Jiang Manjun didn't see it clearly, but everyone else did. Earlier, Zhu Yuyan had attacked the monk to buy her daughter more time. However, the monk had effortlessly dodged her fierce strike and, in a flash, crossed dozens of meters to appear in front of Jiang Manjun.
Meanwhile, Zhu Yuyan had been struck and immobilized on the stage, unable to move. The crowd was in awe—the power of a Great Master was truly extraordinary. Someone as skilled as Zhu Yuyan couldn't even last a single move against him.
Jiang Manjun was a rational person. Her earlier desire to die on the stage had been driven by emotional turmoil, but after her mother's selfless act of saving her, she regained her usual posure. Seeing the monk block her path, she knew she was no match for him.
Instead of impulsively charging forward, she calmly asked, "Master, are you determined to kill my mother and me?"
"You misunderstand," the monk replied with his ever-present gentle smile. "From the beginning, I've had no intention of harming either of you. I merely wish to invite you both to Shaolin as guests."
"Do you know how many enemies the Heavenly Demon Sect has made? Some of them are likely from Shaolin. If we go there, we'll probably be dead within days," Jiang Manjun lied, hoping the monk's passion might be swayed by her words.
The monk, however, remained unmoved. "You needn't worry. With me there, no one will harm you."
Jiang Manjun's heart sank, and she felt utterly hopeless. She deeply regretted her actions—why had she ignored warnings and e here? Why had she let her anger toward her mother lead her to deliberately expose herself to Zhuge Kongfang? Now she realized it had been a childish attempt to test whether her mother still cared for her. Not only had she failed to escape, but she had also dragged her mother into this mess.
Just as Jiang Manjun was about to give up, a clear voice rang out from nearby. "Miss, I think you've misunderstood. This master would never let anyone harm you."
The monk was startled. Who could have approached so close without him noticing? He turned to see a strikingly handsome young man standing there, looking far too young to be of any concern. The monk maintained his calm demeanor and smiled, "It seems this young gentleman understands my intentions."
The newer was, of course, Ye Fei. He had waited until now to step forward, not out of hesitation, but because he wanted Jiang Manjun to reach the depths of despair. Since witnessing her extraordinary courage, he had been drawn to her unique spirit. To quickly win her favor, he decided to let her suffer a little before appearing as her savior. The classic "hero rescues the damsel" trope might be old, but it was always effective.
"We're all fellow martial artists. How could I not understand the master?" Ye Fei said with a playful grin. "But as the saying goes, 'The older the ginger, the spicier it is.' I may consider myself charming, but when it es to pursuing women, I still need to put in effort. I'm nowhere near as skilled as the master, who can use a noble excuse to control someone so effortlessly. I really should learn from you, master."
"What do you mean by that?" The monk's smile faltered for the first time, a hint of irritation creeping into his voice.
Ye Fei continued, feigning innocence. "Am I wrong? Isn't the master just using this as a pretext to take advantage of their beauty?"
"Nonsense! I'm a monk. How could I have such thoughts?" the monk retorted, his palm subtly rising as he prepared to teach Ye Fei a lesson.
"If that's the case, I suggest the master step aside. Otherwise, people like me with petty minds might misunderstand," Ye Fei said, his smile unwavering. Suddenly, he unleashed a sharp burst of internal energy toward the monk's chest. This move, which he had learned from Bai Youyou, required no elaborate gestures. Ye Fei wondered why Bai Youyou, clearly a skilled martial artist, wasn't present.
The monk, who had been preparing to attack Ye Fei, was caught off guard by the sudden strike. The force of the energy shocked him, and he quickly redirected his power to defend himself, focusing it on his hands to block the attack.
The moment Ye Fei's energy hit, the monk felt his hands go numb. His internal energy was no match for Ye Fei's, and the force broke through his defenses, traveling up his arms and striking his mind with a thunderous impact.
To the outside world, nothing seemed to happen—the monk simply raised his hands to his chest, and that was it. But the monk knew better. He felt a deafening roar in his mind, leaving him dizzy and disoriented. His face turned beet red, and he swayed slightly, struggling to maintain his balance.
After a moment of closed-eyed meditation, the monk finally regained his posure and looked at Ye Fei in disbelief.
Ye Fei smiled faintly. "Master, have you reconsidered? Do you still wish to interfere?"
The monk, realizing he had been outmatched and that Ye Fei had spared him further humiliation, sighed deeply. "Enough. I am a monk, detached from worldly affairs. I shall no longer involve myself in these matters." With that, he turned and left without another word.
As the monk disappeared into the distance, the crowd was left in stunned silence. Had this Great Master been persuaded by a few words from a young man? It seemed too absurd to be true.
Yet, everything had appeared genuine. The monk had turned red (though the crowd didn't realize it was from Ye Fei's strike), paused in thought, and then left. While it seemed logical, there was an undeniable strangeness to it all.
Regardless of what others thought, Jiang Manjun was deeply grateful to Ye Fei. She bowed slightly and said, "Thank you, young hero, for speaking up on our behalf." She hadn't noticed the hidden duel between Ye Fei and the monk, so she didn't mention his intervention.
"It's nothing. Any man would have done the same," Ye Fei replied with a smile, subtly insulting every other man in the valley.
Jiang Manjun, sharp as ever, immediately caught his meaning and couldn't help but chuckle. "Regardless, I'm grateful to you."
Her smile, radiant and captivating, made Ye Fei's heart skip a beat. He maintained his posed demeanor and said, "The title of 'hero' is too much. I should call you 'senior sister.'"
"Senior sister?" Jiang Manjun was puzzled. When had she gained another junior brother?
"Yes, my humble skills were learned from a book given to me by your father. So, I consider him my master," Ye Fei explained. While he hadn't initially thought of Jiang Haichen, who had given him a difficult-to-master manual, as his master, he was more than willing to call him one now—especially given Jiang Manjun's beauty and her mother's allure.
"My father?" The mention of Jiang Haichen stirred plex emotions in Jiang Manjun. She instinctively glanced toward the stage, only to suddenly cry out, "You scoundrel, don't you dare hurt my mother!"
Ye Fei, who had been focused on Jiang Manjun after dealing with the monk, was startled. He turned to the stage and was horrified by what he saw.
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