The silence after Li Qingmu's polite greeting lasted exactly one heartbeat.
Then the arena detonated.
"That's… Li Qingmu?!"
"The peasant who used to look like a slave?!"
"Impossible! I refuse to accept this!"
"Look at his skin! It's actually glowing!"
"And those eyes… so charming! ♥️"
Female disciples clutched their chests and squealed.
Male disciples who still wanted to save face coughed into their sleeves and muttered.
"Tch, still trash… just trash wrapped in better silk."
Several elders dropped their tea at the same time.
Ye Lingxiao's own supporters shouted the loudest.
"Face is nothing if you have no talent to back it up!"
"Young Master Ye is a Seven Star Spirit Root! That pretty boy is still dead!"
On the eastern dais, Zhen Rou's hands flew to her heart as if to keep it from leaping out of her ribs.
Her lips parted as they trembled.
『Husband… so handsome… I'm going to faint…』
Tears welled in her eyes.
She looked at him with pure, shining adoration.
To her, Li Qingmu was already very handsome.
But now that he looked like this made her worry he'd steal the hearts of countless women.
He is a perfect husband after all!
Li Qingmu lifted his head.
Across the sea of people, his gaze found her instantly.
The corner of his mouth curved just for her.
A small, warm smile.
"I'm back, little wife."
He inclined his head, just for her.
Zhen Rou's entire soul left her body.
She flew to her feet to wave both arms like a little girl who spotted her father returning from war.
"Qingmu! I knew you'd come! I baked you cakes!!"
The moment she noticed the patriarchs both frowning at her, she instantly shrank back, sat up straight, and started tapping her knees with small, nervous fists.
She stared at the floor like a child who had just been scolded.
In the high pavilion, Song Yan lowered her teacup.
She had a rare smile on her face.
Every disciple could count the expressions Grand Elder Song Yan made in a year.
This is not one of them.
『So the little wolf learned how to wash his fur.』
She took a graceful sip.
『Cultivation changes the bones and blood; blood and bones change the face. Whatever he did in seclusion… it was a terrifying success.』
Her beautiful ruby eyes narrowed with interest.
『Win or lose, my Fenghuang Peak is taking him no matter what he says.』
The cold-looking beauty claimed him as her own!
Down on the platform, the officiator recovered first.
He cleared his throat.
"Both sides—pay respects!"
Ye Lingxiao cupped his fist with grace as he bowed neither too deep nor too shallow.
Li Qingmu stood there with a closed-eye smile.
He didn't move an inch.
He looked like a blind man enjoying nature.
One wouldn't even think there was a son of heaven standing in front of him!
Ten thousand voices erupted.
"Arrogant!"
"Does he think Young Master Ye is air?!"
"Peasant really does forget his place the moment he gets new robes!"
"Fool, he must think he's a Nascent Soul!"
Ye Lingxiao's veins bulged at the temples.
His fake smile thinned.
The officiator's face turned the color of pork liver.
"Li Qingmu! Pay respects to your opponent!"
The young cultivator in question finally opened his eyes.
They were condescending yet calm as the ocean.
He chuckled in a low and pleasant manner.
"Who would pay respects to a man who foolishly lusts after his fellow man's wife?"
He shook his head and smiled smugly.
"This Li would rather bow to a dog."
BOOM!
The entire arena detonated.
"Did he really just say that?!"
"Seven hells—he actually has guts!"
"Ye Lingxiao got called a wife-stealing dog in front of ten thousand people!"
Some cheered. Some cursed.
A few outer disciples were already kneeling and kowtowing to the new king of mouth.
Ye Lingxiao's face immediately turned red.
With a sharp "shiiing" he drew his sword.
Blaze Star Sword!
It is a sword treasure with a golden hilt, star-shaped guard and blade covered in runes.
Core Formation treasure!
The moment it appeared, the temperature of the entire floating arena rose hundred degrees. A pressure of this caliber could force Foundation experts to their knees.
"Beautiful sword!"
"With that treasure, Young Master Ye can probably cut a Core Formation elder in half!"
High on the western dais, Patriarch Ye laughed proudly as he stroked his beard.
"Look well!"
He threw a hand out theatrically.
"That is my son's natal treasure! He's nurtured that sword with his own starfire for six years. Even Nascent Soul ancestors have praised its edge!"
Zhen Rou's face went pale.
She clasped her hands together and started praying under her breath again.
"Please heavens… please let Husband win…"
Zhen Mei shook her head behind her fan.
"Give up, little sister. Talent is talent. That peasant had one month. Lingxiao had his whole life and a Seven Star Spirit Root. It's pointless."
Ye Lingxiao pointed the blazing sword at Li Qingmu.
"Scared yet? Why don't you draw your sword?"
A loose-shouldered Li Qingmu rested both hands lightly on the hilt of his still-sheathed sword like it was a walking cane for an evening stroll.
"Hmph."
That same closed-eye smile.
"Draw my sword? Young Master Ye, don't be in such a hurry to die. The sun is nice today. It'd be a shame to paint the arena with your blood so early."
"You—!"
Patriarch Ye shook his head disappointedly.
A peasant comfortably spat on the Ye family name.
Ye Lingxiao was already charging his sword as its starfire coiled into a massive phoenix.
That was when it happened.
One step.
No one saw him move.
Li Qingmu simply… appeared beside Ye Lingxiao as one hand gently patted the young master's tense shoulder like an elder comforting a tantrum-throwing child.
"Be quiet for one moment."
He spoke kindly.
The entire arena forgot how to breathe.
Zhen Mei's fan slipped from nerveless fingers and clattered to the dais floor.
Fang Yulou's eyebrow actually twitched.
Song Yan's smile widened as she bit her lower lip.
『Hidden Shadow Step… perfected to the point it looks so effortless. Quite the young man.』
Ye Lingxiao froze with his sword half-raised.
He felt the casual weight of that hand like a mountain pressing on his meridian sea.
Li Qingmu looked up to the patriarchs' seats and cleared his throat with theatrical boredom.
"This junior has a small request."
Patriarch Ye's beard was practically standing on end.
"You dare bargain with your elders?!"
"Let the boy speak."
Patriarch Zhen raised a hand to calm him.
"The arena has many eyes. Let us be reasonable."
"Fair enough…"
The furious patriarch nodded reluctantly.
They let Li Qingmu speak and he immediately started to act like a hurt mother.
"If I win, it's not fair that I gain nothing, yes? I want a senior position in the inner sect, and my own clan settlement on a rich spirit vein. Reasonable, no?"
He held his chest and sighed hopelessly.
Dead silence.
"Eh?"
Li Qingmu opened one eye to peek at them.
Then the arena shattered into laughter so loud the golden chains groaned.
"Clan settlement?! Even Core Formation elders fight tooth and nail for those!"
"The peasant wants to leap from servant straight to founding ancestor in one morning?!"
"Hysterical! I'm dying!"
Patriarch Zhen actually choked on air and coughed into his sleeve to hide a smile.
Up in her pavilion, Song Yan nodded approvingly.
『Clever little wolf. He plans to slap the Ye family across the face with their own pride.』
Li Qingmu tilted his head, utterly unruffled.
"Laugh if you want. But imagine if I win and I'm still treated as outer sect trash…"
He combed his silky hair with his fingers.
"Hmm, I defeat the son of a Heavenly Governor but I won't be considered a sect senior? Wouldn't that just mean Ye family young master is too incompetent. I wonder what people will say, tsk tsk!"
Every Ye family member on the western dais drew their swords at once
Their killing intent was pungent.
Ye Lingxiao pressed his sword against Qingmu's neck.
"Brat! You're so confident you'll wi—"
Patriarch Ye slowly raised one hand.
Every Ye family member froze.
"Very well. I accept your bargain, peasant."
His smile could freeze oceans.
"But if my son wins… I will do more than kill you for this needless act of disrespect."
The temperature in the arena lowered drastically.
Li Qingmu scratched his cheek, utterly unbothered.
"Deal."
Finally, the duel could begin.