Chapter Seventeen: Nangong Lingyue—Even a Beauty Won’t Be Spared

Chu Qing struggled to continue her words, clearly echoing Zhang Baole’s arguments. She persuaded herself to agree to his request, believing it would not harm Lin Qingyun. Yet, was that truly the case? If it were so harmless, why would Zhang Baole approach her?

Though she still didn’t know his purpose, it was impossible for an accomplished student, a future alchemist, to be oblivious to the entanglements of powerful families—especially after Lin Qingyun had publicly humiliated Zhang Baole at the recent auction, followed by Zhang Baole’s internal disciplinary punishment.

“Betrayal is betrayal,” Chu Qing said, her voice trembling. “No matter how nicely you dress it up, it’s still betrayal. I thought you liked the president. I was even considering playing matchmaker, but now… forget it.” She and Lin Qingyun were merely acquaintances; she wasn’t particularly close with Chao-ge either, so she didn’t feel especially angry.

Instead, she looked at Lin Qingyun, puzzled. “What’s the deal with your so-called uncle? Trying to convince you to go to college—is that some convoluted scheme for revenge?”

“He’s not clever enough for anything so roundabout,” Lin Qingyun replied, thinking exactly this. “If he wanted payback, he’d just send someone to beat me up, then find a way to ruin or kill me. It must be…”

As Lin Qingyun spoke, the massive private room’s door was flung open.

“Miss, your friend is—” The attendant began to introduce, but the door slammed shut, blocking him outside.

Lin Qingyun, still glaring at Chu Qing and Chao-ge, saw Chu Qing standing there, tears streaming down her face—a scene ripe for misunderstanding.

In that instant, Lin Qingyun and Chao-ge both turned to the doorway. Standing some ten meters away was a young woman dressed as a princess—her attire breathtakingly ornate, shimmering like rainbow clouds, layered skirts swaying gracefully like blooming flowers. Intricate embroidery glimmered softly in the sunlight. Her hair was elegantly styled, and her jewels dazzled almost blindingly. Lin Qingyun immediately noticed that these jewels and garments were no ordinary finery—at the very least, they were magical artifacts; some of the jewelry appeared to be spiritual devices.

With such attire in this setting, even standing quietly after closing the door, her gaze cold upon Lin Qingyun, she exuded a noble and gentle aura, as if a princess from ancient times had crossed through the ages—more refined than any royal, like an immortal princess untouched by earthly dust from a sacred sect. Yet as she entered, the temperature around them dropped, and the artificial mist used for ambiance began to condense.

“Is this your wealthy friend… no, wait—she looks so familiar… Ah, I remember now! Nangong Lingyue, the Princess of the Icewind!” Chao-ge exclaimed, recognizing her at once. That aura, those clothes—at first, she thought of someone from Lin Qingyun’s social circle, but then realized exactly who she was.

Nangong Lingyue was a super-celebrity, her signature outfit instantly recognizable from her frequent livestreams. “Princess of the Icewind,” was a well-earned title.

The Desert Wind King was a true feudal lord, a powerhouse certified by the Huaxia Alliance. Nangong Lingyue, face frosted with anger, burst into the room. Her first thought was that two spoiled young men were bullying a girl, but as Chao-ge spoke, she realized the situation was different and noticed Chao-ge was actually female.

A rivalry over love?

“So you’re Lin Qingyun?” Nangong Lingyue’s voice was icy as her gaze burned with fury, staring at Lin Qingyun.

Lin Qingyun nodded, confused. “That’s right. Do I know you?”

“Scum! If I don’t beat you so badly you can’t take care of yourself, I’m not Nangong Lingyue!” she shouted. As she spoke, the beads from her necklace shot outward, array formations flaring to life, sealing the room with a special wind barrier.

At the same time, Nangong Lingyue lunged at Lin Qingyun, her hands pressed as if conjuring cold winds, intending to shatter him completely.

Lin Qingyun hadn’t grasped what was happening, but Nangong Lingyue was already attacking with deadly force. Even a mid-stage Heartstring Realm cultivator—fourth or fifth layer of Foundation Establishment—would struggle to withstand such an assault. If her hands struck, it would mean serious injury or death.

Though her hands looked delicate, flawless and tender as bamboo shoots, their destructive power was no joke.

“Back off!” Lin Qingyun activated the Eight-Nine Profound Yang technique. His body, tempered by the Eight-Nine Profound Yang Body Training, became like a furnace as he unleashed hundreds of fierce punches.

The frosty energy was shattered by Lin Qingyun’s blazing, aggressive fist force.

With a thunderous crash, his punch met Nangong Lingyue’s palm, sending her flying. She hadn’t expected such a result—her palms throbbed with pain, and his fierce punches rivaled the strength of a seventh-layer Heartstring Realm cultivator.

“How is this possible?” she wondered, shocked. She’d paused her livestream in a hurry, had her team investigate Lin Qingyun—he was only a few months older than her. She’d just graduated high school and reached the fifth layer of Heartstring Realm, already hailed as a top prodigy. Lin Qingyun was a nobody; how could he be this strong?

Though surprised, Nangong Lingyue was still furious. She immediately used Windwalking Steps, her speed surging and movements unpredictable, unleashing wind blades with every strike.

The Heartstring Realm didn’t offer many spells without magical or spiritual tools; cultivators at this stage couldn’t rely on external forces, only their own power. Spells were costly, but Nangong Lingyue was no ordinary Heartstring Realm cultivator.

“Seven-Star Steps, Chaotic Seven-Star.” Lin Qingyun’s reaction was even faster. His steps followed the seven stars, moving with a rhythm faster than Nangong Lingyue’s Windwalking. Not only was he unaffected, but every step drew in spiritual energy, replenishing what he expended with his rapid strikes.

In the sealed private room, wind blades exploded as they collided with Lin Qingyun’s fists. The two figures moved so quickly that Chao-ge and Chu Qing couldn’t even see their forms, only the constant shifting and resounding blasts.

“Ah…” Chao-ge and Chu Qing, utterly dumbfounded, watched. When Nangong Lingyue attacked so ferociously, they were terrified, ready to scream for help. She was a nationally renowned prodigy—she hadn’t even entered college yet and was already mid-stage Heartstring Realm.

She’d livestreamed solo hunts against monsters, battled rebels and cultists—she was a young genius who had truly slain monsters and men.

Compared to her, they, focused mainly on alchemy, needed months or even a year in college before breaking through to Heartstring Realm Foundation Establishment. They were clearly outmatched.

But what they could never have imagined was that, as aggressively as Nangong Lingyue attacked, she was sent flying just as quickly.

Even more incredible was the exchange of footwork, magic, and martial arts—utterly dizzying, beyond their comprehension. Though they couldn’t see clearly, it was obvious that Lin Qingyun wasn’t losing ground.

“When did he establish his foundation, and how did he get so strong?” Chu Qing, no longer crying, whispered in a trembling voice.

“Don’t ask me—I have no idea…” Chao-ge stared without blinking at the blurred figures. The room was large, just over a hundred square meters, but it felt small during the fight.

Within that confined space, it seemed as if dozens were clashing in different spots—thuds, wind blades, cold air, and fiery fist force colliding ceaselessly.

Their area was insulated by the array, but everywhere else, the furnishings and decorations had been destroyed.

Even Nangong Lingyue, who was fighting Lin Qingyun, grew more alarmed with each exchange. Among her peers, she might not claim to be the very best, but she’d never met a worthy opponent.

She could never have imagined that Lin Qingyun—a notorious playboy with no reputation—could fight on such a level.

He wasn’t just strong; his battle acumen, experience, and reactions were beyond her reach. It seemed she had the upper hand, but in reality, she was gradually being overwhelmed.

“Ice Dance! Scum, bullying and playing with women—how dare you dream! Today I’ll castrate you!”

Despite her shock, Nangong Lingyue, recalling the message from her family, grew even angrier. The thought of him exploiting her father’s past kindness, forcing her father to promise her hand in marriage over a joke, infuriated her.

Her cold aura intensified, risking damage to her cultivation base as she pushed for even greater power, determined to unleash her ultimate move and defeat Lin Qingyun.

Just as she prepared to strike and cursed Lin Qingyun, the ground beneath him suddenly shimmered with the Big Dipper’s seven stars. Condensing force into an array—a feat usually reserved for the Cloud Ascension Realm—Lin Qingyun managed, at six-tenths peak Heartstring Realm, to briefly accomplish this.

It was the culmination of his repeated steps, channeling energy to activate a momentary array effect, which froze Nangong Lingyue as she was about to unleash her ultimate attack.

In an instant, Lin Qingyun’s speed soared, the Seven-Star Focus and Big Dipper Burst displaying their power. Finally, he caught the swift Nangong Lingyue and, without mercy, landed several punches squarely on her face.

She flew across the room; had she not set up the barrier beforehand, she would have crashed straight through the wall.

As she went flying, Lin Qingyun formed his fingers into a sword and pointed in midair, sealing more than a dozen vital meridian points, preventing her from using her power to attack again in the near future.

“Ah…”

If their earlier exchanges had been too fast for Chao-ge and Chu Qing to see—shadows flickering, forms shifting—when Lin Qingyun sent the Icewind Princess flying, both were left utterly speechless.

Their mouths hung open in disbelief as they stared at Nangong Lingyue—especially Chu Qing, who instinctively curled up, fearfully glancing at Lin Qingyun.

This… this was brutal. How could he bring himself to do it?