Chapter 364 Withered Camellia ②

North Wind City South, Northland Teahouse.

In an antique private room on the third floor, five people sat around a table.

The table is placed next to the window.

Deng Yuxiang sat on a wooden chair, leaning her elbows on the windowsill, looking at the bustling crowd below, the festive and peaceful scene.

Hu Jiaojiao sat next to Deng Yuxiang. Opposite Deng Yuxiang was Lu Ran, who was also sitting by the window.

"Squeak~"

The wooden door opened, and several waiters dressed in simple traditional attire came in carrying tea and snacks.

"Miss, you haven't been here for a long time."

The leader was a middle-aged man with an overly enthusiastic smile that read "flattering."

Hu Jiaojiao glanced at the man and said, "Have I caused you any trouble?"

The man was startled and said quickly: "No, no, this room is reserved for you."

Hu Jiaojiao looked at the candied fruits, pastries and candies placed on the table one by one and waved her hand: "Okay, get out."

"Okay, just tell me if you need anything else." The man left with a few waiters.

The person left backwards and closed the door carefully.

Until the room was quiet, Lu Ran, who had been facing the window, finally turned around and said, "Ms. Hu, you are very honorable."

Hu Jiaojiao: "If I don't have any other skills, I can only ask for a private room."

As she spoke, she looked at Deng Yuxiang beside her and sighed deeply in her heart.

Lu Ran was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, "It is said that the Beifeng City Lord's surname is Hu?"

Bai Manni paused while pouring tea and looked at Hu Jiaojiao in surprise.

Under the table, Deng Yutang gently patted Bai Manni's leg.

Bai Manni immediately lowered her eyes and continued to pour tea for them.

"It seems so." Hu Jiaojiao looked at Lu Ran, her almond eyes bright and she blinked.

Lu Ran looked at Deng Yutang beside him and said with a smile, "My sister's two best friends are more powerful than each other, right?"

Deng Yutang really wanted to ask, besides Miss Hu, who else is our sister's best friend.

But he restrained himself.

Hu Jiaojiao picked up the teacup and said with a smile, "Who do you think is more amazing, me or Shuang Zi?"

Lu Ran was stuck.

Yan Shuangzi is of the same type as Deng Yuxiang, she has a very queen-like aura, but also like a big knife, strong and sharp.

Hu Jiaojiao has a baby face and a cute look, with short hair that reaches her ears and big watery eyes.

Just looking at this face, one would mistakenly think that she is petite.

However, Hu Jiaojiao and Deng Yuxiang are of similar height, and their bodies are even a little too hot.
Of course Lu Ran would not be dazzled.

With the example of Fairy Jiang, his eyes have been pampered.

What's more, Lu Ran has long passed the stage of "observing people by their appearance".

Hu Jiaojiao is a short knife.

Well, maybe two.

Very sharp and very deadly.

"Shasha~"

The sudden sound of clothes rubbing against each other interrupted their conversation.

Deng Yuxiang was still wearing Lu Ran's white down jacket, with her arms not inside the sleeves.

Her cold fingers picked up the collar and lifted it slightly.

“Hehe~” Hu Jiaojiao turned her head to look at her bestie, “I usually ignore everyone and wish everyone would die.

Now, I just said a few words and you come out to help me out?"

Deng Yuxiang still looked out the window expressionlessly, without saying a word.

Lu Ran: “Different types.”

Hu Jiaojiao looked very interested and immediately asked, "What's the difference?"

Lu Ran shrugged his shoulders: "The broadsword and the short blade are completely different."

Hu Jiaojiao's beautiful eyes were bright as she looked at Deng Yuxiang: "As expected of a great Xia Jiao, she is much better than those idiots in the city."

"Heh." Deng Yuxiang snorted coldly.

What are they?
Can he compare with Lu Ran?
"Oh~ Don't be angry, it's my problem." Hu Jiaojiao grabbed Deng Yuxiang's cold hand.

She continued to laugh, "Your brother is the radiance of the bright moon. I shouldn't compare him with the fluorescence of rotten grass."

Hu Jiaojiao did not deny that she was very interested in Lu Ran.

But at this point in time, the real theme is to make your best friend "come alive".

Hu Jiaojiao naturally saw that Lu and Deng were deeply tied together.

She only needed a few words to get Deng Yuxiang to respond, which was a good result.

"Why are you so depressed?" Lu Ran changed the subject and looked at Deng Yuxiang.

Deng Yuxiang was still looking out the window.

The streets of the ancient city are decorated with lights and the atmosphere is lively at night.

From time to time, the hawkers' shouts can be heard, making people feel as if they have traveled back to ancient times.

Lu Ran stood up, reached out to Deng Yuxiang's face, pushed down her knitted scarf, revealing her thin lips that had turned white from the cold.

That somewhat haggard face had a kind of broken beauty.

The once bright camellia flowers were indeed severely damaged by the frost and snow.

Hu Jiaojiao subconsciously held Deng Yuxiang's hand tightly.

Although she could see that the two siblings were deeply tied together, Hu Jiaojiao was familiar with her best friend's style of doing things and knew what she had been through.

Hu Jiaojiao was really worried that Deng Yuxiang would get furious!

Fortunately, Deng Yuxiang didn't react much, which made Hu Jiaojiao feel relieved again.

Lu Ran held a cup of hot tea and handed it to Deng Yuxiang: "Drink some to warm your body."

Deng Yuxiang finally turned and looked at Lu Ran.

The eyes that should have been bright were now dim.

Lu Ran handed over the teacup stubbornly without looking away.

After a long time, Deng Yuxiang slowly raised her hand.

Lu Ran: "What on earth have you been through?"

The woman sipped her tea, lowered her head and said nothing.

Lu Ran said in a deep voice: "Deng Yuxiang, tell me, why is it about to break?"

"Crack!" Deng Yuxiang failed to control her strength and the purple clay teacup in her hand was crushed by her.

Deng Yutang and Bai Manni hurriedly got up and looked for paper and towels.

Hu Jiaojiao hurriedly pried open her best friend's hand and brushed off the broken pieces of the teacup.

Others may not understand what Lu Ran means.

But Hu Jiaojiao knew in her heart that the thing that Lu Ran said was about to break was a knife.

It’s Deng Yuxiang’s big knife!

It is herself and also her heart of Tao.

"Sister Hu, towel." Bai Manni quickly handed over a towel.

Hu Jiaojiao reached out to take it, gently wiped her friend's hands, a trace of heartache flashed across her eyes.

Lu Ran looked at Hu Jiaojiao and said, "Could you please tell me, Ms. Hu?"

Hu Jiaojiao hesitated for a moment, then chose to speak: "Your sister has had three sparring matches with Senior Liao."

"Senior Liao?"

"That's the person Yuxiang is going to challenge this time."

"You lost three times?"

Hu Jiaojiao nodded slightly and added several more words in her heart: It's more than just losing!
Deng Yuxiang was crushed in all aspects including experience, martial arts, and physical fitness, otherwise she would not have fallen to this point.

The room fell into silence.

Deng Yutang looked grim. Although he was mentally prepared, he still felt a little breathless when he heard about this.

Is there really no chance of winning?
Lu Ran: "Do we need to spar before the real challenge?"

Hu Jiaojiao shook her head and said, "There are no hard and fast rules.

However, since the senior came in person to exchange ideas, under the watchful eyes of all the disciples, Yuxiang couldn't refuse."

Lu Ran's face darkened.

Too hard to refuse?

I can't refuse.

Under the watchful eyes of the public, how could a warrior as proud as Deng Yuxiang refuse?

Lu Ran: "Did the other party use that magical weapon with domain?"

Hu Jiaojiao shook her head again: "No, during the sparring, both sides used ordinary weapons."

Lu Ran's heart completely sank to the bottom.

The opponent won three battles without using its greatest advantage?

Deng Yutang suddenly asked, "What level of strength is that person at?"

"Fiveth stage of Jiangjing."

"Damn it." Deng Yutang rarely swore.

If Deng Yuxiang had continued to prepare until the final challenge, she might have been able to do it in one go.

Even if she can't win, at least Deng Yuxiang can fight the enemy at her best.

But look at it now!
Deng Yuxiang's spirit was completely destroyed.

Deng Yutang almost exploded when he thought about the looks and discussions from the crowd after the other party won.

The relationship between the Deng siblings has not been very good.

But no matter what, they are relatives, a family connected by bones and tendons!

Deng Yutang really hated it.

I hate my own incompetence.

Hu Jiaojiao wiped her bestie's hand clean, feeling guilty, and whispered:

"If I had known this earlier and returned to Beifeng City earlier, maybe I could have protected him."

"Don't think like that." Lu Ran whispered, "Given Sister Yuxiang's personality, she will definitely accept the challenge."

Bai Manni finally couldn't help herself and asked, "Can we not challenge you?"

Deng Yutang immediately looked at Hu Jiaojiao.

Hu Jiaojiao's eyes were complicated and she shook her head, "No!
When Yuxiang returned to Beifeng City, she signed a life and death agreement and set a date.

She signed it in the presence of all the members of the sect, in the temple of Lord Bei Feng."

Bai Manni's face turned pale and she held Deng Yutang's hand tightly.

The last half of Hu Jiaojiao’s sentence is the most crucial.

You have confirmed everything in front of the god Beifeng, so it is impossible for you to go back on your word.

How can we play things lightly in front of God?
Having said that, even if there were no gods, you would not be able to change the situation after signing a petition in front of the many powerful people of Beifeng Sect.

From the perspective of Deng Yuxiang's personal growth and future development, it is even less likely that she would break the contract.

Go into battle,

Maybe you will lose, maybe you will die.

No matter what the outcome is, you are standing.

Deserting from the battlefield,
How will you deal with the rest of your life?

You are not an ordinary person, you are a mighty river. The requirements for your state of mind are very high, and they will become higher and higher!
From this perspective, you can't even play a fake game, you can't just fight symbolically and raise your hands in surrender.

Because you are responsible for yourself!
unless
You give up the path of cultivation and prepare to go back to being an ordinary person.

Deng Yuxiang suddenly spoke, saying the first words since entering the box:

"Who do you guys think I am?"

There was silence in the box.

Deng Yuxiang glanced at the few people, Bai Manni immediately lowered her head, and Deng Yutang opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say.

She slowly stood up, her white down jacket falling down, and turned to leave.

"Yuxiang?" Hu Jiaojiao hurriedly stood up.

"Sister Yuxiang?" Bai Manni felt extremely guilty and scared, knowing that she had said the wrong thing.

People are divided into three, six or nine grades.

The same is true for practitioners.

Deng Yuxiang is undoubtedly a genius, and even more so a powerful person in the Jiang Realm!
Bai Manni's words were simply an insult to Deng Yuxiang!
Deng Yuxiang stood up and left without scolding anyone, which was already a huge favor to them.

"I'll do it." Lu Ran picked up his down jacket and walked out quickly.

Bai Manni's eyes were red, but she didn't dare to chase after him.

She was flustered and anxious. She turned to look at Deng Yutang and kept apologizing: "I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

Deng Yutang hugged Bai Manni and could not utter any words of blame.

As a Red Scarf believer, he actually had a moment when he wanted to persuade his sister to put her life first.

(End of this chapter)