Chapter 12: There’s Something Wrong with This Person

“Senior Jiang Ning is so handsome!”

“Senior Jiang Ning truly is a genius among geniuses!”

Those few outer-sect junior sisters had turned into adoring fans. If only their cultivation had reached the Opened Mind Realm and they could fly, they would have rushed over already.

The crowd was speechless.

After a long silence, they exchanged glances, taking a moment to process what had just happened.

Finally, someone couldn’t hold back:

“Is there something wrong with this guy?!”

“With his strength, he can overpower Zhao Feng and Wang Shuo. He might even be able to compete with Master Senior Li Zhenyu and Senior Sister Lin Qian. Why would he hide his abilities?!”

There were a few among them who had doubted Jiang Ning before. Now their faces burned with embarrassment, not knowing what to say.

“This guy definitely has issues. Why would he keep his strength hidden?”

Some people in the crowd had always held grudges against Jiang Ning. Their belongings had been stolen by Er Huang, and although Jiang Ning had returned them with an apologetic face, their prejudice remained.

Now they were all at a loss for words.

“Is there something wrong with him?”

“Pretending to be weak just to let everyone look down on him—does he have some kind of self-punishing complex or what?”

As they thought it over, everyone agreed they’d just witnessed an oddball.

There was nothing wrong with keeping one’s abilities concealed; everyone had their own secrets or trump cards. The problem was—

Who, with such strength, would allow themselves to be mocked without fighting back?

He’d repeatedly retreated from challenges.

He’d even admitted defeat on the spot during the outer-sect competition.

“This guy definitely has issues!”

Everyone felt as if they’d been played for fools and were thoroughly frustrated, as if they’d swallowed a dead rat.

“He’s probably been in the Opened Mind Realm for a long time, yet never once flown in the air. Unbelievable…”

Someone recalled past events—everyone had thought Jiang Ning hadn’t even broken through to the Spirit Gathering Realm.

This behavior was beyond comprehension.

It wasn’t unheard of to hide one’s strength, but no one had ever done it quite like Jiang Ning.

Everyone concluded that if it hadn’t been for Wang Shuo and Zhao Feng forcing him to fight this time, this guy would’ve kept hiding his strength, as if guarding against something, burying it deeper and deeper.

For a moment, the reason Jiang Ning became a personal disciple seemed clear to all.

They weren’t sure if his strength could rival Lin Qian or Yang Xiangtian, but to reach this realm in just half a year within the sect was truly shocking.

“Perhaps Sect Leader Yang knows this guy’s true strength…”

Most couldn’t help but speculate.

The spectators watched in discomfort.

Zhao Feng, now facing Jiang Ning’s indifferent expression with a sword pressed to his forehead, felt even more miserable.

“How… how is he so strong…”

Zhao Feng regretted following Wang Shuo into this mess.

He’d always been smooth and cautious, never openly offending anyone. Yet here he was, offending someone who could defeat both Wang Shuo and himself in a single move.

“Wang Shuo insisted on provoking him… I don’t know why.”

He had only followed to do Wang Shuo a favor; Wang Shuo assured him nothing would happen, claiming he had powerful backing.

Who would have guessed that in the blink of an eye, the situation would be completely reversed?

“Unlock the formation and release them.”

Jiang Ning wrapped the core of the formation in spiritual energy and pushed it toward Zhao Feng.

The sword pressed even closer to Zhao Feng’s forehead, a chilling aura radiating from Jiang Ning.

“This guy…”

Zhao Feng’s expression soured. Jiang Ning had controlled his strength, causing no serious harm.

But the main reason he was trapped was that only he could control the formation core.

“I don’t have much patience.”

Jiang Ning’s face grew colder; he wasn’t joking.

For reasons he couldn’t understand, these people had pushed him to his limits and forced his hand!

“Rescue Er Huang and leave this troublesome place—perhaps I should really consider whether Idle Cloud Sect is the right place for me to stay.”

Now that his strength was exposed, Jiang Ning was bound to attract unwanted attention; remaining in Idle Cloud Sect might become very dangerous.

“If my Celestial Spirit Physique is revealed, it would be a catastrophe for me…”

Zhao Feng said nothing more, accepting the formation core and changing his hand seal. Wisps of spiritual energy manipulated the heart of the formation.

Jiang Ning glanced at Er Huang, who was still trapped in the maze and killing array. He didn’t know formations, but could sense the spiritual energy dissipating—obviously, Zhao Feng wasn’t up to any tricks.

“It’s done,” Zhao Feng said.

Jiang Ning, still wary, controlled his flying sword with spiritual energy. The sword whipped around to the back, pressing tightly against the back of Zhao Feng’s head.

He stepped forward, closing the distance. Though his aura wasn’t unleashed, his icy gaze suggested he would strike without hesitation at any sign of betrayal.

“You, go in.”

Jiang Ning’s meaning was clear.

He wouldn’t be so foolish as to walk into the array by himself to save Er Huang; Zhao Feng had to go.

Zhao Feng, utterly helpless, could only nod.

He had no other thoughts—after offending Jiang Ning, whose strength was terrifying, and considering his status as a personal disciple, he had no wish to bring trouble upon himself.

Jiang Ning stepped aside, leaving a path open.

The flying sword hovered behind Zhao Feng as he entered the formation.

“If you try anything, I’ll act immediately,” Jiang Ning warned from behind.

Zhao Feng’s face showed his discomfort at Jiang Ning’s aggressiveness.

Nevertheless, he entered the formation, picked up the unconscious Er Huang, and brought him out again.

Since he held the core, he had neither the intention nor the stupidity to trap himself inside.

Throughout, Li Qiaochan remained silent.

She observed quietly, and upon witnessing this, gave a soft laugh.

This junior brother, whom she couldn’t see through, seemed… perhaps a bit too cautious.

“Is this why he hides his strength?” she wondered. She wasn’t certain, feeling it couldn’t be so simple.

Jiang Ning also noticed Li Qiaochan’s gaze.

“That woman—I’ll avoid her in the future.”

He had followed her by concealing his presence and had seen her bring Er Huang here, then enter the trapping array. Perhaps she meant no harm, and maybe there weren’t killing arrays inside, but it had all started with her involvement.

Li Qiaochan had played her part.

“Was she the one who urged Wang Shuo to force my hand?” Jiang Ning couldn’t be sure, but Wang Shuo’s insistence on provoking him seemed unlikely to be for Li Qiaochan’s sake.

Zhao Feng brought Er Huang to him. Jiang Ning looked on impassively.

First, he snatched the formation core and crushed it in his hand.

With several muffled bangs, the previously set formation nodes all spontaneously collapsed.

The array was destroyed.

“You—” Zhao Feng’s expression changed.

Only now did Zhang Yanli fully comprehend what had happened. She wanted to protest, but upon recalling Jiang Ning’s strength, she held her tongue again, though the malice in her eyes did not escape Jiang Ning’s notice.

“It’s useless to keep it—spare others the harm.”

Jiang Ning’s face remained unmoved as he took Er Huang into his arms. Though the latter was unconscious and his aura feeble, his life was not in danger, and Jiang Ning breathed a sigh of relief.

Without delay, he summoned a rainbow arc and left immediately.

“Here’s your sword!”

Moments later, Zhao Feng’s longsword shot down from the sky, landing with a clang and quivering in the ground.

“Go, Senior Jiang Ning!”

Those outer-sect junior sisters, now newly promoted, were still calling out from afar.

Everyone watched as Jiang Ning departed.

“This one—best not to provoke him in the future…”

Most people held this thought in their hearts.

“It’s too soon, Junior Jiang Ning, far too soon…”

Li Zhenyu watched from a distance, sighed deeply, and shook his head.

And atop another mountain peak, a shadow hidden in darkness faded away as Jiang Ning left, slowly vanishing into the night…