Chapter 45: Trump Card

Watching the people from Three Mountain City disappear into the distance, Lin Zhengren had not even spoken yet when his younger brother Lin Zhengli already snorted in dissatisfaction.

“These mountain barbarians are so rude!”

This time, Lin Zhengren was the leader of River-Gazing City’s delegation, while Lin Zhengli represented River-Gazing City Dao Academy’s first-year students in the competition.

Hearing this, Lin Zhengren merely smiled faintly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

The cultivators seated here from River-Gazing City were all adorned with pearls and jade. Their families were either wealthy or noble even within River-Gazing City itself, so it was inevitable that they carried some spoiled young master habits.

Even here within Maple Forest City’s territory, they spoke recklessly, insulting whoever they pleased.

“When the Dao Discussion starts, we’ve got to teach them a lesson!”

“The people from Maple Forest City aren’t much better either. I suggested we go stroll around Three Fragrance Pavilion, and they actually ignored me! Stingy to that extent!”

“Hahaha, they’re poor! Look at the courtyard they arranged for us to stay in. Is that even fit for humans? They didn’t even install underfloor heating. And those blankets were just ordinary silk stuffing!”

“Sigh, what can you do with these impoverished bumpkins? I already had my servants go make arrangements. We’ll just endure it for two days.”

As everyone mocked and complained, someone suddenly asked:

“Where’s that fellow Fu Baosong? Didn’t come again?”

“Who cares about him!” Lin Zhengli sneered.

“Who knows how the academy head even let him slip in here. Sour and smelly.”

Lin Zhengren lightly set his wine cup down on the table.

Lin Zhengli immediately shut his mouth.

Lin Zhengren raised his chopsticks slightly.

“Eat.”

The atmosphere immediately became lively again.

…

Under Jiang Wang’s supervision, Jiang An’an returned the entire box of treasures she had earned from her classmates.

She also promised she would no longer help others cheat on exams and would study properly from now on, striving to achieve style, results, and glory for the Jiang family.

Her condition was that after every dinner, she would get an extra serving of pastries from Osmanthus Fragrance House.

Was she not afraid of losing all her teeth?

While Ling He and the others entertained the guests from distant Three Mountain City, Jiang Wang also headed to Mingde Hall after finishing that day’s cultivation to pick up his sister.

It had to be said that with the help of the Control Essence Art, his control over dao essence was improving at an extremely noticeable speed.

The clearest sign was that arranging formation nodes had become effortless for him. He had not made a mistake in a very long time.

Combined with the strengthening effects of the Four Spirit Body Tempering Art, his physical body had improved greatly, significantly increasing the number of pulse-opening cultivation cycles he could perform.

If he fully pushed his body to its limits, he likely could have already completed foundation establishment.

But even without excessively squeezing his body’s potential, he was already very close to succeeding.

After picking up Jiang An’an and preparing to go eat something good, a little girl with braids all over her head suddenly jumped in front of him.

Pointing directly at Jiang Wang with complete rudeness, she demanded:

“So you’re the one who won’t let An’an play with me anymore?”

Jiang Wang recognized her.

This was the little troublemaker from the old teacher’s office at Mingde Hall. One glance was enough to tell she had been pampered since birth.

The tiny pearls, jade beads, and emerald beads hanging from all her braids alone showed just how wealthy she was.

Jiang Wang had no interest in arguing with a child.

“This little friend, I only told An’an not to cheat together with you. I never said she couldn’t play with you.”

The braided girl snorted.

“Then why return all those treasures to me? Those were symbols of our friendship!”

“Friendship cannot be measured with money.”

Jiang Wang had little patience for educating someone else’s child. After casually saying this, he added:

“Alright, An’an and I are heading home now.”

“No! You can’t leave until this is cleared up!”

The braided girl spread her arms to block the road.

Jiang Wang sighed helplessly and unleashed his trump card:

“I’m telling your teacher.”

“You dare?!”

The little girl angrily rolled up her sleeves.

“Believe it or not, I’ll beat you up!”

Before Jiang Wang could respond, Jiang An’an already spoke up:

“Qingzhi, if you hit my brother, I really won’t play with you anymore!”

“Ah, don’t!”

The girl named Qingzhi hurriedly rolled her sleeves back down.

“Then I won’t hit him anymore.”

Jiang Wang listened from the side in speechless disbelief.

Could you even beat me if you tried, little brat?

“I’ll say this one more time, little friend.”

“As long as you two don’t do bad things together, like cheating or skipping school, I won’t object to An’an playing with you. Understand? If you understand, then stay here and wait for your family to pick you up. An’an and I are going to drink meatball soup now!”

Originally Jiang An’an still wanted to chat a bit more with her good friend.

But the moment she heard there would be soup, all interest vanished.

She waved repeatedly.

“Bye Qingzhi! See you tomorrow!”

The braided girl waved back while stepping aside.

Jiang Wang immediately strode away carrying Jiang An’an.

Watching his swift departing figure, she snorted again and muttered:

“What’s so impressive about him?”

…

The cultivators from Three Mountain City finally arrived at the small courtyard Maple Forest City Dao Academy had prepared for them.

The moment the gate closed, the black-robed figure whom Maple Forest City’s citizens regarded as the hidden Demon King plopped directly onto the ground with a grief-stricken cry:

“Can you spread out now? We’re already inside Maple Forest City. Where else could I even run to?!”

Along the journey, he had tried over a hundred ways to escape back to Three Mountain City, but every single time he had been dragged back.

By the time they neared Maple Forest City, they had even surrounded him in formation while entering the city.

The cultivators from Three Mountain City all looked awkward upon hearing this.

Some stared at the sky, some looked at the ground, and two even stared at each other’s fingers.

But not one person took a step away.

The true Great Demon King skipped happily toward the rooms inside.

After checking all six rooms, she bounced back into the courtyard and pointed toward the westernmost room.

Silver chains hung from both her wrists, each ending in a tiny silver hammer that swayed with her movements.

“Alright, go pick your rooms! That one is mine.”

Only then did everyone scatter.

“Sun Little Fatty!”

Sun Xiaoman called out to Sun Xiaoyan, who had just scrambled to his feet.

“You’re staying in the room next to mine!”

“I refuse!”

Sun Xiaoyan roared.

But after meeting Sun Xiaoman’s eyes, his voice immediately weakened.

“…Could I maybe refuse?”

“You cannot~”

Sun Xiaoman blinked.

She had large, bright eyes.

When she blinked, it was like moonlight reflected upon a stream.

But Sun Xiaoyan only wanted to tremble.

Sun Xiaoman clasped her hands behind her back and skipped ahead, the pair of silver hammer ornaments swinging side to side and occasionally clinking with crisp sounds.

“Little Fatty, come with your big sister~”

Sun Xiaoyan unwillingly followed behind her.

As they entered the room, he grumbled pitifully:

“Can you stop calling me Sun Little Fatty? I have a proper name!”

“Okay, Sun Little Fatty.”

Sun Xiaoman turned around, unconcerned, and beckoned.

“Come, sit here.”

Sun Xiaoyan obediently sat down, the folds of fat squeezing the chair completely full.

Sun Xiaoman reached out and pulled down his hood, revealing that chubby face.

“Oh my, this swelling.”

When she was not bullying people, Sun Xiaoman’s voice was actually soft and adorable.

Dear heavens, she was showing concern.

Warmth inexplicably welled up in Sun Xiaoyan’s heart.

But he immediately reacted.

Bah!

He fiercely spat in his heart.

Sun Xiaoman took out a small jade bottle.

The moment she pulled the wooden stopper free, a wisp of fragrance drifted out.

Using her pinky fingernail, she scooped out a bit of translucent ointment and gently pressed it onto Sun Xiaoyan’s face, slowly spreading it with her fingertip.

Sun Xiaoyan did not dare resist. He remained perfectly still.

His face first felt cool, then gradually comfortable.

All the painful spots seemed to ease instantly.

“All done!”

After applying the medicine, Sun Xiaoman patted his big face.

“Leave it overnight and the swelling will go down tomorrow.”

A “thank you” nearly slipped from Sun Xiaoyan’s mouth instinctively, but he forcibly bit it back.

Sun Xiaoman stored away the jade bottle and smiled sweetly.

“Remember not to be so impulsive anymore. Getting disfigured would be ugly. It would embarrass Three Mountain City.”

Who exactly caused these injuries in the first place?!?!

Sun Xiaoyan roared inwardly in grief and indignation, but on the outside he still forced out a smile and obediently replied:

“Okay, Sister.”

(End of Chapter)