Chapter 135: Are You Looking Down on Me? | Bonus Chapter in Gratitude for Yi Yu’s Alliance Master Sponsorship

"Sigh!" Tang Zhixuan sighed, her tone brimming with frustration at his lack of ambition. "I’ve already watched the recording of Li Shaohua’s trial. If you’re going to duel him, the first thing you need to watch out for isn’t actually that strength that can crush air—though his power is certainly nothing to sneeze at."

"Then what should I be wary of?" Seeing how serious Tang Zhixuan was, Xiao Nan dropped his playful demeanor and asked with genuine interest.

"It’s the Dragon-Subduing Sword. The Li family’s Dragon-Subduing Sword is peerlessly sharp, specialized in piercing armor and shattering bone. If it weren't for that... Li Nantian would never have been able to slay the Black Dragon back then. Most people wouldn't even be able to break the skin of a Black Dragon."

"Isn't that just the Li family bragging?" Xiao Nan was truly surprised this time.

Slaying a Black Dragon—one could imagine the extreme difficulty; it was likely no less daunting than killing an Evil God. Moreover, he had heard that Li Nantian of the Capital's Li family practiced a brutal, ruthless sword style. He had pursued and hunted the Black Dragon for three days and three nights before finally succeeding. The man himself was said to have a terrifying temperament.

Tang Zhixuan couldn't even be bothered to sigh anymore. She said dully, "Beyond the Dragon-Subduing Sword, the Li family has two other arts. One is the Sky-Striding Step, which allows for explosive bursts of speed in short intervals; essentially, no one can escape once he locks onto them. The other is the Golden Body Jade Form technique, which provides excellent defense. Those are all well and good, but what worries me is that he seems to have practiced some kind of forbidden technique."

"What kind of technique?"

"Didn't you notice anything when you shook hands and tested your strength against him earlier?" Tang Zhixuan became shrewd, deliberately holding back.

Recalling the flash of red light on Li Shaohua's arm and that familiar, ominous sense of malevolence, Xiao Nan harbored some quiet suspicions.

"Could it be an Evil God technique? If he’s been practicing techniques from the Otherworld, would he be branded a heretic?" Xiao Nan was truly ignorant of this, but if that were the case, he was prepared to pin that label on him first.

"It’s hard to say. We'll have to see how things play out..." A glint of admiration flashed in Tang Zhixuan's eyes. She neither confirmed nor denied it, perhaps because there were deeper, hidden implications.

She snapped, "You get it now? With your current level of ability, you’re just walking into your own death if you step onto that dueling arena."

"That's not necessarily true." Xiao Nan shook his head inwardly but offered no argument.

***

"Xiao Nan, let's go." Su Yuqing reached out enthusiastically to pull him along.

Xiao Nan quickly dodged, saying helplessly, "Auntie Su, I have things to take care of. I can't go to your place."

"What could you possibly have to do? You're already in a crisis. Come with me to the Qin family to practice the Rippling Heart Method. It would be best if you also learned the Rippling Palm. Two days is too short, but it's better than nothing."

"I really have things to do. Besides, I already have a plan to deal with the duel against Li Shaohua."

Su Yuqing stared at him fixedly for a long time before asking skeptically, "Are you truly confident?"

"I am." Xiao Nan's expression was firm.

"That's my good son-in-law. No matter what situation you face, you must have confidence. That part is just like me." Su Yuqing beamed.

She reached out and produced a small box, stuffing it into Xiao Nan's hand without a word. "Take it. Don't let your mother know, or she’ll just be all hesitant and fussy about it."

"What is this?" Xiao Nan looked at the box, finding it increasingly familiar.

Qin Shuang had been the same way, sneaking him gifts... Truly mother and daughter; their operating styles were cut from the same cloth.

"Why give me Spirit-Calming Incense? It's very expensive. My family can't afford to pay you back." Xiao Nan spoke honestly.

Unlike when he faced Qin Shuang, he didn't feel the need to mince words with Su Yuqing; there was no need to worry about hurting her feelings. After all, she was an elder, and there was no need for such formalities.

"I don't need you to pay me back. In the future, I'll have to rely on you to provide for my retirement." Su Yuqing laughed with a cunning glint in her eyes, feeling she had gained a massive advantage.

"..." Xiao Nan was speechless.

"I noticed your spiritual fluctuations are quite distinct. You must have reached the Sitting-in-Oblivion realm, right? It's not that I'm lecturing you, Xiao Nan, but after a spiritual breakthrough, you must light the incense immediately. It consolidates your realm and lays a solid foundation so you can go further in the future."

"You could tell?" Xiao Nan was caught between laughter and tears. What kind of perception was this? He had already broken through the Fetal Breath realm—an entire major stage higher than Sitting-in-Oblivion. Was she looking down on him?

"Of course, your Auntie Su has always had eyes like lightning. How could you hide your true measure from me?" Su Yuqing said proudly. "We have an agreement: you use this incense, and if it's not enough, ask me for more. Oh, and don't take the duel too seriously. If you really can't win, just concede. Life is long; missing out on one or two opportunities won't kill you."

That actually made sense. Xiao Nan suddenly found Auntie Su quite endearing. The image of the "Great Demon King" in his mind gradually began to fade.

***

After the students and teachers from Yuanjiang No. 1 High School and the bickering shareholders had all departed, Wang Yuanzhi waved everyone away and sat quietly before the surveillance monitors.

He pulled up the footage of Xiao Nan breaking through the encirclement and killing the priest, watching it back and forth for a long while before finally nodding with certainty.

"Good lad, it really is Sword Intent... If I weren't so experienced and knowledgeable, I would have been fooled by you."

He recalled Xiao Nan playing the fool earlier and couldn't help but find it amusing. He had been the one to propose the duel, so he certainly wouldn't let the boy go to his death. In fact, he had seen through the deep-seated murderous intent of the Li father and son at a single glance.

He wondered if, when the time came, the Li family would feel like they had hit the jackpot when they realized they were facing a true heir who had mastered the Four Seasons Sword Intent.

For Wang Yuanzhi, such mischievous inclinations were part of his daily routine. He had been in Yuanjiang Prefecture for many years; he hadn't requested a transfer, nor did he need a promotion—he simply guarded this land in silence. It wasn't for any other reason than that this was his home. This place needed a Dan-Origin Master to anchor it.

He would not allow anyone to destroy all of this, no matter who they were.

Thinking of this, a sharp, piercing glint flashed in his eyes as he pondered his next move.

After a while, he picked up the phone, dialed a number, and laughed, "Tang Sancai, guess what I’ve discovered? The Four Seasons Sword has returned to the world. He has actually taken on a direct disciple."

"Impossible. Even the Master said that Senior Jiang of the Four Seasons Sword must be at his end, plotting a rebirth. It’s a pity that such a hero has come to this."

The voice on the other end sighed, refusing to believe Wang Yuanzhi.

"Are you sure about this? I saw a high school senior today who actually used the Four Seasons Sword Intent. And it was a true mastery, not the superficial technique practiced by the Jiang siblings, but the real deal capable of extinguishing souls. If it wasn't passed down by Jiang Hongbo, I can't imagine where else he could have learned it."

"Let me ask the Master. This is a very important matter; you should observe him further. By the way, doesn't your Yuanjiang Prefecture have a Four Seasons Sword Hall? You can ask them. The Jiang siblings are currently locked in a bitter struggle; it's laughable—the blind leading the blind, nothing but chaos. If Senior Jiang knew it would come to this, perhaps he wouldn't have stepped into the Wildlands without a second thought."

***

Xiao Nan returned home, not dwelling too much on the upcoming duel. Whether Li Shaohua was strong or not was irrelevant.

He only knew that he could be stronger.

Without even eating lunch, Xiao Nan hurried into his room, sat in meditation, and sank his consciousness into the space within.

There, a cluster of golden patterns shimmered brilliantly—the radiance of divinity. Unlike before, this mass of golden light roared and struggled as if it possessed a spirit of its own, becoming even more dazzling and radiant.