Chapter 367

South of Lord Bei Feng City, Northland Teahouse.

In an antique private room on the third floor, five people sat around a table.

The table was placed against the window.

Deng Yuxiang sat on a wooden chair, her elbows resting on the windowsill, looking at the bustling, festive, and peaceful scene of the crowd below.

Hu Jiaojiao sat right next to Deng Yuxiang, and directly opposite Deng Yuxiang was Lu Ran, who was also sitting by the window.

"Creeak~"

The wooden door opened, and several waiters dressed in simple, ancient-style clothing walked in carrying tea and snacks.

"Miss, you haven't been here for a long time."

The leader was a middle-aged man, his overly enthusiastic smiling face written with the word "fawning."

Hu Jiaojiao glanced at the man: "Have I caused you trouble?"

The man was startled and hurriedly said: "No, no, this room is reserved specifically for you..."

Hu Jiaojiao watched as the fruits, candied snacks, and pastries were placed on the table one by one, and waved her hand: "Alright, you may leave."

"Very well, if you need anything else, please feel free to command." The man left with the waiters.

The people left walking backward, and carefully closed the door.

Until it was quiet in the room, Lu Ran, whose face had been turned toward the window, finally turned back: "Ms. Hu, you have a lot of influence."

Hu Jiaojiao: "I don't have any other skills, I can only manage to get a private room."

As she spoke, she looked at Deng Yuxiang beside her, sighing heavily in her heart.

Lu Ran was silent for a moment, then suddenly said: "It is said that the Lord Bei Feng City Lord's surname is Hu?"

Bai Manni's hand, which was pouring tea, paused, her eyes filled with surprise as she looked at Hu Jiaojiao.

Under the table, Deng Yutang gently patted Bai Manni's leg.

Bai Manni immediately lowered her eyes and continued to pour tea for everyone.

"Seems like it." Hu Jiaojiao looked at Lu Ran, her almond eyes lively, and blinked.

Lu Ran looked at Deng Yutang beside him and smiled: "Our sister's two best friends are more impressive than the other, aren't they?"

Deng Yutang really wanted to ask, besides Ms. Hu, what other best friend does our sister have.

But he restrained himself.

Hu Jiaojiao picked up a teacup and smiled: "Then who do you think is more incredible, me or Shuangzi?"

Lu Ran was stumped.

Yan Shuangzi is the same type as Deng Yuxiang, full of the "big sister" vibe, and like a big broadsword—strong and sharp.

Hu Jiaojiao has a baby face, looks more like the cute type, with short hair reaching her ears and big, watery eyes.

Just looking at this face, one would mistake her for having a petite figure.

However, Hu Jiaojiao is similar in height to Deng Yuxiang, and her figure is even excessively hot...

Lu Ran, of course, wouldn't be dazzled.

With Fairy Jiang as a standard, his eyes had long been spoiled.

Furthermore, Lu Ran had long ago passed the stage of "observing people through their appearance."

Hu Jiaojiao is a short blade.

Hmm... perhaps two.

Very sharp, very deadly.

"Rustle~"

The sudden sound of clothing rubbing interrupted their conversation.

Deng Yuxiang was still wearing Lu Ran's white down jacket, her arms not inside the sleeves.

Her cold fingers picked up the collar and pulled it up slightly.

"Hehe~" Hu Jiaojiao turned to look at her best friend: "You usually ignore everyone, wishing everyone would just die far away.

Now, I've only said a few words, and you've come out to smooth things over?"

Deng Yuxiang still looked out the window expressionlessly, saying nothing.

Lu Ran: "The types are different."

Hu Jiaojiao looked very interested and immediately asked: "How are they different?"

Lu Ran shrugged: "A broadsword and a short blade—they are not the same at all."

Hu Jiaojiao's beautiful eyes brightened as she looked at Deng Yuxiang: "As expected of the Great Xia prodigy, much stronger than this bunch of straw bags in the city."

"Hmph." Deng Yuxiang gave a cold snort.

What are they?

Can they compare to Lu Ran?

"Oh~ don't be angry, it's my fault." Hu Jiaojiao took advantage of the situation, holding one of Deng Yuxiang's cold palms.

She continued to smile: "Your brother is the brilliance of the bright moon; I shouldn't have compared him to the glow of rotting grass."

Hu Jiaojiao did not deny that she was very interested in Lu Ran.

But at this point in time, making her good friend "come alive" was the real theme.

Hu Jiaojiao naturally saw that the bond between Lu and Deng was extremely deep.

She had only used a few words to get a reaction from Deng Yuxiang, which was a pretty good result.

"Why are you so troubled to this extent?" Lu Ran changed the subject and looked at Deng Yuxiang.

Deng Yuxiang was still looking out the window.

The streets of the ancient city under the night were decorated with lanterns, the atmosphere hot.

From time to time, the hawking of peddlers could be heard, making one feel as if they had traveled back to ancient times.

Lu Ran stood up, reached out to Deng Yuxiang's face, and pushed the knitted scarf down, revealing her thin lips, which were pale from the cold.

That somewhat haggard face carried a kind of broken beauty.

The once bright camellia had indeed been severely ravaged by frost and snow.

Hu Jiaojiao subconsciously gripped Deng Yuxiang's hand tighter.

Although she saw that the bond between the siblings was very deep, Hu Jiaojiao was familiar with her friend's style of doing things and knew even better what she had been through.

Hu Jiaojiao was truly worried that Deng Yuxiang would explode in rage!

Fortunately, Deng Yuxiang didn't have much of a reaction, which made Hu Jiaojiao breathe a sigh of relief again.

Lu Ran took a cup of hot tea and handed it to Deng Yuxiang: "Drink some, warm up your body."

Deng Yuxiang finally turned her eyes to look at Lu Ran.

The eyes that should have been bright were now dim and unclear.

Lu Ran stubbornly handed over the teacup, his eyes not avoiding hers.

After a long while, Deng Yuxiang slowly raised her hand.

Lu Ran: "What on earth have you been through?"

The woman took a shallow sip of tea, lowered her head, and said nothing.

Lu Ran said in a deep voice: "Deng Yuxiang, tell me, why is it about to shatter?"

"Crack!"

Deng Yuxiang didn't control her strength well, and the purple clay teacup in her hand was crushed by her.

Deng Yutang and Bai Manni hurriedly stood up to look for paper and towels.

Hu Jiaojiao hurriedly pried open her friend's palm and brushed away the teacup fragments.

Others might not understand what Lu Ran meant.

But Hu Jiaojiao knew in her heart that the thing Lu Ran said was about to shatter was the blade.

It was Deng Yuxiang, this big broadsword!

It was her as a person, and it was also her Dao heart.

"Sister Hu, a towel." Bai Manni quickly handed over a towel.

Hu Jiaojiao reached out to take it, gently wiping her friend's hand, a trace of heartache flashing in the depths of her eyes.

Lu Ran looked at Hu Jiaojiao: "Could you trouble Ms. Hu to tell me?"

Hu Jiaojiao pondered for a moment, but still chose to speak: "Your sister has had three sparring sessions with Senior Liao."

"Senior Liao?"

"She is the person Yuxiang is going to challenge this time."

"Lost all three times?"

Hu Jiaojiao nodded gently, adding several sentences in her heart: Lost? That's an understatement!

It was a comprehensive crushing in experience, martial arts, physical fitness, etc.; otherwise, Deng Yuxiang wouldn't have fallen to this point.

The room fell into silence.

Deng Yutang's face was ugly; although he was mentally prepared, hearing this, he still couldn't catch his breath.

Is there really no chance of winning at all?

Lu Ran: "Before the real challenge, do you still have to spar?"

Hu Jiaojiao shook her head and said: "There's no hard rule.

However, since the senior came in person to spar, under the gaze of all the disciples, Yuxiang couldn't refuse."

Lu Ran's face sank.

Couldn't refuse?

It's that she couldn't refuse.

Under the eyes of everyone, how could a martial artist as extremely proud as Deng Yuxiang refuse?

Lu Ran: "Did the other party use that divine weapon with a domain?"

Hu Jiaojiao shook her head again: "No, during the sparring, both sides used ordinary weapons."

Lu Ran's heart fell to the bottom.

The other party didn't use their greatest advantage, yet won three out of three?

Deng Yutang suddenly spoke: "What is that person's strength realm?"

"River Estuary Realm, Fifth Stage."

"Damn it." Deng Yutang rarely cursed.

If Deng Yuxiang had been preparing for battle all along until the final challenge, she might have been able to make a clean sweep.

Even if she couldn't win, at least Deng Yuxiang could have faced the enemy in her prime.

But look at her now!

Deng Yuxiang's spirit has been killed off.

Thinking of the looks and discussions the crowd might have after the other party wins, Deng Yutang was about to explode.

All along, the relationship between the Deng siblings hasn't been too good.

But when all is said and done, the two are family, a family whose bones are broken but whose tendons are still connected!

Deng Yutang really hated.

Hated his own incompetence.

Hu Jiaojiao wiped her friend's palm clean, feeling guilty, and whispered:

"If I could have known earlier, returned to Lord Bei Feng City earlier, maybe I could have protected..."

"Don't think like that." Lu Ran said in a low voice, "With Sister Yuxiang's personality, she would definitely have accepted the challenge."

Bai Manni finally couldn't help it and asked: "Can... can she not challenge anymore?"

Deng Yutang immediately looked at Hu Jiaojiao.

Hu Jiaojiao's eyes were complicated, and she shook her head: "No!

When Yuxiang returned to Lord Bei Feng City, she signed a life-and-death contract and set a date.

She signed it under the witness of the sect members, and she signed it in the temple of Lord Lord Bei Feng."

Bai Manni's face turned pale, and she gripped Deng Yutang's hand tightly.

Hu Jiaojiao's last half-sentence was the most critical.

You confirmed everything in front of the God of Lord Bei Feng; naturally, you cannot go back on your word.

In front of the gods, how can one treat it as child's play?

Having said that, even without the gods, having signed a document in front of the many great powers of the Lord Bei Feng sect, it would be impossible to change.

And from the perspective of Deng Yuxiang's personal growth and future development, it is even more impossible for her to break the contract.

Going into battle,

You might lose, you might die.

No matter what the outcome, you are standing.

Fleeing before the battle,

For the rest of your life, how will you conduct yourself?

You are not an ordinary person; you are a vast river, and the requirements for your state of mind are very high, and they will only get higher!

From this perspective, you can't even throw the match, can't just have a symbolic fight and raise your hands in surrender.

Because you have to be responsible for yourself!

Unless...

You abandon the path of cultivation right here and now, and prepare to go back to being an ordinary person.

Deng Yuxiang suddenly spoke, saying the first sentence since entering the private room:

"You guys, what do you take me for?"

The private room was silent.

Deng Yuxiang's gaze swept over the few people; Bai Manni immediately lowered her head, and Deng Yutang opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say.

She slowly stood up, the white down jacket she was wearing fell off, and she turned and left.

"Yuxiang?" Hu Jiaojiao hurriedly stood up.

"Sister Yuxiang?" Bai Manni was extremely guilty and extremely scared, knowing she had said the wrong thing.

People are divided into different ranks.

Cultivators are the same.

Deng Yuxiang is undoubtedly a prodigy, and even more so a great power of the River Estuary Realm!

Bai Manni's sentence was simply insulting Deng Yuxiang!

Deng Yuxiang getting up and leaving the table without teaching them a lesson was already giving them huge face.

"I'll go." Lu Ran picked up the down jacket and walked out quickly.

Bai Manni's eyes turned red, but she didn't dare to chase after her.

She was panicked and anxious, turned to look at Deng Yutang, and kept apologizing: "I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."

Deng Yutang hugged Bai Manni, unable to say any words of blame.

As a Red Scarf believer, he actually had a moment where he wanted to persuade his sister to value her life above all else.

(End of chapter)