Chapter 89: Beating the True Skill

Jiang Fan looked over at the sound of the voice. Seeing his attire, he knew the person was a disciple from Heavenly Sword Peak.

His undisguised hostility made Jiang Fan frown. Without hesitation, Jiang Fan said, "You Ran, Si Ling, tell him who I am to you. To stop him from constantly chattering."

Xu Youran cupped her hands towards the newcomer and said, "Senior Brother Ding, this is my fiancé, Jiang Fan."

Chen Siling, not as gentle as Xu Youran, gave him a cool glance and said, "I am Jiang Fan's concubine. Senior Brother Ding, this doesn't concern you. Please don't disturb our reunion as husband and wife."

"What?" Ding Wanping was incredulous. How could Xu Youran, a peerless beauty with a captivating allure and a top-tier genius with a seventh-grade spiritual root, be engaged to such a worthless person? And if that wasn't enough, Chen Siling, who possessed a sixth-grade spiritual root and stunning beauty, was actually her concubine! Judging by her expression, she even seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it!

"By what right?" He was the third Senior Brother of Heavenly Sword Peak, the third true disciple. He didn't even have the fortune of possessing two beauties of such exceptional talent and looks. "Who was Jiang Fan anyway?"

Frowning, he said in a deep voice, "Junior Sisters, stop this nonsense. It's irresponsible for you to be with someone who has no future. Come back with me, your Senior Brother. I'll personally teach you our peak's sword techniques."

As he spoke, he reached out directly. He extended both hands, intending to grab each woman's shoulder.

Jiang Fan's eyes flashed with cold light. Even after Xu Youran and Chen Siling had made themselves so clear, he still wouldn't give up. What was even more outrageous, he wanted to take the opportunity for physical contact.

He acted decisively. He unleashed a Startling Dragon Palm.

Ding Wanping sneered in anger, "What insolence! How dare you lay a hand on a true disciple?" He had been waiting for Jiang Fan to make a move. It was the perfect chance to teach him a harsh lesson in front of the two beauties, letting them see how utterly incompetent their fiancé was. Therefore, he excitedly received the palm strike. As a true disciple, dealing with a newcomer should be effortless, shouldn't it?

However, the moment their hands met, Ding Wanping felt an unusually overwhelming palm force. By the time he tried to channel his full power to resist, it was already too late. He was instantly sent flying backward, landing ungracefully on his backside.

The surrounding disciples were dumbfounded. Usually, it was only the older disciples bullying the newcomers. A newcomer bullying an older disciple—this was a first!

"What the hell!""Weren't Heavenly Sword Peak disciples supposed to be formidable?""Is he really a true disciple? He's too weak, isn't he?"

Ding Wanping was consumed by humiliation! He, a dignified true disciple, had actually been beaten by a newcomer! If this got out, how would he ever save face?

"Jiang Fan! You're asking for death!" Ding Wanping drew his long sword, sending forth a series of sword hums. "Kneel and apologize to me! Otherwise..."

Jiang Fan pushed the two women aside, his hand reversing to grip the hilt of the sword on his back, his gaze chilling. "You're not qualified to threaten me."

While it was normally wise to be patient and enduring, when pushed to this extent, continuing to endure would be cowardice. When it was time to show his capabilities, he wouldn't hold back.

Ding Wanping was utterly enraged. Jiang Fan clearly didn't regard him, a true disciple, as anything important! He snorted in anger, charged forward with his sword, and shouted, "I'll teach you a lesson so you know what kind of place Azure Cloud Sect is, and what truly holds sway here!"

Without strength, being arrogant in Azure Cloud Sect would lead to a terrible end. The older disciples looked at Jiang Fan with pity.

Jiang Fan remained completely unafraid. He tightened his grip on his Violet Sword, ready to launch a strike at any moment.

Just then, a clear, resonant shout echoed: "Heavenly Sword Peak disciple, do you want to enter the Hall of Rewards and Punishments? Don't you know fighting is forbidden in the plaza?"

It was a plaza steward leading a patrol team who, sensing a fight, immediately intervened. Hearing this, Ding Wanping's expression changed. He glared unwillingly at Jiang Fan, then decisively sheathed his sword and faced the stern-looking steward. "Steward Bai, I was just scaring him."

Steward Bai gave him a stern look. Considering he was a true disciple of Heavenly Sword Peak, the steward didn't pursue the matter further, merely huffed, "The night market is about to open. If you don't want to be punished, behave yourself." With that, he led his team away to continue patrolling.

Ding Wanping clenched his fists and spat, "What impeccable timing! Couldn't you have come a little later?"

In fact, it wasn't just the plaza; private martial combat was forbidden throughout all Nine Peaks, and even in the outer Azure Cloud City. Once discovered, the punishment would be severe. However, he was a true disciple. Even if he had truly beaten Jiang Fan, would the sect really punish him, an elite disciple of the sect, for the sake of a useless person whom Li Qingfeng disdained?

"You're lucky today!" Ding Wanping said viciously.

Jiang Fan let go of his sword hilt and stared indifferently at Ding Wanping. "You're the lucky one."

At this moment, groups of disciples streamed down from the Ten Peaks. Holding bright lanterns, they expertly set up their stalls in the plaza. Various items they had acquired were displayed on the stalls. These included rare treasures obtained from outside expeditions, low-grade magical artifacts they had crafted themselves, and some powerful inner disciples were even selling their cultivation insights. The dazzling array of goods was truly overwhelming.

Xu Youran and Chen Siling both showed expressions of novelty. The innate female love for shopping was evident.

Jiang Fan chuckled at the sight and said, "Let's go. I'll accompany you. If there's anything you like, I'll buy it for you." Since becoming engaged to them, he hadn't given them any proper gifts. This was a good chance to buy each of them something.

The two women's faces showed anticipation. The gift itself wasn't important; what mattered was who gave it.

"Hmph! You frog at the bottom of a well, do you think the Azure Cloud Sect's night market uses gold, silver, and jewels?" Ding Wanping, upon hearing this, was amused. "It's spirit stones! Spirit stones! Do you have any? And you boldly claim you'll buy things for them!"

Upon hearing this, Xu Youran quickly said, "Never mind, Xiaofan, I don't feel like browsing anymore."

Chen Siling also shook her head and gently said, "I'll buy you something once I receive my monthly hundred spirit stones."

Jiang Fan smiled. He had actually been wondering where to spend the thousand spirit stones he had previously obtained from Xu Ganglie. "Let's go. Buy whatever you like; I have plenty of spirit stones." He put his arms around the two women's shoulders and walked into the night market.

Ding Wanping scoffed, "How typical of someone trying to save face while being broke. Junior Sisters, if you see anything you like, let your Senior Brother pay for it instead. This worthless fiancé of yours is only good at sweet-talking you."

The two women turned back angrily and glared at him, clearly annoyed.

Suddenly, Xu Youran inadvertently spotted a green longsword, a mid-grade magical artifact. The sword was light and delicately carved. Both its grade and style were far superior to the swords issued by Heavenly Sword Peak. Most importantly, when the stall owner swung the green sword, it emitted a dazzling green light that could obstruct an enemy's vision at a crucial moment. She couldn't help but gaze at it for a moment longer.

Seeing this, Ding Wanping eagerly said, "Junior Sister, do you like this sword? Alright, your Senior Brother will buy it for you." He then asked the stall owner, "How much is this sword?"

The stall owner, wearing a hat and clearly wishing to remain anonymous due to special circumstances, replied, "Two hundred spirit stones."

"How much?" Ding Wanping was startled. "A mid-grade magical artifact is at most fifty spirit stones. Why are you asking for two hundred?" As a true disciple, he only received a hundred spirit stones from Azure Cloud Sect each month. He couldn't bring himself to spend two hundred spirit stones just to curry favor with Xu Youran.

The stall owner didn't even look up and said rudely, "Buy it if you want, otherwise get lost!"

Ding Wanping, who had never been subjected to such disrespect, roared, "I am Ding Wanping of Heavenly Sword Peak! Say that again!"

To his surprise, the stall owner merely sneered, "I don't care who you are. If you don't have the money, get lost!"

Ding Wanping gritted his teeth. He immediately felt he had lost face in front of the two women, and the night market was certainly no place to engage in combat. He could only vent his frustration on Jiang Fan.

Coincidentally, Jiang Fan had indeed shown a playful smile. This made him even more furious. "What are you laughing at? As if a fake rich commoner like you can afford it!"

Jiang Fan shrugged. He pulled out twenty mid-grade spirit stones from his pocket and tossed them onto the stall. "I'll take the sword."