Dao Companion Crippled, Coveters Move

Chapter 109 - 108: Ji Xichan

"Junior Sister Nangong?"

"Master, who is this Junior Sister Nangong?"

The two disciples paid no mind to Ji Xichan's strength, their attention immediately locking onto the unfamiliar woman's name.

Speechless, Pei Yuhang gave each of the two girls a light rap on the head.

"What are you two thinking about all day? Junior Sister Nangong is my fellow sect sister... Honestly, why do you get so worked up every time I mention a Female Cultivator's name? It's not like I'm some kind of deviant."

"But Master, why don't I remember her?" Qing Yueqiu said quietly, rubbing the red spot on her forehead.

"That's because when I brought you back to the Sect, Junior Sister Nangong had just decided to go out into the world for training. She has rarely returned since."

Hearing this, the two female disciples exchanged a look. It was only when they confirmed there was no hint of ambiguity in their master's tone when he mentioned "Junior Sister Nangong" that they breathed a sigh of relief.

WOOOO—

The sound of a horn rang out, signaling the start of the final arena match of the day. Pei Yuhang had no time to explain further about "Junior Sister Nangong." He grabbed his disciples' hands and pulled them toward the spectator stands.

The stands, which could hold tens of thousands of Cultivators, were now completely packed. Not a single person had left. In fact, countless other Cultivators had specifically rushed to the skies above the dueling grounds to watch via Sword Control after hearing this was a semi-final match where Ji Xichan might actually get serious.

What's more, some people were already using recording crystals to broadcast Ji Xichan's fight to other Sects.

All of this was enough to show just how popular Ji Xichan was.

And all this fame was built on the reputation of being "unbeatable at her level," which the young woman had earned through sheer force, battle after battle!

As Pei Yuhang pulled his two disciples to their seats, Yu Xiaoyan, who was privy to all the Sect's gossip, suddenly snuggled up to him with a grin and said:

"Master, do you know about Ji Xichan's opponent this time, Xiao Chenyu?"

"I do. He's Great Elder Xiao's only grandson. He's shown extraordinary talent ever since he began his Cultivation, reaching the Nascent Soul Realm half a year after Ji Xichan. If not for her shining so brightly, he would have been the leader of your generation."

"Then did you know, Master, that his grandfather, Elder Xiao, once approached Chen Tiansheng with a marriage proposal, hoping to arrange a match between Ji Xichan and his grandson?"

"Is that so? Something like that should have caused a huge stir. Why do I know nothing about it?"

"You're so dense when it comes to these things, Master~ Of course it's because Ji Xichan treated the Great Elder's proposal like trash and tossed it aside. The Great Elder lost so much face, how could he possibly publicize it?"

...

Xiao Chenyu walked onto the arena stage. He watched the approaching young woman in her black dress, and his heart began to pound. Though he held a prominent position in the Dao Sect and had even met the Sect Leader, his breathing grew heavy.

This wasn't the heat of battle... It was awe at her beauty. He was afraid of inadvertently startling her, so much so that all his movements became cautious and tentative.

Ji Xichan's height was just right—neither too tall to make a man feel insecure, nor too short to detract from her presence. Her delicate charm was simply perfect.

Her waistline was exquisitely slender and graceful, an unforgettable sight.

Such a beautiful woman, yet she had a face of extreme coldness, as chillingly beautiful as the last sheet of ice on a lotus pond in early spring.

This stark contrast could easily arouse a man's desire to conquer.

And Xiao Chenyu had been working hard in that very direction.

But the young woman's peerless grace had left him, a fellow prodigy, breathless to this day. Or perhaps it was better to say that even among geniuses, there are disparities.

But today was his best chance yet to defeat her head-on, under the watchful eyes of thousands. He had heard from his grandfather that Ji Xichan had recently received a fortuitous encounter from an Ancient Great Power. If he waited for her to fully comprehend it, he would never again have the chance to compete on the same stage.

If he didn't even have the chance to stand by her side, how could he ever hope to conquer her?

WHOOSH—

A sudden gust of wind swept across the stage, interrupting his thoughts.

The desolate wind kicked up a bit of dust, causing Ji Xichan's black dress to ripple like fine waves.

In that moment, Xiao Chenyu gazed at Ji Xichan's exquisitely beautiful and delicate profile, feeling mesmerized. But soon, a bucket of cold water was dumped on his head, and his expression turned ugly.

"Have you had your fill of staring?"

"You've been gawking at me ever since you got on stage. The greed in your eyes is so foul it makes me want to vomit."

"So, I'm going to be harsh. Prepare yourself."

Xiao Chenyu's face flushed red. He didn't understand why Ji Xichan would humiliate him like this in front of tens of thousands of people. He took a deep breath and put on what he believed was a gentle and humble smile.

"Miss Ji, you must be mistaken. If you feel that I have done something wrong, it must be because you don't know me well enough to understand..."

"Why would I need to know you?"

Ji Xichan spoke again, her words nearly freezing the air.

"Xiao Chenyu, is it? Ever since you shamelessly sent me that marriage proposal, I've wanted to teach you an unforgettable lesson... Too bad you holed yourself up in the Sect like a turtle, never going out for training.

Now, I finally have a legitimate reason to mess you up good!"

Ji Xichan lowered her voice, but her words, spoken without the slightest reservation, were carried throughout the entire Dao Sect by the recording crystals.

The entire crowd erupted in an uproar.

The previously boisterous stands fell silent for a moment, then exploded with an even fiercer wave of discussion.

At this point, everyone knew that Great Elder Xiao's only grandson had been rejected and was now about to get a vicious beating from the woman he'd proposed to...

Xiao Chenyu's eyes went wide. He clenched his fists as an unprecedented sense of shame assaulted the heart of this prodigy from a distinguished family.

He felt as if his pride had been mercilessly smashed to pieces on the ground by the woman before him.

The affection in his heart turned completely to resentment.

'The tables will turn,' Xiao Chenyu swore to himself. 'You humiliate me on this stage today, and one day, I will pay you back a thousand, ten thousand times over!

I will grind your pride into the dirt! You bitch!'

DONG—

The Honglu Grand Bell in the clouds resounded through heaven and earth, signaling the official start of the final semi-final match.

Filled with boundless resentment and fury, Xiao Chenyu attacked first. He roared, and dazzling lightning enveloped his entire body, crackling with tremendous divine might.

"Barely Mid-stage Nascent Soul Cultivation? In that case, I'll humor you and use my Early-stage Nascent Soul Cultivation."

Ji Xichan's nonchalant tone infuriated Xiao Chenyu even more.

In an instant, an afterimage of immense thunderous power shot into the sky, then plunged toward the young woman on the ground like a Celestial Tribulation.

In the stands, Pei Yuhang's brow furrowed slightly. "That's no ordinary lightning. It's likely one of the Divine Thunders from the list of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Objects. Even a typical Nascent Soul Peak cultivator would have trouble dealing with that kind of Suppression."

"So you think Ji Xichan is in trouble, Master?"

Qing Yueqiu looked up at her master's handsome profile, which reminded her of the spring light at dawn. 'I wonder if I'll have another chance to see this again,' she thought.

Pei Yuhang was oblivious to his eldest disciple's rebellious thoughts of seducing her master. His attention was completely focused on the arena—or rather, on Ji Xichan.

"No. If this is the only trump card Xiao Chenyu has, he's probably in for a world of hurt."

On the stage.

Ji Xichan watched as the lightning filled her entire field of vision, the corners of her lips curling up.

She raised her hand, forming a gesture like a beast snapping its jaws shut.

"Devour."

In an instant, the shadow beneath the young woman's feet spread rapidly across the ground like a flood. A massive, pitch-black wolf's head emerged from it and swallowed the Supreme Yang lightning in a single gulp.