There was a sudden lull after Xu Xiaoshou cheeky retort.

Everyone could sense the confidence he exuded just from the tone he used. The kid seemed cocksure about the path he intended to take in the future.

"Am I hearing things here?"

Xiao Qixiu was rather baffled. He glanced at the masked man and then at Xu Xiaoshou. He wondered whether he would speak in such a manner to his Elders if he were decades younger.

No, there was no way he would utter such words!

The corners of Elder Sang's lips twitched. The others might not believe it, but he believed every word the kid said.

It was why Elder Sang had initially taken a liking to Xu Xiaoshou. Despite presenting an eccentric, happy-go-lucky personality, the kid had immense fortitude and confidence deep down.

Truth be told, the measure of his confidence was only a tad lower than his own.

Everyone was shocked, so much so that even Jiang Bianyan saw the young man in a different light.

Using such pompous words when addressing a prominent member of the Holy Vassal, who happened to be armed with a famed sword, was not for the faint-hearted. This was no average person.

"You know the man who stands before you, right?" asked Cen Qiaofu.

Unlike everyone from the Spirit Palace, those pompous words utterly irked Cen Qiaofu.

"Oh? Who may he be?"

Xu Xiaoshou's eyes glinted. It was a question that had bothered him for some time.

He would honestly be grateful if the aged man were to give him an answer.

"He is…"

The masked man put out his hand in front of Cen Qiaofu, stopping him from saying any more.

He had no intention of making his identity public as there was an outsider present at the scene.

The masked man now liked the kid even more because of the confidence which the kid exuded.

The kid was quite something indeed.

"I think you might have met Lei Shuangxing. Come with me, and you will get to know more of such geniuses," said the masked man as he continued persuading Xu Xiaoshou.

"The blind guy?" asked Xu Xiaoshou. He paused for a while and continued, "He is still alive?"

Despite being a Master Swordsman, there was no certainty that Lei Shuangxing could escape from the spatial turbulence after the attack by Ye Xiaotian.

The masked man seemed shocked, but before he could say any more the young man on the ground continued to speak.

"If he is still alive, please tell him he needs more training and to focus on his state of mind."

"The guy gets riled up too easily and is too impulsive."

Ye Xiaotian smirked and almost chuckled. He could already predict the expression on the faces of the two from the Holy Vassal after they heard what Xu Xiaoshou said.

As expected, Cen Qiaofu wobbled in the air as soon as he heard that.

The blind kid was probably the steadiest and firmest of the young ones he had ever met. Other than the blind kid addressing him as a Senior, they hardly ever interacted.

Impulsive?

Was the boy kidding?

The masked man also looked baffled and did not know what else to say.

Could it be that Xu Xiaoshou and Lei Shuangxing not only met, but they have fought as well?

"Impulsive? Huh!"

The masked man then mumbled something under his breath and found nothing else he could say to sway the kid who seemed to have set his mind in stone.

"I am giving you one last chance."

The masked man took a deep breath and said in a solemn tone, "Come with me, and I will guarantee that you become a Master Swordsman within a year."

Gasp!

Everyone was shocked to hear him make that pledge.

Master Swordsman!

Within a year!

It was more than just an incentive!

Everyone knew Sword Will training depended on one's capacity to understand, and one's fate.

They wondered just how powerful the masked man had gotten to make such an audacious promise.

Xiao Qixiu looked stunned as well.

Even he dared not make such promises. Even if he were to repeat all of his training, he would still not be confident enough to make such guarantees.

"A year, eh?"

Everyone saw Xu Xiaoshou lowering his head, and he appeared to look rather intrigued.

Was he intrigued?

Xu Xiaoshou did not need to crack his head to know that he definitely did not need a year to earn 50000 passive points.

He probably would not even need a month to do so.

"A year is kinda long."

Xu Xiaoshou could not help mumbling aloud. When he saw everyone giving him dirty looks after he said that, he explained right away. "I am just telling the truth here. Do not go about twisting what I say."

The masked man remained confused.

Did he say twisting?

What was there to twist with what he had said?

: Doubted, Passive Points +7.

At that moment, not only had the two from Holy Vassal feel that the kid had gone too far, even those from the Spirit Palace had thought the same.

There were limits to how far one could toy with another person!

Haha, haha, haha, haha!

Qiao Qianzhi could not stop himself from laughing out loud. He caught Xu Xiaoshou's head in a headlock and said, "Xiaoshou, know your limits, man. You are going too far."

Was he going too far?

Xu Xiaoshou looked at the masked man, whose eyes looked like they were about to zap him with fire. He quickly hid behind Elder Qiao. He stuck his head out and asked, "How about a month, then?"

Huh?

Was that smoke coming out of the guy's ears?

"Mm, Half a year, then."

"If you can promise me I'll become a Master Swordsman in half a year, then I might... consider it," Xu Xiaoshou replied hesitantly.

Infuriated, Cen Qiaofu's face lost all its color. He turned as white as a sheet.

"You b*st*rd, what do you take us for?"

In great anger, he immediately raised his ax to make a move.

Crackle! Crackle!

Before he could hew down at Xu Xiaoshou, formless flames danced on the surface of his body again. It was enough to scare him, and he shirked away as he tried his best to avoid the blaze.

"You want more?"

Elder Sang sneered at Cen Qiaofu from where he was standing. If they wanted to keep fighting, he could still oblige them.

However, the entire Tiansang Spirit Palace would be reduced to ruins. But they could rebuild another one and recruit more disciples.

He did not mind it.

The masked man was also fuming at his words. He thought the kid was infuriating enough with the way he kept asking for more. But such arrogance was another thing altogether.

"You remind me of how I was, many years ago. I like you."

"Thank you."

Xu Xiaoshou darted his head out again to answer. He paused and then said, "But you are only the second person to say that to me."

"Huh?"

The masked man was intrigued. "The second person?"

Xu Xiaoshou tilted his head and looked at Elder Sang, who coincidentally was merely taking in all that was happening, like a spectator.

The place fell silent again.

And it seemed like you could cut the air with a knife.

Elder Sang blushed and lowered his hat.

This kid!

Could he not tell friend from foe with his verbal attack?

Haha, haha... Mmmf!

Qiao Qianzhi bit down on his laughter in time to avoid adding to their troubles.

Getting on the wrong side of Old Man Sang would be far more terrifying than offending the masked man. Elder Sang was at the Spirit Palace all year round and could make his life difficult. The thought alone terrified Qiao Qianzhi.

Then everyone turned to look at the distant sky.

Jiang Bianyan felt pleased and said, "They are here."

The two from Holy Vassal had dread written all over their faces. They knew they could not afford to stay around any longer. The ones with white robes from the Holy Divine Palace were already on their way.

"We must leave."

Cen Qiaofu rushed the masked man. If they were to stay around any longer, the chances of being able to escape would diminish.

The masked man was still not giving up. "Wen Ming!"

"You have already said it was my last chance just now. What are you doing now?" Xu Xiaoshou replied.

The masked man was silent.

: Cursed, Passive Points +1.

He finally gave up, not understanding why he had been so insistent on taking the kid with him. The kid was quite a piece of work!

All his efforts were for naught.

The masked man sighed, and the two of them from the Holy Vassal were about to leave. Then out of the blue, Xu Xiaoshou said, "Perhaps I could leave with the two of you?"

All eyes immediately glared at Xu Xiaoshou. He shuddered from their stares. But he could sense the weird phenomenon coming from afar.

If formidable people were coming their way, then why not have these two intruders remain here?

Xu Xiaoshou puzzled the masked man.

"You are changing your mind?" the masked man asked.

Xu Xiaoshou spoke in a thoughtful tone when he saw the dubious look in the masked man's eyes. He said, "But I have conditions."

"What conditions?"

The masked man smirked. Despite all his jabbering, the kid eventually could not resist the offer.

"Hand me the sword in your hand first, then I will leave with you," Xu Xiaoshou replied.

It surprised everyone. And Elder Sang was rather amused by it.

"Damn you, brat! Are you not asking for too much?"

Cen Qiaofu growled, rather startled at his audacity. The kid was so full of himself and acted so arrogantly. He was not even worth a strand of hair on the sword!

Hold on.

What was he thinking? The sword did not have hairs.

The masked man chuckled and said, "Sure. Leave with me, and I will hand the sword over to you."

Cen Qiaofu looked shocked and said, "You are out of your mind!"

"Hand me the sword first. Then, I will leave with you," replied Xu Xiaoshou, looking unfazed.

Huh!

"So, you are playing me for a fool after all, eh?"

The masked man shuddered, finally realizing that the young man before him had no interest in following him. The kid was merely toying with him.

He gripped the snowy-white sword tight;y in his hand and went for the kid.

"Hold it!"

Cen Qiaofu pulled the masked man's hand. If they continued to linger around, the two of them would end up at risk. What, all because a junior held them back?

"Let go!"

"We need to leave!"

"Let me go!"

"We leave first!"

"I know!" The look on the masked man's face was turning sullen, and his voice was shaky. "I'll have you know the flames on you are burning me!"