“A... completely unfamiliar Gangjin expert whom I've never seen before!”
Shen Xiuhan's gaze sharpened, and his vigilance surged dramatically, though he kept his face completely expressionless. He asked in a deep voice, “Who are you, sir? Why have you come uninvited and trespassed on the important grounds of our Star-Plucking Sect?”
As soon as the words left his mouth, his mind raced. He was about to silently chant to open the system box to investigate this person's background first!
Right at that moment, the middle-aged man raised his thick brows slightly. His figure slowly descended, his black boots silently stepping onto the ground without disturbing a single withered leaf.
He cupped his hands to Shen Xiuhan and spoke in a polite tone, “I am Xu Zhouling. Forgive me for trespassing on your esteemed grounds!”
Since the man was willing to state his name, it generally meant he harbored no malice—at least, he wouldn't suddenly attack.
Shen Xiuhan's tense body relaxed slightly, but he remained on guard as he returned the gesture. “If you have something to inquire about, Senior, you may head to the center of the island to find the manager of the Precious Fish Hall...”
Before he could finish his sentence, his voice abruptly cut off, and his pupils suddenly dilated!
Wait!
Xu Zhouling?
These three words exploded in his mind like a clap of thunder!
Shen Xiuhan's gaze instantly froze, and his Adam's apple bobbed.
Isn't that the name of the Chiming Academy Head?
Chiming Academy was the leader lineage of the Star-Plucking Sect.
And the Head of Chiming Academy was the current master of the Star-Plucking Sect.
In other words, the middle-aged man in black robes cupping his hands before him was actually...
The Sect Master of the Star-Plucking Sect himself!?
At this realization, Shen Xiuhan stiffly lifted his eyes.
The middle-aged man, who looked to be in his forties with slightly graying temples, stared back at him with a hint of amusement in his deep, pool-like eyes, watching him with great interest.
Shen Xiuhan's face instantly flushed red. He was so embarrassed that he wanted to dig a hole and hide in it. He quickly cupped his hands and bowed, saying, “Disciple Shen Xiuhan greets the Sect Master!”
Xu Zhouling smiled, lifting a hand slightly to signal him to rise. “Very well, no need for such formalities. It is a good thing to remain vigilant when guarding an important place. What wrong is there in that?”
He paused, scanning Shen Xiuhan from head to toe, a trace of surprise flickering in the depths of his eyes.
“However...”
“You certainly hide your talents well, kid. Just a few days ago, Junior Brother Wen was boasting to me, saying you had already achieved the Great Accomplishment of the Anjin Rank at only eighteen. How long has it been since then, yet you've already taken another step forward and opened your eighth profound acupoint?”
“Uh...”
Shen Xiuhan's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly explained, “It was all thanks to Master Wen's favor. He bestowed upon me the Century-Old Earth Stalactite Milk, which allowed me to open multiple acupoints in succession and luckily make a breakthrough...”
“Does the Century-Old Earth Stalactite Milk really have such miraculous effects?”
Xu Zhouling cast a meaningful look at him, a faint, barely perceptible smile playing on his lips.
It was as if he had seen through everything but chose not to press further.
With a wave of his large hand, a dark object flew out of his palm, hurtling toward Shen Xiuhan with a heavy, rushing wind!
Smack!
Shen Xiuhan instinctively raised his hand to catch it. He felt the object in his hand was light and soft, yet possessed an indescribable resilience.
Looking closely, he realized it was a palm-sized, miniature soft armor.
It was silver-white all over, with layers of delicate, lifelike scales. Although he couldn't tell what material it was made of, it was clearly no ordinary item!
“Try channeling your qi into it,” Xu Zhouling said, tilting his chin slightly to prompt him.
Shen Xiuhan's heart stirred. He did as instructed and mobilized his true qi, letting the energy flow from his palm like a stream into the miniature soft armor.
Whoosh!
In an instant!
The silver-white glow on the soft armor bloomed like moonlight spilling across the ground!
In the next moment, Shen Xiuhan's hand grew heavy.
Within the glow, the soft armor suddenly expanded, turning into a normal-sized set of armor.
Running his fingers over it, it felt cool but not freezing, smooth but not slippery.
He could faintly sense a dormant spiritual energy slowly flowing through the patterns of the scales.
“This armor is called the Frost-Cold Silver Spirit Armor,” Xu Zhouling's voice rang out leisurely as he smiled.
“It was forged from the hide of a peak Tier Four Precious Beast, the Silver-Spirit Backed Tuo, along with various precious minerals. Its defensive capabilities are astonishing. Even among spiritual embryos, it is considered a top-tier treasure!”
“This armor was worn by Governor Jiang of our prefecture in his early years, and he cherished it deeply. Earlier today, he sent someone to Tingquan Island to deliver it, saying it was a reward for your contribution to slaying the demon.”
“Your master is currently in closed-door cultivation refining pills. Since this treasure is extremely valuable, the messenger did not dare to leave it casually, so they had to deliver it to Chiming Academy instead.”
“I originally wanted to have Muxian make the trip, but his injuries have not yet fully healed...”
Xu Zhouling paused, his deep, pool-like eyes fixing on Shen Xiuhan.
“And coincidentally...”
“I also wanted to see with my own eyes what kind of genius could slay a Huajin demon while still at the Anjin Rank.”
Shen Xiuhan understood the meaning behind Xu Zhouling's words.
He put away the soft armor, silently reached out his hand, and Hanlin instantly appeared in his palm.
His right hand lightly touched the hilt, his thumb pressing against the guard.
Shen Xiuhan's gaze sharpened, and he drew the sword three inches!
Shring!
A flash of sharp light!
A nearly transparent, dazzling white light, thin as a cicada's wing and bright as autumn water, flashed through the gap in the scabbard, vanishing in the blink of an eye.
However!
In the very next instant!
the green bamboo forest in the distance suddenly began to shake violently. Dozens of thick bamboos, as wide as a child's arm, snapped cleanly in half!
The severed upper halves crashed to the ground, kicking up a flurry of withered leaves. The faint remnants of sword-qi at the clean cuts were still sizzling, making one's scalp tingle.
Xu Zhouling's eyes shrank. He instantly flashed to the edge of the forest.
Extending two fingers, he lightly brushed the cut of a broken bamboo. With a sharp pop, the residual sword-qi suddenly flared up, making his fingertips feel slightly numb!
“Indeed!”
Xu Zhouling slowly withdrew his fingers, his eyes flashing with electric brilliance:
“It is undoubtedly sword-qi!”
The Sect Master of the Star-Plucking Sect took a deep breath and looked up at Shen Xiuhan, the admiration in his eyes no longer concealed in the slightest.
“Your sword talent is not inferior to your master's at all!”
“To comprehend sword-qi at the Anjin Rank... in the three prefectures surrounding Nanxiang, you are the first in nearly a hundred years!”
Shen Xiuhan's heart stirred slightly.
The first in nearly a hundred years?
This means...
Had someone actually comprehended sword-qi at the Anjin Rank before?
Filled with curiosity, he was about to ask.
But Xu Zhouling suddenly changed the subject, his tone becoming a bit more lighthearted. “I also heard that you are very good at catching Precious Fish?”
Shen Xiuhan could not figure out what the Sect Master was up to, so he collected his thoughts and replied modestly:
“...I know a little.”
“A little?”
Xu Zhouling raised his thick brows, a meaningful smile playing on his lips.
He tilted his chin at Shen Xiuhan, his tone carrying a hint of eager challenge.
“Do you dare to have a contest with me?”
“...If you are interested, Sect Master, I would be honored to accompany you.”
“Great!”
A gleam of success quickly flashed in Xu Zhouling's eyes. He clapped his hands and said, “Just catching fish is too boring. Why don't we add a little wager? If you lose, do you dare to answer a few of my questions?”
Shen Xiuhan's heart stirred.
A few questions?
Sect Master Xu had gone to such great lengths—delivering the armor, praising his sword-qi, and finally using a fishing contest as an excuse...
It seemed his true objective lay in those "few questions."
Shen Xiuhan's eyes flickered as he faintly guessed something.
However, he was not afraid at all and agreed without hesitation:
“No problem!”
“Splendid!”
Xu Zhouling laughed heartily, waved his sleeves, and eagerly turned to walk away.
“Let's go, let's go! I know a few excellent spots for catching fish. Today, I'll teach you a lesson and show you who the number one fisherman of the Star-Plucking Sect truly is!”
“Sect Master, please wait...” Shen Xiuhan suddenly called out.
Xu Zhouling paused, turned back, and looked at him in confusion.
Behind him, a bashful smile appeared on Shen Xiuhan's face as he spoke in a relaxed manner:
“You haven't said what happens if you lose, Sect Master.”
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