Chapter 344: First Encounter

Chapter 344: First Encounter

It was two in the morning.

Jiang Gaoxuan had already pulled the power switch several times to prevent Xiao Ye from continuing his livestream, but the guy was stubborn and kept sneaking out to the stairwell to flip the breaker back on.

After getting dragged into this back-and-forth mess, Jiang Gaoxuan was starting to lose his patience. The moment he cut the power again, he waited silently by the rooftop, eyes locked on the stairwell, ready to knock Xiao Ye out cold if he dared to show up again.

But just as he focused on that direction, a movement from behind caught his attention—someone was approaching silently.

He whipped around, only to see a young woman drifting toward him through the moonlight. Her presence was striking—graceful and cold, with a vermilion mark at the center of her brows. She was stunning enough to make any man’s heart pound.

If this had been the old Jiang Gaoxuan, he would’ve been drooling by now. But after taking

that

medicine, his libido had long since been replaced by a monk-like obsession with martial arts. Women didn’t move him anymore.

“Who are you?” he asked cautiously, instantly alert. A faint sense of danger prickled at his skin.

“Ning Aoxue of the Ning Clan, Cangzhou,” she replied calmly.

After arriving in Qingling, she’d immediately contacted the Ning family’s local informants and learned Jiang Gaoxuan’s whereabouts. She hadn’t wasted a second in tracking him down.

“I’ve heard the name,” Jiang Gaoxuan said, eyebrows lifting. “So, what brings you to me?”

“I’ve come for something,” she said.

“What?”

“The top spot on the Hidden Dragon and Rising Phoenix Ranking.”

Jiang Gaoxuan snorted. “I’m just worried you don’t have what it takes.”

“We’ll know soon enough,” Ning Aoxue said with a light smile under the moon.

“Wait,” Jiang Gaoxuan raised a hand abruptly.

“If you plan to surrender now, I’ll accept it. Just remember to announce the results publicly tomorrow,” she said.

“Who said I was going to surrender?” He scoffed, though his voice wavered slightly.

He’d been holding the number one rank for a long time and had grown rather attached to the prestige. Losing it now wouldn’t sit well with him. But he could feel it—Ning Aoxue’s internal energy was far beyond his.

If they fought, there was a high chance he’d lose.

After a quick moment of thought, an idea came to him.

“Ning Aoxue, I advise you to give up on this ranking. If you push me, my lord will step in, and you won’t hold that top spot for long.”

“Your lord?” Ning Aoxue raised an eyebrow.

“My lord is under twenty-five, fully qualified for the ranking, but he’s extremely low-key. Rarely makes a public appearance, so few know about him,” Jiang Gaoxuan added quickly.

“Oh?” A smirk played on Ning Aoxue’s lips. “Such a hidden genius exists in the martial world?”

Clearly, she didn’t buy a word of it.

Jiang Gaoxuan noticed the disbelief in her expression and hurried to double down.

“I’m not lying. What I said is absolutely true.”

“Then tell me—who is your lord? What’s his background, what clan or sect is he from, and what’s his name?” Ning Aoxue pressed, not even trying to hide her skepticism.

Jiang Gaoxuan froze.

His real lord, Wang Haoran, preferred to keep a low profile. He had explicitly warned Jiang not to expose him or bring trouble his way. But now, faced with a direct challenge and the threat of losing his rank, Jiang’s mind raced.

Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck him.

“Fengxi Sect’s young master, Yan Yuntian. You’ve heard of him, haven’t you?” he said smugly.

Wang Haoran had once told him to steer clear of Yan Yuntian, acknowledging the guy’s strength and background. If anyone could serve as a credible smokescreen, it was him.

Ning Aoxue’s eyes flickered. She had come to Qingling to settle two matters: take Jiang Gaoxuan’s rank and end her engagement with Yan Yuntian. She hadn’t expected the two to be connected.

“These two really know each other?” she muttered under her breath.

“Since you’re aware of him, you’d better back off now. If I call my lord over, you won’t walk away so easily,” Jiang Gaoxuan said, emboldened by the name he’d just borrowed.

“Call Yan Yuntian over, then,” Ning Aoxue said coolly.

“What… you’re not afraid?” Jiang Gaoxuan blinked in surprise.

“I don’t have much patience,” she replied, voice turning icy.

Jiang Gaoxuan started thinking about escape, but the moment he even considered running, he felt her energy lock tightly onto him. There was no getting away.

With a stiff expression, he took out his phone and called Wang Haoran.

“My lord says I should bring you to him,” he said after hanging up.

Ning Aoxue frowned, displeased, but decided not to press it. Since she wanted to take care of both matters in one go, it was worth tolerating this detour.

“Lead the way,” she ordered.

Jiang Gaoxuan muttered something under his breath and began walking ahead.

A few minutes later, they arrived at a park square in a villa district. Under the cold moonlight, a tall figure stood alone in the center of the plaza, his back to them, waiting silently.

“Yan… Yuntian…” Ning Aoxue whispered the name slowly, her tone carrying a strange blend of tension, bitterness, and something harder to define.

Wang Haoran had already sensed their arrival. Hearing his fake name called out like that made him raise an eyebrow. Slowly, he turned around to face them.

On the phone, Jiang Gaoxuan said a woman named Ning Aoxue was giving him trouble and asked for help. Naturally, Wang Haoran agreed—after all, Ning Aoxue was Yan Yuntian’s fiancée.

But now… she was looking at him and calling him Yan Yuntian?

What kind of misunderstanding was this?

“Master Yan, I’ve brought her,” Jiang Gaoxuan said quickly, playing along with his own lie.

Wang Haoran instantly understood—he didn’t want to reveal his true affiliation, so he dragged Yan Yuntian’s name into the mess, causing Ning Aoxue to think he was her mysterious fiancé.

Of course, Jiang Gaoxuan had no idea that this beautiful woman was actually Yan Yuntian’s real fiancée.

On the other side, Ning Aoxue quietly studied the man in front of her.

The engagement had been arranged by their elders, and she had never met Yan Yuntian before. She didn’t know what he looked like—whether he was tall, short, handsome, or plain.

Now, under the silver glow of the moon, this was their first meeting.

Her eyes took him in: tall and straight-backed, with a body shaped like it had been carved by divine hands. His face—sharp, symmetrical, and elegant—radiated noble charisma.

Just a few glances, and Ning Aoxue felt her heart skip a beat.

She was surprised—deeply surprised.

She never imagined her so-called fiancé would be this… breathtaking.

【Ding! Female Lead Ning Aoxue’s Favorability toward Host increased by 40. Current total Favorability: 40 (Very Friendly)】

【Ding! The host has altered the plot. Gained 3,000 Villain Points. Yan Yuntian’s Protagonist Halo -150. Host’s Villain Halo +150!】

Wang Haoran: “???”