“Yan Zhen, you’re courting death!”
Lan Ke flew into a rage and struck out aggressively. It was the Air Breaking Seal, a technique that wounded from afar.
Though the Air Breaking Seal struggled to inflict real damage, it could still catch an opponent off guard, paving the way for a more powerful follow-up attack.
Unfortunately for him, Yan Zhen had seen it coming. He casually swatted the Air Breaking Seal apart and then went on the offensive himself. Channeling the second layer of the Eight Extremes Explosion, he sent faint ripples through the air.
Boom!
Fist met palm. Lan Ke was sent flying back. He only managed to steady himself and land safely just before crashing into the wall behind him.
When he flipped his hand over to check, his palm was swollen and blistered from the scorching mystic power, burning with intense pain.
Lan Ke’s expression turned ugly. Yan Zhen’s mystic power had overpowered his own defenses to cause that burn. Could it be that the technique Yan Zhen cultivated was of even higher grade than his own?
But the technique Lan Ke practiced was Quasi-King Tier. How absurd was the idea that lowly Martial Tang City could produce a true King Tier technique?
Yan Zhen had also retreated two steps before steadying himself. His fist throbbed with a dull ache, so he shook it out.
That was the side effect of the Eight Extremes Explosion’s second layer.
Without a high enough cultivation base, unleashing multiple layers placed a heavy burden on the fist and arm.
That was why Yan Zhen could only use the second layer for now. If he forced out the third, his fist and arm would suffer injuries—injuring the enemy at a cost of eight hundred to his own one thousand.
The two men locked eyes. Then, at the same moment, they both lunged forward.
Fists and feet clashed. Mystic power erupted.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The commotion grew louder and louder, drawing spectators from the nearby private rooms—including the Nine Stars Ranking experts who had come to dine with Lan Ke.
First place: Xiao Mie.
Second place: Yu Yue.
As the host of Food as Heaven, Yu Yue did not intervene in the fight. Instead, he held back his guards and watched with keen interest, even offering commentary.
Yan Zhen and Lan Ke fought more and more fiercely. They battered the corridor walls, leaving pits and craters riddled with fist marks and footprints.
Yan Zhen thought to himself that Mentor Yu Xuan should be coming out any moment now. If she didn’t, he’d have to get serious. Lan Ke wasn’t weak, after all, and this casual sparring style could easily leave him on the defensive.
…
Inside the private room, Yan Meng’er, Mi Xue’er, and Mentor Yu Xuan were all distracted. Only Xiao Xinyan was focused on her food and drink, venting her frustrations that way. Every so often, she even picked up some dishes for Mentor Yu Xuan or offered her a toast.
As reincarnators, the three women naturally knew exactly what was happening outside.
Mentor Yu Xuan desperately wanted to go take a look, but Xiao Xinyan kept striking up conversations with her, making it hard to find an excuse.
Mi Xue’er knew this was one of her airheaded bestie’s rare moments of bliss. Though she felt a twinge of jealousy, she held it back. Her own turn would come soon enough anyway.
Yan Meng’er was quite envious that her cousin Ruyu got to be heroically rescued by Cousin Yan Zhen. So she kept a close eye on Mentor Yu Xuan, not wanting her to step in and end the scuffle too soon. That way, her silly cousin could savor just a bit more of the sweetness.
Boom!
The noise from outside was growing more obvious, even catching the attention of Xiao Xinyan, who had been focused on her meal. Her ears twitched twice.
“What’s going on out there?”
“Who knows? Maybe someone’s drunk and causing a scene,” Yan Meng’er said offhandedly. “We can ask Cousin Ruyu and Cousin Yan Zhen when they get back.”
“I’ll go take a look.”
Mentor Yu Xuan started to rise, but Yan Meng’er grabbed her.
“Mentor, don’t go. Drunks are the worst—one slip, and they might take advantage of you.”
“No worries. I’m a Mystic Master, after all. There aren’t many in Silver Moon City who could take advantage of me.”
“Meng’er just worries you’ll go easy on them and give them an opening. You’re a pure goddess in Meng’er’s eyes. If some stinky man took advantage of you, Meng’er would cry her heart out.”
“You silly girl, always talking nonsense. What pure goddess? You’re just trying to embarrass your mentor.”
Xiao Xinyan muttered under her breath from the side, “Bootlicker.”
Yan Meng’er heard it but ignored her. She thought to herself: Just you wait. Soon enough, you’ll get yours—your clan brother will drug you, you wicked woman!
Mentor Yu Xuan patted the small hand clutching her own.
“Alright, Meng’er, let go. I’m a little worried about Yan Zhen and Ruyu. If they cause trouble here, it won’t end well. This is Yu Family territory, after all.”
Yan Meng’er couldn’t come up with a better excuse to stop her. Throwing a tantrum would only arouse suspicion, so she reluctantly let go, thinking: Cousin Ruyu, this is as far as little sis can help you.
“Come to think of it, I’m worried about Cousin Yan Zhen and Cousin Ruyu too. I’ll go with you, Mentor.”
Mi Xue’er chimed in, “Then count me in. I need to hit the washroom anyway.”
Xiao Xinyan curled her lip. She thought these little girls were so childish, always clinging to Mentor Yu Xuan to curry favor. As a mature woman, she decided not to stoop to their level.
…
Why hasn’t Mentor Yu Xuan come out yet? Yan Zhen was getting anxious. If she didn’t show soon, he’d unleash the Gold-Silver Fire and finish Lan Ke off.
To stick to the plot, he’d been holding back the whole time, letting himself get pushed around. His temper was starting to fray!
Just as Yan Zhen was about to lose his patience, he finally heard Mentor Yu Xuan’s voice.
“You two, stop this right now!”
A streak of water-blue mystic power shot through the air and exploded between Yan Zhen and Lan Ke, forcing them both to leap back.
Mentor Yu Xuan strode forward briskly, her pretty face cold as she scolded them.
“Academy rules state that students may not fight privately outside of school. Any grudges should be settled on the Duel Platform. Brawling in a restaurant—what kind of example is that?”
Yan Zhen obediently withdrew his mystic power, putting on an innocent expression.
Now that Mentor Yu Xuan had intervened, Lan Ke knew the fight was off. He snorted.
“Mentor Yu Xuan is right. Yan Zhen, I’ll wait for you to advance to the Advanced Class. We’ll settle this on the Duel Platform.”
Yan Zhen didn’t take it seriously. He could already blow Lan Ke’s head off, and with Gold-Silver Fire, he could one-shot him!
As fellow Nine-Star Mystic Practitioners, Lan Ke was far inferior to Xiao Mie, which was why he ranked only third on the Nine Stars Ranking.
“No need to wait for Advanced Class. I challenge you right now—Duel Platform, three days from now. Remember the academy rule: Beat a Nine Stars Ranking expert on the Duel Platform, and you jump straight to Advanced Class. You’re the perfect test run.”
“Hahaha! That’s the funniest joke I’ve heard all year. You think this is all I’ve got?” Lan Ke laughed disdainfully. “Since you’re so eager to die, I’ll oblige you. Three days from now, Duel Platform. Don’t be late.”
“Heh heh heh. Make sure you wash that dog head of yours clean.” Yan Zhen shot back without backing down. “And once you lose, stay away from Cousin Ruyu. What a disgrace.”
With harsh words exchanged and the battle pact sealed, Yan Zhen and the others returned to the private room.
According to the script, the women—led by Mentor Yu Xuan—would chide him for being too reckless. How could he challenge Lan Ke, third on the Nine Stars Ranking? Yan Ruyu would even beg Mentor Yu Xuan to help cancel the duel.
But none of the women said a word, as if they suddenly didn’t care whether he lived or died.
Only that clueless sow Xiao Xinyan laughed at him for asking for trouble.
Yan Zhen shot her a cold glance. She curled her lip but didn’t dare say more.
After the meal, the group returned to the residence. The four women hurried off to bathe, telling Yan Zhen to head to his room and wait.
Not wanting to waste time, Yan Zhen drew water into the bathtub in his room and soaked himself.
Once he was clean, he changed into sleepwear. He was just about to enter the Crystal Stone Space when Yan Ruyu’s voice came from outside the door.
“It’s me, Yan Zhen. I have something to discuss with you.”
