"Fine!"
Xie Xiaofeng nodded without hesitation.
Though he liked this woman, she was far too proud. He couldn't let her have her way.
Only by making her witness his strength and shattering her pride could he truly conquer her.
Xie Xiaofeng formed a sword finger with his right hand as surging internal energy poured forth.
His robe fluttered, and his aura surged powerfully.
An invisible sword force shot straight toward Murong Qiudi.
Though he hadn't drawn his sword, the power of that sword finger alone was terrifying.
Under this technique, many martial masters had perished.
Yet as the sword force approached within nine feet of Murong Qiudi, it was completely halted.
Invisible internal energy swirled around her.
Her dense protective aura easily blocked the strike.
Xie Xiaofeng's expression changed dramatically.
His eyes were full of disbelief.
"You... You're actually a Grandmaster?!"
Impossible.
How could Qiudi be a Great Grandmaster?
Xie Xiaofeng couldn't believe it.
She even looked younger than he was.
It felt like he had been slapped hard across the face.
A surge of suffocating frustration built up within him.
"A Great Grandmaster? So what? I can still defeat you!"
Xie Xiaofeng's face turned solemn.
He drew his divine sword, and his sword intent erupted like a torrent.
He was getting serious.
He was about to unleash his most powerful strike.
Even if he ended up hurting Qiudi, he had to reclaim his lost pride.
"Qiudi, be careful."
"This strike... even I can't control it."
As soon as he spoke, a buzzing sound rang out.
A terrifying wave of internal energy surged as a brilliant golden light flashed and vanished.
The third young master's sword shot toward Murong Qiudi like a bolt of lightning.
It was the most powerful sword strike he had ever unleashed, the one that made his name known across the land.
This sword contained every ounce of his strength.
"Qiudi, you're destined to become my wife!"
The third young master shouted loudly.
Even if Qiudi was a Great Grandmaster, she wouldn't come out unscathed from this attack.
Boom!
A deafening explosion erupted.
A wild surge of force swept across the surroundings.
The nearby plants and trees were devastated as though a hurricane had passed through.
Everything was in ruins.
But Xie Xiaofeng's sword stopped five feet away from Murong Qiudi, unable to advance any further.
"How... How is this possible?"
Xie Xiaofeng's expression froze.
His eyes widened in shock.
The terrifying protective energy around Murong Qiudi was still perfectly intact.
His strongest sword strike hadn't even broken through her aura.
"I don't believe this!"
Xie Xiaofeng shook his head fiercely.
His body turned into countless afterimages.
A barrage of sharp and profound sword techniques transformed into waves of sword energy that launched a fierce assault on Murong Qiudi.
Everything he had ever learned in his life was unleashed without reserve.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The terrifying power quickly destroyed the beautiful scenery around them.
Sword energy tore the ground into deep, jagged cracks.
But Murong Qiudi remained calm and composed.
She looked down on Xie Xiaofeng with a trace of disdain curling at her lips.
"My turn."
Murong Qiudi spoke calmly.
She formed a hand seal with her right hand.
"Dao Leaves No Trace!"
A spiritual flower formed from internal energy burst forth.
In an instant, it shot toward Xie Xiaofeng.
A wave of intense danger rose in his heart.
His instincts screamed of imminent doom.
Danger.
Such a graceful technique contained such a deadly threat.
Xie Xiaofeng pushed his power to the limit, desperately trying to block Murong Qiudi's attack.
The entire space seemed frozen.
His breath caught in his throat as he watched the beautiful yet lethal "flower" crash into him.
Pfft!
In an instant, he spat out a mouthful of blood.
Xie Xiaofeng was seriously injured.
One more move, and the future sword god might have fallen here.
"Qiudi, stop!"
In the end, Xie Xiaofeng could only shout helplessly.
Though it hurt his pride, survival came first.
"Young Master Xie, I have no interest in marrying you."
"Don't come looking for me again."
"With your sword talent, it's better to focus on cultivation."
"This world is vast, and there are countless people more outstanding than you."
"You are far from the genius you imagine yourself to be."
"If you were to meet him, you might not even withstand a single glance."
Murong Qiudi's tone was calm, as if she were stating a simple fact.
But to Xie Xiaofeng, her words pierced like arrows straight into his heart.
He almost coughed up blood again.
Embarrassment, anger, frustration, and unwillingness...
Emotions he had never experienced before all surged at once.
"My 'Dao Leaves No Trace' was only a basic move."
"Even so, you couldn't block it. I'm a bit disappointed."
Murong Qiudi shook her head and sighed softly.
Xie Xiaofeng stood frozen in disbelief.
Such a terrifying strike... was only a basic move?
And the "he" she mentioned—wasn't that too exaggerated?
Not even able to withstand a glance?
Was that person even human?
He had always believed himself to be the greatest genius in the world.
He had been unbeaten for more than ten years.
Yet now he couldn't even take a single move from Murong Qiudi.
It was laughable.
"Leave now."
"I hope you'll learn from this defeat and one day show the true grace of a sword god."
Murong Qiudi spoke with the tone of a senior teaching a junior.
Afterward, she called for her two maids in the distance and turned to leave.
"Qiudi... thank you."
Xie Xiaofeng wore a bitter expression, gave a slight bow, and slowly walked away.
The pain in his body couldn't compare to the pain in his heart.
Still, he had gained something.
At least now, he had a goal to chase.
He no longer saw himself as unbeatable or above all others.
———
"Young Miss, that Young Master Xie really was no match at all."
"Exactly! And he calls himself a genius? What a joke!"
Along the way, the two young maids chatted cheerfully.
"Xie Xiaofeng is irrelevant. Don't mention him again."
"Now, what about the matter I asked you to investigate earlier?"
At that moment, Murong Qiudi's formerly refined and noble demeanor shifted dramatically.
She became imposing and untouchable, radiating a sovereign aura.
The two maids instantly grew solemn.
They knelt respectfully.
"Heavenly Venerable, that person was last seen in the capital."
"But since then, no matter how hard we search, we haven't found a single trace of him."
Hearing this, Murong Qiudi's face darkened.
"Hmph, I've finally found you."
"You think leaving me a single martial manual makes us even after what you did to me?"
"Impossible. Once you've become mine, you'll never escape my grasp."
"Even if I have to chase you to the ends of the earth, I will find you."
Murong Qiudi's tone was resolute, full of authority and unstoppable confidence.
Who would have thought that this elegant and graceful lady was hiding such terrifying power?
Not only was she a Great Grandmaster, but she also commanded a formidable secret organization.