Chapter 19: An Appointment in March

The stands were deathly silent. Currently, almost everyone present had their eyes fixed on Chu Fengmian on the Life-and-Death Stage.

They all wanted to see if Chu Fengmian—who had just been incredibly arrogant, treating even the two Elders with utter disdain—would actually apologize.

"Fengmian, just apologize for now and show some weakness. Now is not the time to clash with the Fifth Elder; your strength is still far too meager."

Hearing the words of the Lord of the Lin Mansion, a hint of joy appeared on the Third Elder's face as he hurriedly whispered into Chu Fengmian's ear.

If he apologized now, even if the Fifth Elder wanted to seek revenge for Li Xing in the future, he would lack a valid reason.

"Uncle Lin, there is no need to speak."

Seeing the cold, stern expression on Chu Fengmian's face, the Third Elder attempted to continue, only to be silenced by Chu Fengmian's single sentence.

Chu Fengmian raised his head, looked toward the middle-aged man seated at the highest point of the stands, and spoke word by word.

"I will not apologize!"

Those five short words rang through the hearts of the crowd like five peals of thunder.

"Arrogant! Utterly arrogant!"

"This isn't just being cocky! This kid is definitely a madman! A mad dog!"

While this was what most people were thinking, the gaze of many Lin Mansion disciples toward Chu Fengmian was already tinged with admiration.

For how many years had it been? Perhaps since the founding of the Lin Mansion, no one had ever dared to defy the orders of the Mansion Lord.

Chu Fengmian's response was a direct refusal of even the Mansion Lord's command.

"Chu Fengmian, you!"

The Third Elder was anxious to death. He hadn't expected that such a ready-made way out had been provided; if Chu Fengmian had just taken one step back, the matter would have been settled.

But this single sentence had instead pushed Chu Fengmian onto the very tip of the storm.

"Silence!"

"Contemptuous!"

"Lord, this boy is arrogant and domineering. He even dares to disobey your orders! Such an arrogant person cannot be allowed to remain!"

"Expel him from the Lin Mansion!"

"No, cripple his cultivation! Demote him to a slave and send him to the Ash Mine to dig ore!"

Almost simultaneously, countless voices erupted. It wasn't just the Fourth and Fifth Elders; even the Second Elder and the Law Enforcement Elder spoke up at once to condemn Chu Fengmian.

In the Lin Mansion, Chu Fengmian's very existence was a thorn. Now that they had seized the opportunity, they all began shouting frantically.

"At this point, there is no need for any of you to act so hypocritically."

Looking at the roaring crowd, a cold sneer curled at the corners of Chu Fengmian's mouth.

"The position of the Great Steward of the Lin Mansion's Outer Estate belongs to the Chu family; it has nothing to do with your Lin Mansion. If I, Chu, wish to leave, I will naturally leave. There is no need for you to drive me out."

"Fifth Elder, don't you want to avenge Li Xing? How about I give you a chance?"

Chu Fengmian turned his head to look at the Fifth Elder and suddenly spoke.

"In three months, how about you and I take the Life-and-Death Stage?"

To take the Life-and-Death Stage!

In three months, Chu Fengmian would step onto the Life-and-Death Stage again.

And this time, the target he had chosen was the Fifth Elder.

"It's over! This kid is truly insane!"

"Taking the Life-and-Death Stage against the Fifth Elder? The Fifth Elder is a Body Tempering Realm expert. Is Chu Fengmian planning suicide?"

"I think this kid Chu Fengmian must have damaged his brain through cultivation. Three months? Even if you gave him three years, he wouldn't be a match for the Fifth Elder!"

The crowd thought to themselves in unison.

The way everyone looked at Chu Fengmian was the way one looks at a dead man.

Chu Fengmian's realm was only at the fifth level of the Bone Tempering Realm. While he was capable of defeating Li Xing, who was at the seventh level of Bone Tempering, through his swordsmanship, facing the Fifth Elder of the Body Tempering Realm was an absolute impossibility.

One had to realize these were two entirely different realms. Even a peak Bone Tempering Realm martial artist could not be a match for someone who had just stepped into the first level of the Body Tempering Realm.

Could it be that Chu Fengmian was already confident he could raise his strength to the Body Tempering Realm within three months?

"Fengmian, what are you saying..."

The Third Elder was about to speak, but when he saw the look of absolute confidence in Chu Fengmian's eyes, he stopped.

He understood now that the current Chu Fengmian was completely different from the one he had imagined. Just as Chu Fengmian had been confident in defeating Li Xing, this statement was by no means empty words.

"What an arrogant brat!"

"You little beast, it seems you are seeking death!"

The various Elders all burst into laughter.

In three months, even a peerless genius with all seven spiritual veins fully opened would find it impossible to step into the Body Tempering Realm. Even the greatest genius in the history of the Lin Mansion took a full year to go from the fifth level of Bone Tempering to the Body Tempering Realm.

To achieve all this in three months was an impossibility.

"Fine! Then I shall give you three months! In three months, it shall be the day of your death!"

The Fifth Elder spoke coldly, his words saturated with killing intent.

Three months was not long; he could afford to wait.

More importantly, he knew in his heart that in three months, Chu Fengmian would absolutely lack the ability to defeat him.

"The Life-and-Death Stage in three months. Chu Fengmian, are you certain?"

The Lord of the Lin Mansion glanced at Chu Fengmian. His eyes were extremely deep, and it was impossible to tell what he was thinking.

"I am," Chu Fengmian nodded.

The Lord of the Lin Mansion said coldly, "Very well. In three months, it shall be settled on the Life-and-Death Stage. When the time comes, regardless of who wins or loses, this debt is wiped clean."

Having said that, the Lord of the Lin Mansion departed, and the Elders followed suit.

The crisis had been temporarily defused, but everyone knew this was merely a temporary suppression. The true explosion would occur in three months.

The disciples of the Lin Mansion also began to disperse.

Half an hour later, Chu Fengmian and the Third Elder returned to the courtyard of the Lin Mansion's Outer Estate.

"Fengmian, are you truly certain you can deal with Li Fu in three months?"

As soon as they entered the door, the Third Elder hurriedly questioned Chu Fengmian.

"Although Li Fu's strength ranks last among the Lin Mansion Elders, he is, after all, at the third level of the Body Tempering Realm. Without stepping into the Body Tempering Realm, it is impossible to be his match."

The Fifth Elder was not an Elder specialized in combat, but to become an Elder of the Lin Mansion, one had to be at least at the Body Tempering Realm. Even if the Fifth Elder was now old, he was not someone a Bone Tempering Realm martial artist could contend with.

"In three months, I am confident I can step into the Body Tempering Realm," Chu Fengmian said decisively.

To go from the fifth level of Bone Tempering to the Body Tempering Realm in three months was something that was nearly impossible even in the entire Martial Victory Kingdom.

However, just because others could not do it did not mean Chu Fengmian could not.

The current Chu Fengmian possessed the vast experience of his past life and, more importantly, the most profound cultivation technique in the world: the Bone Rebirth Decree. He had been able to go from a waste without any spiritual veins to opening three spiritual veins and entering the fifth level of Bone Tempering in just two days.

Three months would be more than enough.