Qian Shuhua was standing tall in the middle of the martial arts drilling ground while Lin Mei’er had fallen 10 meters away. They were surrounded by the academy students.

Following the deep and resounding voice calling “Not satisfied!” earlier, a gap was created in the crowd of students. It was as if there was an invisible pair of hands separating the curtains of fog.

Shortly after, five men walked in. The leader was tall and beefy and wore an arrogant expression. He had a square face, giving others the impression that he was a tall mountain. His expression immediately cooled after seeing a teary-eyed Lin Mei’er on the ground.

“How audacious of a silly little girl still wet behind her ears to punish someone so arrogantly. Did you think the Luoyang subsidiary of Mount Shu is easily bullied? How dare a child from a merchant family provoke one of us when it comes to cultivation.” The man first walked over to Lin Mei’er to help her up before turning around to look at Qian Shuhua.

“Weren’t you looking for someone to duel? Weren’t you asking if she’s satisfied?”

“I’ll answer your challenge. I’m unsatisfied.”

With a wave of his hand, he summoned the wooden sword that had flown out of Lin Mei’er’s hand. It flew into his own hand with a whoosh.

Holding the spear in one hand, Qian Shuhua raised an eyebrow after hearing the man’s words. “Who are you? What does this have to do with you?”

“I’m Lin Shan.”

“Lin Mei’er is the young lady of my family. This has everything to do with me.”

The burly and arrogant-looking Lin Shan didn’t go red in the face in the slightest when saying these words. On the other hand, Qian Shuhua appeared a little stunned. To think that in a fight between two women over a man, one of them would even obtain the support of one’s elder. A loss was a loss. It wasn’t like Qian Shuhua wanted Lin Mei’er’s life. Was there a need for the latter to summon her elder?!

Qian Shuhua looked at Lin Mei’er with raised eyebrows. If the latter had guts, she would advise her elder to back down. It would be too embarrassing otherwise.

“What’s the benefit of you, Lin Shan, winning against me? What loss will I, Qian Shuhua, suffer if I lose to you?”

“Could it be that he wants to start a war between the two races?”

“Where did your Lin family find such confidence?”

The onlooking students were filled with indignation after listening to the man’s introduction.

“How upright do you think you’re being, for an elder to bully a junior?”

“You’re the Master of the Extinctive Sword Manor House and the Deputy Chief of the Luoyang subsidiary of Mount Shu. Aren’t you ashamed to interfere in the matters of the young?”

“Senior Sister, let’s not stoop to his level. A wise man knows better than to fight when the odds are against him. We all witnessed what happened. It’s your victory.”

Though the students were all persuading Qian Shuhua, the latter had her eyes on Lin Mei’er. She wanted to see what choice would Lin Mei’er make. She wanted to see what kind of person that Ye Yunhai had chosen to be his wife.

She didn’t worry about being bullied. She was more afraid of being blind. If the wife that Ye Yunhai chose didn’t have this bit of guts, she would feel so sorry for herself.

The result was…

Qian Shuhua was indeed blind.

Lin Mei’er completely disregarded Qian Shuhua. She tried her best to widen her eyes and pointed hatefully to Qian Shuhua. “She dirtied my marital gown and messed up my hairdo. She even injured my face. How can I continue to be painted today? I’m going to marry Brother Yunhai very soon. She’s trying to cause a mess because she couldn’t bear watching me enter the General’s Manor.”

“You mustn’t let her off easy today.”

With that, Lin Mei’er shot Qian Shuhua a smug look. Yet, what she received in return was a dismayed and helpless expression.

After thinking about it, Qian Shuhua decided to be calm about the matter. She lowered her head and addressed the man, “Uncle Lin.”

However, before she could finish her words, Lin Shan interrupted her. “Don’t call me Uncle. I’m not your Uncle; I’m not worthy enough to be. The sale of weapons coming out of the Extinctive Sword Manor House has always been dependant on your family’s shops. I shouldn’t act this way but you shouldn’t have bullied my daughter. I’ve promised her late mother that I wouldn’t let Mei’er suffer grievances.”

“Don’t tell me about the cause and effect. I’m not interested in listening. I’m Mei’er’s father. It’s your fault that Lin Mei’er shed tears.” Lin Shan looked as if he had already gotten to the bottom of matters. His every word sounded firm and sure.

However, to the onlookers, Lin Shan’s words were incredibly unreasonable.

This was a case of thorough indulgence.

Indulgence without bounds.

“Then what do you want?” Qian Shuhua understood what Lin Shan was getting at. He wanted to avenge his family’s young lady.

“Pick up your spear. The sword doesn’t criminate; we will both resign our fates to heaven. Do your best.” Lin Shan had the attitude of an expert yet his words were beyond shameless. He truly wanted to fight Qian Shuhua!

“Don’t agree, Senior Sister. This is the White Horses Academy. I’d like to see who’d dare to bully one of us.” The students were burning with fury.

“Hey, old man! Don’t tell me you’re really going to make a move!”

“Extinctive Sword Manor House, is it? I’ll remember the name. I’ll have my father launch a thorough investigation tomorrow. Just wait to shutter your doors!”

“Protect Senior Sister!”

It wasn’t certain who was the one who yelled that but it was enough to prompt the group of inexperienced scholars to rush in front of Qian Shuhua. Some of them had already rolled up their sleeves in preparation to do their best to fight Lin Shan.

The duel between Lin Mei’er and Qian Shuhua was a matter between women as well as a grudge between youngsters. No one could put in a word as to who won or lost. Yet, why was the Manor Master of the Extinctive Sword Manor House, a powerful expert in the Psychic Realm, sticking his nose into this? Why was he showing off his might here? What a bully!

In the words of these youngsters: “You’re really not treating us students as true men!”

Lin Shan’s gaze swept the students around him. He then addressed Qian Shuhua, saying, “I won’t force you. If you don’t want me to make a move, then apologize to Mei’er and beg for her forgiveness. You have to bear the consequences of hurting someone.”

Qian Shuhua was so angered by his words that she nearly burst into laughter. “It was a duel that your daughter lost. How is that my fault? Then why should we even duel? Did you think we were playing house?”

Trying her best to suppress the fury inside her, she yelled to those around her, “I’m grateful for your kind thoughts, Junior Brothers! But no coward has ever walked out of the gates of our White Horses Academy! One scholar alone can confront millions of soldiers; one mouth alone can win a verbal spar!”

“That’s the spirit of our academy! Even though I, Qian Shuhua, is a woman, I’m unwilling to bring shame to Sir.”

Qian Shuhua abruptly carried the spear and pushed aside the crowd to walk to the front. She first shot a glance behind her before turning around to point at Lin Shan.

“If you want a fight, I’ll give you one.”

“I, Qian Shuhua, am here.”

“Unsatisfied? Come at me then!”

Lin Shan stared at the insolent expression on Qian Shuhua’s face in a daze. Moments later, he dropped his smile and sent a jolt down the hands that hung on his sides. In the blink of an eye, a burst of Qi waves engulfed everyone in the vicinity. The students, which had assembled into a group, were forced backward by a few meters. They leaned unsteadily from side to side as they found themselves at the edge of the martial arts drilling ground. “Aren’t you unafraid of your tongue knotting after spouting so many lies?”

“Clang!”

The wooden sword immediately flew into his hand. In the span of a second, the sword emitted an expansive red radiance. It was as if they were now engulfed in a blaze.

“Scarlet Flame Sword Skill of Mount Shu.” For an inexplicable reason, Lin Shan became solemn when facing Qian Shuhua and showed no sign of being perfunctory. Though he was in the Psychic Realm, he confronted Qian Shuhua as if she was an evenly-matched opponent.

Qian Shuhua could feel the burning Qi waves hitting her face despite the distance of ten meters. The Sword Qi that radiated all around was strong and ferocious. It was countless times fiercer than Lin Mei’er’s sword.

Qian Shuhua couldn’t stop her heart from thumping furiously. It was to the point that she could feel a slight shudder running through her body but she remained firm and did her utmost to control herself. She gripped the spear in her hand tightly and recalled the details of Ye Que’s impartation. Then, she said solemnly, “Virile Perforation of the Divine Sect.”

One walking along Yongchang Street would find the academy after taking a turn. Ye Que, who had come to attend Qian Shuxiao’s coming-of-age ceremony as well, would reach this turn in another ten meters.

The turn would also take him to the Coming and Going Tavern. Like the Peony Pavilion, the place pedaled wine on the ground floor and received guests on the first floor. In the VIP room on the first floor, the original main character of the day, Qian Shuxiao, was sleeping to his heart’s content at the moment. Not even he knew just how much he drank with the chieftains of the Divine Sect.