Chapter 118: Heartbroken!

"A good show is about to begin!"

This was the thought shared by everyone present. Shen Xinglan and Phoenix were naturally the most dazzling figures in the entire venue, their every move commanding the attention and drawing the gaze of countless people.

Seeing Shen Xinglan proactively walk toward Tang Fei’s location, the expressions of the onlookers instantly grew excited.

"Look, look! Shen Xinglan is going after Tang Fei. When two titans meet, will these two end up fighting?"

"Surely not? How could a proud son of heaven like Shen Xinglan fight someone over a woman? That would be far too disgraceful."

"If that woman happens to be Her Royal Highness the Princess, then it would be understandable. A physical fight might not happen, but he could very well challenge Tang Fei directly, just like Qin Jianyi did. If Tang Fei accepts the challenge, he'll simply get crushed by Shen Xinglan. If he doesn't dare to accept, it will be even more humiliating than losing..."

"How could Tang Fei possibly be a match for Shen Xinglan? Up to now, Shen Xinglan still holds the record for the youngest practitioner to break through to the Profound Mystery Realm..."

"That Tang Fei isn't someone to be trifled with either; even Qin Jianyi wasn't his match..."

***

Phoenix, Tang Fei, and the others also noticed Shen Xinglan walking toward them. Phoenix's lips parted slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, no words came out.

From her perspective, it was hard to know how to speak on the matter.

Furthermore, Shen Xinglan hadn't said or done anything yet, so she couldn't show her favoritism too overtly...

A brilliant smile hung on Tang Fei's face, as if he were welcoming an old friend who had traveled from afar, making it impossible for anyone to discern his true thoughts.

Only Sheng Xinhuai wore an amused smile and chimed in, "A modest, fair maiden is a gentleman’s good mate. Blame it on the fact that our little Princess Xiuxue is simply too lovable; even I, a woman, wish I could hold her in my arms and cherish her."

"..."

"I must admit, Shen Xinglan's outward appearance is really quite dashing."

Phoenix shot her a fierce glare. This woman truly spoke without a filter. If the members of the Shen family were to hear Sheng Xinhuai describe their handsome Shen Xinglan as merely possessing good "outward appearance," it would probably stir up quite a bit of trouble.

Naturally, Sheng Xinhuai knew why Phoenix was warning her and said, "Don't worry, I'm just saying this among us... he can't hear us."

"Walls have ears."

"Can't I just deny it? How could a literature professor at the Empire's First Military Academy utter such unrefined, roguish words? Could someone be deliberately framing me to drive a wedge between my father and the Shen family?"

"..."

Indeed, if a person had no sense of shame, they were invincible across the world.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Shen Xinglan walked up to Tang Fei and asked with a smile, "Tang Fei?"

"Shen Xinglan?"

Shen Xinglan took the initiative to extend his hand toward Tang Fei and said, "As a friend of Phoenix, I am very grateful that you stepped up to help during such a dangerous moment, allowing her to return safely to the New Star."

*Huh? Is this him asserting his territory?*

"Don't mention it. As a friend of Phoenix, it was only right for me to do so," Tang Fei replied.

"Welcome to the New Star as well. I hope we can have more exchanges and sparring sessions in the future."

"There will definitely be a chance," Tang Fei said with a chuckle.

*Is this a challenge?*
*Want to challenge me? No way.*
*I'm not accepting your challenge anytime soon.*

Tang Fei wasn't a fool. As a refugee youth who had crawled up from the Old Soil, he wasn't arrogant enough to think that just because of his little parlor tricks, he could stride across the New Star unbeaten.

Therefore, it would be one thing if Shen Xinglan didn't issue a challenge.

If he dared to issue a challenge, Tang Fei would make him understand what the cruelest rejection in history looked like...

Shen Xinglan was also sizing up Tang Fei, who stood within arm's reach. This was a very unique man: his facial features were refined, his smile was clean, and what left the deepest impression was the indomitable spirit he carried.

*Bandit!*

Yes, true to his name, he carried the air of an outlaw.

This gave people a stubborn sense of refusing to admit defeat and refusing to easily compromise with anyone.

"I watched your forest battle with Shen Qingping; it was quite spectacular. Your familiarity with the forest and your utilization of the terrain can be described as textbook-grade. I dare say that on this New Star, no one understands this map better than you..."

Shen Qingping was a member of the Shen family, his own cousin.

Yet, spoken from his lips, he sounded like an irrelevant stranger.

"Thank you," Tang Fei acknowledged.

Inwardly, however, he felt a bit strange. Was this guy praising him? And why did he sound so earnest?

"However, your cultivation foundation is not solid enough, and the circulation and mobilization of your Yin and Yang Qi are not stable enough either..."

"After you lost an arm, your momentum was like a rainbow, but when you unleashed your thirty-seventh to thirty-ninth sword strikes, there was a clear sense of stagnant blood and qi. I wonder if you noticed that?"

Tang Fei's eyes narrowed as he looked at Shen Xinglan and asked, "You watched it that closely?"

"Everyone has something I can learn from. It has been a long time since I saw such a wonderful forest battle, so naturally, I had to appreciate and study it properly."

Shen Xinglan's voice was calm, and his smile remained warm, as if he were chatting about everyday trifles or discussing something utterly insignificant: "The conditions on the Old Soil weren't mature enough, which created your shortcomings. You can retrieve your own cultivation methods to reconsolidate them, or you can find a foundational cultivation method on the New Star to mend them, allowing your Yin and Yang Qi to flow smoothly and naturally..."

"*The Origin Scripture*, *The Chaos Art*, and *The Incomparable Dharma* are all proper foundational texts, and they aren't hard to find... Phoenix probably has quite a few of them on her side."

"If I'm not mistaken, the technique you practice is *The Dragon-Elephant Subjugating Demon Skill*, right? Given your current realm and strength, your dragon and elephant Qi have always remained unsolidified precisely because your foundation wasn't laid firmly enough. Once you patch up this shortcoming, practicing this set of techniques in the future will surely yield twice the result with half the effort..."

Tang Fei stared blankly at Shen Xinglan. What was this big brother getting at?

Weren't the two of them love rivals? Weren't they natural competitors?

Shouldn't you be here to humiliate me, provoke me, and throw a white glove at my face?

What on earth are you doing?

You're telling me you saw the flaws in my cultivation, and then you handed me a bunch of corrections and improvement suggestions?

Even more ruthlessly, after careful consideration, Tang Fei knew that every single word Shen Xinglan said was true.

He saw through all of his problems at a glance, and the solutions he proposed hit the nail right on the head.

He hadn't treated Tang Fei as an opponent at all; he was even willing to extend a helping hand...

*Little friend, you solved this math problem incorrectly, you need to redo it.*
*Let me teach you a better way to solve it...*

Was this the dimensional crushing of an academic genius looking down upon an academic slacker?

The survival environment on the Old Soil was extremely harsh.

Therefore, Tang Fei had cultivated a combative nature—fighting the heavens, fighting the earth, fighting people, and fighting beasts. Whenever he encountered a person or even a dog, his first reaction was: *Is this thing going to harm me?*

Even after arriving at the New Star, he still hadn't managed to shake off this bad habit.

He maintained three parts of caution and seven parts of vigilance toward everyone, terrified that a slight lapse in judgment would cost him and Fatty their lives. Every word he spoke was cautious, and every step he took was like walking on thin ice.

He was guarded against Shen Xinglan, and could even be said to be hostile toward him.

Because of Phoenix...

Because of the old saying that Phoenix would land on West Perch Mountain...

And also because he was simply too outstanding—so outstanding that he didn't seem like a man of this world, but rather like an immortal dwelling in the nine-tiered heavenly palace.

Which man could possibly like such a man?

When Shen Xinglan walked toward him, Tang Fei had already prepared himself for the worst-case scenario.

If he challenged him, Tang Fei would simply lie down on the ground and say, "I was previously injured by Qin Jianyi's sword Qi. Wait for me fifty years, and fifty years from now we shall fight to the death..."

He knew he couldn't beat Shen Xinglan.

Rather than having his limbs crippled or his head chopped off during a duel, it was better to admit defeat cleanly and bide his time to take the bastard's head later.

Yes, this was despicable, shameless, base, and undignified...

However, given the time and the place, could he really afford to care about dignity?

The gap in their realms was as vast as heaven and earth.

Yet, Shen Xinglan didn't do any of that.

No, everything Tang Fei feared Shen Xinglan might do, Shen Xinglan didn't do a single one.

First, he praised Tang Fei's understanding of the forest map and his use of the terrain as textbook-grade; then, in a warm and gentle tone, he pointed out that Tang Fei's foundation-building wasn't solid enough, that his Yin and Yang Qi were slightly blocked, and he casually offered several solutions...

Not only did he exceed Tang Fei's expectations, but he also left everyone in the entire venue dumbfounded.

"Shen Xinglan didn't challenge Tang Fei? He even pointed out the flaws in Tang Fei's cultivation to help him improve?"

"This is Shen Xinglan, the leader of the Seven Stars... truly breathtaking."

"Such breadth of mind and spirit makes ordinary mortals like us feel utterly ashamed."

"Shen Xinglan, oh Shen Xinglan... From today on, whoever dares to speak ill of Shen Xinglan again, I'll fight them to the death!"

***

Shen Xinglan did not issue a challenge to Tang Fei or stir up conflict.

Yet, a Shen Xinglan like this possessed an even greater personal charm and earned even more respect.

At this moment, Shen Xinglan radiated an overwhelming brilliance.

"In the path of cultivation, talent is paramount, and diligence comes second. Your talent is good; the only thing you lack is guidance from a renowned master, having never undergone systematic training..."

"Although the Ancient Martial Arts Department of the Empire's First Military Academy is quite strong, it is merely 'quite strong.' If you could enter the Egret Academy, the headmaster is the Grand Master Xuanming Jing, and among the teachers are several Minor Grand Masters... If you can obtain their guidance, it will benefit you for a lifetime, allowing you to advance in rank as easily as drinking tea and break through realms as easily as splitting bamboo..."

Shen Xinglan didn't care about the admiring gazes and words of praise from the crowd. Instead, he patted Tang Fei on the shoulder and said, "I'll wait for you at Egret Academy."

Without waiting for Tang Fei's reply, he patted Xiaobai on the head. Xiaobai understood, spreading its massive wings and soaring into the sky.

Shen Xinglan leaped onto its back, riding the egret into the azure heavens, and vanished from sight amid the gazes and gasps of the crowd.

Tang Fei watched that white figure disappear, feeling a profound sense of loss.

He felt as though he had just suffered a heartbreak.