Chapter 16: The Pavilion Guardian Elder!

The gates of the Wenxian Sect were staggeringly massive!

Furthermore, since few people dared to pay attention to Ling Feng, a mere disciple from the Xiaozhu Peak lineage, he spent half a day weaving through magnificent buildings before finally locating the Library Pavilion.

He was unaware that Yang Wei, the Master of Feixing Peak, had already issued an order to prohibit any sect resources from being provided to him.

Ling Feng arrived before a three-story pavilion. A plaque hanging high above bore the three characters "Library Pavilion." The area was bustling, crowded with many inner sect disciples.

Every month, each inner sect disciple was permitted to borrow only one cultivation manual and one martial arts manual.

As it was the beginning of the month, it was the peak period for disciples to exchange for manuals. Ling Feng had to wait in a long queue before it was finally his turn to enter and select a manual.

"What is your name, and which peak and lineage do you belong to?"

The disciple guarding the Library Pavilion glanced lazily at Ling Feng and asked out of mere routine.

"Xiaozhu Peak, Ling Feng," Ling Feng reported his lineage truthfully.

"Xiao... Xiaozhu Peak?" The guarding disciple's eyelid twitched, and he suddenly bolted upright from his chair. "You are *that* Ling Feng?"

"Oh? You know me?" Ling Feng rubbed the bridge of his nose, not expecting to be a "celebrity" within the inner sect of the Wenxian Sect.

"Get lost, now! The Library Pavilion is not a place you can come to, and you have no right to borrow any manuals!" The guard's expression instantly turned cold.

He even beckoned several other guards, who began to subtly surround Ling Feng, as if warning him that if he didn't leave quietly, they would make him regret it.

"I am also an inner sect disciple. On what grounds am I forbidden from borrowing manuals from the Library Pavilion?" Ling Feng's gaze turned icy as he stared at the guard. "Who gave you the authority to defy the sect's laws?"

The disciple felt a surge of trepidation under Ling Feng's gaze and was momentarily speechless.

According to the sect regulations, every inner sect disciple indeed had the right to borrow manuals from the Library Pavilion. However, he had just received instructions from Feixing Peak to deny Ling Feng access.

This was an order from the higher-ups; how would he dare disobey?

"Hmph, my word is the authority!"

Just then, an old man with white hair and beard slowly walked out from within the Library Pavilion. This man was the Elder in charge of the Library Pavilion. Although he was not as prominent as the Peak Masters, he was still an elder who held real power within the Wenxian Sect.

The guarding Elder walked over slowly; though his steps seemed leisurely, he reached Ling Feng in just a few blinks of an eye.

"Greetings, Elder!"

The guarding disciples and the other disciples waiting to borrow manuals bowed in salutation. This Elder was a powerhouse of the Pulse Condensation Realm and possessed immense seniority; even if the Sect Master arrived, he would still have to address him as Martial Uncle.

The old man narrowed his eyes, staring coldly at Ling Feng, and said in a frigid voice, "Kid, I advise you to leave obediently. Do not go looking for trouble."

"You are an Elder?" Ling Feng raised his head, meeting the Elder's gaze with a slight smirk. "Does being an Elder mean you can disregard the rules established by the ancestors of the Wenxian Sect?"

"Eloquent nonsense! You dare to question this Elder?" The Elder's face darkened. He had always been close to Yang Wei of Feixing Peak; if Yang Wei wanted to suppress this junior, he was more than happy to do a favor.

"I am a disciple of the Wenxian Sect. Why should I not be worthy?" Ling Feng stood proudly, his expression unchanging in the face of the Elder.

"Good, good, good! You certainly have nerve!" The Elder flicked his wide sleeve. "Men! Drag this brat out and break both his legs. Let's see if he still dares to defy this Elder in the future!"

"As you command!" The guarding disciples wore sinister grins. They had been with the Wenxian Sect for years, but they had never seen such a death-seeking fool who dared to provoke an Elder. He was truly looking for death.

"I'd like to see who dares," Ling Feng snorted coldly. He reached into his robe and pulled out a token. "Elder, take a look at this. What is it?"

The Elder had already begun to turn away, but hearing Ling Feng's words, he couldn't help but look back.

In Ling Feng's hand was a palm-sized jade token engraved with the character "Immortal." It was none other than the Sect Master's Jade Token of the Wenxian Sect!

"What!" The Elder's pupils shrank violently. He spun around abruptly. "The Sect Master's Jade Token? How do you have the Sect Master's token in your hand?"

The surrounding disciples were instantly stunned. What did the Sect Master's token signify?

It signified the majesty of the head of the sect!

In an instant, no one dared to move to break Ling Feng's legs. They stood frozen in place, glancing between the Elder and Ling Feng, unsure of what to do.

"Finally, you have some sense!" Ling Feng secretly wiped a bead of sweat from his brow. He hadn't expected the Sect Master's token to be so effective at suppressing the Elder.

"Hmph, I see, I see!" The Elder froze for a moment before quickly reacting. "That old rogue Duanmu Qingshan gave the token to you, didn't he?"

"Duanmu Qingshan is already my master. Is there a problem with him passing things down to me?" Ling Feng gripped the token and snorted. "Elder, seeing the Sect Master's token, why haven't you knelt?"

"Hahaha!" The Elder suddenly burst into loud laughter. "Kid, this jade token might hold some deterrent power in the hands of Duanmu Qingshan, but for a mere green brat like you, even if you hold it, what use is it?"

A fervent light flashed in the Elder's eyes. "In Duanmu Qingshan's hands, naturally, no one would dare to snatch it. But in yours!"

With that, the Elder looked at Ling Feng with ill intent. He made a grasping motion with his hand, and a terrifying force instantly enveloped Ling Feng, pressing down on him so hard he could barely breathe.

"That old monster Duanmu Qingshan was wise for a lifetime but foolish for a moment. Hmph, this Sect Master's token should finally be returned to the Sect Master!"

The Elder laughed loudly. With a phantom grasp of his hand, Ling Feng was immediately caught by a terrifying suction force and sent flying toward the Elder.

"Oh no!" Ling Feng cried out inwardly. It was exactly as he had feared; while the token represented supreme majesty, it was useless if one lacked the strength to defend it.

Just as Ling Feng thought the token was about to be seized, the jade token suddenly erupted with a ghostly light. A sharp burst of sword qi, seemingly slicing through a distant stretch of time and space, traveled through the void and shot fiercely toward the Elder's palm.

"Ah!"

The Elder let out a scream of pain, and the suction force instantly dissipated. Ling Feng breathed a sigh of relief and gripped the token, his heart finally settling.

"Elder!" The surrounding disciples rushed forward to support the Elder. They saw him staring at Ling Feng with suspicion and uncertainty, cold sweat pouring down his forehead.

"Huang Xuanling, this was merely a small punishment. Ling Feng is my disciple. If you dare to bully the young and show no respect to me, you are welcome to test the consequences!"

From within the Sect Master's Jade Token, Duanmu Qingshan's voice—devoid of all emotion—boomed out like thunder, chilling the hearts of the surrounding disciples.

The Elder clutched his palm, which now bore a bloody, egg-sized hole from the sword qi.

"All disciples of the Library Pavilion, listen well: Ling Feng may henceforth come to the Library Pavilion to borrow manuals at will, without any restrictions!"

Having said that, the Elder, his face dark, hid his injured arm within his wide sleeve and turned to leave, not daring to cause any more trouble for Ling Feng.