Path Of The Dragon (A Dark Fantasy Cultivation Wuxia Xianxia Progression Series)

Chapter 41 Jie vs Chen Huo

"And now! The moment we've all been waiting for! It's time to determine who is the best among the younger generation! Who shall stand atop the mountain and declare their strength to all those among us? To a brighter future!" The judge bellowed, "Liu Jie! Chen Huo! Step up!"

Jie hopped onto the stage with cool grace. Chen Huo waited a moment and did the same. What had Ithilix said yesterday? It was a sign of disrespect or something? Well, whatever.

Chen Huo still had that lopsided smirk on his face as though he knew he would win. Jie regarded him coolly. Then, on a whim, she tilted her head to one side like she'd seen those weird anime characters do back on Earth. Was she doing it right? That kind of head tilt as though bored by the so-called challenge that awaited her.

A stir ran through the crowd.

"Who does this girl think she is? Does she think she can look down on someone stronger than her?"

"Hah! That girl's asking for a cruel beating."

The murmurs died down, but frenzied whispers continued. It was easy to see who supported the Chen family and who didn't. Those that did were all either angry or laughing about how 'she would be put in her place'. The others looked grim or curious.

"Let the match... begin!" the judge said.

Jie activated lightning step but didn't move.

"So, who do you think will cry for you?" Chen Huo said.

Jie let her lips curl into a smile as she allowed her feelings to flow through her. "You," Jie said.

Chen Huo blinked and his smirk faltered a moment before reasserting itself.

"Are you sure your Pan friends won't come crying for you?" Chen Huo said.

Jie thought of a retort but held it back. Even if she won the verbal exchange, it would still allow a battle to take place. From what she knew of these people and their customs... there was a very simple way to really get someone mad. To remove all face as they called it.

Jie sighed. "If all you're going to do is talk, just forfeit already. I have stuff to do," she said.

The crowd sucked in a breath almost as one. Chen Huo's left eye twitched.

Ah yes... they hated being dismissed as nothing. And, it'd only make what she was going to do hurt even more.

"You dare?" Chen Huo said.

Jie stretched languidly and yawned as though she'd just climbed out of bed. The Chen family's supporters burst into angry muttering while the rest turned increasingly curious. This time, she cared what the crowd thought. Not because it mattered to her, but because it mattered to The Chen family. It was her weapon. Something she could use to strike the entire Chen family. Maybe these idiotic customs weren't so bad after all... as long as you made sure to use them the right way.

"I'll make you regret your arrogance," Chen Huo said as he released the full weight of his second star Expert aura.

Judging by how others reacted to similar differences in cultivation, Jie thought his aura ought to feel utterly oppressive. But, as it was, it felt like a summer breeze.

Jie felt a fuzzy warmth and gratitude in her chest to Ming for giving her such a powerful cultivation technique that allowed her to face cultivators of higher ranks. Something her breakthrough earlier only added to.

Great golden, fiery wings sprouted from Chen Huo's back. His flawless white hair reflected their light, giving him a kind of halo, which made him look something like an angel.