Li Fan said with a carefree smile. The crowd exchanged knowing looks, understanding his words but refraining from commenting; after all, the coachman by Li Fan’s side was notoriously wild.

This Zuo Tu—so arrogant and self-assured. Surely his trip to the Shadow Bearing Sword Arena opened his eyes to the overwhelming number of prodigies in Chi Xiao City.

"This year, with Senior Li Chengying’s dojo recruiting disciples, cultivators on the Green Cloud List are bound to gather. A storm is sure to erupt. I wonder how many will be accepted into the dojo, and as for the Sword Wall—where the character ’Cang’ belonging to Cang Yunxuan shines so brightly—do you think anyone could carve a character to compete with it?"

"I doubt it. Perhaps Ying Ze might have a chance," someone remarked.

"Ying Ze has held the first rank on the Green Cloud List for over a year without anyone managing to dethrone him. He could have gone to the Shadow Bearing Sword Arena last year, but he waited until this year instead. His intentions are clear, aren’t they?"

"To surpass Cang Yunxuan?"

"That must be it. Still, it’ll be difficult. I once had the fortune to see the character ’Cang’ myself—it’s eye-catching to an overwhelming degree. This year, no matter what characters the Green Cloud List cultivators carve, they’ll still merely serve as a backdrop."

People discussed and joked noisily, indirectly hinting at Li Fan, which he found somewhat amusing.

Just then, a commotion gradually rose. Yunlai Inn suddenly became livelier as numerous figures arrived, soon filling the terrace.

The newcomers occasionally glanced at Li Fan, whispering softly amongst themselves.

"What’s going on? Why’s it suddenly so crowded?" the crowd grew curious. Earlier today, many folks had gone to the dojo to witness the event.

At that moment, a graceful figure sauntered over, causing the room to go silent. Was it Xia Yao?

Xia Yao—ranked twelfth on the Green Cloud List.

Her gaze landed directly on Li Fan, intriguing the crowd even more.

"Miss Xia, how come you’re here?" someone stood, cupped their hands, and asked respectfully. "As for Senior Li Chengying’s dojo..."

"It’s already over." Xia Yao replied. Her tone carried hints of resentment, and she shot Li Fan a glare.

Being ranked twelfth on the Green Cloud List, her acceptance into the dojo should have been a foregone conclusion.

Who would have guessed that merely observing the excitement would drag her into an unexpected calamity?

Disastrous!

*This year’s Green Cloud List—it’s all disastrous.*

*And all thanks to Zuo Tu.*

"It’s over?" The crowd froze. "Shouldn’t Miss Xia have been accepted into the dojo for cultivation? By the way, how many disciples did Senior Li Chengying recruit this year?"

"Three." Xia Yao replied testily.

"Three??"

The crowd was stunned, confused. "Why so few?"

"Why don’t you ask Young Master Zuo?" Xia Yao strolled over to Li Fan’s table and unexpectedly took a seat. "You cost me my chance to cultivate at the Shadow Bearing Sword Arena, so buying me a few drinks doesn’t seem excessive, does it?"

"Please, Miss Xia," Li Fan said nonchalantly. It seemed that because he had defeated Han Zhong, Senior Li Chengying’s dojo only accepted three individuals this time?

If so, wouldn’t he have offended quite a few people in the process...

The surrounding crowd was even more puzzled. Why ask Zuo Tu?

What had happened??

"Young Master Zuo." Another figure approached—it was Lu Yuhuan. After the event concluded, she had also come to Yunlai Inn, only to be surprised by Xia Yao getting there ahead of her.

"Miss Lu," Li Fan replied. "Please sit."

Lu Yuhuan took a seat beside Xia Yao and said with a smile, "Young Master Zuo, it seems you’ve stirred up quite the trouble this time."

"What happened there?" Li Fan asked.

"After defeating Han Zhong and leaving your mark, Senior Li Chengying’s dojo only accepted three individuals—each from the top five ranks of the Green Cloud List. Yet, the characters they carved failed to surpass your ’Reckless’ symbol. Though they’ve entered Senior Li Chengying’s dojo, they’ve been overshadowed by you. I imagine they must feel a burning frustration. Not to mention, for the others who couldn’t enter the dojo..."

Lu Yuhuan glanced at Xia Yao beside her, and Li Fan naturally understood her implication.

"Clapping while watching a bold display of madness. Who cares if it’s bold—or if it’s madness!" Xia Yao teased with a sweet voice. "You’re satisfied, aren’t you? Meanwhile, I’ve lost my chance to cultivate at the Shadow Bearing Sword Arena. So, what do you suggest we do about that?"

"Didn’t I already offer Miss Xia drinks?" Li Fan said with a smile. Xia Yao didn’t appear to be here to cause trouble; otherwise, her demeanor wouldn’t have been so lighthearted.

"He defeated Han Zhong?" someone nearby exclaimed. "Carved a mark on the stone wall that none could surpass?"

Their minds reeled. Some had privately scoffed at Li Fan earlier, thinking he’d return humbled from Senior Li Chengying’s dojo. Yet now, the exchange made their heads spin.

"Yes. He defeated Su Chen and Chen Xiao in a single stroke each, defeated Han Zhong in three strokes, and carved the character ’Reckless’—replacing Cang Yunxuan’s ’Cang’ as the most prominent mark on the stone wall." Xia Yao declared.

The crowd: "..."

"You can’t be serious?"

"Who do you think you’re talking to? Do you think you’re Li Fan? Does it look like anyone here has the time to fool around with you?" Xia Yao shot them a glare, and the surrounding crowd erupted in shock, all eyes fixed on Li Fan.

Defeating Han Zhong in three moves, carving a symbol that surpassed Cang Yunxuan’s mark?

Insane.

Didn’t this mean that Li Fan, the youngest Sword Cultivator on the Green Cloud List, had ascended within the top ten rankings? His brilliance even threatened the first rank of the Green Cloud List, with his carved mark utterly outshining Cang Yunxuan.

More and more cultivators began appearing, all seemingly drawn by the news of Li Fan. The crowd slowly realized that this wasn’t exaggeration—it had genuinely happened.

"You’d better be careful." Xia Yao warned Li Fan. "Those on the Green Cloud List who didn’t make it into Senior Li Chengying’s dojo won’t pose much of a threat to you. Seeing as you defeated Han Zhong, they’re no match for you. But the three who entered Senior Li Chengying’s dojo—aside from the second and fourth ranks—they will likely seek you out. These three, though now disciples within the dojo, will have all the more reason to try proving themselves."

Li Fan mulled over Xia Yao’s words, quickly grasping the implications. Having overshadowed them with his carved mark, they would undoubtedly look to redeem themselves.

Moreover, this incident can be seen as a slight against Li Chengying himself. Although Li Chengying—one of the top five sword cultivators in the world—wouldn’t personally come after Li Fan, his three new disciples might. To earn their master’s esteem, they might take it upon themselves to address the matter and alleviate any embarrassment.

"Ying Ze, the first on the Green Cloud List. Remember this name. He’s held the top spot for a year now, standing at the peak of Foundation Establishment. Even the second-ranked individual is far from being a match for him. His combat prowess is already approaching the Condensed Core Realm’s boundaries."

"Thank you," Li Fan nodded. Xia Yao’s eagerness to come and relay this information was unexpectedly thoughtful.

As the two conversed, a sudden chill descended upon them.

Sword Aura blanketed the area, and Li Fan frowned, looking up to see Su Chen standing nearby with an older Sword Cultivator behind him.

Su Chen, unwilling to concede after Li Fan’s departure, still held onto a shred of hope. He had tried carving a mark, but the outcome was clear: if individuals ranked above him on the Green Cloud List couldn’t enter the dojo, he stood no chance at all.

The hopes he had poured into this long-planed attempt were completely shattered by Li Fan.

A wave of cold hostility emanated as Yue Qingqiu stepped forward to shield Li Fan, guarding against the middle-aged Sword Cultivator’s potential moves.

"You seem to have quite the leisure," Su Chen said, staring coldly at Li Fan, his gaze laced with killing intent.

"Why, Su Brother—planning to kill me? Not relying on assassins this time, I take it?" Li Fan asked.

"Young Master Su, I urge you not to act impulsively. After all, Chi Xiao City does operate under certain rules," Lu Yuhuan interjected, turning her gaze towards Su Chen. "Setting aside the assassination attempt—you taking aim at Young Master Zuo, it makes sense for him to retaliate in kind."

"What, Miss Lu is sticking her nose in, too?" Su Chen retorted.

"I understand Young Master Su hails from the Imperial City Su Family, but this is Chi Xiao City. As far as I know, securing support from a Seventh Realm Cultivator from your family is unlikely." Lu Yuhuan replied casually, her words striking at Su Chen’s weakness.

His desire to join Li Chengying’s dojo stemmed from aspirations of elevating his family’s status. Yet, even if his life were forfeit in Chi Xiao City, the Seventh Realm Cultivator from the Su Family still wouldn’t intervene.

Meanwhile, the Lu Family had Sixth Realm cultivators at their apex here in Chi Xiao City.

"Is the Lu Family going to stand up for him?" Su Chen asked, glaring at Lu Yuhuan.

"Yes," Lu Yuhuan answered. "If Young Master Su intends to make a move, the Lu Family will not sit idly by."

"Lacking the skill to win outright, all you can do is resort to schemes and rely on those behind you—yet you still dare to show your face? If I were you, I wouldn’t even show up," Xia Yao said mockingly.

"Su Chen, I don’t believe we’ve wronged Miss Xia, have we?" Su Chen furrowed his brows.

"You’ve certainly wronged me," Xia Yao retorted, glaring at him. "If it wasn’t for you provoking Zuo Tu, he wouldn’t have intercepted you outside the dojo. Naturally, none of the subsequent events would have happened. It’s your fault I lost my chance to cultivate at the Shadow Bearing Sword Arena. If anything, I should be settling my accounts with you."

"You..." Su Chen pointed at Xia Yao in frustration. *What Li Fan did, now I have to pay for?*

Many in the crowd turned their gaze towards Su Chen, gesturing and gossiping amongst themselves, making Su Chen’s expression grow even darker. The atmosphere was a complete reversal of days prior.

*People truly are fickle.*

When Li Fan first challenged him, everyone thought Li Fan was arrogant and ignorant of his limits—believing he was showing off in hopes of entering the dojo.

But now? Hah...

"Brother Zuo, we shall meet again," Su Chen said coolly before leaving.

This grudge would not be forgotten.