"Really?"

Upon hearing that he should go confess to the fierce girl, claiming it would make him a real man, Su Xuan—who was eager to be expelled from his sect—suddenly grew interested. He looked at the pig-faced goon and said, "You think I don't have the guts?"

"I bet you don't!" the pig-faced goon sneered, his swollen lips resembling sausages. "Senior Sister Miao Tong is at the Merit Hall right now. Go on!"

Their fight had stemmed from two things.

First, Ying Lan had been beaten by them. Second, they all fancied Gongsun Miao Tong and were love rivals. When rivals meet, things are bound to get bloody; killing one meant one less to worry about.

"What if I really go?" Su Xuan asked with a smile. "What are you betting?"

"If you really dare to go, regardless of whether you succeed or not, I'll call you Grandpa," the goon declared with conviction, then glanced at Ying Lan. "And I'd have no problem calling her Grandma, either."

"Deal."

Su Xuan nodded with a smile and then said to Ying Lan, "Let's head to the Merit Hall."

"Senior Brother, let's not go, okay?" Ying Lan whispered. "Senior Sister Miao Tong is... she's really powerful. If you go confess out of the blue like this, she'll definitely reject you."

She was afraid Su Xuan was falling into their trap and setting himself up for a hard time. It was obvious they were just egging him on. Besides, Gongsun Miao Tong looked down on anyone weaker than her.

"It's fine," Su Xuan said, patting Ying Lan's shoulder. "Let's just have some fun with it! Come on!"

Ying Lan felt helpless and could only lead Su Xuan toward the Merit Hall.

My heart is pounding out of my chest. I hope he succeeds, but I'm also terrified he'll succeed. What I fear most, though, is that Gongsun Miao Tong will treat him like a joke and he'll end up thoroughly humiliated…

"Help me up!" Seeing Su Xuan actually head toward the Merit Hall, the pig-faced goon told his companion, "Let's go watch the show. That Feng Zhengyuan is definitely going to get beaten to a pulp by Senior Sister Miao Tong!"

"You should get your injuries looked at first!" his companion said worriedly. "I need to check my wrist, too. I think it's really broken."

"Don't worry about it," the goon said through a grimace. "Seeing Feng get beaten to death is more important!"

"And you're really going to call him Grandpa, whether he succeeds or not?"

"I was just tricking the fool!"

And so, the two of them supported each other as they also made their way to the Merit Hall.

They were about to witness an event that would completely defy their expectations.

And what sort of place was the Merit Hall?

It was where disciples of Immortal Mountain could exchange points earned from successfully completed missions for rewards, some of which were exceptionally rare and valuable. This was why the disciples loved undertaking missions.

Gongsun Miao Tong was indeed at the Merit Hall at that very moment. She wasn't just redeeming the reward for a single mission, but rather cashing in the points she had accumulated from many.

"Junior Brother, get me another high-grade Youth-preserving Pill."

After exchanging for a large number of rewards, Gongsun Miao Tong noticed she still had some points left and spoke in a low voice to the disciple in charge of exchanges. After all, she was a woman and cared about her appearance. Constantly being out on missions, exposed to the wind and rain, took a toll on her skin.

She was also single and truly looked down on those of her peers who were weaker than herself. If she chose a man weaker than her as a Daoist partner, who would shield her from life's storms?

"Here you are, Senior Sister," the disciple in charge of rewards said, handing a beautifully crafted wooden box to Gongsun Miao Tong. He then added fawningly, "Senior Sister Miao Tong, you don't actually need this kind of pill at all. You are already... as flawless as white jade, a world-toppling beauty, peerless in this age."

After speaking, the disciple blushed and lowered his head.

Gongsun Miao Tong glanced at the disciple, took the wooden box, and turned to leave. But then she noticed a peculiar scene unfolding.

A tide of disciples was flooding into the Merit Hall, surrounding her. They were all staring at her with strange expressions, as if there was something on her face.

She furrowed her perfect brows. Just as she was about to ask what was going on and why she had suddenly become the center of attention, she saw a figure marching toward her with the swagger of a man who owned the world. Before he even reached her, the man bellowed with brazen audacity, "Gongsun Miao Tong, I'm here to confess my love to you!"

What in the world? Had Feng Zhengyuan been drinking, or did he take the wrong medicine today? Why is he suddenly acting like a madman? Confessing to me in public? This is the same guy who used to only dare write me letters in secret, who never had the courage to say a single word to my face! How bizarre!

Gongsun Miao Tong's exquisite lips twitched.

Who else could it be but Su Xuan?

Ying Lan followed closely behind him, her head bowed low. This is so humiliating... So utterly embarrassing... she muttered in her heart.

The crowd of spectators, however, was growing more and more excited.

The most excited of all was the pig-faced goon. Ignoring his pain, he had used all his strength to follow Su Xuan, all while shouting to everyone around that Su Xuan was going to the Merit Hall to confess to Senior Sister Miao Tong. This was the reason so many people had gathered to watch.

Su Xuan soon stood before Gongsun Miao Tong and sized her up from a close distance.

The girl was truly a beauty. Her face was flawless, as if meticulously sculpted by the heavens themselves. A simple furrow of her brow was filled with a captivating allure that could make a man's heart tremble with intoxication.

Her figure was indescribably stunning. Perhaps due to the cultivation technique she practiced, her body exuded a marvelous sense of vibrant power, yet she still possessed a slender waist, long legs, and an exquisite, thought-provoking silhouette. Her silky hair cascaded like a waterfall down to her delicate waist. Her slender fingers appeared soft and boneless, yet a sharp aura seemed to linger at their tips. A delightful, heart-refreshing fragrance emanated from her.

She was, in a word, a rose with thorns.

Beautiful, yes, but touch her and you would get pricked.

Watching the impossibly audacious Su Xuan stand before her, Gongsun Miao Tong crossed her arms, knitted her brows, and parted her soft lips. "Feng Zhengyuan, has something gone wrong in your head?"

Before she could finish her sentence, the entire Merit Hall burst into laughter.

In their eyes, Su Xuan, who considered himself a prodigy yet was in fact plain and unremarkable, was utterly unworthy of Gongsun Miao Tong.

But they didn't know Su Xuan's true identity. If he were facing Gongsun Miao Tong as himself, not in the guise of Feng Zhengyuan, one could only wonder what this crowd would think.

"Senior Sister Miao Tong," Su Xuan said earnestly, "I admire you greatly. I was wondering if you think I might be acceptable?"

He didn't make any outrageous claims but spoke with humility and courtesy. She was a young woman, after all, and had done nothing wrong. No matter how much he wanted to cause trouble, he couldn't humiliate her.

With his question, all eyes focused on Gongsun Miao Tong, eager to hear her response.

Gongsun Miao Tong herself was taken aback by his actions. For the first time, she gave him a proper look and replied in an equally serious tone, "A person like you might be outstanding in other places, but here at Immortal Mountain, you are ordinary. You are not yet worthy of my notice."

Su Xuan shrugged. "So that means there's no chance for us?"

Gongsun Miao Tong nodded. "Mm-hm. I don't like men who are weaker than me."

Su Xuan's head snapped up.

"I'm not weak."

"I'm very strong!"

Gongsun Miao Tong suddenly attacked, her palm striking out toward Su Xuan...

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