Xu Nian had always dreaded encountering such enchantingly beautiful yet incredibly cunning women.
These women were even more terrifying than old foxes, extremely difficult to deal with.
Clearly, Sister Hong was one such individual.
And her actions earlier had a very obvious intention, which was to incite hostility towards Xu Nian among the crowd.
As expected, Sister Hong spoke again, "Perhaps many of you do not know him yet, so let me introduce him. This young man here just entered our Inner Sect. His name is Xu Nian, he is seventeen years old and is the youngest disciple in the history of our Inner Sect. Moreover, he is also set to become the number one prodigy of our Inner Sect."
"Seventeen years old? The number one prodigy of the Inner Sect?"
The crowd was surprised as they turned to look at Xu Nian, faces showing astonishment.
However, most of them looked unconvinced.
Clearly, they were resentful of the term 'number one prodigy of the Inner Sect' being applied to Xu Nian.
Among the crowd, a rather handsome young man furrowed his brows slightly, his gaze coldly sizing up Xu Nian.
Xu Nian inwardly sighed with a wry smile.
Sister Hong was not praising him; she was clearly drawing hatred towards him.
He had just entered the Inner Sect, and she had already labeled him as the number one Inner Sect prodigy, these people wouldn't accept it easily.
"Sister Hong, although I admit that it's impressive for Junior Brother Xu Nian to become an Inner Sect disciple at such a young age, to call him the number one Inner Sect prodigy seems a bit too much. The path of Artifact Refining is different from Cultivation; being young doesn't necessarily mean having more potential. It might be possible that Junior Brother Xu Nian simply started Artifact Refining early. Many of us only began touching Artifact Refining after the age of ten. Take Junior Brother Ziyu, for example, he entered the Inner Sect at twenty, but started Artifact Refining only at fourteen, and has been Cultivating not even for nine years yet, and now he's already a Four-star Little Artifact Refiner," a young man spoke up unconvinced.
"Right, becoming a Little Artifact Refiner at seventeen; maybe he started touching Artifact Refining at the age of three," the crowd suddenly started discussing, clearly dissatisfied with Sister Hong's words.
However, Sister Hong simply smiled, showing no surprise at the grievances of the crowd.
Everything was under her control.
"Do you all feel very unconvinced when I say he is the number one prodigy of the Inner Sect?" Sister Hong asked with a smile as she looked towards the crowd.
"We are unconvinced!" the crowd promptly responded.
Xu Nian stood aside feeling awkward.
He had roughly guessed Sister Hong's intention.
Indeed, Sister Hong was stirring things up.
A sect that wanted to develop quickly must have fierce competition.
This was why some Beimo commoners kept a few Red Blood Wolves that specifically preyed on Spiritual Jade Sheep while raising them on the grasslands.
Only through the pursuit of the Red Blood Wolves could these Spiritual Jade Sheep grow healthier.
Now, Sister Hong wanted to turn Xu Nian into a Red Blood Wolf, pushing these Inner Sect disciples to keep moving forward.
Conversely, to survive, Xu Nian must also try harder, or he wouldn't even earn the wool.
What a clever tactic!
If he were an ordinary hot-blooded youth, hearing the opposition of these disciples, he would without hesitation jump right into the circle drawn by Sister Hong and fight a decisive battle with these weaklings.
However, Sister Hong had chosen the wrong target.
Although Xu Nian was only seventeen, his mind was not inferior to that of an adult.
He even had a bit of the cunning of the Little Fox.
Liu Shan stood in the crowd, smirking as well. He was the only person on the scene who knew Sister Hong's purpose.
He loved watching dramas, so he was really looking forward to Xu Nian's performance.
"Xu Nian, come on, tell everyone loudly, when did you start Artifact Refining?" Sister Hong turned to Xu Nian and asked with a smile.
Having received the information last night, she had sent people to gather information about Xu Nian.
She had decided to let Xu Nian grow in the midst of brutal competition.
It would also motivate the group of complacent Inner Sect disciples.
Thus, today's scene unfolded.
Everyone turned to look at Xu Nian upon hearing Sister Hong's question.
Their hearts filled with doubt, could it be that Xu Nian's time in artifact refining was very short?
"Reporting to Sister Hong, I started artifact refining at the age of one," Xu Nian answered steadily.
However, Sister Hong's eyes widened in shock.
This was not what she had expected!
The script wasn't written !
She had received information that Xu Nian only started artifact refining last year.
How did it become from the age of one?
At one year old, he should still be nursing!
Hearing Xu Nian's words, the surrounding crowd sneered dismissively, and their surprise at his admission into the Inner Sect at seventeen lessened greatly.
Seeing the disdain from the crowd, Sister Hong couldn't help but grow angry.
Could it be that her carefully laid plans were going to be ruined?
Of course, she was not willing to accept that.
"Xu Nian, I'll give you one more chance, tell the truth, when did you really start artifact refining?" Sister Hong furiously questioned, staring intently at Xu Nian, exuding the dignity of a Marquis Level.
She didn't believe that Xu Nian would dare to lie under her imposing presence.
Yet, Xu Nian said earnestly, "Sister Hong, I'm telling the truth. I really started artifact refining at the age of one, entered at three, became a One-star Alchemy Apprentice at nine, and an Artifact Refiner at seventeen. My goal is to become a Great Refiner by forty, and frankly, I think I am the number one genius of the Inner Sect."
The Inner Sect disciples burst out laughing.
Sister Hong was even more furious.
Xu Nian was clearly lying.
But this guy's acting was so damn convincing that she could hardly see through it, making her feel inferior.
Liu Shan was also dumbfounded.
Where is the drama we were supposed to see?
Wasn't he supposed to wreck things?
"Sister Hong, this is the number-one genius of the Inner Sect you mentioned? Becoming a Great Refiner by forty, I must say, Junior Brother Xu Nian's ambition is indeed vast," another disciple mocked.
Sister Hong was already furious, and this guy was throwing fuel into the fire.
So, Sister Hong lost it.
"Get out! All of you, get out!" Sister Hong bellowed furiously, her voice intimidating the entire Inner Sect.
Her words mixed with the terrifying Marquis's authority, scared the disciples into a panicked frenzy, and they scrambled out of the courtyard.
This was the first time they had seen Sister Hong so fiery.
They usually joked with Sister Hong, but she had never gotten angry.
Why did she explode today?
Xu Nian naturally knew why Sister Hong was so irate.
He was the one who had lit the fuse.
Of course, Xu Nian wasn't about to explain to them.
With Sister Hong being so angry, it was perhaps best to leave.
However, just as Xu Nian was about to step out of the courtyard, the furious Sister Hong suddenly spoke, "Xu Nian, you stay!"
Xu Nian's stepping foot stopped mid-air, thinking to himself, "It's over!"