Chapter 168: Not as good as Jiang Fan

Be like water.Be gentle when gentleness is needed, and fierce when fierceness is required.There's no need to be polite to those with ill intentions.

Ling Guihai instantly froze. He had assumed that by instigating others to humiliate Jiang Fan, Jiang Fan would panic and give up his seat. But Jiang Fan didn't play by the rules. Not only did he refuse to yield, but he also called Ling Guihai out by name, leaving him momentarily unsure whether to be angry or to endure it. If he got angry, this person was brought by Liu Qingxian. If he endured, would the prestigious ninth-ranked individual on the Golden List truly sit at the lowest seat?

Fortunately, Jiang Fan's words ignited a flurry of indignation among the crowd."How dare you! How do you speak to Brother Ling?""You have no sense of propriety, why don't you move?""Is this a seat you're entitled to?"

However, Jiang Fan remained unmoving. He glanced sideways at the shouting individuals and said, "Ling Guihai told me to sit here. Who are you to claim superiority over Ling Guihai?" The martial artists were flustered. They knew Jiang Fan's reasoning was flawed, but they couldn't refute him. They could only blame Ling Guihai for his ill intentions in trying to embarrass Jiang Fan, not expecting Jiang Fan to play by his own rules. Instead, it left Ling Guihai in an awkward position.

Liu Qingxian finally understood the meaning behind Ling Guihai's earlier words. Her beautiful face hardened, and she slapped the table, declaring, "I also told Jiang Fan to sit there. What? Ling Guihai and I have no objections, but you do?" The words on everyone's lips were hastily withdrawn. With Liu Qingxian stepping in, they dared not be so imprudent. Nevertheless, some still wished to champion Ling Guihai's cause.

A female disciple from the Joyous Union Sect, clad in a thin gauze robe, who had been sitting below Liu Qingxian, gracefully moved and sat down beside Ling Guihai. Her exquisite body pressed against his arm as she said with seductive eyes, "Wherever Senior Brother Ling sits, that will be the chief seat." Ling Guihai smiled slightly, "Fairy Ruyue, you flatter me."

The other martial artists suddenly realized their folly and silently chastised themselves. This was a perfect opportunity to curry favor with Ling Guihai. During the upcoming martial arts exchange, if Ling Guihai was in a good mood, even a casual tip or two could be more beneficial than a year or two of strenuous cultivation. Thus, they all stood up. "Indeed, the prestige of a seat is never determined by the seat itself, but by the person occupying it." "Senior Brother Ling, your spot here is truly the most esteemed!"

Watching them create such a scene over seating, Jiang Fan sighed helplessly, "I told you I didn't want to come. With all this effort, it would be better to just go into seclusion and cultivate."

Liu Qingxian also frowned, saying, "What a mess! How did a perfectly good martial arts exchange turn into this? We'll sit a little longer, but if Xia Chaoge doesn't arrive, we're leaving too!" She couldn't stand this atmosphere either.

Ling Guihai, however, was clearly enjoying being the center of attention. He smiled casually and said, "Junior Brother Jiang, feel free to sit in my spot, however you like." The crowd couldn't help but chuckle.

Ji Ruyue blinked her beautiful eyes, intending to further elevate Ling Guihai. She said, "Senior Brother Ling, I've long heard that your swordsmanship is extraordinary, unmatched among the Nine Sects. Ruyue has admired it for a long time; would you be able to demonstrate some of your swordsmanship to satisfy Ruyue's curiosity?" As soon as she spoke, everyone's thoughts became more active. There were those who wanted to curry favor with Ling Guihai, and also those who genuinely wished to witness the swordsmanship of this eminent disciple of the Myriad Sword Sect.

Ling Guihai also wished to perform before Liu Qingxian. He had long heard that Liu Qingxian's main cultivation was swordsmanship. And the Myriad Sword Sect's greatest strength lay in its unparalleled and exquisite swordsmanship. Therefore, he laughed heartily and said, "Since everyone insists, I shall make a fool of myself!"

He rose and went to the small arena in the room. Gripping his sword hilt, he suddenly drew his sword. A cold light flashed, as if an icy sword aura had swept across everyone's hearts, causing an inexplicable chill.

The elites from the various sects all showed expressions of astonishment. "What potent sword energy! Just drawing the sword creates such an imposing aura!" "The Myriad Sword Sect's swordsmanship is truly not just a boast!" "Ling Guihai's ninth rank on the Golden List is absolutely not an empty title!"

Ling Guihai felt triumphant. When he looked at Liu Qingxian and saw her intently watching him, his heart swelled with even more joy. He immediately performed a set of swordsmanship he was proud of. "Meteor Chasing the Moon!" "Rainbow Piercing the Sun!" "Shattering the General Star!" His swordsmanship was renowned for its power, with each move surpassing the last! Sword energy crisscrossed, fierce and boundless.

The granite arena beneath his feet was invisibly scored with sharp sword marks. Decorative scrolls hanging on the walls silently fell apart like confetti. Those watching from a distance couldn't help but hold their breath. They felt a suffocating sensation, as if submerged in a vast ocean. They feared that Ling Guihai might make a mistake and his uncontrolled sword energy would consume them.

Clang— As the long sword was sheathed, the sword demonstration concluded. Only then did the tense crowd finally relax, breathing heavily. Ji Ruyue wiped the sweat from her forehead, her eyes filled with adoration, and patted her chest, feigning fright: "Senior Brother Ling, you were so terrifying when you performed your swordsmanship. Your junior sister was so afraid you might hurt me." The others also felt a lingering fear. "As serene as a gentleman, as swift as thunder—that's the best description for Senior Brother Ling." "I never understood the concept of the ninth rank on the Golden List, but now I finally do. Before him, we cultivators of the Foundation Establishment realm can barely breathe properly, let alone fight!"

This time, their praise wasn't mere flattery. It came from their genuine admiration. Even Jiang Fan, who disliked Ling Guihai's character, had to concede with a compliment: "This guy does have real skill." The set of swordsmanship he just performed was executed skillfully and smoothly, with power controlled at will. To be able to rank ninth on the Golden List, he truly had some abilities.

Listening to the hall filled with praise, Ling Guihai concealed his delight and smiled at Liu Qingxian, who had remained silent. "Junior Sister Liu, do you have any pointers for my swordsmanship?" Everyone understood implicitly. Ling Guihai was using his swordsmanship to forge a connection with Liu Qingxian. They all wore expressions of amusement, eager to hear how Ling Guihai planned to win the heart of this renowned beauty from the Nine Sects.

To their surprise, Liu Qingxian's expression remained calm, and she uttered just four simple words: "Not as good as Jiang Fan." She admitted that Ling Guihai's swordsmanship was indeed remarkable. However, having witnessed Jiang Fan perform the "Sword Heart's Meteor Engraving," the terrifying, thunderous sword energy he unleashed was still vivid in her memory. In comparison, Ling Guihai's swordsmanship fell far short. It failed to evoke any sense of awe.

The atmosphere in the entire hall abruptly dropped to freezing point. Everyone looked at each other, somewhat doubting their own ears. Not as good as Jiang Fan? Ling Guihai's swordsmanship was actually not as good as Jiang Fan's? Were they sure Liu Qingxian wasn't being sarcastic? Ling Guihai, who had been so eager to show off, felt as if he'd been struck by lightning. After putting in so much effort, was this the answer he received? He instinctively looked towards Jiang Fan, his eyes filled with bewilderment. How could he be inferior to a martial artist without spiritual roots? To put it bluntly, Jiang Fan was a martial arts good-for-nothing! A strong sense of unwillingness welled up in his heart, and with a tense face, he said: "Is that so? So Junior Brother Jiang's swordsmanship is truly remarkable. Could I trouble Junior Brother Jiang to give a demonstration? So that I may understand what 'not as good as Jiang Fan' truly means!"