Dashing Student Chapter 1348: Razor-Sharp Edge

Master Canglan inhaled deeply, closing his eyes to forcefully stifle the murderous intent churning within him.

"What is your price in spirit stones?"

"One million top-grade spirit stones, not a single one less." Chen Nan’s audacity was clear; he was aiming to extort the man.

While he understood perfectly well that this price was merely Chen Nan’s ploy to provoke him, Master Canglan could not bring himself to haggle under the scrutiny of such a large crowd.

Silently fuming, he extracted one million top-grade spirit stones from his spiritual artifact and tossed them toward Chen Nan. He maintained an air of indifference, refusing to let the heavy financial loss show on his face.

"Your generosity is appreciated, Master. I shall return Brother Gu Ci’s belongings exactly as they were."

Chen Nan immediately adopted a courteous demeanor. After all, having just secured such a massive endowment from this elder, there was no reason not to hand back the empty storage bag.

Just as Master Canglan turned to depart, he cast his divine sense into Gu Ci’s storage bag. He paused, his expression shifting, before he suddenly spat out a spray of blood.

The bag was entirely depleted save for a few trivial trifles like Gu Ci’s garments; everything of actual worth had been stripped away.

There was no mystery as to what had happened; Chen Nan had clearly pilfered the contents for himself.

"Jue Mingzi, you insolent thief, you have crossed the line!"

Grinding his teeth until they nearly cracked, Master Canglan chose to depart without looking back. Remaining any longer would only invite further humiliation.

Chen Nan beamed happily, feeling satisfied with his bounty: a million top-grade spirit stones and a wealth of cultivation resources scavenged from Gu Ci’s private stores.

It was no wonder so many cultivators clamored to serve Master Canglan; the old man was incredibly indulgent toward his disciples, and the cultivation resources he provided were undeniably lucrative.

Yao Wuchen approached, stroking his beard while shaking his head. "Sigh, blades that are too sharp and rigid shatter easily. Watch your step, young man."

Chen Nan held a measure of respect for Yao Wuchen, remembering how, amidst the earlier tension, it had been rare for anyone to speak up in his defense.

"I thank you for your wisdom, Senior."

"Indeed." Yao Wuchen offered a brief nod before leading the other Elders away.

"Husband, you were magnificent!"

Liu Hanyue rushed to his side and seized his arm, blissfully ignorant of the many cultivators still lingering near the arena.

"It was decent enough, though admittedly, Gu Ci’s skills were rather lackluster," Chen Nan noted with artificial modesty.

Despite the effortless appearance of his victory, he had invoked three distinct demon forms: the Heavenly Fox, the Dragon Elephant, and the Demon Ape.

Coupled with the amplification of his Yama Hall secret techniques and the unique properties of his Myriad Phenomena Golden Core, it would have been a miracle for Gu Ci to survive that strike.

During his time on Ten Thousand Treasures Island, he had required two ultimate moves to fell Ghost Slayer and Lu Xingmian; that Gu Ci managed to absorb two such strikes was, in a sense, a testament to his own tenacity.

The presence of so many Righteous Alliance Elders meant that Chen Nan had to restrain much of his true power, otherwise, the battle would have ended much sooner.

The surrounding cultivators were stunned, staring at Chen Nan as if he had revealed himself to be some sort of monster. If a talent of the Righteous Alliance and the cherished disciple of Master Canglan was only "lackluster," then what hope did the rest of them have?

Envy, jealousy, and trepidation filled their gazes. Those who had previously belittled Chen Nan now trembled, fearing he might seek retribution.

Chen Nan, however, ignored them, addressing the crowd with a calm demeanor. "Anyone wishing to challenge me in the future is welcome to step forward."

"However, be advised that the entry fee is 100,000 top-grade spirit stones. Do not present yourself unless you have the payment."

Without a backward glance, Chen Nan departed the area alongside Liu Hanyue and Ning Yu.

News of the humiliation rapidly swept across the Righteous Alliance: Chen Nan had killed Gu Ci, cursed Master Canglan as an old dog, and driven the master into a fit of blood-spitting rage.

Jue Mingzi’s name was now on everyone’s lips.

Inside Master Canglan’s dwelling, the air was thick with destruction as he smashed everything in his sight. Yi Mingzi knelt in the corner, trembling, terrified of his master’s current state.

Gu Ci’s corpse lay nearby, a jagged, horrific wound marring his chest.

"My disciple, you died so tragically! I swear upon my life to exact vengeance!"

After his outburst, Master Canglan squeezed out a few tears, feigning a look of profound sorrow. He possessed only seven disciples, all of whom he treated as his own kin; their losses cut him deeply.

"Master, it is all the fault of that cur Jue Mingzi. Without him, Fifth Brother would still be with us," Yi Mingzi sobbed, his eyes bloodshot as he worked to smear Chen Nan’s reputation further.

Master Canglan understood the petty machinations of his disciple, yet he chose to ignore them for the time being.

"Had I realized the danger, I would have mobilized the entire alliance to crush that wretch before he could lay a finger on you. If I had, your brother might have lived."

"I know you have been orchestrating matters in the shadows, and while I have helped shield you, this time, I expect you to eradicate Jue Mingzi permanently."

Yi Mingzi looked up in shock, eyes shimmering with gratitude.

"I hear you, Master. I will ensure that Jue Mingzi has nowhere to fly and no place to be buried. I have a plan."

Master Canglan nodded, his jaw set. "My only wish is to see that beast pay for your brother's life!"

...Returning to Liu Hanyue’s courtyard, Chen Nan realized that with his new status as a rising prodigy, he was no longer under Yi Mingzi’s thumb—any future orders would come directly from the Elders.

"I have made a breakthrough in my cultivation and must stabilize it. Please do not disturb me for the coming days."

Facing the women, he shivered slightly. He still needed to refine the vast amounts of Yin Yuan he had absorbed from Liu Hanyue through their dual cultivation, a task requiring total focus.

Both Liu Hanyue and Ning Yu, having also gained from the encounter, consented immediately.

Chen Nan retreated to his room and locked the door, letting out a long sigh of relief. Dealing with the intense personality of Liu Hanyue, who had remained single for ages, was an experience that often left him feeling utterly drained.

Safely inside, he began cataloging the spoils from Gu Ci’s bag.

He pulled out a golden brush, which hummed with powerful mana. While not quite reaching the Sixth Grade, it was a formidable half-step artifact.

Beyond the gold were over a hundred thousand top-grade spirit stones and a collection of potent elixirs that Master Canglan had painstakingly gathered—resources intended to bolster Gu Ci that would now fuel Chen Nan’s own path to power.

However, the item that truly piqued Chen Nan’s interest was a jade scroll containing a secret Sky Drawing Talisman technique titled "Pen Dances with Flowers."