Volume One: Femme Fatale Chapter 58: Nangong Yingying

"Jiang Hao, were you injured just now? If you need any healing pills, just tell me." Still feeling somewhat uneasy, Lin Feng stepped forward to ask.

"Reporting to Elder Lin Feng, I am quite alright. Thank you for your concern, Elder!" Jiang Hao replied with a respectful bow.

"That's good." Lin Feng stroked his beard and smiled, "This elder was entrusted by Vice President Sun to look after you, so there's no need to be so formal."

"Elder Lin Feng, you are too kind!" Jiang Hao understood instantly. He had been wondering just moments ago why this elder was being so warm toward him; it turned out he had been entrusted by someone.

"Ha ha! But you are quite impressive, kid! Though your cultivation appears to be only at the early stage of the Spirit Spring Realm, you actually managed to defeat Liu Shan, who ranks fifth on the Dragon Gate Roll." Lin Feng gazed at Jiang Hao with admiration.

Hearing this, Jiang Hao scratched his head and said modestly, "Elder Lin Feng flatters me. No doubt Senior Brother Liu Shan did not use his full strength."

Just as Lin Feng was about to reply, the purple-robed woman behind him stepped forward quickly, patted Jiang Hao gently on the shoulder, and smiled, "You're right, Liu Shan indeed didn't use his full strength. However... it seems you didn't intend to give him the chance to use it!"

*She was actually able to see through my intentions at a glance? It seems her cultivation is far above Liu Shan's,* Jiang Hao thought for a moment before snapping back to his senses and cupping his fists in a salute, "Senior Sister jests."

"Hmph!" The purple-robed woman turned her head away in a huff, "What Senior Sister? Do I look that old to you?"

"This..." Jiang Hao hesitated for a moment, then hurriedly explained, "I am Jiang Hao, and I only arrived at Dragon Gate Academy a few days ago, which is why I addressed you as Senior Sister to show respect."

"I hope Senior Sister will not take offense!" Jiang Hao cupped his fists again to indicate his sincerity.

"Sophistry! If you don't know how to speak properly, then don't talk nonsense, alright!" The purple-robed woman crossed her arms, clearly still angry.

"Elder Lin Feng, what should we make of this?" Seeing this, Jiang Hao turned and sought help from Lin Feng.

Seeing the situation, Lin Feng gave an awkward smile, understood the hint, and tried to smooth things over: "Jiang Hao, you might not know this, but this is Her Royal Highness, the Princess of our Southern Xia Kingdom, Nangong..."

"Elder Lin Feng, let me introduce myself!" Before Lin Feng could finish, the purple-robed woman cut in and introduced herself first, "Jiang Hao, my name is Nangong Yingying, and I just turned eighteen this year. Seeing that there isn't much difference in our ages, you can just call me by my name directly."

*Nangong Yingying? No wonder she looked a bit familiar; she turns out to be Her Majesty the Queen's younger sister,* Jiang Hao sighed inwardly, *Though, how can the personalities of these two sisters be so vastly different...*

"Jiang Hao? What are you thinking about?" Seeing Jiang Hao lost in thought, Nangong Yingying urged him impatiently.

"Ah?" Jiang Hao snapped back to his senses and hastily replied, "Reporting to Her Royal Highness the Princess, I wouldn't dare!"

"What is the big deal anyway? This princess already told you to call me by my name directly, yet you, a grown man, are acting so dilatory!"

"Where did that crisp, decisive manner you had when fighting Liu Shan go?" Nangong Yingying put her hands on her hips and said angrily, "Could it be that you think this princess is easy to bully and want to pick a fight with me?"

"..." Hearing this, Jiang Hao was utterly speechless and had no idea how to respond.

***

Seeing the situation, Lin Feng was burning with anxiety. He hurriedly stepped forward to stand between the two of them and persuaded, "Jiang Hao, since Her Royal Highness the Princess has already spoken, you might as well agree!"

"Besides, this is Dragon Gate Academy, a place where disciples cultivate! There are no princesses or duchesses here!" Having said that, Lin Feng hurriedly cast a glance at Nangong Yingying, "Your Royal Highness, am I right?"

"Exactly! Exactly! Elder Lin Feng is right!" Nangong Yingying nodded in agreement.

Finding himself helpless and no longer wanting to be stubborn, Jiang Hao slowly said, "Since Her Royal Highness does not mind, from now on I will address Her Royal Highness by name."

"That's more like it!" Nangong Yingying let out a cold snort, seemingly quite satisfied with this compromise.

Seeing the atmosphere gradually easing, Lin Feng advised, "Now that Jiang Hao and Her Royal Highness are acquainted, why don't you both return to your respective caves to cultivate? Right now, there is less than a month left before the Azure Cloud Assembly..."

Before Lin Feng could finish, Nangong Yingying interrupted, "Alright, Elder Lin Feng, you are an elder of the academy, why bother spending your time accompanying the two of us?"

"Elder Lin Feng, hurry off and attend to your own matters! This princess still has things to discuss with Jiang Hao!" As Nangong Yingying spoke, she tried to push Lin Feng away.

"Discuss what?" Jiang Hao asked with a blank expression, quickly explaining, "Your Royal Highness—no, Nangong Yingying, I have nothing to discuss with you!"

Hearing this, Nangong Yingying ignored Lin Feng's presence, turned around, placed her hands on her hips, and firmly said, "Who says there's nothing to discuss? You are the person personally designated by my sister, yet the ridiculous thing is that I, her younger sister, knew nothing about it at all!"

"For that reason alone, we have plenty of things to talk about!" As she spoke, Nangong Yingying had already walked right up to Jiang Hao.

"Elder Lin Feng, this..." Hearing this, Jiang Hao anxiously cast a pleading look at Lin Feng for help.

However, this time, before Lin Feng could step in to smooth things over, Jiang Hao was grabbed by Nangong Yingying and dragged toward his own cave dwelling.

"Alright, Elder Lin Feng, go ahead and attend to your business. I truly have some matters to discuss with Jiang Hao." Nangong Yingying said as she dragged Jiang Hao right up to the entrance of the latter's cave.

Things having reached this point, Lin Feng could only shake his head helplessly and smile bitterly, "Jiang Hao, as for Her Royal Highness's temper, this old man is powerless to help. You must pray for your own good fortune." With that, Lin Feng turned and left.

"You can't be serious? Elder Lin Feng, you just said you would look after me, how could you back out so quickly?" Jiang Hao was deeply depressed.

"Let's go, Jiang Hao!"

"Hurry up and tell me! Exactly how did you meet my sister?"

"Jiang Hao, do you know? With my sister's personality, there aren't many men under heaven who can conquer her!"

"Nangong Yingying, you've misunderstood! Listen to me first..."

***

"Ah? No way?"

"I never imagined that you and my sister actually have nothing to do with each other?"

Inside the cave dwelling, after listening to Jiang Hao's explanation, Nangong Yingying couldn't help but feel a wave of disappointment, realizing it was all a false alarm.

"What else did you think?" Jiang Hao replied helplessly.

By this time, the princess before him had already delayed his cultivation time by at least half an hour.

Jiang Hao felt bitter inside; he had just fended off the provoking Liu Jiang brothers, and now he still had to deal with this princess whom he could neither hit nor scold. It was truly agonizing!

"Alas! What a pity! What a real pity!" Nangong Yingying suddenly let out a sigh of lament.

"What is a pity?" Jiang Hao asked doubtfully.

Nangong Yingying raised her gaze to look at Jiang Hao and slowly said, "It is such a pity! If you had met my sister a bit earlier, you certainly wouldn't have given your heart to that eldest miss of the Myriad Treasures Pavilion."

Saying this, Nangong Yingying feigned deep regret and sighed, "Meeting the right person at the wrong time! Jiang Hao, you tell me, how much of a pity is that?"

*Is this princess really only eighteen years old? Why is she so full of these endless theories when she talks...* Jiang Hao felt somewhat dazed, having no idea how to respond.

At that very moment, from outside the cave dwelling, a flurry of provocative shouting rang out once more...

"Jiang Hao, you brat, get out here!"

"Let's spar!"

"Good grief! Will this never end?" Jiang Hao's anger flared up!

Nearby, hearing the shouts, Nangong Yingying couldn't help but flash a mischievous smile. She patted Jiang Hao on the shoulder and teased, "Jiang Hao, your love rival has come looking for you!"

"Love rival?"