Neither of them had made a move yet, but their aura and the killing intent they exuded filled the air with an icy atmosphere. Onlookers held their breath, their eyes fixed on the two figures without moving. It was as if the slightest sound would be enough to explode the tense atmosphere.

Jian Wu stared intently at the other person. “Should I act first?” he thought. The man in front of him was the son of the city lord. This was a problem in itself, but his identity made it even more complicated. Not only was he the son of a city lord, but he was Luo Tian, who had been nicknamed “Devil” for generations in his previous life. He was on a completely different level from the simple punk he had fought on the street three days ago.

“No matter how I look at it, this doesn't look good,” Jian Wu thought to himself. But he had no intention of backing down.

“Looks like my best chance is to make the first move,” Jian Wu thought as he prepared to act. His muscles were tense, his breathing controlled. Luo Tian crossed his arms over his chest, watching Jian Wu with a mocking expression on his face. It was as if he knew what was going through her mind and was amused by it. That arrogant look only increased the tension around them.

Just as Jian Wu was about to lunge towards Luo Tian, a voice broke the silence with its words:

“Luo Tian, you really are as described. A pathetic loser who takes pleasure in crushing those weaker than himself.”

At these words, everyone froze. Who could say such a bold thing to Luo Tian? This was an even bigger challenge than Jian Wu's dare. The watching crowd suddenly fell silent, their attention turning to the owner of the voice. As people slowly stepped aside, a girl appeared, standing tall and glaring at Luo Tian.

The crowd stared at her in astonishment. What she said was already shocking, but the real astonishment came from her extraordinary beauty. With her white skin, her flaming red hair and her posture in a bold blue dress, she resembled a goddess. Her face and body were softly contoured, but the sharp light in her eyes and her thin lips gave her an air of both grace and authority. Most of the men felt their hearts beat faster, while the women watched her with looks of envy and admiration.

“Lin Mei...” said Luo Tian with a wry grin on his face. “I thought you had already moved to the testing grounds. I didn't expect you to be here.”

Lin Mei didn't respond to Luo Tian's words. She only directed her cold gaze at him. Even her silence felt like a threat.

A man in the crowd said in an admiring whisper, “Who is this goddess? Please someone tell me!”

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Another replied: “I don't know, but if even Luo Tian treats her so kindly, she is definitely no ordinary person. I couldn't imagine anyone talking to him like that and surviving.”

Even Jian Wu was moved by this moment. Stunned by her beauty, he unconsciously lost all intention to kill her. He whispered a name as he gazed at her:

“Princess Lin Mei...”

Jian Wu remembered that, at the time, Lin Mei's identity was still a closely guarded secret. However, someone like the City Lord was, of course, privy to the truth. Jian Wu guessed that this was why the City Lord had warned his son so sternly—disturbing Lin Mei could spell doom for the City Lord and his entire family.

There were some people no one could afford to offend, not even in their wildest moments, and Lin Mei was undoubtedly one of them. It wasn’t just her abilities that made her untouchable; her family background was equally formidable. Luo Tian wouldn’t dare harm a single hair on this girl's head, not even in his most reckless dreams.

Luo Tian withdrew all killing intent as he looked at Lin Mei. Jian Wu was no longer important to him. Luo Tian's eyes were filled with greedy lust. He thought, “If I can get this girl into my harem... She might even become my wife,” he thought.

He smiled warmly and said, “You misunderstand me, Young Lady Lin Mei. Don't be so prejudiced against me. As the son of a city lord, I have priority access. My servants may have been excited to make way, but I didn't bully anyone,” he said.

The audience was shocked by these words. “Is this really Luo Tian talking so nicely to a girl?” someone muttered.

Lin Mei looked at him with a cold expression that showed she didn't believe his words one bit. The longer she kept silent, the more Luo Tian's desire grew inside him.

Luo Tian bowed slightly and said, “Then I'll go in. We'll talk again after the Sect Selection, young lady. I hope we end up in the same sect and get along well.” He paused for a moment before walking past Jian Wu.

The others didn’t notice, but as Luo Tian passed, he cast a sidelong glance at Jian Wu, filled with disdain. Jian Wu noticed it, but he didn’t care in the slightest.

He looked after Luo Tian with an emotionless face. Then he turned her gaze to Lin Mei. Lin Mei was smiling slightly. Even that small smile was enough to make Jian Wu's heart speed up. He bowed slightly and started walking towards the selection area. The crowd made way for him too. Before, people didn’t take him seriously and even thought he was a fool who didn’t know his place. But when they saw him standing fearlessly before the Devil Luo Tian, who could still look down on him or dismiss him as a fool? In this world, all cultivators revered talent and courage. To follow the martial dao was to admire those who embodied bravery and strength.

“He’s no ordinary person,” someone muttered.

“Absolutely. He has the heart of a true warrior,” another agreed.

“I don’t know if his skills match his bold words, but he’s earned my respect,” a third added.

Jian Wu paid no attention to the murmurs around him, nor did he spare a glance at the girls watching him with admiration and desire. He simply walked forward, his gaze fixed ahead, and passed through the gates into the arena without looking back.