He stared at Shi Lei in horror.
"Senior Brother, you're an important figure ranked eightieth, yet you've come to challenge a nobody like me in ninety-fifth place. Isn't... isn't that a little unfair?"
Uh!!!
Everyone rolled their eyes in unison at his exaggerated look of terror.
You weren't like this yesterday!
Seeing him turn cowardly in an instant, Shi Lei raised his head, stepped forward, and sneered. "The sect has no rule forbidding higher-ranked disciples from challenging lower-ranked ones!"
"If you want to surrender, that's fine." A flicker of contempt crossed Shi Lei's eyes. "Hand over your abode's Formation Talisman, then return the Storage Bag you won from my brother yesterday!"
"Huh?!"
"I... I have to hand that over too?"
Chun Xiaobai looked troubled, then asked timidly, "Um... does the sect have a rule saying you have to return things you've won?"
"Well..."
The question left Shi Lei stumped.
He thought it over, then shook his head. "Well... no, it doesn't."
"All right, then!"
Chun Xiaobai suddenly slapped his thigh and shoved the Formation Talisman in his hand straight into Shi Lei's arms.
"My swordsmanship isn't as good as yours. I surrender! You win!"
Uh!!!
Was... was this guy really a fucking sword cultivator?
Wasn't he far too cowardly?!
Shi Lei stared at the Formation Talisman in his hand, utterly dumbfounded.
This isn't right!
Didn't Zhao Wuyuan analyze this guy's personality before we came?
Didn't he say this guy had a fiery temper and would definitely accept the challenge, then try his old trick of launching a sneak attack to win?
Zhao Wuyuan frowned as well, certain that this fellow was playing dumb.
He glanced at Shi Lei and opened his mouth, intending to warn him. But on second thought, no matter how good this guy was at putting on an act, could he possibly stand up to Senior Brother Shi Lei?
This was a swordsmanship prodigy who ranked among the top three on the entire Outer Sect's sword cultivator rankings!
Not only had he comprehended sword intent, but he had already reached minor mastery of it!
This fellow surnamed Chun hadn't even shown a trace of sword intent yet. Even with a sneak attack, he couldn't possibly be Senior Brother Shi's match.
Shi Lei turned to look at Cheng Haoxuan, who stood beside him with an expectant expression, then thought of that stalk of Purple Sun Grass, a second-tier spiritual herb and one of the main ingredients for refining a Foundation Establishment Pill.
He spoke again.
"Junior Brother Chun, how about this? Accept my challenge! If I win, you only need to return that Storage Bag. I won't need your abode."
Chun Xiaobai stood there listening. After waiting a moment, he realized the fellow had nothing more to say.
Damn it, what's that supposed to mean?
That's it? Don't you think there's any chance this great king might win?
Unable to hold back any longer, he asked, "Then... what if I win?"
"Impossible!"
Shi Lei declared it without a moment's thought.
He stood proudly, an air of confidence rising naturally from him. "I've long since reached minor mastery of sword intent. Against a sword cultivator like you, who's only just touched its threshold, I have a natural advantage!"
"All you need to do is return the Storage Bag. From now on, I'll look after you in the Outer Sect!"
"Ask around about my reputation. I guarantee no one in the Outer Sect will dare bully you."
At those words, quite a few people looked envious.
The Outer Sect's top hundred prodigies were certain to enter the Inner Sect. With that promise, he could practically swagger sideways through the Outer Sect.
Damn! You've decided you've got this great king in the bag? What a big mouth!
Chun Xiaobai was getting angry. He said bluntly, "But what if! This great king is saying what if! What if you lose?"
"What if?"
Shi Lei thought it over. Once a sword cultivator reached minor mastery of sword intent, their combat strength could no longer be measured by cultivation realm alone.
In theory, as long as they competed in swordsmanship, he couldn't possibly lose.
He looked at Chun Xiaobai and decided his cowardly demeanor didn't seem feigned. He must have known he couldn't win, which was why he kept making excuses.
So he curled his lips into a smile and untied his Storage Bag.
"Everything I own is in here. If you can win, it's all yours!"
That was exactly what Chun Xiaobai had been waiting for.
These fellows weren't fools. If he made it too obvious, he could only fleece this big shot on the rankings once. He had to make everyone feel, each time, that they could just barely beat him.
Only then could the thin stream keep flowing.
He immediately activated the [Treasure-Seeing Divine Eye].
A mass of green light, so dense it almost dripped, burst from the Storage Bag. It was twice as intense as the light Cheng Haoxuan's Storage Bag had given off!
Damn, he really is a big shot on the rankings. His pockets are deep!
"All right!"
Chun Xiaobai agreed at once.
Then he beckoned to Bai Jin'er in the crowd. "Xiaobai! Get over here!"
Bai Jin'er froze, then looked around and discovered that everyone's gaze had snapped toward her.
Only then did she realize he was calling her.
Bai Jin'er's little face instantly flushed crimson.
You bastard! You've gotten yourself tangled up in trouble, and now you want to drag me into it too!
But there was nothing she could do. Everyone had already noticed her, so she could only steel herself, lower her head, and shuffle out in tiny steps.
Chun Xiaobai then stuffed both his Storage Bags into Bai Jin'er's hands.
"What about you?" He tipped his chin toward Shi Lei.
Shi Lei leisurely drew a longsword and held it in his hand, then placed his Storage Bag in Bai Jin'er's hands with an exceedingly dashing flourish.
Seeing this, the spectators instinctively backed away, clearing a large space in front of the courtyard gate.
This time, everyone swore they absolutely wouldn't look up at the sky!
Shi Lei kept that firmly in mind too, his cold eyes locked on Chun Xiaobai's every move.
There weren't any rules for this challenge. Even if the fellow didn't repeat his old trick to distract him, what if he pulled out some other dirty hidden weapon?
Chun Xiaobai curled his lips. This great king is the boss of a mountain stronghold, after all. How could I always rely on sneak attacks to win?
He abruptly cupped his fist, his voice booming like a great bell. "Junior Brother! Please enlighten me!"
Hmm?
At the words "Junior Brother," Shi Lei's expression immediately soured.
He was a prodigy ranked eightieth, after all. Yet this fellow had called him "Junior Brother" so smoothly and naturally. Where did he get the nerve?
He turned the longsword in his hand, angling its tip toward the ground, and said coldly, "Please enlighten me!"
Everyone around them instantly held their breath, watching Chun Xiaobai's every move.
Today, they would see with their own eyes how Senior Brother Shi Lei pinned this shameless fellow to the ground and ground him into the dirt!
Yet neither of them attacked immediately.
Shi Lei wasn't afraid of Chun Xiaobai. Rather, the fellow's two-handed sword grip looked neither fish nor fowl to him.
Swordsmanship emphasized lightness and flowing grace, which was why swords were generally wielded one-handed. A two-handed grip was heavy and clumsy. How could he possibly execute his techniques properly?
Was this fellow really a sword cultivator?
Then, in the next instant.
Chun Xiaobai gathered all his strength into his arms, gripped his longsword tightly, and gave a low shout.
"Take this!"
In a flash, he charged up to Shi Lei like a fierce tiger descending the mountain, raised his longsword high, and brought it crashing down toward Shi Lei's head with the force to cleave Mount Hua!
A disdainful smile curled Shi Lei's lips. Without haste, he swept his longsword across, unleashing a keen streak of Sword Qi toward the oncoming blade!
Clang!
Before you continue