Chapter 47

"You..."

"Don't go too far!"

The two Nascent Soul stage male disciples glared at each other, as if suffering a great humiliation, ready to fight Xu Que to the death at any moment!

Xu Que's gaze was cold and sharp, looking at them playfully without the slightest bit of fear, as if he had never taken these two seriously from the start. From beginning to end, his demeanor was always this indifferent and overbearing.

This turn of events was something no one else could have anticipated.

When the man in the white gown appeared and ordered the two male disciples to apologize, not only were the two female disciples caught off guard, but even Ceng Fanrong and the others found it unbelievable.

The Senior Brother of the Fragrant Sky Valley was actually demanding his own people apologize to an outsider?

Well, perhaps this Senior Brother was more reasonable and fair.

But what everyone found even more unexpected was that Xu Que was still refusing to let it go, insisting that the two male disciples kneel, kowtow, and apologize.

This... no matter who it was, they would never agree to this!

Ceng Fanrong and the others looked at Xu Que as if he were a madman, thinking to themselves: "This Brother Hua is truly courting death; it looks like he wants to fight the Fragrant Sky Valley to the bitter end."

"Ding! Congratulations to host 'Xu Que' for successfully acting cool. Rewarded with thirty Acting Cool Points!"

The system notification sounded in Xu Que's mind again; he never missed any opportunity to act cool.

"Forget it, I don't have the patience to wait for you to kneel. Let's finish the fight we didn't complete earlier. I can let you have one move, come on!"

Xu Que shook his head abruptly, gripped the Heavy Buster Sword in his hand, and pointed it directly at the two Nascent Soul stage disciples.

The two were moved on the spot, unable to help but take a step back.

At the same time, the man in the white gown suddenly moved, flashing in front of the two, his deep eyes meeting Xu Que's with absolute calmness.

"Fellow Daoist, we truly have no rule against breaking the formation. Since you broke it, it should count as you having successfully passed. I, Ye Guming, apologize to you on behalf of my two junior brothers. Give me some face and let this matter end here, how about that?" He was elegant in temperament and smiled indifferently.

Xu Que shook his head and snorted coldly: "Why should I give you face?"

"Ding! Congratulations to host 'Xu Que' for successfully acting cool. Rewarded with thirty Acting Cool Points!"

Ye Guming also paused, the smile on his face stiffening slightly; he hadn't expected Xu Que to be so overbearing, refusing to step down even after being given an out twice.

Ceng Fanrong and the others watching from the side were almost vomiting blood. While thinking that this Brother Hua was highly skilled and bold, they also felt that this Brother Hua didn't seem to be here to participate in the trial, but rather to seek death.

To offend the people of the Fragrant Sky Valley so severely, and now that their Senior Brother had come forward to mediate, you still refuse to give him face? If you really enter the Fragrant Sky Valley in the future, wouldn't you be taught a miserable lesson?

"..."

The two female disciples of the Fragrant Sky Valley were also stunned. They seemed to have never seen their Senior Brother so thwarted before. The black-robed youth before them was truly too overbearing, so overbearing that it felt somewhat suffocating.

"Fellow Daoist, why be like this? With your strength, it wouldn't be difficult to enter our Fragrant Sky Valley. One day, you might even become our fellow disciple." At this moment, Ye Guming spoke again, his tone still incredibly calm.

Xu Que sneered coldly, ignoring him.

What kind of bullshit Fragrant Sky Valley was that? He had no intention of going there at all. He had come here today entirely to act cool.

Just acting cool without causing trouble—even if he did cause trouble, it would only be minor.

But since someone had taken the initiative to provoke him and even tried to kill him, that was no longer a minor matter. How could Xu Que let it go easily?

He demanded to continue the fight and even offered to let the opponent have one move; clearly, he wanted to test the "Willow Shadow Over Waves" he had imitated using the Formless Divine Art. Of course, it was also to act cool!

No matter how great the hatred or how great the suffering, the secret and great cause of acting cool could not be abandoned!

Ye Guming was silent for a few seconds before finally smiling indifferently: "How about this? Since you have already passed the first stage, I will let you enter the third stage of the assessment early as compensation, how about that?"

As soon as these words were spoken, Ceng Fanrong and the others were filled with envy.

To be able to skip the most difficult second stage and enter the third stage directly—wasn't this compensation a bit too good?

And as long as one passed the third stage, one could directly obtain the Fragrant Sky Valley's entry token. If one then passed the final fourth stage, one would even possess the qualification to go to the Imperial Capital to participate in the elite disciple selection. It was simply enviable!

"No need. I, Hua Wuque, don't care to use this as leverage. I will naturally pass the stages that need to be passed; there's no need to skip them! I'll give you face this time, and let this matter rest for now!" Xu Que waved his hand, rejecting Ye Guming's proposal, but he didn't continue to press the issue.

Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to continue acting cool.

Acting cool is a matter of gradual progression; an act of coolness that is finished in one go is not a good act of coolness!

Ye Guming's brows furrowed slightly. He had heard Xu Que's words very clearly; Xu Que had only said "let it rest for now," which meant... he would settle the score later.

However, he ultimately shook his head, not caring anymore, merely cupping his hands toward Xu Que and nodding: "On behalf of my two junior brothers, I thank you, Fellow Daoist! However, are you sure you don't want to skip the second stage?"

"Sure!" Xu Que refused without even thinking.

Then he turned his head and saw... Ceng Fanrong and the others were signaling to him vigorously, as if hinting that he shouldn't refuse.

Ye Guming also smiled slightly and said: "I have already witnessed your strength, Fellow Daoist, when I arrived just now. But this second stage... tests luck, and has little to do with strength. So I will ask one more time, are you sure you don't need to skip it?"

Xu Que said impatiently: "Stop talking nonsense, no need to skip it!"

Immediately, he looked at Ceng Fanrong and the others and greeted them: "Brother Ceng, let's go, let's go register!"

"The registration point is on the mountain; you will see it once you arrive!" Ye Guming smiled slightly, pointing toward a somewhat distant high mountain behind them.

Xu Que nodded and walked toward Ceng Fanrong and the others.

The group's faces stiffened instantly, and their hearts were filled with panic.

Big Brother, we aren't actually that familiar with you. Can you pretend not to know us?

They didn't want to be mistaken by the Fragrant Sky Valley disciples as being in the same group as Xu Que, fearing they would be targeted once they entered the Fragrant Sky Valley in the future!

But now that Xu Que was walking over with a face full of enthusiasm and courtesy, the group didn't dare to explain anything to his face and could only respond with dry laughs.

Except for Xu Que, everyone else cupped their hands in farewell to Ye Guming and the others, then used their techniques to streak toward the mountain.

After watching them leave, the smile on Ye Guming's face gradually faded, becoming expressionless.

The two Nascent Soul stage men said uneasily: "Senior Brother, although it was us who made the first move, this person is truly pushing his luck. If he manages to obtain the entry token, in the future..."

"Shut up!" Ye Guming scolded, saying coldly: "The Water Emperor will be arriving at the Imperial Capital of the Fire Origin Kingdom in a few days to personally teach techniques to the elite disciples. I don't want any major trouble to break out during this time, understand?"

"Yes!" The two men nodded immediately.

Ye Guming's expression softened slightly, and he said in a deep voice: "That black-robed person's strength is not simple. Even if I were to face him, I wouldn't have a ten-percent certainty of winning."

"W-what?"

The two Nascent Soul stage disciples, including the two Golden Core stage female disciples, were moved on the spot.