Chapter 48: You Are the Best Looking

Accompanied by the melodious tolling of a bell, the flying ship arrived above the martial arts arena.

The crowd below was bustling, with Qingling Sect disciples lining up to receive their jade tokens.

The observation platform was full. Ling Jue Shangren sat in the center, with a man in lavish purple robes sitting to his left.

He had handsome features and wore a purple-gold crown. If she guessed correctly, it was Vice Sect Leader Gu Xuancang.

The empty seat to the right was reserved for Ning Xuan. Ning Shengsheng was benefiting from her brother’s status, able to watch the competition up close.

“Ah Xuan is here, come take a seat.”

Ling Jue Shangren spoke without any airs.

Gu Xuancang also moved, standing up and smiling, “This must be Princess Ning An. I missed you when I visited Yingke Peak the other day. Seeing you today, you are indeed full of spiritual energy.”

“Vice Sect Leader Gu flatters me.”

Ning Xuan nodded slightly, putting on imperial airs.

Ning Shengsheng smiled politely and sat down next to Ning Xuan, pulling Xue Chen to sit beside her in the process.

She left the socializing to her brother.

Gu Xuancang’s impatient eagerness to socialize drew a sneer from Ling Jue Shangren.

“Afraid people won’t know he wants to be the Sect Leader.”

Ling Hegui said with a headache, “Father, you can say that, but keep your voice down. He is the Vice Sect Leader after all.”

Ling Jue wouldn’t listen. Seeing Gu Xuancang made his chest feel tight. “If he pushes me too far, this old man will just split the sect in two. Let him take that group of disciples who have no heart for cultivation and get out, returning a piece of pure land to my Qingling Sect.”

“Alright, alright, calm down.” Ling Hegui poured a cup of iced tea and handed it over. “I’ll go down and get my jade token first.”

“En.”

Ling Jue Shangren glared in Gu Xuancang’s direction, silently praying for his junior brother to arrive quickly.

His junior brother, Hua Qingxue, had been Gu Xuancang’s nemesis ever since he entered the sect and cultivated with their master.

Come save him quickly!

“Sect Leader Senior Brother, you’re too careless. Why haven’t you prepared my Qingling Sect’s Condensed Jade Dew for the Emperor of Ning?”

Gu Xuancang was smooth and slick in his speech and actions, but he just wouldn’t let Ling Jue Shangren have peace of mind.

“What’s the rush, Junior Brother? Who said this old man didn’t prepare any?” Ling Jue Shangren rolled his eyes at him.

He raised his hand.

A female disciple walked over with a tray.

“Sect Leader, here is the chilled Condensed Jade Dew.”

“Mm, take it over to Ning Xuan and the others.”

Ling Jue Shangren stared provocatively at Gu Xuancang. See, this old man even prepared chilled ones.

Gu Xuancang took a deep breath, knowing that with his senior brother’s blunt personality, he would never have thought of this.

It must have been arranged by his good son, Ling Hegui.

Who would have thought? A stone as smelly and hard as him would give birth to a son with more holes in his heart than a sieve.

If it weren’t for Ling Hegui, the Qingling Sect would have been his long ago.

It didn’t matter.

As long as Ling Hegui was injured by a demonic creature in this sect competition, the Qingling Sect would still be his.

Ning Shengsheng held her teacup, sipping small mouthfuls.

Her bright almond eyes flitted between Gu Xuancang and Ling Jue Shangren.

The future number one sect was really interesting.

“Fellow Daoist Xue, you’ve come to watch the battle too?”

Hearing a familiar female voice, Ning Shengsheng turned her head and saw Jiang Qian.

Xue Chen smiled, nodding. “Mn, has Senior Sister Jiang received her jade token?”

“I have. I have nothing to do right now.”

Jiang Qian wore the blue and white disciple uniform, which set off her snow-white skin, making her look very refined and otherworldly.

“Why don’t you sit here, Senior Sister Jiang?” Xue Chen finished smilingly and glanced at Ning Shengsheng.

Seeing no reaction from her, and her almond eyes staring straight at Jiang Qian’s face, his brows knitted imperceptibly.

“Alright.”

Jiang Qian sat down and leaned forward to greet Ning Shengsheng, “Princess, we meet again.”

“Yes, Senior Sister Jiang is even prettier than the last time we met,” she praised sincerely.

“Thank you, Princess…”

Jiang Qian was embarrassed by the praise and smiled shyly.

Xue Chen regretted it a little. Who knew that when she looked at faces, she really just looked at faces, regardless of gender.

He deliberately straightened his back, blocking Ning Shengsheng’s view of Jiang Qian.

Unable to see the beauty, Ning Shengsheng resentfully shrank back into her seat.

Gasps of surprise came from the distance.

She looked towards the sound and saw an immortal lord in clothes whiter than snow approaching on a sword.

The man’s features were extremely faint, yet his bone structure was striking. His pupils were so light they resembled frost congealed under a cliff.

With just one glance, Ning Shengsheng understood; he was Hua Qingxue.

Even though he cultivated on Broken Cloud Peak year-round, his popularity in the Qingling Sect only increased, never decreased.

“Little Junior Brother, you’re finally here!”

Ling Jue Shangren was happier than anyone else present.

Hua Qingxue slowly descended, nodding slightly as he passed Ning Xuan, then walked past Gu Xuancang to sit next to Ling Jue.

Below the stage.

The disciples were still chanting “Immortal Qingxue,” their voices rising one after another.

“The aloof master described in the novel is actually real. There really is a cultivator colder than ice,” Ning Shengsheng muttered quietly, then turned her head to find Xue Chen’s face was a bit dark. “Eh? What’s wrong with you?”

“This time the Princess came out, you’ve broadened your horizons by getting to see Hua Qingxue’s true face.”

He spoke with a slightly cold expression, staring straight ahead.

“It was alright.” Ning Shengsheng propped her chin on her right hand, her eyes staring undisguised at Xue Chen’s face. “Xue Wuyin, I think you are better looking.”

Xue Chen turned his head away, his face flushing red then white. After the joy passed, he glanced around and gritted his teeth, “Your Highness, we are outside. Could you be a little more subtle with your words?”

“Oh, I understand.”

Ning Shengsheng stood up slightly, leaned her small face towards Xue Chen, moved close to his ear, and said in a very soft voice, “Xue Wuyin, I am now telling you subtly: You are the best-looking man I have ever seen.”

!!!

Her voice was like a silk thread dipped in honey, winding and caressing past his ear, slowly drilling into his heart.

Xue Chen didn’t dare to turn his head. He even slowed his breathing. Under immense self-control, he spat out three words.

“Stop talking.”

“Oh—”

Seeing no reaction from him, Ning Shengsheng suddenly felt bored and sat back down.

Worthy of being a growth-type villain. Cold-hearted and unfeeling.

What was the difference between him and that Hua Qingxue? Flirting with a rock would be faster than flirting with them.

What Ning Shengsheng didn’t see was that Xue Chen’s fingers gripping the sword were hurting from the hilt. If he didn’t use all his strength, he was afraid he would be blushing like a greenhorn in front of her.

Ning Xuan, sitting behind them, noticed their interaction and his teeth itched with hatred. He pinched Ning Shengsheng’s collar with two fingers and pulled her to sit next to him.

Ning Shengsheng: What is her brother freaking out about?

…

Strangely enough, after Hua Qingxue arrived, Gu Xuancang, who had been socializing everywhere like a butterfly, returned to his seat. He sat motionless as a rock.

Ling Jue Shangren’s face was piled with smiles.

The bell tolled three times.

Sect Leader Ling infused his voice with spiritual energy and spoke.

“The Qingling Sect’s competition has been moved up by two months. I assume everyone has heard the rumors that a secret realm called the Swallowing Sea Abyss has appeared out of nowhere within my Qingling Sect’s territory.”

“People have already been sent to investigate. This secret realm is suitable for cultivators below the Profound Aperture realm to explore. While this secret realm still exists, we elders have discussed and decided to change the method of competition this year.”

“A thousand demonic creatures from the water prison have been placed inside the secret realm. The cultivator who captures the most demonic creatures will be the winner!”

“The winner’s reward is the Void God Scroll.”

There was a commotion in the crowd below.

Ning Shengsheng quietly asked Ning Xuan, “Older Brother, is the Void God Scroll very powerful?”