For a moment, the scene fell into dead silence once more.
Elder Xu's face was ashen, and even Elder Ge stood there with his mouth agape, thoroughly stunned. Han Shuang's eyes shimmered with a sharp light — a mixture of pleasant surprise and a hint of bewilderment.
It was clear to her as well that the strength of these uncle and nephew was unquestionably above that of both Elder Xu and Elder Ge. There was no longer any doubt about it.
Jiang Huan, for his part, showed no interest in kicking a man while he was down. He strolled back to his seat at an unhurried pace, picked up another piece of fruit, and began nibbling on it with perfect composure.
Elder Xu, though uninjured, was deathly pale. He slunk back with a sheepish expression, his old face burning with shame, wishing he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.
Still, he had the sense to recognize his place. If the other party had truly intended to strike hard, he would likely be lying on the ground right now, unable to get up.
"Thank you for showing mercy," Elder Xu said, walking up to Jiang Huan and cupping his fists.
"Heh, you're too kind. It was merely a spar — I had no intention of taking your life," Jiang Huan replied with an insufferably smug air.
Jiang Chen watched Jiang Huan putting on such a dedicated performance and understood his intentions perfectly. This behavior was all part of the disguise — Jiang Huan was deliberately hiding his true personality, careful not to reveal any clues that might be traced back to his original identity.
The real Jiang Huan, while occasionally prone to wisecracks, was certainly not the sort of fool who played the clown like this.
Han Shuang burst into hearty laughter: "Wonderful, wonderful! I didn't expect Xiao Gou to have such good judgment this time — bringing two exceptional talents to the sect. It seems we still have a real shot at securing a place in the Crimson Water Heavenly Pool competition. You two elders have truly been hiding your light under a bushel!"
"Not so much hiding it as keeping a low profile," Jiang Huan chuckled.
Elder Ge hesitated for a moment, but pressed on anyway: "There's just one thing I don't understand. With your strength, the two of you could easily have secured positions in a far more powerful sect. Why did you choose to join our Evil Star Sect specifically?"
Jiang Huan rolled his eyes: "I happen to admire the sect master's bold, no-nonsense spirit — a woman who doesn't yield to any man. Is that not reason enough?"
Han Shuang giggled: "Elder Da Zhen is refreshingly straightforward! Whatever the reason the two of you joined the Evil Star Sect, we all share the same goal. That's what matters."
Jiang Chen nodded calmly: "As long as we're aligned, that's enough. Besides, while our skills are decent enough, joining a larger power wouldn't necessarily earn us the same level of attention. My uncle and I are both rather proud. Being ordered around and treated as inferiors isn't something we'd take kindly to."
It sounded like plain, honest reasoning, and Han Shuang beamed when she heard it: "Exactly, exactly! A big sect like the White Flood Dragon Sect would never treat you the way we would. That little vixen would sooner try to exploit you through her so-called 'unspoken rules,' drain you dry, and then toss you out on the street like an old rag."
Jiang Chen smiled politely but offered no comment either way.
Joining the Evil Star Sect — the test was passed.
As for the competition for the Crimson Water Heavenly Pool, it wouldn't officially begin for another three years. In other words, they still had plenty of time to work with.
Han Shuang was the most excited of all. Jiang Chen and his uncle's arrival had instantly elevated the Evil Star Sect's overall strength. Passing the initial screening would be absolutely no problem now.
If everything went well, they might even manage to secure a place.