Chapter 600: Chapter 599: Bai Zhanmei’s Request
Everyone looked closely and the one speaking was donned in white, handsome, and striking. Who else could it be but Bai Zhanmei?
During the previous battle, some people noticed that Bai Zhanmei had disappeared. Now seeing her return, they hurriedly asked, "Where have you been, Miss Bai?"
"It’s a bit shameful to say, but I thought Young Master Shi’s behavior was suspicious, and seeing that everyone here was capable of dealing with the Fire Stiff, I went down the mountain to follow him."
At this point, a rare smile broke across the usually indifferent face of Bai Zhanmei. She said to Shi Xiaole, "Brother Shi, I’m sorry."
Shi Xiaole shook his head.
"Ms. Bai, you said that we have misunderstood Brother Shi. What exactly do you mean?"
Zhao Hong asked impatiently.
Bai Zhanmei’s smile was bitter.
The mountain range was vast, so she obviously couldn’t find Shi Xiaole immediately, but then she heard a tremendous sound. She happened to be nearby, and when she arrived, she found a collapsed mountain peak, with Shi Xiaole standing in front of it.
After Shi Xiaole left, Bai Zhanmei remained hidden in the distance. She wanted to go in and investigate, but unexpectedly, she ended up waiting for a terrifying old man.
The rest was straightforward. The old man discovered her, and after some communication, she learned the reason why the Fire Stiff had withdrawn.
Listening to her narration, everyone present was taken aback. Evil Intent Young Master and a few martial arts experts who had previously ridiculed Shi Xiaole were even more visibly distressed.
Some people suddenly remembered Shi Xiaole’s previous demeanor as he meditated. Could it be that he wasn’t being indifferent but was trying to find the source of the sound?
Evil Intent Young Master suddenly asked, "Miss Bai, according to what you said, you didn’t actually witness Brother Shi driving away the advanced Fire Stiff?"
"Correct, but at that time only Brother Shi was there, I think there was nobody else."
Said Bai Zhanmei, who was always straightforward.
"In that case, let’s ask Brother Shi to recount the incident."
The Evil Intent Young Master sneered.
He definitely did not believe that Shi Xiaole could have accomplished all this.
Although he didn’t know the strength of that advanced Fire Stiff, the fact that it fooled all of them made it a formidable adversary. How could Shi Xiaole have possibly defeated it?
"I have nothing to say."
Shi Xiaole replied casually.
"Hahaha, brilliant. Deliberately obscuring the truth, you not only confuse the facts but also give the impression of being unambitious and indifferent to fame. Brother Shi, you are indeed brilliant!"
The Evil Intent Young Master clapped his hands in laughter.
"Speak with evidence, sir, you’ve gone too far."
Shi Xiaole’s tone turned cold.
He may not care about other people’s opinions, but that doesn’t mean he allows deliberate slander. This Evil Intent Young Master has been targeting him from the start.
"What, have I touched a nerve?"
The Evil Intent Young Master said leisurely, "Forget it, forget it, since Miss Bai also testified for you, since you want the false reputation, I’ll give it to you, time will prove everything."
He had no intention to challenge Shi Xiaole to prove his strength, only a fool would do that.
Earlier, Sun Wei and the others, swearing, claimed that Shi Xiaole protected everyone all by himself. The Evil Intent Young Master didn’t believe it on the surface but had some doubts in his heart.
So, he simply followed the trend, left everything unclear, and instead, turned against Shi Xiaole.
Many people present saw Evil Intent Young Master’s intent and turned their gazes to Shi Xiaole, curious about how he would respond.
"Let’s go up the mountain and get the villagers out of there."
Unexpectedly, Shi Xiaole seemed as if he hadn’t heard Evil Intent Young Master’s words, instead turning to Sun Wei and the others.
"Yes, yes."
Sun Wei and the others laughed heartily.
Did Shi Xiaole’s strength need to be proven? They were all witnesses.
Evil Intent Young Master’s face suddenly turned as red as a pig’s liver, feeling that his scheme looked so ridiculous in the face of Shi Xiaole’s nonchalant response.
Whoosh!
Just as Shi Xiaole led Sun Wei and the others toward the mountain peak, a white blade light with a length of ten meters suddenly descended from the sky, viciously slashing towards Zhao Hong.
Underneath this blade, Zhao Hong’s face turned pale and he felt as if he was plunged into an ice pit. He was facing a divine penalty and lost all will to resist.
At the critical moment, a flash of turquoise Sword Qi rushed upward and sent the white blade light flying, splitting it into two.
The upper part of the blade energy vanished instantly, obliquely splitting a small mountain peak more than 500 meters away into two. The lower part of the blade light hit a mountain wall a kilometer away, immediately leaving a ten-meter-deep mark. The sword energy inside it was crisscrossing, causing eye pain at a glance.
Hiss!
A series of gasps echoed.
This strike from Bai Zhanmei had certainly reached the level of a Limit Supreme Lord. No, it could even severely injure many Limit Supreme Lords. It was indeed a testament to her full strength and rightful claim to the title of Yundai’s number one swordsman.
However, such preparation for an attack was easily broken by an unprepared Shi Xiaole. How strong was he?
At this moment, everyone stared in shock, their gazes going from astonished, to disbelief, then to horror at Shi Xiaole.
What is the definition of a dark horse? This was it.
But even more shocking than Shi Xiaole’s extraordinary strength was how he could despise all of them and still bear all their ridicule, time and time again.
Could such mental and emotional cultivation truly exist within a passionate young man?
Incredible, truly unbelievable.
"Could his strength have something to do with the termination of the Fire Stiff calamity?"
Bi Yuesheng mumbled, his expression dazed.
Before displaying his strength, everyone thought Shi Xiaole was putting on airs. After revealing his strength, his haughtiness seemed more akin to a modest and indifferent demeanor.
Reflecting on what Sun Wei and others have said, a mysterious aura shadowed Shi Xiaole in everyone’s eyes, beckoning them to explore it.
"Brother Shi, I would very much like to learn from you."
Bai Zhanmei said earnestly.
If her previous attack was merely to force Shi Xiaole into revealing his true power, then now, she truly wished to challenge him.
In the entire Yundai, there are numerous masters that Bai Zhanmei respects, but Chu He alone made her feel a tremendous pressure. However facing Shi Xiaole, this pressure seemed even greater. When he casually brandished his sword, Bai Zhanmei’s heart trembled.
He is a terribly formidable swordsman, more terrifying than anyone could imagine.
"We can, when the opportunity presents itself."
Shi Xiaole turned his head, looking at Bai Zhanmei.
Her earlier blow might have appeared to be full force, but in reality, she had held back. Even if he couldn’t resist, at the last moment he could still divert the attack. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been so courteous in conversation with her.
The golden sunlight illuminated the earth, brilliant and dazzling. Yet, with Shi Xiaole’s casual glance, his sculpted side profile and facial expression dimmed the surroundings.
As Shi Xiaole ascended the hill, Sun Wei and over twenty others followed closely. Behind them were hundreds of complex and unreadable eyes.
"Damn it, damn it!"
The Evil Intent Young Master gritted his teeth in secret, his facial muscles twitching occasionally.
All of his self-proclaimed intelligent schemes and heated words were torn apart by Shi Xiaole’s single sword strike. The lofty and unarrogant figure gradually disappeared in the sunlight, as if silently mocking him.
Who ignored whom in the end?
The Evil Intent Young Master knew that once today’s events were spread, Shi Xiaole would gain great fame, and he would become a laughingstock. Yet, he was powerless to prevent it.
"I’ll remember you!"
The Evil Intent Young Master said resentfully.
...
Upon returning the villagers to Ma Shuijian, the majority of the houses had been destroyed. Fortunately, the houses were made of bamboo from the mountains, so the losses were not significant. The villagers, united in spirit, began to rebuild their homes, filling everything with a sense of hope for recovery.
Shi Xiaole and others politely refused the villagers’ enthusiastic retention. Under their reluctant gazes, they left Ma Shuijian.
"Young Hero Shi, Miss Bai, we shall take our leave."
Many masters had once judged Shi Xiaole and had said things to belittle him with more or less varying degrees of shame. However, since everyone else’s cordial farewell was responded to by Shi Xiaole, they dared to bid him goodbye.
"Thank you all for your assistance this time, farewell."
Shi Xiaole said with a smile.
He wasn’t petty enough to harbor grudges. Even the Evil Intent Young Master, he never truly regarded seriously. After all, they were not of the same realm.
Everyone laughed heartily, the lump in their hearts vanished. They set off, contented.
In the end, besides Sun Wei and others, only Bai Zhanmei remained.
"Brother Shi, please have a match with me."
Bai Zhanmei pleaded.
Sparring with a powerful opponent can sometimes improve oneself far more than strenuous training. Because from them, one can learn of their own shortcomings.
"Okay."
After hesitating for a moment, Shi Xiaole didn’t refuse.
Under the dappled sunlight, in the midst of the forest, Sun Wei and others witnessed this pinnacle battle that could shake the entire Yundai Region.
Bai Zhanmei was divine with the sword, launching all her killer moves, displaying all her skills. Her erupted strength was enough to make veteran elites like Bi Yuesheng retreat in awe.
Yet, Shi Xiaole on the other side, was using the same few swords strokes repeatedly, adapting to every change with stability. He was like a reef in the sea, remaining immovable regardless of the raging waves.
Shi Xiaole’s inherent strength was superior to the majority of master lords. Due to the spiritual power boost from the impact of the Fire Stiff calamity, his combative capability had ascended further. Bai Zhanmei’s so-called ultimate moves, in his eyes, were not much different from ordinary strikes.
No one could gauge the depth of Shi Xiaole’s capability at this moment.
"Falling Moon Longsword!"
Bai Zhanmei made a swing, the moonlight shattered, carrying all her conviction and power towards the stationary silhouette before her.
"Gale Blade."
Shi Xiaole’s left hand waved the sword to meet it in a seemingly slow but actually fast manner, shattering the sword light. A strand of sword qi that made Bai Zhanmei feel a chill turned into a light breeze, brushing across her cheek when it was only three inches away from her forehead.
"Brother Shi, thank you!"
Bai Zhanmei took a deep breath. She wanted to ask him how much effort he had used, but her question inexplicably turned into a thank you. She was a little reluctant to know the answer.
Luckily, she gained a lot from this battle. After this, it was believed that there would be a significant improvement in her strength upon her return.
