Chapter 22: This time we've gone big!

This side, Dongfang Xuan and Ye Qingran stood facing each other, several zhang apart.

Can we use weapons?

Dongfang Xuan was dismissive: "Do as you like! Use whatever you want, so others won't say I'm bullying the weak." A mere trash, giving her a divine artifact would be wasted.

I see you're very confident. How about this: if you can withstand three of my sticks, then you win? How about that?

Dongfang Xuan laughed heartily, "Three sticks from a trash? That's hardly different from scratching an itch!"

Han Xing Leng Yue, however, exchanged a smile from the side, both seeing pity in each other's eyes.

Her miss is about to start ruthlessly abusing the idiot.

The late-arriving Mo Xiaohu looked at the thick wall of people ahead and furrowed her small brow.

May I ask what's happening ahead?

For the first time ever, Mo Xiaohu realized the disadvantage of being short.

Someone turned their head and said, "Ye Qingran is challenging the Seventh Prince and the Second Miss of the Mu Family; do you think she's asking for a beating?"

Ye Qingran?

Isn't that Meiren Sister?

Mo Xiaohu's eyes lit up, then she glared at that person: "No way! It's definitely someone who doesn't know better, itching to get close to Meiren Sister's hand!"

Meiren Sister is so strong, she won't be abused!

That person, stared at blankly, thought: Ye Qingran actually has a little fanboy? Truly a miracle.

Soon, Mo Xiaohu, using her short stature as an advantage, smoothly passed through the thick crowd.

He immediately saw that beautiful figure on the open ground.

A pair of eyes shone with fanboy light, and in a soft, childish voice he shouted: "Meiren Sister, go! Xiao Hu believes in you!"

The milky, cute voice echoed through the clouds.

Ye Qingran heard the voice, turned her face, and her previously not-so-good mood instantly became much happier.

Wait until Sis finishes trashing the scum, then I'll come find you.

The crowd: "....."

Who exactly is abusing whom?

Ye Qingran, you must be crazy and delusional!

"A Ran, don't mess around!"

Ye Li advised again, but all he got was Ye Qingran's cold, clear gaze.

He was both angry and worried, hardened his heart, thinking that since Ye Qingran was so stubborn, hitting a wall this time would teach her a lesson, so he stopped advising her.

Ye Qingran pulled out a stick.

It was utterly unremarkable.

It looked just like a firewood stick.

"Let me introduce, this is my dog-beating stick."

Waving the stick in her hand, Ye Qingran casually introduced it.

Pfft~

Mo Xiaohu laughed so hard she snorted.

Meiren Sister is so funny.

"Meiren Sister, are you getting ready to beat dogs?"

"A dog-beating stick is naturally for beating dogs!"

"Hehe, Xiao Hu wants to see Meiren Sister beat dogs!"

The crowd: "....."

Dongfang Xuan's brows sank, and anger rose in his eyes.

The damned Ye Qingran actually called him a dog!

"Ye Qingran, hurry up and attack. My Palace doesn't have time to waste with you."

Ye Qingran gave a light 'tsk', "Looking for a beating, still rushing up?"

Ye Qingran wielded the long stick in her hand with proper form, seeming like the real deal, to the point that Dongfang Xuan started taking it seriously.

A stick came down; Dongfang Xuan raised his hand to block, but that seemingly fierce strike was actually painless and itchless.

"Ye Qingran, haven't you eaten?"

Dongfang Xuan sneered.

"Congratulations, you guessed right!"

Ye Qingran's second stick came down again. This time Dongfang Xuan neither dodged nor avoided; the stick struck, and he didn't even frown.

"Pfft~ Is Ye Qingran just playing?"

"With just this little skill, you still want to challenge the Seventh Prince?"

"This time you've gone big, you deserve it!"

Many looks were contemptuous and mocking.

Trash is trash, lacking any self-awareness.

Who is the Seventh Prince? Among the many imperial clan offspring, he's a talent with high aptitude, now at the Profound King realm.

"Ye Qingran, one last stick—give it all you've got, even the strength from nursing."

Dongfang Xuan already had victory in his grasp.

Such a situation was entirely under Mu Qingrou's control. Her face full of contempt. A mere trash, she didn't even qualify to make a move.

Ye Qingran's eyes flashed with cunning: "You said it yourself—when the time comes and I hit you hard, don't go crying to your parents."

"I think you're the one who'll be crying for your parents! When you lose, you better not try to weasel out of it—or else I, My Palace, won't let you off!"

"I'll say the same thing to the Seventh Prince. Otherwise I'll make sure everyone in Xiliang knows that the Seventh Prince is a fat, spineless coward who goes back on his word!"

Ye Qingran gripped the Dog-Beating Staff, unseen by anyone, a dark energy flowing along the stick.

She made the same motion as before, looking flashy, and everyone could tell that Ye Qingran's strike carried little power.

Dongfang Xuan stood calmly, his expression tranquil, waiting quietly for Ye Qingran's third strike.

The previously relaxed atmosphere, as Ye Qingran lifted the staff and brought it down, seemed to have a mountain descend from the heavens; everyone present felt a heavy, oppressive aura.

Gusts burst forth, Ji Feng like a blade.

One strike of the staff descended, like Mount Tai pressing down on the head.

Dongfang Xuan's face changed abruptly, his calm expression instantly turning solemn.

He hardly thought, gathering all his strength to block.

But the staff's power was unstoppable, it smashed Dongfang Xuan to the ground, and a crisp sound of breaking bones rang out.

"Pfft~"

A mouthful of blood spurted out, and Dongfang Xuan fell to his knees!

He looked dazed, as if foolish, his face blank with confusion.

The vast crowd fell silent in an instant, not even a sparrow's chirp.

Silence.

An eerie silence.

Ye Sisi's pupils contracted; she could hardly believe what she was seeing.

How could Ye Qingran have such strength? Had she taken another pill?

"Yay, Pretty Sister, you're awesome at beating dogs!"

A pure, innocent child's voice brought everyone back to their senses.

Everyone gaped, looking as if they'd seen a ghost.

The heaven's favored Seventh Prince was actually knocked flat by a single stick from the trash Ye Qingran?!

Could it be that they were seeing things?

"Your turn." Ye Qingran turned her gaze to Mu Qingrou, her voice cold and deep, as if coming from the Nine Underworlds.

Mu Qingrou's heart pounded with shock.

"How is that possible?!" she muttered.

But after a moment's thought, Ye Qingran is just a trash without a spiritual root—she's never heard of anyone who could cultivate after having their spiritual root dug out!

Just now, it must have been her luck.

"Ye Qingran, the Seventh Prince underestimated you—I won't!" As her words fell, she flung a pitch-black long whip to the ground, which emitted a "crack-crack" sound.

"Bring it on!"

Mu Qingrou gave a clear shout, her aura bursting forth, displaying the full might of a Xuan King.

The long whip lashed out, hooking Ye Qingran's staff; with a pull, she easily yanked Ye Qingran, Mu Qingrou's eyes turned fierce, she whipped again, and Ye Qingran stumbled to the ground.

"Carving Insect Minor Technique—do you dare to show off your axe skills before me, Miss?"

Seeing Ye Qingran's staff blocked by Mu Qingrou, the crowd couldn't help but wonder whether her earlier strike that knocked down the Seventh Prince had really just been luck.

Ye Qingran played with Mu Qingrou for a while, then grew bored.

As the esteemed Miss of the Mu family, that's all the strength you have—how boring.

"Try this stick—it's specially made for beating female dogs!"

As those words fell, Ye Qingran's staff in hand danced again, turning into countless staff shadows; in the next instant she flashed to Mu Qingrou's side, the staff striking at a tricky angle into her proud… bosom.

"Ah~" a hysterical wail echoed through the heavens.

Mu Qingrou clutched her chest, kneeling on the ground, her face twisted in pain into a ferocious grimace.

The women present all instinctively covered their soft spots, feeling a faint ache there.

The men stared, dumbfounded.

This feeling is akin to being kicked in the groin—much the same.

This is way too brutal!

Ye Qingran held a wooden staff, standing straight in the center of the crowd.

Now her aura was even more fierce than her earlier cool composure.

In the crowd, people faintly saw a hint of the Female War God, just like her mother years ago.

Before her, the two who had been proud as peacocks now looked like drowned dogs, utterly disheveled.

"You lost!"

Ye Qingran's clear voice rang in everyone's ears.

Everyone's hearts shook.

Just moments ago, the Seventh Prince and Mu Qingrou, arrogant and disdainful, had declared that Ye Qingran was a cultivation trash, unworthy of entering Wuji Hall!

Ye Qingran, with her own power, toppled two geniuses, proving herself with strength!

If Ye Qingran is trash, then what does that make those two—worse than trash?

Amid the shocked gazes of the crowd, Ye Qingran stepped forward two steps, kicked Dongfang Xuan, then lifted Mu Qingrou's chin with her staff.

"How does it feel to be the trash you've been insulting, bloodily abused?"

Dongfang Xuan and Mu Qingrou were both in pain and angry.

"How about it? Not willing? If you're not, then keep going—I'll accompany you anytime."

Mu Qingrou's gaze was as if laced with poison; if she could, she would hate to tear Ye Qingran limb from limb.

But she now feels as if she's fallen apart, unable to muster any strength.

"You're angry, huh? You just love seeing me in a helpless, embarrassed state."

"Ye Qingran, you're cheating!" Mu Qingrou said through gritted teeth.

"Oh?" Ye Qingran weighed the stick in her hand, "You want to say I used this 'divine artifact'? I just asked, didn't I? You agreed."

Ye Qingran chuckled, "What, you can't bear to lose?"

"Sister, one should be merciful; even if you luckily won, you shouldn't bully Miss Mu and His Highness the Seventh Prince like this."

Ye Sisi said unhappily.

Ye Qingran lazily lifted her eyelids, weighed the stick in her hand, and with a faint smile said, "You also want a whack?"

Ye Sisi swallowed her saliva and fell silent at once.

"Alright, as per the bet, kneel and apologize to me. Oh, don't forget to say that line."

"Ye Qingran, you dare! I am a proper prince!" Dongfang Xuan said through gritted teeth.

Ye Qingran sneered, "Oh? Can a prince just break his word and get fat? If the Seventh Prince truly doesn't want to fulfill the bet, that's fine—I'll just go to Xiliang City tomorrow and spread the word that His Highness the Seventh Prince has broken his word, gotten fat, lacks credibility, and is a weakling."

"You..." Dongfang Xuan was left speechless.

Mu Qingrou endured the pain, seeing Ye Qingran's back turned to her, a flash in her eyes, and suddenly drew from her bosom a soft whip studded with barbs, lashing it fiercely at Ye Qingran's face.

The dark whip gleamed with a cold sheen in the sunlight.

If it strikes, half of Ye Qingran's face will be torn off!

"Careful!" Several cries of alarm rang out all around.