Chapter 301: Chapter 232: Challenge to Battle

"Murong Wanqing!" Shen Haoran’s eyes narrowed, a cold glint flashing within. Due to his mother’s situation, he held no fondness for anyone from the Murong Family.

"Boy, are you the one who injured Master Lan Fang?" Murong Wanqing glanced at Shen Haoran and asked coolly.

"Master? Hmph. Does he even deserve to be called a Master? He’s nothing but a profit-driven, sanctimonious hypocrite—a disgrace to the Alchemy Realm!" Shen Haoran scoffed.

"What do you mean by that, you brat?! How dare you look down on Master Lan Fang? He’s the foremost Alchemist in all of Desert City!"

"Insulting Master Lan Fang is the same as making an enemy of our Lan Family! Believe it or not, we’ll make sure you can never show your face in Desert City again!"

At Shen Haoran’s words, the Lan Family members erupted in an uproar. From the looks on their faces, they were itching to charge forward and give him a savage beating.

"Regardless of what kind of person he is, you struck my Alchemist. Do you not think you owe me an explanation?" Murong Wanqing said coldly.

"Your Alchemist? From the Lan Family? I see. Birds of a feather really do flock together. It makes sense that your Murong Family would associate with a family like the Lan. You’re all a bunch of hypocrites!" Shen Haoran said, a cold light flashing in his eyes as he stared at Murong Wanqing.

The onlookers gasped when they heard Shen Haoran’s words. To think he would dare speak to someone from the Murong Clan in such a way! Wasn’t he afraid of offending them?

Murong Wanqing’s brow furrowed. ’This boy dares to turn his insults on the Murong Family? Does he not know that the Murong Clan holds a dominant, overlord-like position throughout the five great regions?’

"You may insult me, but I will not permit you to insult my clan! Today, I must challenge you. This isn’t for Lan Fang; it’s for the honor of my clan. Do you dare to accept?" A flash of red light emanated from Murong Wanqing’s hand, and a sharp longsword materialized. She pointed its tip directly at Shen Haoran and demanded in an icy tone.

"For the Murong Family? Hmph. Very well. I’d like to see just what kind of skills you Murong Family members possess!" Shen Haoran accepted.

"Excellent. In two days, at the Desert City arena. I’ll be waiting for you." Murong Wanqing retracted her longsword, and after informing Shen Haoran of the time and place, she departed with the members of the Lan Family.

"Hmph. In two days, you’re a dead man!" Lan Sha shot Shen Haoran a cold glare before turning to catch up with Murong Wanqing.

Shen Haoran watched Murong Wanqing’s retreating figure, a cold light flashing in his eyes. "Murong Clan," he muttered in a voice only he could hear, "one day, I will come for you personally. I will repay the debt you owe my mother and me a hundred times over!"

"Brother Shen, that was so reckless! That young woman is a disciple of the Murong Family! The Murong Clan is one of the most renowned clans on the continent, and their disciples are all the cream of the crop. The Cultivation and Martial Skills they learn are nothing we can compare to. Was it really wise to accept her challenge like that?" Han Xu said worriedly, approaching Shen Haoran after the Lan Family had left.

"Don’t worry, Brother Han. This battle was inevitable. There’s no escaping it," Shen Haoran said, lightly patting Han Xu’s shoulder before turning and heading into the Han Family’s courtyard.

Han Xu watched him go, unable to make heads or tails of what Shen Haoran was talking about. Utterly bewildered, he quickly hurried after him.

"Second Master, what should we do about what happened today?" an Elder beside Han Ding asked in a low voice after Shen Haoran and Han Xu had departed.

"Hmph. I was planning to use the Lan Family to get rid of Han Xu, but then a disciple from the Murong Family and that Shen Haoran had to show up out of nowhere and ruin my plans!

"However, since that Shen Haoran has offended the Murong Family, he’s certainly not going to meet a good end. Han Xu won’t be able to escape his fate either. We’ll just sit back and enjoy the show!" Han Ding snorted before leading his own men into the Han Family residence.

...

Meanwhile, a piece of news was spreading through Desert City like wildfire. In just half a day, it was on everybody’s lips.

"Have you heard? The Lan Family has gotten in good with the Imperial Capital Murong Family!"

"Who hasn’t heard? I heard that Murong Wanqing is a direct-line disciple of the Murong Family. I can’t believe someone like her would show up in a barren place like ours!"

"Ha! But the juiciest part is that some blind fool insulted the Murong Family, and when Murong Wanqing challenged him to a duel, the kid was arrogant enough to accept!"

"You’re talking about that kid who came back with Han Xu from the Han Family, right? He’s so arrogant he doesn’t even take the Murong Family seriously!"

"This time, Murong Wanqing is going to take action personally to teach that arrogant kid a lesson. We’ll get to feast our eyes and see just how talented a direct-line disciple of the Murong Family really is!"

"Of course we have to go! In two days, the city arena is going to be packed. I’d better go grab a spot now!"

"Hey, wait up! I’m coming too..."

For a time, the entire city was abuzz with the news, and this was how Shen Haoran’s name became widely known.

「One day later, in the Han Family’s Lanxiang Garden...」

"Brother Shen, how can you be so calm? Your duel with Murong Wanqing of the Murong Family is tomorrow, and you’re still in the mood to treat Xiaoxue’s injuries?" Han Xu asked anxiously, watching Shen Haoran sit cross-legged before Han Xue. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

"What are you worried about? I’m the one fighting, not you. You should focus on your sister," Shen Haoran said, taking a deep breath and retracting the Fire Spirit Black Obsidian from within Han Xue’s body.

"You... you... I think you should just run for it! It might be a little humiliating, but at least you’ll save your own skin! Offending the Murong Clan never ends well!" Han Xu said, a sudden idea striking him.

"Run? Why would I run? Are you so sure I’m going to lose?" Shen Haoran asked with a smile, shaking his head.

"She’s a direct-line disciple of the Murong Clan! Every single one of them is a monster! Do you really think you have any chance of winning?" Han Xu exclaimed.

"Chances of winning? I have no idea. We’ll only know once we fight!" Shen Haoran shrugged. He had indeed felt an immense pressure from Murong Wanqing that day, a pressure he had never felt from anyone else in his generation. But he would absolutely not back down from this fight. There was no other reason needed; she was from the Murong Clan, the same clan that had imprisoned his mother!

"Fine, fine, have it your way! I’m not going to say any more. Just don’t regret it later!" Seeing that Shen Haoran had no intention of backing down, Han Xu could only shake his head helplessly.

Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, night had fallen. A bright moon hung high in the sky. Shen Haoran stepped out of his room and gazed up at the sea of stars, his thoughts drifting.

’Mother, rest assured. I will rescue you, and then I will find Father so our family can be reunited! Tomorrow, I will see for myself just what the Murong Clan is made of. I must win tomorrow’s battle!’ Shen Haoran’s gaze sharpened, and a terrifying aura erupted from within him. The ground beneath his feet cracked, and a storm of Spiritual Power raged through the courtyard, only quieting down after a long while...

[PS: Xiezi (the author) is sick and in the hospital on an IV drip. Sorry that today’s update is late and short! I don’t know if I’ll be better tomorrow, but I will make it up to you all. My sincerest apologies.]