"You want to bully people, just say so! Why come up with all these high-minded excuses?"
Ning Rongrong cried out, planting her hands on her hips and looking thoroughly pleased with herself.
"Let me tell you, I'm not afraid of you in the slightest today."
"If anyone dares lay a finger on my young master, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect will make them pay!"
Ning Rongrong invoked the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, and its pressure came crashing down like a mountain. Dai Mubai stopped in his tracks, and Tang San instinctively halted too.
Hesitation showed on both their faces. Clearly, they had no desire to provoke this Little Demoness.
Ning Rongrong took in their reactions, and the derision on her face deepened. The corner of her mouth curled into a sneer.
"That's all the courage you have?"
Ning Rongrong scoffed, her voice dripping with disdain.
"Unlike our young master, who knows you're far stronger than he is and still dares to accept your challenge."
"How could people like you, who spend your days chasing women and wine, understand our young master's fearless resolve?"
"You're not even fit to hold our young master's shoes!"
Listening to Ning Rongrong heap such exaggerated praise on him, Xiao Yexuan could not have looked more embarrassed.
He hurriedly waved for her to stop, his tone tinged with helplessness.
"Miss, there's no need to put them down like that."
"Everyone has their own ambitions. We simply have different paths and nothing to say to one another."
Xiao Yexuan had only meant to ease the awkwardness.
But to everyone else, his words seemed to pass through a flattering filter, making him appear all the more broad-minded and gracious.
After hearing him, Ning Rongrong grew so excited she flung her hands about, letting out a delighted "Oh-ho-ho-ho-ho~~"
She turned and pointed at Dai Mubai and Tang San, then called out:
"Look at that! Just look! That's what a true gentleman is like!"
"You two were the ones pressing him, yet he doesn't hold a grudge. He even steps in to help you when you're embarrassed."
"How could anyone be so perfect?"
"Why don't you hurry up and learn from our young master?"
"Since our young master is willing to forgive you, I can let this go too."
"All you have to do is apologize to him."
"Apologize? I'll apologize to your grandma!"
Dai Mubai could no longer contain his rage. His fists clenched as surging Soul Power erupted from his body. He kicked off the ground and charged straight toward Xiao Yexuan.
But the Blue Tyrant Academy teacher overseeing the assessment had been watching them closely.
The moment Dai Mubai moved, the teacher raised a hand and unleashed his formidable Soul Power.
It spread like an invisible net, pinning Dai Mubai firmly in place and leaving him unable to move.
Tang San had not made a move, but the teacher's Soul Power had swept him up too.
In the teacher's eyes, he and Dai Mubai were cut from the same cloth and were certainly no good.
Dai Mubai was so furious he could barely stand it. The anger in his chest was almost burning through him.
Then he remembered that Xiao Yexuan had challenged him first. Gritting his teeth, he looked up at the teacher, defiant.
"Teacher, please hear me out!"
"I had already let him go earlier. He was the one who challenged me to a duel."
"I only accepted because that's what he wanted. Are you going to stop me by force?"
The assessment teacher furrowed his brow at that and hesitated.
It was true: Xiao Yexuan had initiated the challenge, so it was only natural for Dai Mubai to accept.
If the teacher stopped them by force, he would indeed be going against the academy's rules.
But when he saw that Xiao Yexuan had only one ring of Soul Power, then compared him to Dai Mubai, a three-ring Soul Elder, he could not bear to let such an uneven match take place.
So he turned to Xiao Yexuan, a hint of admonishment in his eyes, hoping the young man would take back his challenge.
But Xiao Yexuan still held his chest high, his expression resolute and wholly without retreat. His eyes were filled with determination.
"I would rather die in battle than endure someone else's contempt!"
Xiao Yexuan's voice rang out with conviction, echoing across the empty assessment grounds.
Looking at Xiao Yexuan's unyielding bearing, the assessment teacher could only sigh inwardly.
Such resolve was admirable, but challenging a three-ring Soul Elder was pure overconfidence.
All he could do was plan to keep a close eye on the duel.
If things went wrong, he would step in at once and save Xiao Yexuan. He could not let such a promising talent be ruined before his eyes.
"Young master, are you really going to duel with him? This... it's too dangerous!"
Zhu Zhuqing's brows knitted together as she spoke first, her voice full of worry.
Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu nodded too, each frowning as they fixed their eyes on Xiao Yexuan, their concern almost spilling over.
Xiao Yexuan nodded solemnly, his tone unwavering.
"This is an obsession in my heart. If I don't fight, it will give rise to a heart demon, and it will trouble me in my cultivation from now on."
"Even if I lose this duel, I'll have no regrets."
"Please don't stop me, all right?"
Seeing the unshakable light in Xiao Yexuan's eyes, the three young women finally stopped trying to dissuade him, though their worry did not lessen.
But when Ning Rongrong glanced at Dai Mubai and Tang San, she saw they were both three-ring Soul Elders. Making Xiao Yexuan face them with just one ring would be like an egg striking a rock.
Ning Rongrong's eyes darted about. Suddenly, she had an idea and spoke up at once:
"Two against one, ganging up on a One-Ring Soul Master? What kind of heroes do you think you are?"
"If you really dare accept the challenge, then let the weakest one among you fight our young master!"
"Rongrong, how can you say that about me..."
As soon as Ning Rongrong finished speaking, Oscar put on a heartbroken expression. He pressed a hand to his chest as though he had suffered some terrible injustice.
Out of everyone there, he was the weakest, being a food-type Soul Master. Her words were clearly aimed at him.
Ning Rongrong shot him a scornful look and pursed her lips.
"Who said you had to duel with our young master?"
"That would only lower his standing!"
Oscar's expression drooped even further. The corners of his mouth sagged, and despair filled his heart.
He felt Ning Rongrong had thoroughly rejected him, leaving him utterly humiliated. He wished he could crawl into a crack in the ground.
Dai Mubai and Little Tang San were seething, their fists clenched so tightly their knuckles cracked. They wanted nothing more than to pin Xiao Yexuan to the ground and beat him senseless.
But compared to Xiao Yexuan, their strength was worlds apart.
If they actually fought him, there would be no satisfaction in it at all. They exchanged a look, and both their gazes fell on the chubby Ma Hongjun.
Apart from the chubby one, there really wasn't anyone else here better suited to duel Xiao Yexuan.
Ma Hongjun lifted his chin, his face full of eagerness. He had long been fed up with Xiao Yexuan's arrogant face.
If he could beat the kid up with his own hands, it would be a truly satisfying pleasure.
But Ning Rongrong panicked. Ma Hongjun's Evil Fire Phoenix had an overwhelmingly powerful attack. If he accidentally hurt her young master, it would be a disaster.
She hurriedly shook her head with all her might, her head wobbling like a rattle-drum, and shrilled:
"Fatso, you're so disgusting and sleazy-looking, you're not worthy of laying a hand on our young master!"
Ma Hongjun's face flushed red at her words, and the veins in his neck throbbed.
Humiliation surged straight to his head, but she was the little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
He couldn't afford to provoke her, so he could only swallow his anger.
Before you continue