Whether Zhao Ke would accept the challenge, Lin Yu didn't know. But Lin Yu knew that Zhao Ke was currently in seclusion and likely unaware of the matter.
The incident caused an uproar, quickly becoming the biggest gossip in the entire Ji City, with a crowd of onlookers enjoying it immensely.
Lin Yu sent Zhao Ke the news, but the message vanished into the sea, with no reply.
"She's probably still cultivating!" Lin Yu guessed. "Let's ignore this for now. Today, we're going out to hunt!"
Lin Yu got up and went out, heading to the Awakened Guild.
[Mission: Explore the ruins of the old city, located a hundred miles south of Ji City, and draw a map of the ruins. Reward: 500,000 star coins. Requirement: Third-tier Awakened.]
"I'm already third-tier, I can accept this mission!"
After accepting the mission, Lin Yu walked towards the city gates.
...
Second High.
Shi Yifeng, surrounded by his subordinates, stood on a stone platform and declared to the crowd:
"I will be the strongest SS-rank in Ji City. I will make the Chaos Element Academy know what a mistake they made by choosing Zhao Ke over me!"
"Someone, issue a challenge to Zhao Ke in my name!"
A subordinate beside him said, "Boss is mighty, boss is the strongest!"
Shi Yifeng proudly held his head high. Having just defeated Lu Huan from First High, he was at the peak of his spirits, his confidence soaring as if he were the greatest person in the world!
Moreover, with so many subordinates fawning over him, his ego continued to swell.
At this moment, a person walked over. Seeing the newcomer, the crowd instinctively parted, creating a path.
"Isn't he from Third High? Why is he at our Second High?"
"You don't know? During the last beast tide, he betrayed his classmates and caused one death. He was expelled from Third High, and somehow managed to get into our Second High."
"No way, can Second High take someone like that?"
"You don't understand? Money talks!"
"This person is from the Li family, and a direct descendant, named Li Yuan!"
The crowd suddenly understood. No wonder he got into Second High; it was because he was from the Li family.
If Lin Yu were here, he would recognize this person instantly. This was Li Yuan, who had previously tried to pursue Zhao Ke.
During the last beast tide, he deliberately didn't go all out. While fleeing, he betrayed a classmate, using them as a shield to escape.
Originally, if everyone else had died, there would have been no proof, and no one would have pursued the matter.
But man proposes, and heaven disposes. Lin Yu appeared out of nowhere and saved the remaining people, foiling his plan.
Therefore, he not only hated Zhao Ke and the others, but he hated Lin Yu even more. In his eyes, it was Lin Yu who had ruined his reputation and left him infamous.
The thought of that figure made him grit his teeth in hatred. Coupled with the disappearance of Li Wu and Li Cong, his family suspected they had met with misfortune.
Li Cong wasn't important, as he only had a B-grade talent. But Li Wu had an A-grade talent and was destined to become a pillar of the family.
Whether to uncover the truth or exact revenge, Lin Yu had already been blacklisted by the Li family.
However, killing Lin Yu was not easy; they had to ambush him outside the city.
But Lin Yu was now too cautious when leaving the city. Several people would leave at once, all disguised, and their clones and main bodies would go in different directions, making it impossible to know where he was going.
As a result, multiple assassination attempts had failed.
When Shi Yifeng defeated Lu Huan, seeing Shi Yifeng's inflated state, Li Yuan felt an opportunity had arrived.
He gave Shi Yifeng a large sum of money and instructed him to challenge Lin Yu, even demanding that he kill Lin Yu.
A mere A-grade talent would be forgotten if they died. They couldn't possibly punish an SS-talent like Shi Yifeng, especially if it happened during a match, and everything could be attributed to an accident.
Challenging Zhao Ke was Shi Yifeng's ultimate goal; killing Lin Yu was merely a minor interlude in his eyes.
Li Yuan stood beside him and whispered a few words in his ear.
Shi Yifeng snorted, "Did you really not get in touch with her?"
"No!" Li Yuan continued. "I heard Zhao Ke is in seclusion, seemingly breaking through to third-tier combat power as well!"
Shi Yifeng sneered, "Then I'll wait for her to emerge and challenge her. I want to show everyone that I am the strongest SS-rank!"
The people around quickly flattered, "Brother Feng is the strongest, Brother Feng is the strongest!"
Watching this scene, Li Yuan felt a touch of envy, but more so, a detached observation.
Shi Yifeng came from a humble background. He had suffered poverty in his childhood. Once he awakened his SS-talent, his mentality became inflated. He was greedy for money, often threatened people, and bullied others. He was a bully at Second High.
All the teachers and students dared not speak out against him.
Li Yuan envied his talent but disdained his character.
Not disdained his talent, but disdained his wickedness. He believed that Shi Yifeng's wickedness was all low-level.
In his opinion, backstabbing people was more interesting. Such blatant wickedness was a target that would eventually lead to his downfall.
"Since Zhao Ke isn't showing up, you go challenge all the S-rank Awakened of Third High, and keep challenging them until they dare not appear, leaving them with a title of shame. Then we'll hype it up, pull Zhao Ke down from her pedestal! Finally, we'll push you onto the pedestal!"
"If Zhao Ke accepts the challenge, then it's to your liking. If not, it doesn't matter. We'll then challenge the A-rank Awakened, which will drag Lin Yu into the quagmire and finally complete the assassination mission!"
This plan couldn't be called brilliant, but it was certainly insidious.
Shi Yifeng burst into laughter and said, "Good, good plan! You are my Crouching Dragon!"
Li Yuan forced a laugh and said, "It's Brother Feng's personal charisma, otherwise, why wouldn't I join others?"
"That's right, well said! We'll do as you say. Go quickly!"
"Alright, I'm going now!"
Soon, a challenge letter was sent to Third High.
However, Zhao Ke did not accept the challenge, nor did she even respond to the matter, which led many with ulterior motives to spread rumors wildly, suggesting that Zhao Ke was afraid and had retreated.
In short, it was about stepping on Zhao Ke and praising Shi Yifeng.
"Zhao Ke is timid and afraid to fight me. Today, I challenge all S-rank Awakened of Third High. Will you accept the challenge?"
A challenge letter instantly ignited the internet.
The S-rank Awakened of Third High were indignant and furious.
"Who does he think he is, to dare compare himself to Zhao Ke?"
"Zhao Ke was admitted to the Chaos Element Academy in advance, while he... As fellow element-type Awakened, why wasn't he admitted in advance? That already says it all."
"He wants to challenge us, we cannot be afraid. Let's fight him!"
"That's right, we can't back down. We'll hold on until Zhao Ke comes out of seclusion, and let Zhao Ke avenge this humiliation!"
"It's not a disgrace to lose, fight!"