Chapter 290: The Second Strongest Young Expert of the Yan Clan
Chang Qiqi stopped in his tracks and laughed, "Since she's just a maidservant, how about you sell her to me, Junior Brother Zhang? The price is negotiable."
Kong Xuan's heart tightened upon hearing this. She immediately knelt on the ground and pleaded, "Master, please don't sell Kong Xuan away. If I have to leave you, I would rather die."
"Haha! Just a joke. Why are you so nervous? It seems there really is some secret between you and your master," Chang Qiqi said.
Kong Xuan's cheeks flushed with shame, but she dared not retort, because the other party was her master's senior brother, while she was merely a lowly servant.
A servant who dared to talk back to her master's senior brother would be committing an act of great rebellion.
Si Xingkong shot a deep glance at Kong Xuan, a strange glint flashing in his eyes. "Junior Brother Chang, I advise you not to offend her. Her future achievements will surely surpass yours."
"What? Her achievements will be greater than mine?"
Chang Qiqi looked utterly incredulous. He stared at Kong Xuan again, no longer just observing her figure and beauty.
To his astonishment, he found he could not see through Kong Xuan's true cultivation level. He could only roughly gauge her cultivation level based on his long-accumulated experience.
Moreover, Chang Qiqi was certain that Kong Xuan's cultivation was far inferior to his own.
What did this mean?
"The cultivation technique she practices is superior to mine... no, it's far superior," Chang Qiqi exclaimed in shock.
Only when the technique Kong Xuan practiced was far superior to his own could Chang Qiqi fail to see through her cultivation level.
Chang Qiqi felt utterly miserable. He was, after all, a talented inner palace student, a second-level genius, yet the technique he practiced was inferior to that of a maidservant.
Chang Qiqi lunged forward, grabbing Zhang Ruochen's collar. "Zhang Ruochen, this is just unfair! I practice a high-grade spiritual-level technique too. Are you telling me you gave your maidservant a top-grade spiritual-level technique? Or even a ghost-level one?"
The "Kong Xuan Sacred Canon" that Kong Xuan practiced was not just ghost-level—it was a legendary king-level technique.
If Zhang Ruochen revealed this, Chang Qiqi would probably cry himself unconscious.
Si Xingkong, with his keen perception, noticed a faint sacred power emanating from Kong Xuan's body. He was slightly startled. "Junior Brother Zhang, you really spare no expense in training your maidservant. You've even given her quite a bit of half-saint true liquid, haven't you?"
"As expected, I can't hide anything from Senior Brother's eyes."
Zhang Ruochen smiled. "Kong Xuan has excellent talent, so naturally, I have to nurture her well. Otherwise, her potential would go to waste."
Si Xingkong had already seen through Kong Xuan's cultivation level. He said thoughtfully, "Her martial arts cultivation should be at the middle stage of the Mysterious Extreme Realm. But I feel her strength already surpasses many martial artists at the Great Perfection of the Mysterious Extreme Realm. She has a chance to enter the Mysterious Ranking. If she were to challenge the Nine Extremes Tower, she should be able to clear the fourth floor. Perhaps I've even underestimated her."
"This is outrageous! A maidservant's talent is so much greater than mine. How am I supposed to live?"
Chang Qiqi lunged again, reaching out to strangle Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen quickly used his movement technique to dodge far away, laughing. "Senior Brother, Junior Brother Chang, you didn't come to my cultivation residence just to look at a maidservant, did you?"
Chang Qiqi looked indignant. "Of course not."
Si Xingkong said, "Tonight, the Heavenly Demon Martial City will hold a grand auction. Junior Brother Zhang, are you interested in joining us? I hear a legendary space treasure will appear at the auction. It's certainly worth looking forward to."
Zhang Ruochen's heart stirred. It seemed that Hall Master Lei had put considerable effort into promoting the five defective space treasures to increase their value.
Those five defective items should fetch a handsome price.
Zhang Ruochen, Kong Xuan, Si Xingkong, and Chang Qiqi set off together for the auction. As soon as they stepped out of the cultivation residence, they saw a group of inner palace students approaching.
Among that group of inner palace students were several familiar faces—almost all princes, nobles, and aristocratic ladies. Within the inner palace academy, they formed their own faction.
Chen Xi'er and Huang Yanchen were also among them.
However, walking at the very front was a handsome young man in his twenties. He had refined features, a tall stature, and carried a faint air of arrogance.
The other inner palace students surrounded him like stars around the moon, flattering him profusely.
"Brother Yan, as a top talent of the Yan Clan, you truly have an extraordinary bearing. We can only look up to you."
A rather attractive inner palace student gazed at Yan Yunhuan with adoring eyes, as if she were infatuated, nearly throwing herself into his arms.
Just then, someone spotted Zhang Ruochen and his group emerging from the residence and immediately called out, "Brother Yan, that's Princess Yanchen's fiancé, the proud son of our Heavenly Demon Ridge, Zhang Ruochen."
"What proud son? In front of Brother Yan, who dares to call themselves a proud son?" Qiu Lin said with a cold sneer.
Qiu Lin was the second-strongest student in the inner palace academy, but now he followed behind Brother Yan like a lackey.
Other inner palace students chimed in as well.
"Brother Yan, with your unparalleled cultivation, you are the true genius."
"Although Junior Brother Zhang and Senior Brother are strong, they still fall far short compared to Brother Yan."
...
Huang Yanchen sneered coldly, feeling very displeased.
Because that Brother Yan, Yan Yunhuan, was a top expert specially invited by Chen Xi'er to Heavenly Demon Ridge. He ranked quite high on the Earth Ranking, and he was also one of Chen Xi'er's suitors.
Huang Yanchen naturally understood Chen Xi'er's purpose in inviting Yan Yunhuan to Heavenly Demon Ridge. It was to use Yan Yunhuan to suppress Zhang Ruochen, thereby proving that her judgment was superior to Huang Yanchen's.
Thus, Huang Yanchen was deeply worried, afraid that Zhang Ruochen would be bullied by Yan Yunhuan, because with Zhang Ruochen's current strength, he was certainly no match for Yan Yunhuan.
Chen Xi'er's move was not just to humiliate her but also to humiliate Zhang Ruochen.
Huang Yanchen had already learned that Zhang Ruochen's relationship with Chen Xi'er had soured, and she had been happy about it. But now, she was filled with anxiety. Chen Xi'er had a strong vengeful streak and would not let Zhang Ruochen off easily.
Seeing Zhang Ruochen, Chen Xi'er's starry eyes immediately gleamed with a bright light. She deliberately moved two steps closer to Yan Yunhuan and said softly, "What a coincidence, Zhang Ruochen. We were just about to look for you to join tonight's auction together."
"Zhang Ruochen? He's Princess Yanchen's fiancé?"
Yan Yunhuan glanced at Zhang Ruochen with a contemptuous look. "Princess Yanchen, you are a princess of a superior commandery. How could your standards be so low? What does a top genius from Heavenly Demon Ridge amount to? With just one word from you, even the heir of a half-saint clan would be at your beck and call."
Although Yan Yunhuan was pursuing Chen Xi'er, he also had his eye on the icy beauty Huang Yanchen. Chen Xi'er and Huang Yanchen were comparable in beauty and were cousins. If he could win them both over, wouldn't that be a great joy in life?
Hearing Yan Yunhuan's words, Zhang Ruochen frowned.
Standing nearby, Chang Qiqi was already furious. If not for Si Xingkong holding him back, he would have started cursing.
Huang Yanchen's eyes narrowed coldly. "Yan Yunhuan, I don't need your commentary on the fiancé I've chosen."
"Cousin, don't be angry. Brother Yan was just speaking casually."
Chen Xi'er immediately stepped forward, grabbing Huang Yanchen's arm to stop her from leaving.
If Huang Yanchen left, how would today's drama play out?
Yan Yunhuan also put on a magnanimous air, cupping his hands slightly toward Zhang Ruochen. "Brother Zhang, if I said anything offensive just now, please forgive me and don't take it to heart. After all, you are Princess Yanchen's fiancé, which naturally makes you my friend as well. I don't look down on a prince from a lowly commandery."
Chang Qiqi couldn't hold back any longer. His voice sharp, he said, "Brother Yan? I've never heard of any 'Brother Yan' around here. Is there such a person in Heavenly Demon Ridge?"
"Frog at the bottom of a well."
Yan Yunhuan didn't catch the sarcasm in Chang Qiqi's words. He said coldly, "Heavenly Demon Ridge is nothing but a remote wilderness in the Eastern Domain. If our Yan Clan's army were to march here, it would take only a month to annihilate the so-called thirty-six commanderies and annex them into our Yan Clan's territory."
"So impressive, so impressive. I'm so scared! Since Brother Yan is so formidable, why not go overthrow Empress Chi Yao's throne while you're at it?" Chang Qiqi said.
"You..."
This time, Yan Yunhuan caught on and flew into a rage. A domineering aura erupted from him.
Golden light burst from every pore, forming a pillar of light over ten zhang tall. It was as if a blazing sun were hidden within his body, containing immense power that, if unleashed, could destroy everything around him.
Struck by Yan Yunhuan's force, Chang Qiqi's face turned pale. He let out a muffled groan, stumbled backward, and a trace of blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
There was no denying that Yan Yunhuan was extremely powerful. Just by releasing his aura, he had injured Chang Qiqi from a distance. His strength was at least enough to rank in the top thousand of the Earth Ranking.
Zhang Ruochen and Si Xingkong moved almost simultaneously to block in front of Chang Qiqi. They also mobilized their true qi to deflect the force Yan Yunhuan had unleashed.
Zhang Ruochen's eyes turned sharp and cold. He glanced at Huang Yanchen with a questioning look.
If this was just a troublemaker, Zhang Ruochen wouldn't mind teaching him a lesson and giving him a painful reminder.
Huang Yanchen seemed to understand Zhang Ruochen's intent and said, "This Brother Yan is from the third-rate Yan Clan. He is a distinguished guest invited by my cousin. Brother Yan is the second-strongest young expert of the Yan Clan, ranking 375th on the Earth Ranking. His strength is formidable."
Huang Yanchen wasn't just introducing Yan Yunhuan; she was also warning Zhang Ruochen that Yan Yunhuan was a super-strong expert. He was not someone Zhang Ruochen could defeat yet. She urged him to endure if possible and avoid provoking him, lest he be humiliated. Her heart was still filled with worry.