Mu Yao immediately began to shake her head the moment Mu Jianghe finished speaking, her tone still soft, “Grandpa is always trying to matchmake again, Yao’er has no plans to get married yet.”
“Grandpa isn’t forcing you to marry him. The Qin family is also a prominent clan in the Southern Region, and their younger generation can’t be too bad. I’ve watched them grow up. The Mu family is ultimately your root, and you’ll have to return eventually. Grandpa dotes on you too much to let anything happen to you. This second young master of the Qin family is indeed suitable for you, why not try getting along with him?”
“No.” Mu Yao immediately shook her head, refusing decisively and without hesitation. A moment later, afraid of angering her grandfather, she explained softly, “Yao’er already has someone in her heart from the Eastern Region. Besides, no matter how capable he is, he can’t possibly be more capable than the guards I brought. If you don’t believe me… why don’t you let them compete?”
Mu Jianghe’s gaze shifted to Jiang Huai again. He examined him thoroughly with his divine sense. He was indeed a Seventh Realm Body Integration First Level cultivator, and his physique appeared well-honed. However, Body Integration was not the Lower Five Realms. After Body Integration, each minor realm had a vast difference in combat power. Mu Yao’s words were perhaps a bit too confident.
But looking at Mu Yao’s stubborn and serious eyes, it didn’t seem like she was faking it. He also understood his own son. The Chess Saint indeed cherished Mu Yao dearly and wouldn’t casually send an ordinary guard to protect her. This meant that the young man in front of him likely had some extraordinary qualities.
For a moment, Mu Jianghe became somewhat curious.
The Chess Saint had personally witnessed Jiang Huai easily defeat the First Prince of the Central Province, Ji Qinghai, outside the Jade Kui Secret Realm. Naturally, he was confident in Jiang Huai’s strength. At this moment, Jiang Huai had no choice but to brace himself and step forward, saying calmly, “If Senior is not at ease, you can let him compete with me.”
“Do you know he’s a Body Integration Fourth Level?”
“I know,” Jiang Huai replied with some helplessness.
“Then how do you, a junior, have such arrogant words?” Mu Jianghe’s tone slightly rose, exuding considerable pressure. Unfortunately, Jiang Huai was accustomed to being lazy, and his expression didn’t change in the slightest. Instead, a hint of helplessness emerged, “You’ll know after trying.”
He seemed disinclined to explain further. In Mu Jianghe’s eyes, this arrogant and lazy demeanor was somewhat similar to his third son, the Chess Saint, from years ago. This faint familiarity stirred some emotion in him. He reined in his imposing demeanor and looked at Mu Yao, “Then I’ll let him compete with the second young master of the Qin family. If he loses, you’ll let the second young master of the Qin family accompany you, how about that?”
Mu Yao tugged at Jiang Huai’s clothes, and Jiang Huai replied softly, “It’s okay, agree to it.”
So Mu Yao nodded. She naturally trusted Jiang Huai completely and didn’t hesitate at all. Meanwhile, Mu Jianghe became more suspicious and curious. He had been cultivating for so many years and had seen geniuses who could challenge opponents at higher levels. However, challenging higher levels in the Lower Five Realms was one thing, but in the Upper Five Realms, each minor realm was as different as the sky and the earth. He was curious what exactly supported this lazy young man’s arrogant words.
What he said was true, you’ll know after trying.
Since Mu Yao arrived at this grand hall, many people’s gazes had been subtly probing. The Mu family all knew that the old patriarch doted on his granddaughter who had been away for a long time. Even though the old patriarch and the Chess Saint did not get along well, they would not involve the younger generation. Mu Yao had visited the Mu family once in her childhood, and she was sweet-mouthed and cute, often making the old patriarch laugh heartily. Those present had naturally heard the content of their conversation.
Daily life was dull and uninteresting, and there were not many exciting events. Now that they could finally witness a bit of excitement, the Mu family members below the stage and the invited Qin family disciples had a look of amusement in their eyes. Mu Jianghe had already spoken, “Qin Ziren, come here.”
From the crowd, the handsome young man previously noticed by Mu Jianghe walked out from the feast. He was tall and well-built, with a green spirit sword at his waist and dressed in bright orange. His gaze was calm and gentle.
“I had intended for you to ensure the safety of our Mu family’s sixth young lady in the Ancestral Secret Realm. Now, she’s brought her own guard and insists that he’s more capable than you.”
Qin Ziren smiled faintly and said softly, “I heard what the old patriarch and the sixth young lady were saying earlier.”
“Then are you willing to compete with him?” Mu Jianghe was clearly very pleased with Qin Ziren and greeted him with a smile. Qin Ziren nodded gently and looked at Jiang Huai. He slightly raised his head, and although his eyes seemed gentle, a hint of arrogance was inevitable.
“Brother, are you willing to have a sword discussion with me?”
Jiang Huai knew he couldn’t avoid it. He originally didn’t want to fight outside the secret realm; it was better to keep a low profile when traveling. He wasn’t used to being in the spotlight. He didn’t know if it was because he was getting older, but he felt his youthful spirit was gradually fading. Being in the spotlight had changed from something fun to something somewhat embarrassing.
He looked all around and scanned the cultivators from the Northern Region and Central Province with his divine sense. They didn’t seem to be at this Mu family banquet. So, he walked out and came to the open space of the banquet hall, “Then let’s simply have a sword discussion. You can draw your sword, I won’t.”
The entire hall fell silent at this statement.
Jiang Huai’s eye twitched slightly. Even though he knew this statement would likely result in this kind of reaction, making him seem excessively arrogant, the truth was that he wasn’t underestimating the other party. In the past few days, he had been diligently practicing his sword techniques in the courtyard day and night, but he still couldn’t fully adapt to the boost that dragon blood and such vast spiritual qi provided to his sword techniques. Even if he remained calm during a sword discussion, there were unavoidable moments when swords had no eyes. He was afraid he might accidentally injure the other party too severely, leading to an awkward situation.
“I don’t mean anything else; it’s not that I’m looking down on you. I’m better at body cultivation, and I only have a superficial understanding of sword techniques, so I won’t embarrass myself. Drawing your sword against me is still fair.”
Jiang Huai quietly sensed the gazes of everyone in the hall focused on him. Fortunately, as Chu Xianning’s only personal disciple, he had long learned Chu Xianning’s habit of remaining unfazed even when Mount Tai collapsed before him. He could still maintain composure and even found the opportunity to add this to reassure the other party.
Unfortunately, Qin Ziren, the second son of the Qin family, did not seem to understand Jiang Huai’s good intentions. He merely smiled faintly, “My cultivation level is far higher than yours. Since you’re unwilling to draw your sword, I won’t either. Coincidentally, I also have some insights into body tempering and understand some palm techniques. Brother, you should be careful.”
“Alright, I will,” Jiang Huai nodded gently.
The Mu and Qin family disciples consciously cleared a space for the two of them, with no obstacles within ten meters. Qin Ziren stepped forward and assumed a ready stance for his palm technique, which looked quite impressive. Jiang Huai didn’t know what palm technique he was practicing. When Mu Jianghe on the stage announced the start, he was prepared.
But Qin Ziren didn’t move, so Jiang Huai didn’t move either. A moment later, Qin Ziren spoke, “Brother, please make your move.”
Jiang Huai felt a moment of helplessness.
Why were they being so polite? This wasn’t about who made the first move determining superiority or inferiority. It was that in a gentleman’s competition, there was an unwritten rule: the one with the apparent higher strength would let the opponent strike first. Jiang Huai’s habitual thinking was that he should let this brother in front of him make the first move, but coincidentally, the other party thought the same way.
However, since Qin Ziren had the higher apparent strength, it didn’t seem inappropriate for him to make the first move.
Jiang Huai had no sparring partners these past few days; he had been practicing alone. He wasn’t sure of his current strength. In any case, he could certainly pin Su Qingyi down on the bed and spank her butt; she wouldn’t be able to resist at all… but that might also be because Su Qingyi was unwilling to resist and was enjoying it, so it couldn’t be used to calculate combat power.
Therefore, Jiang Huai wasn’t particularly eager to make the first move. He wanted to first test the opponent’s strength and then use slightly more force than the opponent, so as not to accidentally cause a qi and blood counterflow or break their bones.
But now, under everyone’s gaze, if he continued to defer back and forth, it would inevitably seem indecisive and become a laughingstock. So, he stepped forward helplessly, his figure turning into a gust of wind. In an instant, wind and thunder surged. Without any feints or palm techniques, Jiang Huai simply leaped with a kick and instantly appeared before Qin Ziren, throwing a punch.
Qin Ziren calmly extended his hand, the palm of his hand against the fist. Although his face turned slightly pale for a moment, he completely neutralized the force of this punch, retreating slightly. A moment later, he struck with another palm. Lightning surged within his palm; he was likely practicing some kind of enchanted palm technique.
Seeing that he had neutralized the punch, Jiang Huai quietly breathed a small sigh of relief and then began to carefully analyze his palm technique.
Qin Ziren’s expression showed a hint of astonishment. The power of Jiang Huai’s previous punch was much stronger than he had expected, almost reaching the power he could unleash in the late stage of Body Integration Second Level. Fortunately… he was now Body Integration Fourth Level.
He was not in a hurry at first, thinking that it wouldn’t lead to his defeat in one move, and he wanted to leave a little face for Jiang Huai. And Jiang Huai… thought the same way.
They exchanged punches and palms back and forth. Jiang Huai had been gradually increasing his strength cautiously, while also observing Qin Ziren’s expression. One punch, two punches, three punches. Qin Ziren’s faint smile at the corner of his mouth gradually disappeared with each of Jiang Huai’s punches.
Why was each punch stronger than the last?
The younger generation watching on the side couldn’t discern the intricacies, only feeling that their boxing and palm techniques were interesting. Although not flashy, the clash of strength in each direct hit was pleasing to the eye. However, they gradually noticed that while they seemed evenly matched at first, Qin Ziren’s complexion was growing increasingly pale. He suddenly realized that he could no longer block Jiang Huai’s punches.
But he didn’t show it. He was currently at the Mu family, so how could he easily lose face for the Qin family? He gritted his teeth and endured, hoping that Jiang Huai was practicing some kind of boxing technique with short-term explosive power that would naturally exhaust itself after a while.
And Jiang Huai was punching with particular enjoyment.
After all, he wasn’t worried at all about Qin Ziren’s palm techniques harming him. His current physique was so resilient that when he was bored a while ago and ran his spiritual qi, he tested it with the Yening Sword. Even he couldn’t cut it, let alone these gentle palm techniques.
He suddenly understood why many people liked to pretend to be pigs to eat tigers. It was purely for the joy of shocking others. The current Qin Ziren was like an excellent human sandbag. After all, swords were gentleman’s weapons, and what truly satisfied humans’ fundamental desire for aggression was undoubtedly close-quarters combat.
Jiang Huai gradually increased his strength, afraid that Qin Ziren would accidentally be injured by a punch. Qin Ziren felt his fist, which was like an incoming tide, and his palm strikes became slower and slower, more and more flustered. He had already been crying out in misery in his heart, praying for Jiang Huai to quickly exert all his strength, not knowing that Jiang Huai hadn’t even used a quarter of his strength. Jiang Huai’s punches gradually became faster and faster, so fast that he couldn’t even see the afterimages. His chest was hit dozens of times, enduring solely on the pride of his bones without begging for mercy. Finally, he could no longer hold on. A sweet sensation rose in his throat, and he spat out a large mouthful of blood mist.
Jiang Huai hastily withdrew his fist, grabbed his almost falling body as if by instinct, and held his shoulder, staring at him with concern, “Brother, are you alright? Here, take a Healing Pill.”
Jiang Huai’s actions were smooth and natural. When traveling, it was his duty to offer a healing pill after injuring someone in a competition. Jiang Huai had always been a principled person and always carried various healing pills.
However, when he inadvertently glanced, he realized that everyone at the banquet was looking at him with expressions of shock, as if they had seen a ghost.
