clergé

Chapitre 19

A storm raged within her.

Zhang Xiuzhu was thrown back several steps by the powerful gust of air before he regained his footing. He cupped his hands in greeting to Gu Xiju, uttered a few flattering words such as "The Alliance Leader is wise and mighty, his martial arts are unparalleled, even his maid is so extraordinary," and then, pale-faced and unwilling to stay any longer, left dejectedly.

Gu Xiju smiled and remained seated, not seeing him off any further.

Pang Wan stared at him for a long time, unsure of what to say.

The thought that this person could separate her and Zhang Xiuzhu with just a single tea leaf, demonstrating that his skill had clearly reached its pinnacle, filled her with fear—just how unfathomable was this person?

Gu Xiju smiled as he saw her hesitant expression.

"Come here." He beckoned to her, still holding the cup of tea that Pang Wan had brewed earlier, his expression kind.

Pang Wan bit her lower lip and moved towards him at a snail's pace with tiny, shuffling steps, clearly unwilling.

Gu Xiju wasn't annoyed. He just looked at her, his eyes filled with the brilliance reflected in her purple dress: "Is my kung fu impressive?"

Unexpectedly, he was so direct. Pang Wan immediately forgot her fear and her almond-shaped eyes lit up: "Amazing, amazing, really amazing!" She nodded vigorously.

Gu Xiju couldn't help but chuckle at her devout little fan-like appearance.

"Do you want to learn?" He patted her head.

The intense light gradually dimmed: "...I don't want to."

It would be a lie to say she didn't want to, but as the Holy Maiden of the Demonic Sect, how could she learn the martial arts of a reputable sect? Wouldn't it embarrass Uncle Zuo and Brother Nan Yi if word got out?

Gu Xiju's face turned cold, and he left his large hand on her head without saying another word.

"Alliance Leader, could you grant me another request?" Pang Wan suddenly remembered something, and excitedly took Gu Xiju's hand and held it tightly in her own palm.

Looking at those delicate, white hands, Gu Xiju's expression softened slightly.

"What are your requirements?" He turned to look at her.

"Let's have a fight! A good, good fight!"

A radiance, a mixture of dreaminess and longing, shone on the girl's pretty face.

The enchantress brings much joy

Gu Xiju paused for a moment, feeling something throbbing in his forehead.

“…No.” He sighed, pulled his hand out of Pang Wan’s palm, and pressed the restless thing on his forehead back down one by one.

"Why not?" Pang Wan persisted, tugging at him and pleading, "Let's have a fight, let's have a fight!"

Gu Xiju initially intended to ignore her, but her sleeves were about to be torn, so he had no choice but to turn around and look at her: "Wanwan, you've been following me for almost two months. Has anyone come to challenge me or make a challenge to me?"

"No." Pang Wan looked up at him expectantly, "You're the leader of the martial arts alliance, of course no one..."

“It’s not just for that reason.” Gu Xiju sighed—again, he felt that he had sighed more in the last two months than in the previous twenty-six years combined. “It’s because anyone who dares to challenge me must be prepared for the worst.” He stared at Pang Wan and said softly, “My rule is that I never leave any of my men alive.”

Of those who heard him say those words, seven died and thirteen fled, abandoning their swords. Now, Pang Wan merely glared at him and gave a crisp "Oh."

Gu Xiju frowned: "Did you understand?"

Pang Wan smiled and nodded, "I understand. It's a battle between you and me, it's either you or me, right?" So what? Back in the Demonic Sect, when did the Southern Barbarians ever try to kill her? She didn't feel any terror from Gu Xiju at all.

"You have such great skills, it's such a pity I can't fight you." Her face showed great regret. "Perhaps I could have reached a higher level of understanding by sparring with you!"

So, he was being used as a sparring partner? Gu Xiju could only sigh again.

Since she had no hope of defeating Gu Xiju one-on-one, Pang Wan gave up her ambitions and settled down to be a maidservant by Gu Xiju's side.

She's quite famous now. Everyone around Gu Xiju knows that the leader of the alliance found a girl with high martial arts skills but whose sect is unknown. This girl is arrogant and domineering, and she even chased away Zhang Xiuzhu, a Wudang master who came to visit!

"Would you consider me a reclusive master?" Pang Wan was delighted to hear others discussing her. The Mary Sue female protagonist system was magical; it would occasionally activate a self-protection mechanism to filter out keywords that were harmful to her. Therefore, she only remembered the words "highly skilled in martial arts but unable to identify the sect."

Gu Xiju didn't speak, but lowered his head and flipped through the book in his hands.

"I'm telling you, the dignified leader of the martial arts alliance, what do you do all day besides practice martial arts and read books?" Pang Wan was displeased that he was ignoring her, and stood beside him gesturing wildly. "With your abilities, you should... you should..."

She couldn't continue. In her memory, the male protagonists in Mary Sue continents basically practiced martial arts and read books every day. Palace intrigue and power struggles didn't seem suitable for the identity of a martial arts leader. Did they expect him to cultivate immortality?

But Gu Xiju looked up from the book and waited quietly for her to continue.

"I've got it!" Pang Wan's eyes lit up, and she clapped her hands. "You should go find someone to date." As the male lead, dating the female lead is the most important thing!

Gu Xiju looked at her and smiled, "Who should I go to?"

Pang Wan hesitated for a moment, then glanced at him cautiously: "I heard you like Fairy Sang Chan?"

Gu Xiju paused for a moment, then his face darkened: "...It's a pity that I can't have what I want."

Pang Wan felt a sharp pain in her heart, like being pricked by a needle, but she quickly rallied—after all, this was the answer she had expected.

Seeing such an outstanding young man so heartbroken, Pang Wan felt from the bottom of her heart that she should do something for him—maybe, maybe if she could help him win the heart of the beautiful woman, all the Mary Sue pain in her heart would be healed.

"Have you ever thought about why Fairy Sangchan still doesn't like you, even though you're already so outstanding?"

Having thought it through, Pang Wan made up her mind to speak.

She might not be good at other things, but she's an expert at guessing the thoughts of Mary Sue heroines. An expert's skill is immediately apparent. With her advising Gu Xiju, knowing his enemy and himself, wouldn't Sang Chan, this all-powerful heroine, be easily won over?

"I never understood what she was thinking." Gu Xiju shook his head.

"Does she have a particular preference for a certain type of man? For example, a delicate and frail one?" Pang Wan thought to herself that perhaps Sang Chan liked the devilish type.