Chapter 214 - 104: Eternal Golden Bell Suppresses the Myriad Stars

Chapter 214: Chapter 104: Eternal Golden Bell Suppresses the Myriad Stars

Jiang Xuan and Su Xingying’s third duel had yet to begin, but Ning Rong had already put all her backup plans in place.

However, all her arrangements were built on a single premise: that Su Xingying would defeat Jiang Xuan, and do so in a crushing victory.

But would things really go as she expected?

...

"You’re here."

"I’m here."

The moment Jiang Xuan arrived at the pavilion in the Martial Arts Arena, fresh from Four Seasons Valley, he heard Su Xingying’s words, which brought a strange look to his face.

Subconsciously, he composed himself and played along with his reply.

"Hm?"

However, his strange demeanor and peculiar reply left Su Xingying stunned.

Just as she was at a loss for words, Jiang Xuan suddenly sighed, shook his head, and said, "You were supposed to say, ’You shouldn’t have come.’"

"???"

His words left Su Xingying looking even more bewildered.

"I’m just kidding," Jiang Xuan quickly explained. "What you said reminded me of an old friend, so I got a little carried away."

Su Xingying raised an eyebrow. "Then your relationship with this friend must have been quite complicated."

Inside the pavilion, the two didn’t immediately begin their battle, instead making small talk for a moment.

What Jiang Xuan failed to notice, however, was that this small talk brought a flicker of unconcealable joy to Su Xingying’s expression, along with an ever-deepening gravity.

The reason was that his strength had greatly improved. Furthermore, with the backing of Four Seasons Valley, Jiang Xuan’s status and safety were now fully guaranteed. This meant that when facing Noble Family descendants like Su Xingying, he was no longer as cautious as he used to be.

—After all, while he had never been afraid of the Shenxiao Sect’s Noble Family descendants, he had always been unwilling to get too involved with them.

He knew full well that even with the restraints of the Shenxiao Sect’s rules, they could still bring him endless trouble.

His desire to avoid trouble meant he always treated these Noble Family descendants with a polite but distant attitude.

His approach to Su Xingying was more complicated. She was, after all, his "patron." And while Jiang Xuan never went out of his way to curry favor, he was always considerate of her feelings.

Moreover, he knew that the Su Family elders would never be pleased to see him and Su Xingying become too deeply entangled.

For this reason, the Jiang Xuan of the past would never have joked with Su Xingying, nor would he have engaged in idle chatter.

He came to the Martial Arts Arena only to duel Su Xingying, then take the Spirit Stones and leave.

This casual chat was proof that Jiang Xuan’s mindset had relaxed. More than that, it was a sign that he now considered Su Xingying a friend—and only those of equal status are qualified to speak of friendship.

Clearly, Su Xingying had noticed this as well.

It reaffirmed something for her.

’So it really was him—the prodigy from the Lower Court who defeated Senior Brother Yun. And he looks so relaxed right now. He must be completely confident about today’s duel.’

At this thought, Su Xingying grew a little displeased.

’Hmph, you’re not the only one who’s gotten a lot stronger recently. I’m no pushover, either.’

Eager to test her own greatly improved strength, Su Xingying issued a challenge to Jiang Xuan after they exchanged a few more words.

Jiang Xuan, of course, would not refuse.

"Then let’s begin."

As his voice fell, the two of them, each in their separate pavilion, simultaneously immersed their Divine Thought into the Mirage Mirror?Three Thousand Realms.

However, none of them—not Jiang Xuan, Su Xingying, nor her Guardian, Yu Dai—were aware that at the very instant they entered the Mirage Mirror, a pair of eyes was watching them from a tall building beside the Martial Arts Arena, gazing silently from behind heavy curtains.

"Are you certain that the person with Su Xingying is named Jiang Xuan?"

"Yes, Miss. This subordinate would swear on her life. I was the one who personally attended to him that day, and I registered his name with my own hands. There can be no mistake."

Upon hearing this, the woman known as "Miss" fell silent for a long moment. Then, from her place in the shadows, she issued a command to Mo Yu beside her.

"Go and use the Illusory Sea Shell. Project a complete image of their duel."

"Ah?!"

Mo Yu’s pupils contracted sharply at the command.

She, of course, knew what the Illusory Sea Shell was.

After all, the Celestial Sea Business Alliance had been involved in the creation of the Mirage Mirror: Three Thousand Realms.

Although the Shenxiao Sect’s Array Masters had blocked most of the Celestial Sea Business Alliance’s surveillance methods, they could still use certain special methods to spy on the battles within.

The Illusory Sea Shell was one such method. It was a type of Marine Spirit Beast born from a Mirage Pearl. Because it shared a natural Resonance with the Mirage Pearl, the people of the Celestial Sea Business Alliance could use it to observe the fights taking place inside.

However, Illusory Sea Shells were not common to begin with, and repeated use risked the Shenxiao Sect’s Array Masters discovering some irregularities. Thus, unless the occasion was of the utmost importance, not even the Direct Lineage descendants of the Celestial Sea Business Alliance would dare to use it lightly.

For her Miss to waste such a precious opportunity on Jiang Xuan was, to Mo Yu, quite surprising.

But clearly, she did not dare to question her Miss’s command.

Soon, a mirror formed from flowing water materialized in the room, a space belonging exclusively to the Celestial Sea Business Alliance.

Through this Water Mirror, the young lady of the Celestial Sea Business Alliance’s Direct Lineage could finally see Jiang Xuan and Su Xingying clearly as they faced off from a distance within the Mirage Mirror?Three Thousand Realms.

...

Haaa...

They were once again in the familiar reed marsh at dusk. This was Jiang Xuan and Su Xingying’s third battle.

This time, however, both Jiang Xuan and Su Xingying were fully confident in their ability to defeat the other.

Su Xingying was the first to speak.

"SHIING!" With her longsword drawn, its clear ring echoing through the air, Su Xingying looked at Jiang Xuan. Her voice held a hint of apology, yet was unshakably firm. "I’m sorry, Jiang Xuan. Don’t blame me for this, but today, I’ll be giving it my all. I won’t be holding anything back."