Su Shang was stunned by this expression of gratitude.

The girl in her memories differed greatly from the person before her now. It was like a bucket of cold water had been poured over her from head to toe, making Su Shang completely wake up.

She had become stronger.

The current Ling Luo was the personal disciple of Immortal Master Sanxi; she was the sword prodigy of East Island’s Tianji; she was a powerful cultivator who could sweep through the Golden Luan Pool Banquet competition with just a wooden sword; she no longer needed to fear being hunted and killed by the Xiaoyao Sect.

Only herself remained at the same place, not even knowing what was lacking in her cultivation.

Su Shang wiped away her tears, her imposing manner deflating as she sank into shyness.

“What I wanted to say… was just this…”

Ling Luo made a sound of acknowledgment, then looked up to examine Su Shang for a moment before saying, “Did you remember the cultivation shortcomings I mentioned earlier?”

Su Shang’s eyes widened slightly. “Yes, I-I remembered.”

Ling Luo said, “Your attitude is good. If you change your cultivation method, you’ll make great progress.”

“Thank you…” Su Shang felt a bit dazed.

With her timid nature, she had few friends. Usually belittled by her senior brothers and feeling inferior, even her master only gave perfunctory guidance for her cultivation with a few casual words.

No one had ever seriously taught her about cultivation before.

Su Shang was so moved that the rims of her eyes reddened.

But Ling Luo had already turned to leave.

In this lifetime, having learned the truth about Senior Brother Chen’s death from Su Shang in advance, she wanted to see what Yue Liangze would say when he rushed over later.

Ling Luo felt that her recent memories were filled with Yue Liangze. While she hadn’t thought him particularly important in her previous life, now she found him everywhere.

How strange.

She returned to watch the competition arena. Chu Yi was still in his seat, not having left.

Seeing Ling Luo return, he sneered, “You dared to say that.”

That comment about how senior brothers who couldn’t defeat someone with a wooden sword should commit suicide had instantly flooded his jade communicator with messages from his friends who heard about it, forcing him to turn it off completely.

Ling Luo replied with an unchanging expression, “My senior brother is Immortal Master Sanxi’s head disciple, a magic technique genius of the cultivation world. Of course, I dare.”

Chu Yi: “You think flattery will work? Your allowance is gone for this year.”

“Fine, don’t give it then,” Ling Luo nodded and snorted, “Second Senior Brother will give me money anyway.”

Chu Yi sneered again: “Your Second Senior Brother’s money also comes from me.”

Ling Luo: “…”

One of Ling Luo’s favorite pastimes was spending money.

Food, toys, clothes—anything she liked or fancied in the moment, she wanted to buy.

This often left her penniless.

When she had no money but came across something she liked, she relied on Chang Fei and Yu Xiu’s financial support.

Although Yun Shouxi would help her handle everything if she just asked.

But Ling Luo would rather go out to take jobs and earn money herself than let Yun Shouxi get involved in her hobbies.

“When I win the competition and claim the championship, receiving the grand gifts from the Twelve Immortal Sects, would I worry about not having money then?” Ling Luo thought herself truly brilliant.

Chu Yi no longer wanted to comment on her confidence in winning the championship. He watched Zong Xiu battling someone on the stage and asked Ling Luo, “Why did you provoke him when you went down earlier?”

“I saw he had a good sword and couldn’t resist,” Ling Luo answered lazily.

Chu Yi said, “That sword is called Night Silence. Although Long Sleeve isn’t quite as good in comparison, it’s far better than a wooden sword. It serves you right for not bringing Long Sleeve with you.”

Ling Luo’s expression was disdainful, “Who’s afraid of whom?”

Chu Yi didn’t ask what Su Shang had called her out to say. Anyway, judging by her normal expression when she returned, she certainly didn’t look like someone who had been bullied.

The two silently watched Zong Xiu’s match for a while.

The sword prodigy of West Sea’s Taichu was about the same age as Ling Luo. As the youngest son of the second sect leader, his status was noble. After four years of closed-door cultivation to comprehend the Zongdao Sword Intent and three years of worldly experience, he was already at the edge of the Life and Death Realm.

Breaking through the Life and Death Realm would make one a half-immortal.

To seek the Dao and ascend, one must break through the Life and Death Realm.

Cultivators varied in their depth of power, and the Life and Death Realm was a watershed among cultivators.

Not only was it profound, but also mysterious.

Some people reach the edge but might never breakthrough in their entire lifetime.

Chu Yi beside Ling Luo had just broken through the Life and Death Realm last year. The congratulatory messages and gifts had continued for several days before finally ending.

Seeing Zong Xiu easily defeat his opponent without even drawing Night Silence from its scabbard, Chu Yi thoughtfully said, “Instead of wasting time crushing these weaklings, he’d be better off focusing on how to break through the Life and Death Realm.”

Ling Luo said, “If he breaks through the Life and Death Realm, according to the rules, he couldn’t participate in the Golden Luan Pool Banquet competition anymore.”

Chu Yi: “Breaking through the Life and Death Realm is more important than winning the Golden Luan Pool Banquet championship.”

Ling Luo heard this and squinted her eyes with a smile.

For Zong Xiu and West Sea’s Taichu, the Zhen Immortal Jade was more important than breaking through the Life and Death Realm.

“Senior Brother, don’t you think West Sea’s Taichu fears the Zhen Immortal Jade might truly be taken away by someone from another immortal sect, so they’d rather have their genius spend time winning the championship than breaking through the Life and Death Realm?”

Chu Yi glanced at her and raised an eyebrow, “Did you know I was the champion last time?”

Ling Luo blinked.

Chu Yi coldly snorted, “If I couldn’t pull out the Zhen Immortal Jade, then no one can.”

Ling Luo: “Oh.”

Chu Yi continued, “I can barely believe you might win the championship with a wooden sword, but I’m certain you absolutely cannot pull out the Zhen Immortal Jade.”

For over a thousand years, since Taichu’s founding until now, no one had been able to move the Zhen Immortal Jade even slightly. Everyone had lost their competitive spirit for this immovable ancestral divine weapon.

It couldn’t be pulled out.

The sword-pulling ceremony at each year’s Golden Luan Pool Banquet was merely a formality.

Ling Luo’s eye twitched as she listened.

At that time, she hadn’t even touched the Zhen Immortal Jade before Yue Liangze had pulled it out!

Thinking about it made her feel indignant.

What if!

What if she had touched the Zhen Immortal Jade first, could she have pulled it out?

A dangerous idea formed in Ling Luo’s mind.

On the stage, Zong Xiu won five consecutive matches and easily left the stage.

Ling Luo showed no intention of leaving.

“Who are you waiting to see?” Chu Yi asked her again, seemingly bored.

Ling Luo: “Watching people.”

Chu Yi: “…”

He stood up expressionlessly and said, “I’m leaving.”

Ling Luo didn’t move.

Several matches later, a youth dressed in dazzling golden attire walked out from the competition passage.

The young master of Nanshan Xuehe, just turned eighteen this year.

Feng Tianyao’s status was noble. Raised with countless indulgences since childhood, his every word and action showed obvious differences from ordinary people.

Whether in clothing, accessories, or his sword and cultivation.

As he entered, the young man was spirited and confident, looking down at the entire arena with his habitual arrogance.

He raised his sword, pointing at the person on stage, and said haughtily, “Your five consecutive victories will be broken by this young master.”

Stimulated by Ling Luo’s earlier arrogance, this young master had also instructed his attendants to find him a wooden sword, vowing to suppress East Island Tianji’s swagger.

Feng Tianyao brought four attendants on this trip to the West Sea’s Taichu for the Golden Luan Pool Banquet competition. They were now at the side of the arena, clapping and whistling, shouting, “Young Master, fight on!”

“Young Master will win!”

“Young Master is number one!”

“Young Master, charge!”

As they shouted, many people from Nanshan Xuehe also joined in the cheering, making the scene very lively.

Feng Tianyao greatly enjoyed this. He liked hearing people praise him—praising him to death.

While everyone around was laughing, Ling Luo just watched Feng Tianyao.

He wasn’t using his full strength during the battle, fighting with relative ease.

As the only son of Sect Leader Feng of Nanshan Xuehe, he had been cherished in the palms of adults since childhood, given only the best—including in cultivation, where his pills and weapons were all of the finest quality.

The Feng family’s Divine Technique Sword Intent was currently the strongest in the sword arts of the cultivation world.

Feng Tianyao inherited the Feng family’s powerful sword meridian. The Divine Technique Sword Intent was unique to the Feng family—under heaven, only those with Feng family bloodlines could cultivate it.

If one successfully mastered the Divine Technique Sword Intent, one would be unmatched in sword arts in the mortal realm.

Nanshan Xuehe had the most sword cultivators among immortal sects because of this technique.

When Chang Fei and Song Yuanyuan came over, they found Ling Luo watching intently. Song Yuanyuan waved her hand in front of Ling Luo’s eyes and asked curiously, “Ling Luo, why are you watching so seriously? This is a one-sided slaughter.”

“Watching this young master show off,” Ling Luo replied with narrowed eyes and a lazy tone. “The young man is spirited and very proud.”

“Is the Feng family’s young master that good-looking?” Chang Fei also asked curiously.

Ling Luo waved her hand dismissively, “Where’s Xu Shen? I saw him follow a competitor out earlier, but he hasn’t responded to my messages.”

Chang Fei exclaimed, “Male or female?”

“Male.”

“Oh, then it’s fine.”

Song Yuanyuan was eating from a box of nuts and said with her mouth full, “I also messaged him, but he didn’t reply. What’s he chasing a man for?”

Chang Fei grabbed a handful of nuts and stuffed them into her mouth: “As for this Young Master Feng, his support rate is very high. Since he’s mastered the Divine Technique Sword Intent, everyone unanimously believes he’s most likely to win the championship.”

“At the Golden Luan Pool Banquet betting house in West Sea City, who did you bet on? I bet on this young master,” Song Yuanyuan said. “Once the Divine Technique Sword Intent comes out, it’s truly unmatched under heaven!”

Chang Fei rubbed her chin and said, “I also bet on Feng Tianyao. Analyzing by strength, he has the best chance of winning.”

Ling Luo: “…”

She widened her eyes slightly as she looked at the two.

Song Yuanyuan met her gaze and shook her head repeatedly: “Of course, we also believe you can compete with him! Ling Luo, I believe in you!”

Ling Luo said, “If you don’t want to lose money, hurry and change your bet to me winning!”

Chang Fei cleared her throat and said with feigned seriousness, “Ling Luo, rest assured, I also bet on you winning!”

Ling Luo’s gaze turned sharp: “What place did you bet I’d get?”

Chang Fei: “…”

Song Yuanyuan held up a number: three.

Ling Luo laughed in anger: “Third place?! Who’s second!”

“Calm down, calm down.” Song Yuanyuan handed her the nut box. “Isn’t Zong Xiu of West Sea’s Taichu already at the edge of the Life and Death Realm?”

“Everyone wants to see the clash between the Life and Death Realm’s edge and the Divine Technique Sword Intent!” Chang Fei also passed over her nuts and said, “Besides, word has already spread that you forgot to bring your sword this time and only have a wooden sword. You have no chance against these two.”

“Who spread that?” Ling Luo’s eyes darkened.

In West Sea City’s marketplace:

Chu Yi was mingling with a group of friends.

They were all out showing their junior brothers and sisters the world, with plenty of topics to discuss.

Someone asked, “Brother Chu, is your little junior sister competing with just a wooden sword?”

“Who told her to forget her sword,” Chu Yi said with a straight face. “This trip was mainly to let her see the world. We weren’t thinking about winning the championship—just fighting casually is fine.”

“That’s not fair. Your junior sister looks quite gallant with that wooden sword. Her techniques on stage were very smooth. I don’t think any of you would necessarily win against her,” said one of his friends.

“I might not win, but those two from Taichu and Xuehe are a different story.”

“Not to mention the Divine Technique Sword Intent, Feng Tianyao’s sword is also quite famous.”

“Zong Xiu’s Night Silence is also a legendary divine weapon, now in its sixth generation. The Zongdao Sword Intent is Taichu’s superior heart method sword technique—can’t underestimate it.”

“So how should I bet on the top three for this competition? Still include the little junior sister?”

“To be safe, just choose Taichu or Xuehe for the top two places.”

Seeing his friends all going to place their bets, Chu Yi walked behind them unhurriedly.

The first day’s competitions were fierce, making people anticipate even more exciting duels tomorrow.

Taking advantage of dusk, when everyone was busy filling their stomachs or gathering to play and admire the cherry blossoms, Ling Luo quietly avoided various patrols and guards to reach the Golden Luan Pool Banquet platform.

This was already in Taichu’s inner court, with light blue Weak Water everywhere.

The Golden Luan Pool Banquet platform was semicircular, built above a large area of Weak Water that extended far into the distance, looking like a huge lake.

The setting sun’s afterglow fell, and because the Golden Luan Pool Banquet platform blocked the light, the Weak Water beneath its shadow was a beautiful light blue. A black longsword was half-buried in the Weak Water beneath the platform.

This was a huge black sword with a broad blade that looked very heavy, difficult to grip with one hand.

When Ling Luo stepped forward, the sword hilt already reached her thigh’s height.

As she tried to reach out, she heard someone say, “What are you doing here?”

Ling Luo turned to look. Yue Liangze was standing on the Golden Luan Pool Banquet platform, looking down at her from above.

He was backlit, and Ling Luo squinted, only seeing a tall, slender figure on the high platform.

Ling Luo walked forward two steps into the shadow, avoiding the light. After clearly seeing Yue Liangze above, she said, “Why are you here too?”

Yue Liangze pointed in a direction, “I was looking out the window while cooking and saw you here.”

From the kitchen window of his courtyard residence, one could see the vast Weak Water Lake and the Golden Luan Pool Banquet platform outside.

Ling Luo couldn’t help but admire how accommodating Taichu’s arrangements for the Holy Sword Sect were.

“What else would I be doing here but looking at the Zhen Immortal Jade?” Ling Luo’s expression was relaxed, showing no guilt at being discovered. She pointed at the Zhen Immortal Jade and said, “I want to try pulling the sword.”

Yue Liangze followed her finger with his gaze.

The huge black sword stood quietly in the Weak Water. After a thousand years of weathering, it remained standing, silently waiting for the person who would liberate it from this place.

Yue Liangze withdrew his gaze and said, “Go ahead and pull the sword. I’ll keep watch for you.”

Ling Luo couldn’t help but laugh.

She turned toward the Zhen Immortal Jade.

“Everyone in the world knows where the Zhen Immortal Jade is in West Sea’s Taichu. Even passing Taichu disciples can come and casually try pulling it. What’s there to fear?”

As she spoke, Ling Luo gripped the hilt of the Zhen Immortal Jade.

Nothing happened.

The Zhen Immortal Jade was like it was dead.

Ling Luo tried pulling the sword with pure physical strength, without using her cultivation power, but the Zhen Immortal Jade didn’t budge. She stubbornly tried again using spiritual power, but the Zhen Immortal Jade still ignored her, showing not the slightest reaction.

Ling Luo gave up.

No affinity.

Why had this damned sword taken a liking to Yue Liangze?

She lifted her foot and lightly kicked the Zhen Immortal Jade.

It still ignored her.

Ling Luo turned back and called out, “You come down!”

Yue Liangze looked down, and heard Ling Luo say, “Come pull the sword.”

“Standing there keeping watch doesn’t make you an accomplice. You have to do the same thing to be considered one,” Ling Luo enticed him.

She wanted to see if, in this new lifetime, the Zhen Immortal Jade would still choose him.

Yue Liangze came down from the platform and walked toward the Zhen Immortal Jade.

He had no particular thoughts about the Zhen Immortal Jade, not even considering whether he could pull it out. He stepped forward very casually and reached out to grip the sword hilt.

But the moment he gripped the hilt, the Zhen Immortal Jade awakened.

Yue Liangze hadn’t even exerted force to pull the sword, yet the Zhen Immortal Jade had already emitted a low hum. The sword’s energy swept across all of Taichu’s inner court, causing the Weak Water to boil and surge, roaring as it raised a towering water wall—

Ling Luo grabbed Yue Liangze and ran, but Taichu’s Sect Leader and others had already arrived at the Weak Water. The two could only hide inside the Golden Luan Pool Banquet platform.