Chapter 772 - 693: Ascend to the Peak 92
Watching Liang Ziqian and Hua Qingcheng struggle more and more in their battle, Tan Shuangshuang knew that if she didn’t intervene, something bad would happen. Thousand Silk Entanglement moved at her will, and in an instant, it wrapped up the large man and his henchmen like rice dumplings.
The large man and his henchmen were engrossed in their fight, but the next moment, they found themselves completely bound, unable to move even a finger, and being pulled in front of another person. They still hadn’t realized what was happening.
When the large man blinked and regained his senses, he saw four people, one woman and three men, sitting in front of him. He and his henchmen were sprawled on the ground at the feet of the woman in the center, who had a radiant and cold aura.
This woman, though not as beautiful as the other beauty he had seen, exuded a mighty presence as she sat elegantly with her legs crossed on a chair, surrounded by thin strands floating in the air. Looking at the strings that bound him and his henchmen, it was obvious who had subdued them.
This woman with an overpowering aura wore a faint, indifferent expression as she scrutinized him. Next to her sat three handsome men in a row, especially the one with silver hair, whose face was even more stunning than the beauty he had admired earlier.
The large man had been full of fury, determined to teach a lesson to those two aristocratic fighters who spoke so offensively, but in the blink of an eye, he was overpowered. Even though the opponent attacked suddenly, he and his companions were on high alert during the fight. To be able to instantly subdue him and his henchmen in such a scenario, the opponent must be an expert whom he wouldn’t stand a chance against even in a direct confrontation.
This large man, having lived on the frontier for a long time, understood well the rules that the weak submit to the strong. Realizing he and his group were no match for this woman, he immediately softened up.
Without hesitation, he pleaded, "Fairy, what do you mean by this? Did our fight disturb your peace? If so, I apologize. Please pardon us and don’t hold it against us."
The large man didn’t know that Tan Shuangshuang was acquainted with Liang Ziqian and Hua Qingcheng. He just guessed, recalling how he was kicked into this private room, that the commotion must have disturbed someone important, and thus he quickly begged for mercy.
Tan Shuangshuang had no intention of arguing with the large man. Seeing him plead, she replied coldly, "I dislike noise. Take your people and leave immediately." With that, the Thousand Silk Entanglement retracted instantly.
Hearing Tan Shuangshuang’s words confirmed the large man’s suspicions. As soon as they were freed, he and his brothers fled in a hurry, fearing that if they tarried, Tan Shuangshuang might change her mind and decide to punish them. As for Hua Qingcheng and Liang Ziqian, the large man had already left them behind.
After the large man left, Liang Ziqian and Hua Qingcheng awkwardly approached. With a slightly flushed face, Liang Ziqian thanked Tan Shuangshuang, "Thank you very much, Shuangshuang, for helping us out of the situation. I am deeply grateful."
As he spoke, Liang Ziqian felt a bit uncomfortable, having already realized the difference between him and Tan Shuangshuang on the battlefield. Meeting her again this time, he found the gap between them had become even greater.
Despite his hard cultivation, he hadn’t caught up with Tan Shuangshuang. In fact, the distance between them had increased.
Now, Tan Shuangshuang could effortlessly subdue several enemies of equal cultivation to him in an instant. This reminded Liang Ziqian of her formidable reputation on the battlefield that made the Demon Clan tremble with fear.
On the side, Hua Qingcheng’s face was stiff as she watched Liang Ziqian’s expression falter upon seeing Tan Shuangshuang. Jealousy and hatred surged within her towards Tan Shuangshuang.
Although Hua Qingcheng and Tan Shuangshuang used to be worlds apart in status, Hua Qingcheng never thought herself inferior to Tan Shuangshuang. Even when Tan Shuangshuang was the Tan Family’s favored daughter and she was just a maid forced to serve others.
Hua Qingcheng believed her potential was never inferior to Tan Shuangshuang’s. Given the chance, she could soar to great heights and trample Tan Shuangshuang beneath her feet.
When Hua Qingcheng discovered that even Liang Ziqian, who was originally Tan Shuangshuang’s fiancé, seemed to show interest in her, she couldn’t help feeling secretly proud and dismissive of Tan Shuangshuang.
What of being a favored daughter? She couldn’t even win her fiancé’s heart, proving her superiority over Tan Shuangshuang.
Before knowing the true meaning behind Tan Shuangshuang and Liang Ziqian’s engagement, Hua Qingcheng always thought that way, even believing she had nearly succeeded in overshadowing Tan Shuangshuang, who she envied.
It was only after learning the true nature of Liang Ziqian and Tan Shuangshuang’s engagement that Hua Qingcheng realized her assumption about "stealing" Tan Shuangshuang’s fiancé was just her own erroneous belief; in reality, their engagement wouldn’t be fulfilled, and she hadn’t truly taken anything from Tan Shuangshuang.
Moreover, every time Liang Ziqian praised Tan Shuangshuang and showed veiled melancholy that even he was unaware of, Hua Qingcheng couldn’t get over Tan Shuangshuang’s presence. As Liang Ziqian’s woman, she sensed his abnormal emotional fluctuations whenever he mentioned his fiancée.
This made Hua Qingcheng constantly worried. She painstakingly tried to sever any contact between Liang Ziqian and Tan Shuangshuang, fearing more intimate interactions between them would bring about changes she dreaded.
After returning from the Demon Clan’s battlefield, Hua Qingcheng heard their sect intended to invite the other Four Great Sects to join together for an outing.
This way, the disciples of the five great sects could not only travel more safely in groups but also deepen the camaraderie forged on the battlefield and enhance connections among the sects.
Hua Qingcheng worried Liang Ziqian and Tan Shuangshuang would end up together, and she felt uneasy about them being close day and night. After learning this news, she insisted on going on the journey together with Liang Ziqian.
Hua Qingcheng assumed the disciples’ journey of the Five Great Sects would remain within the borders of Baiyue Country. Acting shrewdly, she took Liang Ziqian outside Baiyue, thinking she could avoid Tan Shuangshuang, yet ironically, the harder she tried to avoid her, the more inevitable their encounter became, leading to this awkward meet-up.
Seeing Liang Ziqian’s emotional fluctuations upon seeing Tan Shuangshuang, Hua Qingcheng bit her lips in hate, wondering why Tan Shuangshuang seemed like a ghost, continuously appearing wherever she went.
Hua Qingcheng became absorbed in her own emotions, holding onto Liang Ziqian’s arm tightly, standing beside him silently, which was quite rude. But Liang Ziqian knew Hua Qingcheng harbored some inexplicable hostility towards Tan Shuangshuang.