Zhuge Hong considered himself to be of noble status and extraordinary talent, a perfect match for Murong Yue, the top figure among Ancient Sword Mountain's younger generation.
Yet growing up, when had Murong Yue ever given him a second glance? He could never forget how Su Yi had arrogantly set up a sword platform when he first came to Ancient Sword Mountain all those years ago.
Seeing how young Su Yi was back then, Zhuge Hong had thought he would be an easy target—a soft persimmon—and wanted to show off in front of Murong Yue. Instead, Su Yi had casually flicked the very brush he used to write the signboard, sending Zhuge Hong tumbling off the platform and completely ruining his reputation!
After that, even Murong Yue suffered a crushing defeat at Su Yi's hands. That day could be called a day of disgrace for the inner sect disciples of Ancient Sword Mountain!
From then on, Murong Yue frequently spoke of Su Yi. Whether instructing juniors or discussing the sword with peers, she could never avoid that name.
Now, even though she had attained the realm of Sword Heart Clarity, upon learning of the exchange with Divine Might Manor, she was still the first to request permission from the Elders to go.
If anyone said there was nothing between them, Zhuge Hong wouldn't believe it even if it killed him!
'Hmph, today, I will definitely wipe away my past humiliation and show Murong Yue how miserable this guy looks in defeat!' At this thought, a vicious smile spread across Zhuge Hong's face as he cast Murong Yue's warning completely to the back of his mind.
Ignoring Murong Yue, he turned to face Su Yi and the others at the bottom of the steps. Sinking his qi into his dantian, he shouted at the top of his lungs, his voice echoing along the mountain path:
“Among those ascending the mountain, are there any skilled swordsmen who dare step onto the platform and test their swords against me, Zhuge Hong?!”
'Fool!' Seeing Zhuge Hong's self-righteous expression, Murong Yue felt a chill in her heart.
She wasn't sure how strong Su Yi had become now, but she knew Zhuge Hong's true weight all too well. How could a guy who couldn't even defeat her hope to challenge Su Yi, someone who had dealt a heavy blow to the demon clan? This was simply courting death!
Seeing how obstinate Zhuge Hong was, Murong Yue knew further persuasion was useless. She could only turn to Qiu Ning and Su Yi, speaking in a calm tone that carried a subtle hint of helplessness: “You two, the mountain path is still long. Let us head up the mountain first.”
“Thank you for leading the way, Fellow Cultivator Murong,” Qiu Ning replied with a cupped-hand bow, her gaze inadvertently sweeping past the sword platform.
Although the man was clearly provoking Su Yi, Murong Yue had already shown sufficient sincerity and respect, so Su Yi likely wouldn't stoop to Zhuge Hong's level.
Just as she thought, Su Yi merely glanced at Zhuge Hong, feeling instantly bored.
He was clearly a spoiled young master whose cultivation was merely Middle Foundation Establishment. Even compared to the challengers who had stepped onto Su Yi's sword platform back then, he was probably bottom-of-the-barrel material.
Thus, Su Yi had no intention of wasting his time.
However, someone else wasn't about to let it slide.
“What are you pretending for, Su Yi?!”
Zhuge Hong took a sudden step forward, his voice twisted with extreme rage. Pointing his finger straight at Su Yi's retreating back without any pretense left, he shouted harshly, “Stop right there!”
Crystal clear, Zhuge Hong's blunt, hostile provocation echoed along the mountain path. Murong Yue knit her brows tightly, while the follower disciples beside her turned pale with fright and hastily pleaded in hushed voices:
“Young Master! Think twice! The Elders repeatedly warned us not to brazenly provoke them. You're being so obvious! If you ruin our major plans, even if the Sect Master is your father, I'm afraid...”
“Scared of what?!” Zhuge Hong interrupted impatiently, his tyrant young master arrogance laid bare. Stiffening his neck, he retorted, “My father is the Sect Master! Can those old fogies actually do anything to me?!”
Such blatantly foolish words caused even Su Yi, who had found the whole thing boring and was ready to leave, to pause and look back with a hint of amusement.
A spoiled scion of this caliber was actually so "pure" that it made one want to see... just how far he could court death.
However, just as Su Yi turned around, a white figure moved even faster than him, sweeping onto the sword platform like a burning flame and placing herself right between Zhuge Hong and Su Yi.
Ming Xi's exquisitely beautiful face bore unvarnished displeasure. Her golden eyes glared coldly down at Zhuge Hong, her voice carrying an innate condescension: “Who do you think you are? How dare you spout nonsense here and provoke the man I've set my eyes on?!”
“Come on, try fighting me first.”
Zhuge Hong was stunned by this unexpectedly stunning woman.
The girl before him wore robes as white as snow, with eyes bright as the moon. Her striking beauty was in no way inferior to Murong Yue, whom he constantly lusted after, and she possessed an even more overpowering radiance and nobility, like a proud Heavenly Phoenix.
For a moment, he was lost in a daze.
Seeing this, his lackey thought Zhuge Hong was making eyes at another woman and was nearly scared out of his wits. Rapidly tugging Zhuge Hong's sleeve, he warned in an urgent whisper, “Young Master! Mind your words! She is Ming Xi, the Young Pavilion Master of Perching Phoenix Pavilion! She has noble status and her strength is unfathomable—even Senior Sister Murong might not be a match for her!”
“The Young Pavilion Master of Perching Phoenix Pavilion?” Zhuge Hong snapped out of his daze, repeating the words "unfathomable strength."
Looking at Ming Xi's imposing aura, an intense surge of jealousy welled up in his heart. What made Su Yi so special that the women surrounding him were not only breathtakingly beautiful, but had backings and strength more terrifying than the last?!
Even if Su Yi was a future leader of one of the Four Major Sects, was he not one as well?!
Struggling to repress the bitterness inside him, he forced a smile he deemed suave and cupped his hands to Ming Xi: “So it is Young Pavilion Master Ming. My apologies for my rudeness earlier.”
“However...” Turning the conversation back, he tried to uphold his stance of "testing the sword Dao." “My intention in setting up this platform was to spar in the Dao of the Sword.
“Judging by Young Pavilion Master Ming's aura, you do not seem to specialize in the sword. So this matter is best...”
Before he could finish, Ming Xi's delicate brows knit together in impatience.
Unwilling to waste breath, she raised a slender hand. Pure, majestic spiritual energy erupted outward instantly as platinum Phoenix Flame surged from her palm, the scorching heat slightly warping the surrounding air!
Under her control, the Phoenix Flame condensed in the blink of an eye into a vibrant, seemingly solid longsword of fire!
“A sword cultivator?” The corners of Ming Xi's red lips curled into a mocking arch. Pointing the flame sword straight at Zhuge Hong, her terrifying aura locked onto him. “Isn't a sword cultivator just someone who uses a sword? What difference does it make? Cut the talk—can you take one strike from me?”
This scene caused everyone present to change color, their eyelids twitching wildly!
The spiritual energy fluctuations emanating from the flame-condensed blade had unexpectedly reached the Golden Core level!
And it was far beyond a newly ascended Golden Core! If this sword stroke truly came down, with Zhuge Hong's Middle Foundation Establishment cultivation, even if she held back, he would definitely end up dead or severely crippled!
He was the only son of Ancient Sword Mountain's Sect Master!
Murong Yue's face turned pale. She hadn't expected Ming Xi to be so quick-tempered, and immediately stepped forward to stop her: “Young Pavilion Master Ming, please—”
Yet as the words left her mouth, she didn't know how to advise her.
She had interacted with all her peers among the Four Major Sects, so she knew Ming Xi's temperament all too well. Just like her past self, once Ming Xi set her mind to something, it was nearly impossible to change, and she was even more willful and headstrong than Murong Yue herself.
Qiu Ning's heart tightened as well. Ming Xi's way of doing things was practically out of the exact same mold as Su Yi's—she simply wouldn't listen to reason!
In fact, she was even more hot-headed than Su Yi.
And right at this critical moment, Su Yi moved.
In a flash, he appeared on the sword platform, blocking Ming Xi's path. Opening his mouth with a slight headache, he said, “Wait.”
He looked helplessly at the dangerous Phoenix Flame sword in Ming Xi's hand. “Young Master Zhuge challenged me. Don't join in on the chaos.”
What kind of joke was this?!
They hadn't even formally entered Ancient Sword Mountain's gate yet! If Ming Xi crippled the Sect Master's only son with a single sword strike, things would explode out of control!
This woman was even more reckless than he was; he had no choice but to rein her in.
Seeing Su Yi step in front of her, a smile bloomed on Ming Xi's face. She wouldn't have actually crippled the guy—at most, she would have given him a painful lesson.
Su Yi's intervention actually made her happy. Thus, pouting her red lips with a face full of discontent, she complained with a touch of coquettishness, “I was sticking up for you, you heartless man!”
This ambiguous tone made Su Yi's lips twitch, but he still perfunctorily said, “Then... thank you for stepping up, Young Pavilion Master Ming.”
“Is just thanks enough?” Ming Xi pushed her luck, her golden eyes twinkling slyly. Pointing a delicate finger at her smooth, jade-like cheek, she dropped a bombshell: “Show a little sincerity—how about giving me a kiss?”
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