Chapter 48: Mooching Ain't Easy Translator: Pika You have successfully trolled Ye Chenliang for 999 Rage points! Ye Chenliang had never felt so insulted before. He had been brimming with confidence as he confronted Zu An, fully intending to drag him down from his high horse. Who could have predicted that it would all backfire on him? At this point, he had already dropped the idea of dueling Zu An. He was definitely not going to tangle with someone who could kill dozens of Assrip Wolves. “You’re merely a lower Ding class cultivator. Why are you pretending to be an expert?” an accusatory voice called out. Zu An narrowed his eyes. He had already spotted Hong Xingying amidst the crowd. Did I dig up his grave in his previous life? Why in the world is he tenaciously biting onto me like a mad dog? Those who had been present at his testing earlier on nodded in agreement. “Indeed. His aptitude is only lower Ding class!” “He’s currently in the Yellow class, so how strong could he possibly be?” All this left Ye Chenliang feeling deeply conflicted. There was no way these people were lying, given that there were so many witnesses testifying to it. At the same time, it was unlikely for both Ji Xiaoxi and Chu Huanzhao to be lying. Just what in the world was happening here? It was possible for him to investigate further in order to uncover the truth, but, to be honest, he was starting to feel a little intimidated. He had utterly embarrassed himself earlier on, and if he were to make a wrong move here, he could very well lose his place in the academy. Yuan Wendong noticed the indecision playing out on Ye Chenliang’s face, and berated him inwardly for being utterly useless. It seems like I’ll have to do this myself. He stepped forward and clasped his fist toward Zu An. “I was initially unwilling to get involved in this matter, but you are simply too overbearing. You have trampled over the blood, sweat, and tears of the cultivators who have worked diligently to reach their current level. What skill each of us possesses didn’t come by coincidence. On the other hand, you chose to walk down a twisted path. If I allow you to get away with this, I cannot imagine just how many juniors will be misled by your example and become degenerates like you. So, I, Yuan Wendong, representing all of the hardworking cultivators of the academy, will challenge you to a duel.” Hearing Hong Xingying mention that Zu An was only a lower Ding class cultivator had boosted his confidence. Besides, even if Zu An was feigning weakness, he still had faith that he would be the victor. Yuan Wendong’s cultivation wasn’t at the peak of the fourth rank, unlike what most people believed. Just two days ago, he had managed to break through to the fifth rank. There were only a few people in the entire academy currently at the fifth rank. Apart from those few fearsome monsters, he was confident that he wouldn’t lose to anyone. Besides, Zu An had built up the perfect stage for him to elevate his reputation one step further. This good-for-nothing was just another stepping stone toward greatness. Moreover, the Yuan clan and the Chu clan were currently competing over the arms trade. Zu An’s defeat would be the perfect tale to sully the reputation of the Chu clan. Yuan Wendong’s monologue about diligence and whatnot won him the goodwill of the crowd. There was a lingering sentiment of envy and resentment toward Zu An’s reliance on women, and most were simply overjoyed to see someone willing to step forward to deal with him. This piece of drama would be enough to satisfy their hunger for the day. “You speak as if you’re the only one working hard. Do you know how hard I have worked too?” Zu An retorted indignantly. Yuan Wendong snorted. “What have you worked hard on?” “I worked hard on my mooching skills! Do you think that it’s that easy to be a mooch?” Zu An argued vehemently. The men in the crowd had had enough. “Shit! This is too much. I really want to beat him up!” “Me too!” “Shall we just do it together?” “Let’s allow Yuan Wendong to have a go first.” ... A beautiful figure, who just happened to be passing by, heard Zu An’s declaration and burst into laughter. He sure is shameless. I really wonder how in the world he managed to catch Chuyan’s eyes. She continued on her way. This minor scuffle held no interest for her. Yuan Wendong sneered coldly at Zu An’s statement. “Mooching? How meaningless. Do you really expect to count on women for the rest of your life? Take a look at your current circumstances. Who are you going to count on to get you through this quandary? Chu Huanzhao? Or Ji Xiaoxi? Even the two of them combined won’t be a match for me. In the end, men should rely on themselves. That’s what true strength is!” Zu An sighed deeply. “I didn’t think that you would suffer from a lack of imagination too. What gave you the impression that I can’t rely on a woman to get me through this crisis? Pei Mianman! Come here and help me deal with this hateful fellow!” Pei Mianman? That name made everyone freeze on the spot. That was the name of a beauty whose reputation in the academy rivaled Chu Chuyan! On top of that, while Chu Chuyan had a cold demeanor and distanced herself from others, Pei Mianman had an alluring figure and a gentle smile that posed a fatal charm to all men. There was no man who didn’t fancy her. Was it even possible for such a goddess to be involved with this shameless fellow? Impossible! That was the first thought in everyone’s mind. As expected, deafening silence followed Zu An’s shout. The crowd began jeering at him. Yuan Wendong couldn’t contain his laughter. “Do you know who Pei Mianman is? How could someone like her possibly be interested in you? You’re a toad lusting for the flesh of a swan!” He had once been entranced by that woman as well, and he had done everything he could to court her. However, he soon discovered that her gentle exterior concealed an utterly cold heart. She viewed all men to be worth nothing at all, which made her an even more difficult target to court than Chu Chuyan. How could such a woman possibly be involved with the shameless man standing before him? “I saw you just now. If you leave right now, I’m going to divulge everything that happened between us right here!” Zu An shouted out loud. The figure who was attempting to sneak away stopped short. Zu An’s threat had really triggered her. “Shut up!” she shouted back. Hurried footsteps sounded, and a young woman dressed in a red top and a black skirt strode across to join the fray. Her skin that was smooth like jade; her enchanting, almond-shaped, peach-blossom eyes that seemed to speak; her proud and commanding figure; all of these made men feel numb all over and made women shy away in embarrassment of their own form. Pei Mianman had forsaken her usually gentle demeanour. Her face was as dark as the sky in a thunderstorm. She glared at Zu An furiously. “If you dare speak a word about that, I’ll kill you right away!” Her words, and the forcefulness with which she spat them out, settled the doubts of everyone present. The hearts of countless men shattered in unison. To think that such a thing could be true! Our dream lover has actually gotten into that kind of relationship with this shameless man! Zu An, meanwhile, was feeling a little perplexed. The Rage points he was obtaining seemed to be only half of what he had reaped earlier. What’s going on? Is Pei Mianman’s chest not big enough, or is her face not beautiful enough? I thought that her being the secret guest of this show would push my earnings of Rage points to greater heights, but it’s starting to show signs of slowing down instead... He scanned the crowd with a frown. The angry faces of the men had been replaced with envy... as well as respect. Even Wei Suo, who had run as far away as he could, had returned. He grabbed onto Zu An’s sleeves, eyes sparkling. “Big bro, you’ll be my only big bro for the rest of my...” Before he could finish, he was crushed under the onrushing stampede of men swarming to reach Zu An. “Master, take me in as your disciple!” “Master, choose me. I wish to inherit your art of mooching, and I believe that I have the qualifications too!” “Hah, I’m the one who looks more like him! If anyone is going to inherit master’s status as a legendary moocher, it’s me!” “Heh, you’re already thinking of overthrowing your master despite having yet to be accepted? Master, you mustn’t take in that sort of backstabbing bastard as your disciple!” ... Zu An could only lament at how outstanding he was. Even if the Keyboard had accepted Respect points and not Rage points, he would still have been able to rise to the top of the world. Following her declaration and the ensuing commotion, Pei Mianman’s eyelids had started twitching uncontrollably. She gritted her teeth so tightly that they creaked audibly through her closed lips. “You must be feeling pretty cocky now, hm?” Zu An casually waved a hand. “Let’s not reminisce about the past now. Help me get rid of those two fellows... Ah no, throw that damned traitor over there into the mix too.” He pointed to Hong Xingying, who was hiding amidst the crowd. In truth, Zu An had called out her name with a feeling of trepidation. He hadn’t been sure that she would lend him her aid. If she had turned against him instead, he would have had no choice but to try summoning his final trump card, the beautiful principal. The furious glare that Pei Mianman was directing at Zu An disappeared suddenly, replaced by an unexpectedly tender smile. “All right.” She pointed to Yuan Wendong, Ye Chenliang, and Hong Xingying, and said, “Let’s duel. The three of you can come at me together.” The faces of the trio immediately twisted in horror. Yuan Wendong hurriedly spoke up. “Miss Pei, we are...” Pei Mianman cut him off with a frosty smile. “I thought you mentioned something along the lines of a man relying on his own strength. Yet, the three of you are now afraid to accept a challenge from me? If you’re too scared, kneel down and kowtow to Zu An, and I’ll pretend as if nothing happened today.” Hong Xingying immediately erupted in anger. “Fine, I’ll accept your duel then! Who’s afraid of...” Before he could even finish his boast, a black blur streaked forward and sunk a fist right into his abdomen. He collapsed in a heap, his body curled up like a cooked prawn as he gasped desperately for breath. Pei Mianman casually blew on her fist. “A cultivator who hasn’t even reached the fourth rank. I sure wonder where you got your confidence from. The two over there, it’s your turn.” Yuan Wendong’s face turned pale. He cursed Hong Xingying for being a braindead fool. He knew that the whole academy was watching, and it would be a huge humiliation to back out of this fight like a coward. “Pei Mianman, you better not go too far. You should know that I’ve reached the fifth rank too!” As he said those words, golden light began to shine forth from his hands. Numerous swords flew from the sheaths of the surrounding onlookers and began to revolve around him. It was quite an imposing sight. “That fellow has reached the fifth rank? I thought that he was still at the peak of the fourth rank!” “He sure hid it well! I wonder who he is plotting against, for him to conceal his strength this way. It’s lucky that he was forced to reveal it today.” “Heh, looks like we’ll have a good show to watch. Who do you think will win?” “Do you even need to ask? It’s our goddess, of course!” “It’s not so clear-cut. Ye Chenliang is not a weakling. In a two-on-one fight, I reckon that even Miss Pei will find herself a tight spot.” ... Spurred on by the comments from the crowd, Ye Chenliang began driving his ki to form a transparent layer around his body that resembled a tortoise’s shell. Zu An was astounded by the sight. Ye Chenliang was manifesting his ki as an armor around his body, which revealed that he had reached the peak of the third rank. Meanwhile, Yuan Wendong seemed to be attracting metal to himself, just like a certain helmeted fellow he’d read about in his previous life. Clearly, his elemental attribute was metal. Zu An knew he wasn’t a match for either of the two of them. Although, if he used Grandgale’s instantaneous movement together with the Poisonous Prick, he might still stand a chance. Yuan Wendong knew that he who made the first move controlled the flow of the battle. He waved his hand in a grand arc, and the dozens of swords revolving around him flew toward Pei Mianman. At the same time, Ye Chenliang charged forward like a bull, using the flying swords as cover to ram the beautiful silhouette standing before him. Even someone as fearless as Zu An felt a twinge of worry for Pei Mianman. The woman herself, however, appeared to be completely unfazed. Black flames burst out from beneath her feet and soared up around her like a divine dragon. All of the swords that came into contact with the black flames vanished one after another at an astounding rate.