Chapter 144: I, Xu Xiaoshou, Never Take the Initiative

"What on earth?"

Lorelei was utterly dumbfounded.

The seal she had struggled with for so long, unable to break it—this kid simply ripped it out with brute force? She was plunged into deep self-doubt about her own abilities.

"Passive point earned: Doubt."

Xu Xiaoshou was still airborne and hadn't even had a chance to clearly see the sword sheath's true form when it vibrated violently, slipping free from his grasp and flying off into the distance.

"Sentient?"

He had only ever encountered such a sentient object once before, with Su Qianqian's "Tomb City Snow."

Xu Xiaoshou's interest was piqued. This item was the perfect size; it could serve as a fitting "outfit" for his sword, "Hidden Anguish"! It might be a little demeaning for it, though… But it didn't matter; this was the price for chopping him 280,000 times!

Trying to run? Not so fast!

His Grandmaster-level "Agility" was no joke. In the blink of an eye, Xu Xiaoshou appeared directly in front of the sword sheath. It halted in surprise, then immediately turned and fled!

"Oh, it really does have some awareness, doesn't it?"

With another swift lunge, Xu Xiaoshou firmly gripped the sword sheath. How could anything he desired possibly escape his grasp? A flash of purple lightning seemed to streak past his peripheral vision. The next moment, another fair and delicate hand appeared on Xu Xiaoshou's hand, which was already holding the sword sheath.

Lorelei?

The sword sheath struggled, and there, directly opposite him, was Lorelei!

Xu Xiaoshou's eyes widened, staring at her in disbelief. "You…"

"What?"

Although Lorelei knew it was bad to go back on her word, this was not the time to worry about appearances. If she didn't secure this item, her years of undercover work would be for nothing! "Let me teach you a good lesson today… a woman's word is as tricky as a ghost's!"

Xu Xiaoshou was dumbfounded. His gaze dropped to her hand, which was gripping his, and he exclaimed in shock, "…You touched me?"

Lorelei was utterly stunned, as if struck by lightning. "What on earth! I was trying to grab the sword sheath! When did I touch you?!"

She glanced down and saw her hand *was* indeed on Xu Xiaoshou's hand…

"Passive point earned: Cursed."

A blush spread across her pretty face. Lorelei's hand recoiled as if from an electric shock. "I didn't mean to…"

How swift was Xu Xiaoshou's reaction? Grandmaster-level Agility! The instant Lorelei's hand left his—before she could tighten her grip again—in that fleeting moment, he had already snatched the entire sword sheath. In a few swift moves, he pulled several yards away, holding the sword sheath.

"You want to teach me, Xu Xiaoshou, a lesson?" His gaze swept over her disdainfully. "You're still too green!"

"You!" Lorelei was so furious, it felt like her liver ached. Was this kid doing it on purpose? How could he act so seamlessly and flawlessly even in such a moment? This guy is truly infuriating!

"Put the item down, and I'll let you go," Lorelei said, her eyes darkening.

"Oh, are you getting upset now?" Xu Xiaoshou chuckled, a hint of mockery in his tone. "Who was it that just said, 'If you pull it out, it's yours'?"

Lorelei's eye twitched. How could she have known this kid was such an oddball…? She only had herself to blame for being so naive and boasting.

"Did I say that? I forgot!" she declared pompously, puffing out her chest.

"Heh, women!" Xu Xiaoshou clutched the black sword sheath, then instantly vanished. "Come and catch me!"

Lorelei: "…"

Infuriating! Her teeth ground audibly. Lorelei was utterly enraged; the kid's tone was incredibly obnoxious!

"You ungrateful brat!" Her fists clenched, and her clothes rustled. Crackling sounds emanated from Lorelei as purple lightning encircled her. Two streaks of electric light even shot forth from her pupils.

"Holy smokes!"

As Xu Xiaoshou ran, he used his spiritual perception and was shocked. This girl was extraordinary; was that an innate lightning attribute power? The thought made his heart clench again. That damned system! If it hadn't absorbed his innate power, he would possess such enviable abilities right now too.

*Crack!*

As he was lost in thought, a crack of thunder sounded in his ear, and the girl in white, enveloped in electric light, suddenly materialized before him.

"What the hell, are you cheating?!"

Xu Xiaoshou prided himself on his current speed, confident that his past opponents wouldn't even be able to glimpse his shadow. How on earth could this girl keep pace?

"Are you truly one of the thirty-three newcomers?" Xu Xiaoshou asked, astonished.

"That's right!" Lorelei confirmed with a slight nod, speaking bluntly. "If you know what's good for you, hand over the sword sheath, or don't blame me for being ruthless." She paused, considering that she had indeed gone back on her word first, then added, "If you really need something, I can offer some compensation."

She really shouldn't have boasted so confidently. If it weren't for her conscience, she would have just snatched it outright. *Sigh*, I'm just too soft-hearted.

Xu Xiaoshou tried to fly away again, but Lorelei, with a dark expression, instantly kept pace. "Don't struggle," she kindly advised. "Your speed is too slow; you can't escape my grasp."

Xu Xiaoshou took a deep breath. He hadn't expected such a vast difference in power among the newly appointed thirty-three.

*Whoosh*

"Among all the young masters I've encountered, I, Xu Xiaoshou, will acknowledge you as the fastest! But if you want the sword sheath…" Xu Xiaoshou's lips curled into a smirk as he tucked it into his ring. "Not a chance!"

His triumphant expression quickly vanished as a dark light shot out from his chest and soared into the sky.

"Heh heh heh…" Lorelei burst into laughter, quickly covering her mouth before vanishing in a flash. When she reappeared, the black sword sheath was already clutched in her hand.

"Xu Xiaoshou, you're still a bit too green! Don't you know that sentient objects can't be stored in spatial rings?"

Xu Xiaoshou: "…"

Damn it! I've been had! He finally understood why Su Qianqian always carried her large sword on her back whenever he saw her. So these things can't be put away?

"Lorelei! You'd better give that back to me," he said gravely. "I, Xu Xiaoshou, am a gentleman and usually don't hit women."

"Oh, are you getting upset?" Lorelei finally savored the pleasure of turning his own words against him, then vanished in a flash. "Come and catch me!"

Xu Xiaoshou: "…"

Infuriating! You are the first person who dared to tease me like this—even more detestable than that sword sheath that chopped me 280,000 times!

"Chase you?"

"You think too highly of yourself. I, Xu Xiaoshou… never make the first move!"

He pinched two fingers together. A faint sword energy attached, and ordinary spiritual power gathered, then swept across the sky in a seemingly unremarkable motion. Yet, in the very next second, the spiritual mist of heaven and earth swirled as if an immortal was enraged; winds and clouds howled across the four seas, like a dragon chasing through the void.

Lorelei's hairs stood on end, as if she had run head-on into Death itself. She barely managed to turn before the sword energy, which seemed capable of tearing the sky, was already upon her chest!

*Boom!*

Her pupils instantly lost focus. The sword energy struck the sword sheath, and the sword sheath, in turn, slammed into her chest.

*Crack-crack—* Lorelei felt her ribs shatter. She spat out a mouthful of blood and was sent flying backward. The webbing between her thumb and forefinger tore open, and the sword sheath slipped from her grasp once more.

*Swish!*

Xu Xiaoshou, wielding his sword, appeared above her and effortlessly retrieved the sword sheath. He brought the two fingers that had unleashed the terrifying sword energy to his lips and gently exhaled, as if a spiritual mist were rising. His calm voice echoed through the void.

"One sword, one thought!"