"I wouldn't be telling you if I explained it. Besides, you can't learn about your opponents in advance before every fight. But I can give you a hint: their team's called the Mad Battle Team." Jiang Siming yawned.
Everyone silently cursed him.
Chapter 34: It's All Because I'm Too Handsome—Everyone's After Me
Soto Grand Arena.
"Teacher, we're back." Tang San scratched his head.
"Got it." The teacher answered, then turned around and took out a file.
"These are the opponents you'll face today. They're all Soul Elders. Mubai, you're not allowed to use your fourth Soul Skill. Tang San, you're forbidden from using the Eight Spider Lances. Understood?"
"Understood!" everyone shouted.
The match began soon after. Jiang Siming leisurely watched while smoking. Suddenly, he sensed a trace of killing intent. He showed no reaction, only focusing on feeling it out. Strangely, the killing intent vanished just as suddenly. A pair of hands landed on his shoulders. Jiang Siming turned around and saw an exceptionally handsome face. He couldn't help saying, "You're actually more handsome than me."
The handsome young man smiled awkwardly. "May I sit down and talk with you?"
"Listen, handsome, I'm not into men. I know I'm good-looking, but you've got the wrong idea." Jiang Siming refused righteously. In truth, he was deliberately playing dumb. That killing intent had been so clear, and though he wasn't certain, the seemingly harmless young man before him was the most likely source. He couldn't determine the young man's strength, but Jiang Siming sensed danger. He was sure the young man had powerful backing. After all, not everyone had a system, and not everyone was the protagonist.
The handsome young man smiled awkwardly, then sat down without further pleasantries. "Brother Jiang, you really are as funny as my teacher said!"
"Your teacher? Who's that?" Jiang Siming asked, puzzled.
"Ning Fengzhi." The handsome young man finally regained his composure and answered calmly. Though usually extremely composed, he'd been riled up by just a few words. The image Ning Fengzhi had painted of Jiang Siming differed so much from the person before him that the contrast was jarring.
"Damn!" Jiang Siming blurted out. A stampede of curses surged through his mind. Xue Qinghe? Qian Renxue! Ning Fengzhi's gotten cocky. Jiang Siming was already regretting giving Ning Fengzhi the M4A1. No wonder he'd noticed one bullet missing when Ning Fengzhi and Bone Douluo left that day—only two remained. He'd assumed it was lost and hadn't thought much of it. He never imagined Ning Fengzhi had taken it to show off, or perhaps to enlist the royal family's help in studying it. After all, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was close to the Tiantou Imperial Family, and Ning Fengzhi trusted the royal family more than Jiang Siming. This had landed Jiang Siming in serious trouble, bringing him to Spirit Hall's attention far too early. He couldn't be sure whether Qian Renxue would tell Bibi Dong, but the Elder Hall faction within Spirit Hall would certainly have found out.
"Ahem. So you're Sect Master Ning's disciple! What should I call you? And what business do you have with a mere Soul Elder like me?" Jiang Siming said, twitching his mouth and pretending not to recognize her.
"Just call me Xue Qianren, Brother Jiang." Qian Renxue smiled politely.
Jiang Siming was speechless. Couldn't she have put a little more effort into picking a name? She just reversed the characters. Though I guess she doesn't have to worry about being recognized. Qian Renxue was publicly said to have died as a child, so probably very few people even remember her. And even if someone suspicious noticed, no one would think anything of it.
"So it's Brother Xue!" Jiang Siming said, hoping to end the conversation as quickly as possible.
"Would you do me the honor, Brother Jiang? Let's find somewhere to sit and talk." Qian Renxue's smile never wavered.
"I'd better not. My mom's calling me home for dinner." Jiang Siming flatly refused. If he went with her, he'd either have to reveal his trump card and kill Qian Renxue—the plot suggested she was only around Soul Emperor level, at level sixty, so he might be able to kill her, but there was no way to do it unnoticed—or he'd be taken away and forced to hand over the method for making bullets. Emperors were ruthless, after all, and Qian Renxue had probably received Xue Ye's approval before coming here.
"Brother Jiang, you really are quite amusing. I feel as if we've known each other forever. But I'm on a mission today, so I'm afraid I'll have to inconvenience you." Qian Renxue's smile slowly faded, leaving her expression blank.
Jiang Siming cursed inwardly. Screw you. You think I'm really afraid of you? At worst, I'll hide in the mountains and train. Then I'll come out and cut down everyone in Spirit Hall.
Their gazes clashed, the tension between them growing. It was a stark contrast to the lively stands, where the audience was absorbed in the exciting match and paid them no attention.
Just as the two were about to make a move amid the bustling crowd, two large hands pressed them down.
"Your Highness, since young Brother Jiang doesn't agree, we shouldn't force him," a dignified voice said.
"Sword Douluo!" A flicker of murderous intent passed through Qian Renxue's eyes, then vanished. She resumed her respectful expression.
Jiang Siming couldn't help marveling inwardly. No wonder she's the crown prince. She changes faces ridiculously fast.
"The sect master said His Majesty doesn't approve of your decision. The Tiantou Imperial Family has always won people over with virtue," Sword Douluo said calmly, then left.
Qian Renxue gazed at Jiang Siming with some reluctance, then put on a bright smile again. "It seems we weren't meant to meet today, Brother Jiang. Let's get together another time. Farewell!"
"Thank goodness his father didn't approve. Otherwise, there really would've been no way to end this peacefully," Jiang Siming thought, worried.
"In that case, I might not have to enter the Spirit Master Tournament." Jiang Siming fell into thought. If he were merely strong on his own, Spirit Hall probably wouldn't pay too much attention to him. After all, they could kill him by throwing enough people at him. But if one person possessed something that could change the whole game, and was powerful on top of that, Spirit Hall might find some excuse to deal with him.
"Impossible. Knowing how this system works, there'll definitely be a sign-in quest at the Spirit Master Tournament. I'll have to think of something."
"Ugh, it's all because I'm too handsome. Everyone's after me."
Inside the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
"Uncle Sword, you're back." Ning Fengzhi smiled.
"That boy isn't simple," Sword Douluo said seriously.
"Oh? He managed to impress even you, Uncle Sword?" Ning Fengzhi asked with interest.
"I heard the entire conversation between Jiang Siming and the crown prince." As a level ninety-seven Titled Douluo, it was easy for Sword Douluo to eavesdrop on them.
"Somehow, he seemed to have guessed the crown prince's identity. Or perhaps he'd been deeply wary of the crown prince from the very first glance. His seemingly nonsensical answers were actually a way of testing her."
Ning Fengzhi nodded. He'd spoken with Jiang Siming before, so he knew the young man wasn't as simple as he appeared.
"There's something else, and it shocked me most of all. The aura Jiang Siming released then actually stirred my Seven Kill Sword. It seemed afraid, as if it had seen a terrible beast." Sword Douluo sounded unsettled.
"Uncle Sword, are you sure?" Ning Fengzhi was no longer calm.
"Fengzhi, Rongrong and Jiang Siming are classmates. If he really has something going for him, he'd be a fine match for her. Besides, we can't make the bullets his weapon needs." Sword Douluo spoke calmly.
"I'm afraid that won't work. Jiang Siming is quite close to that girl from the Star Luo Empire, and Rongrong is quite close to that genius food-type Soul Master." Ning Fengzhi shook his head. He didn't really want Oscar and Ning Rongrong together, but she was his only daughter. If it came down to her happiness, he would respect her choice.
Chapter 35: Jiang Siming's Training Plan
"Fengzhi, Grandmaster asked Rongrong to get me to help," Sword Douluo said, looking at Ning Fengzhi.
"Oh?" Ning Fengzhi gave him a puzzled look, prompting him to continue.
"Grandmaster wants me to train Jiang Siming." Sword Douluo's eyes held a trace of anticipation. The Seven Kill Sword was a top-tier weapon-type Martial Soul, hailed as the king of swords. Yet Jiang Siming's Martial Soul had merely released an aura, and it had resonated with his Seven Kill Sword. It was almost unbelievable. How could Sword Douluo, who was so devoted to the sword, not be eager to find out more?