Junior Uncle, You... Play Without Any Martial Morals!

"We're just here to cheer you on!"

"We came to see you despite our busy schedules, so try having a better attitude toward us, alright?"

Chunwa and Qiuchan spoke in milky, earnest tones:

"We don't mean anything by it, just telling you not to be nervous. If you lose, you lose. If Uncle-Master Ling Zhou doesn't want you, it's no big deal. Our Master treasures you so much—wouldn't it be wonderful to come to my Hundred Herbs Peak and be a weeding disciple then?"

True Person Yinyue treasures me? She probably just treasures me helping her weed! True Person Yinyue can't even shear sheep wool, so why the heck would I go to Hundred Herbs Peak? Master is the eternal god!

Xiao Ran kept his face rigid, determined not to lose his aloof demeanor.

"You guys go to Sword-Wielding Mountain. I planted strawberries and lots of other delicious fruits. If you wait until Master comes back, they'll all be gone."

The two little girls immediately perked up the moment they heard that.

"Really?"

"Really."

"Tell us to scram."

"Scram."

"Fine, you're the one who told us to scram... We're off to pick strawberries right now."

"If Master ever asks about it someday, just say you've been cheering me on the whole time."

"Scram already."

Chunwa and Qiuchan smacked their bottoms, stepped onto their swords, and zipped away toward Sword-Wielding Mountain with practiced agility.

After being thoroughly disrupted by the two little girls, the crowd looked at Xiao Ran with entirely different expressions.

They hadn't lowered their voices during the conversation, so everyone who could hear heard it all.

Subdued murmurs broke out among the crowd.

"Are the two little junior uncles of Hundred Herbs Peak really that familiar with Uncle-Master Xiao?"

"Naturally. Elder Yinyue favors Uncle-Master Xiao for his extraordinary farming skills; that's not hard to understand."

"I seemed to hear the two little junior uncles say just now that if he loses, he loses, and told Uncle-Master Xiao not to be nervous. Does that mean..."

"Out of the mouths of babes. It seems Elder Yinyue doesn't think highly of Uncle-Master Xiao."

"This might also be precisely his scheme. Proceed with caution in everything."

"Let's wait for Senior Sister Jiang and Junior Brother Ye to make their entrance first."

"I heard someone say just now that Senior Sister Jiang seemed to be inquiring about the peak-transfer procedures. Perhaps she's going to step into his shoes and become the new Direct Disciple of Sword-Wielding Mountain."

"Uncle-Master Xiao standing right here might just be his final bit of fortitude..."

"Look at Junior Brother Ye again. He really looks unremarkable in the crowd."

"Don't underestimate that person; miracles can happen around him. I once saw him covered in a glowing light amidst a desperate situation, charging straight into Foundation Establishment."

"Shh, look over there—Uncle-Master Luo Sheng has arrived!"

Everyone looked up toward the sky.

A chubby man wrapped in cyan robes and with a protruding belly walked on air toward them!

Step by step, leaving behind hard-to-fade magic seal traces in the air.

Two Discipline Hall law enforcers followed closely behind him on flying swords.

Luo Sheng strode over, landed gracefully in front of Xiao Ran, cupped his fists, and said, "Trust you have been well since we last met, Junior Brother Xiao."

Xiao Ran glanced at him.

This was a young fatty who always wore a faint, half-fake smile on his face, making it impossible for anyone to figure out his true attitude. He was known as the Smiling Tiger, and was rumored to be an even bigger old fox than his father, Huangfu Qun.

His build wasn't actually that fat; if he changed into a slightly looser Daoist robe, he would definitely still retain some ethereal, ancient immortal air. Yet, he insisted on wearing a standard-issue cyan robe, making him look pot-bellied, out of shape, and thoroughly full of official authority.

Perhaps that was the only way to better display the Huangfu Family background...

Standing behind him were two law enforcers who were both at the Golden Core cultivation level as well, but judging by their respectful attitude toward Luo Sheng, their strength was likely far inferior to his.

It seemed this fatty was a bit stronger than he had imagined, and even stronger than Chuyan. He was no pampered scion the way Xiao Ran had previously thought.

Thinking this, Xiao Ran returned a slight bow and said, "Morning, Senior Brother Luo."

"Not Senior Brother Luo, but Senior Brother Luo Sheng."

"Morning, Senior Brother Luo Sheng."

Luo Sheng maintained his smile, never getting upset.

"Two hundred and fifty years ago, I was forced by my dad—cough, forced by my Master to come participate one and a half months after the Disciple Challenge began. I never expected Junior Brother to possess such extraordinary courage, coming out to meet the challenge this early. When I heard this news, I skipped my morning practice and rushed right over here. Today, I'll be here to guarantee Junior Brother's safety."

Subtext: Guaranteeing his own safety, rather than the safety of the Inner Sect Disciples.

Xiao Ran nodded.

"Sorry to trouble you."

Luo Sheng gave a slight bow of respect to the crowd, then stepped up into the air, summoned a cyan stone cushion engraved with intricate patterns, hovered in midair, and sat upon it to watch the battle.

"Junior Brother Xiao has come to spar and exchange pointers with everyone despite his busy schedules. Those interested, hurry up and get on the platform. Uncle-Master Xiao is magnanimous and won't bicker over victory or defeat."

Keyword: Uncle-Master Xiao is magnanimous.

First Chunwa and Qiuchan acting brainless, and now Luo Sheng the Smiling Tiger...

The unfathomable image Xiao Ran had managed to painstakingly build up was thoroughly shattered by the three of them, leaving not a trace behind.

The crowd, who had initially been nervous and cautious, understood in an instant.

More than half of the hanging boulders in everyone's hearts dropped.

Aside from the howling wind, a hint of subdued commotion arose within the crowd.

Before long.

The first challenging disciple walked up to the square platform, causing its surface to vibrate slightly.

A shadow fell over the top of Xiao Ran's head.

Looking up, this disciple was tall and burly, standing well over two meters. A mass of bulging muscles strained tightly against his cyan robes, making him resemble an ancient giant.

The giant disciple cupped his fists, emitting a sharp, concussive boom in the air.

"This disciple, Wan Long, at the Qi Refining cultivation level and from Dayu Peak, will now spar with Uncle-Master Xiao in body art using mortal cultivation."

A commotion stirred through the crowd.

You call this mortal cultivation? You've already reached the peak of Body Tempering, alright?

Isn't this blatantly bullying people?

Young people these days have no martial morals! I love it! Hahaha.

Amidst the crowd, Lin Yunzi secretly broke out in a cold sweat for Xiao Ran, thinking that if the Uncle-Master had used his treasured artifact, he wouldn't have fallen into such a predicament.

In the air, Luo Sheng narrowed his eyes slightly, making his attitude unreadable.

The giant disciple wore a smile like a gentle spring breeze, overflowing with confidence.

"Uncle-Master, please."

Xiao Ran nodded in acknowledgment and lightly patted the air with a single palm strike.

This palm strike looked completely unremarkable, yet it fell like a stone into a calm lake, stirring a ripple through the air.

Bang! The palm force resonated with the air and abruptly expanded outward.

Bang! Carrying morning mist and spiritual pressure, the palm force underwent a secondary resonance, instantly accelerating with a roaring sound, finally even producing a folded spatial resonance with space itself...

Bang! Having undergone three layers of accumulation, the palm force initially looked ordinary, but then suddenly accelerated. Vigorous as a dragon and resembling a surging tide, the palm strike landed squarely on the giant's chest.

Hm? The giant disciple froze.

Unfortunately, it was already too late.

Bang! The palm force resonated once more with the giant disciple's physical body! The giant disciple's pupils dilated, a mouthful of blood sprayed out, and his massive physique flew backward like a giant cannonball, crashing down and knocking over a swathe of the crowd.

Xiao Ran retracted his palm.

"Next."

The wind whistled.

Voices fell silent.

Even though the wind was strong and there were many people, the crowd was as silent as a graveyard in the dead of night.

Senior Brother Luo Sheng has led me astray!

This fellow really did hide his strength! The inner sect disciples who had just been eager to try were scared into complete silence.

What kind of palm technique was that? Pushing his palm with mortal strength to vibrate the air... Could it be internal energy from the mortal pugilistic world? No, internal energy didn't have this kind of might!

A group of Inner Sect Instructors frowned.

Even with all his vast knowledge and experience, Lin Yunzi completely failed to understand Xiao Ran's palm technique.

In the air, a piercing glint flashed within Luo Sheng's curved, narrowed eyes.

Among the group of disciples, several Golden Core experts on the challenge roster prudently chose to stand back and watch the situation unfold.

Until a skinny disciple was shoved from behind by someone with a palm strike, forcefully pushed up onto the square platform.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, with no chance to step down, the skinny disciple had no choice but to cup his fists.

"T-this disciple, Chen Hefei, dares to ask Uncle-Master for guidance on immortal arts with my Qi Refining cultivation."

Xiao Ran glanced at him. Although this disciple had a skinny figure and a somewhat weak personality, his aura was extremely steady and his spiritual meridians unobstructed, showing that his foundational skills were quite solid.

The previous giant disciple had been defeated by a single palm strike precisely because he had sealed his cultivation.

Dealing with a full-health Qi Refining disciple now would still carry some pressure.

Should he advance to Qi Refining? It's not time yet! Xiao Ran steadied his mind and gracefully drew his keepsake sword.

"I have no immortal arts, only swordsmanship. Are you prepared?"

The skinny disciple suddenly grew nervous, hastily drawing his sword and forming hand seals with both hands.

"Sword Control Art!"

A sword flew out, piercing straight toward Xiao Ran.

It seemed this disciple only looked like a weakling, but his strikes were steady as a rock.

"Sword Control Art!"

Xiao Ran followed suit by forming a hand seal with one hand... barely counting as a seal.

The crowd was shocked.

What? Mortals can execute the Sword Control Art too?

Xiao Ran formed the seal with his left hand while throwing his sword into the air with his right.

Just as everyone's attention locked onto the sword--

He suddenly stamped his foot, resonating with the platform to borrow momentum and stride forward at high speed, while simultaneously sending a numbing vibration through Chen Hefei's body.

Chen Hefei's attention had been entirely focused on the sword duel, causing his mental reaction to lag half a beat, and now with the numbing vibration hitting the soles of his feet, his body lagged another half a beat.

As a result, Xiao Ran closed the distance in a single breath and slapped him horizontally across the side of the head.

Crack! This slap carried a resonant, violently vibrating force, tracing a graceful arc through the air.

Bang! With a single bang, Chen Hefei's head was smashed downward into the marble, while his body drifted down behind his head like a withered autumn leaf.

Even if Chen Hefei didn't die, he would suffer a concussion for quite a while. The battle was decided, and a line of text popped out from the cracks in the stone--

"J-junior Uncle, you... play without any martial morals!"

The crowd was dead silent.

Using mortal strength to consecutively defeat two inner sect Qi Refining disciples.

This was no longer a matter of martial morals.

This was naked, unadulterated talent!

If he hadn't encountered a heaven-defying prodigy, why else would that usually lazy and unrestrained Sword-Wielding Elder have taken on a disciple so easily? Lin Yunzi was moved to the depths of his soul—he had finally latched onto a thick thigh!

Luo Sheng narrowed his eyes, nodded, and said nothing.

Xiao Ran's combat talent was already glaringly obvious. Continuing the challenge held no further meaning unless one deliberately wanted to offend Sword-Wielding Mountain.

Just as everyone was preparing to abandon the challenges, a calm voice rang out from the crowd behind Xiao Ran.

"Disciple Ye Fan, willing to request guidance on Uncle-Master's superior moves with Foundation Establishment cultivation."