Isn't This Just Bullying an Honest Person

"What lovely weather today."

Ying Bing pushed open the door. Morning light streamed in with the gentle breeze, washing over her exquisite jade-like features with flowing dawn hues.

Having just recovered from a serious illness, she felt exceptionally light-hearted. A rare tranquility shone in her deep, quiet eyes. She looked like an immortal fairy descending to inspect the mortal realm, making it hard to connect her with the frail, sickly ice block she had been before.

"Sister Bing, you've almost fully recovered?"

Tian Xun was nineteen this year, actually a bit older than Ying Bing.

But Ying Bing was tall and slender, with an aloof grace in her gaze. Combined with her stunning beauty and the damnable pressure her talent exuded, Tian Xun never really thought about their age difference.

She had even written in her interview notebook: "Suggest the Beauty Ranking start from second place from now on."

"Mhm."

Ying Bing gave a slight nod.

"It must be because of Young Master Li's close care these past two days. I saw he barely left your side, Sister Bing, not even bothering to change his clothes."

"...Mhm."

Ying Bing's eyelashes fluttered. Her mind flashed to a certain 'Little Li's' version of 'close care' and the System's punishment content. She couldn't help but vigorously rub the forehead of a big-headed doll figurine before her expression quickly returned to normal.

"It was indeed... close care."

As she spoke, she cast a meaningful glance towards Li Mo, who had just emerged from the kitchen.

"..."

Li Mo's steps faltered slightly, and he gave a light cough.

Young Li's feelings were a bit complicated. The ice block's illness (food poisoning, to be precise) was cured, and he was relieved. But upon careful thought...

He wondered when he would ever get to see the ice block looking so delicate, weak, and easily pushed over again...

"Fortunately she recovered quickly, otherwise, with my youthful vigor, I might have been the first to cave in."

Li Mo nodded, saying this to Tian Xun.

"I finally understand Sister Shang and Sister Qin now."

Tian Xun revealed a look of yearning and excitement, lowering her head to write in her little notebook again.

Words like 'affectionate' and 'treating each other with respect' could be seen scrawled on the page...

The daily life of the Wife-Boosting Little Tyrant and the Cold Fairy √.

Her yearning stemmed from being a young girl herself, at that age of being both naive and budding with curiosity about love, just as she was witnessing the kind of beauty usually found only in romantic tales.

"Let's have breakfast first."

Li Mo caught a glimpse of the notebook out of the corner of his eye, felt goosebumps rise on the back of his neck, and quickly handed Tian Xun a steamed bun.

Young lady, things are probably, possibly, perhaps... not quite as you imagine.

Of course, there was no need to tell Tian Xun such things. Even if she were told, she couldn't write it in her interview, and if she wrote it, it couldn't be published. Last time, the 'good stuff' in Ouyang's picture book was a bit too good, and he almost got arrested by the authorities.

Well, this is for the sake of Tian Xun's bright future.

Besides, Li Mo didn't really have much time to deal with Tian Xun's interviews anyway, so he could only let her write whatever she saw.

Right now, besides the Ascension Ceremony, there were also the Summoning Demon Cult and the Lingxi Sect watching like tigers eyeing their prey, and most importantly, the engagement banquet.

The next day.

As the cool autumn breeze blew, more and more martial artists from all corners of the jianghu arrived at the Qingyuan Sect. The emergence of a Province-Anchoring Sect was a significant change to the landscape of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, and visitors came from all directions.

Even the Western Regions Buddhist Sect, the overseas Penglai Immortal Isle, and the Northern Sealed Sky Blade School sent representatives.

Firstly, it was a show of surface-level respect towards a Province-Anchoring great sect. Secondly, it was to probe this sect established upon the Great Shang Imperial Mausoleum, to see just how much depth it had beyond its younger generation.

Many came openly, but quite a few also arrived in secret.

Such as assassins from the Fine Rain Tower, demon tribes from the Southern Border, demonic cult followers, and the like...

At an Ascension Ceremony, mutual sparring was naturally indispensable.

The area in front of the main peak's grand hall was quite lively at the moment.

Of course, it was the disciples of the younger generation for now; it wasn't yet time for the elders to exchange martial insights.

"Brother, receive my move!"

Ouyang Shuimo waved his ink brush, leaving trails of ink in the air.

The ink transformed into fierce tigers, flying birds, each a vivid and lifelike mythical beast exuding powerful auras.

However, opposite him, the swordsman with a sorrowful face merely uttered a faint 'Not bad,' before a flash of blade light flickered and vanished.

The ink-wash mythical beasts all disintegrated.

Ouyang could only concede defeat with a cupped fist salute.

To be honest, the Qingyuan Sect wasn't faring well in the younger generation's sparring matches.

Mainly because Li Mo and Ying Bing weren't participating. Without those two, the Qingyuan Sect's new generation still had a considerable gap compared to the disciples of truly major sects.

The impression given was that the Qingyuan Sect didn't quite have the bearing of a Province-Anchoring great sect...

A top disciple like Ouyang, representing a peak, couldn't last three moves against a descendant of the Sky Blade Tang Clan.

"Let me try!"

Xiao Qin stepped onto the stage at this moment. With one sword slash, a gale swept through. If not for the special array restrictions on the dueling platform, everything within several miles would likely have been laid bare.

Opposite him was the sorrowful-faced swordsman, whose eyes lit up at the sight.

"To think the Qingyuan Sect has someone like you besides Li Mo and Ying Bing. Let's battle for three hundred rounds!"

The two went back and forth on the platform, eliciting continuous cheers from below.

Ouyang clicked his tongue in amazement: "That Tang Liu, never heard of him before, but he's clearly formidable. Junior Brother Xiao is actually fighting him to a standstill."

"Old Xiao has improved a lot recently."

Li Mo nodded, a popsicle dangling from his mouth.

"The heroes of this world are truly as numerous as fish in a river."

Ouyang's tone held a touch of melancholy.

Alright, this made him feel less embarrassed. It definitely wasn't that he was too weak, but that his opponent was too strong.

After this lament, he continued with a grave tone:

"Junior Brother Li, although you have achieved fame and success now, you must still remember that there is always a sky beyond the sky, and a man beyond the man."

"No matter how much you break through, one day, you might encounter a new peer strong enough to be your match, or even someone with a higher cultivation realm than you. That's when you'll need to fight above your level."

Ouyang had read many romantic tales, and they were all written like this.

No matter how strong the protagonist became, new outstanding talents of the same generation would always emerge. Then the protagonist would achieve a breakthrough in the heat of battle, overcoming adversity to turn the tables...

Defeating the strong while weak, rising against the odds, seemed to be the eternal theme in those tales.

"Senior Brother Ouyang is right about that."

Li Mo wasn't an arrogant or conceited person, and Ouyang's words made him feel a bit eager to try.

Just then.

On the platform, Old Xiao ultimately fell short by a hair, defeated by the young swordsman.

"I concede."

The sorrowful swordsman revealed a smile that looked like a cry. The Tang Clan had been generations in the Northern Seals, and he hadn't even attended the Hidden Dragon Conference.

It seemed he was still among the best of his peers.

The crowd's flattery and the elders' approving gazes filled his heart with a surge of pride.

So, he gathered his qi, steadying his dantian:

"Who's next?!"

"Brother, how does he dare?" Over at the Penglai Sect side, Ning Jue wore a pained expression.

"When people are showing off, they have no brains. Eat, just eat..."

Ning Que waved his hand, having no interest whatsoever in participating in the so-called sparring or showing off.

Because he had just seen...

"Here I am!"