69: A pretentious appearance

Three days, a mere flick of a finger.

On Emei Golden Summit, the wind howled, scraping against people's faces, making them sting.

The wind seemed to be filled with a murderous aura, chilling to the bone.

Today was the day Xiao Huohuo, that ignorant good-for-nothing, had arrogantly challenged Senior Sister Cloud Mirage to a duel!

The entire Emei Sect, from Sect Head Master Abbess Jingxuan down to the newly initiated Utility Disciples, every single one of them, had gathered on this Golden Summit.

They weren't here to watch some damn duel.

They were here to watch a joke!

To see how that good-for-nothing, who had been kicked out by the Yun Family and scorned by the entire Xiangyang City for three years, would bring humiliation upon himself, and how he would be trampled underfoot by Senior Sister Cloud Mirage like a dead dog!

"What time is it? Where's that good-for-nothing?"

"Heh, do you even need to ask? He must be scared, hiding like a turtle!"

"Right, with his shoddy martial arts, how dare he come to Emei Golden Summit and act wild? Even if he had ten times the guts!"

Among the crowd, several young Emei Disciples whispered to each other, their sneers rising and falling, completely unconcealed.

The disdain and contempt in their eyes were almost palpable.

By the edge of the Cliff of Self-Sacrifice, Cloud Mirage stood facing the wind in her Emei Daoist robe.

Her pretty face was frosty, and her beautiful eyes were as still as an ancient well, as if she hadn't taken this so-called "challenge" to heart at all.

But her subtly clenched jade hand, with knuckles slightly pale, betrayed her inner turmoil.

Humiliation!

It was an unprecedented humiliation!

"Senior Sister, the Disciples from down the mountain sent word that within a ten-li radius, inside and outside the mountain gate, there's no sign of Xiao Huohuo," Ding Minjun walked up to her, her voice tinged with mockery.

"As expected," Cloud Mirage said indifferently, her voice as cold as ever.

"A good-for-nothing who can't even retain his Internal Energy, daring to speak such arrogant words, is already insane. Now, fleeing the battle, he at least shows some self-awareness."

Though she said this, the nameless fire in her heart burned even more fiercely!

She would rather Xiao Huohuo come today to die than to be toyed with like this! To make her and the entire Emei Sect a laughingstock in the Jianghu!

"Enough, it seems he won't dare to come," Master Abbess Jingxuan spoke slowly, her voice not loud, but clearly reaching everyone's ears, "Everyone, disperse. Don't waste any more time on such a clown..."

Before she finished speaking!

A sudden change occurred!

"Boom—!"

An extremely sharp, piercing sound, without warning, exploded from the edge of the sky!

The sound, initially far away, was suddenly close at hand the next instant!

Everyone looked up in horror!

They saw an extremely brilliant streaking light, as if it could tear the sky apart, shooting out from within the sea of clouds at a terrifying speed that could not be described in words!

Its momentum was like an extraterrestrial meteor, crashing down!

Its power was like a divine punishment from the Nine Heavens, irresistible!

"Not good! Be on guard!" Master Abbess Jingxuan's face drastically changed, and she let out a sharp cry, her Grandmaster-level protective True Qi erupting instantly!

But, it was too late!

Rumble—!

An earth-shattering roar!

The entire Emei Golden Summit seemed to shake violently three times!

The bluestone plaza, as sturdy as steel, was actually smashed into a terrifying deep pit several zhang in diameter at the center where the streaking light fell!

Countless shattered stones shot in all directions, and dust rose into the sky, obscuring everyone's vision!

What's happening?!

Enemy attack?!

Every single Disciple of the Emei Sect was scared senseless, their faces pale, and some even had weak legs, slumping to the ground!

Master Abbess Jingxuan was also facing a formidable enemy, staring intently at the dust-filled center, her heart churning with turbulent waves!

This kind of power...

Even if a Great Grandmaster came in person, it would probably be no more than this, right?!

The wind gradually dispersed the dust.

Within the deep pit, a figure slowly appeared.

The newcomer wore black and red brocade clothes, his posture as tall and straight as a pine, standing with his hands behind his back.

His face was stained with a bit of dust, but he showed no signs of disarray, instead adding a touch of unrestrained boldness.

His eyes, calm and deep, seemed to contain stars and the Universe, as he faintly scanned the dazed faces around him.

When everyone's gaze focused on his handsome yet unfamiliar face.

The entire Emei Golden Summit fell into a deathly silence.

A pin drop could be heard!

"Xiao... Xiao Huohuo?!"

Someone, nobody knew who, let out a scream filled with endless horror and disbelief, completely breaking the dead silence!

Impossible!

This is absolutely impossible!

How could that Xiao Family good-for-nothing, whose cultivation had regressed and become a laughingstock, descend upon this place with such a god-like posture?!

"Fake! It must be fake!"

Cloud Mirage's delicate body trembled uncontrollably, her pretty face, which always wore a frosty expression, was now completely drained of color, ashen as paper!

She stared intently at that figure, roaring madly in her heart.

"An illusion! This must be some kind of illusion! Or... or some kind of powerful mechanism or hidden weapon!"

She couldn't accept it!

She absolutely refused to believe that the good-for-nothing she had once trampled into the mud could be reborn in just one month, possessing such unfathomable abilities!

Flying!

That was flying!

That was a Realm that ordinary Martial Artists couldn't even dream of!

Master Abbess Jingxuan's pupils also sharply contracted, her shock beyond measure.

As a Grandmaster, her discerning eye was extremely sharp; she naturally saw that this was by no means some kind of lightness skill or illusion!

Just as everyone was in doubt and speculating among themselves.

From within the deep pit, the young man who had nearly caused everyone's minds to crash, finally spoke slowly.

A few words clearly echoed in everyone's ears.

"Xiao Family, Xiao Huohuo."

"I've come to answer the challenge!"