South of Beifeng City, the Northern Tea House.

On the third floor, in an ancient-styled private room, five people sat around a table.

The table was placed by the window.

Deng Yuxiang sat on a wooden chair, her elbow resting on the windowsill, gazing down at the bustling, joyous, and harmonious scene below.

Hu Jiaojiao sat close to Deng Yuxiang, and directly opposite was Lu Ran, who also sat by the window.

"Creak~"

The wooden door opened, and a few waiters dressed in plain clothes came in carrying tea and snacks.

"Miss, you haven't visited in a long time."

The one leading was a middle-aged man, his overly enthusiastic smiling face bearing the words "flattery."

Hu Jiaojiao glanced at the man: "Did I cause you trouble?"

The man jumped with fright and hastily replied, "Not at all, not at all, this room is always reserved for you..."

Hu Jiaojiao looked at the fruits, pastries, and sweets being set on the table one by one, and waved her hand: "Alright, that's enough, you can leave now."

"Of course, if you need anything else, just let us know," said the man as he ushered the other waiters to leave.

They left the room walking backwards carefully and closed the door gently behind them.

As soon as the room quieted down, Lu Ran, who had been facing the window, finally turned around: "Miss Hu, you have quite a reputation."

Hu Jiaojiao: "I have no other abilities, I can only request a private room."

With that, she turned to look at Deng Yuxiang beside her and sighed deeply in her heart.

Lu Ran was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "I heard the Beifeng City Lord's surname is Hu?"

Bai Manni, who was pouring tea, paused momentarily, her eyes showing surprise as she looked towards Hu Jiaojiao.

Underneath the table, Deng Yutang gently patted Bai Manni's leg.

Bai Manni immediately cast her eyes down and continued pouring tea for everyone.

"Seems like it," Hu Jiaojiao looked toward Lu Ran, her almond-shaped eyes lively, and blinked.

Lu Ran looked at Deng Yutang beside him and smiled: "Our sister's two best friends, each more formidable than the other, eh?"

Deng Yutang really wanted to ask, apart from Miss Hu, which other best friend does our sister have.

But he held back.

Hu Jiaojiao picked up a tea cup casually and smiled: "So, who do you think is more impressive, Shuangzi or I?"

Lu Ran choked.

Yan Shuangzi was the same typ as Deng Yuxiang, full of mature charm, like a sharp and aggressive broadsword.

Hu Jiaojiao had a baby-face appearance, more on the cute side, with short ear-length hair and sparkling big eyes.

Simply based on her face, one would assume she was of petite build.

However, Hu Jiaojiao was just as tall as Deng Yuxiang, and even her figure was somewhat excessively voluptuous...

Of course, Lu Ran was not blinded by appearances.

With Jiang Xianzi's elegance as a prior reference, his eyes had long become discerning.

Besides, Lu Ran had long passed the stage of "assessing people by their appearances."

Hu Jiaojiao was like a dagger.

Hmm... maybe two daggers.

Very sharp, very lethal.

"Rustle~"

The sudden sound of rustling clothes interrupted their conversation.

Deng Yuxiang still wore Lu Ran's white down jacket, her arms not inserted into the sleeves.

Her cold fingers picked at the collar, slightly pulling it up.

"Hehe~" Hu Jiaojiao turned her head to look at her best friend, "Usually you don't care about anyone and wish everyone would stay far away from you.

Now, I've only said a few words and you're coming out to defuse the situation?"

Deng Yuxiang still looked out the window expressionlessly, silent.

Lu Ran: "It's a different kind."

Hu Jiaojiao, appearing very interested, immediately asked: "How are they different?"

Lu Ran shrugged his shoulders: "A broadsword and a dagger, different in every way."

Hu Jiaojiao's beautiful eyes shone as she looked at Deng Yuxiang: "As expected of Da Xia's genius, much better than the dregs in this city."

"Hmph," Deng Yuxiang snorted coldly.

What are they?

Can they even compare with Lu Ran?

"Ah~ don't be angry, it's my fault," Hu Jiaojiao followed up, holding one of Deng Yuxiang's cold hands.

She continued to smile, "Your brother is a 'Moonlight Radiance', I shouldn't compare him to rotting fireflies."

Hu Jiaojiao didn't deny her interest in Lu Ran.

But at this point, her priority was to help her best friend "come back to life."

Naturally, Hu Jiaojiao noticed the deep bond between Lu Ran and Deng Yuxiang.

With just a few words, she managed to get a reaction from Deng Yuxiang, which was a satisfactory result.

"Why are you so troubled?" Lu Ran changed the subject, looking toward Deng Yuxiang.

Deng Yuxiang still watched the window.

Below, in the streets of the ancient city, the night was vibrant with lights and decorations, creating a heated atmosphere.

The hawking cries of vendors occasionally drifted in, as if transporting one back to ancient times.

Lu Ran stood up, reaching out in front of Deng Yuxiang's face, and pulled her knitted scarf down, exposing her frost-covered thin lips.

That somewhat haggard face carried a sense of shattered beauty.

The bright camellias of yesteryears had certainly been ravaged by frost and snow.

Hu Jiaojiao instinctively tightened her grip on Deng Yuxiang's hand.

Although she saw the deep connection between the siblings, she knew her friend well and was aware of everything she had endured.

Hu Jiaojiao was truly worried that Deng Yuxiang would erupt in anger!

Fortunately, Deng Yuxiang remained unresponsive, which made Hu Jiaojiao breathe a sigh of relief once again.

Lu Ran offered a cup of hot tea to Deng Yuxiang: "Drink some to warm yourself up."

Deng Yuxiang finally turned her gaze to Lu Ran.

Her usually bright eyes were now dull and unclear.

Lu Ran stubbornly offered the tea cup, his gaze unwavering.

After a long while, Deng Yuxiang slowly raised her hand.

Lu Ran: "What exactly have you gone through?"

The woman sipped her tea lightly, her head lowered in silence.

Lu Ran's voice deepened: "Deng Yuxiang, tell me, why is it about to break?"

"Crack!"

Deng Yuxiang didn't control her strength well, and the purple clay tea cup in her hand shattered.

Deng Yutang and Bai Manni quickly stood up, searching for paper and a towel.

Hu Jiaojiao hurriedly pulled away her friend's palm and brushed off the broken pieces of the cup.

Others might not understand what Lu Ran meant.

But Hu Jiaojiao knew clearly; when Lu Ran said it was about to break, he was referring to a broadsword.

To Deng Yuxiang's broadsword!

To herself, and to her martial heart.

"Miss Hu, here's the towel," Bai Manni swiftly passed a towel.

Hu Jiaojiao took it with gentle motions and tenderly wiped her friend's hands, a trace of pity in her eyes.

Lu Ran looked towards Hu Jiaojiao: "Could I trouble Miss Hu to tell me?"

Hu Jiaojiao pondered for a moment, then chose to speak: "Your sister fought with Senior Liao three times."

"Senior Liao?"

"The one that Yuxiang is challenging this time."

"Did she lose all three times?"

Hu Jiaojiao nodded lightly, her heart adding several phrases: More than just lost!

She was completely crushed in experience, martial skills, and physical fitness. Otherwise, Deng Yuxiang would not have fallen so low.

The room sank into silence.

Deng Yutang's face darkened. Although he had prepared himself, hearing this news still made him struggle to breathe.

Did she really have no chance of winning?

Lu Ran: "Is she going to spar before the real challenge?"

Hu Jiaojiao shook her head: "There's no hard rule.

But with the senior coming personally to spar, in front of all the disciples, Yuxiang can't refuse."

Lu Ran's expression became grim.

Can't refuse?

No, she won't refuse.

Under the watchful eyes of all, a warrior as supremely proud as Deng Yuxiang would never decline.

Lu Ran: "Did he use that Divine Weapon that has a Domain?"

Hu Jiaojiao shook her head again: "No, during the spars, both sides used regular weapons."

Lu Ran felt his heart sink to the bottom.

The opponent didn't use his biggest advantage and still won three out of three?

Deng Yutang suddenly spoke: "What strength level is that person?"

"Jiang Realm, stage five."

"Dammit," Deng Yutang rarely cursed, but he couldn't help it.

If Deng Yuxiang had been preparing all along, perhaps she could have overcome in one go.

Even if she couldn't win, at least she could face the enemy in her prime.

But look at her now!

Her fighting spirit is all but gone.

Just imagining the possible gazes and murmurs of the audience after the opponent's victory made Deng Yutang feel explosive.

The Deng siblings had never been particularly close.

But when all is said and done, they are family, flesh and bone connected by sinew!

Deng Yutang truly hated.

He hated his own powerlessness.

Hu Jiaojiao finished cleaning her friend's palm, her voice low with guilt:

"If only I knew sooner, if only I returned to Beifeng City earlier, maybe I could have protected..."

"No need to think like that," Lu Ran said softly, "With Yuxiang's character, she would inevitably accept the challenge."

Bai Manni finally couldn't hold back and asked: "Can... can she not challenge anymore?"

Deng Yutang immediately looked at Hu Jiaojiao.

Hu Jiaojiao's eyes were complex, and she shook her head: "No!

Yuxiang signed a Life and Death Contract upon her return to Beifeng City, setting a date.

She signed it in front of her sect's members, in the Divine Temple of Lord Beifeng."

Bai Manni's face turned pale, and she clenched Deng Yutang's hand tightly.

The last part of Hu Jiaojiao's words was the most crucial.

If you confirm everything in front of the Divine·Beifeng, of course, you cannot go back on your word.

Are the divine presence and promises to be trifled with?

Besides, even without the divine presence, if you've signed a contract in front of the Beifeng sect's many powers, you can't change it.

And from the personal growth perspective of Deng Yuxiang and her future, she would not likely break the agreement.

Facing battle,

You may lose, you may die.

No matter the outcome, you stand tall.

To flee from battle,

How shall you live the rest of your life?

You're not an ordinary person; you are the Vast River, with high and increasingly stringent self-expectations!

From this perspective, you cannot even participate in a fixed fight; you cannot just go through the motions and surrender.

Because you must be responsible to yourself!

Unless...

You are ready to abandon the path of cultivation and prepare to go back to being an ordinary person.

Deng Yuxiang suddenly spoke, the first words since entering the private room:

"What do you all take me for?"

The room fell silent.

Deng Yuxiang's gaze swept over everyone; Bai Manni immediately lowered her head, Deng Yutang opened his mouth, but couldn't figure out what to say.

She slowly stood up, the white down jacket she was wearing fell off, and she turned to leave.

"Yuxiang?" Hu Jiaojiao hurriedly got up.

"Sister Yuxiang?" Bai Manni was full of guilt and fear, knowing she had misspoken.

There are different ranks among people.

And the same goes for cultivators.

Deng Yuxiang is undoubtedly a Heavenly Pride, and even a Jiang Realm Great Power!

What Bai Manni said was an insult to Deng Yuxiang!

Deng Yuxiang stood and left without disciplining anyone, which was already giving them great face.

"I'll go," Lu Ran picked up the down jacket and quickly walked out.

Bai Manni's eyes reddened, and she didn't dare to follow.

Busy and anxious, she turned to Deng Yutang, apologizing repeatedly: "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry..."

Deng Yutang wrapped his arms around Bai Manni, unable to speak any words of blame.

As a Believer, even he had that fleeting moment where he wanted to prioritze his sister's life above all.

...

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