Chapter 109: You Are Lying

Elder Du offered a faint smile, exchanged a glance with Elder Li, and rose to his feet, walking slowly toward Ji Tianxin.

Noticing someone approaching, Ji Tianxin lifted her head, her gaze cool and detached as she watched the old man draw near.

Sikou Yan, who had been toying with his wine cup, paused mid-motion. His eyes settled on Elder Du, his petal-pink lips curling slightly upward.

As Elder Du neared Ji Tianxin, he suddenly felt as though a thousand-pound boulder had been dropped upon him, making every step forward increasingly arduous.

He immediately turned toward the masked youth, who was watching him with a faint, enigmatic smile.

It was him!

Yet, the moment he turned, the oppressive force vanished as abruptly as it had appeared. It was as if everything that had just transpired was merely a figment of his imagination.

Elder Du frowned, bewildered. It was impossible; how could this be?

Judging by his bone structure, the youth could be no more than sixteen. How could he possibly be a master at the Return to Truth stage? It was absurd! He must have consumed some drug to mask his true cultivation level. A teenager with such profound martial attainment was unheard of across the entire Tianwu Continent! He had never even caught wind of such a thing.

Doubt and unease gnawed at him, yet he continued toward Ji Tianxin. At this juncture, discovering the whereabouts of the fierce beast was his absolute priority.

"Young girl, stand up and let me examine your bone structure, would you?" Elder Du spoke with a tone that aimed to be both benevolent and authoritative.

Both Su Qing and Ji Tianxin looked up at him.

Su Qing blinked, confused. "Mistress, this old man says he wants to touch you."

Elder Du: "..." That sounded strangely wrong.

The others present struggled to contain their laughter, their expressions strained. The members of the Yufeng Academy looked particularly awkward, their faces flushing a mixture of red and pale.

Ji Huaili sighed inwardly. Like master, like servant. Ji Tianxin was always like this, and her maid was cut from the same cloth. It was enough to infuriate anyone to death—and the poor souls would likely never even realize how they had met their end.

Ji Tianxin blinked. "Examine my bone structure?"

Elder Du regained his composure, offering a feigned, kindly smile. "Indeed. I see that you have great potential, little one. I wish to inspect your aptitude; should you prove to possess superior talent, our Yufeng Academy would be willing to make an exception for you." His words carried a condescending air, as if this were an unparalleled opportunity and honor for her.

Ji Tianxin looked at him and said coolly, "You are lying."

To have such a blunt accusation leveled at him by a child left Elder Du momentarily stunned.

"What is it that you wish to obtain from me?" Ji Tianxin’s youthful voice was filled with a cold, detached indifference.

Those who heard it felt as if a layer of frost were settling upon them.

Feeling a twinge of guilt, Elder Du lashed out, "Little girl, what kind of tone is that!"

Ji Huaili was terrified and hurriedly urged, "Tianxin, don't speak nonsense! This is an elder of the Yufeng Academy!" He wasn't sure if he could stop her, but he had to try.

The people in the great hall held their breath.

A powerful martial pressure erupted from Elder Du, instantly flooding the entire hall.

As he stared into Ji Tianxin’s eyes, Elder Du felt a wave of trepidation. Those eyes did not seem like eyes at all; to him, they felt like thousands of blades piercing through the void, threatening to run him through at any second.

Under the gaze of everyone present, Ji Tianxin slowly rose to her feet.