Dashing Student Chapter 1352: Old Habits Die Hard

Chen Nan fixed his gaze on Yi Mingzi with a slight smile. He remained perfectly still, holding his posture without betraying a hint of alarm at Wu Hong’s demeanor.

This was because every detail had been orchestrated by his own hand.

Yi Mingzi walked into this confrontation believing victory was inevitable, convinced he could leverage the Demon Sect to eliminate Chen Nan. He remained foolishly unaware that Chen Nan possessed standing within the Demon Sect far superior to his own.

Furthermore, Tu Susu had uncovered that Yi Mingzi was conspiring with the Yin Soul Sect’s Elder, Wu Hong, to betray their interests. Even the previous intelligence regarding the assault on Ten Thousand Treasures Island had been leaked to Yi Mingzi by Wu Hong himself.

Yet, acting on Chen Nan’s counsel, Tu Susu refrained from punishing Wu Hong, choosing instead to grant him a chance to redeem himself through meritorious deeds.

Consequently, when Yi Mingzi approached him once more to orchestrate Chen Nan’s downfall, he feigned compliance, even inviting Yi Mingzi to join him and witness Chen Nan’s demise.

It was precisely that invitation which led Yi Mingzi to accept Chen Nan’s conditions so readily while he was positioned among the Righteous Alliance.

Little did the man know, the trap he had meticulously laid had long since morphed into a conspiracy aimed squarely at him.

"Son-in-law? Tell me... just how many women have you entangled?"

Yi Mingzi stood on the brink of a complete mental collapse. Not only were the Nascent Soul Realm Elders of the Righteous Alliance infatuated with Chen Nan, but now he faced the sight of women causing a spectacle for the Demon Sect as well.

Was there not a single decent man left in the world?

"Not many, merely a handful." Chen Nan never felt the need to conceal his affairs, although he rarely leaned on the influence of his companions.

To outside observers, Chen Nan might appear somewhat arrogant, but he possessed the strength to back his ego.

"Son-in-law, the Holy Daughter instructed us to oversee your safety. Leave these buffoons to me; I shall reap his life personally and deliver his head as a tribute," Wu Hong announced as he stepped forward.

Having nearly caused Chen Nan’s death through his previous treachery, Wu Hong was desperate to gain favor with him now.

Panic surged through Yi Mingzi. He was no match for Chen Nan—who could hold his own against a Golden Core Realm Great Perfection expert—let alone a seasoned Nascent Soul Realm Master.

"Chen Nan!" he stammered, his mind racing in a desperate bid for survival. "We are both of the Righteous Alliance! Have you no fear of being hunted by the Alliance for committing such a deed?"

Chen Nan chuckled dryly. "You expect fear from me? Besides, everyone standing here serves me. My word is absolute."

Cold sweat beaded on Yi Mingzi’s forehead. "No... if you slay me, my master will surely hunt you to the ends of the earth!"

"And if I spare you, do you honestly believe your master would return the favor?" Chen Nan retorted, sealing the fate of the man’s waning hope.

Glancing at the fierce, predatory eyes of the Demon Cultivators surrounding him, a wave of bitter regret washed over Yi Mingzi. If only he hadn’t contested that Golden Marrow Grass with Chen Nan, he would not be facing this calamity.

Realizing his appeals were useless, Yi Mingzi steeled himself, his expression settling into a mask of grim calm.

"Jue Mingzi, I simply cannot accept this. I command a powerful teacher and access to endless resources. Whatever I desire, my master procures for me."

"Yet you? A wretched, insignificant Loose Cultivator... why are you stronger than me? Why does everyone gravitate toward you?"

"I know my life ends today, but I refuse to perish at the hands of a mongrel Demon Cultivator. Come, fight me!"

Chen Nan was briefly taken aback by this final display of pride, but the realization came far too late.

"Very well, I shall grant your wish."

Chen Nan gestured, and Wu Hong and his cohort promptly withdrew, creating a wide circle to facilitate the duel.

"Jue Mingzi, I will not be defeated!"

Yi Mingzi ground his teeth, a crimson hue suffusing his body as a mocking glint flickered in his eyes. "Haha, that was all a ruse!"

"Yi Mingzi, do not think this is over!"

Recognizing the familiar Qi radiating from him, Chen Nan stiffened for a heartbeat before erupting into a harsh laugh. "I thought you had found some shred of dignity, but you were merely fishing for a chance to bolt!"

"Still as pathetic as ever. But alas, there is nowhere left for you to run."

Yi Mingzi laughed wildly. "My Blood Escape Technique is supreme! Even a Nascent Soul expert cannot keep pace with me. What could you possibly do?"

During their first encounter, Yi Mingzi had relied on the Blood Escape Technique to slip away, and he intended to exploit it once more. His previous bravado had been nothing more than a ploy to force Wu Hong’s retreat.

As he spoke, his frame dissolved into a streak of blood-red light, hurtling into the horizon.

Seeing this, Wu Hong roared, "Intercept him immediately!"

Chen Nan stood unmoved, calmly producing a talisman. Injecting his mana, he cast it toward the heavens, where it erupted into a cascade of constellations.

"Forbidden Sky!"

Instantly, a strange ripple of power expanded, and the very fabric of space turned rigid, becoming an impossible prison.

Yi Mingzi, still encased in his crimson streak, slammed into this invisible wall, finding his momentum shunted and trapped.

The Forbidden Sky Talisman was a Sixth Grade miracle Chen Nan had manifested upon returning from Ten Thousand Treasures Island, verifying him as a Sixth Grade Talisman Master.

He had foreseen this exact moment long ago; the talisman had been crafted specifically for Yi Mingzi.

Realizing his path was cut off, Yi Mingzi materialized from the blood light, his complexion ash-gray as he glared at Chen Nan. "How? How could you hold such a rare Spirit Talisman? Why does fortune always favor you?"

Chen Nan shrugged with a faint smile. "Perhaps because I do not spend my days whining like you."

The biting remark hit like a serrated blade, driving Yi Mingzi into a frenzy of rage as his eyes bled into a deep, furious scarlet.

"I will terminate you!"

He bellowed, brandishing the Jade Pendant bestowed by Master Canglan. A surge of immense power radiated from it, manifesting a semi-transparent projection of Master Canglan looming overhead.

The master gestured toward Chen Nan, unleashing an irresistible, crushing force that tore through the air.

The ocean beneath them billowed and split, while the sky itself seemed to fracture under the pressure.

Wu Hong’s face drained of color, but he gritted his teeth, throwing himself in front of Chen Nan and summoning a series of Sixth-grade Spiritual Artifacts to form a barricade.

Simultaneously, he poured every ounce of his mana into a desperate protective barrier.

Boom!

Master Canglan was a Ninth-Layer Nascent Soul practitioner; even attenuated, the power of his pendant was leagues beyond what a First-Layer cultivator like Wu Hong could endure.

Every artifact shattered like glass, and his defensive screen crumbled instantly.

The residual force blasted through him, sending him tumbling from the sky, though he had miraculously clung to his life.

Watching the fallen man, Chen Nan gave a slow, respectful nod.

"Our debt is now settled."