SWNOVELXO Chapter 141: Substitute Cultivator vs. Cheater
Chapter 141: Substitute Cultivator vs. Cheater
During the dinner, Jiang Yiming’s gaze kept drifting to Xu Lian, and the rest of the Jiang family also glanced at him occasionally. It was clear that they were curious about his progress in cultivating the Sacred Spirit Record after his recent seclusion.
With so many eyes on him, Xu Lian knew that unless he said something, he couldn’t enjoy his meal in peace. “I’ve only grasped a tiny bit of it,” he finally admitted.
Jiang Yiming was shocked. “You’ve learned a bit of it already? That fast?”
“…”Xu Lian didn’t know how to answer. “More like a single strand of hair from that ‘tiny bit.'”
This made Jiang Yiming feel a little better. “That’s what I thought. A profound technique like the Sacred Spirit Record can’t possibly be mastered so easily.”
Only Jiang Xianyu knew that Xu Lian was likely being modest when he said he’d only learned a little.
Xianyu’s mother smiled at Xu Lian. “No need to rush. You’re still young. Take your time.”
Xu Lian nodded and picked up some food for Jiang Xianyu. Tonight’s dinner was a simple family meal, without the usual hunting and barbecue. There was no need to display “dining etiquette” every day.
After dinner, Xu Lian and Jiang Xianyu strolled through the garden on the deck. The scent of exotic flowers and auspicious herbs filled the air, refreshing their spirits. The conditions in a great clan’s home were indeed exceptional – these plants emitted spiritual energy that could speed up cultivation.
“Elder sister, brother-in-law.”
Jiang Yiming approached them with a smile, joining them on their walk. Unaware that he was shining brighter than the moon in the sky.
Jiang Xianyu gave him a puzzled look. He wasn’t usually so tactless. “Did you cause trouble outside and need me to beg uncle and auntie for you?”
Jiang Yiming laughed. “No, Sis. Do you still think I’m the same person I was three years ago? I’ve grown up now. I wouldn’t just go around causing trouble.”
Jiang Xianyu knew him too well. “Then you must have something on your mind.”
Jiang Yiming shrugged. “It’s nothing important. I just wanted to ask my brother-in-law for a favor.”
Jiang Xianyu coolly replied, “If you’re thinking of asking him to teach you the secret techniques of the Sacred Spirit Record, forget it. According to the clan rules, the cultivation techniques obtained from the archives can only be used by the individual who acquired them. Sharing them is forbidden.”
Jiang Yiming waved his hand. “Of course, I wouldn’t violate the clan rules.”
Jiang Xianyu frowned. “Then what is it?”
Jiang Yiming chuckled awkwardly. “Well, Sis, you’ve already found your partner, but I’m still single. There’s a girl I’ve taken a liking to.”
Jiang Xianyu was confused. “If you’ve taken a liking to a girl, go and pursue her. Why are you asking your brother-in-law for help?”
Jiang Yiming explained, “The girl I like is from the main branch of the Yao family. She’s also interested in me, but the thirteen clans have intermarried so much in the past that internal marriages are no longer encouraged. Instead, external marriages are preferred. So, the Yao family wants to marry her off to the heir of the Pang family in Qingzhou Prefecture.
I’ve met the Pang heir, and neither of us is willing to back down. So we made a bet – we will have a duel, and the loser will withdraw from the marriage arrangement.”
Xu Lian asked, “Is the Pang heir very strong?”
Jiang Yiming replied, “The Pang Heir is about as strong as I am, both at the fifth level of the Dark Strength Realm. If it were just him against me, I wouldn’t be afraid. But he’s definitely going to ask the strongest genius in Qingzhou Prefecture to fight on his behalf. There’s no way I can win against him.”
Xu Lian said, “If the strongest genius in Qingzhou Prefecture is around my age, that’s fine. But if he’s older and has reached the Transformation Strength rank or higher, I might not be able to win either.”
Jiang Yiming insisted, “Brother-in-law, you can definitely win. Once you unleash the Sword of Destruction, they’ll have to surrender.”
Xu Lian’s eyes widened. “Are there no limitations in this duel?”
Jiang Yiming shook his head. “As long as it’s someone from the younger generation, there are no other restrictions. So this duel is essentially a full-fledged competition between the Jiang and Pang families. It’s a test of connections – who can bring in the stronger helper – and also a test of heritage – who has the better treasures.”
Xu Lian’s heart stirred. When the Yin Dynasty royal family will be selecting a consort for Princess Xiya, it might be a similar unrestricted competition. That way, the chosen genius would not only be strong, but also come from a powerful background.
Helping Jiang Yiming in this unrestricted duel could serve as a good rehearsal for Xu Lian. It would give him a preview of what such a competition might be like.
With this in mind, Xu Lian said, “All right, I’ll participate in this duel on your behalf. But I can’t guarantee victory. If I lose, don’t blame me.”
Jiang Yiming said, “As long as the brother-in-law is willing to fight for me, there’s no way we’ll lose.”
However, Xu Lian preferred to prepare for the worst. “What if we lose?”
Jiang Yiming confidently replied, “There is no ‘what if’! Once the Sword of Destruction is unleashed, there is no way we can lose!”
“…” Xu Lian was at a loss for words with such a naive teenager. “You have to understand that there’s always someone stronger and something bigger. There must be treasures in the world that are more powerful than the Sword of Destruction. How can there be no ‘what ifs’? There’s always a possibility.”
Jiang Yiming said, “Even if there are treasures stronger than the Sword of Destruction, they definitely wouldn’t be in Qingzhou Prefecture. There aren’t any legendary treasures in Qingzhou’s history. If we really lose, then I’ll accept it as fate. It just means that I’m not meant to be with Miss Yao.”
Upon hearing this, Xu Lian felt relieved. At least Jiang Yiming wouldn’t turn against him because of a woman. He patted Jiang Yiming’s shoulder with a smile. “Don’t worry. If fate isn’t on your side, you can always go to Ghost Child Ridge to find your partner.”
With that, Xu Lian took Jiang Xianyu’s hand and left, ready to rest. It was still early, but they didn’t care – rest was rest, no matter what time it was.
“…” Jiang Yiming was left standing in the evening breeze, completely confused.
The next day, Xu Lian opened his eyes and saw a notification about his favorability level.
[Note: Jiang Xianyu’s favorability towards you has reached 93/100. You have gained 1 Progression Point, which can be allocated to rank, skill, or item.]
It was both a pleasant surprise and somewhat expected. After obtaining the Sword of Destruction and the Sacred Spirit Record, Jiang Xianyu was even more convinced that he was her destined partner. It was only natural that her favorability toward him had increased.
He was about to allocate the point to his rank when a thought struck him. What if he added a point to the Sword of Destruction or the Sacred Spirit Record?
After all, the Sword of Destruction was already an incomparable sword at the Heaven-grade Nine Stars. What would happen if it advanced to another level?
And the Sacred Spirit Record was an immortal technique. What level would he reach if he advanced further?
He felt a surge of excitement, but he quickly calmed down.
It couldn’t be that simple.
What kind of rare materials would be needed to evolve the Sword of Destruction? It was undoubtedly something incredibly rare!
The same logic applied to the Sacred Spirit Record. The materials required for its advancement would also be exceedingly rare. Where would he even find such materials?
Therefore, even if he allocated a point to the Sword of Destruction or the Sacred Spirit Record, he wouldn’t be able to gather the materials needed for their advancement. It would be a waste of a precious progression point.
Especially at his current stage, every progression point was valuable. He couldn’t afford to waste them!
“Forget it. I’ll just add the point to my rank. I shouldn’t always think about getting to the top in one step.”
Xu Lian shook his head, dismissing the unrealistic thoughts.
He chose to allocate the point to his rank.
Then, using two stalks of Joint Grass as material, he advanced to the second stage of the Transformation Strength rank.
When Jiang Xianyu woke up, Xu Lian handed her the Sacred Spirit Record. “Xianyu, I’m entrusting this to you.”
Jiang Xianyu hesitated. “I can’t accept this. The Sacred Spirit Record is yours now.”
Xu Lian held her close. “What is mine is yours. Besides, this originally belongs to the Thirteen Clans. I might be leaving Taizhou Prefecture soon, and it’s not convenient for me to take it with me. It’s safer to leave it with the Jiang family to avoid losing it.”
Jiang Xianyu thought it over and agreed. “Have you memorized all of it?”
Xu Lian pointed to his head. “It’s all in here.”
Then, leaning in close to her ear, he whispered, “Actually, it’s fine if you learn from it secretly… As long as neither of us says anything, no one will know. Even if you use the techniques from it, only a few people would recognize them.”
Hearing this, Jiang Xianyu hesitated, but felt a flicker of temptation.
Xu Lian encouraged her, “You’ve been delayed with the caravan for three years. Your cultivation has fallen behind, and you’re no longer in the first tier of the Thirteen Clans’ young geniuses. Cultivating the Sacred Spirit Record will help you catch up.”
Jiang Xianyu nodded quietly. “Mm.”
The two of them giggled under the covers, feeling like they’d just pulled off a mischievous act.
After getting up and freshening up, they had breakfast and left the Thirteen Clans Residence to go to Taizhou Prefecture.
Jiang Xianyu knew that Xu Lian hadn’t seen Xiao Xixi for several days and didn’t want to neglect her. So she took Xu Lian to the inn where Xiao Xixi was staying, and invited her to join them for a day of shopping.
In the evening, they didn’t return to the Thirteen Clans Residence and naturally stayed at the inn.
A few days later, Xu Lian and Jiang Xianyu returned to the Thirteen Clan Residence. The time for the duel arranged by Jiang Yiming had come, and Xu Lian was to participate in the “spouse competition” on his behalf.
“Brother-in-law, did you bring the Sword of Destruction?” Jiang Yiming reminded Xu Lian. If they arrived at the duel site and realized that the Sword of Destruction wasn’t there… it would be a disaster.
Jiang Xianyu replied, “Of course he brought it with him. Something that important is always carried with him.”
Jiang Yiming thought it over and agreed. Then he set off with Xu Lian and his two sisters. Why two sisters? Because Jiang Yunyan had also come and felt uncomfortable with the situation.
The four of them rode on four exotic beasts, leaving the residence of the Thirteen Clans.
After leaving Taizhou Prefecture, they headed straight to the outskirts of the city.
The duel was to take place in a desolate area outside the city.
When the four of them arrived, a group of young men and women were already waiting there. Each of them was dressed in luxurious clothes, exuding an aura of nobility and extraordinary talent – clearly, they were geniuses from prominent families.
“Heh, you kept us waiting for so long. We thought you wouldn’t dare show up.”
“They are one of the thirteen clans in Taizhou Prefecture. How could they not dare to come? Even though the thirteen clans have declined, they’re still basking in the glory of their ancestors. It’ll take a slap from us to wake them up, hahaha”.
“A dying dragon is still bigger than a python. Unfortunately, we’re not pythons, we’re the flood dragons of Qingzhou Prefecture…”
The mockery was thick. Given the competitive nature of the situation, these young elites didn’t hold back with their words.
Jiang Yunyan, Jiang Xianyu, and Jiang Yiming, the three siblings, all wore uncomfortable expressions. While it was true that the Thirteen Clans had declined, they couldn’t tolerate such blatant disrespect.
Xu Lian, now a son-in-law of the Jiang family, understood the principle of sharing glory and loss. He calmly replied, “After all, the ancestors of the Jiang family once ascended to the heavens, reached for the moon, and were true dragons. Unlike some in Qingzhou Prefecture, whose ancestors were mere snakes. How could they produce flood dragons? They’re just loaches at best.”
These words struck a chord with Jiang Yiming, who burst out laughing. “Brother-in-law is right. A bunch of loaches, yet they call themselves Flood Dragons.”
Jiang Yunyan coldly added, “Since you look down on the Thirteen Clans so much, why are you so eager to marry into the Yao family? Why don’t you just run back to Qingzhou Prefecture?”
Now it was the young men and women’s turn to wear uncomfortable expressions.
The outcome of verbal sparring was often like this – sometimes you had the upper hand, sometimes the other side had the upper hand. Xu Lian’s conclusion was simple: don’t get involved in pointless arguments. It wasn’t worth it.
A young man around Jiang Yiming’s age sneered, “Enough talk. Since you’re here, let’s get down to business. How do we settle this?”
Jiang Yiming replied, “Didn’t we agree last time? Each side will send one person, and the duel will decide the winner.”
The young man asked, “Are you fighting yourself?”
Jiang Yiming said, “If you fight, I’ll fight. If you send someone else, I’ll do the same.”
The young man coldly said, “We are both at the fifth level of the Dark Strength Realm. If we fight, it’ll likely end in a stalemate, and it won’t truly reflect the connections and heritage of the Jiang family and my Peng family. Let’s have replacements fight instead.”
Jiang Yiming agreed, “Fine, however you want to fight, I’ll go along with it.”
So both sides had brought replacements… Xu Lian thought for a moment. While the other side had brought a substitute, he was essentially a cheat – a game breaker.
The youth nodded to a young man next to him. “Brother Sheng, it’s up to you.”
The young man stepped forward into the desolate area.
Jiang Yiming turned to Xu Lian. “Brother-in-law, whether I can win Miss Yao’s hand now depends on you.”
“…” Xu Lian dismounted from his exotic beast and walked into the desolate area.
Without a word, the young man activated his equipment.
The air buzzed as a helmet suddenly appeared on his head, a ferocious beast mask covering his face. His body was clad in gleaming armor, and he wore combat boots. In his left hand he held a silver shield, and in his right a golden-hilted battle sword.
Above his head floated an ancient cauldron, rising and falling, emitting thousands of strands of green light.
Damn it, he’s armed to the teeth… Xu Lian’s eyes narrowed. This guy was fully equipped. For an ordinary cultivator, even if their cultivation level was a few levels higher, this would be a headache.
At this point, small differences in cultivation level no longer mattered. It was all about the equipment.