Hearing Qin Wanwan’s words, the blind cultivator’s ears twitched: “Greetings, Miss.”

Anyone who could fight their way to the semifinals wasn’t like those strange contestants from the earlier matches. The blind cultivator drew a slender sword from his bamboo staff, holding the bamboo staff in his left hand.

“Twin swords.”

Xie Gutang spoke. Jian Xingzhi crossed his arms as he watched, responding: “The bamboo staff is the real sword. He’s left-handed.”

Their voices were very distant, completely buried in the crowd. The surrounding people were highly enthusiastic, already shouting encouragement before the match even started. Qin Wanwan concentrated, observing this blind sword cultivator. If the opponent didn’t move, neither did she.

“Miss,” seeing that she wasn’t making a move, the opponent spoke first. “Pardon my offense.”

With that, the opponent advanced like a ghost shadow. His right hand’s sword light was like rain, while his left hand only focused on blocking.

Qin Wanwan had been training hard with Xie Gutang during this period. Unlike her first proper duel, facing such an offensive, she remained composed. As the opponent’s sword grew increasingly urgent, Qin Wanwan maintained a defensive state with ease to spare.

Jian Xingzhi and Xie Gutang watched from below, breaking out in a cold sweat for Qin Wanwan.

“She seems not to have noticed he’s using his left hand for the sword.”

Xie Gutang was somewhat worried. Jian Xingzhi was also secretly panicking inside, but then thought—this was Jishan Nujun. She must be playing the pig to eat the tiger.

Both sides exchanged blows. Qin Wanwan always seemed slightly disadvantaged. Cuilu also grew concerned: “If this continues, Wanwan’s stamina may not keep up.”

“It won’t.”

Jian Xingzhi was very confident: “She has Spring Life.”

He couldn’t guarantee other things, but as for perseverance, he believed Qin Wanwan could definitely do it.

After all, fighting non-stop for a month in the desert wasn’t for nothing.

And Qin Wanwan indeed planned exactly this—first show weakness, then strike when the opportunity arose.

The opponent was clearly getting slightly impatient with her impenetrable defense. After they exchanged twenty moves, Qin Wanwan saw the opponent reveal an opening. Her sword tip’s formation bloomed greatly, and at the same time, the opponent’s left-hand bamboo staff viciously slashed over!

38 cried out in alarm: “Left side!”

Qin Wanwan dodged sideways as the bamboo staff slashed past, while her sword tip’s formation with spiritual power suddenly blasted the opponent away!

The victor was decided.

“Beautiful!” Seeing this result, Jian Xingzhi happily boasted, “I said she definitely knew!”

That was Jishan Nujun after all!

Jian Xingzhi developed an extraordinary trust in Qin Wanwan. Hearing this, Cuilu frowned deeply: “She won very narrowly.”

“Don’t worry,” Jian Xingzhi was full of confidence. “These are all trivial tricks.”

With that, the second sword cultivator came up. This sword cultivator carried a heavy sword. When he slammed the sword body onto the ground, the entire floor trembled.

Standing before him, Qin Wanwan appeared innocent, small, and pitiful.

Qin Wanwan looked at this cultivator curiously. Without saying a word, she directly began fighting.

Since the opponent was heavy, she took the agile route, using fancy footwork throughout, maintaining distance from the opponent like flying a kite, constantly harassing them.

This type of stamina consumption was very time-consuming. It took an entire afternoon before finally exhausting the cultivator’s strength, making him admit defeat.

After the heavy sword cultivator admitted defeat, Qin Wanwan faced her last opponent in the semifinals. Golden Sword Boy, wearing a small cloak, came up with his sword.

He looked very calm, cold and indifferent as usual. His sword hung at his waist, looking extremely small. Qin Wanwan observed him, not daring to underestimate him. Golden Sword Boy raised his eyes to look at her: “Hey, my senior brother asked me to advise you one last time.”

“About what?”

Qin Wanwan didn’t understand. Golden Sword Boy said flatly: “The Gentleman’s Sword isn’t something you should win. We’re set on this prize money.”

“Such big words?” Qin Wanwan laughed. “Does your senior brother want the money, or does he not want me to meet Young Master Wuyou?”

“Since you already know…” Golden Sword Boy raised his hand to grab his cloak and flung it off. “Come on!”

With that, he charged at Qin Wanwan with his sword like a bomb. Though he was small, his strength was great. His sword was both fierce and fast. Each time it collided with Qin Wanwan’s sword, it jarred her hand numb.

And he had clearly also learned Spring Life cultivation technique—he wouldn’t tire at all.

Seeing this situation, Jian Xingzhi couldn’t help but clench his fist.

Xie Gutang frowned: “Not good. Wanwan won’t be able to handle this.”

“No problem.”

Jian Xingzhi gritted his teeth: “She can do it.”

But after saying this, he still stood up from the spectator seats, pushed through the crowd, leaned against the arena’s edge, and shouted at Qin Wanwan along with the enthusiastically cheering sword cultivators beside him: “Don’t be cowardly! Go for it! Hit him!”

After exchanging several rounds with Golden Sword Boy, Qin Wanwan was kicked flying and crashed hard into the stone railing nearby.

Jian Xingzhi instantly rushed over and roared in her ear: “What are you afraid of? Hit him!”

“I can’t withstand his moves. His strength is too great.”

Qin Wanwan shouted amid the crowd’s excited cheers. Jian Xingzhi scolded her: “Are you stupid? He’s so short—you should turn defense into offense and rain swords down on him from above!”

These words opened up new thinking for Qin Wanwan. Golden Sword Boy was so short—why did she keep thinking about going 1v1 exchanging blows with him? She should turn defense into offense and attack from above downward.

Encouraged, Qin Wanwan, the instant before Golden Sword Boy’s sword slashed over, flipped up. After standing fiercely, she began madly hacking at Golden Sword Boy’s head!

Golden Sword Boy had to jump up each time to attack her. Now with Qin Wanwan desperately hacking downward from above, like whack-a-mole, it was effortless and prevented Golden Sword Boy from even jumping up.

The one receiving blows would always tire much faster. Before long, Qin Wanwan saw Golden Sword Boy’s opening and viciously kicked out, directly kicking him flying into the wooden railing.

Yan Wushuang squeezed to Golden Sword Boy’s side, desperately shouting: “Why are you flying! Attack the lower body!”

“Shut up!”

Golden Sword Boy felt deeply humiliated by this. This was forcing him to acknowledge the fact that he was short.

But seeing Qin Wanwan swing her sword down, humiliation or not, he had to use this method.

He raised his sword and hacked at Qin Wanwan’s knees. Qin Wanwan quickly retreated half a zhang, opening up the situation for Golden Sword Boy.

Golden Sword Boy attacked her legs all the way, watching made Jian Xingzhi roll up his sleeves, rage upon rage.

Right now he couldn’t care about any personal grudges. He couldn’t remember that Qin Wanwan was actually that female immortal ranked 21st in the Immortal Realm’s combat power rankings, nor did he consider whether Qin Wanwan might one day truly kill him. At this moment, he only wanted to help Qin Wanwan.

He couldn’t stand seeing Qin Wanwan being bullied!

No matter what, that was still his disciple!

He shouted at Qin Wanwan with all his might: “Do a handstand and stab him!”

Without a word, Qin Wanwan did a handstand and like a washing machine drum began trying to stab at Golden Sword Boy’s bald head.

Seeing this posture, Yan Wushuang immediately gritted his teeth and also transmitted to his junior brother: “Grab her hair and pull her down!”

Golden Sword Boy deeply disdained such behavior, but he truly couldn’t quite withstand Qin Wanwan’s washing machine drum sword technique.

He raised his left hand and grabbed Qin Wanwan’s hair, fiercely flinging her to the side.

Jian Xingzhi gasped, watching Qin Wanwan get smashed until her face was bruised and swollen, scurrying chaotically around the arena. He bit his teeth and began to struggle internally.

She worked so hard—to disguise herself, all this time, Qin Wanwan had worked so hard.

But he couldn’t watch anymore.

He finally spoke: “Qin Wanwan, stop pretending! Show your true strength! I know everything!”

“What do you know?!”

Qin Wanwan barely endured Golden Sword Boy’s tempest-like sword techniques, running all over the arena.

“I know you’re very strong!”

Jian Xingzhi was anxious: “Don’t hide your strength! Beat him! Beat him! Do you still want to ascend or not?”

Qin Wanwan: “…”

Just how strong did Jian Xingzhi think she was?

She had no energy to talk to Jian Xingzhi, barely dodging Golden Sword Boy’s sword techniques. Golden Sword Boy clearly had several hundred more years of combat experience than her. The more he fought, the braver he became. After Qin Wanwan struggled to dodge for a long time, she was finally grabbed by the hair and with a “bang” thrown to the ground, smashing out a deep pit.

Jian Xingzhi was stunned. He clenched his fist, staring fixedly at Golden Sword Boy who was gripping Qin Wanwan’s hair.

Golden Sword Boy sensed his gaze, turned to look at him, and spoke coldly: “Not convinced? Have her stand up and fight me.”

Jian Xingzhi gritted his teeth.

He knew that Qin Wanwan just didn’t care. She was just completing her character setting, possibly also wanting to earn points.

Once they truly touched Qin Wanwan’s bottom line, for example…

“If you have the guts, step on her face.”

Jian Xingzhi raised his hand and pointed at Qin Wanwan: “If you don’t dare step on it, you’re a coward.”

“Just stepping on a face,” Golden Sword Boy sneered. “What wouldn’t I dare?”

“Wait!”

Hearing this, Yan Wushuang instinctively recalled his previous junior brother’s battle. But before his “wait” was fully shouted, Golden Sword Boy had already stepped down.

Qin Wanwan had been lying on the ground, completely losing her will to fight. But the instant she sensed Golden Sword Boy’s foot falling down, her small universe suddenly exploded inside her.

This was intolerable! This matter was a humiliation she would never tolerate again even at the cost of her life!

She desperately grabbed Golden Sword Boy’s foot, rapidly circulated Spring Life, grabbed Golden Sword Boy and flung him fiercely, directly smashing him into the pit!

Her entire body hurt. Simultaneously circulating Spring Life and Jishan’s cultivation techniques made her meridians feel like they were about to explode from pain. But all this couldn’t compare to her anger.

Face-stepping seemed to be a switch that would activate her revenge skill 100%. Qin Wanwan grabbed Golden Sword Boy’s ankle and, faster than lightning could cover one’s ears, directly flung him back and forth a dozen times.

Golden Sword Boy instantly erupted, shouting loudly: “Enough!”

With that, spiritual power suddenly exploded. Qin Wanwan didn’t dare show weakness. The two instantly began wildly bombarding with spiritual power in the air, hacking chaotically with sword light! From ground to sky, sky to ground, sparks flying everywhere—extremely lively!

Just as Qin Wanwan was about to slash Golden Sword Boy, Yan Wushuang clenched his fist. His heart anxious, he immediately condensed his spiritual consciousness into a needle and fiercely stabbed it toward Qin Wanwan.

Though Yan Wushuang’s cultivation had regressed, his spiritual consciousness was still extremely strong. But this level of strength wasn’t much in Jian Xingzhi’s eyes.

Since Yan Wushuang dared to scheme, he immediately also condensed his spiritual consciousness into a needle and directly knocked down Yan Wushuang’s needle!

His consciousness sea was unstable—he didn’t dare use too much.

Yan Wushuang sensed Jian Xingzhi’s presence and instantly looked up. Jian Xingzhi had his hands tucked in his sleeves, tilted his head, with a complete “come hit me if you dare” attitude.

Yan Wushuang made a “clenched fist” gesture at Jian Xingzhi across the crowd. Just then, Qin Wanwan and Golden Sword Boy, shouting loudly as they fought, fell from the sky.

“I hit hit hit hit!”

“I slash slash slash slash!”

The two fought as they fell, then fought as they flew back up.

Fighting until they were disheveled and filthy, covered in dust.

Receiving Yan Wushuang’s provocation, Jian Xingzhi raised his hand and made a throat-slitting gesture.

At this moment, Qin Wanwan and Golden Sword Boy fought their way down again.

“I hit hit hit hit!”

“I slash slash slash slash!”

This time both Jian Xingzhi and Yan Wushuang found these two extremely annoying. Yan Wushuang condensed his spiritual consciousness into a sword and charged straight at Qin Wanwan. Jian Xingzhi simultaneously condensed ten times as many swords and sent them flying at Golden Sword Boy!

Yan Wushuang’s eyes widened. He immediately added nine more. Twenty swords surrounded the two people, flying around, fiercely battling.

The swords condensed from spiritual consciousness were invisible to others—only those with similar cultivation could see them.

Xie Gutang and Cuilu exchanged a glance, turned to look, and saw that on the arena, Qin Wanwan and Golden Sword Boy were completely oblivious to everything around them, selflessly hacking at each other, while Jian Xingzhi and Yan Wushuang were also locked in fierce combat, neither willing to yield.

Yan Wushuang’s spiritual consciousness strength was far lower than Jian Xingzhi’s. Before long, his consciousness sea began to ache.

And Jian Xingzhi’s consciousness sea was unstable—it also began to faintly hurt.

Both clenched their fists. Yan Wushuang gritted his teeth and simply gave up on the spiritual consciousness battle. He raised his hand and fiercely poured spiritual power into the arena. The arena on Qin Wanwan’s side suddenly rose up. Without hesitation, Jian Xingzhi also poured spiritual power onto the platform, forming a giant palm that thunderously pressed the raised area flat!

“This…”

The judges saw this situation and exchanged glances. The crowd was particularly excited by the situation of four people participating in one duel. The scene became boiling.

“It’s Yan Wushuang.”

One of the judges observed and waved his hand: “Never mind. Doesn’t the other side also have a family member helping? It’s still fair. Let them fight.”

They couldn’t stop them anyway.

At this moment, Qin Wanwan and Golden Sword Boy landed on the ground again. The two were completely unaware of what had happened and continued hitting hitting hitting hitting.

Yan Wushuang, sensing too much spiritual power being consumed, immediately switched methods and began throwing small knives at the platform. Jian Xingzhi grabbed rocks and began throwing them back. He threw a small knife, Jian Xingzhi threw a rock.

The rock hit the knife, and the rebound actually charged straight at Yan Wushuang. Yan Wushuang hastily dodged, becoming angry for a moment. He grabbed rocks and began throwing them at Jian Xingzhi.

Without a word, the two began throwing rocks at each other. After the rocks nearby were thrown, Jian Xingzhi called to Nanfeng and Xie Gutang: “Quick, get me rocks!”

Seeing Jian Xingzhi call for help, Yan Wushuang also quickly called: “Quick, get me rocks!”

Nanfeng, Xie Gutang, Cuilu and others, along with Giant Sword Manor disciples, respectively became logistics, beginning to hand basket after basket of rocks to Jian Xingzhi and Yan Wushuang, letting them throw rocks across the arena at each other.

The two exchanged volleys. Yan Wushuang was hit until his face was bruised and swollen. Jian Xingzhi was also occasionally grazed.

But they refused to yield, persisting in throwing. Rocks like rain—every time Qin Wanwan and Golden Sword Boy landed on the ground, they felt like they were crossing through a meteor belt, dodging rocks while slashing at each other.

On the final landing on the ground, Jian Xingzhi hurled a huge rock straight at Golden Sword Boy!

Yan Wushuang also quickly threw a big rock up!

The rocks intersected in mid-air, instantly shattering. Flying stones shot toward Qin Wanwan and Golden Sword Boy. At that very instant, Qin Wanwan pressed her sword against Golden Sword Boy’s neck while simultaneously using a Jishan hand seal to immediately disarm his sword.

The battle came to an abrupt halt. The last rock fell on Qin Wanwan’s head, then dropped down.

Both Qin Wanwan and Golden Sword Boy were covered in dust. Qin Wanwan looked down at Golden Sword Boy: “You lost.”

This victory was hard-won. Qin Wanwan was extremely delighted.

Golden Sword Boy snorted coldly and snatched back his sword.

Gripping his sword, he turned around to see a stone wall piled up behind him. Yan Wushuang, face bruised and swollen, climbed up from below the platform, looking even more miserable than him on the platform, mumbling unclearly: “Junior Brother, are you… alright?”

Golden Sword Boy instantly sobered up and quickly called people to carry Yan Wushuang away.

Qin Wanwan recovered on the platform. It wasn’t until the referee announced the judgment that she finally reacted.

She won!

She entered the finals. Soon she would also step into the excellent stage among sword cultivators.

And all of this was fought for by herself.

She felt it was somewhat unreal. Instinctively delighted, she turned back and saw Jian Xingzhi indeed standing behind her.

Jian Xingzhi wore a blue robe and white shirt, hands tucked in his sleeves, with scratches on his face. Behind him was the piled stone wall. His expression was as calm as usual, as if nothing had happened.

“What… happened here?”

Qin Wanwan looked at the stone wall, completely bewildered.

The judges on the platform were tidying up, complaining to Qin Wanwan: “You two fight, and you’ve nearly dredged all the rocks from the nearby river. Move them back yourselves later. Have some decency.”

Qin Wanwan: “???”

“It’s nothing,” Jian Xingzhi glanced at the judges and instructed Qin Wanwan. “You won. Go back and rest while waiting for the finals. I’ll move the rocks.”

With that, Jian Xingzhi waved his hand, loaded the rocks into his dimensional pouch, and walked toward the river.

Qin Wanwan watched Jian Xingzhi walking away without looking back. She suddenly remembered: “Master!”

Jian Xingzhi turned to look at her, and saw Qin Wanwan somewhat excited: “I won!”

Jian Xingzhi was stunned. In that instant, he seemed to see his younger self when he first won the swordsmanship championship.

A smile couldn’t help but spread across his handsome features, his tone understated: “Isn’t that expected?”

—

**Author’s Note:**

**[Mini Theater]**

Today, bottom lane marksman Qin Wanwan and enemy marksman Golden Sword Boy engaged in fierce battle. From bottom lane all the way to river, they shot at each other. Junglers from both sides, Jian Xingzhi and Yan Wushuang, met at the river to support their marksmen.

Qin Wanwan: “I hit hit hit hit hit hit hit.”

Golden Sword Boy: “I click click click click click click.”

Jian Xingzhi: “I won’t engage until Yan Wushuang uses crowd control first.”

Yan Wushuang: “Jian Xingzhi is camping me, let me bait out a skill.”

At this time: Mid laner Cuilu, top laner Xie Gutang, support Nanfeng are enthusiastically spectating.

Both sides exchange volleys, have an intense stare-down in mid lane. In the end, nothing happens. Each leads their marksman back home.