Break Defense!

The three chatted as they walked, eventually arriving at a secluded courtyard. Pushing open the door, they entered a quiet residence specially reserved by Blazing Fire Academy for important guests.

Shui Qingxue had not taken Xiao Bai's earlier accusation of "offering herself in marriage" to heart at all. She even brushed back the loose strands over her forehead and raised a brow. "So what?"

Turning around, she leaned against the doorframe and raised a finger with perfect confidence. "First, what is a martial soul backlash? One wrong move and you're no different from a cripple! But Young Master Zhang saved me. How is that any different from saving my life?"

She raised a second finger, her eyes gleaming.

"Second, don't people always say, 'A life-saving favor cannot be repaid, so one can only offer oneself in marriage'? This is called a traditional virtue. Understand?"

With that, she strode into the room first, looking as carefree as if she were inspecting her own territory.

Xiao Bai was nearly choked speechless by that twisted logic. She hurried after her and laughed in exasperation. "Heh, doesn't that saying have another version afterward?"

"Let me think."

"Oh, right. In the next life, you'll serve as a slave or maid!"

"Why don't you go be a slave or maid, then?"

Shui Qingxue was equally unapologetic. She walked straight to the seat of honor, crossed her legs, and lazily swung the tip of her foot. Looking up at Xiao Bai, she wore an infuriating grin. "I don't want to! That sounds exhausting."

"Look at Young Master Zhang. He's handsome and suave, his strength is unfathomable, he's cultured and skilled in battle, and he's rich too."

"If I don't seize the chance to offer myself in marriage, wouldn't I be losing out terribly?"

As she spoke, she deliberately winked at Xiao Bai.

"Don't you want to?"

Xiao Bai and Li Yingxue turned their faces away at the same time and rolled their eyes so hard they nearly saw the backs of their heads. They thought in perfect unison: I have never seen such a shameless person!

After finally steadying her breathing, Xiao Bai forcibly dragged the conversation back on track. Folding her arms, she snorted coldly. "Hmph, boring! For this Exchange Tournament, are you leading the team, or is someone else?"

"Of course it's me!" Shui Qingxue instantly perked up and leaned forward. Faint Soul Power fluctuations rippled around her, the aura of someone who had only recently broken through and had yet to fully rein it in.

"I made a breakthrough during my recent seclusion. I'm a genuine Soul Ancestor now!" After saying that, she shot Xiao Bai a provocative look, as if asking: Can you catch up?

"And you, stinky fox?" Shui Qingxue gestured toward Xiao Bai with her chin, her tone frivolous.

Hearing that, Xiao Bai deliberately cleared her throat with elegance, lifted her chin, and smiled. "Me? I broke through to Soul Ancestor ages ago. I'm already a solid level forty-five!"

She deliberately slowed her words, carrying the smug air of someone saying, "I'm not showing off, but I'm amazing."

Yet that tiny trace of pride immediately met with Shui Qingxue's storm-like "praise." "Heh, what's this? You're proud of yourself?"

She abruptly rose to her feet, her finger nearly poking Xiao Bai in the nose.

"You've been by Young Master Zhang's side all this time, receiving his personal guidance every so often, not to mention the Li Family's mountain of resources supporting you. And what happened? You only cultivated to level forty-five!"

Her words came crashing down like a barrage. "Aren't you ashamed? You're wasting air just by living! Go find a block of tofu and bash yourself to death!"

"Oh, right. When you die, remember to throw yourself into the sea, so you won't waste our continent's precious land resources!"

That merciless bombardment left Xiao Bai completely dazed!

Xiao Bai snapped furiously, "What kind of nonsense is that? Don't I also have to help the family head and the young master manage things?"

"Am I not tired? I barely have any time to cultivate!"

"Excuses, all excuses. You're just making excuses for your incompetence!" Shui Qingxue rolled her eyes.

That eye roll instantly broke through Xiao Bai's defenses. Calmness, strategy—she threw all of it to the winds.

"Ah, you... you... I'm going to kill you! Kill you!" Xiao Bai shrieked, baring her fangs and claws at Shui Qingxue, desperate to pounce on her and scratch that smug face to pieces.

Seeing this, Li Yingxue went pale with fright. She rushed forward in a single stride and tightly wrapped her arms around Xiao Bai's slender yet explosively powerful waist, repeatedly trying to persuade her. "Xiao Bai, calm down! Calm down! Impulse is the devil! The devil!"

"Calm down my ass! Did you hear the human language coming out of her mouth?!"

Xiao Bai could not listen at all. She struggled fiercely and even stretched out a leg, trying to kick Shui Qingxue. She looked nothing like the normally infallible chief steward of the Li Family.

Facing this "fierce" attack, Shui Qingxue did not panic in the slightest. Instead, she leisurely sidestepped it and even delivered a precise blow. "Heh, your legs are pretty short."

That sentence was the last straw that broke the camel's back.

"Ah! My legs are short? What part of me is short?! I obviously have long legs!"

Xiao Bai completely lost it. Forgetting all about her image, she twisted desperately, trying to break free from Li Yingxue's restraint.

As Li Yingxue struggled to keep Xiao Bai pinned, she sighed inwardly and curiously shifted her gaze between the two of them.

This was the first time she had seen such a "lively" Xiao Bai—at home, no matter what situation Xiao Bai faced, she was always calm and rational, as though everything were under her control.

But at this moment, she was no different from a common shrew who had lost an argument and was making one last desperate struggle.

"Yingxue, let go of me!" Xiao Bai's voice was full of anger.

"Let go! I won't beat her to death! I'll just beat her up to vent my anger! Just once! Let her know why flowers are so red!"

Feeling the unyielding force of the person in her arms, Li Yingxue's mouth twitched. She complained inwardly without the slightest emotion: Yeah, right. As if I'd believe that!

That afternoon, at Blazing Fire Academy's Martial Arts Plaza.

The Exchange Tournament was in full swing. The early matches had all been sparring bouts between elite disciples. Though intense, they were orderly, stopping at the right point.

At last, the main event arrived—Shui Qingxue versus Blazing Fire Academy's captain, Huo Yunshan!

When Shui Qingxue, clad in a fitted combat outfit, leaped onto the arena, her aura abruptly changed. Her sharpness was fully revealed, completely unlike the playful, bickering woman from earlier. The confidence and pressure belonging to a true powerhouse made Li Yingxue, watching from the sidelines, see her in a new light.

Meanwhile, in a corner of the spectator stands, Xiao Bai was being firmly "monitored" by Li Yingxue.

Xiao Bai had both hands tucked into her sleeves, muttering under her breath as she offered Shui Qingxue her own unique form of "encouragement."

"Shui Qingxue must lose, Shui Qingxue must lose! I hope Huo Yunshan beats you until you piss yourself and crawl around looking for your teeth! Best if you can't get back up and have to be carried off!"

Hearing those curse-like "blessings," Li Yingxue's mouth twitched violently twice. She could not help muttering in a low voice, "Your blessings are... pretty special. Maybe don't say them again in the future."

This was not cheering at all. She was clearly delighting in chaos and hoping for the worst!

Xiao Bai's vengeful nature was truly on full display.

On the arena, the fierce battle was about to erupt.

Shui Qingxue's gaze was sharp as a blade, while Xiao Bai beneath the spectator stands remained immersed in her own "curse ritual."