Chapter 1290: Chen Leyao's Attitude

"You, you..."

Chen Leyao was speechless.

Her strength was roughly equal to Zhang Qian's, and since he had been easily slapped to the ground, unable to move, it meant that she couldn't even last a single move against that person either!

If she really made a move, it would definitely be self-inflicted humiliation!

Wasn't he just a peak Nascent Soul cultivator?

How could he be so powerful?

Cold sweat poured down. Fortunately, Zhang Qian had rushed out just now; otherwise, she would have been the one lying on the ground like a toad... If that had happened, her beauty and status would have been gone, and she would have died of shame.

"Who exactly are you?"

Clenching her delicate fists, she couldn't help but look over.

Logically, someone with such strength shouldn't be unknown. Why had she never heard of him?

Most importantly, being so young and possessing such strength, and coming to participate in the Holy Son Hall selection, he should have a significant background... How could he deliberately cause trouble?

Could it be... that he really knew the Young Palace Master and was one of her... suitors?

"I am a Seven-Star Master from the Qingyuan Empire, not famous at all! Rest assured, I have no ill intentions. I just wanted to ask something." Zhang Xuan said.

In places like the Qingyuan Empire and Hongyuan Empire, he was very famous, but here, even if he said it, no one would know.

"Qingyuan Empire?"

Chen Leyao shook her head.

It was indeed a small place.

Among the eight titled empires, this one was probably the weakest and farthest from here. She didn't expect such a remote place to produce such a formidable genius.

"Do you... really know our Young Palace Master?"

After hesitating for a moment, she couldn't help asking.

The Young Palace Master seemed to have been found in the direction of the Qingyuan Empire. Could it be that she knew this person before coming to the Icefield Palace?

"Yes." Zhang Xuan nodded.

Zhao Ya was a student he had personally brought up, starting from the Tianxuan Kingdom. Their relationship was far more than just acquaintances.

"She went to the Icefield Palace, and I was a bit worried. Seeing you, I wanted to ask about her. I have no other intentions."

Smiling, Zhang Xuan explained.

"In that case, it's fine to tell you..."

Seeing his sincere gaze, Chen Leyao paused for a moment and then said, "Actually, I don't know much about the Young Palace Master either. I only know that she cultivates very hard and progresses extremely fast... Although she hasn't been at the Icefield Palace long, her strength has already surpassed ours, reaching an unfathomable level. As for specific details, I'm not really aware..."

At this point, her face reddened.

Although she was talented and somewhat famous in the Icefield Palace, her status was far inferior to that of the Young Palace Master.

She usually had no chance to interact with her. In the past six months, she had only seen her from a distance once. Even if she wanted to give a detailed account, she couldn't.

"Strength surpassed yours?"

Zhang Xuan nodded.

Zhao Ya had a Pure Yin constitution. Once it was activated, her cultivation would inevitably skyrocket. Surpassing the Out-of-Body realm peak... was indeed not difficult.

"It seems I, as her teacher, need to speed up too..."

He smiled wryly.

As a teacher, if the next time they met, his cultivation was even lower than his student's, it would be truly embarrassing.

"Thank you for telling me. Sorry for the trouble..."

Knowing the difference in status, it was normal that she didn't know more. Zhang Xuan didn't ask further.

Zhao Ya had become the Young Palace Master, and her cultivation had surpassed the Out-of-Body realm, indicating that the Icefield Palace had treated her well. That was reassuring.

For a student to go further and become stronger was also a form of affirmation for him.

With a grab of his hand, he released the suppression on Zhang Qian, made a polite gesture, and turned back to where he was before.

"No need to be polite..."

Seeing him leave directly without saying much, not even glancing at her, Chen Leyao's pretty face flushed with embarrassment.

She had been thinking that he might be trying to strike up a conversation to improve relations with the Icefield Palace, but now it seemed... not at all!

He had indeed come to inquire about something.

If she had known this earlier, she wouldn't have been so self-indulgent, and she wouldn't have dragged the Zhang family genius into this...

Thinking this, she quickly looked over and saw Zhang Qian, freed from the suppression, struggling to stand up, his face full of rage and ferocity.

"Damn it..."

Gritting his teeth, the Zhang family genius was filled with resentment.

He had wanted to show off in front of the beauty and build a relationship, but instead, he had been knocked to the ground with one move, losing face. The intense frustration was driving him crazy.

However, after that one move, he also knew that the other's strength was not something he could contend with now. Although angry, he didn't dare to rush over again and humiliate himself.

"Are you alright..."

Just as he was feeling terrible, he saw Chen Leyao looking at him with concern.

"I... I'm fine!"

His face reddening, Zhang Qian wanted to open his folding fan to cover his face, but found that the fan was already half-broken. The clash earlier, though brief, had been too powerful. An ordinary fan couldn't withstand it and was already in tatters.

"It's good that you're fine. Thank you for standing up for me today, Master Zhang. However, that friend just now probably had no ill intentions. I hope you won't take it to heart."

Chen Leyao smiled.

He had stood up for her and ended up in such a sorry state. Although he hadn't been helpful, she was still grateful.

As for the person earlier, she had misunderstood him, leading to this situation. She also felt ashamed.

"No ill intentions? Insulting our Zhang family is unforgivable!"

Hearing Chen Leyao speak for the other party, Zhang Qian became even angrier.

"Fairy, say no more. This has nothing to do with you anymore. He insulted my Zhang family and attacked me. This is an irreconcilable feud. If I don't teach him a lesson, what dignity will I have in the Holy Son Hall in the future?"

As a Zhang family disciple, having just arrived and not even passed the assessment, being beaten up in front of so many geniuses was the greatest humiliation. If he didn't take revenge, how could he have the face to stay here?

"This..." Chen Leyao didn't know how to respond.

He was right. Things had developed to this point, and it indeed had little to do with her.

"Zhang Yu, go and find out what background this kid has and why Zhang Jiuxiao helped him."

Although angry, Zhang Qian was not reckless. He paused and then turned to give an order.

With his words, a young man nodded and quietly slipped into the crowd.

Geniuses like him usually had some subordinates to handle daily affairs. Zhang Yu was such a person.

After a short while, he returned and reported with a cupped fist: "Young master, I've found out about that guy. He's a genius selected from the Qingyuan Empire, the dean of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy. He successfully challenged the Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Hall. His talent and strength are extremely strong."

Many of Zhang Xuan's deeds were recorded in the Master Teacher Hall. As long as one checked, it was easy to find out.

"Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy? Not worth mentioning!"

With a light laugh, Zhang Qian's brows then furrowed: "But being able to successfully challenge the hall does show extraordinary talent!"

In a small place like the Hongyuan Empire, the so-called dean was, in his eyes, no different from a village chief from some village—insignificant. But being able to successfully challenge the hall... that was no simple matter!

Challenging the hall had restrictions on rank and the master teacher's place of origin. That is, the master teacher's rank could not exceed the highest level of the local Master Teacher Hall, and he must be a native of that region, not sent down from headquarters.

With these two conditions, in the tens of thousands of years since the master teacher profession existed, only a few had succeeded. That this guy could accomplish it showed terrifying talent!

"No matter how formidable, he's just a country bumpkin. If the young master had used the power of bloodline just now, he definitely wouldn't have been a match, right?"

Zhang Yu said.

The strongest asset of a sage clan was not talent but bloodline.

"Using the bloodline to defeat him would indeed be easy! But each use drains me greatly, and I can't recover quickly. It might even delay the assessment..."

Zhang Qian shook his head.

It wasn't that he didn't want to use it, but he didn't dare.

Once he used the bloodline, the consumption would be too great. Even if he taught that guy a lesson, if it delayed the Holy Son Hall assessment... returning to the family, he would be severely punished.

Entering the Holy Son Hall was also very important to the Zhang family.

"Then what do we do?" Zhang Yu looked over.

"Don't worry!"

Snorting, Zhang Qian narrowed his eyes: "Now that we know who he is, let him bounce around for a few days. Once the Holy Son Hall assessment is over and I enter the elite class, I can teach him a lesson however I want."

"That's true..." Zhang Yu suddenly understood and couldn't help nodding.

New students of the Holy Son Hall would be assigned according to their assessment results. There were elite classes and regular classes, with different training methods based on strength and talent.

The elite class gathered the cream of the geniuses, who could be trained as holy sons, with a greater chance of entering the inner courtyard.

The regular class, on the other hand, was relatively weaker.

Zhang Qian's goal was only one: not just to pass the assessment, but to smoothly enter the elite class and become the top among all students!

"Once I become an elite, my authority will increase. I can make his life a living hell! When I'm tired of playing, I'll teach him a lesson and make him understand... that the Zhang family is not to be offended!"

With a cold glare, Zhang Qian sneered. Suddenly remembering something, he turned to look: "By the way, what's that kid's name?"

After all this talk and even a fight, he still didn't know the other's name.

"He also has the surname Zhang, but he's not from our family... His name is Zhang Xuan."

After thinking for a moment, Zhang Yu said.

"Zhang Xuan? You mean that young man just now is called... Zhang Xuan?"

Before Zhang Qian could speak, Chen Leyao suddenly froze and quickly looked over.

"Yes, his name is Zhang Xuan! A lowlife from the Tianxuan Kingdom, yet he has the nerve to have the surname Zhang..."

With a cold laugh, Zhang Yu snorted. Before he could finish, he felt his body stiffen, and then an icy force enveloped him.

Immediately after, he saw a palm swinging toward him.

Slap!

With a crisp sound, Zhang Yu flew sideways, heavily hitting the ground. His teeth scattered everywhere, and he kept spitting blood.

"Fairy Leyao, what do you mean by this?"

Zhang Qian stepped forward, clenching his fists.

It was Chen Leyao who had struck just now. How could she suddenly turn hostile after talking so nicely?

"Nothing. Zhang Qian, keep your people and yourself in check. If I ever find you disrespecting Master Zhang Xuan again... beware that my Icefield Palace will completely sever ties with you!"

With her hands behind her back, Chen Leyao raised her delicate brows and issued an irrefutable command.