Chapter Sixteen: Zhang Luoxue

Liu Feng also gazed at the white-clad figure, and couldn’t help but feel a trace of astonishment. She wore white garments, her skin fairer than snow, her eyes clear as a tranquil pool, her nose elegantly shaped, her lips rosy and lustrous, her teeth pearly and bright. Her aura was ethereal and spirited, as if she were born of nature’s purest essence. She appeared to be around fifteen years old.

She was an exquisitely beautiful maiden, whose presence struck one with awe at first sight.

Liu Feng quickly regained his composure.

The girl who had been rescued by the maiden in white returned to Liu Feng and his companions.

By now, Zhang Ming had also gotten a clear look at their rescuer and frowned slightly. He asked, "Who are you, and why meddle in others’ affairs?"

The girl rescued by Liu Feng replied, "She’s my senior sister. How is it meddling? You bullied me, so of course my senior sister came to stand up for me."

Zhang Ming was left speechless by her retort.

The maiden in white spoke then, "Xiu’er, when we set out, I told you to stay close, but you didn't listen, and now you nearly got into trouble."

So the girl Liu Feng had rescued was called Xiu’er.

She hurriedly pulled the maiden in white to Liu Feng, pointed at him, and said, "Senior sister, it was he who saved me. If not for him, I fear I would have been bullied by those two."

Liu Feng said, "It was nothing. Seeing two men bully a girl, I naturally had to help."

The maiden in white looked at Liu Feng and smiled gently. "Thank you for saving Xiu’er. Piaoxue Pavilion will remember this favor."

The girl called Xiu’er asked Liu Feng, "I still don’t know your name or where you’re from."

Liu Feng replied, "I am Liu Feng from Yuanwu Academy. I came out today with my instructor to gain experience, and happened to encounter you by chance, Miss Xiu’er."

Liu Feng then gestured to the others and said to Xiu’er, "This is my instructor, Zhang Ning, and these are my classmates."

Zhang Ning nodded slightly in greeting, and the three who had been rescued by the maiden in white also came forward to express their gratitude.

Xiu’er pulled the maiden in white and said to Liu Feng, "This is my senior sister, renowned for her extraordinary talent, the true disciple of Piaoxue Pavilion, Zhang Luoxue. And as for me, I am Fang Xiu, disciple of Piaoxue Pavilion."

Zhang Luoxue turned to Fang Xiu and said, "How did they bully you? Tell me, and I'll stand up for you."

Fang Xiu replied, "Actually, they didn’t manage to bully me, because just as I started to fight them, Liu Feng arrived. But…"

Zhang Luoxue said, "But what? Don’t hesitate, speak plainly."

Fang Xiu said, "Later, their senior brother arrived. He was extremely arrogant and demanded that Liu Feng and I kneel and apologize to his two junior brothers."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Luoxue’s delicate brows arched slightly, clearly angered.

Liu Feng, noticing Zhang Luoxue’s expression, said worriedly, "Miss Zhang Luoxue, that person is very powerful. Please don’t act rashly."

Fang Xiu added, "Senior sister, I heard Zhang Ming is a true disciple of Cloudwater Sect, and his strength has already reached the Yin-Yang Realm."

Zhang Luoxue listened to them and merely smiled calmly. "With cultivation at the Yin-Yang Realm, he dares to act so arrogantly, ignoring right and wrong. I wonder who gave him such courage."

With that, Zhang Luoxue strode toward Zhang Ming.

Seeing her approach, Zhang Ming’s expression grew serious. Their earlier encounter had shown him that this maiden in white possessed great power. Still, he didn’t believe he would lose to her.

Zhang Luoxue said, "Your words just now were exceedingly arrogant. Wanting my junior sister to kowtow and apologize—how reckless of you."

Zhang Ming replied, "So what do you intend?"

Zhang Luoxue said, "You will now go before my junior sister and apologize. If she forgives you, this matter will be settled."

"Hahaha!" Zhang Ming laughed wildly, as if he’d just heard a joke.

Zhang Luoxue frowned slightly. "It seems you’re unwilling."

Zhang Ming said, "It’s not impossible—unless you can defeat me."

Liu Feng, overhearing their exchange, said to Zhang Luoxue, "Miss Zhang Luoxue, are you confident you can take him on? If not, let my instructor handle it."

Zhang Luoxue replied, "It’s fine. I can manage."

Zhang Ming said, "If that’s the case, I’ll make my move." With those words, he flicked his fingers. A sharp sound split the air as true energy condensed into a point, shooting toward Zhang Luoxue like an arrow loosed from the bow.

Yet Zhang Luoxue remained calm, extending her fair hand. True energy gathered into a net in her palm, forming a cage that trapped Zhang Ming’s arrow of energy within.

Seeing his attack neutralized, Zhang Ming clenched his fist. A fierce aura appeared on his fist, drawing the surrounding air into it.

He thrust his fist forward; with a loud crash, the air rippled like water, and his fist bore down on Zhang Luoxue with mountainous force.

Faced with this blow, Zhang Luoxue’s gaze grew slightly serious. She extended her hand, two fingers pressed together in a sword gesture. A massive sword aura formed between her fingers, slicing the air with a sharp sizzling sound.

Zhang Luoxue then swept her two fingers forward, meeting Zhang Ming’s incoming fist aura.

A thunderous boom erupted. Liu Feng and the others were forced back by the surge of energy.

"This kind of power is truly beyond us," Zhang Chen said in awe.

Zhang Ning remarked, "This is the power of the Yin-Yang Realm. You cannot match it now, but don’t lose heart. Keep striving, and one day you’ll catch up."

Hearing these words, Liu Feng clenched his fists and silently vowed that from this day forward, he would work twice as hard, never allowing today’s humiliation to recur.

The battle between Zhang Luoxue and Zhang Ming became fierce. Their mastery of true energy was exquisite, shaping it into various forms—fist aura, sword gesture, blade light, giant palm—all colliding incessantly.

The ground was struck by their powers, dust swirling everywhere like a sandstorm, making it impossible to keep one’s eyes open.

With a final thunderous crash, the raging energy waves suddenly vanished.

As the dust settled, Liu Feng and the others saw Zhang Ming lying on the ground, blood streaming from the corner of his mouth.

Zhang Luoxue, meanwhile, remained unblemished, her white robes fluttering, untouched by dust. The outcome was clear.

Liu Feng hurried to Zhang Luoxue and said, "Miss Zhang Luoxue, are you all right?"

Zhang Luoxue smiled gently. "I’m fine." Then she added, "Since you saved my junior sister, we are friends now. You may call me Luoxue."

Liu Feng said, "Then I shall call you Miss Luoxue from now on."

Zhang Luoxue turned to Zhang Ming and said, "You’ve lost. Do you remember what you said earlier?"

Zhang Ming struggled to his feet, approached Fang Xiu, and said with a strained expression, "I’m sorry, Miss Fang Xiu. My words earlier were too harsh. I apologize and hope you can forgive me."

Fang Xiu looked at his miserable state and said, "Let it be. Just don’t act so overbearing with your junior brothers in the future."

Zhang Ming said nothing further, turned, and led his two junior brothers away toward the edge of the woods. The two turned back to glare at Liu Feng, their eyes filled with venomous resentment.