Section 17: The Crowd Rises, a Crusade Against Chu Yun!
February 9, 2013 Author: Gu Zhenren
“Chu Yun, you a dignified man, bullying a weak woman? How shameless!” An elder student, filled with righteous indignation, stepped forward.
“I, Wang Wu, can’t stand by and watch. I challenge you,” another elder student declared, puffing out his chest.
“Such poor manners. I, Ma Si, also challenge you!”
“Count me, Qian Sen, in.”
…
Many male students strode forward, standing before Chu Yun, each eager to impress Ning Yiyi.
“Chu Yun, Chu Yun, brute force alone won’t defeat me. Heh heh heh, isn’t this a case of lifting a rock only to drop it on your own foot?” Ning Yiyi thought smugly. Glancing at Chu Yun, she feigned a worried expression and said softly to the crowd, “This is all a misunderstanding. We are all classmates, why the animosity?”
“Ning Yiyi, you’re too kind! Don’t you know you’ll be at a disadvantage?”
“Seeing you like this pains me. This arrogant fellow thinks he’s invincible. I must teach him a lesson or two!”
“Yiyi, don’t try to dissuade me. My mind is made up. I will leave a deep impression on this boy who offended you.”
…
Ning Yiyi’s words were like pouring fuel on the fire. The male students became increasingly incensed, roaring and vowing to teach Chu Yun a harsh lesson.
They all knew Chu Yun had fought Yan Que yesterday, and his strength must be diminished. Moreover, they were numerous, and their competitive spirit soared as they taunted him.
“Why should I accept your challenges?” Chu Yun raised his eyebrows, adopting a nonchalant, spectator’s posture.
The crusade against him immediately became more fervent.
“See? Chu Yun caved!”
“What does this mean? He fought a huge battle yesterday and is severely weakened! Perhaps only one or two parts of his strength remain.”
“If I can seize this opportunity, I’ll not only defeat a recognized Beast Master but also gain significant face in front of Ning Yiyi. It’s a win-win situation!”
“Chu Yun, are you scared?”
“Coward, you’re backing down. You’re a disgrace to Shu Island.”
“I’m embarrassed for you, boy. Don’t show off if you lack confidence!”
They stood tall and proud, looking down on Chu Yun, their words prodding him. They feared he might truly retreat and avoid the fight, thus ruining their grand plans.
Chu Yun touched his nose and sneered, “Accepting challenges for no reason, so many people at once, and no benefits? Do you think I’m an idiot? Unless you set up a wager and limit it to ten people per day, I won’t accept such a pointless challenge.”
The crowd’s clamor immediately subsided.
“What, scared?” Chu Yun, seeing this, suddenly turned to Ning Yiyi. “Are these your admirers? Just a bunch of cowards…”
Ning Yiyi remained silent, inwardly scoffing, wanting to reprimand Chu Yun.
“Everyone, Yiyi implores you to calm down,” she said, feigning conciliation while casting hopeful, captivating glances at the crusading party.
The crowd was instantly captivated, their hearts surging with impulse. The uproar reached its peak, their spirits ignited, and they all readily agreed to Chu Yun’s terms.
“Words are not enough, we need written agreements,” Chu Yun added coldly.
The crowd, now committed, had no choice but to sign and stamp the agreements with Chu Yun. Ning Yiyi, however, sensed something amiss, realizing Chu Yun might be using her with a hidden agenda.
The throng, noisy and boisterous, marched from the Academy Hall towards the Mountain Arena, drawing considerable attention along the way.
“What? Chu Yun openly wants to teach Ning Yiyi a lesson and challenge our campus belle?”
“The young tiger is clueless about romance, hehe. This is the first time I’ve seen Miss Ning flustered in front of the male students.”
“This Chu Yun is too individualistic!”
Some were surprised, others impressed, but most were angry protectors of their “flower.”
“How outrageous! If we don’t teach Chu Yun a lesson, he’ll never know his own limits!”
“Does he think defeating Yan Que makes him great? Yan Que is ranked low in combat power at the Academy. This Chu Yun is too arrogant.”
“He dares to lay a hand on our lovely, beautiful, and kind-hearted Ning Yiyi? He’s not human, he’s a beast! I must teach him a lesson!”
Especially after seeing Ning Yiyi following along, many saw this as a golden opportunity. They eagerly joined the ranks, determined to crusade against Chu Yun.
Chu Yun accepted them all, setting up wagers and signing agreements. The procession grew larger and larger, and by the time they reached the Mountain Arena, the number of challengers had swelled to a hundred.
“Today’s challenges are limited to ten spots. Who will be first?” Chu Yun asked, standing in the arena.
“I’ll go!” the crowd roared in unison, their expressions anxious. They were eager to show their prowess before Ning Yiyi, and also aware of Chu Yun’s strength, they feared delaying would allow him to recover, leaving them to face the consequences.
“Let’s draw lots for fairness,” Chu Yun said, pulling out a thick stack of wager agreements and randomly selecting one.
“Heaven bless me, pick me, pick me!” Many eyes widened, fixed intently on the contract in Chu Yun’s hand, their hearts praying.
The surrounding crowd grew, laughing and creating a lively atmosphere. They were thrilled to witness one spectacle after another.
Ning Yiyi’s expression, however, grew serious. She felt something was very wrong as Chu Yun confidently controlled the situation, leading her admirers around like puppets. This whole affair felt like a farce.
“The first challenger is…” Chu Yun drew out his announcement, their hearts tightening in anticipation. “…Shen Ma.”
A collective sigh of disappointment swept through the crowd, but one voice cried out, “It’s me, it’s me!”
Then, a student, tears in his eyes and trembling with excitement, walked onto the arena, proudly announcing to the onlookers, “I am Shen Ma!”
“Lucky kid!” the main body of the crusaders shot him envious and jealous glares.
Shen Ma felt a surge of euphoria. He had never felt so glorious since entering the Academy.
He proudly held his head high, looked at Chu Yun, and patted the Immortal Pouch at his waist. “You’re finished! Iron-hoofed Ram, charge! Take care of him!”
A Demonic Beast with 98 years of cultivation, on the verge of becoming a Great Demon, the Iron-hoofed Ram, charged at Chu Yun with a whistling roar.
“One strike and it’s over!” Chu Yun sneered, lunging forward and striking with lightning speed.
The glint of his saber was as dazzling as thunder, splitting the Iron-hoofed Ram in two!
“You win.” As Chu Yun held his blade to Shen Ma’s throat, the challenger still hadn’t registered what happened.
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