Jiang Huai once again looked at Mu Jianghe on the stage.
For some reason, looking at Jiang Huai’s seemingly gentle and calm demeanor at this moment, Mu Jianghe felt as if his own son, the Chess Saint, was standing before him again. When the Chess Saint was young, he had the same outwardly gentle yet inwardly arrogant and unruly appearance. Recalling the Chess Saint, Mu Jianghe felt a mixture of complex emotions, a surge of anger, and then looked at the younger generation of the Qin family seated at a table below. “Miss Qin family?”
The young lady of the Qin family, who was named, was dressed in a red dress and was currently seated at a table drinking tea. She had naturally been paying attention to these two matches. Seeing that Jiang Huai had easily defeated her two younger brothers, her gaze towards Jiang Huai now held no anger at all, but rather a hint of admiration.
Now that she was called upon, she was a little surprised. She let out a helpless and teasing laugh, “Grandpa Mu, do you want me to spar with him too?”
Mu Jianghe snorted coldly, “Since you’re so powerful, why not show off a bit more for everyone present?”
“If this young man is willing, I don’t mind, but Grandpa Qin doesn’t need to force him like this… A guest is a guest, shouldn’t this be…”
Before Miss Qin Wuyou could even finish her sentence, Mu Yao spoke up first, “No, no, Grandpa, no, you can’t let him fight that woman.”
“Why?” Mu Jianghe was slightly stunned.
Mu Yao pursed her lips slightly, “Anyway, no. He’s already shown his strength, Grandpa, you’re not allowed to trouble him anymore.”
Mu Yao’s little scheme was meticulously planned. The people of the Southern Region didn’t know how powerful Jiang Huai was, but she did. Jiang Huai was too lazy to even draw his sword right now. If he were to be infatuated and wanted to show off in front of this beautiful woman, defeating her in a few rounds, what if she then became infatuated with him?
Mu Yao silently compared the figure, chest, and height of Miss Qin family. She became even more anxious. Looking at Mu Jianghe’s hesitant expression, she pursed her lips, “Anyway, no.”
Indeed, when you like someone, you wish you could hide them away, letting only yourself quietly know their good qualities.
Jiang Huai, standing on the side, felt exasperated and amused. He looked at Mu Jianghe on the stage and said softly, “Mu Yao doesn’t like it, so let’s not spar with her. If Senior Mu still doubts my strength, perhaps someone else can try.”
As soon as this was said, a person from the crowd emerged.
He sat at the very center of the Mu family’s junior seats, exuding an aura of being surrounded by stars. He was dressed in white with a face like jade. Now, as everyone looked at him, he paused slightly, put down the tea he had just picked up, and leaped forward, arriving at the newly vacated center of the banquet.
He looked at Jiang Huai and introduced himself first, “Eldest son of the Mu family, Mu Jianyun.”
Mu Jianyun, Body Integration seventh level.
“My name is Jiang Huai,” Jiang Huai replied softly.
“My cultivation level is six minor realms higher than yours. If you are unwilling, you can refuse to spar with me. The two young masters of the Qin family both lost to you, so you naturally qualify to enter the secret realm with my sixth sister. Grandpa is not deliberately making things difficult for you; perhaps he simply hasn’t seen a rare genius like you in a long time and wants to witness more of your talent.”
Mu Jianyun’s words were flawless. As Jiang Huai was about to refuse, he heard a “ding ding ding” sound.
He casually glanced at it.
【Mu Jianghe, the old patriarch of the Mu family, once doted on his third son, the Chess Saint. Now, he sees the shadow of the Chess Saint’s arrogance and unrestrained personality in you. He has developed a fondness for talent. This old fox, who has lived for thousands of years, naturally sees that your relationship with Mu Yao is unusual. Now he wants to see more of your talent. The Mu family is a family of sword forging, and their ancestral tempering fire has not been used for hundreds of years. If you can gain his favor, perhaps your Yening Sword can be tempered again, increasing its power slightly.】
【Talent that is not envied is mediocrity. As the owner of the Sinister System, how can you let yourself be looked down upon so easily? Since you are going to fight, defeat everyone present!】
【Mission Objective: Defeat Mu Jianghe until he is completely convinced.】
【Mission Reward: High-level Experience Scroll * 3. Super Qi Replenishing Pill * 1 (can instantly replenish the qi sea).】
Jiang Huai had no idea how long it had been since he had seen the System issue a proper mission. He was somewhat surprised at this moment.
This isn’t right, you’re the Sinister System, not the Show-off and Face-Slapping System!
Jiang Huai didn’t know where to start complaining. He stared at the System panel, lost in thought for a moment. To outsiders, he looked like he was frowning slightly, as if contemplating something. Mu Jianyun, standing beside him, did not press the issue but waited quietly until Jiang Huai came back to his senses and looked at him.
“Brother, refusing is fine,” Mu Jianyun said softly.
Jiang Huai’s frown was not about how to win, but rather looking at the System reward. These three High-level Experience Scrolls made him feel that defeating Mu Jianghe until he was completely convinced might not be such an easy matter.
“It’s fine, let’s fight,” Jiang Huai shook his head. Seeing that the other party had not drawn his sword, he said, “Draw your sword.”
“No need,” Mu Jianyun shook his head.
“I mean, I also use a sword, and I’m a little knowledgeable about sword techniques. I’d like to ask for your guidance.” Jiang Huai’s sword was not usually worn on his person. Yening usually slept soundly, only occasionally coming out to chat with him. Now, as Jiang Huai drew his sword, the ink-black Yening blade flashed with a faint, cold light.
Seeing this, Mu Jianyun drew his sword as well, as a sign of respect.
In an instant, wind and thunder surged, sword shadows danced, and their bodies turned into ink dots. Hazy figures collided in the air again and again. The sword light continuously changed color, and the sound of spiritual qi explosions kept ringing out. Only those whose cultivation was deeper than theirs could see the danger within.
Mu Jianghe’s eyes widened slightly.
As a Ninth Realm cultivator, seeing Jiang Huai finally unleash his full power, he could easily tell how leisurely and light his sword movements were when facing Mu Jianyun. He didn’t seem eager to defeat Mu Jianyun, but rather was keenly observing the Mu family’s sword techniques. Until Mu Jianyun unleashed a complete set of the Mu family’s sword techniques in a flowing manner, he still couldn’t break through Jiang Huai’s sword defense even once. Jiang Huai also noticed his moves becoming repetitive, so he stopped holding back. With a seemingly ordinary thrust of his sword, Mu Jianyun’s spiritual qi shield shattered completely, and his clothes were pierced with a hole by Jiang Huai.
Mu Jianyun lowered his head, his eyes stunned, unwilling to believe it.
Since the outcome was decided, Jiang Huai no longer looked at him but raised his gaze to Mu Jianghe on the stage and said calmly, “Old Patriarch Mu, are you satisfied?”
There was a hint of faint mockery in his tone, making him seem like he was carved from the same mold as the Chess Saint who had left the family years ago. Mu Jianghe was both angry and pleased. “You have some kind of method to unleash immense power in a short period of time?”
“No,” Jiang Huai shook his head.
“Then how did you defeat Jianyun?”
“Perhaps my sword techniques are more refined,” Jiang Huai said, looking at Mu Jianghe’s disbelieving eyes. “Old Patriarch Mu, are you still not satisfied?”
“Not satisfied,” Mu Jianghe shook his head. “I’d like to see the limits of this young man.”
“It is said that guests are distinguished guests. Old Patriarch Mu, why deliberately make things difficult for me?” Jiang Huai sighed helplessly.
“If you can convince me today, I will bestow you a fortuitous encounter,” Mu Jianghe said seriously. The Mu family members and Qin family members present, knowing Old Master Mu’s character, thought he was being stubborn again. Jiang Huai hadn’t received the notification for the System mission completion, so he looked down at the audience and said softly.
“I am Jiang Huai, a friend of Miss Mu family’s sixth daughter. I am here to escort Miss Mu family’s sixth daughter, Mu Yao, to explore the secret realm. Since Old Patriarch Mu insists on me showing some skills, how about this: all cultivators below the Eighth Realm present can challenge me. I will stand here, and I will not refuse anyone.”
He quietly held Yening, his eyes calm, his waist straight.
At this moment, Mu Yao’s eyes were shining brightly. Looking at Jiang Huai, who appeared calm and gentle, she felt both a sense of strangeness and familiarity. This guy was always like this, taking everything in stride, as if nothing could make him frown.
But didn’t he say he wanted to keep a low profile before coming? Why was he suddenly so high-profile now… Could it be that he wanted to attract the attention of the eldest daughter of the Mu family, or the eldest daughter of the Qin family? Thinking of this, Mu Yao puffed out her cheeks, and her eyes immediately became resentful.
Jiang Huai looked around, but after he said this, no one responded to the challenge.
Perhaps it was because he had just defeated Mu Jianyun, the eldest son of the Mu family, and the eldest and second sons of the Qin family. Who among the younger generation of the Mu and Qin families present could have a higher cultivation level than these two?
“It’s okay to come together,” Jiang Huai chuckled helplessly.
Still, no one stepped forward.
And his System mission had not been completed yet, which meant Mu Jianghe was not convinced. Jiang Huai felt a little helpless, a hint of disdain appearing in his eyes. “Coincidentally, I’ve just learned some of the Mu family’s and Qin family’s sword techniques. Come forward and discuss swordsmanship with me, and I’ll teach you.”
As soon as he said this, the mocking undertone inevitably made the younger generation of the Mu and Qin families indignant. Several cultivators stood up, eager to try. Jiang Huai leisurely adopted the starting stance of the Qin family’s sword technique.
Two juniors at the Body Integration first level quickly stepped forward. Jiang Huai used the Qin family’s sword technique. In less than half an incense stick’s time, he had left a very shallow bloodstain on each of their chests. The two juniors of the Qin family were dumbfounded, but Jiang Huai’s sword technique was so familiar to them. Before they could speak, two juniors from the Mu family had already stepped forward, each with a cultivation level one or two minor realms higher than Jiang Huai.
Jiang Huai then switched to the Mu family’s sword technique he had just learned. It still took less than an incense stick’s time. He still stood there, clad in black, unstained by dust, while the Mu family juniors opposite him had clothes stained with some blood.
“Anything else?” he asked indifferently.
The atmosphere naturally became very lively. The Mu and Qin families were already well-acquainted, and their juniors had their own small circles, each eager to try. However, Jiang Huai had not yet received the System mission completion notification.
He silently cursed the old bastard Mu Jianghe in his heart. The subsequent sword discussions were all decided in one move; he didn’t even throw a second move.
At this moment, nearly all the young disciples of the Mu family were bleeding from their clothes, looking dispirited. Only the Mu family’s eldest daughter in a white dress and the Qin family’s eldest daughter in a red dress had calm and indifferent eyes.
Miss Qin family stood before Jiang Huai, her phoenix eyes smiling, “Young master, please give me your guidance?”
Jiang Huai raised his hand, and with one sword, the edge was instantly placed at her neck. His eyes were cold and indifferent, “Next.”
Miss Mu family stepped onto the stage, her sword skills swirling, her sword momentum terrifying. But before she could even see Jiang Huai’s figure, Jiang Huai had already swung his sword. A strand of hair slid down from his sword edge. Jiang Huai didn’t even look back, but turned around and looked up at Mu Jianghe on the stage.
Mu Jianghe looked at him as if he had seen a ghost, unable to utter a word for a long time.
He casually glanced behind him. The juniors of the Mu and Qin families were all injured, except for the two women who were merely threatened symbolically. The two fairies’ eyes were full of brilliance, while the juniors were filled with awe and gritted their teeth.
Finally, the System mission completion notification sounded in Jiang Huai’s ear.
Mu Jianghe looked at his figure and suddenly burst into laughter, looking at the Mu family servant beside him, “Grant him a seat, serve him wine, and bring out the vintage nectar I’ve aged for a hundred years!”
