Xin Nü was startled when she saw the guards approaching with ill intent. She instinctively tugged at Li's sister; though she remained silent, her expression clearly conveyed: Sister, stop messing around with me. Let’s hurry home; Mom is calling us for dinner!

Cheryl, however, showed no sign of worry. This wasn't because she was too slow to realize the situation, but because she knew that as long as she stayed with powerhouses like Zhong Shenxiu and Robin, she feared no one who came looking for trouble—she only needed to sit back and watch the show!

“Hey! Didn’t you hear us tell you to leave?” The guards were getting closer, their demeanor exceedingly arrogant.

“Move aside.” Zhong Shenxiu looked up again, but his tone was remarkably crisp. Everyone present, including Loris, clearly heard those two words.

Brent and the other youths all looked toward Zhong Shenxiu in unison. Although Norwen had mentioned more than once how stubborn these two children were, this was the first time they truly experienced it. If those words had been directed at them, perhaps it could be dismissed as childish petulance, but spoken to these menacing guards, the implication was vastly different.

The approaching guards also froze, slowing their steps considerably. They had never imagined anyone dared speak to them that way, much less someone as young as this little child. (Actually, Zhong Shenxiu’s teeth were quite straight, sweat!)

Logically, these guards should have been furious. But they weren't. Instead, hesitation flickered across their faces as they began guessing the identities of Zhong Shenxiu and his group, fearful of rashly offending a high-ranking individual.

Could they also be nobility? The guards murmured amongst themselves. If they were commoners, they could handle any trouble, even death, as they had superiors to back them up. But if the other party was noble, the situation became complicated.

Loris’s expression was also somewhat stunned. While she had seen people resist before, she had never witnessed such sheer arrogance—it was as if these people held her company in utter contempt. What made it worse was that the woman had silently sanctioned the little boy’s impudence. Didn’t they know who they were speaking to?

The more Loris thought about it, the angrier she became, nearly rushing forward to clear the area herself. She impatiently urged, “What are you dawdling for?”

She had no reservations; she wasn't afraid even if the others were nobles, because she believed herself to be the most honored one! Naturally, what gave her such audacious confidence was her family background.

Their “Mithrall Family” was a powerful and influential lineage, and more importantly, the family maintained close ties with the “Stacy Family,” one of the five great houses.

Many women from the Mithrall Family had married into the Stacy Family, cementing an alliance through continuous intermarriage. Loris, once she reached maturity, was also destined to marry into the Stacy Family to fulfill the mission of “continuing the lineage and maintaining friendly relations!”

Because of this heritage, Loris had been spoiled since childhood, developing her current unreasonable temperament!

Hearing Loris’s sharp reprimand, the guards dared not hesitate any longer and marched forward.

Just as these guards reached within five meters of the table where Zhong Shenxiu was seated, Charlotte suddenly stood up and walked toward them.

When the guards saw Charlotte step out, they were once again taken aback. A hint of disdain showed in their eyes for this beautiful woman as they warned, “If you know what’s good for you, leave now! Don't force us to act!”

“There are plenty of empty seats nearby; please go bother someone else!” Charlotte said with extreme composure. What kind of storms hadn't she weathered? Why would she fear these arrogant nobles? If she were afraid, she wouldn't be out here; she’d be home raising children.

Words failing them, the guards realized these people were determined not to cooperate. Knowing further talk was useless, they stopped wasting breath and continued forward, their hands slowly drawing the longswords at their waists.

However, before the guards could fully draw their blades, Charlotte moved, preempting their action. Her battle aura erupted violently, and she launched into a series of rapid kicks!

Having spent time beside Zhong Shenxiu, she had naturally picked up some leg techniques, and her control over her battle aura had become much more practiced.

The overall strength of these guards was inferior to Charlotte's to begin with, compounded by her sudden attack. In the space of a single exchange, she sent all the guards tumbling to the ground, completely incapacitated.

Norwen and the others were dumbfounded. They hadn't expected this woman to actually dare strike, nor had they thought she possessed such hidden strength. What truly astonished them was the martial skill Charlotte had just displayed!

After dispatching the guards, Charlotte did not return to her seat. Instead, she stared intently at Loris nearby, her expression seeming to say: Be smart and go cool off somewhere else, or don't blame me for being ruthless!

Loris stared blankly at Charlotte, then at the groaning pile of guards on the floor. Her mind went momentarily blank; she simply couldn't accept that these normally formidable guards had been dealt with in mere moments.

Loris, being a mage, couldn't truly grasp the finesse of the technique Charlotte had just executed. She merely felt her guards were incompetent for being defeated by a mere woman!

She couldn't understand, and neither could anyone else, but at least the chief guard beside her, Cassian, could appreciate the skill. The fluidity of the legwork, in terms of speed, angles, and power, was flawless. His eyes immediately lit up, and he began sizing up Charlotte anew.

“You useless lot! You can’t even beat one woman!” Loris’s face flushed crimson; her guards’ ineptitude had completely humiliated her.

“You can’t blame them; that woman is very strong!” Cassian quickly explained.

Loris glanced sharply at Cassian and retorted irritably, “You go. Kick them out for me!”

As the master commanded, Cassian dared not disobey. Moreover, he himself was eager to spar with Charlotte, as the few moves she had just shown had ignited his fighting spirit.

“Folks, if you won’t cooperate, don't blame me for being discourteous!” Cassian walked forward, already unleashing his battle aura.

The more combat experience a person possessed, the less likely they were to underestimate an opponent. Cassian was precisely that kind of person, so he was prepared for immediate engagement from the start, his eyes fixed firmly on Charlotte.

“Is he a Sword Saint?” Norwen exclaimed in disbelief. As top students, they could certainly recognize the aura of a Sword Saint.

No one had expected this seemingly ordinary middle-aged man to have already achieved the rank of “Sword Saint.” Astonishment spread across their faces.

Charlotte’s brow furrowed as well. Her current strength was only that of a “High-Tier Great Swordsman.” Although she was only one tier below Cassian, the actual gap in power was considerable. After all, each level represented a threshold; it was a qualitative leap in mindset and other aspects.

Charlotte felt uncertain about defeating this middle-aged man. Even knowing she was significantly stronger than before, even knowing her current power far surpassed that of a regular “High-Tier Great Swordsman,” she hadn't yet reached “Sword Saint!”

To think they would encounter a “Sword Saint” in this place! Even Zhong Shenxiu couldn't help but take a second look at Cassian.

Charlotte realized this situation couldn't be resolved peacefully. Since they were already in conflict, she steeled her resolve and decided to fight it out.

Aside from lacking confidence in victory, Charlotte wasn't overly nervous. After all, she frequently sparred with the super-freak Robin, and her temperament had long since been tempered.

Seeing Charlotte charge, Cassian didn’t retreat; instead, he advanced, meeting her strike with his open palm. He was, after all, a Sword Saint, and since his opponent was female and unarmed, he chose to use his hand as a sword!

Thump! A muffled sound echoed as Charlotte’s kick landed squarely on Cassian’s forearm.

Although Cassian knew this woman was no ordinary person, he hadn't anticipated her instantaneous acceleration would be so strange, nearly catching him off guard. Thankfully, his reaction was swift enough to block the kick; otherwise, the consequences could have been unimaginable. Simultaneously, Charlotte’s kick made Cassian realize that this woman’s strength could not be dismissed. If he hadn't activated his battle aura right away, he might have been sent flying by that single kick.

What was this woman made of? How could she possess such immense power? Was she truly a woman?

Cassian grew increasingly alarmed. Without his “Sword Saint” cultivation, it would have been truly difficult to resist this strange, raw power, and even harder to keep up with Charlotte’s speed!

The two quickly exchanged several moves, punctuated by dull thuds.

Who would ultimately win—whether “men were inherently stronger” or “an arm could not twist a thigh”—no one knew the answer, as neither side showed any sign of weakness!

Loris watched from a distance, her eyes wide, utterly stunned by the intensity of the exchange. She knew Cassian’s strength; ordinary people couldn't withstand even a few moves against him. Yet, this woman was matching him blow for blow, which was staggering!

Thump! Another muffled sound rang out, and in that moment, Charlotte and Cassian separated, facing each other squarely.

“You are stronger than I imagined!” Cassian managed a smile.

Charlotte remained silent, her eyes locked onto Cassian, seemingly searching for the next opening.

But Cassian spoke again, “It seems I’ll need to use some real strength now!” With that, he drew the sword hanging at his waist.

Just as Charlotte was about to follow suit, a child’s voice sounded beside her.

“Master wants you to return!” The speaker was Robin.

It seemed Robin was finally entering the fray. The battle must be nearing its conclusion. If you wish to know what happens next, please log onto [website placeholder], where more chapters are available to support the author and genuine reading!