"Xiao Li! Return at once! I am unharmed."
Gu Qingche, disregarding his own injuries, firmly grasped Gu Qingli's arm. He knew this youth possessed power at the King's tier; Xiao Li stood no chance. His own suffering was one matter, but he could not allow her to be wounded.
Gu Qinglin's eyes flickered with resolve.
"Brother Qingche, how can we simply let this pass? They not only insulted you but also slandered the Gu family. How can we endure such affronts?"
"Xiao Lin, silence!"
"That's right!"
Gu Qinglin's face flushed with indignation.
"Are the young scions of the Gu family nothing but timid cowards who dare not even spar?"
The man in the golden robe smiled thinly, his expression both cruel and cunning. Though his words bore no outright insult, their implication was all the more infuriating.
To speak thus in front of the assembled heirs of Loulan's great families—
If the Gu family refused to respond, they would surely be ridiculed in whispers behind their backs.
Moreover, the Gu family's decline in recent years had led many to doubt their claim as Loulan's foremost clan. It was perhaps for this reason that the usually composed Gu Qingche had been provoked to step forward.
After all, no matter the outcome, no lives would be lost here; refusing the challenge would only invite contempt.
"And who might you be, coming to Loulan City to bully the weak? Are you unaware this is a place frequented by youth?"
Gu Qingli's words stung, insinuating that this man only wielded his arrogance due to his seniority and years of cultivation.
A faint, mocking smile curled upon her ruby lips as she cast a scornful glance toward them.
The man in gold narrowed his eyes, a chilling gleam flickering within. He had not expected his opponent today to be such a mere girl.
He harbored little respect.
Yet the skill she had just displayed hinted she was no ordinary youth.
"My surname is He. As to who I am—that is a privilege only those who defeat me shall learn. Tell me, are you willing to fight for the Gu family?"
"Xiao Li! Do not be rash!"
Gu Qingche shouted anxiously, but Gu Qingli gently signaled him, assuring she was fine.
"You seem well aware that I belong to the Gu family."
Gu Qingli smiled faintly, her words laden with implication as she cast a cold glance toward the shifting expressions of Gu Qinglin and Li Ke'er.
"I merely guessed."
"Hahaha!"
Gu Qingli's laughter rang out, as if she had heard the most amusing jest.
"In this Loulan City, without powerful backing, I do not believe you would dare challenge the Gu family. I care not who you are, but I am quite curious about those who stand behind you."
Her words sparked murmurs among the gathered crowd.
"Indeed, who could possibly oppose the Gu family?"
"Surely a rival clan?"
Many recalled that the Gu family had produced no prodigies in recent years, while the Li family, the second clan, grew restless beneath their shadow, their tensions simmering.
Li Ke'er's face darkened, inwardly cursing Gu Qingli's sharp tongue.
"The girl is young but quick-witted. Whether her strength matches her words remains to be seen. I merely despise your so-called geniuses. This is a formal sparring match, agreed upon by all parties. Even if your Gu family is Loulan's premier clan, you cannot forbid us from competing."
The man in the golden robe smiled as if unconcerned, but Gu Qingli perceived the unease and stiffness lurking beneath his facade.