Starting as a Grandmaster, all of my cultivation techniques are at max level.

"What? Do you think I'm wrong?"

Jiang Ling sneered, then gracefully rose from the high platform and landed steadily in front of Xia Jin.

The distance between the two sides was less than ten feet.

Jiang Ling was half a head shorter than Xia Jin, but her aura was in no way inferior, and even slightly more imposing. She slightly raised her chin, her dark eyes staring directly at Xia Jin with a hint of contempt.

"I've lived for hundreds of years, what kind of people haven't I seen? I've seen plenty of young people like you. Just because you have a bit of good looks, you think you can climb up to the elders of my Hehuan Sword Sect and rise to the top in one step? Ha, you've got quite the plan."

Xia Jin looked at her and shook her head.

"Are you done talking?" Xia Jin finally spoke, her tone surprisingly calm.

Jiang Ling frowned slightly, seemingly surprised that this young man could remain so composed in the face of her intimidating presence.

"Sect Leader Jiang, you call me a pretty boy? I can't agree with that."

Jiang Ling's eyes narrowed slightly, a dangerous glint flashing in them.

Zhou Suxin heard everything clearly behind Xia Jin, and her heart tightened suddenly. She knew Jiang Ling's temper all too well. Although this sect leader was usually kind to the disciples, she was an extremely strong-willed person at heart and could not tolerate being contradicted.

She subconsciously reached out and quietly tugged at Xia Jin's sleeve.

Xia Jin felt a tugging on her sleeve.

He didn't turn around, but his right hand naturally reached behind him and grasped Zhou Suxin's hand.

Zhou Suxin's fingers stiffened slightly.

The next second, before Zhou Suxin could react, she felt a gentle yet domineering force coming from Xia Jin's hand, which pulled her body up.

"ah......"

Before she could even utter a soft cry, Zhou Suxin had already fallen into Xia Jin's arms.

Her cheeks instantly flushed crimson.

"What are you doing..." Zhou Suxin's voice was barely audible, carrying a hint of panic that she herself was unaware of.

Xia Jin didn't look down at her; his gaze remained fixed on Jiang Ling opposite him. However, he tightened his arms around her, holding her firmly to his side.

Jiang Ling's brows furrowed even more.

"Sect Leader Jiang, I don't need anyone's permission to become Daoist partners with Su Xin."

"I came to the Hehuan Sword Sect this time not to ask for your permission. I just wanted to avoid putting her in a difficult position, so I accompanied her on this trip."

He glanced down at Zhou Suxin, whose cheeks were flushed, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

"To put it bluntly, I'm here to give face to your Hehuan Sword Sect, not to be humiliated."

The moment those words were uttered, the air inside the sword pool seemed to instantly drop to freezing point.

Upon hearing these words, Zhou Suxin's body, which had been somewhat weak from being embraced, suddenly stiffened.

Her mind cleared up at that moment. If Xia Jin continued talking, given his personality, he might offend the sect leader of the Hehuan Sword Sect to death.

She can't let that happen.

"Alright, Xia Jin, stop talking!"

Zhou Suxin exerted her strength suddenly and quickly covered Xia Jin's mouth with one hand.

Xia Jin didn't struggle when her mouth was covered; she just raised an eyebrow slightly.

However, Jiang Ling saw it all as something else entirely.

Jiang Ling's face had turned completely cold, and a sharp aura began to emanate from her body.

"it is good."

"So you're saying you're not here to be bullied?"

"Since you say you're not a gigolo, then prove it to me."

As soon as she finished speaking, Jiang Ling made her move. She put two fingers together with her right hand and raised them slightly. A sword aura burst out from the sword pool behind her!

A flash of silver light, like a silver dragon, shot straight toward Xia Jin!

The sword energy was extremely fast, and Zhou Suxin quickly released her hand from Xia Jin's mouth.

"Be careful!"

She instinctively wanted to stand in front of Xia Jin. However, before she could even move, the arm around her waist tightened suddenly.

Xia Jin did not give her a chance to block the sword.

His right hand remained firmly around Zhou Suxin's waist, keeping her securely by his side, while his left hand calmly reached out.

Open your palm.

"Trying to mess with me? That's probably not enough!" Xia Jin looked coldly ahead.

The incomparably sharp sword energy stopped abruptly less than three inches from Xia Jin's palm.

The sharp sword intents, upon touching his skin, seemed to have struck an invisible wall, unable to advance even an inch further.

Xia Jin's lips curled up slightly.

He gently closed his palms, his five fingers curling up.

The sword energy that was enough to easily defeat a cultivator at the eighth level of the Dragon Transformation Realm was easily crushed in his palm like a soap bubble and disappeared into the air.

Zhou Suxin was stunned. She stared blankly at Xia Jin's left hand and at the dissipating sword energy and starlight, her eyes widening in disbelief.

Jiang Ling's eyes narrowed slightly.

Her gaze swept back and forth over Xia Jin, the contempt in her eyes fading slightly, replaced by a serious scrutiny.

That kid...

The aura he just emitted was clearly only around the fifth level of the Dragon Transformation Realm.

How could a cultivator at the fifth level of the Dragon Transformation Realm so easily receive her sword energy?

Although that sword energy was just a casual outburst she unleashed under her own restraint, she was the sect leader of the Joyful Union Sword Sect! Even a casual strike from her was enough to cause a serious loss to an ordinary eighth-level Dragon Transformation Realm cultivator.

Pretending to be weak to fool others?

Jiang Ling frowned slightly as this thought flashed through her mind.

"You've got some skills, kid. No wonder you dare to talk such big!" Jiang Ling said coldly.

Xia Jin did not respond to her.

He lowered his head, his gaze falling on Zhou Suxin's face in his arms, his forehead tilting forward slightly to touch hers.

Were you worried about me just now?

Zhou Suxin's pupils twitched violently.

A warm touch came from her forehead, and her cheeks turned so red they almost bled, even her neck was tinged with a faint pink.

"I...I didn't...Don't overthink it!"

Zhou Suxin turned her head away, not daring to meet his gaze, her voice stammering, showing no trace of the demeanor of an elder of the Hehuan Sword Sect.

Xia Jin's actions completely darkened Jiang Ling's face, the dignified sect leader of the Hehuan Sword Sect. "Bastard, didn't you hear me talking to you? Are you ignoring me?"

Her voice was filled with suppressed anger, and she was almost gritting her teeth as she spoke.

"You bastard!"

With this angry shout, Jiang Ling raised her right hand again, her two fingers together.

The surface of the sword pool churned violently, and several sword energies flew out of the pool at the same time, converging in the air into an even thicker sword light, which slashed directly down at Xia Jin!

This sword energy is more than twice as powerful as the previous one!

Zhou Suxin's expression changed; this was enough to threaten the power of a peak ninth level of the Dragon Transformation Realm!

"Xia Jin! Get out of the way!!"

Xia Jin merely smiled slightly, showing no fear whatsoever in her eyes.

He did not loosen his grip on Zhou Suxin's waist.

He stretched out his left hand again, his five fingers spread wide to meet the whistling sword energy.

"This kind of probing is useless!"

The sword energy struck his palm, producing a dull thud.

The shockwave spread outwards from Xia Jin, creating a gust of wind that made Zhou Suxin's long hair fly wildly.

But Xia Jin's body remained completely still.

He applied slight pressure with his palm, his five fingers closing together.

This sword energy, which was enough to make even a peak ninth-level Dragon Transformation Realm cultivator wary, was still fragile in his hands and shattered instantly.

This time, Jiang Ling's expression changed completely.

If the first sword aura was merely a casual strike, then the second sword aura was executed with the cultivation of elders from the Joyful Union Sword Sect. Even the elders at the peak of the ninth level of the Dragon Transformation Realm within the Joyful Union Sword Sect wouldn't dare to so arrogantly try to receive this sword aura with their bare hands.

But this bastard not only accepted it, but did so so easily.

Fifth level of the Dragon Transformation Realm? You're kidding me!

To be able to so easily shatter a sword aura at the peak of the ninth level of the Dragon Transformation Realm, this person's true cultivation level is at least at the half-step Great Power Realm!

Such a young half-step Great Power Realm expert!!

Jiang Ling took a deep breath, and her gaze towards Xia Jin became complicated.

"This kid's strength is decent enough! He's barely worthy of Su Xin!"