Nan Xunran turned to look at Su Zhuyi. "Do you still want to fight?"
Su Zhuyi stepped forward, but a Su Clan elder hurried over and pulled her away, saying in a low voice, "You're not allowed to go."
The Su Clan had finally produced a chosen of her caliber. They couldn't let anything happen to her.
Su Zhuyi pulled free of the elder's hand and said bluntly, "It's just a spar. I haven't offended him."
The elder was at a loss for words. "Stop before anyone gets hurt," he said helplessly.
Su Zhuyi nodded. "Come on."
She swiftly drew her longsword, its tip pointing at the ground at an angle. She looked at Nan Xunran, only to see him standing motionless.
"Aren't you going to use a weapon?"
Nan Xunran asked in return, "What? You want a sword contest?"
Su Zhuyi nodded repeatedly. "Mm-hm."
"All right," Nan Xunran said.
With that, a sword appeared in his hand.
"A wooden sword?" Su Zhuyi was somewhat surprised.
Nan Xunran nodded. "Yes. No Trace is too powerful. You wouldn't be able to withstand it."
"All right." Su Zhuyi accepted it readily. After all, the strength Nan Xunran had shown just now made it clear that she was no match for him.
But as for swordsmanship, she had never heard that Nan Xunran excelled at it.
Su Zhuyi tapped the ground lightly with her toes, and her figure instantly soared into the air.
She spun in the air, the sword in her hand dancing with the turn of her wrist. Sword Qi formed a circle and whirled around her.
She gave a light flick of her sword tip and pointed it at Nan Xunran. The Sword Qi instantly scattered, speeding straight toward him.
Nan Xunran raised his hand and swung his sword, steadily blocking the fierce Sword Qi.
Su Zhuyi's eyes widened in shock.
She bit her lip, then flicked her wrist, tracing several dazzling sword flowers as she swept toward him.
At the same time, her blade became countless afterimages that slashed toward him.
Nan Xunran swung his sword several times, layers of sword shadows meeting the countless afterimages.
After an exchange of blows, Nan Xunran pointed his sword tip straight at Su Zhuyi's forehead and slowly spoke. "You lost."
Su Zhuyi's spirits sank. She sheathed her sword and said, "You won."
She asked in puzzlement, "How are you so good at swordsmanship too?"
Nan Xunran smiled lightly at her question.
Seeing this, everyone around them wondered to themselves: was there anything this member of the Nan Clan couldn't do?
He had actually defeated Su Zhuyi, the Azure Moon Sword Immortal, who was famous for her swordsmanship, with a wooden sword.
Nan Xunran walked toward the seats of honor. When he reached Nan Xiao and Bai Wanying, he said slowly, "Father, Mother, I'll go back and change first."
Nan Xiao immediately said, "It's fine. Leave the people here to your mother and me, Ran'er. You can go straight back."
The corners of Nan Xunran's mouth curved up slightly, and he nodded.
He turned and walked out of the hall.
His white robes were stained with blood, specks of crimson spreading across the sleeves. It had all gotten there from Lin Zong just now.
Seeing Nan Xunran leave, Su Zhuyi rose. The Su Clan elder asked, "Where are you going?"
She pointed in the direction Nan Xunran had gone. "He left."
"I'm going to find him."
The elder pressed a hand to his forehead and sighed helplessly. "Huh?!"
Outside the hall
Nan Xunran walked ahead, with Su Zhuyi following close behind, matching him step for step.
Nan Xunran stopped and turned around. "Is something the matter?" he asked calmly.
Su Zhuyi raised her head. "Teach me swordsmanship."
"Your swordsmanship is already very good."
"No, I want to learn yours."
"No."
Su Zhuyi pressed him. "Why not?"
"The cultivation methods we practice are different. You'd lose control."
"Then I'm going to follow you."
A puzzled look appeared on Nan Xunran's face. "?"
"I want to see how you practice your swordsmanship."
Nan Xunran replied indifferently, "Suit yourself."
Divine Son Hall
Nan Xunran walked into the inner hall, with Su Zhuyi still following him.
Seeing this, Nan Xunran frowned slightly. "I'm going to change. Go to the outer hall."
Su Zhuyi obediently answered, "Oh."
Then she turned and walked toward the outer hall.
After watching her leave, Nan Xunran turned to Jiang Ruxi, who stood nearby, and said, "Go find the Su Clan elder and have them take Su Zhuyi away."
Jiang Ruxi nodded. "Yes." Then she added, "I'll help you change first."
"No need."
Jiang Ruxi said nothing more, only answering, "All right." Then she turned and left the inner hall.
After watching her leave and making sure no one else was in the hall, Nan Xunran called out, "System."
"System, how many Heaven’s Mandate Points does Lin Zong have left?"
The system's sphere of light flew out of his sea of consciousness, accompanied by a cheerful "Ding-dong!"
[Child of Fortune Lin Zong has been gravely wounded and is on the brink of death. His fortune has been severely damaged. Heaven’s Mandate Points reduced by 350.]
[Child of Fortune Lin Zong's state of mind has suffered a blow. His fortune has been damaged. Heaven’s Mandate Points reduced by 240.]
[Child of Fortune Lin Zong has made a fool of himself in public. His reputation has been damaged and his fortune reduced. Heaven’s Mandate Points reduced by 70.]
[Child of Fortune Lin Zong's remaining Heaven’s Mandate Points: 210.]
The system's sphere of light reminded him, "Host, Host, Lin Zong still has a fortuitous encounter he hasn't obtained, so he has 210 Heaven’s Mandate Points left."
"Where?"
"In the Heavenly Spring Realm. It will open in three days."
Nan Xunran nodded slightly. It was time to make a trip to the lower realm.
By the time Nan Xunran stepped out of the hall again, there was no one left in the outer hall.