"Young Master Cao, I can't guess at all!"
Though she spoke the words, her flushed cheeks betrayed her true feelings—clearly, she already knew the answer but was too embarrassed to say it aloud. Of course, it might also be that she simply could not say it.
As the saintess of the Church, voicing such a word openly would tarnish her image irreversibly.
"Well then, I suppose I must claim my prize," Cao Wenbin declared, immediately rising to his feet.
He had no intention of being subtle. Fang Zhihua, already prepared, did not resist; instead, she even extended her leg willingly, though she did make a single request.
"Young Master Cao, you may take what you want, but please, could you keep this between us?"
"After all, I am still the Church's saintess. And nothing is set in stone yet… What if, in the end, I truly belong to you?"
Her voice grew softer, her face ever redder, an endearing shyness that made her all the more captivating. Observing her, Cao Wenbin couldn't help but chuckle to himself.
"So, this truly is the highest form of seduction in the immortal realms! I didn't believe it before, but now I've seen it with my own eyes."
However, his smile didn't linger long. He ultimately agreed, for what he sought had its own purposes and would not be flaunted carelessly.
"Don't worry," he said with a smirk. "I'm a selfish man; beautiful things are meant for me alone."
As he spoke, his hand moved steadily forward, yet just as he was about to reach his goal, a knock sounded at the door. Startled, Fang Zhihua instinctively withdrew her leg, the warmth in her expression vanishing and replaced by an air of complete decorum.
As for Cao Wenbin... his face instantly darkened to the color of soot.
Two things he despised above all else: one was teasing without a clear conclusion, and the other was interruptions when he was enjoying himself.
Thus—
"Who is it?" Cao Wenbin's voice could have frozen fire.
The intruder, however, seemed unfazed. "This humble one is Qian Mingxuan, Captain of the Church Knights. I have come on urgent business to speak with the saintess. I assure you, Young Master Cao, that it is not my intention to intrude upon your leisure."
His words were courteous, but Cao Wenbin remained unmoved. "Leave," he snarled. "One more word, and I'll make sure you regret it."
With that, he turned back to continue, yet—
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The knocking persisted, louder, more insistent; it seemed that the visitor was on the verge of forcing the door.
Taking a long breath, Cao Wenbin turned to Fang Zhihua, forcing a smile. "Would you mind if I stepped out for a moment?"
Returning his smile, she replied, "Young Master Cao, please, by all means. I accept my wager and will not retreat."
He nodded, pleased with her understanding.
Moments later, Cao Wenbin opened the door and stepped out. Originally, he had assumed Qian Mingxuan was alone, yet upon stepping outside, he found the entire ninety-ninth floor crowded with onlookers, all apparently having arrived with Qian Mingxuan.
"Really? Are people that free these days?" he muttered, shaking his head, but chose not to dwell on it. Let them watch, he thought. It was as good a time as any to establish his authority over these meddlesome fools.
"So, did you hear my words just now?" he asked, his tone dripping with menace. "If so, then make your choice. Out of your five limbs, which one can you live without?"
Qian Mingxuan looked momentarily stunned before a sneer of disdain crept across his face. "Young Master Cao, have you perhaps forgotten that your entourage didn't accompany you here? You alone are not qualified to speak to me in that manner."
"Now, step aside and don't delay my audience with the saintess."
With that, he moved to step forward, but no sooner had he moved than a fist the size of a sandbag came hurtling toward his temple.
"Cao, you've gone too far!" Qian Mingxuan snarled in fury, but even so, he dared not retaliate. After all, he was thirty years Cao Wenbin's senior and had already attained the early stage of sainthood. Any direct strike would label him as bullying his junior, and the Cao family would certainly capitalize on such a scandal, leaving him no avenue of escape.
So, he opted to dodge. Yet, for reasons he couldn't fathom, his body refused to respond, as if locked in place.
The paralysis lasted mere seconds, but in a battle between experts, even a breath could determine victory or defeat.
And so—
Thud!
With a resounding crash, Cao Wenbin's fist met its mark.
"Unbelievable!"
The onlookers gaped as Qian Mingxuan was sent flying, stunned into silence. A few who had been sipping tea spat it out in astonishment. Could a mere semi-saint really take down a saint? Was this a joke?
Some faces grew more somber. Among them were scions of various immortal clans, all destined to cross paths with Cao Wenbin in the future. They had initially held him in low regard, dismissing him as slow to awaken his bloodline's potential. But now…
"How could he have improved so rapidly?" one whispered.
"And what did he do to make Qian Mingxuan freeze up like that?"
"Is the Cao family hiding such techniques?"
As speculation swirled, Qian Mingxuan finally extricated himself from the wall he had crashed into, brushing himself off before addressing the crowd.
"Everyone witnessed that Young Master Cao struck first. What follows is simply self-defense, not a case of bullying the young."
With that, his aura flared as he lunged back toward Cao Wenbin, though his heart was churning with shame.
"Damn it! He attacks whenever he pleases, but I can only retaliate after being injured! And even then, I dare not strike with full force."
"Damn it all! In my next life, I'm coming back with a better pedigree!"
The two clashed again, yet history, it seemed, was destined to repeat itself. Once more, Qian Mingxuan found himself frozen, his body no longer his own.
"What sorcery is this?"