Wen Mingxiu did not immediately explain when she saw the crowd’s stunned and confused faces. Instead, she began walking again until she reached an empty space.
Only then did she speak, “Hm, are you guys looking down on my old friend?”
The nearby crowd immediately felt embarrassed. They were all disciples of powerful clans and naturally looked down on the poor.
However, they could not admit it due to the risk of offending Wen Mingxiu.
Wen Mingxiu sighed and said, “My friend is far more formidable than you guys imagine. If my estimate is correct, no one here is his match.”
These words drew an uproar from the surrounding crowd, their faces clearly unconvinced.
Someone could not help but retort, “Miss Mingxiu, are you looking down on us?”
Wen Mingxiu frowned. “Since when did I say that?”
Soon after, she displayed a helpless expression. “Every word I said earlier is true. If you guys don’t believe me, there’s nothing else I can say.”
The more she acted this way, the more the nearby youths felt unconvinced. To think that she was saying they could not compare to a commoner disciple?Such words were too hurtful!
If anyone else had dared to say such things, they would have already given the person a good beating.
“Humph. I’m interested to find out how capable he is to receive such praise from Miss Mingxiu!”
An arrogant youth in green robes finally snapped and turned his sights toward Lin Xun.
“Yuan Shi, why must you be like this? My old friend doesn’t have a good temper. It won’t be good if he injures you by accident.”
Wen Mingxiu tried to dissuade him as if she could not bear to watch him hurt himself.
Her words, however, were like a needle through the heart for Yuan Shi and he felt extremely humiliated.
“Am I really so pathetic in your eyes, Miss Mingxiu?” Yuan Shi’s expression darkened.
“No, please don’t misunderstand.” Wen Mingxiu smiled bitterly.
“Since that’s the case. Don’t try and stop me!”
He had already stomped off before the last word left his mouth.
Wen Mingxiu, to think that you look down on me so much. I’m definitely going to show you how pathetic your old friend is before me!
Wen Mingxiu could not help but sigh. The crowd around her, however, was very excited. Yuan Shi was doing exactly what they wanted to see.
They were likewise exasperated by how highly Wen Mingxiu regarded that backwater chump.
Every movement on their side was naturally observed by the many cultivators on the plaza. As such, the sight of Yuan Shi suddenly stomping away from the group in a pissed manner immediately drew the attention of numerous people.
“From the looks of it, that little devil Yuan Shi is going to beat someone up again.”
“Tch tch, I wonder who offended him. To think he’s going to do it in front of Haze Academy. There’s going to be an entertaining show soon.”
“Brother, is this Yuan Shi very formidable?”
“Humph, if you haven’t heard of Yuan Shi, you’re definitely not a cultivator from Haze City. He’s from one of Haze City’s four first-class factions, the Yuan Clan, and was born with godly strength and talent. Although he’s only fifteen this year, it has already been three years since he advanced to the Human Dipper stage!”
“You mean he advanced to the Human Dipper stage when he was twelve? Amazing!”
Yuan Shi arrived in front of Lin Xun, crossed his arms, and arrogantly said, “Friend, I heard you’re pretty strong, Shall we spar?”
Lin Xun had already noticed what was happening some time ago although he had not expected someone to jump out so quickly to seek him out.
He was rather speechless. Are the youngsters these days so easily provoked?
“Friend, did Wen Mingxiu ask you to come?”
Lin Xun decided to be patient with this clearly irritable and arrogant young man. He was here to register for the provincial exam and did not wish to waste time on a petty spar.
“Nope.” Yuan Shi immediately denied it.
What a joke. Is the great First Young Master Yuan Shi someone who can be ordered around by others?
“I understand. You adore Wen Mingxiu and want to use this chance to gain her praise and goodwill, right?” asked Lin Xun with a friendly expression. The expression paired with his warm smile made him look completely harmless.
Unfortunately, Yuan Shi did not cooperate. He impatiently said, “Stop with your nonsense. Do you dare to accept my challenge or not? If you don’t have the ability, just obediently admit defeat and stop wasting my time!”
“Friend, don’t get so worked up. I suspect you’re being used by others. Think about it, if you lose to me, who will lose face?”
Lin Xun exercised great self-control as he did his best to show sincerity and patience.
Who could have expected that this final sentence would set Yuan Shi off? “Damnit, you also think I’m not your match? This is intolerable!”
Lin Xun immediately narrowed his eyes. There was much to unpack from this response. Wouldn’t this mean that someone had claimed Yuan Shi was not Lin Xun’s match earlier?
Who can it be?
There’s no need to guess, it must be Wen Mingxiu!
Bang!
Yuan Shi attacked before Lin Xun could say anything else. Yuan Shi pushed his foot back as power surged through his arm. The power condensed into a dazzling emerald-green glow on his palm as it violently swung at Lin Xun.
The air rippled erratically as terrifying fist-winds swiftly swept forth with mountain-crushing force.
This was the power of the Human Dipper stage. A Human Dipper stage cultivator’s aeth power contained powerful dipper qi and gained the ability to attack at range. The force of a Human Dipper expert’s attacks was not something a True Martial expert could withstand.
“Emerald Star Wave Pusher Palm!”
The eyes of numerous watching cultivators brightened as they gasped in amazement. This was the Yuan Clan’s signature move. A palm that struck like an emerald sea rising to the stars as giant waves pushed through the vastness of space!
Yuan Shi had clearly practiced this palm technique for many years. His attack felt like a surging emerald sea and gave off an oppressive aura of unstoppable momentum.
“He’s not bad.”
In the distance, Wen Mingxiu’s eyes also brightened. Yuan Shi’s performance had surpassed her expectations.
The crowd around her stirred in anticipation. Although Yuan Shi was not the most formidable among them, his strength was first-class.
With him immediately using the Emerald Star Wave Pusher Palm, it was clear that he intended to subdue the opponent in a single move as a show of dominance!
This fool. He doesn’t even know that he’s being used by others. What a waste of my advice.
Lin Xun cursed inwardly. However, he was not slow to react, responding with a sudden strike of his own as well the moment Yuan Shi attacked.
Boom!
A strand of illusory blue light drifted out of the simple punch, making it seem light and feeble.
Numerous people laughed at this sight. What kind of shitty punch is this? It’s like he forgot to eat.
However, their expression changed a split second later.
With a loud thud, fist-winds collided in the air, creating a frightening explosion as dipper power chaotically scattered in all directions.
At the same time, Yuan Shi was swatted away like a small boat in a tsunami. His body flew several hundred feet at a horizontal angle before crashing to the ground amidst a piercing yelp.
He had failed to block a single move from Lin Xun and was even sent flying!
All of this happened in an instant. No one could have imagined that the mighty First Young Master of the Yuan Clan, who was born with godly strength and outstanding talent, would not only fail to subdue the opponent in a single move but also ironically be defeated by a single attack instead!
The entire place became deathly silent.
Numerous people were dumbstruck, their mouths hanging wide open in disbelief.
Wen Mingxiu’s heart violently shuddered as her expression changed indeterminately. To think that he has already grown this much. Could he have passed Blood Kill Camp’s final exam and entered the Dipper Transformation Lake?
Lin Xun stood there in a daze. He had not fought anyone since advancing to the Human Dipper stage and had not put much power into his earlier attack because he was only trying to test the waters.
Who could have anticipated that such a casual attack would defeat Yuan Shi?!
Isn’t he a bit too weak? Are all the participants going to be so weak?
Lin Xun began to have some doubts about the provincial exam.
He did not know that it was not Yuan Shi who was too weak but Lin Xun who was too strong!
“Again!”
Yuan Shi climbed to his feet. With a furious roar, he ferociously charged at Lin Xun again.
He was clearly in denial about the events that had just transpired and assumed it was because he had been overly careless. Hence, he went all-out this time.
Boom~
After another thunderous clash, Yuan Shi was sent flying again like a kite with a broken string, already coughing blood and shrieking before he crashed to the ground.
An uproar erupted as gasps rang out in succession.
Several people present knew just how strong Yuan Shi was. He was born with superior talent, godly strength, and practiced a first-class martial art, Emerald Star Wave Pusher Palm. He was considered a top-tier expert in the Human Dipper stage.
Despite these advantages, he had been sent flying twice in a row without managing to put up any semblance of resistance. It was horrifying to think about.
Just how strong was his opponent?
In the distance, Wen Mingxiu sighed deeply, “Whoa, I already said that my old friend is very strong but Yuan Shi refused to listen. Now he has suffered a defeat in front of everyone.”
The expressions of the youths around her darkened. Yuan Shi’s loss both shocked and disappointed them. Wen Mingxiu’s words were like a slap to their faces and made them feel extremely sullen.
“Humph, I shall go experience this friend’s great skills!”
A figure dashed out from Wen Mingxiu’s side and zoomed towards Lin Xun like a thunderbolt. It was a young man in silver robes wielding a gleaming silver spear. Light flowed along his clothes, a sign that he was armed to the teeth in aeth equipment.
Countless people cried out in surprise.
“The Young Master of Jadelight Pavilion, Qi Yunxiao!”
“Things are going to become exciting now. Although Qi Yunxiao does not have the strongest cultivation among the Human Dipper experts in Haze City, he is one of our best fighters. I heard that managed to slay a brute race expert all by himself last year!”
“Equipment-wise, that young man is most certainly not Qi Yunxiao’s match.”
Lin Xun could not help but frown at this development. Was the strength he displayed not enough?
Or was the other party confident enough to face him?
Regardless of which it was, it put Lin Xun in a foul mood. A chilling light flashed in his black eyes. He was no longer going to hold back!