CHAPTER 68

Act Like a Lady

"The next match," The long-bearded arbiter, clearly relishing the eager attention of the crowd, waited until he had fully whetted their appetites before stroking his beard and leisurely continuing, "will be between Chonghua Sect's Tong Tong and Nichang Valley's Meng Qianyao."

"D@mn it! Why are these two little girls fighting?"

"What happened to the fierce deity and k!lling star duel?"

"I just bet fifty top-grade spirit stones, isn't this a scam?"

However, no matter how eager the audience was to witness the life-and-death duel between the two masters, they could not sway the organizers' decision. Outsiders had no idea what consensus had been reached in the private discussions among the higher-ups of the various sects, but they had forcefully postponed the imminent match, replacing it with another lackluster competition.

Even though one of the contestants was a gentle and beautiful female disciple from the Nichang Valley, renowned for her grace, and the other was the rising star of the Chonghua Sword Sect, a newly promoted young swordsman in white, neither could compare to the allure of the showdown between Su Yan and Jia Siwen.

"Just wait and see, the winner will definitely be me!" Jia Siwen tossed out an arrogant declaration before turning and striding away.

'Shangguan Yi is dead. That woman better not do anything reckless and cause trouble!'

"Hmph." Su Yan chuckled indifferently, turning her gaze toward the tense arena. She gave Tong Tong a reassuring look.

Meng Qianyao's skill is nothing special. She can win.

In Su Yan's eyes, the young girl Tong Tong, having been trained by her, had undergone a complete transformation. Against opponents of the same level, she should be unstoppable and invincible!

Initially, Su Yan had harbored some concerns, but after witnessing Tong Tong defeat Zhu Yingyi of the Qianyu Sect, her conviction only grew stronger.

She had thought that Tong Tong would be looking forward to such a match to showcase her strength, but for the two parties involved, it was an awkward encounter indeed, as the saying goes, when rivals in love meet, their eyes blaze with hostility!

Tong Tong couldn't understand why, in Miss Qianyao's eyes, aside from envy and complexity, there was also a trace of shame, annoyance, and resentment.

That delicate little face was flushed with a rosy blush, like a ripe honey peach, looking irresistibly tempting and making one want to take a bite.

Recalling the fresh and juicy taste, Tong Tong wiped away nonexistent drool, already planning to sneak into the orchard behind Qingyun Court after the match to pick a couple of fruits to satisfy her craving.

This glutton who never learned her lesson had clearly forgotten that her shameless hands had once brazenly taken liberties with the young lady, leaving Meng Qianyao with an indelible shadow. Seeing Tong Tong's sparkling gaze, she instinctively took half a step back.

Noticing the odd expression on her face, Tong Tong suddenly remembered: This girl seems, probably, maybe... has a crush on the first senior brother?

How could that be?

Her little face darkened, her appetite fading away. Even the other girl's face no longer seemed as tempting as a honey peach, with so much powder applied, her face was frighteningly pale, like undercooked dough sprinkled with too much yeast. It simply didn't look appetizing!

Cautiously glancing at Su Yan, whose indifferent face showed no expression but whose eyes held deep tenderness when they met hers, Tong Tong's heart trembled, and she inexplicably felt her face flush and her heart race.

Biting her lower lip, she shyly turned her face away, but when she faced Meng Qianyao again, her expression abruptly shifted into a fierce, murderous glare: 'Come on, rival! Even if you're a girl, I won't hold back!'

Her intense gaze made Meng Qianyao feel a boiling surge of fighting spirit as well. Her beautiful eyes fixed on Tong Tong, unwavering.

The battle was ready to erupt.

In a side room of the rear hall at Yanzhou's Xunxiang Pavilion.

A silver-haired woman sat in a rosewood armchair, her fingertips holding a colorful silk ribbon. The other end was attached to a piece of translucent, jade-like jade, carved with intricate patterns, clearly of extraordinary origin.

Her posture was impeccable, her demeanor dignified, leaving no room for criticism. Yet, a trace of impatience flickered across her face, and her voice rang out like the chime of jade pendants, clear and resonant, yet carrying an innate chill: "My daughter is here with you. Hand her over now, or I will k!ll you."

Opposite her, reclining on a soft couch, was a man, his brows dark and sharply arched, temples sharply defined, phoenix eyes slender and long, peach-blossom lips tender and pink, exuding an innate, bewitching allure. Were it not for the distinct Adam's apple at his throat, he would truly be a beauty of ambiguous gender.

This man was one of the current leading figures of the demonic sect, the master of the Xiaoyao Sect, Wu Xin.

"Tsk, tsk, after all these years, why must you still resort to k!lling at the slightest provocation, my dear lady?" He lounged languidly on the couch, casually adjusting his half-open robe to cover the expanse of pale, bare chest that had been exposed. He seemed unperturbed by the interruption, at his feet knelt a completely naked, muscular man, eyes bl0odshot and breathing heavy, clearly still recovering from the pleasures of moments before.

Though inwardly displeased, the naked man dared not defy his master. He swallowed hard, forcing himself to relax his tense muscles, and lowered his gaze respectfully as he waited.

Only then did the sharp glint of k!lling intent fade from the eyes of the man on the couch, replaced by a flicker of satisfaction. With a light wave of his pale blue silk sleeve, the kneeling man silently withdrew.

Now only Wu Xin and the silver-haired woman remained in the room.

Each occupied their own space, the atmosphere growing heavy and oppressive, especially in the lingering traces of decadent scent within the chamber, yet neither seemed to notice.

After a long silence, Wu Xin chuckled softly and shifted the topic. "It's been so long since we last met. How have you been, my dear lady?"

"I don't remember," she replied, no longer pressing urgently for her daughter. Instead, she idly twisted a colorful silk cord between her fingers, her voice languid.

"Oh? Why didn't you seek out your betrothed, He Qing, and instead came looking for me? Could it be that the esteemed Lady Leng has actually taken a fancy to me?" Wu Xin stroked his smooth cheek, asking with a playful smile.

"The old man is dead, so the engagement is naturally void," Leng Yan, the silver-haired woman, shot him a cold glance. "Besides, I'm here for my daughter, not for you. Don't flatter yourself."

Unfazed by her blunt disdain, Wu Xin's smile remained undiminished. "My dear lady, now that the old sect master has passed, are you prepared to take on the responsibility of uniting the three sects to stand against the cultivators of the righteous path?"

Leng Yan rolled her eyes at him, as if looking at a clueless fool. "What does that have to do with me? I only want to find my daughter."

"So, you refuse?" Wu Xin frowned slightly, making him appear even more captivating. "Is it because you can't let go of that woman surnamed Ye? Didn't she betray you? Why cling to someone like that?"

"...I have no idea what you're talking about," Leng Yan frowned back at him, her eyes filled with confusion.

"You don't remember?" Wu Xin stared intently into her eyes but saw no trace of complex emotion, as if that name truly held no significance for her.

Had she truly forgotten her?

Then, he probed subtly, "Have you lost your memory, my dear lady? Do you still remember me?"

Leng Yan studied him for a moment before looking away in disdain. "You d@mned sodomite, you're looking more and more like a woman..."

Wu Xin's lips twitched as he forced out a few awkward chuckles, though inwardly he felt a wave of relief. "It seems the young mistress hasn't forgotten me after all. Good, very good."

Could it be that she only forgot that woman? Back then, she was so infatuated it nearly drove her mad...

And who the hell said I'm into men? I'm just absorbing vital essence to cultivate my skills! Men's essence is simply more potent, alright?

You're the one with questionable tastes, young mistress!

After silently grumbling to himself, Wu Xin sent a mental message to his subordinates, instructing them to bring over the two youngsters captured a few days earlier. Turning back to Leng Yan, he spoke with a serious tone, "Even if you have no interest in the position of sect leader, you can't just stand by and watch the Mystic Sect slaughter all our disciples, can you? In that case, let your daughter, the descendant of the Leng family, take on this role!"

"Why?" Leng Yan narrowed her eyes, clearly displeased.

"Because she is the Profound Yin Demon Seed born in defiance of heaven, the strongest demon in this world, the hope for revitalizing the demon sect!" At this moment, Wu Xin shed her seductive facade, her eyes gleaming with a fierce light, her entire being radiating a decisive and commanding aura.

"You're just as mad as the old man," Leng Yan retorted bluntly, though she made no move to stop him.

"Your praise is too kind, I dare not accept it," Wu Xin chuckled, then raised his voice to command the subordinate waiting outside the door: "Convey my order, have the ambushers prepare to strike from within and without. Move out!"

Leng Yan watched him issue the command with cold eyes, offering no comment, yet a sense of foreboding, like an impending storm, flickered in her heart. A sharp pain shot through her mind, but when she tried to trace its source, it vanished as if it had never existed.

On the Chonghua Sect's competition stage.

To the east stood Meng Qianyao, clad in a white gauze dress, ethereal and captivating. To the west stood Tong Tong, dressed in a plain brocade robe, handsome and sharp-witted.

The two stared intently at each other, like a pair of lovebirds, or rather, like two birds of the same feather. In truth, amidst the stormy winds, flashing lightning, and rumbling thunder, sparks flew between them, a clash of titans where neither was willing to yield.

Meng Qianyao drew her weapon from her wide sleeve, a finely embroidered silk fan. On its surface was painted a serene beauty, her lips slightly parted as if whispering something sorrowful, evoking a sense of pity.

This fan could easily be mistaken for a delicate work of art. Only those with broad knowledge and sharp eyes could discern that it was, in fact, a formidable magical artifact.

Clearly, Tong Tong was not among such experts. Nor could her "fish eyes," which occasionally appreciated beauty beyond just delicious food, perceive anything extraordinary. Seeing her opponent holding a delicate fan between her slender fingers, Tong Tong couldn't help but feel amused inwardly, Did you think you were Princess Iron Fan? What's with the fan? Coincidentally, I, Tong Tong, was once a formidable figure known as the "Great Sage Equal to Heaven!"

Tong Tong put on a humble smile and, with a swift motion, drew Biling, twirling it into a graceful sword flourish. She had practiced these movements countless times, even rehearsing the angle of her wrist and the expression on her face in front of a mirror, striving for flawless perfection. Biling, understanding its master's intentions, gleamed with a brilliant emerald light, gradually tinged with a faint layer of gold, dazzling and blinding to the eye.

In comparison, the latter's display seemed far more attention-grabbing.

'Mwahaha, this is exactly the effect I wanted!'

Seize the initiative, strike first, gain the upper hand... Back in my days in the sales department, such tactics to create momentum were second nature to me! So, "Princess Iron Fan," are you already intimidated by the radiant glow of my little Biling?

Ohohoho...

Just as Tong Tong looked over triumphantly, she saw Meng Qianyao calmly hiding behind the suddenly enlarged fan, smiling gracefully and elegantly, completely unaffected by Biling's brilliance.

'Tsk, this girl has some skills!'

If one plan fails, try another!

Tong Tong rubbed her stiffened cheeks from smiling and straightened her expression. With a slight bow, she adopted a poised and courteous demeanor, saying, "Fairy Meng, please."

This was the thirty-sixth stratagem, "Act like a lady."

By creating an illusion to make the opponent lower their guard, then launching a surprise attack when they least expect it, just like that...

"Miss Tong, no need to stand on ceremony. Please, you go first." Meng Qianyao's fingers bloomed like lotus petals as she formed a hand seal, the massive fan, which had been as large as a wall, suddenly shrank and returned to her hand.

Hiss! How... how does she know this move too? That's not possible!

Tong Tong gritted her teeth in frustration: 'Fine, I'll just focus on the match...'

With a flick, Biling shot toward Meng Qianyao, who, instead of retreating, advanced to meet it. She brandished the small silk fan with such force and speed that Tong Tong couldn't find an opening to attack.

Only then did the spectators below begin to take interest, temporarily setting aside their distractions to focus on the match between the two.

As for Su Yan, who had been relaxed and composed earlier, her gaze deepened, Meng Qianyao's cultivation had improved quite a bit compared to before!

'Hmm, I just bet 150 top-grade spirit stones on that silly girl. Did I put down too much?'

'Ah, well, I've won plenty before anyway, so it doesn't matter.'

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