C92 He Lowered His Head and Apologized

Upon hearing the words, Lin Xuan gave a slight nod, leaped down from the arena, and made his way toward the deacon. It was time to collect the wagers.

The possibility of further betting was out of the question. For one, his swordplay had been overwhelmingly powerful, nearly rivaling the might of someone at the Condensation Spin Stage Peak. The strongest disciple present, Chen Xiao, was merely at the third level of the Condensation Spin Stage, and no one else dared step up to challenge Lin Xuan.

Secondly, the exertion of unleashing 10% of his sword intent had drained a significant amount of True Qi from his Dantian, leaving him with a sensation of soreness and swelling throughout his body. He estimated his remaining strength to be less than half of his full capacity, making it imprudent to engage in further combat.

Approaching the deacon, Lin Xuan was presented with the lost wagers from Chen Annrann and others, amounting to a total of 15,000 contribution points. A subtle smile graced his face; these resources would sustain his cultivation for some time.

The deacon then turned his attention to Chen Xiao, standing not too far off. As an elite member of the Inner Sect, Chen Xiao's status surpassed that of the deacons, and they had no authority to collect his wager beforehand. They could only make a note of it and wait for the outcome to be settled before Chen Xiao would personally deliver the wager.

Chen Xiao approached with a wry smile, extracting his identity card and transferring thirty thousand contribution points to Lin Xuan. This sum represented nearly all the contribution points he had at his disposal.

"Senior Brother Lin," Chen Xiao began, his hands clasped in a gesture of respect, "these twenty thousand are my bet, and the additional ten thousand are a token of my apology. Zhao Gang was disrespectful to you earlier, and I ask you to pardon him just this once."

Even as an elite of the Inner Sect, Chen Xiao addressed Lin Xuan as 'Senior Brother,' acknowledging the superior strength Lin Xuan had demonstrated in his defeat. In this world, power commanded respect, and titles or seniority paled in comparison to the raw disparity of strength.

Chen Xiao's thoughts turned bitter. He had intended, upon defeating Lin Xuan, to have him publicly apologize and put the matter to rest.

Lin Xuan's prowess turned out to be even more formidable than the rumors suggested. He had unleashed his ultimate move, the 5% Saber Intent, and he believed he could take down an average practitioner in the late period of the Condensation Spin Stage. But what happened? Lin Xuan countered with an even more potent 10% sword intent. His opponent's mightiest strike crumbled effortlessly before Lin Xuan; had he not realized his inferiority and swiftly dodged to exit the arena, he would have sustained serious injuries. This turn of events was entirely beyond his anticipation, and his initial plans were rendered moot.

Now that Lin Xuan had eclipsed him in strength, demanding an apology was out of the question. The strong command respect, and it is the weak who apologize for the strong's errors, not the other way around. Besides, Lin Xuan was not the one at fault—it was his underling, Zhao Gang, who had erred. Lin Xuan's talent was nothing short of astonishing. At the Qi Transformation Stage, he had already grasped 10% sword intent, boasting power on par with the peak of the Condensation Spin Stage. He had shattered multiple sect records, and he had been practicing at the beginner level for merely a month and some days.

What heights would Lin Xuan's cultivation reach with more time? How formidable would his strength become? He was well on his way to becoming a core disciple, a prospect almost too daunting to contemplate. With these reflections, Chen Xiao realized he could no longer proceed with his prior tactics. He proactively offered an apology to Lin Xuan, seeking his forgiveness. It was unheard of for an elite of the Inner Sect to apologize to a regular disciple—a move that would surely invite mockery if word got out. Yet, with Lin Xuan as the exception, the situation took on an entirely different meaning. Lin Xuan had not only advanced through several major realms within a month, but his displayed strength rivaled that of an ordinary Condensation Spin Stage Peak. Few among the Inner Sect elites could confidently claim they could defeat Lin Xuan, despite his status as a mere ordinary disciple.

Yet, his performances have been nothing short of astonishing.

Even if he doesn't quite measure up to the Strong List's experts, he's certainly among the crème de la crème of the Inner Sect's elite.

So his actions aren't excessive.

In fact, they're quite appropriate.

Had he continued to demand an apology from Lin Xuan,

he would have surely made an enemy of him.

Lin Xuan's potential is staggeringly high,

and even now, he's no match for him.

Should Lin Xuan seek retribution in the days to come, he could easily end his life.

That's precisely why Chen Xiao shifted his stance and proactively offered an apology.

The disciples watching from afar were rooted to the spot in disbelief.

An Inner Sect elite apologizing to a newcomer?

Such an event was unprecedented in the history of the Drifting Cloud Sect!

They struggled to come to terms with it.

The deacons nearby were momentarily taken aback as well.

But they quickly regained their composure.

As deacons, they viewed the situation through a different lens than the disciples.

Despite being equally astonished,

they could grasp the rationale behind it.

Lin Xuan's performance had simply been too exceptional.

Chen Xiao's apology to Lin Xuan wasn't a matter of an Inner Sect elite bowing to an ordinary disciple.

Another elite in his shoes might very well have made the same decision,

given the sheer terror of Lin Xuan's demonstrated power.

In all of Cangyuan Country, no one could hold a candle to him.

Nobody would want to cross a prodigy with boundless potential.

It's doubtful even the Strong List's experts would dare such a thing.

Lin Xuan's eyebrows lifted in a mix of surprise and curiosity.

This turn of events was beyond his expectations.

He had assumed Chen Xiao came seeking retribution.

After all, he had taken hundreds of spirit stones and thousands of contribution points that were rightfully Chen Xiao's.

Yet now, Chen Xiao was the one extending an olive branch, offering ten thousand contribution points as a peace offering.

A flicker of bemusement crossed Lin Xuan's mind,

but he quickly pieced it together.

It must be because he had just bested Chen Xiao.

Otherwise, the tables might have been turned,

and it could have been Lin Xuan being asked to apologize.

Indeed, in this world, it is the mighty who command respect; strength dictates all.

Lin Xuan sighed inwardly.