Seeing their master humiliated, Li Jing's lackeys felt worse than if they themselves had been cursed at. They snapped back without yielding an inch, and the cold mockery gradually turned into a shouting match. Li Jing's face grew increasingly dark. For sixteen years, he had lived in luxury, accustomed to praise and flattery. Even his imperial father had rarely reprimanded him. This was the first time he had been humiliated to his face!
Amid the verbal sparring between the two sides, Qin Haoxuan's expression remained unchanged. Zhang Kuang and Li Jing both had grudges against him. If those two could fight like dogs biting dogs, he would naturally be delighted to see it!
But he had only just emerged from the Lava Cellar, only to run into two groups bickering like village women cursing in the streets. It truly spoiled the scenery. Especially now that Li Jing's face was growing uglier and uglier, this quarrel showed signs of escalating. For the sake of some peace and quiet, Qin Haoxuan smiled faintly and advised Li Jing, "Senior Brother Li, why get angry? What is the point of getting angry with a pack of petty men who cannot watch their mouths? Better to cultivate more diligently, achieve Rooting soon, and sprout before Zhang Kuang. That would be the same as slapping them across the face with your own hands. Those lackeys who bully others by relying on their master would have nothing left to say."
At Qin Haoxuan's reminder, Li Jing came to his senses as well. Zhang Kuang's being the first to achieve Rooting had already dealt a blow to their morale. If he still sought the fleeting satisfaction of an argument and quarreled with Zhang Kuang's group, it would be no different from offering his face up for them to slap. It might even trigger a physical clash and tear away all pretense, which would bring a hundred harms and not one benefit to his long-term plans.
"Junior Brother Qin is right." Some of the anger faded from Li Jing's face as he forced a smile. "Junior Brother Qin has only just returned from Solitary Confinement Mountain, so I shall not disturb you further. Farewell."
Having fallen behind Zhang Kuang, Li Jing was in no mood to exchange further pleasantries with Qin Haoxuan. Qin Haoxuan's neither warm nor cold attitude also displeased him greatly. In particular, those words of advice had stirred towering waves in Li Jing's heart.
You, Qin Haoxuan, are nothing but a mountain villager, and merely a weak seed besides. Do you need to teach me such shallow reasoning? Aren't you only relying on Xu Yu as your backing? You really think you are somebody! Besides, if he used these methods of humbling himself to recruit talent on anyone else today, that person would already have been moved to tears, kneeling down and pledging loyalty. Yet you do not know what is good for you, speaking to me in the tone of an equal. Give you an inch of color and you want to open a dye shop!
To Li Jing, if he put on the appearance of associating with someone as an equal in order to win them over, that person ought to respond by swearing allegiance. What was more, when Qin Haoxuan had called Zhang Kuang's followers lackeys who bullied others by relying on their master, his gaze had also swept vaguely across Li Jing's own followers. From that alone, Li Jing could tell that Qin Haoxuan still bore him no goodwill and could never serve under his command.
Those who lacked such self-awareness had to be removed sooner or later. But for now, he still had some use. Let you hop about for a few more days!
In Li Jing's eyes, the only people in Spirit Field Valley qualified to associate with him as equals were Zhang Kuang and Xu Yu. Those two Gray Seeds, Zhang Yang and Murong Chao, were not qualified.
"Farewell." Qin Haoxuan clasped his hands in salute without even bending at the waist. He merely returned the gesture, his expression as light as clouds and calm as wind, without the slightest trace of respect for Li Jing.
Qin Haoxuan's manner not only left Li Jing extremely displeased, but also made Li Jing's followers feel a hundred times uncomfortable. If he dealt with Li Jing as an equal, did that not place him above them? A mere weak seed—what right did he have to stand over their heads? Murong Chao in particular, who had been beaten by Qin Haoxuan, wore a face full of indignation. Yet to avoid ruining his master's grand plans, he could only turn away and refuse to look at him.
After Li Jing's side stopped returning insults, Zhang Kuang's followers lost interest in tangling with them and turned their mockery toward Qin Haoxuan.
The old grudge between Zhang Kuang and Qin Haoxuan was already an open secret in Spirit Field Valley. These followers had even fewer reservations, hurling every kind of ridicule and abuse in order to curry favor with Zhang Kuang.
Qin Haoxuan merely sneered. These people knew Zhang Kuang would not send them to make a move against him, so there was no need to fear being turned into idiots and having their cultivation crippled. But did they truly think flattering Zhang Kuang like this would be useful? Zhang Kuang might be overbearing, but he had held great ambitions since childhood. Once he spread his wings and soared, how could he possibly think highly of them? Yet there were always people in this world who did not understand that flattering the strong was inferior to striving to become strong themselves.
"Oh, look! Qin Haoxuan has come out after seven days of confinement."
"Haha, look at those tattered clothes. He must have suffered quite a bit in there! This is what happens when you offend Junior Brother Zhang Kuang!"
"Of course! With Junior Brother Zhang Kuang's cultivation progress, sprouting and growing leaves will be as easy as turning over his hand! I hear that Purple Seed disciples at the Immortal Seedling Realm Second Leaf can even challenge those at the Immortal Seedling Realm Fifth Leaf across ranks! With Junior Brother Zhang's talent, would the elders not devote themselves to nurturing him and teaching him all kinds of supreme wondrous arts? Qin Haoxuan will have plenty to suffer then!"
Another burst of loud laughter immediately erupted, mixed with all manner of fawning praise for Zhang Kuang.
A moment later, a strangely affected voice sounded beside Zhang Kuang. "Tell me, he has no turtle shell growing on him, so why is he so hard to beat?"
"Maybe his turtle shell is under his clothes, where you cannot see it. If you have the skill, why not strip off his clothes and take a look?"
The fellow with the lewd grin said, "I do not have that ability. I am not Xu Yu—I cannot take off his clothes... Hahaha!"
Qin Haoxuan had treated their mockery as the barking of mad dogs and had not taken it to heart. But when they insulted Xu Yu, he finally could not bear it any longer.
What could be endured, and what could not? Within the Taichu Sect, Xu Yu was the only one who sincerely regarded him as a friend. Xu Yu did not think himself superior because he was a Purple Seed disciple. On the contrary, he cared for and defended Qin Haoxuan at every turn. They could clamor about Qin Haoxuan all they wished, and he would not care, but letting Xu Yu be insulted because of him was going too far.
Everyone saw anger emerge on his face as he strode toward Zhang Kuang's group.
All were drawn by Qin Haoxuan's fierce reaction. Li Jing and the others, who had not yet gone far, also stopped to see how Qin Haoxuan alone would deal with Zhang Kuang's group, which even had several senior brothers at the Immortal Seedling Realm Fifth Leaf!
"What are you trying to do? Is Boss Zhang Kuang's residence somewhere you can simply come over to?"
"Get lost, or do not blame us for being rude!"
Seeing Qin Haoxuan stride over, several disciples whose cultivation was insufficient were the first to panic. Over the past few days, Qin Haoxuan's name had thundered through the valley. Rumor had it that he and Yuan Shanxiang of the Immortal Seedling Realm Fifth Leaf had both suffered defeat, and Yuan Shanxiang had now had his cultivation crippled and been turned into an idiot, while Qin Haoxuan remained lively and vigorous, without the slightest sign of injury! Even if the story of Qin Haoxuan and Yuan Shanxiang both being defeated was a false rumor passed from mouth to mouth, Qin Haoxuan had beaten Yuan Shanhu of the Immortal Seedling Realm Third Leaf until he cried for his father and mother. Many people had seen that with their own eyes.
Seeing the blazing fury between Qin Haoxuan's brows and his unstoppable bearing, those who had come to curry favor with Zhang Kuang unconsciously made way for him. Their cultivation was not even comparable to Yuan Shanhu's, much less Yuan Shanxiang's. There was no need to seek humiliation for themselves!
Zhang Kuang felt Qin Haoxuan's anger and dominance. Even amid the crowd, he could not help taking a step back, a flash of fear passing through his eyes.
Having just stepped back, Zhang Kuang suddenly came to his senses. He was a dignified Purple Seed disciple with limitless prospects. What was more, there were so many Immortal Seedling Realm followers here, including no shortage of powerful cultivators at the Immortal Seedling Realm Fifth Leaf. With them present, why should he fear Qin Haoxuan?
Though he kept cheering himself on, Zhang Kuang still felt uncertain inside and could not help growing somewhat dejected. Qin Haoxuan had built up too much fearsome prestige in his heart and had become a psychological barrier he found difficult to cross. When he had first been tested as a Purple Seed disciple, his psychological advantage had made him feel brimming with confidence. But this freak Qin Haoxuan, by some unknown means, had defeated Yuan Shanhu of the Immortal Seedling Realm Third Leaf and even fought Yuan Shanxiang of the Immortal Seedling Realm Fifth Leaf to mutual defeat. Only a few days had passed, and he had come out lively as a dragon and vigorous as a tiger again.
Zhang Kuang knew he could not accomplish any of that! His psychological advantage over Qin Haoxuan turned to ashes in an instant. When he looked at Qin Haoxuan again, the hatred in his eyes deepened. He practically wished he could devour him alive and tear him limb from limb.
The last barrier between Zhang Kuang and Qin Haoxuan was several senior brothers at the Immortal Seedling Realm Fifth Leaf. Qin Haoxuan strode toward them, and though he was now less than ten paces away, he showed no sign of stopping. They had thought their Immortal Seedling Realm Fifth Leaf cultivation would be enough to cow Qin Haoxuan and prevent him from coming any closer, but Qin Haoxuan did not take them seriously at all.
Ten steps...
Seven steps...
Five steps...
Qin Haoxuan drew closer and closer. That irresistible momentum made even the senior brothers at the Immortal Seedling Realm Fifth Leaf feel uncertain!
Momentum was just like that: when you were strong, I was weak; when I was weak, you were strong! When Qin Haoxuan was only two or three steps from crashing into them, they all chose to step aside at the same time.
Zhang Kuang had originally felt somewhat reassured with several senior brothers at the Immortal Seedling Realm Fifth Leaf serving as a barrier. Now he shuddered violently. He had always wanted Qin Haoxuan dead, wishing he could hack him into ten thousand pieces, but when Qin Haoxuan came within three steps of him, fear rose in him once more. Every trace of his earlier smugness vanished. Though he tried hard to conceal it, terror still showed through his eyes!
Qin Haoxuan completely ignored Zhang Kuang's hate-filled gaze. He reached out, seized the lewd disciple beside Zhang Kuang, and lifted him into the air. A bleak killing intent filled his eyes as he stared coldly into the disciple's gaze. "Do you believe that before he even sprouts, I can cripple you?"
The lewd disciple dangling in Qin Haoxuan's grasp no longer had the bravado he had displayed while insulting Qin Haoxuan and Xu Yu. His legs kicked wildly in midair. As Qin Haoxuan gripped him by the neck, he cast pleading looks toward Zhang Kuang and the several Immortal Seedling Realm Fifth Leaf experts, while stubbornly putting on a show of calm. "You would not dare!"
He did not realize that even these two words trembled in his voice. He had completely forgotten that he was an Immortal Seedling Realm First Leaf cultivator. Under Qin Haoxuan's fearsome reputation, it never even occurred to him to attack the Qin Haoxuan who had captured him. Qin Haoxuan's overwhelming force had already frightened the courage out of him.
"At worst, I will be confined again. Do you think I am afraid?" Qin Haoxuan sneered and tightened his grip around the disciple's neck. The lewd disciple's face immediately turned bright red. "You dared insult a Purple Seed disciple. Even if I kill you, the elders would not say anything. Do you believe that?"
After speaking, Qin Haoxuan swept his cold, murderous gaze across the crowd. Those who had just been restless and eager to step forward to save the lewd disciple now hesitated and dared not advance.
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