When it came to martial cultivation, Shi Qinglu was actually very capable. Yes, Lu Mingye might be slightly superior in that aspect, but the scope of his edge was very limited.

Her venomous expertise considerably increased her actual fighting ability, allowing her to surpass him in practical performance.

Though she and Lu Mingye were called the Flora Sacred Land’s twin treasures, Shi Qinglu didn’t particularly accept being ranked with her peer. She believed herself much more excellent than him.

This was why she had avoided participating in competitions with others of her generation. She had sights set on much loftier matters and goals.

She’d come to this grand competition because of two reasons: one, she wanted to avenge her great-uncle Shi Xuan’s defeat at Jiang Chen’s hands. Two, Flora’s executives had put a lot of pressure on her to participate, promising great rewards.

Shi Qinglu had only one objective in this competition – taking first place. She didn’t think anyone else could possibly match her among her fellow competitors, much less give her trouble.

Yes, Jiang Chen’s name was renowned throughout the realm, but certainly at least half of his fame was owed to propaganda. How strong could a young genius be, really?

Trading blows with the young genius in question had overturned her assumptions. Jiang Chen was strong to an almost unbelievable degree.

But when she realized this fact, she wasn’t in a much better situation than the Hu Lei whom she’d looked down upon.

Reportedly, he had been imprisoned by a golden bell – the very same instrument that now hovered over her own head. Its golden rays embodied a mystical power that prevented her from leaving.

As the bell loomed closer and closer, the last remnants of her pride disintegrated.

Shi Qinglu knew she had lost.

Her poison formation and all its associated traps had been ineffective against Jiang Chen. An opponent like him seemed invincible to the point of causing his enemies despair.

Aside from the forefather and the demigod primes in Flora, no one else had caused such feelings in Shi Qinglu before.

When the bell closed over her, the fight was as good as over.

Shi Qinglu felt the weight of a mountain bearing down upon her body.

“Miss Shi, I’m a civilized man. I’m giving you one last chance. What poison has Wu You been stricken with? Where is the antidote?” Jiang Chen didn’t like to make women suffer.

Yes, Shi Qinglu was technically his enemy, but nonetheless, he liked to be chivalrous if he could.

Shi Qinglu ground her teeth together. “Let me go first.”

Jiang Chen smiled serenely. “If I did and you ran off, I’d have a hard time catching you again. Isn’t this your territory?”

Saying this, he sidled towards her. “If you don’t want to give the antidote up of your own volition, then I’ll just have to search you. If I touch any unfortunate places in the process, you’ll have to excuse the intrusion.”

Shi Qinglu paled. “Jiang Chen,” she yelped, “don’t you dare touch me! Your rudeness will be revisited by the Flora Sacred Land tenfold!”

Jiang Chen chuckled. “What happened to your lascivious display from earlier, in the Rainbow Silk Formation? Am I supposed to be convinced of your purity and chastity?”

He intentionally jeered and motioned threateningly with his fingers, seeming very much like a genuine lecher.

Shi Qinglu’s face became as white as a sheet. “I’m warning you, Jiang Chen, I have several hundred types of strange poison on me. They’re exotic and deadly, and any one of them can kill you a hundred times over. If you touch me, you’ll definitely die.”

Jiang Chen laughed. “If you really had these potent poisons, why did you fall into my hands in the first place?”

“I took pity on your cultivation earlier,” Shi Qinglu replied stubbornly. “If you’re a proper gentleman, Jiang Chen, then free me and we’ll fight again.”

She was evidently quite anxious about any violation of her personal space and modesty.

Jiang Chen suddenly became rather serious. “If that’s the case, give me the antidote. Honestly, I’m not interested in you.”

“You...”

Women were strange creatures.

If Jiang Chen had run his hands all over her, Shi Qinglu would no doubt be furious enough to fight him to the death.

But outright expressing a lack of attraction was also enough to anger her. Countless young geniuses sought her favor and approval. And yet, this dastardly Jiang Chen had plainly expressed that he didn’t care about her beauty whatsoever!

Liar!

That was Shi Qinglu’s instinctive response.

But another look at the cool look in his eyes pierced her heart viciously, causing her dignity and self-esteem to rapidly deflate.

The nonchalance in his eyes wasn’t feigned. He really was capable of ignoring her wiles, and was doing so. Shi Qinglu’s fear turned into an inexplicable sense of disappointment.

She had lost in yet another way to this famous genius, a truth that really and thoroughly crushed her confidence.

Throughout this affair, Jiang Chen remained as indifferently composed as he always was.

In a daze, Shi Qinglu pulled the antidote out with a blank look.

𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

“Here.” Her voice was a bit hoarse. She took out a storage ring as well. “These are my orbs. You won, so they’re yours. Take them.”

She tossed the ring and toward him with apparent recklessness.

Jiang Chen caught the ring with a deft hand. As he was about to open it, he detected something out of the corner of his eye. He surged with golden light, focusing it out of his Evil Golden Eye to stop something in midair.

Two thin silver needles were visible in the air, frozen by the brilliant rays that had come out of his eyes.