So It's You

In the blink of an eye, the longsword was already upon him, mere inches away from Yi Feng's right hand which held his teacup. It seemed poised to strike, threatening to draw blood in a matter of breaths!

The mayor and the old clan leader turned pale with fright, their breath catching in their throats!

Such authority to dictate life and death at a whim, coupled with a ruthless and decisive lethality, was something no one could face with composure. Even before the blade struck, its mere presence was enough to strike terror into anyone's heart.

It was only natural for the two old women to stare with wide, terrified eyes.

Chen Yuxin did not even care to spare them a passing glance.

Her playful and appraising gaze was fixed entirely on Yi Feng.

The bizarre part was...

Despite her smugly brandishing the sword to threaten him for several breaths, Yi Feng remained seated calmly as usual. Far from turning pale with fright, there was not even a single ripple of emotion in his eyes; he just kept pouring tea for himself.

Seeing this, Chen Yuxin was struck with fresh astonishment, unable to stop herself from secretly marveling at the sight.

How strange...

How very strange.

This scholar was truly audacious; was he actually not afraid of death?

Ever since she had come of age and taken power, she had never encountered someone who would repeatedly defy her, let alone someone who did not fear death. Yet, both of these traits happened to be found in a frail scholar. It was simply unbelievable.

All of a sudden.

The burning anger in Chen Yuxin's heart dissipated significantly. Instead, she found the situation rather amusing, as if she had discovered a novel toy that was countless times more interesting than the sycophants of Ye City.

She scrutinized him for a few moments.

Her interest growing, Chen Yuxin sheathed her longsword, a faint smirk tugging at her red lips.

"Interesting."

"You are quite a unique scholar."

As she praised him, a different kind of gleam appeared in her cold eyes. Unwilling to tolerate the presence of anyone else around her, she waved her hand and dismissed everyone, including her own guards.

"All of you, step back."

"Without my orders, no one is allowed to approach and disturb us!"

Her delicate hand waved lightly, leaving no room for question.

The old clan leader and the mayor were taken aback. They could not understand why this young miss had such an erratic temperament, changing her attitude as quickly as flipping the page of a book. They also had no idea what she was planning to do.

However, the order had been given. Even her personal guards bowed in compliance, so how could mere outsiders like them dare to disobey?

They all bowed and retreated, leaving the area completely empty of bystanders.

Free from the annoyance of mundane onlookers, Chen Yuxin seemed to be in a much better mood. She sat down opposite him beneath the locust tree, quietly observing this unfamiliar scholar.

His movements as he poured the tea were as picturesque as a painting, and his seated posture was as steady as an ancient pine.

Even though he was just an ordinary mortal, the more she looked at him, the more pleasing to the eye he became. She even cast her previous anger to the back of her mind, unconsciously revealing a faint smile.

It was not until Yi Feng had leisurely enjoyed a few cups of tea by himself.

That the pampered young miss finally showed a hint of her haughty temper. Frowning slightly, she demanded an answer.

"You are quite a rude scholar."

"I am sitting here with you, which makes me a guest. If this were Ye City, countless young masters would be scrambling to show their favor, yet you just sit there pouring and drinking all by yourself?"

Yi Feng did not look up. As he poured more tea, he replied with a calm indifference.

"Miss."

"Tea is like people, constantly changing. Everyone has a tea that suits them, and naturally, there are some they find hard to swallow. I am afraid you would not be accustomed to my tea."

She had offered a smile, only to be met with a cold rebuff.

Chen Yuxin's patience instantly evaporated, and she quickly reverted to her usual haughty demeanor.

"Hmph."

With a cold sneer, a hint of ruthlessness flashed through her slightly narrowed phoenix eyes.

"Enough idle chatter."

"You should have heard what I said earlier. My Ye City is currently in need of manpower, and you must leave Qinghe Town to join the army. I am not discussing this with you; this is an order!"

"You will go whether you want to or not!"

"I do not care what kind of tea you have. As long as I want to drink it, you will obediently brew it for me from now on!"

As anger rushed to her head, her arrogant nature could no longer be concealed, and her words dripped with absolute dominance.

Hearing this.

Yi Feng slowly set down his teacup, his starry eyes meeting her smug, pretty face.

"I am just an ordinary mortal, and I have no desire to get involved in irrelevant matters. As I said before, I cannot comply."

His tone remained calm, completely devoid of any imposing aura. To anyone else, such words would lack any persuasive power and would hardly be worth listening to.

Finally.

Having endured time and time again, Chen Yuxin completely lost her patience.

Her face flushing with anger, she slammed her hand onto the table, preparing to stand up and strike!

"Bastard!"

"I have spoken to you time and time again, yet you dare to disrespect me? It seems you refuse to do things the easy way and prefer the hard way!"

After her furious shout.

Chen Yuxin prepared to stand up and personally apprehend this scholar. She would make him understand the vast difference between heaven and earth, and that a mere ant had no right to resist!

However.

The moment she tried to rise, her entire body suddenly refused to obey her commands. Her stiffened body felt as though it had grown roots into the cushion; no matter how hard she tried, she could not stand up!

How was this possible?

Chen Yuxin furrowed her brow and fiercely circulated her spiritual energy.

To her dismay, even after mobilizing her cultivation base, her body remained numb and paralyzed, frozen in place like a piece of rotting wood!

Something was wrong...

Something was terribly wrong!

As a proud genius of Ye City, Chen Yuxin immediately went on high alert.

At this moment.

Without a second thought, she pushed herself to the limit, unleashing all of her cultivation. The terrifying foundation of a Martial Spirit expert was put on full display. Even if she were facing multiple experts, she would still have the power to put up a fight!

Yet, her struggle lasted for only a few breaths.

Chen Yuxin's face suddenly turned deathly pale, and the arrogance in her eyes was swiftly replaced by panic.

She had unleashed all of her proud cultivation, yet it was completely futile?!

It felt as though her entire being was being suppressed by some terrifying, invisible force. It was like sinking into a bottomless quagmire, where all of her cultivation vanished without a trace...

Shock!

An unprecedented shock suddenly washed over Chen Yuxin's beautiful face.

She had never encountered anything so terrifying.

In just a matter of breaths, a profound sense of helpless despair welled up in her heart. Her former arrogance was instantly shattered to pieces by this suffocating oppression!

It was too terrifying...

What kind of method was this? She could not even mount a resistance! A dignified Martial Spirit expert was actually reduced to a lamb waiting for the slaughter!

Just who was hiding in the shadows, laying an ambush?

How could there be such a formidable expert in a tiny place like Qinghe Town!

Could it be!

Could it be that her enemies had learned of her arrival and set a trap for her in advance?!

In just a few short breaths.

Chen Yuxin felt as though she had endured a thousand years of torture. Her mind was filled with terror as she subconsciously tried to scan her surroundings. She could barely turn her head, and her back was already drenched in cold sweat!

At this moment.

The deserted street suddenly grew so eerily silent that it sent a chill down her spine. It felt as though a deadly strike could ambush her from some unknown corner at any given moment!

However, despite straining her senses to search for a long time, she could not detect a single trace of any aura.

Bewildered and uncertain, Chen Yuxin plunged into an even deeper, unknown terror. She was clearly being toyed with like a mere ant, yet she did not even know where her opponent was hiding. There was nothing more terrifying in this world!

On the verge of death.

Her mind raced as she desperately recalled everything that had just happened, searching for any flaw that might offer her a chance of survival. Yet, she remained completely clueless.

That is, until the sound of tea being poured reached her ears.

It was as if Chen Yuxin finally realized something, and she abruptly snapped her gaze to the side in shock and disbelief!

The frail scholar was still sitting there, as calm and steady as before. Neither her arrival nor the terrifying oppressive force present at this moment had caused even the slightest ripple in his expression. It was as if nothing in this world was worthy of his attention.

Looking back at it now, such extraordinary calmness was simply too bizarre!

A mere mortal could never maintain such composure.

Unless...

"Thump!"

Chen Yuxin seemed to realize something, and her heart suddenly sank.

She hurriedly took another careful look.

Sitting quietly, Yi Feng's eyes were as placid as an ancient well. Only when he slowly raised his gaze did a glimmer of starlight surface. It completely outshone the brightest moonlight known to the world, as if an entire galaxy was hidden within his eyes...

At this very moment.

An overwhelming pressure, as if heaven and earth were collapsing, swept across the long street. Chen Yuxin's eyes widened in shock!

"You!"

"It was you all along!?"