Young hero, stay put and don't be reckless.

Chapter 78 No Attempt to Keep Him

"Oh, isn't this a guard from Prince Qi's residence?" Chen Xu sized him up, a smirk playing on his lips. "I heard you beat up Zhang Tao yesterday?"

"Just lucky." Jiang Xun smiled.

"Zhang Tao can't even beat you, he's getting more and more useless." Chen Xu shook his head, his tone full of disdain.

These words were so harsh that even Ye Qingying, sitting in the audience, frowned slightly.

Jiang Xun, however, maintained his usual playful grin: "What if I beat Young Master Chen? Wouldn't Young Master Chen lose even more face?"

Chen Xu's face darkened: "Arrogant! I'll teach you a lesson today!"

He drew his sword, its light flashing like a rainbow, and thrust it straight at Jiang Xun's face.

This sword strike was both fast and ruthless, far surpassing the strength of the previous strikes.

Jiang Xun dodged to the side, then swung his sword back, aiming straight for Chen Xu's throat.

Chen Xu snorted coldly, his sword stance changed, and he unleashed a series of intricate sword techniques.

He was a direct disciple of Yinzhai, and his foundation was indeed solid, and his internal strength was also deeper than Jiang Xun thought.

After a dozen or so moves, Jiang Xun gradually lost ground.

He dared not be careless and used his full strength to unleash the Azure Lotus Divine Movement, his figure elusive as he dodged left and right on the stage.

Although Chen Xu's sword moves were fierce, they were always just an inch short of reaching him.

"All you do is dodge?" Chen Xu sneered, his sword strikes becoming even more urgent.

Jiang Xun did not answer, but suddenly changed from defense to offense—he used the Spring Water Sword Technique.

The sword light was like water, flowing endlessly.

This was his best sword technique, which he had practiced day and night ever since he stole it from Wuling City, and had long since mastered it.

At this moment, he unleashed his full power, his sword strikes flowing like mercury, penetrating every crevice.

Chen Xu's expression changed, and he was forced to retreat.

Jiang Xun pressed his advantage relentlessly, his swordplay becoming faster and more intricate.

The audience below could only see the many sword shadows on the stage, unable to distinguish which sword was real and which was fake.

If the disciples of the Spring Water Sect were present, they would be shocked—Jiang Xun's Spring Water Sword Technique was no less powerful than that of the sect leader, Su Guanlan.

The air seemed to ripple with water, surging towards Chen Xu layer by layer, making it hard for him to breathe.

Chen Xu managed to block more than a dozen moves, but was overwhelmed and finally revealed a weakness.

Jiang Xun broke through his defense with a single sword strike, the tip of the sword stopping steadily three inches in front of his throat.

The entire room fell silent.

"You flatter me." Jiang Xun sheathed his sword, still sporting his usual playful smile.

Chen Xu stood there, his face flushed red.

He lost.

In front of so many people, he lost to a guard from the Prince of Qi's mansion.

This thought was like a needle, piercing deep into his pride.

Before the audience could react, Chen Xu suddenly sprang up and struck Jiang Xun in the chest with a palm.

The palm strike came suddenly, quickly and fiercely, catching Jiang Xun off guard, and he took the full force of the blow.

"Bang!"

Jiang Xun was sent flying backward, crashing heavily onto the stage, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

"Shameless!" Li Tang jumped to his feet, his face ashen. "The duel was over, and you attacked me!"

The audience erupted in uproar.

"What kind of attack is this? Losing and then resorting to a sneak attack?"

"Is this the kind of behavior people from Yinzhai are?"

"A respectable family, huh? What a disgrace!"

The shouts, hisses, and curses mingled together and surged onto the stage.

Chen Xu stood there, his face turning pale and then red, his lips trembling as he tried to explain, but he couldn't utter a single word.

He knew, of course, that he was in the wrong.

But he just couldn't swallow his anger.

"Chen Xu!" Chen Lei stood up, his face ashen, his voice laced with suppressed anger, "Get down!"

Chen Xu glanced at his brother, then at the pointing and whispering gazes below the stage, finally stomped his foot, turned around, jumped off the stage, and left without looking back.

Ye Qingying watched his retreating figure, her brows furrowed slightly, but she didn't say anything in the end.

Li Tang rushed onto the stage and helped Jiang Xun sit up, her eyes red with worry: "Are you alright?"

"It's nothing." Jiang Xun wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, grinned, and said, "I just got hit, I won't die."

He looked in the direction where Chen Xu had disappeared, his smile fading slightly—he remembered that palm strike.

Chen Lei walked up from the stage with a solemn expression.

He walked up to Jiang Xun, clasped his hands in a fist and bowed, saying, "Brother Jiang, my younger brother was rude. I apologize to you on his behalf."

Jiang Xun leaned against Li Tang, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and exaggeratedly exclaimed, "It's nothing, it's just a little hurt, I won't die."

Chen Lei straightened up, took out a porcelain bottle from his pocket, and handed it to Jiang Xun: "This is a Rejuvenation Pill, which has miraculous effects on internal injuries. Please accept it, Brother Jiang, as an apology."

Guiyuan Dan (Return to Origin Pill).

As soon as those three words were uttered, a collective gasp rippled through the audience.

"The Rejuvenation Pill? That's a precious medicine from the Hidden Abode!"

"I heard this stuff can revive the dead and heal bones; you can't buy it anywhere else!"

"Even the Hidden Studio can only refine a few of these in a year, and Chen Lei actually brought them out as an apology?"

"As expected of a direct descendant of the Hidden Sect, they're incredibly generous..."

Jiang Xun looked at the porcelain bottle, listening to the discussions below the stage, and his mind cleared instantly—this thing was precious.

He showed no emotion, only smiled faintly, and reached out to take the porcelain bottle: "Brother Chen, you're too kind. This little injury doesn't need such an expensive gift."

He said "No need for that," but he had already tucked the porcelain bottle into his pocket with such natural and fluid movements.

Seeing that he accepted the gift, Chen Lei's expression softened slightly: "Brother Jiang, I admire your magnanimity. Yin Zhai will certainly give you an explanation for what happened today."

"No need, no need." Jiang Xun waved his hand, sighed, and said with a hint of regret, "It's just... with my injury, I'm afraid I can't compete anymore. I originally wanted to fight a few more matches, but it seems that's not possible now. I can only go back and recuperate."

Chen Lei nodded: "Take care, Brother Jiang."

Jiang Xun looked at Ye Qingying on the side of the stage, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "Miss Ye, I shall take my leave now."

Ye Qingying looked at him calmly, her gaze revealing no emotion, and simply nodded slightly: "Young Master Jiang, please go ahead. Go back and take good care of your injuries."

Jiang Xun's heart sank.

The tone, the attitude—polite, but that's all there is to it.

There was no attempt to persuade them to stay, no "wait and let's discuss it further," and certainly no "you still have a chance."

They just let him go.

He understood perfectly well that he hadn't been chosen.

I called you here today, but you're just here to make up the numbers.

Jiang Xun didn't show it on his face, he just smiled, and with his arm around Li Tang's shoulder, he limped off the stage.

Li Tang supported him, her small face filled with heartache and anger, muttering under her breath, "That Chen Xu, he'll get what's coming to him sooner or later..."

Led by a servant, the two walked through the main courtyard toward the gate.

Behind them, the competition on the stage continued, with cheers and shouts of approval rising and falling, creating a lively atmosphere.

Jiang Xun listened to those voices, and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly.

So be it if he's just a runner-up; he never intended to rely solely on this anyway.

As they approached the door, he suddenly leaned close to Li Tang's ear and whispered a few words.

Li Tang was taken aback at first, then her eyes lit up and the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up.

She nodded vigorously, indicating that she understood.

Jiang Xun released her shoulder and continued walking slowly toward the door—of course, it was all an act.

Those few steps are all it takes to heal even the most severe internal injuries.

Li Tang remained expressionless, but suddenly quickened his pace, walking past the servant who was leading the way towards the door.