The battle between Ling Luo and Mu Xu Jing drew a great deal of attention. Feng Tian Yao and Cong Xiu were fighting on the adjacent competition stage. Both matches were intense, as the winners would advance to tomorrow’s championship battle.
Not only would they be able to stand before the Immortal-Subduing Jade and attempt to draw the sword, but they would also receive the championship gift from the Twelve Immortal Sects, becoming the number one disciple among this generation of the Twelve Immortal Sects.
Their names would spread throughout the world.
But everyone had different reasons for participating in the competition.
Ling Luo felt Mu Xu Jing’s sword energy growing increasingly fierce, like a wounded beast that continued to charge forward and bite its prey despite being blocked and injured.
The oppressive feeling was overwhelming.
If one couldn’t steady their mind, they would be affected by this highly pressuring sword energy, easily disrupting their techniques and giving rise to many unnecessary thoughts.
This kind of sword technique—it carried a hint of evil.
Ling Luo half-narrowed her eyes. The sword wind blew her long hair upward and made her sleeves flutter, revealing a section of snow-white arm.
“Now I know why you only brought an ordinary sword to the competition.”
As she spoke these words softly, Mu Xu Jing gripped his sword with both hands and slashed down at her from above. Ling Luo neither dodged nor evaded but used her wooden sword covered with spiritual energy to directly meet his strike.
Mu Xu Jing’s pale face was right before her eyes, separated only by the distance of their two swords.
Those gloomy light brown eyes were looking at her.
This was the second time he had made eye contact with Ling Luo.
Ling Luo’s eyes curved in a smile, with a hint of deeper meaning in them, and she said something in a voice that only the two of them could hear.
Simultaneously, she twisted the sword hilt, breaking Mu Xu Jing’s sword momentum. The flying blade grazed his cheek, cutting off a few strands of black hair and leaving a slash on his face.
The blade flew far, heading straight for the stands, but was blocked by a barrier hastily drawn by the prepared judge to prevent harm to others.
Mu Xu Jing stepped back three paces. Blood seeped from the wound on his face, sliding down to his jaw and dripping onto his chest and clothes.
His sword had broken.
“She won, right? That’s a win, right? Breaking the sword means winning, right?” Zi Xiu excitedly shook Chu Yi.
Chu Yi irritably pushed his face away: “Get lost! It’s not a loss until the person leaves the stage!”
Mu Xu Jing threw away the broken sword in his hand and looked coldly at Ling Luo.
Ling Luo also tossed aside her sword, saying carelessly: “Our swords are broken. How about we compare incantations instead?”
The judge scratched his head helplessly at the situation before him.
Although using incantations wasn’t prohibited, this was primarily a sword competition!
What did these two mean by throwing away their swords?
Mu Xu Jing turned and stepped down from the stage, saying to the judge: “I concede.”
His voice showed no particular emotion, and he ignored the condemning and disdainful gazes from the other Northern Pavilion Moon Palace members present, departing directly.
The judge announced loudly: “East Island Tian Ji, Ling Luo wins!”
Not long after, news came from the adjacent stage: “South Mountain Snowy River, Feng Tian Yao wins!”
Zi Xiu was ecstatic: “She won! Hahaha! Junior Sister won! Damn! Hahaha!”
Chu Yi: “She’s my junior sister, not yours. Why are you so happy?”
“You don’t understand. I bet on Ling Luo to win the championship!” Zi Xiu said. “I’m the kind of person who likes to take the unconventional path!”
Chu Yi looked him up and down, “If you lose, don’t come crying to me.”
“I have confidence in Ling Luo! Why don’t we go beat up Feng Tian Yao tonight?” Zi Xiu excitedly rubbed his hands. “You set up a formation, I’ll cast an incantation, or better yet, let’s just drug him and take away seventy or eighty percent of his cultivation. If that doesn’t work, let’s steal his Shuo Fang and throw it into the East Sea to feed the fish!”
Chu Yi stood up with a cold laugh: “I think I should throw you into the East Sea to feed the fish, the sharks specifically.”
Ling Luo picked up the wooden sword she had tossed aside and only breathed a sigh of relief when she heard Feng Tian Yao’s name.
Fortunately, his ranking hadn’t changed.
Otherwise, her journey would have been in vain.
After her rebirth, her attitude toward past experiences and people had greatly changed, but there were still some things that, even if repeated hundreds or thousands of times, she would never tire of.
This included the confidence and pride in severely humiliating Feng Tian Yao in the final battle for the championship at the Golden Luan Pool Banquet.
She could do it back then, and with her cultivation now even more powerful than before, she could still do it.
Just thinking about it made her happy.
Ling Luo walked off the stage with a curved smile.
There were many people in the arena. Chu Yi went down to the field to take her away, preventing any tactless individuals from approaching.
As they were leaving, they happened to run into people from South Mountain’s Snowy River who had come to watch the competition. Feng Tian Yao was surrounded by them. When he craned his neck to look into the competition arena and saw the result, he said with disappointment and impatience: “What? Did that guy Mu Xu Jing lose? Now I have to fight a girl.”
“Young Master,” an attendant who had sharp eyes and spotted Ling Luo coming out whispered, reminding him to stop talking.
Zi Xiu was walking alongside Ling Luo, fanning her and smiling: “Our Junior Sister Ling Luo must be extremely tired after this match. Why don’t we go soak in a hot spring in West Sea City to relieve the fatigue, then have the best barbecue in West Sea City to restore energy for tomorrow’s championship battle!”
“Senior Brother, I know which hot spring is the best and cheapest—”
Ling Luo: “Senior Brother Zi Xiu, if we’re going to soak, let’s go to the most expensive one.”
Zi Xiu said: “I know which one is the most expensive too!”
“Let’s go!”
“Great!”
Chu Yi: “…”
He called out to the two walking ahead: “Take it easy, we’re running out of money!”
Ling Luo waved her hand: “Chang Fei has money!”
The sun hadn’t set yet.
The hot spring inn was halfway up the mountain, with many people coming and going. It was the flower season, and clusters of pink and white cherry blossoms lined both sides of the road.
They encountered two disciples from the Sacred Sword Sect at the mountain path entrance.
Before Ling Luo could greet Yue Liangze, she saw Senior Brother Zi Xiu happily wave to Bai Cang and shout: “Hey! Brother Bai!”
Chu Yi: “?”
Bai Cang, who was talking with Yue Liangze, turned his head upon hearing this and smiled. As Zi Xiu came over, Bai Cang put his arm around his shoulders in a brotherly manner and said: “If it isn’t Zi Xiu! Coming to soak in the hot spring?”
“My Junior Sister won her match today, so I’m bringing her to relax and prepare well for battle,” Zi Xiu said. “What have you been busy with these past few days? I wanted to invite you for drinks and flower viewing, but you were never free. Now that we’ve run into each other, let’s go together?”
Chu Yi quietly asked Ling Luo: “Does this guy not know who he is?”
Ling Luo replied indifferently: “Looks like he doesn’t.”
“I’ve been guiding my Junior Brother in worldly experiences,” Bai Cang tilted his head toward Yue Liangze. “A Ze, come meet Zi Xiu, my best drinking companion.”
As he said this, he winked.
Yue Liangze understood: one of his best drinking companions.
Chu Yi raised an eyebrow. Junior Brother?
Yue Liangze gave a slight nod to Zi Xiu.
“Great, great! Brother Bai’s Junior Brother is also my Junior Brother. If you ever have any difficulties, feel free to come to me!” Zi Xiu put his arm around Bai Cang. “It’s rare to meet today, so let’s postpone the experience until tomorrow!”
“That works,” Bai Cang stroked his chin. “Then A Ze, you go ahead with your business. I’ll go with Zi Xiu first and find you later.”
Yue Liangze: “…”
Senior Brother, why aren’t you taking me along to play?
“Let’s go!” Zi Xiu pulled Chu Yi over with one hand. “Come, come, let me introduce you to my best drinking companion! Brother Bai Cang!”
Chu Yi’s eye twitched slightly. You bastard, last time you said I was your best drinking companion!
Ling Luo stayed behind, and as she passed by Yue Liangze, she smiled: “Senior Brother, we won’t be taking you to play today. Good luck with your experiences.”
Yue Liangze: “…”
His gaze fell on Ling Luo, clear and bright.
“During the match, what did you say to Mu Xu Jing?”
“Hmm?” Ling Luo turned her head to look at him. “You saw?”
Yue Liangze nodded.
Ling Luo curved her lips, her smile mischievous: “I told him a little secret that only he and I know.”
Yue Liangze clasped his hands inside his sleeves and blinked.
“What secret?” he asked.
Ling Luo: “Want to know?”
Yue Liangze nodded.
“I won’t tell you,” Ling Luo made a face at him, then climbed the steps to catch up with Chu Yi.
Yue Liangze watched her, only withdrawing his gaze after seeing her enter the hot spring inn with Chu Yi and the others, then turned and left.
The hot spring pool emitted steam, with mist swirling around. Branches from flowering trees extended from both sides, occasionally dropping a petal or two into the pool.
Ling Luo was alone in the pool, leaning against the edge, revealing her fair shoulders and back. She was enjoying the comfort and closing her eyes to calm her mind.
The moves from today’s battle with Mu Xu Jing replayed in her mind.
She had seen that sword technique with a hint of evil before.
She just hadn’t expected Mu Xu Jing to know it too.
In her previous life, she knew neither too much nor too little about the Moon Palace’s affairs. Apart from saving Chu Yi at Qi Mountain and then helping him block and kill some people from the Moon Palace, she hadn’t been involved in anything else.
The Northern Pavilion Moon Palace’s attempt to kill Chu Yi had been intervened by Yun Shouxi.
That day at Qi Mountain, Yun Shouxi was too far away to save anyone in time, which was why Ling Luo went.
Qi Mountain was also one of the Twelve Immortal Sects and had an irreconcilable grudge against Yun Shouxi.
Just like her with the Carefree Sect.
The fate of Yun Shouxi’s disciple going to Qi Mountain for help was predictable.
But this Mu Xu Jing—
Ling Luo opened her eyes and tilted her head to look at the flower branches above the pool.
A red-eyed crow was perched on a flower branch, looking down at her.
This crow stood on one foot, with the other claw holding a white pill.
Ling Luo: “…”
Even drug sellers were coming to her now?
The red-eyed crow spread its wings and flew down to land beside her hand.
Ling Luo: “Do I look like I need it?”
The red-eyed crow nodded.
Ling Luo said expressionlessly: “Get lost.”
The red-eyed crow put down the Qian Transfer Dan.
“Feng Tian Yao has Divine Technique Sword Intent and Shuo Fang. What do you have?” The crow emitted an obscure, indistinguishable voice, impossible to tell if it was male or female. “If you want to win, this can lend you strength.”
“If I remember correctly, I injured a drug peddler just a few days ago,” Ling Luo propped her head up with one hand, looking at it. “If I wanted to rely on mere Qian Transfer Dan to win this competition, why would I have bothered interfering in that matter?”
The red-eyed crow fluttered up to the flower branch, looking down at her from its higher position.
“You can’t defeat the Divine Technique Sword Intent.”
Ling Luo smiled: “Has Your Excellency suffered at the hands of Divine Technique Sword Intent?”
The red-eyed crow didn’t answer and dissipated into black mist.
Ling Luo reached out for the Qian Transfer Dan and crushed it to powder.
This was simply outrageous.
In her previous life, they hadn’t come to sell her drugs, but in this life, when her strength was even greater, they came to sell to her!
Unable to even recognize opportunities properly yet doing business selling drugs—no wonder they were losing money and being chased and beaten!
Ling Luo grumbled inwardly, no longer in the mood to soak further. She got up, dressed, and left.
She was the first to exit the hot spring inn.
Standing on the mountain path, she was surprised to see Yue Liangze waiting below.
He was holding a box of roasted chestnuts.
Ling Luo walked down the steps and asked him: “Did you make these?”
“No, Senior Brother sent word for me to buy them,” Yue Liangze replied, then looked at her. “Why did you come out first?”
“I was hungry,” Ling Luo stretched out her hand toward him.
Yue Liangze handed her the box of chestnuts, taking one out to peel for her.
Ling Luo sniffed, smelling the sweet aroma of the sugar-roasted chestnuts.
“Tomorrow I’ll face Feng Tian Yao. Do you think I have a chance of winning?” Ling Luo looked up at Yue Liangze.
Yue Liangze focused on peeling the chestnut, making an affirmative sound when he heard her question. “Yes.”
“A big chance?”
“Big.”
“So I can win?”
“You can.”
Ling Luo narrowed her eyes in satisfaction.
“But his sword is Shuo Fang,” Ling Luo said in a leisurely tone, feigning melancholy. “The divine weapon’s roar is intimidating; even swords are afraid.”
Wu Sheng made a defiant humming sound.
The invincible me and my invincible scabbard would never be afraid! If you don’t dare to go tomorrow, let me go! I’ll cut it to pieces!
Yue Liangze said: “Wu Sheng isn’t afraid of it.”
“That’s your Wu Sheng,” Ling Luo snorted, then remembered something and added, “My sword isn’t afraid either.”
Wu Sheng: A wooden sword has no consciousness; how would it know fear?
Broken Intent: Play with me instead and stop talking!
The sword spirit fell silent.
Yue Liangze gave the peeled chestnut to Ling Luo.
“Do you know about the Divine Technique Sword Intent?” he asked.
Ling Luo said lazily: “The heritage of the Feng family, the strongest sword technique in the world, of course I know.”
“Shuo Fang isn’t the problem; Divine Technique Sword Intent is,” Yue Liangze said. “He has mastered thirty percent, but it’s not enough against you.”
Ling Luo bit into the chestnut and turned to look at him: “What about you?”
Yue Liangze said quietly: “Also not enough.”
Oh—
Ling Luo couldn’t help but want to laugh.
“What if he completely mastered the Divine Technique Sword Intent?”
Yue Liangze tilted his head and thought for a moment. “If he completely mastered the Divine Technique Sword Intent, I wouldn’t be standing still either.”
That made sense.
Ling Luo blinked her eyes.
That year at South Mountain’s Snowy River, Yue Liangze’s battle against the Feng family’s Divine Technique Sword Intent had left a deep impression on her.
“Why are you two secretly eating chestnuts down there? Wait for us to eat together!”
Senior Brother Zi Xiu’s voice came from above.
Ling Luo returned the chestnut box to Yue Liangze, and Yue Liangze gave her the peeled chestnut.
“Senior Brother,” Yue Liangze then handed the chestnut box to Bai Cang.
Bai Cang looked at it and asked puzzledly: “Why are all the ones you gave me still in their shells?”
Yue Liangze clasped his hands inside his sleeves and replied with an unchanged expression: “You didn’t ask me to buy peeled ones.”
“Oh, that’s no problem at all. I’m quite skilled at peeling chestnuts. Brother Bai, watch this—one, two, three—”
“Zi Xiu has such dexterity!”
“Impressive, right? Hahaha!”
“…”
Chu Yi ignored the two of them and looked at his jade communicator, then said to Ling Luo: “Master has arrived.”
Ling Luo was enjoying the sweet, floury taste of the chestnut and merely responded with an “Oh.”
Night had fallen, and the moon was half-hidden.
Yun Shouxi stood at the gate of West Sea’s Tai Chu Mountain. Yu Xiu beside him was talking with the Second Sect Master and Cong Xiu.
Cong Xiu was discreetly observing this Third Sect Master of East Island’s Tian Ji.
According to legend, he was a supreme cultivator at the edge of ascension.
Everything about Yun Shouxi, whether still or in motion, was impossible to ignore. His features contained a smile, with three parts gentleness.
From the steps below came the laughter of young people, and three to five figures walked up.
“…I think that young master is still lacking. Why don’t you, Brother Bai, come with me tonight to steal Shuo Fang? You and Brother Chu can handle stealing the sword, and I’ll be responsible for throwing it into the East Sea. This way— Ouch, Immortal Master San Xi!”
Zi Xiu’s carefree demeanor immediately straightened.
Bai Cang followed his gaze.
Chu Yi was slightly surprised to see people at the mountain gate. He stepped forward and said: “Master.”
Yun Shouxi’s lips curved slightly as he said: “Come here.”
He was a presence as radiant as the moon even in the darkness of night.
Lofty, powerful, and handsome, revered as the supreme cultivator. Even the sect masters of various immortal sects would show respect in his presence, and disciples would bow their heads in deference.
Yue Liangze was at the back of the group, slowly raising his eyes to look at the supreme figure.
He had once felt inadequate because of this person.
The Third Sect Master was handsome, gentle, with all the appearance of goodness.
Compared to him, Yue Liangze felt only unworthiness.
Time flew by.
Years later, he had grown up.
With a height now comparable to his, he no longer needed to look up to this man, but could stand as his equal.
Why had none of the messages birds sent to Qing Shi Fang delivered a single letter?
Qing Shi Fang was Immortal Master San Xi’s territory, under his control.
Once, he had only cared that Ling Luo hadn’t replied to his letters. Now, he only needed to think carefully to understand why those letters never arrived.
“Ling Luo,” Yun Shouxi looked at the person walking behind Chu Yi, and as she came before him, he reached out to pat her head, saying with a gentle smile, “You’ve worked hard these days.”
Bai Cang put his arm around Yue Liangze’s shoulders and said softly with a laugh: “East Island Tian Ji’s Immortal Master San Xi. Want to go meet him?”
Yue Liangze replied quietly: “No need. Immortal Master San Xi and I should be quite familiar with each other.”