I Am Invincible spoke with a casual, almost indifferent air, but to the cultivators present, each word struck like a thunderclap.
They stared dumbfounded at the man confronting Shen Yurou from a distance, their minds a chaotic mess.
To cultivate all the way to the Spirit Transformation realm, only to voluntarily disperse one’s cultivation and start over, just like that?
Was breaking through in cultivation as easy as eating or drinking for him?
I Am Invincible paid no mind to the astonishment of the onlookers. Instead, he fixed a challenging gaze on Shen Yurou and asked, “What? You don’t actually think that just because I’m at the Foundation Establishment realm now, I can’t beat you, do you?”
These words caused another wave of uproar.
The gap between Foundation Establishment and Nascent Soul was like the distance between heaven and earth.
For a Nascent Soul Eminence, crushing an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator was truly no different from squashing an ant.
Yet, from the meaning of I Am Invincible’s words, even at the Foundation Establishment realm, he could defeat a Nascent Soul cultivator?
How was that possible?
What shocked the crowd even more was that Shen Yurou—with his long, flowing hair and delicate, almost feminine features—did not fly into a rage at this provocation.
He merely shot I Am Invincible a wary glance, snorted coldly, and offered no rebuttal.
This was tantamount to directly admitting the truth of I Am Invincible’s claim!
This Nascent Soul cultivator, Shen Yurou, might genuinely not be a match for the Foundation Establishment cultivator, I Am Invincible!
The way the assembled cultivators looked at the golden-armored man shifted once more.
At that moment, Shen Yurou, whose pride had been wounded, suddenly gave a charming smile, his words laced with barbs.
“Anyone in Jiushan Province with halfway decent sources knows you’re the precious darling of the illustrious Immortal Venerable Fei Xue. Forget the Foundation Establishment realm; even if you were at the Qi Refinement realm and just stood there letting me strike you, I wouldn’t dare lift a finger!
“If I so much as scratched you, and that one came knocking, our Spiritual Origin Sect couldn’t bear the consequences!”
Upon hearing this, the observing cultivators’ appraisal of I Am Invincible changed yet again.
Expressions of sudden understanding dawned on their faces.
Shen Yurou’s words seemed to have struck a nerve. I Am Invincible’s face instantly darkened, and he glared fiercely at Shen Yurou.
Shen Yurou, however, had no intention of engaging further.
With a smile, he extended a hand, gesturing for him to proceed.
I Am Invincible gave him one last cold look. For reasons unknown, he did not press the issue further.
Instead, he turned and entered the mountain pass.
Just then, a clear, childish voice rang out from the crowd. “Wait, wait! I’m with him! Let me through!”
The crowd was startled, turning to look in the direction of the voice.
They saw a little girl of about seven or eight, dressed in red, shouting as she sprinted toward I Am Invincible.
Behind her followed a middle-aged man with bronzed skin, wearing a somewhat helpless expression.
The little girl was, of course, Su Xiaomei, and the man was Zhang Haobo.
Su Xiaomei scurried over to I Am Invincible’s side, patted his arm, and looked relieved, as if she’d just made it in time.
“Let’s go, let’s go!”
She stared up at I Am Invincible with her wide, innocent eyes, urging him on.
I Am Invincible was initially bewildered. He glanced at this little girl who had appeared out of nowhere and was about to say something.
Then his expression shifted slightly, and the words on the tip of his tongue changed in an instant. “Fine! Let’s go!”
He flashed a rather amused smile and stepped into the mountain pass.
Zhang Haobo's expression was solemn as he followed closely.
The onlookers watched them depart, speculating about the little girl's identity.
Shen Yurou's expression also shifted uncertainly, his thoughts unreadable.
The Shixi Mountain pass stretched for seven or eight li, cutting straight through the mountain. It seemed to have been carved from the very heart of the peak, with cultivators from the Spiritual Origin Sect stationed at regular intervals.
I Am Invincible didn't ask about Su Xiaomei's origins or intentions, simply pressing ahead in silence.
Zhang Haobo sent a voice transmission to Xiaomei: "Xiaomei, what are you trying to do? The one ahead is not someone to be trifled with. Why force a connection with him? Is it really just to save those two hundred spirit stones?"
Su Xiaomei's steps faltered. "What spirit stones! Am I that stingy? Stop treating me like a child, alright?
"Besides, you're a grown man. Why are you so timid?
"What 'not to be trifled with'... He's in the Foundation Establishment realm, and so am I. What’s there to fear?"
Zhang Haobo was left speechless by her retort.
Your Foundation Establishment realm and other people's Foundation Establishment realm... are they really the same?
However, the somewhat rebellious Su Xiaomei not only did not rein herself in, but instead moved closer, peppering I Am Invincible with questions.
"Is your name really I Am Invincible? Why is it so strange?"
"Is it true you were once a Spirit Transformation cultivator who dispersed your cultivation to start over?"
"What's it like to be a Spirit Transformation cultivator?"
"That armor you were wearing earlier was quite nice. Is it some kind of treasure?"
Listening from behind, Zhang Haobo's face paled slightly, fearing I Am Invincible would be provoked by Xiaomei's pestering and turn violent.
Yet, although I Am Invincible didn't answer Su Xiaomei's questions, he showed no anger. A faint, inexplicable smile even seemed to play on his lips.
Zhang Haobo suddenly understood.
He knew the technique Su Xiaomei cultivated allowed her to sense the subtlest shifts in the emotions of those around her. Her earlier actions, while seemingly rash, actually carried little risk.
It seems Xiaomei has another purpose? Indeed, I shouldn't underestimate her just because of her age. Zhang Haobo thought to himself.
The three traveled together, with only Su Xiaomei's constant chatter breaking the silence.
Soon, they traversed the pass and left the confines of Shixi Mountain.
It was then that I Am Invincible, who had remained silent the entire time, suddenly stopped.
He turned to look at Su Xiaomei, asking with keen interest, "You're an interesting little kid. We've never met before, have we? Why did you claim we were in the same group?"
Su Xiaomei tilted her head, her expression full of innocence. "We're traveling together now. Doesn't that make us a group?"
Her cunning eyes darted. "You still haven't answered my questions!"
I Am Invincible chuckled softly, unoffended. "Alright then, let me introduce myself first. I am Shuo Feng. I Am Invincible is just a moniker I use while wandering the world. And you, little girl?"
"My name is Su Xiaomei! The guy next to me is called Zhang Haobo!" Su Xiaomei replied swiftly.
"Su Xiaomei..." Shuo Feng repeated the name once.
Then, looking at her seriously, he asked, "Su Xiaomei, what are your intentions for following me?"
At these words, Zhang Haobo immediately grew tense.
But Su Xiaomei showed no fear. Her eyes lit up, and she answered without hesitation. "Your name is just too arrogant!
"Invincible? I don't accept it! I want to fight you!"
This answer caught Shuofeng completely off guard.
He stared at her for a moment. Then he threw his head back and laughed, a booming, hearty sound.
"Good! You're an interesting little kid!
"Perfect timing. I’ve been walking for a long time, and my hands are itching for a good spar."
"This place is wide open and empty. Why don't we have our bout right here?"