At this moment, Nie Xiaowan didn’t know what to say.

She believed that Senior Sister Jian Chou, who had been able to repel Xu Lan’er with the Nine-Section Bamboo when she had just started cultivating, definitely shouldn’t be ranked one hundredth. Even she would sometimes feel a strange sense that “she’s stronger than me” when looking at Senior Sister Jian Chou.

But…

No matter how you looked at it, going directly from one hundredth to challenge the third-ranked—wasn’t that a bit too crazy?

Just standing below and watching the two figures above, Nie Xiaowan felt her heart trembling.

She couldn’t help but break into a cold sweat, not even daring to breathe heavily.

On the other side, standing under an old tree and also watching that Heaven-Reaching Platform, Zhou Chengjiang revealed a slight smile.

One hundredth challenging third?

Big mistake!

Zhou Chengjiang’s ranking had once been just below Xie Ding’s.

For a moment, watching Jian Chou’s calm figure standing on the Heaven-Reaching Platform, he developed an indescribable, wonderful premonition: perhaps, a very long time from now, he would only be able to look up at this figure.

For her, Zhou Chengjiang as an opponent had already become a thing of the past.

And her new opponents would be one stronger person after another.

On the mountainside over there.

“Senior Brother Zhao Zhuo has carefully investigated. The current Qingfeng Nunnery’s hidden realm is unstable, probably because the major event that Senior Brother Qu mentioned earlier occurred inside. So now, at least with Senior Brother Zhao Zhuo’s cultivation level, forcing entry would cause the hidden realm to collapse. But…”

Wu Duan was reporting the news from Zhao Zhuo’s side to Master Hengxu, but halfway through his words, he was interrupted by the uproar below.

Everyone turned to look and almost simultaneously showed expressions of astonishment: Wasn’t that Kunwu’s Xie Ding? But who was that opposite him…

Fudao Shanren almost stuffed his chicken leg into his nostril: “This little girl wants to ascend to heaven!”

She had just made an appointment with Zhou Chengjiang, just defeated the fourth-ranked, and it had only been a few days?!

Now she was running directly to challenge the third-ranked?!

Did she not want to live?

Master Hengxu heard this and also frowned slightly: “This child Xie Ding has always had mediocre strength, but he’s had some fortuitous encounters recently and learned several killing moves, giving him quite good chances of victory, which is why he was ranked third. But there’s no need to worry too much—this Small Gathering has just begun, he wouldn’t dare use them lightly.”

“Oh?”

Fudao Shanren couldn’t help but raise his eyebrows upon hearing this.

Master Hengxu smiled faintly: “So, Brother Fudao need not worry about his opponent’s safety.”

Fudao Shanren took a big bite of his chicken leg and nodded at Master Hengxu: “I see, I understand.”

Everyone around thought he had been reassured and felt relieved.

Having excellent disciples face each other too early wasn’t good news for anyone.

If there could be no casualties, that would naturally be best.

Unexpectedly…

The next moment, they were all dumbfounded.

Fudao Shanren directly turned around, cupped his hands around his mouth, and without hesitation shouted toward the southern third Heaven-Reaching Platform where Jian Chou was: “He has killing moves but doesn’t dare use them easily! Take him down and you’ll be in the top three! Jian Chou girl, get him! Beat him to death!!!”

The booming voice crossed the entire void, echoing through this mountain forest with a terrifyingly long reverberation…

Jian Chou girl gets him… gets him… gets him…

Echoing endlessly.

In that instant, countless spectating cultivators below were all stunned.

Everyone stiffly turned their necks and immediately saw Fudao Shanren standing on the mountainside platform, continuously waving at those below…

Had they…

Misheard something…

Standing beside Fudao Shanren, Master Hengxu, who had just said Xie Ding had killing moves he wouldn’t easily use, showed the first strange fluctuation on his usually calm face.

Wu Duan, standing nearby, almost fell off the cliff in fright.

Gu Qingmei, who had been completely focused on news of Senior Brother Xie Buchen and extremely nervous just moments before, was stunned for a moment, then, after carefully pondering those words, her ears couldn’t help but turn red.

…

On the mountainside, countless sect leaders and elders were all dumbfounded.

With such an unreliable old man as a master, could Yashan’s talented Senior Sister still be alright?

The same doubt arose almost simultaneously in the hearts of all the sect leaders and elders.

That earth-shaking shout naturally swept past Xie Ding and Jian Chou’s ears like a hurricane.

Xie Ding’s hand holding the folding fan stopped moving, and his gaze toward Jian Chou suddenly became strange.

The moment Jian Chou heard Fudao Shanren’s words, her legs almost went weak, and she nearly knelt to Fudao Shanren.

You can’t pit your disciple like this!

What do you mean by “get him”?

I don’t have that kind of preference!

Rivers of bloody tears were already flowing in Jian Chou’s heart.

Ruined…

The reputation of Yashan’s Senior Sister had taken a strange turn from this moment.

She had just impulsively found Xie Ding’s hypocritical appearance displeasing, hadn’t she?

She had just impulsively discovered that Xie Ding was ranked third, hadn’t she?

She had just…

Impulsively gone onto the platform, hadn’t she?

She never expected that what awaited her wouldn’t be a glorious battle, but her master’s insane words.

“Cough.”

Xie Ding, across from her, was looking at her with eyes full of strange inquiry.

“Sister Jian Chou, are you alright?”

“…I’m fine.”

Jian Chou forced a smile, her face rigid.

“Hehe, I’ve long admired Senior Sister Jian Chou of Yashan’s reputation. After all, Senior Sister shares the name of a genius with our Kunwu’s Senior Brother Xie. I’ve repeatedly challenged Senior Brother Xie, but he probably thinks my strength is too weak and has never responded. I didn’t expect to have the opportunity to compete with Senior Sister first today. How fortunate, how fortunate.”

In just a few words, Xie Ding compared Jian Chou with Xie Buchen.

Below, there was immediately a burst of mocking laughter.

After all, Xie Buchen was ranked tenth, while Jian Chou was only one hundredth. Even though both were geniuses, Jian Chou’s strength was much weaker.

Xie Ding’s words about Xie Buchen not responding, then saying he was the first to fight Jian Chou, were undoubtedly belittling her.

These words inevitably had some malicious intent.

Jian Chou could naturally hear the commotion below.

She looked up at Xie Ding, somewhat surprised that this elegantly dressed cultivator could also speak such calculated, vicious words.

However…

When had she ever thought that the gentle and refined Xie Buchen would draw his sword against her?

There were so many unexpected things in this world—what was this one more?

Suddenly, she felt that Fudao Shanren had said something very right—

For this kind of person, just beat him to death.

Compete with her, how fortunate?

When fighting Zhou Chengjiang, she hadn’t used Ghost Axe or the Heaven-Flipping Seal.

She wondered what would happen when fighting the so-called third-ranked Xie Ding.

Jian Chou’s face suddenly showed an almost brilliant smile: “Indeed fortunate.”

Upon hearing this, Zhou Chengjiang, who was silently watching below, suddenly chuckled softly.

Indeed fortunate?

Xie Ding was suddenly stunned for a moment.

Although the smile on Jian Chou’s face was brilliant, it instantly gave him an extremely dangerous feeling.

“Swish!”

Glazed golden light suddenly blazed!

Jian Chou, who had been standing calmly in front of him just moments before, suddenly activated the Liwai Mirror in an instant. That mirror immediately expanded with the wind, spinning and growing from a palm-sized mirror to six feet!

“Boom!”

A huge mass of glazed golden light, carried by the Liwai Mirror, swept from bottom to top in a brilliant arc of light, smashing straight toward Xie Ding!

All the discussing voices below came to an abrupt halt!

They had been talking fine just moments ago—how had she suddenly started fighting?

In his haste, Xie Ding almost wanted to curse, but he had no time to spare.

The moment that Liwai Mirror reached his face, he moved his finger without hesitation, closing the open folding fan!

“Snap!”

The originally opened fan suddenly closed, and when the fan ribs collided, they actually made the sound of metal striking metal, resonant and powerful!

Xie Ding’s aura also suddenly changed, transforming from an elegant scholarly air to sharp-edged ferocity.

He stepped down, and a battle disc appeared beneath his feet, spinning open to a full zhang and six feet!

At the Tianyuan position of the battle disc, where there should have been a bowl of water, golden light was already spreading faintly. Among the hazy starpoints, the shadow of a Golden Core seemed to float at the Tianyuan position, quite beautiful to behold.

He lightly tapped the fan ribs with his finger, then flicked it. That closed folding fan instantly transformed into a translucent ink-wash longsword!

“Heavens, the Ink Mark Sword!”

“Young Master Xie’s Ink Mark Sword!”

Some young female cultivators below actually began screaming softly as they watched the sword-wielding Xie Ding.

The longsword faced the wind, and on the snow-white blade, trails of ink seemed to be stirred by the wind, beginning to move across the sword’s body, transforming into pattern after pattern.

If it were normal times, Xie Ding would point his longsword first, then strike another graceful pose.

But now, seeing that glazed golden light already pressing against his face, where would he have that leisure?

He gritted his teeth and, at the critical moment, thrust his longsword straight down toward the attacking Liwai Mirror from below!

Below the Heaven-Reaching Platform, someone couldn’t help but cry out.

Many people’s eyes shone with anticipation, waiting for the Ink Mark Sword to collide with the Liwai Mirror in an earth-shaking battle.

Unexpectedly…

The anticipated fierce collision never came.

Xie Ding felt no obstruction in front of him. The Liwai Mirror that had been getting closer and closer suddenly began to shrink and retreat backward!

Thus, the Ink Mark Sword that Xie Ding had instantly filled with spiritual power, finding nothing before it, presented a state of using too much force and being unable to withdraw!

Swish!

The longsword traced an undulating ink-wash arc like mountain ranges, and the sword qi thunderously struck the ground!

“Hum.”

The Heaven-Reaching Platform immediately emitted a hazy glow, instantly neutralizing this surging sword qi.

Xie Ding had no time to look at the specific situation, only hearing a “thud” in his heart.

Between panic and shock, he looked up—

The Liwai Mirror was flying back toward Jian Chou. When it reached halfway, the entire mirror surface pulsed, as if it were alive and breathing, then suddenly contracted!

Jian Chou showed a big smile to the astonished Xie Ding, then reached out and slapped the air!

The Liwai Mirror, which had just retreated to avoid the Ink Mark Sword’s strike, blazed with light again, rushing forward at an even faster speed than before!

Boom!

Xie Ding, who had just executed one sword strike, never expected such a shameless and adaptable fighting style. He hurriedly tried to block horizontally with his sword again, but it was already too late!

“Clang!”

This time, the Liwai Mirror struck Xie Ding’s face squarely, immediately producing a sound like a bronze bell!

For a moment, Xie Ding felt a force far beyond his expectations surging forth!

How was this possible…

What kind of path was this for a female cultivator?

Fierce and domineering, wildly boundless, powerful force!

He felt that in that instant, his entire face had been slapped into his skull. Even with spiritual qi protecting his body, his eyes, nose, and mouth all hurt together, and his mouth was filled with the taste of blood…

Under everyone’s horrified gaze, the originally suave and elegant gentleman was sent tumbling solidly to the ground by this unexpected mirror strike, looking completely disheveled!

The Ink Mark Sword flew from his hand, transforming back into a seemingly ordinary fan, which clattered several times before landing at Jian Chou’s feet.

“…”

“…”

“…”

Silence.

Nothing but silence!

Everyone was stunned!

Shameless…

This fighting style could only be called shameless, wretched, and despicable!

Not only did she start fighting without a word, she also deliberately feinted to make Xie Ding make a mistake, then immediately slapped him to death with a mirror—what a shameless fighting style!

Countless cultivators below were shocked and even began to sympathize with Xie Ding.

However, among those silent people below, there was another group with higher vision and insight who saw some hidden things in this shameless fighting style.

For example, calculation.

Starting to fight without a word might have been a coincidence, but the effect was to catch Xie Ding off guard first.

Then she struck with a mirror, Xie Ding swung his sword to block—normally this would be a hard collision. Unexpectedly, Jian Chou withdrew the Liwai Mirror at that instant, making Xie Ding’s sword miss and strike the Heaven-Reaching Platform, where all its power was neutralized. After that, when Xie Ding was completely astonished and had no time to swing a second sword, she struck with an even fiercer and more explosive second mirror!

In this way, how could Xie Ding have any chance to turn the tables?

Just in this first exchange, he had already fallen into complete disadvantage!

“Moreover… her first mirror… was deliberately attacking from bottom to top. Only this way would Xie Ding strike from top to bottom with his sword, landing exactly on the ground rather than slashing straight at her…”

A charming voice rang out from the flower platform piled with fresh flowers.

At some point, the man in the gorgeous robe embroidered with various patterns in the forest had stood up, gazing at that Heaven-Reaching Platform from afar.

The eight female cultivators around him were all stunned.

They had never seen their young master…

Pay such serious attention to anyone’s match.

A woman with terrifying calculations.

They say a woman’s heart is like a needle in the ocean depths, and it’s true.

The man on the flower platform slightly narrowed his eyes, smiling with some floating beauty: “A Yashan Senior Sister skilled in battle, with combat power far exceeding her cultivation level…”

Seems like there’s decent prey now.

Yashan’s sword dominated the nine heavens.

Yashan cultivators have always had shocking combat power!

This Yashan Senior Sister was no exception!

Xie Ding, who had fallen to the ground, wasn’t seriously injured—just his qi and blood were churning, and blood flowed from his face, making him look particularly disheveled.

He struggled to support his body and looked up.

The Liwai Mirror had already flown back into Jian Chou’s hand, and she was calmly watching Xie Ding.

Xie Ding’s face was covered in blood, looking terrifying. His previously suave demeanor was long gone.

Even his speech carried a slurred blur—probably from being slapped too hard—no longer having the graceful bearing from when he had said “how fortunate.”

“You, you were ambushing!”

Jian Chou tilted her head, smiling kindly and calmly.

“I had already stepped onto the Heaven-Reaching Platform, so naturally I could strike at any time. Don’t tell me Senior Brother Xie thought your enemies would send you a formal invitation before attacking?”

Her words carried an indescribable sharpness.

Everyone was stunned.

They discovered that this Senior Sister was different—different from what everyone had thought.

Direct, clean, decisive!

What came through in this sentence was also completely different from ordinary sect cultivators.

She seemed to place herself in a battlefield of carnage, and standing before her wasn’t a sparring opponent, but a life-threatening enemy!

Natural keenness, natural crisis awareness!

Xie Ding also fell silent, or rather…

Didn’t react for a moment.

This was a competition for entry qualification. Once a cultivator stepped onto the Heaven-Reaching Platform, they had already used one challenge opportunity.

No matter how much nonsense was said beforehand, it would all come down to seeing the truth beneath their hands.

Although he didn’t want to admit it, he knew Jian Chou was right!

Gritting his teeth, Xie Ding exerted force with his hand, trying to get up from the ground.

At this moment, after Jian Chou finished that sentence, she also withdrew her gaze from him, only looking down at her feet and lightly tapping with her toes. That folding fan moved.

She was still quite curious about this folding fan.

Especially…

When Xie Ding had tapped it earlier, this folding fan had transformed into an Ink Mark Sword—it was truly quite stunning.

However, she remembered that if Ghost Axe was knocked down, it would automatically return to her brow center, but this sword…

With slightly lowered eyelids, Jian Chou bent down, her pale fingers touching the metal-quality fan ribs, actually picking up that folding fan.

Seeing this, Xie Ding forced a smile: “Thank you, Sister Jian Chou.”

With that, he focused his mind, reached out, and summoned the folding fan back!

Click.

The folding fan in Jian Chou’s hand moved, looking like it would fly from her hand, like a bird that had received a summons and was about to return to its nest.

However…

The next instant!

“Snap!”

Five delicate, pale fingers suddenly clenched inward fiercely!

“Chirp…”

It seemed like the lament of a returning bird could be heard!

Jian Chou’s five fingers unexpectedly and steadily pressed on the folding fan!

“Hum!”

The folding fan about to fly from her hand had an impulse force, but Jian Chou’s palm firmly restrained it. In the conflict, the air immediately filled with waves and tremors!

This sudden turn of events made some unprepared people below cry out in alarm!

Xie Ding was completely stunned, and an extremely ominous premonition appeared in his mind.

Staring at Jian Chou, his lips trembling, he opened his mouth: “You…”

The folding fan in her hand was still struggling, but Jian Chou’s delicate palm was like an evil net—no matter how it struggled, it couldn’t move at all.

Jian Chou’s face was calm as she showed Xie Ding a composed smile: “Senior Brother Xie is too polite, no need to thank me.”

Because she never planned to return it!

Under Xie Ding’s shocked gaze, the moment Jian Chou’s words fell, under these countless watching eyes, her palm suddenly burst with a mass of spiritual light, striking fiercely at the folding fan!

Snap.

The originally weak connection between Xie Ding and the folding fan was immediately shattered by this sudden spiritual power!

The originally trembling folding fan immediately became docile.

Jian Chou’s eyes showed a deeper smile: “No need to thank me. Because I never planned to return it to you!”

Her pale palm held the folding fan, lightly turning it. Her slender fingers tapped the fan ribs, then shook—

Swish!

The folding fan immediately twisted and spiraled, transforming into a sword hilt, then a snow-white light extended from the tip, and trails of ink qi flew from the fan-turned-hilt, quickly climbing onto the snow-white blade!

Landscape scroll, ink-wash longsword!

Jian Chou held the Liwai Mirror in her left hand and this longsword in her right, her eyes filled with infinite amazement.

“It’s a good sword…”

The sword’s name: Ink Mark!