Jiang Xuan was earnestly trying to convince Nangong Xin Wan to join him when suddenly, an unexpected voice pierced through the silence.
He turned his head and was shocked to see an ethereal silver-haired woman with an aura that could only be described as otherworldly.
Upon closer inspection, Jiang Xuan nearly jumped out of his skin.
She looked somewhat translucent, like a ghost rather than a real person.
“Kid, I know everything you’ve been up to in my secret realm,” she said with a hint of irritation. “Sure, your sudden burst of power stunned me. But you’ve defamed my legacy countless times. I won’t let that slide.”
“Every cultivator who enters this realm works tooth and nail to impress me. Yet here you are, not only refusing to compete but also badmouthing me at every turn. Today, I’ll see if you’re really the ‘strongest’!”
Jiang Xuan: “!!!!!”
At this moment, Jiang Xuan was completely stunned. He felt his brain had short-circuited.
d*mn it, how did this happen? Just when I was having a nice chat with Xin Wan, now things have gone from bad to worse. Did he really speak ill of the Martial Saint in front of her? And why is she getting so worked up over such a trivial thing?
On the surface, Jiang Xuan quickly stood up and changed his tone. “Ah… it’s the esteemed Heaven Piercing Martial Saint! The title of the strongest isn’t deserved by me. A junior like me wouldn’t dare to claim such a thing in front of such greatness. In fact, I’ve always looked up to you as an example of strength. Your deeds are well known: you fought ten emperors in one battle and still emerged unbeaten. You’re renowned as the strongest under the emperors. That’s incredible. My admiration for you runs deep like a river—endless.”
These tales were all borrowed from Nangong Xin Wan’s stories, told to Jiang Xuan not long ago to motivate him. Now, they’re being used as flattery.
Meanwhile, Nangong Xin Wan, seeing Jiang Xuan’s abrupt change in attitude, was momentarily stunned on the spot.
Regaining her composure, Nangong Xin Wan slowly spoke up, “Brother Xuan, you once told me the Heaven Piercing Martial Saint didn’t even count as a small fry in your eyes. Yet, you treat her with such respect… I get it—I understand you’re teaching me that respect should be given no matter the strength. I was ignorant before; thank you for the lesson.”
Jiang Xuan: “??????”
Hearing this, the smile on Jiang Xuan’s face froze instantly as the atmosphere turned eerie. The Martial Saint, originally feeling elated by Jiang Xuan’s respectful words, began to question her previous misunderstandings about the young man. Maybe those nasty comments were just a misunderstanding.
But then she heard Nangong Xin Wan, and her face darkened. “So, I’ve almost been fooled. Your words weren’t flattering; they were insulting. I am nothing more than an ant to you?”
Jiang Xuan: “!!!!!”
Realizing the severity of the situation, Jiang Xuan quickly interjected, “Wait, you misunderstood. Her words are unreliable!”
“But Brother Xuan, you clearly said you couldn’t care less about the Heaven Piercing Martial Saint’s legacy, and even forbade me from joining in…”
Jiang Xuan: “!!!!!”
With Nangong Xin Wan adding fuel to the fire, Jiang Xuan was completely dumbfounded. He regretted his exaggerated acting and the mess he had created.
“This pig teammate of mine is clueless! He ruined everything,” he thought. And now, this pig is dragging him down with her!
Just then, the Martial Saint spoke, “No need to explain. If you think I’m lower than an ant, then let’s settle this on the battlefield.”
“But, Senior… there has been a misunderstanding! It wasn’t what her words mean. I was never trying to belittle you.”
The Martial Saint ignored Jiang Xuan’s plea. “This battle is unavoidable. Show me that power you unveiled before. Maybe you can make me use a third of my strength.”
Jiang Xuan: “…”
Reluctantly, he replied, “Thank you for appreciating my strength, Senior. However, I’ve decided not to rely on that power anymore. Besides, you are nothing but a remnant soul now… perhaps we should just call it quits and maintain peace.”
“Hmm, you’re afraid to face me due to respect, huh? How amusing, but I want to see how strong the ‘strongest’ really is!”
Jiang Xuan inwardly groaned, thinking, [Just a remnant soul, even if I can’t defeat her, I can avoid her. If she wants to possess me, let’s see what happens. Ha ha, my system isn’t just for show!]
Suddenly, the Martial Saint transformed into a beam of light, heading straight for Jiang Xuan.
Without hesitation, Jiang Xuan stood his ground, a little excited but mostly confused. The light turned, bypassing Jiang Xuan and entering Nangong Xin Wan.
In the next instant, Nangong Xin Wan’s appearance changed dramatically, taking on silver hair and red eyes.
She raised a spear towards Jiang Xuan. “Draw your weapon, boy. You don’t want me to control her completely, do you?”
Jiang Xuan: “?????”
Watching Nangong Xin Wan under the control of another, he thought, [Seriously? This teammate started and ended this game in failure. Losing even when winning… How am I supposed to deal with this!]
