After the series of incredible major events initiated by Wan Lei, he had accomplished another feat.
Single-handedly, he had caused the Immortal Venerable to personally amend the rules of the Five Elements Hall!
That was an Immortal Venerable, whom ordinary disciples rarely saw even a few times in their entire lives. Encountering an Immortal Venerable appearing in the Five Elements Hall was enough to make them so excited that they could kneel and worship.
An Immortal Venerable was a deity of the main plane.
Yet, such a deity had personally ordered the rules to be changed, all because of Wan Lei.
But looking at Wan Lei's attitude, he wasn't the least bit excited. Instead, he was quite indignant, directly hurling curses at the Immortal Venerable.
Truly worthy of being the Five Elements Hall's foremost warrior. What, bullying Saints is no longer enough to satisfy your desires? You've moved on to cursing Immortal Venerables now?
Moreover, the crowd waited for a long while but did not receive any punishment for Wan Lei. What was going on? Did Wan Lei have that much influence?
In truth, they were unaware that according to protocol, the Sect Leader should have set the rules. The Immortal Venerable had personally issued the order because the Sect Leader no longer wished to take the blame for them.
As for why the Immortal Venerable did not appear to mete out punishment, it was to avoid disrupting the normal progression of events…
Wan Lei's瘋狂(fēngkuáng) accumulation of merit points in the martial arena had already disrupted the normal progression. Fortunately, they had intervened in time and curbed it.
That was a close call…
"That… Brother Wan, are you going to keep fighting?"
Xiao Jin, holding the spirit scroll, asked Wan Lei with a bewildered expression.
"Fight? Fight what? Only a fool would exert themselves for nothing."
Wan Lei cursed with a complete lack of the demeanor of a strong individual, then leaped away.
Seeing this, Xiao Jin immediately followed.
It wasn't until this grand series of wheel battles concluded due to the Immortal Venerable's intervention and Wan Lei's departure that the crowd finally reacted.
"Damn it, he wasn't fighting to get revenge on the Water Hall disciples, but to rack up merit points?"
"How did I not think of such a good way to earn merit points?"
"Hmph, do you have the capability to have over ten thousand people challenge you? Do you even qualify?"
"Shouldn't our focus be on the fact that the Immortal Venerable personally modified the rules for Wan Lei?"
"Another major event to be recorded in history. This Wan Lei is truly incredible."
The disciples dispersed one by one. The Water Hall disciples also left with gloomy expressions.
Finally, Xing Chen also let out a cold snort. Seeing Wan Lei get up and leave, it seemed impossible to fight him without merit points, and he was incredibly depressed.
But Wan Lei's mood was even more gloomy than his.
On the way back, Wan Lei's mind was filled with curses directed at the Immortal Venerable.
I was going to break into prison to rescue someone. But before I rescued them, I had always followed your rules.
I participated in the assessment, I completed the missions, I fought according to the rules. I did whatever you asked.
I followed the rules, so you should follow the rules too! Let's have a competition and see who wins in the end.
But it's not right for you to be both a player and a referee. The moment you saw I was about to win and could take office, you directly changed the rules?
It's like two gamers. One is a hardcore player who, just as he's about to defeat his opponent, is surprised to find out his opponent is the game's programmer!
How can you possibly win this?
With a heart full of extreme indignation, Wan Lei returned to his cave. Xiao Jin followed him.
Although Wan Lei was in no mood to entertain anyone, Xiao Jin was a good friend, so he let him in.
After Xiao Jin entered, he saw Wan Lei sprawled on his back again, his face displaying an expression of utter despair.
Looking at his state, Xiao Jin felt immense sympathy. What a pitiable person, possessing such exceptional talent yet being repeatedly targeted.
If you let him fight any opponent of the same level, he could win them all. But the enemy he faced was the rules!
"That… Brother Wan, don't be too discouraged. Merit points aren't of much use to you now, so don't be in such a hurry. Let's rest for a bit and stop bothering with those flies who are prisoners.
You fought against Saints, and then immediately engaged in a wheel battle with five hundred enemies. Even an iron man couldn't withstand it. Take some time to rest.
Wait for the dust to settle and for the Hall Master of the Fire Hall to forget about you, then you can come out and be active again."
Xiao Jin believed that this time, the Immortal Venerable targeting Wan Lei was still the work of the Hall Master of the Fire Hall behind the scenes.
"When I achieve sainthood, I will surely decapitate Li Yan!"
Wan Lei's voice was gritted through his teeth as he spoke.
If the Hall Master of the Fire Hall knew Wan Lei's thoughts at that moment, he would have been so enraged that he would have gone to fight the Immortal Venerable to the death.
The Sect Leader isn't taking the blame anymore, and I'm still stuck carrying the burden? Am I the Hall Master of the Black Pot?
"Senior Brother Wan, is Senior Brother Wan in?"
Outside the door, a voice suddenly called out again.
"Who is it? Get lost! I'm not receiving guests today!"
Wan Lei was in a bad mood.
"Junior brother is here under the Sect Leader's orders to deliver the extra reward for the last mission to Senior Brother."
Oh, someone delivering a reward.
"Then you can come in."
The formation at the entrance of the cave dwelling opened, and it was the young man from the Demon Hall from before.
The youth didn't mind Wan Lei's earlier insults at all. He smiled and cupped his fists in greeting,
"Junior brother greets Senior Brother Wan. For the last mission, Senior Brother Wan not only completed it perfectly but also brought the heads of the criminals, exceeding the quota. Therefore, after deliberation by the elders of the Holy Hall, it was decided to reward you with a magic treasure.
Junior brother came yesterday, but you were competing in the martial arena and didn't have time, so it was delayed until today."
"What treasure is it?"
"It's this."
The young man from the Demon Hall held a peculiar-looking object in his hand.
"Is this a… doorknob?"
Wan Lei rolled his eyes. What, if someone forgets their key from now on, they can put this doorknob on the door and it will open?
Does he have a new side profession as a professional locksmith?
The young man from the Demon Hall's lips twitched. He patiently held the doorknob, then gently pressed it, and a wide shield formed from energy and Dao rhythm appeared.
"Come, Senior Brother Wan, attack me."
The disciple from the Demon Hall was full of confidence and waved to Wan Lei, indicating that he could attack freely.
Wan Lei didn't feel pity for him. Instead, he glanced at his cave dwelling, ensuring that the formations around it were secure and would not destroy the main peak of the Thunder Hall. Only then did he raise his hand and unleash a bolt of lightning.
He only used fifty percent of his strength.
The lightning struck the energy shield with extreme speed. The disciple from the Demon Hall merely took a small step back and steadied himself.
But strangely, the lightning bolt did not dissipate. It was reflected to the left by the shield, then it collided with the formation and was reflected again.
After bouncing around a few times, its power was greatly reduced, and it hit Xiao Jin.
"Ah!!!"
Xiao Jin clutched his backside, his face contorted, and glared at Wan Lei with resentful eyes.
"Senior Brother Wan, as you can see, this shield, through its magnetic force, can redirect the attacks launched by enemies to the sides."