Half a year ago.
When they were still in the Linwang Mansion, Lin Jiangnian did make a bet with Xu Lan.
He had forgotten the reason for the bet, but it was probably an excuse to appease Miss Xu and tell her not to bother him unless necessary.
Later, when Lin Jiangnian arrived in Beijing, the bet was forgotten. It wasn't until today, when Xu Lan asked a servant to come and pass on a message outside the door, that Lin Jiangnian vaguely remembered the bet made almost half a year ago.
He hadn't taken it seriously, and hadn't intended to take it seriously, but he didn't expect Xu Lan to bring up the old matter again. Looking at her excited expression, it was clear that she was still thinking about the bet.
This is interesting...
Lin Jiangnian looked at the self-satisfied Xu Lan in front of him and asked, "How do you know I lost?"
"Isn't it?"
Xu Lan dared to bring up this bet, so she naturally had the confidence. She looked Lin Jiangnian up and down and snorted softly: "What realm are you in now?"
"And you?"
Lin Jiangnian asked back.
At that time, the two made a bet that if Lin Jiangnian's martial arts ability surpassed Xu Lan within three months, Xu Lan would have to serve as his maid for a month.
Otherwise, Lin Jiangnian would have to serve as her servant for a month.
The bet is huge!
At this moment, Xu Lan was very proud. She raised her head and chest proudly, puffing out her not-so-high chest. She snorted and said complacently: "I am now someone you should look up to!"
"Yeah?"
Lin Jiangnian vaguely remembered that half a year ago, Xu Lan was just a ninth-rank rookie. Barely beginning to reach the threshold of martial arts training, he even suspected her ninth-rank was watered down.
Otherwise, how could a dignified ninth-rank cultivator be bullied by Lin Jiangnian, who didn't even know martial arts at the time...
Although there was an element of striking first and catching Xu Lan off guard, it seems that Miss Xu's martial arts skills are probably not that high.
Now that half a year has passed, how much has her martial arts improved?
Eighth rank?
Considering that it took Miss Xu half a year to enter the ninth rank, it seems that she has reached the eighth rank in just half a year, which is almost the limit, right?
"Then Miss Xu, what has your martial arts level reached now? Is she someone that this prince can look up to?"
Xu Lan snorted coldly, glanced at Lin Jiangnian with a hint of provocation, and said proudly: "This girl is now a seventh-grade master!"
The tone was arrogant, with a little inexplicable pride!
As if feeling proud.
After hearing this, Lin Jiangnian was indeed stunned.
Seventh grade?
Can this girl enter the seventh rank?
It’s indeed a bit unexpected!
Although there's no clear distinction between the fifth rank and below, it doesn't mean there's no distinction at all. It took Miss Xu half a year to reach the ninth rank, and now she can move from the ninth rank to the seventh rank in just half a year?
It was indeed unexpected.
Xu Lan saw the look of shock on Lin Jiangnian's face, and her heart grew even more proud. The results of her six months of hard work and diligent practice of martial arts had finally borne fruit today.
Cool!
"How is it? Are you scared?!"
Lin Jiangnian looked her up and down and asked, "Ms. Xu, how did you become a seventh-rank official?"
"Of course it's because I'm incredibly talented and have an exceptional gift for martial arts!"
Xu Lan hummed softly, feeling smug.
She naturally wouldn't tell Lin Jiangnian that when they made the bet, she was already close to reaching the eighth rank. Over the past six months, in order to win the bet, she had even put aside her usual laziness and quietly practiced diligently, just to amaze this guy today.
This is also the reason why she dared to come to Lin Jiangnian today to fulfill the bet!
According to the bet, Lin Jiangnian had to surpass her within three months. Since she was currently at the seventh rank, Lin Jiangnian's martial arts skills would have to be at least at the seventh rank, or even the sixth rank!
Sixth rank?
When the bet was made, Lin Jiangnian had only just begun practicing martial arts, barely even reaching the threshold of martial arts. In the past six months, there was no way he could reach the sixth rank. Furthermore, the journey to the capital had been arduous, and he might not have had time to practice martial arts.
So...
She is sure to win!
Xu Lan glanced at Lin Jiangnian with pride: "What? Are you scared? Are you thinking of going back on your word now?"
"If you apologize to me now, admitting your mistake and admitting you lost, and that you're no match for me, I might just feel guilty and cancel the bet. How about that?"
Facing Miss Xu, who hadn't seen him for a long time and was provocative the moment they met, Lin Jiangnian fell silent and sighed: "If I were you, I would never mention this matter."
Xu Lan looked puzzled. Just as he was about to speak, he heard Lin Jiangnian ask, "Are you really already at the seventh rank?"
Xu Lan said proudly: "The goods are genuine, absolutely true... Why, you don't believe it?"
"I really don't believe it."
Lin Jiangnian shook his head slightly.
"Okay, since you won't cry until you see the coffin, I'll grant your wish."
Xu Lan immediately rolled up his sleeves, rubbed his hands together, and looked like he was going to teach Lin Jiangnian a lesson.
"Come on, let's have a fight?!"
She sneered in her heart, determined to beat this guy until he cried for mercy.
"Don't be in a hurry, prove yourself first." Lin Jiangnian shook his head.
"How do you prove it?"
Lin Jiangnian glanced around and quickly stopped at a stone beside the pond in the courtyard. He pointed at the stone and said, "Try it. Can you split this stone with your bare hands?"
"Chop it open with bare hands?"
Hearing this, Xu Lan's expression froze: "How is it possible with bare hands?"
Lin Jiangnian glanced at her and said, "You're already a seventh-rank master, and you can't even do this?"
Xu Lan blushed and argued, "Seventh rank is seventh rank, who among the seventh rank can split stones with their bare hands?"
A seventh-grade cultivator could indeed be considered to have some martial arts skills, but that was all. This stone was incredibly hard, so how could she possibly split it with her bare hands?
Isn't this deliberately making things difficult for her?
"Who said we can't?"
Lin Jiangnian picked up the stone from the edge of the pond. The stone was about the size of a palm and felt heavy. He looked at it for a while and then glanced at her: "Can't you use your internal energy to shake it away?"
The aura on Xu Lan's face weakened a bit. Was he using his internal force to shake it off?
Indeed, if you use internal force, you can really split the stone.
But……
Although she did have some internal strength, she couldn't use it at all, let alone split stones with her bare hands.
"You can't?"
Xu Lan, who had been feeling somewhat guilty, suddenly caught sight of Lin Jiangnian's questioning look and immediately became angry: "I can't do it... but so what? Can you do it?"
"Is it difficult?"
Hearing this, Xu Lan became even more annoyed.
Is it difficult?
How dare he ask such a question?
To split this stone with bare hands, one must possess immense internal strength. To possess such strength, one must be at least at the fifth rank or higher.
"Okay, come on if you're capable. I'm counting on you... you..."
Xu Lan was embarrassed and was about to make sarcastic remarks.
But she stopped abruptly when she was halfway through her words.
In her sight, Lin Jiangnian was playing with the stone in his hand that was half the size of her head, and gently squeezed it with one hand.
The next second, the stone shattered into pieces in Lin Jiangnian's palm.
“Snap!”
There was a slight cracking sound and stones scattered.
Xu Lan's words came to an abrupt end, and the expression on her face completely froze at this moment.
Standing there in a daze.
My mind is completely blank.
Unbelievable!
"Is it difficult?"
Lin Jiangnian glanced at Xu Lan, who was stunned, and asked in confusion.
“…”
“…”
silence.
silence!
The courtyard seemed to be plunged into dead silence.
Xu Lan just stood there in a daze, staring at the scattered stones in Lin Jiangnian's hands for a long time.
It was as if what was being crushed was not stone, but her cerebellum.
It's hard to describe the expression on her face at this moment.
Surprise, shock, astonishment, disbelief, pale face...
After a long time, she finally came to her senses, looked at the broken stones on the ground, and swallowed: "You, how did you do that?"
"That's it, is it that difficult?"
Lin Jiangnian said calmly.
“…”
Is it difficult?
At this moment, Xu Lan felt extremely humiliated.
Isn't he talking nonsense?
Can this be simple?
Bare hands?!
How come his hands are harder than stone?
Why can he take it so lightly?
He, he, he...
At this moment, Xu Lan suddenly thought of something.
"By the way, didn't you just say you wanted to fight?"
Lin Jiangnian's voice came again: "Come now?"
Xu Lan: “…”
"Why aren't you talking? Are you coming or not?"
“…”
"If you don't come, I'll take it as you admit defeat!"
“…”
Finally, Xu Lan couldn't bear it anymore. She was furious and glared at Lin Jiangnian with gritted teeth: "Did you do this on purpose?!"
"What on purpose?"
"You deliberately... deliberately..."
Xu Lan was furious: "Are you here to humiliate me on purpose?"
"When did I humiliate you?"
Lin Jiangnian gave her a strange look and suppressed his laughter: "Didn't you bring this up yourself?"
"Didn't you bring up the bet yourself, wanting to share the wins and losses with this prince?"
Xu Lan fell silent again!
Yes, she was the one who brought it up.
But, but...
How could she have imagined that Lin Jiangnian's martial arts had reached such a terrifying level?
Just the strength he showed...
Xu Lan was silent.
She is so stupid.
real.
"What realm are you in now?"
Xu Lan stared at Lin Jiangnian and couldn't help asking.
Lin Jiangnian thought for a moment and said, "According to my calculations, I should be around the fifth level of the Wuxiang realm now."
"Fifth Rank?!"
Xu Lan sucked in a breath of cold air, staring at Lin Jiangnian in disbelief, his voice trembling slightly: "You have already entered the fifth rank?"
"Is it difficult?"
Xu Lan couldn't hide his shock as he stared at Lin Jiangnian as if he were a monster.
Is it difficult?
Less than half a year ago, this guy was still a rookie who knew no martial arts and couldn't even beat her. And in just half a year, he's already entered the fifth level of the Wuxiang realm?!
this……
But I have truly stepped into the threshold of becoming a master!
Is it difficult?
This is simply as difficult as climbing to the sky!
This was the first time in Xu Lan's life that he had seen someone with such abnormal talent in martial arts.
How could someone go from being a nobody to the fifth rank in just half a year?
Even the genius princess in the palace can't do it, right?
Xu Lan couldn't believe it.
But when I think of the scene where Lin Jiangnian easily crushed the stone just now, the powerful internal force in his palm does have the aura of a fifth-grade master.
Xu Lan was completely silent!
She felt a huge blow!
Also completely silent!
She had worked so hard for so long and finally reached the seventh rank, but...
Not worth mentioning in other people's eyes!
In fact, she was acting so proudly in front of this guy just now!
Thinking of his smug face just now, Xu Lan was so ashamed and angry that he wanted to dig a hole in the ground and crawl into it.
Her face was burning hot, making her feel ashamed.
"I, I have something else to do, so I'll go back first!"
Xu Lan couldn't stay any longer and turned around to run away.
But just after taking a step, he was suddenly stopped by Lin Jiangnian: "Why are you leaving?"
"You lost, and you haven't fulfilled your bet yet?"
Hearing the bet, Xu Lan trembled, her eyes widened, and she said fiercely, "Lose? I didn't lose!"
"We haven't even started fighting yet, who said I lost?!"
"If we really fight, I might not lose!"
Lin Jiangnian raised his eyebrows: "Let's fight now?"
"Now, not now..."
Xu Lan's eyes rolled: "I, I have something else to do today, I'll call you again in a few days!"
"Miss Xu, are you planning to default on your debt?" Lin Jiangnian looked at her.
"I don't!"
Xu Lan stiffened his neck and denied it.
Seeing that she was still so stubborn, Lin Jiangnian shook his head lightly and took a step back: "Forget it, forget it, I'll just let you default on your debt."
The previous bet was just a casual and perfunctory remark. Lin Jiangnian never took it to heart or seriously.
As for really letting Xu Lan be a maid?
Come to think of it, it's unlikely. How could the dignified Miss Xu be willing to be his maid?
Given her personality, isn't this harder than killing her?
It's rare to see her in the capital, so I won't bother with her this time.
Seeing Lin Jiangnian suddenly retreat, Xu Lan stood in place with a complicated look on his face.
She really wants to default on her debt!
Especially after learning that Lin Jiangnian's martial arts skills easily surpassed and crushed hers, Xu Lan felt an inexplicable sense of shame.
But now Lin Jiangnian suddenly waved his hand nonchalantly and said that she would be famous for defaulting on her debt, which made Xu Lan's heart sink. She felt inexplicably wronged and nervous.
It feels like something that I care about a lot is not taken seriously by the other party at all.
She stood there, seemed to hesitate for a long time, and then gritted her teeth.
"Who said I'm a defaulter?!"
Xu Lan walked up to Lin Jiangnian and said angrily, "I never go back on my word. I'm willing to accept defeat... Tell me, what do you want?!"
Lin Jiangnian looked at Miss Xu, whose face was filled with indignation, as if she had suffered a great injustice, and shook his head: "Your expression is as if this prince has bullied you?"
"You are a bully!"
Lin Jiangnian waved his hand: "Didn't I tell you? The bet doesn't count."
"no!"
Xu Lan angrily said, "I, Xu Lan, am willing to accept defeat. Losing is losing. I said I would be your maid, and I will never regret it!"
Lin Jiangnian looked at Miss Xu in surprise and asked, "Are you serious?"
"I mean what I say!"
"You said you wanted to be my servant, don't you regret it?"
“I will never regret it!”
"What if you regret it?"
Xu Lan bit her lower lip lightly, hesitated, glared at him again, and said angrily: "Whatever you want to do!"
"real?"
Xu Lan didn't know what he was thinking about, his face flushed slightly, and he nodded with gritted teeth.
"Okay, then I won't be polite!"
Lin Jiangnian felt relieved and glanced at her: "Go, go to the west of the city first and buy me some candied haws."
Xu Lan: “…”