I Can See Your Combat Power
Chapter 1809 - 240: Reason

Chapter 1809: Chapter 240: Reason

"You’re still the same Cao Lie, unchanged in the slightest."

The Master of Lin Clan, Cao Meng, glanced at An Yuanxi, who was shoved aside and frozen in place, before turning his gaze back to Cao Lie, who seemed utterly unconcerned about taking the Flight Dragon from the sect disciples. He sneered, "This only makes me more convinced of that hypothesis. The research in Luyang City was not your glorious return; everything you’ve done has been for yourself!"

"Clap, clap, clap!"

Cao Lie clapped his hands and laughed, "What a brilliant analysis, rich with imagination! Pity, though, that no one will believe it. Even you yourself can only treat it as a hypothesis."

Cao Meng’s fists involuntarily clenched, his gaze sharp as lightning: "As long as I remain in my position, the Lin Clan will never ally with you. And now, I declare that previous agreements are nullified. The Lin Clan will no longer supply you with any Dragon Beasts."

"Taking a firm stance just now? Too late!"

Cao Lie laughed and waved dismissively, clicking his tongue in feigned regret. "After meeting Shi Sanke and Xiang Dongyou, Elder Jiao was utterly jubilant, eager to push this new breed of Dragon Beast within the Lin Clan. Even without you, Zhongzhou’s Lin Clan and the southern Lin Clan have already prepared Dragon Beasts for me. The momentum is now unstoppable. I do hope your resistance becomes tougher—after all, toying with cubs isn’t nearly as thrilling as yanking the Master of the Lin Clan off his throne."

"Roar!"

A beastly roar brimming with killing intent echoed from the rear of Youlong Hall. A dragon covered in brilliant red scales stretched its body from the hall’s rear corridor. Its crimson eyes burned fiercely with a mix of killing intent and fear.

Upon closer examination, one could see that its dragon wing, attached to the left rib cage, had twisted and deformed bones.

"A crippled dragon as the sect master’s battle beast? If I’d known Long Valley was in such dire straits, I would’ve picked a different partner to collaborate with."

Giving the pitiful battle dragon a glance, Cao Lie mocked indifferently, "Were the Lin Clan under my leadership, even handed to Cao Jinyu, it wouldn’t be in such a sorry state. Cao Meng, you’re ultimately just mediocrity. I honestly can’t fathom what the Ancestor saw in you. You ought to abdicate sooner—for your own good and for the Lin Clan."

"In terms of strategy and strength, I’ll admit I’m not top-tier. But in leading the sect? Even if you and Cao Jinyu got another chance, you’d at most become supervisors or intelligence handlers."

Fully accepting the ridicule, Cao Meng chuckled, "Even if it weren’t me, someone else would take up the mantle. And to take it a thousand steps back—even if there were only a cat lounging on the throne of Youlong Hall or a dog tethered there—it still wouldn’t be your turn to rule!"

"Explain yourself—I’ll give you ten years’ worth of reasoning."

To a monarch, reasoning is paramount.

Cao Lie had always harbored doubts. He, Cao Jinyu, and Cao Guang were once the most extraordinarily talented disciples of Long Valley—not merely ahead of their peers, but far beyond them. Compared to the three, the rest of Long Valley’s inner disciples and true heirs were no better than chickens and dogs, straw and wood.

Yet despite his brilliance, Cao Lie was stripped of everything merely for doing research. Cao Jinyu was isolated from Long Valley’s core authority for unknown reasons. Even Cao Guang was kept from touching the decision-making powers of the valley.

Isn’t it the most straightforward logic for the most outstanding individuals to lead sacred grounds?

Then why were mentors and elders, from the very beginning, cultivating mediocre talents solely to push them onto the throne?

Cao Lie truly despised Cao Meng—not because he coveted the Lin Clan throne, but because he loathed seeing incompetents rise to power without justification.

If Cao Meng couldn’t come up with a proper explanation, Cao Lie would ensure he received a punishment he’d never forget—by tearing apart and crippling the cherished crippled dragon.

Licking his lips, Cao Lie glanced at the red-scaled dragon in the corridor and locked his gaze firmly onto Cao Meng.

"Heh. And what reasoning should there be?"

With firm steps, Cao Meng strode forward, pointing directly at Cao Lie’s chest and meeting his gaze. "A man without a heart—what qualifications do such a person have to dictate the affairs of sacred grounds? Someone like you, even adorned in robes and touching ambition’s shore, still does not count as human. At best, you’re nothing more than a brute slightly fiercer than the Royal Beasts."

"In the Beast Taming Sect’s millennia-long history, humans tame beasts, not the other way around. I’ve given you logic. Now get back to Luyang!"

Despite being humiliated face-to-face, Cao Lie did not grow angry—or perhaps it was because, after breaking his own limits, he no longer felt rage.

He simply found it amusing—amusing that Cao Meng could spout such absurd logic. This Long Valley was indeed too old, too rotten.

His earlier decision to return here was indeed correct and wise.

With that thought, Cao Lie turned to look at An Yuanxi, who had been pushed aside since entering the hall, his brows faintly smiling as he shook his head.

The former Saint Child of the Divine Court, acclaimed as the Feather God and a prodigious genius.

Such a figure was, of course, within Cao Lie’s knowledge. Hence, upon entering the hall, he’d trapped him in a Dao Realm and set him aside.

Originally, he thought this young man would fight tooth and nail to escape the trap—allowing Cao Lie to gauge the current depth of the God Shifting Technique.

Yet, this youth displayed profound patience. Despite possessing the strength to wrestle with the Dao Realm, he refrained, remaining impeccably composed from the moment he was cast aside, his breathing devoid of the slightest disturbance.

This was... rather interesting.

With a wave, Cao Lie released the Dao Realm and calmly examined the jade-like features of the young man, remarking with a smile, "Why didn’t you resist? Has the Divine Court Dao Child lost even the courage to fight now?"

"When elders are in discussion, it is no trouble for juniors to wait."

Like a breeze caressing willow leaves, An Yuanxi’s gaze remained calm and his breathing steady. With the utmost politeness, he saluted and said, "Caught up in mundane affairs—if senior has no other instructions, may I now take my leave."

"Don’t be in such a hurry to leave."

Cao Lie’s smile deepened. "I seem to have heard that you hold evidence of Red Cloud’s new king status. Hand it over for a look."

"There is no evidence, merely speculation. Is senior interested?"

...

In Zhongzhou’s Undying World, atop the millennia-old He Shou Peak

The contest had already lasted a day and a half, yet the expressions of the Medicine God Sect’s esteemed beings remained far from pleasant.

Sitting cross-legged atop the Dao Arena, the Unparalleled Institute’s dean maintained his air of effortless elegance, his robes rippling gently in the wind. Hovering above his head was the same black sphere as the day before.

Opposite him, the Hundred Herbs Divine Monarch had undergone drastic transformations. The once-vigorous and robust figure who departed Returning Treasure Peak brimming with the vitality of billions of grass and trees had, in mere hours, traversed centuries.

His hair had turned completely silver; his body had withered; his face was etched deeply with wrinkles, his expression immensely complex.

Having consumed the life force of countless grass and trees, Jiang Fushen merely sought to extend a peony’s lifespan—yet, the earth-shaking energy ultimately proved incapable of delaying the flower’s withering and death.

Under the gaze of both contestants, the slowly spinning peony showed unmistakable signs of its demise. The dew on its petals had dried, the pale pink and white surfaces darkened to yellow and black, and the outermost layer of secondary leaves curled outward, teetering at the edge of snapping.

Anyone could see—this was the harbinger of complete wilt and decay.

The wager between these two sovereigns had decidedly tipped in the dean’s favor.

The Medicine God Sect could bear a loss, but what puzzled its mighty members was this: Why did the Hundred Herbs Divine Monarch lose at what he did best?