Extra's Strategy: Cultivate Protagonists, Become Invincible-Chapter 244: Rattle His Bones

"Oh, look, he’s here!"

Her reverie broken, Xiao Mei followed Chen Yan’s line of sight and found Han Xuhan walking out of a dense wave of fog, looking a little jittery as he approached the dueling arena.

Her fists and guts clenched up at once.

Having faced this guy in combat so many times over the last month, each of which was a brutal experience, even seeing him from afar gave rise to extremely negative emotions in her heart.

"Huh, he’s brought his martial siblings with him this time. That’s new," Chen Yan muttered. It helped Xiao Mei tear her focus away from him.

On Han Xuhan’s left walked a young woman in a red robe, clearly not one to take the sect’s rules of uniform clothing seriously. Her tall stature, long strides, and sharp eyes radiated a dominating air.

Anyone would think of her as the leader of the group, if it weren’t for the disciple on Han Xuhan’s right side.

It was a young man with strikingly handsome features, almost fit to be called an androgynous beauty. He wore a sunny smile, walked a step ahead of the rest of his group, and spoke with a lazy confidence that left a strong impression even if the observers couldn’t hear a word.

Anyone watching would find themselves drawn to him inevitably, as if he had mastered a mystic art to keep himself at the center of attention at all times.

Behind the three, another youth with a bear-like physique followed. His head hung low, and his gait was listless, utterly unlike his martial siblings.

"Xuanyuan Zhou, Mu Ran, and Xiao Wu, none of the three has directly gotten involved in our contest so far. Is it going to change today?" Chen Yan recalled from memory.

"Two of them clearly have some potential. But that third kid, he always makes me feel a sense of familiarity. After climbing to the Soul Reformation realm, this feeling has gotten stronger for some reason. How interesting..."

Xiao Mei rubbed her temples, overwhelmed with all the mysteries and speculations her mind was being forced into contemplating. If things continued this way, at some point, her head was going to explode, wasn’t it?

"You seem overly tense, your highness. May I suggest some light entertainment?"

"...What? Now?" She asked warily.

"Of course. Watch me rattle junior brother Xuhan to his bones and make him lose his confidence before the duel starts. It will be fun!"

Chen Yan suddenly started walking towards their group, and she could only sigh and follow him like an obedient little maid. Although, the very thought made her feel disgusted with herself.

But the instincts ingrained into her by her bloodline weren’t something her will could overpower easily. Her only escape route lay in awakening her bloodline as well, claiming her rightful superiority over Chen Yan once more.

"Junior brother Xuhan! Are you here to watch the duel as well?" Chen Yan shouted even before reaching their group.

His loud voice attracted quite a few eyes from the gatherings nearby.

"Of course," Han Xuhan responded dryly.

"My livelihood depends on the outcome of this duel, as you know, senior brother. Might I ask why you’re here? Shouldn’t you be preparing for the Farewell Ceremony?"

Chen Yan pointed at the massive crowd circling the dueling arena.

"So many disciples of my generation have come to watch this interesting contest. How could I sit at home and miss out on it?

Moreover, I was especially concerned because of all the rumors I’ve been hearing about you."

"Rumors? About me? Someone really has been after my reputation these days, writing fictional stories like he’s getting paid to." Han Xuhan said with a sneer.

"Sure seems like it," Chen Yan agreed.

"This one I just heard is the wildest so far. People are saying now that you’re actually a slave disciple of another sect, a destroyed super sect, to be exact."

The moment he revealed it, the countenances of all four martial siblings changed drastically.

"They’re saying that you’re under orders by your master to convert the disciples of our sect into slave-disciples of that destroyed sect. You’re going to subvert and sabotage the entire outer court’s legacy to revive that ruined path.

And the weapon you’ve chosen for this task is a manual belonging to that path, a manual that records a Mystic Art based on the cultivation of laws."

In disbelief, Han Xuhan quickly surveyed the crowd ahead. Indeed, those who were staring at him at the moment mostly displayed hostile expressions, filled with suspicion and uncertainty.

The way they were whispering to each other, pointing fingers at him, and arguing amongst themselves...

The situation clearly wasn’t favorable. Chen Yan was probably not exaggerating!

Han Xuhan closed his eyes, face turning pale, while Xuanyuan Zhou and Mu Ran cast murderous gazes at Chen Yan, clearly having guessed that it was his handiwork.

Of course, that wasn’t going to intimidate Chen Yan in the least. He continued to hammer Han Xuhan’s mental defenses, unconcerned. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

"You’ve been holding free lecture sessions to spread that legalist path’s Mystic Art among your peers. You’ve even found some mysterious backers to support you. Surely, if the rumors are true, those backers of yours are just as interested in bringing our sect to ruin as you are, junior brother.

And today, you and your backers are going to fight for the right to continue this disgusting, subversive scheme, fight to keep your numerous misdeeds and secret dealings with that super sect hidden."

Chen Yan stepped closer, his tall frame towering over Han Xuhan. Lowering his head, he whispered the final blow.

"Do you think the Sect Master is going to support you in this contest once he hears the rumors, knowing that if you win, the entire outer court, the entire Crimson Snow Sect, will lose?

Can Xuan Zi, your strongest pillar of support, afford to support you today?"

Abruptly, Han Xuhan opened his eyes and met Chen Yan’s overpowering gaze. His lips stretched into an inexplicably bizarre smile.