Chapter 1027: I Went Easy On You Just Now!
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97
Right after leaving the Blacksmith Guild, Zhang Xuan smiled softly.
He had only intended to prevent an innocent life from being lost, but who knew that he would end up managing to fulfil his promise to the Golden Origin Cauldron while he was at it, rising its cultivation significantly? On top of that, he had even found himself a talented blacksmith student.
It could be said that the trouble he had gone through was well worth the rewards.
As for how Sun Jin would be dealt with, that had nothing to do with him.
Nevertheless, there was no doubt that Sun Jin would have to pay a heavy price for the sins that he had committed. The death penalty would likely be on the table.
As much as Zhang Xuan hated to kill, he felt that there was no need to show mercy to those who trampled on their own students in the hope of elevating themselves.
Back when Zhang Xuan first arrived in the world, he had nary a care in the world. As long as a matter was none of his business, he would view it with perfect nonchalance, never involving himself in anything that would spell trouble. However, after everything he had gone through, he had already become a true master teacher at heart. He had begun to understand the heavy responsibilities that he bore, and he intended to live up to them as well.
At this moment, Zhang Xuan suddenly recalled what had happened earlier in the night. Right, I wonder if Luo s.h.i.+ is angry at me. I should rush back to take a look.
He slapped his forehead in distress before hurriedly rus.h.i.+ng toward Luo Ruoxin"s residence.
It had not been easy for him to close the distance between the both of them, and he didn"t wish for them to return to square one due to this matter.
He should have held himself back the previous night! Why had he been so brazen as to hold the other party"s hand? Hopefully, the other party wouldn"t blame him for this matter.
With a conflicted mind, Zhang Xuan hurried his footsteps, and before long, Luo Ruoxin"s residence was within sights.
Before he could arrive at the entrance, he saw a young man walking straight toward him.
It was the battle fanatic Thousand Men Commander of the Combat Master Hall who had challenged him earlier in the day, Feng Xun!
Caught up over the Combat Master Hall"s loss to the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy, the other party had been trying to challenge him for a while now, and that had left him deeply troubled.
As such, upon seeing Feng Xun walk over, Zhang Xuan immediately tried to find a place where he could hide. However, before he could do so, the other party had already caught sight of him and immediately rushed up, his eyes blazing with fighting will.
"Princ.i.p.al Zhang, do you dare have a match with me? I will suppress my cultivation to that of your level!" Feng Xun challenged with a loud voice.
"I…" Zhang Xuan was conflicted.
He had intended to quickly find Luo Ruoxin to apologize to her, but judging from how Feng Xun was acting, it was apparent that the other party wasn"t going on allow him to pa.s.s if he rejected the duel.
Out of consideration for his standing, the other party had not forced the matter the previous time. However, for some reason, the other party was extremely insistent on having their duel this time round.
Sighing deeply, Zhang Xuan relented. Waving his hand, he said, "Very well. If you suppress your cultivation, I will have a duel with you. However, it will just be a friendly spar."
Considering how determined the other party was, he knew that it was only a matter of time before this duel would be held.
"Good!" Receiving the other party"s agreement, Feng Xun"s eyes lit up. He swiftly suppressed his cultivation from Saint 3-dan pinnacle to Nascent Saint pinnacle.
Hong long!
Amidst a powerful gust of wind, he charged right toward Zhang Xuan.
…
Rewinding back to the moment when Zhang Xuan and Luo Ruoxin separated…
With a face tinged with redness, the young lady hurriedly returned to her residence.
She had lived by herself from a very young age, and never once had she really come into contact with a man before. As such, when she was touched by the other party, she flew into a fl.u.s.ter.
After walking a distance away, she turned around to take a look, only to find that Zhang Xuan had not followed her. A frown of displeasure emerged on her face.
This was her first time meeting someone that dense!
She was embarra.s.sed by the touch, not angry! Those who had the slightest bit of emotional intelligence would know that this was the moment to rush up to apologize. This was the perfect opportunity for the other party to get closer to her, and she could also use the chance to resolve the awkwardness from before. Yet, that fellow… had actually disappeared from sight?
That pig-headed fool!
It was only a ten-minute walk from the tavern where they had eaten earlier, and yet, despite waiting for two whole hours, the other party was still nowhere to be seen. Rage dyed her face a shade of pink.
Giving up on waiting for the fellow, Luo Ruoxin returned to her residence, only to see Mu s.h.i.+ waiting outside for her.
"Luo s.h.i.+!"
"Un. What is the matter?" Luo Ruoxin frowned.
Mu s.h.i.+ hesitated for a brief moment before speaking. "It"s like this. I have just received news that there could very well be Otherworldly Demon Kings in the ancient domain, so… Luo s.h.i.+, won"t you consider backing out of the expedition team?"
"Are you trying to order me?" Luo Ruoxin asked with a cold face.
"I-I dare not!" Mu s.h.i.+ was horrified.
"That had better be true!" Luo Ruoxin waved her hands coldly as she walked past Mu s.h.i.+ to open the doors to her residence. However, flurried footsteps sounded at that moment, and turning around, she saw a young man heading toward her.
It was Feng Xun from the Combat Master Hall.
From the moment he first met Luo Ruoxin, he had been already spellbound by her beauty. He had been trying to find a way to get close to her, but the other party had never granted him such an opportunity.
However, with the ancient domain opening tomorrow and knowing that he could very well lose his life within, he eventually built up his courage and rushed over.
Seeing the young lady"s silhouette, Feng Xun yelled, "Luo s.h.i.+…"
Luo Ruoxin had disguised herself, and Feng Xun didn"t wield the power to see through it either. Nevertheless, she was still an outstanding beauty even with her disguise on, possessing grace that was on par with Hu Yaoyao and the others. It was no wonder Feng Xun found himself mesmerized by her.
"I have something that I wish to say to you!" Feng Xun exclaimed.
Luo Ruoxin turned around and said, "Say your piece."
"Right here?" Feng Xun glanced at Mu s.h.i.+ and his surroundings awkwardly, unsure of what he should do.
On the other hand, seeing that Feng Xun wasn"t saying a word, Luo Ruoxin couldn"t be bothered either. Turning around, she opened the door and stepped into her residence.
"W-wait a moment! I will speak! I will speak!" Knowing that he might not have another opportunity, Feng Xun gritted his teeth and stepped forward. "From the moment I caught sight of you, I was already enchanted by your charm. Luo s.h.i.+, won"t you walk down the long path of cultivation alongside me?"
Feng Xun had a straightforward personality, and he didn"t like to hide anything inside of him. Thus, his words were very direct as well.
"Send our guest off!"
Luo Ruoxin had been wondering what important matters the other party was going to speak of when she heard those words. She waved her hand before turning around to return to her residence.
"Luo s.h.i.+, I haven"t finished my piece yet…" Not expecting the other party to leave without giving him a proper reply, Feng Xun hurriedly rushed up. However, before he could follow the other party into the residence, Mu s.h.i.+ had already blocked his way.
"Combat Master Feng, please return for now!"
"I…" Feng Xun panicked.
Noting that Feng Xun was unwilling to give up, Mu s.h.i.+ frowned in displeasure. "Luo s.h.i.+ has already made her stand very clear by turning you away at the door."
Those words were like a pail of cold water, extinguis.h.i.+ng the flames in Feng Xun"s heart.
Indeed. He had already made things very clear, but the other party was still unwilling to allow him to enter. This was already a direct response to his confession. He would only be embarra.s.sing himself further by pestering the other party.
"Pardon my disturbance…" Understanding this much, Feng Xun trudged away with a disconsolate look on his face. However, before he could get far, he saw Zhang Xuan rus.h.i.+ng over in his direction.
That fellow seems to be rather close with Luo s.h.i.+… Could she have rejected me because of him? Such an idea suddenly popped into Feng Xun"s head, and it swiftly grew and consumed his mind. Unable to hold himself back anymore, he rushed over to block Zhang Xuan"s path, thus resulting in the current situation.
…
Naturally, Zhang Xuan was unaware that the reason the other party was confronting him. Seeing the other party suppressing his cultivation to his level, he couldn"t help but feel slightly embarra.s.sed.
To be facing the other party with his cultivation suppressed to the same level as him… Wasn"t that as good as bullying the other party?
But in any case, that fellow was the one who had proposed it. After a short internal struggle, Zhang Xuan felt that he should be magnanimous and go along with the other party"s demand instead.
"I will bring you down!" Roaring coldly, Feng Xun raised his fist and rushed forward.
He had already heard from Liao Xun and the others that the young man before him possessed an unfathomable level of mastery in battle techniques. Thus, he decided to exploit his greatest expertise right from the start—speed!
Of the martial arts in the world, none were infallible… except for speed!
Speed happened to be what he specialized in, and as long as he made full use of it, given his superior combat instincts, he didn"t believe that he wouldn"t be able to defeat the other party!
Hu!
Carrying immense pressure that threatened to burst even the air, his fist arrived before Zhang Xuan in the blink of an eye.
He had thought that his amazing speed would leave the other party fl.u.s.tered, but to his shock, the other party… was stretching his back lazily!
In the crucial moment of a battle, instead of dodging or retaliating, you are choosing to stretch your back lazily instead? What do you mean by that?
Despite being bewildered by the nonsensical action before him, Feng Xun"s fist didn"t have the slightest intention of halting at all. However, before his fist could arrive at its target, the other party suddenly stopped stretching his back, and a palm abruptly flew toward him, as if striking down a pesky fly!
Padah!
He was sent tumbling into the distance. Under the immense might of the slap, his face immediately bruised red.
Truthfully, in the moment he had seen the slap, he had already begun carrying out evasive maneuvers. Yet, no matter what he did, he simply couldn"t get himself out of the trajectory of the slap, as if there was some compelling power that drew the other party"s palm to his face.
"d.a.m.n it!" For a combat master like him to be struck flying with but a slap, it wasn"t too hard to imagine the immense frustration he must have felt. He immediately got back to his feet, intending to charge over to return the favor, but at that moment, the other party waved his hand in exasperation and said, "Why don"t we just let this matter go? There is really no need for us to fight…"
"How can we end this duel without determining the victor?" In Feng Xun"s eyes, it seemed like Zhang Xuan was trying to "have mercy" on him, and that left him even more enraged. With a furious roar, he charged forward once more.
The next moment, his neck was caught by the other party"s left palm, and a right palm struck his face relentlessly.
The next, next moment, Feng Xun was lying on the ground, and the other party was sitting on his back. Both fists of the other party rained down on him, as if a cotton farmer scutching 1 a bed of cotton.
The next, next, next moment, the talented combat master was lying on the ground, clutching his head tightly to his body. The other party was standing before him, kicking him mercilessly.
…
"Let"s just end it here. I think this should be sufficient to consider it your loss…"
Ten minutes later, seeing how Feng Xun was completely bruised from head to toe, Zhang Xuan couldn"t bring himself to strike anymore.
He had already gone easy on the other party, but the other party was simply too weak. There wasn"t the slightest feeling of accomplishment he felt from pummeling the other party.
Shaking his head, Zhang Xuan walked past Feng Xun, and after knocking on the door, he entered Luo Ruoxin"s residence.
The young lady hadn"t rested for the night yet. She was standing in the main hall, deeply contemplating something. On the other hand, Mu s.h.i.+ was standing at an area not too far away from her with his head lowered respectfully.
Zhang Xuan hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Just now, I…"
"Please leave. I intend to rest now." Luo Ruoxin waved her hand coldly.
"Erk…" Seeing how he was evicted right after arriving, Zhang Xuan was at a complete loss as to what he should do. His eyes couldn"t help but swim toward Mu s.h.i.+.
After a moment of hesitation, Mu s.h.i.+ coughed slightly before offering a friendly warning. "Senior Uncle, Feng Xun was chased away right after he confessed just a moment ago. Luo s.h.i.+ isn"t in a good mood at the moment…"
"Confessed?" A deep frown appeared on Zhang Xuan"s forehead.
"That"s right." Mu s.h.i.+ nodded.
"Pardon me for a moment, I have some matters that I have to deal with right now." Turning around, Zhang Xuan left Luo Ruoxin"s residence.
"Matters that you have to deal with right now?" Mu s.h.i.+ was stunned.
"Un. I just had a spar with Feng Xun, but thinking back, I think that it was disrespectful of me to have gone easy on someone who has challenged me so earnestly. I should at least give him a taste of the full extent of my might."
Shortly after Zhang Xuan left, screams of agony from a certain talented combat master resounded in the night.
Feng Xun had just been viciously pummeled, such that he could hardly bring himself to his feet to leave. How could he possibly be a match for the energetic Zhang Xuan?
"I didn"t see anything," Mu s.h.i.+ mumbled beneath his breath, and he averted his gaze.
On the other hand, the eyes of the young lady not too far away curled into beautiful crescents.
"Pfft."
A chuckle escaped her lips.