"Yu Jie, if I hadn't shown up, you nearly ruined Master's grand plan. You can't even handle something this trivial — you nearly got the disciple Master personally selected killed. I'd say that title of 'Ten Great Disciples' of yours really is just there to fill the numbers."
This Senior Brother Xinghan didn't seem as arrogant as Yu Jie. But those few casual words of reprimand left Yu Jie drenched in cold sweat.
"Senior Brother Xinghan, I..." Yu Jie wanted to explain but couldn't find the words.
"No need to say more." Senior Brother Xinghan flicked his sleeve and turned to Long Juxue. "Junior Sister Long, I am Chu Xinghan, Second Disciple of Master Shuiyue. What happened today must have given you quite a fright."
Long Juxue looked like a rain-kissed pear blossom, pitiful and delicate, and said mournfully, "If Senior Brother Xinghan hadn't arrived in time, I... I'm afraid I would never have seen Master again."
Chu Xinghan gave a slight nod, glanced sideways at Yu Jie, but said nothing further about it.
He pressed his feet down and rose into the air, hovering above the ground. Beneath his feet, a blue cyclone bloomed like a lotus flower, slowly lifting his entire body upward.
"Your name is Jiang Chen?" Chu Xinghan's deep, galaxy-like eyes studied Jiang Chen. Unlike Yu Jie, his gaze carried less arrogance and more gravity.
"That's right."
Although Chu Xinghan wasn't as overbearing and contemptuous as Yu Jie, every casual gesture of his made Jiang Chen feel as though a fierce beast had locked its gaze upon him.
"A mere mortal martial artist, causing such a commotion — you're not simple." Chu Xinghan nodded. "I could kill you right now, and these Golden-Winged Sword Birds of yours couldn't save you."
Jiang Chen wanted to retort, but after a moment's thought, said nothing.
Chu Xinghan's strength was indeed far beyond Yu Jie's — they weren't even on the same level.
If Jiang Chen had been able to train with the Eight Desolations Spirit-Gathering Formation for three months, he might have had a thirty percent chance of putting up a fight against Chu Xinghan. Right now, he wanted to argue back but couldn't muster a convincing rebuttal.
Still, Jiang Chen was no lamb awaiting slaughter. Chu Xinghan was formidable, but Jiang Chen would never surrender without a fight.
"I'll make it simple," Chu Xinghan said after a brief pause. "If I were to crush you with my full Divine Ability, people would say I bullied a junior. So I'll give you two choices."
Jiang Chen's expression remained calm, saying nothing, gathering his strength in readiness.
"First choice: you come back with me to the Purple Sun Sect, and the matter between you and Junior Sister Long will be decided by the sect's elders. With this choice, you have a ninety percent chance of dying — but there's still a sliver of hope."
"Second choice: I kill you right here and now, and take your head back to the sect to report to Master." As Chu Xinghan spoke, his aura surged slightly.
In an instant, a river of stars seemed to swirl around him, its profound and vast power giving an unfathomable impression.
"As for the second option — I trust you won't doubt whether I'm capable of it?" Chu Xinghan's tone remained composed and unhurried from beginning to end.
If it were Yu Jie making these demands, Jiang Chen would have scoffed in contempt.
But this Chu Xinghan — whether in bearing or strength — spoke with a natural authority that forced Jiang Chen to weigh his words carefully.
"The first choice, following him back to the sect — it looks like a sliver of survival, but in truth it's merely dragging out the inevitable. I have been reborn through the cycle of reincarnation. Why should my fate be placed in another's hands, my life and death decided by someone else? I may not be able to choose to live, but at the very least, I can choose how I die!"
Jiang Chen's heart held no trace of hesitation. To bow down in surrender, meekly return to the Purple Sun Sect to await judgment, suffer that unbearable humiliation, and then be executed? He'd rather die fighting right here and now!
To die in battle — even in death, there is glory.
To beg on one's knees for survival — and still not necessarily survive!
At this thought, Jiang Chen broke into a free smile, the corner of his lips lifting with a hint of pride. "Chu Xinghan, you're different from Yu Jie. At least in you, I can see the bearing of a true sect disciple. I respect you. But I'm choosing neither of your conditions! If you want to kill me, perhaps you can do it. But I will make you pay a heavy enough price!"
His voice rang out, sharp and resolute, each word landing like iron striking stone.
Jiang Chen's attitude didn't seem to surprise Chu Xinghan in the slightest. His slightly melancholy brows lifted sharply.
"Good. If there were no enmity between us, I would genuinely admire you. But the interests of the sect come first. Jiang Chen — once I make my move, I will not hold back!"
As Chu Xinghan spoke, the faintly shimmering river of stars behind him blazed even brighter.
It was, of course, no real river — but a phantom conjured by his personal aura. That dazzling galaxy, with its countless specks of silver-white light, resembled a silver ocean, with silvery koi leaping through the glittering waves.
This silver-white radiance was the very same terrifying power that had instantly killed the Golden-Winged Sword Birds and the hundred or so Silver-Winged Sword Birds moments ago.
"Stars blaze brilliant, sword qi pierces the heavens — go!"
Chu Xinghan flicked his sleeve and swung his right arm. A sword had already materialized in his hand. With a single guiding sweep of the blade, the galaxy behind him erupted into turmoil. Countless silver-white lights, like streams of falling stars, transformed into devastating silver-white sword qi and shot toward Jiang Chen.
From the very first move, he had unleashed his killing technique.
Below, Yu Jie swallowed hard twice. Such Divine Abilities — he, Yu Jie, wasn't even close to this level.
Even Long Juxue, a martial artist in the True Qi Realm, felt her heart tremble at this terrifying yet dazzling assault. Her gaze toward Chu Xinghan turned tender and adoring.
She couldn't help but think: "I used to think Senior Brother Yu Jie was impressive. I never imagined that compared to Senior Brother Chu Xinghan, Yu Jie is nothing but a useless fool. If I, Long Juxue, am to enter the sect, I need to broaden my horizons. Yu Jie is completely incompetent — he only makes things worse."
Without even realizing it, Long Juxue had already made up her mind to find a new patron. Yu Jue's performance compared to Senior Brother Chu Xinghan was nothing short of a joke.
Long Juxue was a proud young woman. She had no intention of tethering herself to a worthless backer.
And at the center of it all, Jiang Chen was suffering terribly. Chu Xinghan's strength was far greater than he had imagined.
Thousands upon thousands of silver-white sword qi streaked toward him like meteors. Even with the Eight Desolations Spirit-Gathering Formation's dense defenses, it was nearly impossible to hold them all back.
Pffft! Pffft! Pffft!