Shock, horror, and an overwhelming sense of suffocation filled Long Xiayue's heart.
She struggled to look at Su Muwan, who sat across from her with a mocking smirk, feeling as if her entire body had turned into a rigid sculpture.
She felt as though she was being locked onto by a monstrous creature from the abyss.
Unable to speak...
Unable to move...
How could the gap be so vast...
Su Muwan was just the daughter of the Su family from Jiang City, wasn't she?
Even if she had recently been announced as the next heir to the Su family.
But...
What right did she have to compare with me, the genius from the Long family of Wang City?
At the age of 18, Long Xiayue experienced for the first time what it meant to be under the pressure of a monstrous presence.
A feeling of nausea surged from her chest.
She clenched her teeth, trembling all over, as the continuous pressure from Su Muwan caused her...
To almost vomit out of sheer fear.
No... I can't...
I am Long Xiayue... My father praised my talent...
I am going to marry the Dragon King...
I... cannot lose face for the Long family here...
Elder Ying... please save me...
The next moment.
As if hearing Long Xiayue's plea, Elder Ying, standing behind her and sensing the anomaly, narrowed his eyes.
He looked at Su Muwan in disbelief.
Terrifying, this was the first time he had seen his young mistress being suppressed like this.
If this continued, it might damage her reputation.
Thinking this, Elder Ying's aura surged, and he took a step forward, addressing Su Muwan in a deep voice: "Young lady, stop. Long Xiayue is the young mistress of the Long family..."
Slap!
"Ugh—!"
Before he could finish.
Qin Luo stepped forward and slapped him, cutting off his words, and taunted, "Who do you think you are? Do you have the right to speak here?"
"This slap is to remind you that my young mistress doesn't like being interrupted when she speaks."
Elder Ying!
Long Xiayue's expression stiffened, her heart screaming in shock.
She couldn't believe her eyes as Qin Luo, Su Muwan's attendant, had just slapped Elder Ying!
Elder Ying was a Mid Stage of Mastery Realm expert!
How could this be!
And why didn't Elder Ying dodge?!
Long Xiayue felt as if her senses were shattered.
An attendant... had struck a Mid Stage of Mastery Realm expert?
Was she dreaming?
Qin Luo's slap sent shivers down everyone's spines.
Sss!
This attendant was too ruthless, even hitting Elder Ying of the Long family?
No, this must be Su Muwan's cunning plan!
Elder Ying, on the other hand, felt his vision suddenly shift.
He tilted his head, his mind blank, his cheek burning with pain.
After a few moments of recovery, Elder Ying's pupils constricted.
What... was happening...
He... had been struck?
By an attendant?
Elder Ying prided himself on his good upbringing and manners.
But... at this moment.
A sense of humiliation welled up from deep within him.
He clenched his teeth, his fists tightening, and turned his head, his eyes blazing with fury as he shouted at Qin Luo, "You insolent brat! You're asking for death!"
Boom!
The aura of a Mid Stage of Mastery Realm expert erupted.
Waves of energy spread around Elder Ying.
Everyone present turned pale.
Oh no!
A Mastery Realm expert was enraged! They would all be caught in the crossfire!
It's over, over. Even Su Muwan would not be a match for a Mastery Realm expert!
Long Xiayue, seeing Elder Ying ready to strike, felt a moment of relief, but soon...
She noticed something was off.
Because...
They were smiling?
Long Xiayue stared in disbelief at the smiling duo before her.
Qin Luo was smiling.
Su Muwan was smiling too.
Why?
Were they not afraid?
Even facing a Mastery Realm expert, did they feel no pressure?
Qin Luo stepped back to Su Muwan's side, chuckling, "Young mistress, I'm not a match for a Mastery Realm expert."
After multiple observations, Qin Luo had confirmed...
Su Muwan's survival to the final climax... was largely due to...
Her own strength!
And today, Su Muwan seemed to be in a good mood and eager to take action herself.
So... let him witness Su Muwan's true power!
Su Muwan, hearing this, smirked with interest, glancing sideways at Qin Luo, "Oh? Then why did you provoke him? Never mind... stand behind me."
"Yes, young mistress."
Qin Luo retreated behind Su Muwan.
Elder Ying's eye twitched as he watched, unable to believe that despite his fury, the two were still chatting casually as if nothing had happened.
In an instant, his fists clenched with a creaking sound, and he couldn't help but roar angrily, "Su..."
Before he could finish.
"Did I allow you to speak?"
"Pathetic."
Boom!!!
Su Muwan's expression darkened as she stared at Elder Ying like a venomous snake.
An overwhelming pressure surged towards him like a tidal wave.
!!!
What?!
As Su Muwan's words fell, Elder Ying's pupils contracted.
He looked at his trembling shoulders, his expression changing drastically!
He... was afraid?
The suffocating sensation Long Xiayue felt, Elder Ying experienced it in full.
The next second.
A feeling of energy reversal filled Elder Ying's body.
He choked, his expression stiffening.
"Pfft!"
Elder Ying covered his mouth, unable to hold back a mouthful of blood.
His body swayed, and he barely steadied himself by gripping the nearby table.
Elder Ying's face turned pale, his expression shocked.
He... had been injured just by being looked at?
Long Xiayue, feeling the pressure ease as Su Muwan's focus shifted, could no longer hold back.
She quickly stood up from her chair.
Her face pale, her expression panicked, she rushed to Elder Ying's side: "Elder Ying!"
Elder Ying, injured, clutched his chest, looking at Su Muwan, whose expression had turned from pride to boredom, and couldn't help but let out a bitter smile: "Miss Su has hidden her strength too deeply."
"I... admit defeat."
"Please, Miss Su, be magnanimous and forgive our rudeness."
With Elder Ying's surrender, the entire room filled with gasps.
Even those from the various families who had been slapped shut their mouths, their eyes wide with shock.
Elder Ying... had lost?
Why was Long Xiayue so terrified?
Qin Luo blinked at Su Muwan.
Huh?
Was that it?
Was it over?
Had the enemy surrendered so easily?
Su Muwan? Why did you seem stronger than during the Su family banquet?
Before, you would at least have to make a move, right?
Oh, no, before, making a move meant directly crippling someone's cultivation.
If Su Muwan knew what Qin Luo was thinking, she would be quite surprised.
Because... she had indeed become stronger.
This could be traced back to the night Qin Luo had treated her with acupuncture...
As some of the cold energy was expelled, her strength shot up like a rocket.
In short.
Cultivation was a breeze.