This Is What a Villain Is Like

More and more cultivators gathered to watch, all of them struck speechless by the shocking scene before them.

Heads peeked out from one painted boat after another.

From the palaces and pavilions on the shore, gazes were also drawn over, alarmed by the commotion here.

"Junior Brother Zhang Yuan's strength is incredible, but I've never seen this Magic before…"

The Disciples of Yijian Palace were also in shock. They had thought "Zhang Yuan" was defeated and injured, but unexpectedly, he had suddenly unleashed such a powerful technique and sent his opponent flying.

In the river, steam rose in wisps. Sun Yi, who had fallen in, felt a sweet taste in his throat as his qi and blood roiled. He forcefully swallowed the blood that he was about to spit out.

His face was filled with shock and disbelief. He hadn't expected that single blow from "Zhang Yuan" to injure him so directly. He was no match for him at all.

The young Celestial Prides on the painted boat were equally shaken.

Jiang Lan, however, looked as if he had expected this. After all, he was well aware of Ye Ming's true strength.

"This Brother Zhang Yuan is quite skilled indeed…" He began to clap, his eyes showing admiration.

Jiang Lan's original goal was to conveniently drag Ye Ming out and put him on the spot.

The more he tried to hide, the more people would pay attention to and discuss him after this battle. Moreover, everyone had now seen that Ye Ming was associating with the third son of Prince Zhenbei.

This was precisely the outcome Jiang Lan wanted to achieve.

"Young Master Jiang, this guy is truly hiding his strength…"

Flames surged in Chi Yunxiao's eyes. He took a step forward through the air, about to strike.

Seeing this, Xiao Teng, on the Cloud Boat opposite them, had no time to be pleasantly surprised. He too took several steps forward to stand in mid-air. His aura surged as if gathering starlight, clearly intending to block him.

Ye Ming remained perfectly composed, his expression calm and unwavering.

"That won't be necessary. Since Brother Sun Yi lost, we will honor the bet and admit defeat."

"As for today's matter, we offer our apologies to this Brother Zhang Yuan."

Seeing that Chi Yunxiao was about to press forward and attack again, Jiang Lan waved his hand dismissively. With a smile still on his face, he said, "We lost, so we'll admit it. It's no big deal."

"On the other hand, Brother Zhang Yuan, isn't following this Xiao Teng a bit of a waste of your talents?"

"If you're interested, feel free to visit my Prime Minister's Mansion. The Prime Minister's Mansion welcomes all kinds of talent, and we have a deep appreciation for capable individuals like yourself, Brother Zhang Yuan."

Hearing his words, the Yijian Palace Disciples on the Cloud Boat were all stunned.

They had braced themselves, expecting the atmosphere to become tense and hostile again.

'Is he not going to pursue the matter and cause more trouble?'

Everyone was dumbfounded.

Xiao Teng's face, however, darkened instantly. His fists were still cracking, but he refrained from shouting a rebuke to save face.

Back in the Observatory's dungeon, Jiang Lan had used the same arrogant, condescending tone with him…

Ye Ming's expression remained serene. 'I don't know if Jiang Lan has seen through my identity or if he has other ulterior motives.' He cupped his hands and said, "I am grateful for Young Master Jiang's kind offer. If I have the opportunity in the future, I will certainly visit the Prime Minister's Mansion."

With that, he leaped into the air and returned to the Cloud Boat.

The injured Sun Yi returned to the painted boat, his face full of guilt, and was just about to speak.

But Jiang Lan just smiled nonchalantly and said, "Your skills were simply not as good. There's no need to blame yourself, Brother Sun Yi."

"I have a bottle of Third-Turned Essence Spirit Pills here. Taking one should help with your injuries."

"I have disappointed you, Young Master Jiang."

Upon hearing this, Sun Yi couldn't hide the touched expression on his face, and at the same time, the self-reproach in his heart deepened.

'If only I hadn't been so careless and underestimated my opponent, perhaps I wouldn't have been so miserably defeated.'

The many figures in the crowd, who had been watching for the entertainment, had expected things to get even more exciting. They never thought Jiang Lan would so frankly and gracefully choose to back down and admit defeat.

This magnanimity surprised many, as it didn't seem to fit Jiang Lan's arrogant personality.

'But on second thought, if the commotion got too big, perhaps even he would face some punishment…'

'He's a clever one. Retreating as a way to advance. In the end, it's Prince Zhenbei's Mansion that becomes a laughingstock…' A cold sneer flashed through Emperor Xia's eyes as he faintly guessed Jiang Lan's intentions.

"Young Master Jiang is quite an upright and straightforward person. To honor a bet and admit defeat like this, in front of everyone, is truly unexpected."

"If it were anyone else, they'd probably have refused to let it go just to save face…"

The many Disciples of Yijian Palace had complicated and varied expressions. Liu Xue, standing beside Ye Ming, had a strange light in her eyes as she murmured.

"He seems magnanimous on the surface, but he's actually hiding malicious intent. A person like that is far from as simple as you think. Tonight, he was just using us for his own amusement…"

Ye Ming, who believed he understood Jiang Lan's character very well, felt a wave of discomfort upon hearing Liu Xue's words and retorted in a cold voice.

Liu Xue knew she had misspoken and immediately gave a wry smile.

'Junior Brother "Zhang Yuan" certainly holds a deep grudge against the Young Master of the Prime Minister's Mansion. Still, I don't quite agree with what he just said. Perhaps the man was genuinely trying to recruit him.'

Xiao Teng, however, strongly agreed with Ye Ming. "Go and ask around about the things that guy has done in the Imperial Capital," he said. "Then you won't think of him as a good person."

Liu Xue's wry smile deepened.

Just then, Jiang Lan's voice came again from the painted boat. "Xiao Teng, I see you've been keeping a low profile lately. With the entire Xie Family demoted, shouldn't you be worried and busy dealing with the fallout? And yet you have the leisure to be here at the Desire Immortal Pavilion, enjoying yourself with others."

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