Luo Yueguan brought a chair over to Chu Xianning and sat down happily. She was in an especially good mood today. Seeing Chu Xianning sitting still, her ankle held in Luo Yueguan’s palm, her earlobes flushed, Luo Yueguan couldn’t help but smile at the corner of her mouth and said, “Jiang Huai.”
“Hm?”
“I’m asking you, whose feet are prettier, your master’s or mine?”
“Master’s,” Jiang Huai replied without batting an eye.
“Oh? Then today you must tell me why they are prettier. If you can’t, I’m going to get angry.”
Jiang Huai’s gaze was already fixed on Chu Xianning’s slender, delicate, and tender feet. After a moment of hesitation, he replied, “Master’s bones are more delicate, her skin is tender and smooth, and her feet are more elegant and exquisite. Moreover, Master doesn’t have the lifelong cold blood that you do, so her feet are a faint pink, which adds a touch of cuteness.”
Jiang Huai spoke with all sincerity, causing Chu Xianning to grit her teeth slightly. Her face was not as thick-skinned as Luo Yueguan’s. Hearing these shameful words spoken so seriously by Jiang Huai, she suddenly wished she could lift her leg and forcibly stuff her white and tender little feet into Jiang Huai’s mouth, silencing him completely.
“Anything else? If that’s all, I won’t accept it.”
“Master’s feet are also fragrant, smooth, soft, tender, and very cute. Just lightly touching the soles of her feet will make her toes curl up like a mimosa.”
Not long after Jiang Huai finished speaking, Chu Xianning seemingly could no longer bear the shame. She reached out, lifted Jiang Huai’s chin, and said coldly, “You’re not allowed to say any more!”
“Oh, look, I told you your master is shy, didn’t I? She doesn’t even like to hear compliments, so praising her is a waste of time. Why don’t you praise me instead?”
Jiang Huai gave Luo Yueguan an innocent look, then shook his head, “I’ve run out of words. I’m all used up.”
Luo Yueguan glared fiercely at Jiang Huai but wasn’t angry. She just sat there and continued to admire the nail polish dye on her jade feet. After a while, Jiang Huai finally finished applying it to Chu Xianning. Chu Xianning’s expression was calm, but her shame had likely reached its limit. Jiang Huai carefully let go, but he always felt that Chu Xianning’s glance at him just now carried a chilling murderous intent.
Jiang Huai flinched and moved his chair to the side.
Now there was nothing else to do. Fortunately, Luo Yueguan was talkative and began chatting with Chu Xianning about many things. Most of the time, Luo Yueguan would talk, and Chu Xianning would sit quietly and listen, occasionally offering a brief remark. Jiang Huai sat there like an outsider, basking in the setting sun. It wasn’t until it was almost time that he got up to leave.
If Luo Yueguan hadn’t come, he would have lazed around for a longer time. But with Luo Yueguan’s arrival, Chu Xianning naturally put on a different face. Jiang Huai returned to the courtyard. He remembered that tonight Qingyu and Wanwan would be there to make up for him sleeping alone last night. However, when he returned to the courtyard, he saw no one, only vaguely hearing the sounds of splashing and laughter from the bathhouse.
He went to the bathhouse and saw two fair-skinned mermaids playing in the water, splashing each other. Upon seeing Jiang Huai, their faces flushed slightly, but now only a trace of shyness remained. Luo Qingyu tilted her head slightly and looked at Jiang Huai, “Jiang Huai Gege is back?”
“Mm.” Jiang Huai walked towards the water’s edge and began to undress, preparing to bathe as well. Soon, the bathhouse became a place for three people to play, with ripples spreading across the water.
***
The next day.
Jiang Huai woke up in the early morning with a slight look of exhaustion in his eyes.
If it were just a matter of yin-yang cultivation from last night, it would have been fine. But Wanwan and Qingyu insisted on competing over whose white and tender little feet served better, so Jiang Xiaohu was forced to be the test subject. This resulted in demanding a comparison and ranking of the two pairs of white and tender feet. Wanwan wore white silk, her brows deliberately cold, feigning reluctance, while Qingyu wore black lace stockings, her arms crossed in a proud manner, as if teasing a puppy. These were all prepared tactics, and Jiang Xiaohu, caught off guard, could barely resist.
Fortunately, he had come up with a convincing argument during the day, praising one and then the other, managing to appease them. They slept soundly in his arms, curled up on either side. But before falling asleep, they became restless again and moved closer, their tongues licking his chest.
It was too much. If it were a single person, Jiang Huai would have certainly taught them a lesson. But as soon as one got tired, they would call for the other. And it wasn’t just two petals to tease; Jiang Xiaohu was the one working hard back and forth. When they woke up, they even dressed him, then they leaned in and kissed him on the cheek.
Qingyu and Wanwan’s coordination was becoming more and more skillful. Jiang Huai’s legs were still slightly shaky as he got out of bed.
Normally, when Jiang Huai was teasing Qingyu, Wanwan would play a trick, or when he was teasing Wanwan, Qingyu would interfere. When the two sisters were bickering, Jiang Huai could relax a lot. But last night, the two sisters cooperated with excellent tacit understanding, and Jiang Xiaohu was a bit overwhelmed.
Those times with the white and tender feet were too excessive! He had indulged them too much! Not allowed next time!
Thinking this, Jiang Huai yawned and stretched. He watched as the girls behind him tidied their clothes. Wanwan was still in her plain Daoist robe, while Qingyu was dressed beautifully, her skirt hem tailored to be fitting and elegant.
Indeed, the two sisters seemed incredibly proper during the day, only revealing their little devilish side to him in the quiet of the night.
They arrived at Qingmu Immortal Palace, where a crowd was already waiting. Jiang Huai still looked somewhat drowsy. He casually scanned the crowd and quickly spotted Mu Jiaoyang among them.
Mu Jiaoyang was dressed in a green robe today, his eyes bright and focused. His entire aura was full and robust, appearing as if he had cultivated diligently all night and had now stabilized his aura in the best state. His Spirit Transformation tenth layer cultivation was now incredibly complete, just one step away from entering the Void Refinement stage.
It probably wouldn’t be long before he entered Void Refinement. At his age and cultivation level, he could indeed be considered a once-in-a-thousand-years genius. The sword in his hand was also of Heavenly grade, not much inferior to Yening Sword.
However, Jiang Huai’s Yening Sword was still superior.
Compared to Mu Jiaoyang’s sharp and aggressive demeanor, Jiang Huai was completely in a daze, as if he hadn’t woken up yet. With sleepy eyes and constant yawning, his mind was still on the plan he had been preparing to make cute little tails for Wanwan and Qingyu. If he continued to indulge these two sisters, Jiang Xiaohu would eventually be worn out by them. He walked dizzily onto the Sword Discussion Platform, while Mu Jiaoyang opposite him had already gripped his sword, with countless spiritual Qi surging around him.
“So, are we signing the life-and-death contract or not?” Jiang Huai’s tone was lazy, exuding an air of indolence from his entire being.
This single sentence instantly broke Mu Jiaoyang’s composure.
Last night, after returning to the courtyard, he had almost immediately discussed with Mu Lanyan and Mu Chenyun his desire to sign the life-and-death contract. Even if he died at Jiang Huai’s hands tomorrow, he would not regret it. However, Mu Lanyan and Mu Chenyun refused to agree under any circumstances. Their reasoning made it impossible for him to refuse… He was a once-in-a-thousand-years genius, while Jiang Huai was just a lowly life. Why be so persistent?
Later, Mu Lanyan reminded him earnestly that even if he lost the battle tomorrow, so what? Jiang Huai was merely using some Daoist magic to barely possess a Spirit Transformation combat power at the moment. But in a few more years, look at him, he would be nothing but an ant then. The path of cultivation did not require haste or excessive competitiveness. In short, she rambled on and on, but Mu Jiaoyang only caught… perhaps Mu Lanyan didn’t believe he could definitely win.
He always felt a surge of anger in his chest, yet he had no way to release it. Since childhood, he had been the young master of the Mu family, showered with affection, and no one had ever questioned his talent. His cultivation path had been incredibly smooth, to the point where he had even found cultivation boring.
He knew that one day he would reach the Eighth Realm, or even the Ninth Realm. Everything seemed predestined. For so many years, he had never lost a single fight, and everything he wanted was within his grasp, whether it was cultivation resources or beautiful female disciples, he never lacked anything.
He had thought his life would continue to be smooth sailing until that time outside the Immortal Spirit Secret Realm, when that sword became his nightmare.
This was his first defeat, and he had lost so miserably. However, he did not lose his spirit. After returning to the Mu family, he cultivated day and night, accepted his ancestor’s inheritance, and raised his cultivation level to the perfection of Spirit Transformation tenth layer, all for the sake of this battle today, to face Jiang Huai again and wash away the shame.
He had made all the preparations, even imagining in his mind the scene of his sword cutting open Jiang Huai’s neck, dyeing his blade red. His expression gradually became ferocious, and a sinister aura involuntarily emanated from him.
But Jiang Huai still appeared lazy and listless, even yawning again. In cultivators, spiritual Qi nourishes the physical body, allowing them to go for extended periods without sleep. Although he possessed the Overlord Art, he still needed to rest. He just wanted to finish quickly and go back to the courtyard for another nap.
Hmph, tonight he would deal with Qingyu alone, and tomorrow he would tease Wanwan alone, restoring his authority.
With these messy thoughts in his mind, he casually picked up the Yening Sword in his hand and asked Mu Jiaoyang, “Shall we begin?”
“Good.” Mu Jiaoyang drew his sword and stood up. Sword Qi crisscrossed, and sword light scattered like rain. Jiang Huai stood amidst this sword rain and slowly said, “The first move.”
He first recited the incantation in his heart and used five Experience Scrolls, raising his cultivation to Spirit Transformation seventh layer. In reality, he still had four scrolls left. These were rewards from yesterday’s system mission when he successfully made Chu Xianning kiss his lips. At the time, he hadn’t even paid attention, only staring at his master’s alluring eyes, how could he care about the system’s damn mission?
Jiang Huai decided to keep the remaining four scrolls. If he hadn’t boasted about winning within three moves earlier, he might not have even needed five Experience Scrolls.
The first move was not a sword move, but a combination of his Mirror Flower and the Daoist magic taught to him by Mu Yao. Instantly, a wave of divine soul power shot directly into Mu Jiaoyang’s forehead, causing all his actions to halt. A moment later, Mu Jiaoyang woke up. In the illusion, he didn’t know what he saw, and his aura immediately became disordered, his pupils dilated, his eyes filled with bloodshot capillaries, and his body trembled uncontrollably, almost going mad.
The second move was Sword Thirteen of the Heaven Profound Thirteen Swords. Li Qiushan, watching from below, held his breath, gazing at the sword flowers swirling on Jiang Huai’s sword tip. He asked himself, if he were standing on the stage now, wielding this Sword Thirteen with the same strength as Jiang Huai, he still felt as if something was missing compared to Jiang Huai. Jiang Huai’s Sword Thirteen was more perfectly rounded and pleasing, and the hidden sharpness within it left Li Qiushan in a daze for a long time.
The third sword was Silver Ray, taught to Jiang Huai by Chu Xianning.
Silver Ray simplified complexity into simplicity. It was merely a flash of silver light. The sword light pierced through Mu Jiaoyang’s chest. Even though he saw the light, even though he had practiced countless ways to dodge or block it in his mind, when the sword finally fell, he seemed to freeze in place, unable to do anything.
It was too fast. As soon as he saw the Silver Ray, the sword had already pierced him.
Jiang Huai unhurriedly drew out his sword hilt. Mu Jiaoyang’s body collapsed onto the ground, blood gushing out profusely, dyeing his green robe a large patch with bright red blood.
This sword avoided the vital points. If it had directly pierced his heart, and then his chest cavity was crushed by Overlord Qi, he would have been a corpse.
“Not signing the life-and-death contract was the right choice.” Jiang Huai flicked the blood from the sword tip. He looked at Mu Jiaoyang’s slowly raising head, his dazed eyes, and smiled innocently.
“There is never a shortage of so-called geniuses in this world. It’s not just you; coincidentally, I am one too.”
Water droplets began to ooze from the Yening Sword. Jiang Huai gently shook them off, and after confirming that there was no fishy smell left on the blade, he turned and walked off the stage, not looking at Mu Jiaoyang again.
