As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere in the hall instantly boiled over, and everyone's faces lit up with excitement.
A showdown between two S-class talents—this was a rare and thrilling spectacle!
Those who had originally remained neutral quickly gathered around, their gazes burning as they watched the two, eagerly anticipating the start of this contest.
Those who had already harbored some hostility towards Han Xuanji also watched with anticipation, wishing fervently that Ling Feng could expose Han Xuanji's true, undeserving nature.
Hun Cangfeng sat in a corner, holding a wine cup, a subtle smile curling at the corner of his mouth, his eyes carrying a hint of calculation.
"And where did this one come from?"
Han Xuanji's brow furrowed slightly as his gaze settled on Ling Feng. A thought stirred within him, and he quietly activated the System's probing ability.
A moment later, Ling Feng's intentions were laid bare by the System's probe—it was nothing more than jealousy. Jealousy over Han Xuanji receiving Hun Qianxue's attention, jealousy over his grand reception. He wanted to use the pretext of a test to publicly suppress him, to prove that he, Ling Feng, was the true S-class talent worthy of the Hun Family's attention, while also currying favor with Hun Qianchen to solidify his own standing within the family.
This move was also instigated by someone behind the scenes—the third Young Master of the Hun Family, a member of Hun Qianchen's faction.
"It seems once you're caught in this whirlpool, it's hard to remain untouched."
After understanding Ling Feng's motives, a flicker of impatience passed through Han Xuanji's eyes, but he did not lash out. His expression remained calm as he looked indifferently at Ling Feng, waiting for his next move.
It was as if a contest centered around the S-class title was already on the verge of erupting.
Just as the tension reached its peak, a crisp voice suddenly rang out:
"Whether Brother Xuanji deserves the title of S-class Prodigy is for the Patriarch to judge.
If you are dissatisfied, you can go to the Patriarch and ask him to revoke the rating. There's no need to make a racket here."
Everyone turned towards the voice and saw Hun Qianling striding over quickly, her delicate brows slightly furrowed, her expression tinged with displeasure. She went straight to Han Xuanji's side, her gaze coldly fixed on Ling Feng. Though she did not exude any powerful aura of pressure, her status alone carried an imposing presence.
Hun Qianling had been busy receiving congratulations from the clan elders. Out of the corner of her eye, she had noticed the commotion but initially paid it no mind. However, upon seeing Ling Feng step forward, she immediately lost her patience and hurried over to lend her support.
Knowing Han Xuanji's preference for keeping a low profile and avoiding conflict, she proactively stepped forward, shielding him from all the sharp attention.
After all, Han Xuanji was someone she had brought to the Hun Family, personally conferred the title of S-class Prodigy by her elder brother. How could she allow him to be bullied right under her nose?
Seeing Hun Qianling intervene, the arrogance on Ling Feng's face instantly faded by more than half. His expression became somewhat awkward, and his tone softened considerably:
"Young Miss Qianling, I... I merely wished to seek some advice from Brother Han. I had no intention of causing trouble."
No matter how arrogant he was, he dared not act presumptuously in front of Hun Qianling. After all, she was the Patriarch's own younger sister, and her status within the Hun Family was far beyond what an outsider like him could compare to.
"Seek advice?"
Hun Qianling let out a cold laugh, her tone laced with dissatisfaction:
"Is this how one seeks advice? Brother Han is unwilling to lower himself to your level, yet you push your luck. Do you truly believe the Hun Family has no rules?"
Ling Feng was left speechless by the retort, his face alternating between shades of green and white. He stood there, at a loss, not even having the courage to refute.
He truly hadn't known that Han Xuanji was actually brought to the Hun Family by Hun Qianling. No one had told him.
Hun Cangfeng certainly wouldn't have informed him of this matter; otherwise, Ling Feng wouldn't have been so easily manipulated. Seeing this, the onlookers also quickly subdued their expressions of eager anticipation. No one dared to gossip casually anymore. With Hun Qianling backing him, even those who privately doubted Han Xuanji wouldn't dare to step forward and provoke him easily.
Who didn't know that Hun Qianling and Hun Qianxue were extremely close, being full siblings? If one truly offended her without being in the right, they certainly wouldn't come to a good end. Even Wang Ping, looking at Han Xuanji standing behind Hun Qianling, couldn't help but be momentarily stunned before a sense of relief washed over him. Brother Han is unwilling to engage in disputes. Having Young Miss Qianling's support saves a lot of trouble. It seems he's not needed after all.
Meanwhile, Han Xuanji stood behind Hun Qianling, watching her step forward on his behalf. A flicker of warmth passed through his eyes. The calculations in his mind about how to respond instantly dissipated, replaced instead by a feeling of 'peaceful acceptance'.
He had never had any patience for dealing with such petty clowns. Now that Hun Qianling had stepped forward to handle everything, he was naturally happy to save himself the trouble, feeling not the slightest bit of embarrassment about 'relying on a woman's support'.
In his view, since Hun Qianling was willing to back him up, why should he expend effort dealing with these trivial provocations?
Rather than waste time arguing with Ling Feng, it was better to conserve his energy and wait for the System upgrade. Moreover, he and Hun Qianling were friends. Looking out for each other among friends was only natural, nothing to be embarrassed about.
But in the eyes of everyone else in the hall, the situation was completely different.
Those who had already doubted Han Xuanji now looked at him with even greater disdain, whispering softly among themselves:
"Truly undeserving of the title. He can't even handle a challenge himself and has to rely on Young Miss Qianling to step in. How can someone like this be worthy of being an S-class Prodigy?"
"Exactly. He only got the S-class title from the Patriarch because of his connection to Young Miss Qianling. His own abilities are mediocre; he doesn't even dare to face Ling Feng head-on. In the end, he just climbed the ladder through connections."
Watching this scene, Wang Ping couldn't help but stand up and address the murmuring crowd in a low, firm voice:
"Enough of your gossip! Brother Han was personally conferred the title of S-class Prodigy by the Patriarch. He naturally has his exceptional qualities. He simply doesn't wish to stoop to your level, which is why he refrains from acting. How can you allow yourselves to slander him so casually?"
Though Wang Ping's own talent was average, he despised this kind of backbiting gossip the most. Moreover, Han Xuanji was a friend he had acknowledged, so he naturally couldn't stand by and let others slander him.
As soon as he spoke, the surrounding whispers immediately quieted down considerably. Some looked at Wang Ping with a hint of disdain in their eyes, but no one dared to refute him openly. While the Wang Family wasn't as powerful as the Hun Family, they still had several Eternal True Gods presiding. And although Wang Ping's talent wasn't much to speak of, his status within the Wang Family was quite high and noble, surpassing that of most people present.
Even Han Xuanji was somewhat surprised. He hadn't expected this guy to be so reliable, genuinely speaking up for him.
"Perhaps I can give him some pointers."
Han Xuanji thought to himself. In truth, Wang Ping wasn't as hopeless as he himself seemed to believe.