Nalan Yanran and the others walked out of the hall, only to see Xiao Meng sitting lazily on a chair, contentedly chewing on a long object, with a rusted, battered broadsword placed beside him.
Ge Ye was completely bewildered. There was simply no way this little bastard looked like someone driven mad by anger!
Nalan Yanran's startled cry drew Xiao Zhan and the others out. Seeing Xiao Meng sitting in the distance, they were also stunned, and immediately, a burst of anger welled up in the hearts of Xiao Zhan and Xiao Yan.
"You lot humiliate my Xiao Clan like this, yet expect to leave just like that so easily. That doesn't seem to make much sense, does it!" Xiao Meng said nonchalantly.
"Heh, you piece of trash, you surely don't think you can keep us here, do you?" The youth at the side spoke first, sneering.
Xiao Meng stood up, stretched lazily, curled his lip, and said, "You cheap fuck, Your Daddy can't even be bothered to talk to you."
"Xiao Meng of the Xiao Clan challenges Nalan Yanran, the young sect master of the Misty Cloud Sect. I wonder if the Misty Cloud Sect dares to accept!" In an instant, Xiao Meng cast off his lazy posture, his towering, vibrant voice rolling outward and spreading in all directions.
At this moment, Xiao Meng's posture was so upright, strong, and powerful, his ink-black hair dancing in the air, his clothes snapping in the wind—unconquerable, arrogant, and unbridled.
Nalan Yanran's expression paused, and she was left stunned, somewhat lost in thought. Xiao Meng at this moment was simply too extraordinary.
As for Ge Ye, his face was full of utter disbelief. He felt an imposing aura emanate from Xiao Meng, like a slowly rising sun whose emitted light was incomparably dazzling and eye-catching.
The members of the Xiao Clan wore blank expressions, followed by exchanging glances with one another.
"Nalan Yanran is a Three-Star Dou Zhe after all. Won't Third Brother be a bit too rash?" Hearing Xiao Meng's words, Xiao Yan's jaw almost dropped to the floor, and a worried look subsequently appeared on his face. Although Xiao Meng had given him a vicious trick, he was still his own Third Brother after all.
Xiao Xun'er covered her mouth with both hands, her eyes wide open.
"What is Meng'er messing around with?" After coming to his senses, Xiao Zhan's expression instantly changed.
"What, you dare not accept? The proud daughter of heaven of the Misty Cloud Sect..." A smile appeared on Xiao Meng's face as he bantered.
"Xiao Meng, are you certain you want to challenge me? Do you know what you are saying and what you are doing?" Nalan Yanran was so angry she laughed. A piece of trash actually wanted to challenge her?
Nalan Yanran felt as though she had heard the funniest joke in the world.
"That's right! I'm going to challenge you, and what's more, I'm perfectly sober right now," Xiao Meng said very calmly.
"Meng'er, stop messing around and quickly clear the road for them," Xiao Zhan shouted in a deep voice. Nalan Yanran was a Three-Star Dou Zhe, and her strength was simply not something those disciples of the Xiao Clan could compare to.
"Old man, I know what I'm doing. You don't need to worry."
Xiao Meng then gave a wry smile. Old man, you'd better call me Old... Third. Calling me Meng'er gives me goosebumps all over.
Xiao Zhan: "..."
"Pfft!"
Xiao Xun'er couldn't help herself and let out a laugh. Feeling that she was being somewhat uncomposed, she immediately covered her small mouth with both hands and glanced around with her large eyes. Seeing that no one had noticed her loss of composure, she couldn't help but heave a sigh of relief.
Afterward, she muttered inwardly to herself: How strange. Just what confidence does this hateful bastard Xiao Meng have that he actually dares to challenge Nalan Yanran?
"Hey! Do you people from the Misty Cloud Sect dare accept my challenge or not? If you don't dare, say so early so I can clear the road for you," Xiao Meng said.
"What kind of thing are you, and you're even worthy of challenging the young sect master of my Misty Cloud Sect?" The youth beside him stepped forward, his body wreathed in formidable Dou Qi, his cold and sharp gaze locked onto Xiao Meng with killing intent rising.
"Yo-ho, you want to fight me?"
Xiao Meng wore a mocking expression, but the next second, his face turned cold and derisive. You stupid dog, you're in your twenties, aren't you? Do you even know that yourself?
"Little trash, you dare humiliate me! I'll kill you today!" The youth's face twisted savagely as he roared angrily.
"Wait a minute!"
Xiao Meng hastily waved his hand to stop him and said, "If you want to fight, you'll have to wait until after I've fought Nalan Yanran. Only then will it be your turn."
"Nalan Yanran, are you going to accept or not? Make it quick," Xiao Meng looked at Nalan Yanran.
"Since you want to humiliate yourself, I'll grant your wish."
Nalan Yanran's figure flashed out, standing opposite Xiao Meng, and she sneered, "To me, you're just like a clown. I can't even be bothered to look at you, but since you, an ant, provoke me again and again, don't blame me for not showing mercy."
"Then how about we make a bet?" Xiao Meng shrugged and said indifferently.
Nalan Yanran was taken aback and instinctively asked, "What do you want to bet on?"
"I'll bet my two hands against one of your arms. Do you dare?" Xiao Meng stared at her fixedly and said.
"Meng'er, you must not be so rash!" Xiao Zhan's face changed drastically as he hurriedly spoke out to stop him.
"Yanran, no..." Without even thinking, Ge Ye also wanted Nalan Yanran to refuse. This stake was simply too big.
Yet before he could finish speaking, Nalan Yanran raised her hand to signal him to stay quiet, leaving Ge Ye with no choice but to swallow the words that had reached his lips.
"I originally only intended to teach you a lesson, but since you are courting death like this, very well then, I grant your wish." Nalan Yanran's pupils shrank slightly, her face as cold as ice.
Xiao Meng looked at Xiao Zhan to signal him not to worry, then turned his gaze to Nalan Yanran and smiled faintly, "Then come on! I'll give you the first strike. Don't blame Xiao Meng for bullying a homely freak like you when the time comes."
"You're courting death!"
Nalan Yanran's expression turned grim and icy, and her anger surged like a violated female leopard as she charged forward like lightning. Pale cyan sword qi wreathed around her jade hand like a storm, looking incomparably sharp.
"Wind Spirit Split Sword!?"
"This lass is provoked quite severely, to actually bring out even the Wind Spirit Split Sword."
Ge Ye furrowed his brows slightly and muttered, "With Wind Spirit Split Sword of this caliber, even a One-Star Dou Zhe would find it hard to fend off. Hopefully this brat... can still have a breath left, otherwise it's going to be troublesome."
"To deal with an arrogant piece of trash, Junior Sister Yanran actually uses the Wind Spirit Split Sword. It's simply using a butcher's cleaver to slaughter a chicken. Even if this brat doesn't die, I'm afraid he'll be crippled for life." A smile surfaced on the face of the youth beside Ge Ye, as if he had already foreseen Xiao Meng's miserable end.
"This piece of trash really knows how to court death. It's too damn humiliating, actually overestimating himself to challenge the young sect master of the Misty Cloud Sect, and even betting his arms with her."
"Damn it, I'm afraid we'll have to hire a servant to take care of his daily life from now on."
"Look, that piece of trash is standing there completely motionless. He's probably scared stupid and doesn't know how to counterattack."
"It's best if he gets killed, just to save us from losing face. This piece of trash is simply a disgrace to the Xiao Clan."
In the distance, the disciples of the Xiao Clan discussed amongst themselves with faces full of disgust, and some female disciples even closed their eyes, afraid to see Xiao Meng's miserable state of death.
The hearts of Xiao Zhan and Xiao Yan were both raised to their throats, paying no heed to the disciples' discussion.
"A mere Three-Star Dou Zhe, nothing more than an ant!" Xiao Meng sneered.
That single casual sentence fell upon the ears of everyone around like a thunderclap erupting.
What did he say? A Three-Star Dou Zhe is an ant? Everyone was dumbfounded, gaping in astonishment.
Just as Nalan Yanran was ten meters away from Xiao Meng, Xiao Meng—whom everyone regarded as trash—suddenly exerted force and charged out. In just two large strides, he arrived right in front of Nalan Yanran in a split second.
Nalan Yanran was startled, knowing things were bad, and tried to sidestep past Xiao Meng.
A mocking grin appeared on Xiao Meng's face as he struck with ferocious speed. One hand grabbed Nalan Yanran's sword-qi-wreathed right arm, while his other hand flattened into a palm and struck straight at Nalan Yanran's cheek.
"Slap!"
A crisp sound rang out, followed by the sight of Nalan Yanran's cheek vibrating and teeth mixed with blood spraying from her mouth.
Immediately afterward, Xiao Meng pulled Nalan Yanran forward and kicked her heavily on the knee. The force was so great that it directly caused the sound of bones snapping to echo from Nalan Yanran's kneecap.
"Ah..."
Nalan Yanran let out a heart-rending cry of pain.
Xiao Meng did not stop there, smashing a fist right into her forehead.
Nalan Yanran's head tilted back, a feeling as though something important had shattered taking hold.
Xiao Meng followed up with another punch, hitting her lower abdomen fiercely and sending the heavily battered young girl flying backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing onto the ground ten meters away.
All of this happened in the flash of a flint, before anyone could react.
Xiao Meng flashed forward and slammed his foot down on Nalan Yanran just as she was trying to crawl back up, smashing her head heavily against the ground.
"Stop!" Ge Ye cried out in alarm and anger, hastily shouting a reprimand.
"Old dog, take one more step forward and I'll make her head burst open." Xiao Meng's voice made Ge Ye feel as though he had been struck by lightning.
Before you continue