I am invincible, that's why I lie down. You're using your entire clan to rebel?

Chapter 545 Qin Mu: What ranking? Naturally, number one in the world!

The fifth match on the training ground was nearing its end, with swords flashing on the stage and the crowd roaring below.

On the high platform, Xu Longxiang leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping lightly on the armrest, his gaze wandering, as if he were waiting anxiously for someone.

Then he saw that white figure.

She walked through the crowd, her steps unhurried, like a cloud blown by the wind through the streets, appearing silently below the platform.

The mask covered her face, but it couldn't hide the outline of her figure, like a moon peeking out from behind the clouds, cold and distant, yet truly present.

Xu Longxiang's fingers suddenly stopped. He immediately sat up straight, his gaze falling on the white figure, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

Finally, after much anticipation, the moon goddess arrived.

As Chen Ruoyao stepped onto the platform, a breeze blew by, causing her moon-white robes to flutter slightly, and the tassels on the edge of her mask to sway like a circle of shimmering light.

She didn't rush to speak, but simply sat down in the chair next to him, her demeanor so composed as if this were her usual spot.

Xu Longxiang's gaze fell on her, and he opened his mouth, his voice carrying a hint of urgency that he himself didn't realize:

"Why are you so late? I've been waiting for quite a while."

He paused halfway through his sentence, as if he was carefully choosing his words.

Chen Ruoyao did not answer immediately.

She turned her head slightly, and the eyes beneath the mask held a light he couldn't fathom, like the surface of water under the moonlight, seemingly calm, yet reflecting the light of the sky and the shadows of the clouds, making it impossible to discern its depths.

After a moment, she chuckled softly, a hint of teasing in her voice: "What? You missed me after just one night?"

She deliberately used this method to change the subject and express her jealousy.

This allows you to have more control over the other party.

As expected, Xu Longxiang's expression froze, and he felt his heart skip a beat.

He tightened his grip on the armrest slightly, then loosened it again, as if afraid of arousing suspicion.

He lowered his eyes, his voice a few decibels lower than before: "Of course I'm thinking about it very much."

After he finished speaking, his ears felt hot, as if they had been swept by the morning breeze of early winter, and turned slightly red.

He had said similar things before, but saying them to her face always felt different.

Chen Ruoyao chuckled softly, even softer than before, carrying a hint of reproach:

"Really? I thought you'd miss Jiang Qingxue more."

She spoke very casually, as casually as if she were saying the weather was nice today.

Xu Longxiang's expression froze slightly. He subconsciously sat up straight, his voice a few decibels faster than before: "You...you came so late, is it because of this?"

Chen Ruoyao chuckled inwardly, surprised that the other party had even come up with an excuse for her. She had only intended to feign jealousy.

So Chen Ruoyao lowered her head and gently twirled her fingers at the cuff of her sleeve.

He said in a casual tone, "The story of Young Master Xu and Jiang Qingxue is widely circulated in the Northern Territory. I overheard some of it by accident, which is why I was delayed on the road for a while."

She didn't say she was jealous, but every word she said seemed to say: I care about this.

Chen Ruoyao knew exactly what she was doing and also knew Xu Longxiang's thoughts, so she could easily control him.

Just like right now.

Sure enough, Xu Longxiang's eyelashes twitched slightly. He quickly spoke, his voice more urgent than before, as if afraid she might misunderstand something:

"Those are all rumors spread by storytellers, and they shouldn't be taken seriously. Qingxue and I... are actually just like brother and sister. I've always considered her a younger sister."

After he said that, he felt a little guilty.

He recalled Jiang Qingxue's appearance, her profile as she quietly read in the Listening Snow Pavilion in the Northern Border, and how her eyes curved into two crescent moons when she smiled.

But he couldn't think about those things right now.

Because standing before him at this moment was the Moon Goddess, the one he wanted to capture.

As for Qingxue, she is now far away in the deep palace, far beyond his sight. He can only choose to stabilize the one in front of him for the time being.

Upon hearing this, Chen Ruoyao's eyelashes trembled slightly, and a feeling of inexplicable disgust welled up in her heart.

If it weren't for His Majesty's mission, she would have liked to leave right now.

Xu Longxiang's lies are so easy to come by; if she hadn't known the truth, she would have almost believed him!

Chen Ruoyao felt utterly contemptuous.

But her voice remained soft, carrying just the right amount of jealousy and a slightly softened, tentative tone: "Really? Then I'll believe you this once."

Xu Longxiang's heart skipped a beat, but he maintained his composure on the surface, his voice firm: "I never lie to you."

Chen Ruoyao smiled but didn't say anything.

While Chen Ruoyao and Xu Longxiang were talking, a long queue had already formed in front of the registration desk.

Qin Mu stood in the middle of the group. In front of him was a young man who looked to be in his early twenties. He was wearing a faded blue short jacket and had an iron sword hanging at his waist.

The scabbard of the iron sword had a worn-shine mark, indicating that it was an old item that had been used for many years and repeatedly handled and rubbed by its owner, which gave it that worn curve.

Qin Mu stood behind him, hands behind his back. His appearance had been altered, and he looked like a young martial artist with regular features but no particular distinguishing features.

He was dressed in ordinary gray cloth robes, with an equally ordinary iron sword hanging at his waist, making him indistinguishable in a crowd.

He wasn't in a hurry, he just stood there quietly, like someone waiting for a spring rain.

The group moved forward a few steps. The boy turned his head, as if he had finally found a reason to speak, his gaze fell on Qin Mu's face, and he grinned, revealing a row of neat teeth:

"Which sect do you belong to, sir?"

Qin Mu glanced at him. The boy's eyes were bright, like a pebble just pulled from the water, clean and clear, with an unguarded honesty.

He casually replied, "I don't belong to any sect, just a rogue cultivator in the mountains."

The boy's eyes lit up, as if he had heard something that resonated deeply with him, and his voice carried a joyful feeling of finding a kindred spirit:

"A rogue cultivator? I used to be a rogue cultivator too! It wasn't until I met my master that I joined a sect!"

Qin Mu listened to him without interrupting, only nodding occasionally.

The boy spoke quickly and continued:

"My name is Lin Qingshi, what's yours?"

Qin Mu paused for a moment, as if he was thinking of a suitable name.

After a moment, he spoke, his voice calm: "Zhao San."

The boy paused, blinking as if to confirm he hadn't misheard: "Zhao San? Zhao San... Zhao San?"

He scratched his head, his tone tinged with a hint of embarrassment and hesitation:

"Although I am also a rogue cultivator, my name was given to me by my master, who said it was named after a blue stone on the mountain..."

Qin Mu smiled and said, "A name is fine as long as it's good enough."

The boy seemed to want to say something, but swallowed the words back and instead patted his chest:

"Brother Zhao, it seems we're destined to meet. Let's look out for each other in the future!"

Qin Mu smiled, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

The boy seemed unconcerned about whether he responded or not, and continued speaking on his own:

"Let me tell you, my master said that although my swordsmanship looks flashy, it can still intimidate quite a few people in a real fight. I came to the Northern Territory this time to show off at the martial arts tournament. If I'm lucky enough to get a ranking, I can bring honor to my master when I get back."

He became more and more excited as he spoke, his eyes shining: "If I can make it into the top 100, then my name will be famous in the North. In the future, when I go out to make my way in the world, people won't think of me as a nobody when they hear my name."

As he spoke, he became a little embarrassed and chuckled, "I'm thinking a bit too far ahead, aren't I?"

Qin Mu glanced at him.

The boy's eyes held a seriousness he hadn't seen in a long time, as well as a rare honesty.

He replied, "Not far. Only by thinking far ahead can you go far."

The boy paused for a moment, then laughed even harder, revealing a set of white teeth: "Brother Zhao, how come you speak even more logically than my master? Have you trained in eloquence?"

Qin Mu didn't reply, but just smiled slightly.

The line moved a few more steps.

The boy turned his head again, as if he couldn't help but ask a question he'd been holding back for a long time: "By the way, Brother Zhao, what ranking are you aiming for when you signed up?"

Qin Mu smiled and said:

"Naturally, it is the best in the world."

The young man was stunned for a moment after hearing Qin Mu's words "the best in the world," and then he smiled.

However, there was no mockery or sarcasm in that smile; instead, there was more appreciation.

"You really have wild ideas."

"But then again, who doesn't want to be the best in the world? My master often said that if a martial artist doesn't even dare to dream of it, then his life is over."

As he spoke, his eyes were fixed on the high platform in front of him, a longing in his gaze.

The line moved forward a few more steps, and only three people remained in front.

The boy rubbed his hands together and then his face, as if trying to refresh himself.

But when he reached the registration desk and heard the martial artist in charge of registration announce the registration fee, he paused for a moment.

His fingers groped around in his sleeve and pulled out a faded money pouch. He untied the drawstring, poured the coins into his palm, and a few copper coins fell into his hand, clinking and tinkling, the sound crisp but thin.

He counted once, then again, his lips twitching slightly as if he wanted to say something, but then he swallowed it back.

He turned his head, glanced at Qin Mu, and said with an embarrassed look in his eyes, "Brother Zhao... I seem to have brought too few, could you...?"

Qin Mu didn't say much. He took out a piece of silver from his sleeve, placed it on the registration table, and said to the martial artist in charge of registration, "Together."

The boy's eyes lit up.

He quickly said, "Brother Zhao, I must repay you!"

Qin Mu simply smiled and said, "We'll talk about it later."

The boy nodded vigorously, as if trying to etch the words into his mind.

He took his number plate, examined it twice, and then carefully tucked it into his pocket, as if it were something more important than the iron sword.

"Brother Zhao, after you register, if you have some free time, would you like to come and visit us? Our sect is right next door. Although it's a small place, our master makes pretty good tea."

Qin Mu did not refuse and nodded.

The boy led Qin Mu through the crowd to an inconspicuous corner at the edge of the training ground.