Xu Caichen: If I Pay My Respects Before Sending Them to the Next World, Who Can Say I Am Not a Gentleman?

"Thank you for your kind offer, Brother Chen."

Xu Caichen's voice broke the silence on the arena.

"I... I lost..."

Chen Zhuang felt a slight pain in his throat and said, sweating profusely, that he was looking at Xu Caichen as if he were a monster.

People from the Miscellaneous Dao Institute shouldn't be participating in this kind of preliminary round. Aren't they making things difficult for me, Chen Zhuang?

The spectators below the ring were stunned once again; before they could even get into the excitement, the fight was over.

These two have only been fighting for less than three breaths. Are you two kidding us?

At the same time, the referee's voice could be heard from the arena.

Xu Caichen wins this battle!

Xu Caichen then sheathed his short sword, bowed to his opponent, and stepped off the stage.

call...

After stepping off the stage, Chen Zhuang finally breathed a sigh of relief. That sword strike had made him feel that he was only a hair's breadth away from death.

At this moment, fellow disciples from the Body Cultivation Institute also gathered around, asking questions all at once.

"Senior Brother Chen, are you alright?"

"Senior Brother Chen, why did you only last three breaths?"

"..."

Upon hearing the words "three breaths," Chen Zhuang's expression changed instantly. He turned and glared at the man, saying, "Hmph! Do you think I'm weak?"

"If you were up there, you wouldn't last a single breath. If anyone in the top 100 could last five breaths against Senior Brother Xu, I'd call him a true man."

A true man with five breaths?

Everyone wore strange expressions, but seeing Senior Brother Chen's angry look...

It wasn't appropriate for anyone to press the matter further.

Xu Caichen flew towards the stands, and Ye Beixuan and Nie Xiuyuan greeted him as soon as he landed.

Congratulations, junior brother, on taking the lead!

Congratulations, Senior Brother Xu, on your resounding success!

Xu Caichen laughed and said, "It's just a small test, nothing special. Once I've really made it into the top 100, my senior uncle and senior brother can congratulate me then."

Seeing that Xu Caichen still maintained his usual gentlemanly demeanor, Ye Beixuan spoke up:

"Junior Brother Xu, although you were victorious just now, it's not wise of a man to reveal his moves to others before the fight even begins."

The elders and disciples around them nodded slightly upon hearing this. Ye Beixuan's words were indeed correct; Xu Caichen's behavior just now was, in their eyes, overly pedantic.

Xu Caichen did not refute, but cupped his hands and said, "Senior brother is right to reprimand me, but in the Outer Sect Grand Competition, those who fight are all fellow disciples, and I do not want to harm their lives, so I specifically reminded them."

He paused halfway through his sentence before continuing, "Of course, if we encounter an enemy, I will naturally not warn them, much less give them the chance to strike first. As the saying goes: 'If I can show courtesy before I die, who can say I am not a gentleman?'"

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone in the stands turned their attention to Xu Caichen.

"..."

Ye Beixuan was completely silenced. Just now, he thought his junior brother was a pedantic scholar who still insisted on gentlemanly etiquette in a duel.

But then the kid changed the subject, catching him completely off guard.

He already had a picture in his mind: his junior brother bowing respectfully to someone, and the next second a hidden sword flew out, aiming to take their life.

The scene was so beautiful that Ye Beixuan felt a chill run down his spine.

"Good, good line. If I can pay my respects before I pass away, who can say I am not a gentleman?"

Elder Bai's voice came from not far away. He said with a grin, "Junior Nephew Xu truly has the demeanor of an ancient gentleman. Before killing someone, he still wants to show some courtesy. Our Dao-Seeking Academy hasn't seen such a talent in a long time."

Several elders nearby echoed this sentiment.

"I never imagined that Literary Dao could be played like this. Junior Nephew Xu, you've truly broadened our horizons."

"I can already imagine how desperate those who will become your enemies in the future will be before they die."

"I suggest that from now on, we shall call our nephew Xu the Gentleman Sword!"

Xu Caichen: "..."

He looked completely bewildered. Was there something wrong with what I did? I learned all of this from the Analects of Swinging! Why does everyone seem to be praising me in a strange tone?

The Outer Sect Grand Competition in full swing.

Xu Caichen defeated his opponent with a single sword strike in every battle. Although everyone knew what he was going to do, his sword strike was so fast that no one could defend against it.

To Chen Zhuang's surprise, his angry words that day actually came true.

None of the people who fought Xu Caichen lasted more than five breaths.

Xu Caichen made it into the top 100 without any suspense. After a day of rest, the top 100 elimination rounds officially began.

Ye Beixuan also faced his first battle in this Outer Sect Grand Competition. The moment he saw his opponent's name, he smiled and murmured, "Is this fate?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Caichen and Nie Xiuyuan instinctively looked towards Ye Beixuan.

"Su Qing."

Nie Xiuyuan read out the name of Ye Beixuan's opponent, and as if remembering something, asked, "Junior Brother Ye, this little girl didn't also ask you to break off your engagement, did she?"

???

Ye Beixuan looked at Nie Xiuyuan with a face full of questions. "Uncle-Master, what do you mean by that? I have nothing to do with her."

After listening, Nie Xiuyuan showed a regretful expression. "I thought I was going to see a grand drama of love and hate, and have another drink, but it turned out to be just an ordinary competition. Boring, really boring."

"..."

Ye Beixuan's face darkened. Martial Uncle Nie was still the same as in his previous life—a difficult person to serve!

The tenth match of the top 100 was soon Ye Beixuan facing off against Su Qing.

He walked onto the arena expressionlessly, put his hands behind his back, and looked down at Su Qing with an indifferent attitude and expression.

Such a look, such an expression, undoubtedly pierced Su Qing's heart deeply.

Disregarding her usual image, she spoke up, "Ye Beixuan, put away your disgusting face! Today I'll show you that someone like you will only ever look up to me for the rest of your life!"

These words shocked everyone present!

Everyone watching the match was stunned, looking at Su Qing as if she were someone suffering from a brain disorder.

Many people started discussing it enthusiastically.

"Could it be that Su Qing has lost her mind?"

"It seems so. This is the first time I've ever seen someone provoke a disciple of the Miscellaneous Dao Institute like this. The last senior brother who provoked a disciple of the Miscellaneous Dao Institute like this seemed to have his Dao heart shattered by Tyrant Fist Brother Baquan."

"..."

Ye Beixuan smiled amusedly, "Su Qing, it seems you're the one who's not thinking straight. Even now, you still don't understand the difference between us. Fine, today I'll make you see the light. Make your move and let me see what you've actually learned in these three years at the Dao-Seeking Academy!"

"Then you'd better open your eyes and watch carefully!"

Su Qing roared angrily, her aura erupting like a volcano.

Clang!

With a clang of a sword, Su Qing's longsword unleashed a sharp burst of Sword Qi, flying towards Ye Beixuan's heart...