Sword Flight
The already lively street was even more crowded now, packed shoulder to shoulder with people and traffic.
Yan Jue stared down at the street below for a long time before she finally made out what it was.
It was a dark blue sedan chair.
People on the street trailed after it for quite a while, loudly calling out Du Xuetang’s name.
Bamboo curtains hung from the sedan chair, and the person inside seemed exceptionally low-key.
Even after the crowd had followed for so long, the bamboo curtains remained completely still, with no sign of being lifted.
No one knew how the passersby had figured out who was sitting in the sedan chair.
Qi Xianqing closed her eyes briefly, forced down the emotions in her heart, and said in a low voice, “That’s an Echo Hall disciple, Du Xuetang.”
“Look at the Echo Hall insignia on the sedan chair.”
Yan Jue looked more closely and indeed saw a white crane carved onto the front of the sedan chair in exquisitely delicate brushwork.
The crane’s cry was said to be especially graceful and pleasing to the ear, perfectly in keeping with Echo Hall’s musical style, which was why the white crane had become Echo Hall’s emblem.
Wherever Du Xuetang’s sedan chair passed, the crowd surged and swelled.
Yan Jue knew Echo Hall disciples were all Jiangnan beauties, but she had no idea they could command such influence.
Qi Xianqing: “Echo Hall disciples have followers all over the world. That’s not strange.”
Echo Hall was exceptionally accomplished in music. Its disciples usually traveled everywhere to perform, and they didn’t take cultivation all that seriously.
That was different from many other sects.
Qi Xianqing and Yan Jue sat in the wine shop a while longer, each lost in thought, before setting out for Echo Hall.
Echo Hall was located by the Qing River in Jiangnan. Its many courtyards and separate pavilions, with jade-green tiles and vermilion eaves, were elegant and refined. As soon as one entered the main gate, one could hear waves of guqin music.
All the pavilions were ringed by clear pools of water; within those pools, flashes of gold rippled and shimmered as koi swam about.
The reason the Six Immortal Sects were singled out and praised among countless sects was that each of them possessed something worthy of distinction, something that clearly displayed their strength.
Like Five Dragons Sect’s mountain guardian beast, the qilin; like Luan Terrace’s divine beast, the phoenix...
And Yan Jue had once heard that Echo Hall’s specialties were music and koi.
A gentle, lovely Echo Hall disciple led the way, and soon Yan Jue and Qi Xianqing arrived before a rather elegant pavilion.
They did not wait long before a woman with extremely soft, delicate features came gracefully out from inside.
She wore a pale blue flowing-sleeved dress, and her black hair was arranged in a rounded heart-shaped bun. Her movements were as soft as willow branches in the wind; she seemed fragile to the extreme, yet still retained a trace of strength.
“It’s rare to see Xianqing visit on ordinary days.” The woman walked over, smiling faintly at Qi Xianqing. “What breeze brought Xianqing here today?”
Qi Xianqing saluted. “Jinrou, your performance tour is about to begin, and I’ve still come to trouble you. I’m truly sorry.”
Su Jinrou: “It’s nothing.”
The three of them entered the pavilion, and Qi Xianqing explained her purpose to Su Jinrou.
Su Jinrou stepped outside the room and lightly raised a hand. “Come in and speak.”
Yan Jue still didn’t know that Qi Xianqing and Su Jinrou were so close; the way they looked at each other, they seemed like old friends of many years.
Yan Jue knew Qi Xianqing had come this time to ask Echo Hall to help transcend her parents’ souls; Su Jinrou would definitely be performing in a moment.
Each major sect guarded its own unique techniques carefully, so this Echo Hall disciple was probably wary of anyone other than Qi Xianqing.
Yan Jue was hesitating over whether she should follow them in.
Qi Xianqing turned back to look at her. “This is Yan Jue; she’s my dao companion, not an outsider.”
Yan Jue: “......”
This was not the first time she had been startled by Qi Xianqing’s directness.
Su Jinrou let her gaze linger on Yan Jue for a moment longer, then smiled. “Of course.”
Inside the room.
Qi Xianqing knelt on the mat, took two bodhi leaves out of her bosom, and laid them flat on the table. “These are my parents. They’ve now become soulless ghosts. I ask you, Jinrou, to help transcend them.”
Su Jinrou frowned slightly. “It’s just that I don’t have a famous zither powerful enough to transcend wandering souls.”
Qi Xianqing nodded and quickly understood what Su Jinrou meant.
It was easy to transcend a true wandering spirit, but far more difficult to transcend a soulless ghost.
The highest-grade soul-transcending piece, Netherworld Severing Soul, had to be played with a famous guqin; otherwise, it simply couldn’t unleash its full power.
Qi Xianqing took something out of her storage belt.
Su Jinrou froze slightly.
It was a square, axe-split ancient guqin, its body a faint deep red.
Su Jinrou plucked each string in turn to test the tone, and only felt that the instrument’s sound was clean and elegant, its aftertaste long and lingering.
Su Jinrou was such a perceptive person that she quickly noticed something unusual. “This is the heirloom guqin, Floating Joy.”
Qi Xianqing: “I wonder if this zither can play Netherworld Severing Soul?”
“Of course it can.” Bright light rose in Su Jinrou’s eyes. “To be able to see this instrument in my lifetime, I’m truly blessed beyond measure.”
The bodhi leaves lay on the long table; above them, the two souls drifted about in confusion.
Actually, Qi Xianqing had kept her parents’ souls by her side for so long not entirely without selfishness.
She wanted her parents to stay by her side a little longer, even if they were only soulless wandering spirits.
Qi Xianqing: “Then I’ll leave them in your care.”
Su Jinrou lovingly stroked the guqin’s body. “Mm. I won’t disappoint Xianqing’s expectations.”
She formed a hand seal with one hand, and the qin stand assembled before her. Then the famous guqin Floating Joy descended gracefully onto the stand.
Thrum, thrum, thrum——
A resonant melody rose, clear and refined like high mountains and flowing water, striking straight at the heart; every note revealed the depth of Su Jinrou’s superb skill.
The gentle tempo made it feel as though all the aggression in one’s body had been calmed.
Yan Jue subconsciously closed her eyes and felt the emotion carried by the music with all her heart. Her feelings swayed unconsciously with the melody, and when she came back to herself, a line of clear tears had actually slipped down her cheek.
Yan Jue hurriedly raised a hand to wipe them away.
The two bewildered souls floating above the bodhi leaves stopped their restless drifting after hearing such peaceful music.
Their forms gradually faded away.
A trace of reluctance and complicated emotion suddenly flashed through Qi Xianqing’s eyes; she subconsciously tightened her grip on her robe hem.
Netherworld Severing Soul was a famous soul-transcending composition. Its opening tempo was relaxed, then gradually became more urgent later on.
Su Jinrou’s fingertips glimmered with light as she sent a strand of true qi into the strings.
Thrum, thrum, thrum——
The music grew ever more urgent.
...
Netherworld Severing Soul was long. By the time Su Jinrou played the final note, it was already dusk.
The souls of Qi Xianqing’s parents on the table had completely disappeared.
Yan Jue worriedly looked toward Qi Xianqing, only to see her eyelids lowered and her expression peaceful.
It should have been a relief.
Her parents had spent so many years as vengeful spirits beside a tiger demon; at last, they could be freed.
...
Yan Jue stood up first.
Today she wore a practical dark green pleated dress, with a snow-white crossed-collar top. Her figure was tall and upright; her long black hair was tied back with a ribbon. In the sunset, her lips were red and her teeth white, and her narrow phoenix eyes seemed to shimmer with light.
Yan Jue saluted Su Jinrou and went out first to wait.
Only Qi Xianqing and Su Jinrou remained seated opposite each other.
Su Jinrou lifted her eyes and stared at Qi Xianqing for a long while before saying softly, “Xianqing’s dao companion is truly a peerless beauty.”
Su Jinrou was a Jiangnan woman, naturally gentle in manner, and even her speech was soft.
Qi Xianqing had asked her to use Floating Joy to transcend her parents’ souls, and there was naturally a payment.
The payment was the famous guqin Floating Joy.
Su Jinrou: “This is far too precious. I merely helped a friend transcend wandering souls; it’s nowhere near worth this price.”
She glanced at Qi Xianqing. “Does Xianqing need any other help from me?”
Qi Xianqing looked at her and let the corner of her lips curl slightly. “I still have one more matter I’d like to trouble Jinrou with.”
Su Jinrou: “Please, go ahead.”
Qi Xianqing: “Can you teach me the simplest tune you have here? I want to cheer my wife up.”
Su Jinrou lowered her eyes.
Although she and Qi Xianqing were close friends, she had actually always had feelings for Qi Xianqing. She wasn’t someone who clung to others in desperation, either; she knew Qi Xianqing had a heart of stone and had never been interested in romance. She had always treated her as a confidante.
And now, with such casual words, Qi Xianqing had turned her down.
-
Qi Xianqing thanked Su Jinrou and left.
She and Yan Jue walked slowly along the streets of Yanmen. On both sides were small bridges and flowing water, with many little boats moving through the water.
It was already dusk; the afterglow of the setting sun scattered across the blue-gray stone streets.
There were fewer people around than in the daytime.
Yan Jue secretly studied Qi Xianqing from the corner of her eye. The latter had her head lowered and was walking slowly.
Qi Xianqing must be feeling very sad now.
After all, her parents had always been a pain in her heart.
Yan Jue’s mind raced as she thought about how to comfort Qi Xianqing. Just as she was about to speak, Qi Xianqing pressed her tongue against her cheek and suddenly said, “Did you think it sounded good when she played today?”
Yan Jue froze. She hadn’t expected her to suddenly say that. “Mm. Although I only heard Miss Su play the soul-transcending piece, I could still feel how superb her inner power was. With her level of cultivation, whatever she plays must be especially beautiful.”
“Junior Sister likes listening to music?”
“I do.”
Qi Xianqing suddenly turned around and took her hand. “I’ll take you to a place.”
Lantern shadows; dusky clouds.
The two of them crossed the street and came to an uninhabited city wall.
Qi Xianqing was clearly not visiting Jiangnan for the first time; she was obviously more familiar with it than Yan Jue.
She led Yan Jue up the tall city wall and sat down cross-legged with a lazy air.
The evening wind blew up the hem of her black dress.
Yan Jue saw a trace of relief in Qi Xianqing’s eyes and felt a little more at ease.
The wall they were sitting on was very high; looking out, one could see a quiet wasteland, while above them, stars twinkled in the deep purple sky.
Qi Xianqing took out a faintly white leaf from her sleeve.
Yan Jue blinked slightly.
Qi Xianqing: “I’ll play it for you.”
Yan Jue also recognized the leaf in Qi Xianqing’s hand.
It was a frost-white leaf; many common people liked to use this kind of leaf to play tunes, and the melodies it made were clear and winding.
Qi Xianqing brought the leaf to her lips, and the clear sound of it echoed across the wasteland.
Yan Jue listened to the lingering melody and couldn’t help spacing out.
It really was pleasant to listen to...
She hadn’t expected Qi Xianqing to be hiding such a trick.
Yan Jue took the leaf from Qi Xianqing and said excitedly, “Teach me!”
Qi Xianqing: “Mm.”
-
By the time the two returned from Jiangnan to Five Dragons Sect, less than half a day had passed.
These past few days had all been overcast; there was no moon in the sky, so naturally the mystic realm clues could not progress any further.
For a team competition like this, the clue answers couldn’t really be kept secret. Once one team discovered the answer, it was hard to guarantee they wouldn’t spread it outside.
On the second day, when the mystic realm opened, one team after another found that temple in the northern mountains.
Yan Jue entered the mystic realm and went to look again, only to find that the more than ten red beans beneath the Buddha statue were gone.
As expected, everyone was completely baffled by the next soybean clue.
That was only natural, since she had taken the most important piece of paper away.
Hahaha.
Since there were still no leads, Yan Jue simply searched for materials at random in the mystic realm that day and came out when the time was up.
Xie Zijin moved quickly; one hundred Spirit-Feeding Pills were soon delivered.
Yan Jue could also properly feed the black lump.
Every day, the black lump ate one Spirit-Feeding Pill; once it was done, it would curl up inside the Qiankun Bag and sleep soundly.
A lot more fluff had grown on its body, but its eyes still had not opened.
Yan Jue didn’t bother with it either; she just threw it into the Qiankun Bag and let it develop on its own.
-
Early morning.
Qi Xianqing entered Qiuli Pavilion, which had always been quiet within Thunderflame Sect, and immediately saw the snow-white nine-colored deer wandering leisurely about the courtyard.
Yun Zhen had always doted on the nine-colored deer. After not seeing it for a few days, it seemed to have gotten even fatter.
Yun Zhen wore a light rosy dress and leaned casually against the pavilion, her gaze fixed on Qi Xianqing as she drew near. “This trip to Jiangnan—did you successfully transcend your parents’ souls?”
Qi Xianqing: “Mm.”
A lot had really happened lately.
The second half of the Five-Dragon Summit was underway.
Then Qi Xianqing had gone to Luan Terrace, where she had just happened to run into people from the Demonic Cult; this further confirmed the matter of the demons’ impending resurgence, and she had even discovered one of the Demonic Cult’s possible methods.
Qi Xianqing had let that Demonic Cult disciple return to Jueming Valley Demon Lord to act as a spy. Although they still hadn’t received any useful information, planting the piece early was always better.
The preparations for the Myriad Immortals Assembly and the next Immortal Sects ranking assessment were both imminent, and the whole world was discussing the matter fervently.
So much so that everyone had forgotten the two major issues of the Demonic Cult’s possible resurgence and the demon race’s rebellion.
To this day, among the demon race’s five noble monsters, two had already betrayed their side; fortunately, the situation had not worsened.
Yun Zhen: “There haven’t been any other matters lately, have there?”
Qi Xianqing’s brow moved slightly. She didn’t know what Yun Zhen meant by that, so she nodded. “Aside from the recent team competition, this disciple indeed has nothing else.”
“Little Yan has already gone up to make up the numbers in the afternoon’s sword flight competition.”
Yun Zhen: “That’s very good. For the final entertainment competition a few days from now, the wine-tasting contest, Xianqing, you should go participate.”
There were very few entertainment competitions in this Five-Dragon Summit; only four in total.
They were the food contest, the weightlifting contest, the sword flight competition, and the wine-tasting contest.
Thunderflame Sect had never been enthusiastic about entertainment competitions, but this time they had unexpectedly won two in a row, which made Yun Zhen quite happy.
Still, Yun Zhen wasn’t foolish enough to think they’d be this lucky in every match.
She had told Qi Xianqing to fill out the numbers in that kind of competition; presumably Thunderflame Sect really couldn’t find anyone suitable for the task, which was why she thought of Qi Xianqing.
Qi Xianqing was slightly surprised but still respectfully said, “I will not fail Master’s expectations.”
Yun Zhen knew she was always serious, so she reminded her, “You don’t need to take it to heart. You can drink rare immortal wine for free at the wine-tasting contest; just have some fun.”
Qi Xianqing: “Yes.”
-
After Five Dragons Mystic Realm closed, it was the third entertainment competition of the second half of the Five-Dragon Summit.
The sword flight competition.
As the name implied, it was a race using sword flight.
Five Dragons Sect had many sword cultivators, and whether one could wield a sword skillfully was an important measure of a disciple’s ability.
So compared with the previous two entertainment competitions, the sword flight competition was undoubtedly much more watchable.
Yun Zhen sat lazily on the viewing stand, staring at the huge projection in the sky.
Within the illusions projected by the capture boxes, every participating disciple was represented.
Yun Zhen was in a good mood.
She had originally thought there would be absolutely no chance of winning the entertainment competitions, yet they had actually won two in a row.
There were only four entertainment matches; winning two meant taking half the first-place titles.
Since the day Yun Zhen became sect master, this had been an unprecedented scene for Thunderflame Sect!
Zhu He sat beside Yun Zhen, wearing a black cloak, blinking at the osmanthus cakes on the table.
Yun Zhen rubbed her head, her voice gentle. “Little Zhu, eat whatever you want; don’t be polite with your master.”
Zhu He curved her eyes and lightly nodded.
Yan Yue turned her head, the anger in her eyes hard to conceal. “Yun Zhen, what do you mean by this? Didn’t you say your Thunderflame Sect had no experts competing this time?”
Yun Zhen was helpless. “Does she look like an expert to you? I was fooled by the girl’s appearance too.”
Zhu He didn’t understand what the two were saying. With her head lowered, she ate osmanthus cakes politely, narrowing her eyes slightly, her face full of happiness.
Yan Yue looked at her thin arms and fell silent.
After all, Yan Yue was Yun Zhen’s good friend; Yun Zhen didn’t want to anger her too badly, so she tried to comfort her instead. “The first two wins were just luck. I didn’t know our sect had such a powerful little girl. This sword flight competition is the one the sect cares about most; I’ll definitely let you have the championship.”
“I’m just here to watch the fun.”
At the summit of Jingang Peak.
The summit was already packed with disciples participating in the competition, all of them dressed uniformly in light dao robes as they summoned their magical artifacts and warmed up.
For a moment, brilliant light filled the azure sky.
In addition to the five main peaks, Five Dragons Mountain had countless smaller peaks.
And this sword flight competition required contestants to start from the top of Jingang Peak and pass through Mystic Escape Sect’s Dragon Coiling Cave Heaven, Watercloud Sect’s Cold Waterfall, Thunderflame Sect’s Sea of Fire, and the twenty-six smaller peaks behind Muyin Sect.
Whoever reached the Five Dragons Square at Buzhou Peak first would win the championship.
Clouds swirled around the summit of Jingang Peak.
The countdown to the start of the race had already begun.
Yan Jue walked to the cliff’s edge, formed a hand seal with one hand, and summoned the immortal sword Drifting Ice. In an instant, a dazzling blue light surged around her, along with waves of biting chill.
At the same time, Xingye Daoist, who had been yawning on the viewing stand, looked at the projection in the sky and suddenly widened his eyes. “Isn’t that the little disciple who was carrying a sword in the sword tomb that day?”
“The sword in her hand is one of the immortal swords that once slew two Demon Lords a thousand years ago!”
“Drifting Ice has always been difficult to tame. I didn’t expect her to have subdued the immortal sword Drifting Ice in such a short time, and even to be working together with it for a sword flight competition. Truly a gifted talent...”
Yan Yue whirled around abruptly and glared at Yun Zhen. “Didn’t you say your Thunderflame Sect had no one?”
Under the heavens, the girl wore a black, close-fitting outfit; her hem fluttered in the wind. Her brows and eyes were clean and refined, and her skin was as white as snow.
Yun Zhen’s gaze landed on Drifting Ice beside Yan Jue, and she was also a little surprised.
She had given Yan Jue a sword before, but she hadn’t expected Yan Jue to use the immortal sword Drifting Ice in this competition.
“Drifting Ice has its own pride; it’s impossible for someone to subdue it in such a short time. I know how much ability Little Yan has,” Yun Zhen said with a smile toward Yan Yue. “She’s only here to make up the numbers.”
Yan Jue had deliberately practiced sword flight at Qiwu Peak before. The last time she had gone to Wanwu Fortress with Master, she had chased after that giant wing no matter what and still couldn’t catch up; that had deeply reminded Yan Jue of how lacking she was in sword flight.
After a period of practice, Yan Jue still didn’t dare claim she and Drifting Ice cooperated flawlessly, but she could at least make do.
Standing at the cliff’s edge, Yan Jue looked down at the boundless sea of clouds beneath her feet and suddenly realized someone was watching her from the side.
Yan Jue whirled around sharply and met Bai Chuli’s sinister gaze.
As the Bai family’s young miss, Bai Chuli naturally loved huge wagers. She had lost a great deal of money because of Yan Jue in the previous rounds at Jade Terrace, and she hated Yan Jue to the bone.
Moreover, Bai Chuli had been the champion of the previous Five-Dragon Summit sword flight competition.
This time at Jade Terrace, she had bet on herself to win.
The moment Bai Chuli saw Yan Jue, she felt afraid; after that fear, all her emotions instantly turned into anger.
The sword flight competition was her battlefield, and she would absolutely not allow Yan Jue to steal her spotlight!
Yun Jie stood behind Bai Chuli and patted her back, her expression equally unpleasant. “Junior Sister Bai, do your best.”
A melodious bell rang, and the race began in an instant.
The disciples at the cliff edge all mounted their magical artifacts and shot out.
Yan Jue stepped onto the immortal sword Drifting Ice; her hem flapped violently in the gale, while the wind roared in her ears like thunder!
All around her were the sect disciples taking part in the race. Yan Jue tried to urge the demonic core in her dantian; the core spun frantically, and the true qi within her body surged out in an instant.
After Jingang Peak came Mystic Escape Sect’s Dragon Coiling Cave Heaven. It was a huge cavern in the center of the mountain, pitch-black inside, with a breath of watery mist flooding her nose the moment she entered.
As soon as Yan Jue entered the cave, she immediately spread out her Divine Sense. She knew that although the sword flight competition appeared to be about speed, it actually tested many things.
Dragon Coiling Cave Heaven looked like nothing more than a dark cave, but in fact there were countless boulders and stalactites within!
Yan Jue formed a hand seal with both hands and slowed down a little. Her dense Divine Sense refused to miss a single corner of the cave.
A huge stalactite was ahead!
Yan Jue lowered her body and suddenly veered aside with a sharp twist. With a whoosh, she avoided the dangerous obstacle.
Faint cries of pain and the sounds of people falling could be heard beside her.
A light appeared ahead; Dragon Coiling Cave Heaven was already at its end. Yan Jue lowered her body slightly once more, dodging the final huge rock before shooting straight out.
The sky was blue. Yan Jue could feel the number of competitors around her had sharply decreased after passing through the cave.
Her gaze instantly locked onto the figure far ahead in first place.
Bai Chuli rode the immortal sword Liusu; a faint layer of icy aura permeated around her. She was obviously extremely skilled at sword flight and had already thrown off the rest of the pack by a long way.
Yan Jue didn’t think much of it. She was still a beginner at sword flight; she hadn’t come here intending to win.
But whether Yan Jue wanted it or not, Drifting Ice was an immortal sword exceptionally suited to sword flight, and it had already outstripped the crowd by a great distance.
After passing Mystic Escape Sect’s Dragon Coiling Cave Heaven came Watercloud Sect’s Cold Waterfall. This was the place where all disciples of Five Dragons Sect were punished. A massive waterfall hung down from the heavens, shrouded in a terrifying chill; its power rivaled Cold Pool.
Yan Jue felt the cold as soon as she entered Cold Waterfall, but she had ice spiritual roots and wasn’t afraid of it. She only needed to be careful of the icicles falling from overhead while passing through the waterfall cave.
Whoosh——
Yan Jue stepped on Drifting Ice and lowered her body slightly, then shot out of Cold Waterfall.
After Cold Waterfall, the number of competitors around her decreased again in a flash.
Bai Chuli was still far in the lead, extremely familiar with sword flight; she could clear those obstacles without needing to think.
After Cold Waterfall came Thunderflame Sect’s Sea of Fire.
Thunderflame Sect chose to establish itself on Thunderflame Peak because in one of Thunderflame Peak’s valleys there was a huge block of magma stone.
According to legend, this stone had been dropped there by the ancient Fire God. All year round it emitted scorching flames, causing that valley to be engulfed in a sea of fire; the disciples even jokingly called it the Flaming Mountain.
After Yan Jue flew her sword into this place, she clearly began to struggle. After all, she had ice spiritual roots, and she truly hated heat.
All around her were surging waves of heat; fiery tongues licked at the soles of her feet. After traveling through the valley for the time it took to brew half a cup of tea, fine beads of cold sweat had already broken out on Yan Jue’s forehead, her clothes were soaked through, and she looked as though she had been fished out of water.
Bai Chuli was also an ice spiritual root, and she was clearly suffering somewhat as well; her speed also slowed quite a bit.
Yan Jue clenched her back teeth, flooded her true qi to the maximum, and made the demonic core in her dantian spin wildly.
Drifting Ice was already a famous sword passed down through the ages, its performance superior to most immortal swords in the world. Yan Jue surged forward like this, and the distance between her and Bai Chuli instantly closed!
Suddenly, a golden fire dragon shot up from beneath her feet. The dragon let out a piercing roar in the sky, startling Bai Chuli. She clearly didn’t usually come to this valley either, and her movement beneath her feet wobbled.
Yan Jue stomped hard on the sword body and leaped into the air.
There was an uproar all over Five Dragons Square.
Yan Yue turned back and looked at Yun Zhen with a sinister expression. “Yun Zhen, is this what you call making up the numbers?”
Yun Zhen didn’t answer. When she looked at Yan Jue, a trace of heat flashed through her eyes.
Yan Jue really had been pulled over by her to make up the numbers.
Five Dragons Sect had always had many sword cultivators, so there was a specialized sword flight class within the sect.
Coincidentally, this sword flight class happened to be personally taught by Elder Yun Zhen. But in Yun Zhen’s memory, Yan Jue seemed never to have attended her sword flight class.
She had never attended sword flight class and yet could perform the movements with such skill and precision, and she could still maintain her form without falling even amid severe turbulence...
Even if it had been taught by Xianqing herself, this talent could still be called extraordinary.
Now Yun Zhen was completely intrigued, and she stared eagerly at the projection.
At this level, Yun Zhen truly hadn’t expected it at all.
After Yan Jue flew out of Thunderflame Peak’s Sea of Fire, there were almost no people left around her.
Yan Jue wasn’t in great shape now. Her arms had been singed by the flames, and all her clothes were drenched, but the farther she went, the more excited she became! She had only meant to mess around in the sword flight competition, yet she hadn’t expected it to be so interesting!
Ahead was the final section of the sword flight competition.
The twenty-six smaller peaks.
Here, sword riders had to pass through all twenty-six peaks by making continuous turns, which undoubtedly raised the difficulty to the maximum.
Because a cultivator stood on the immortal sword relying on their own inner strength and foot power; nothing fixed them to the sword.
The twenty-six peaks had strange shapes, and the distances between them were tight. That meant the turns between peaks had to be extremely sharp; with even the slightest mistake, one’s body would separate from the sword and fall.
Drifting Ice screamed beneath her feet. Yan Jue tilted her body slightly and made a sharp turn.
She had specifically practiced among the peaks of Qiwu Peak before. After making six consecutive turns, her movements were smooth as flowing clouds and water.
Yun Zhen propped her chin on her hand, narrowing her eyes with interest.
How interesting. Who didn’t know these twenty-six smaller peaks were specially arranged to widen the gap between competitors? Even Bai Chuli, who had once been called a “sword god” by Watercloud Sect, still had to slow down when taking a sharp turn...
Yet Yan Jue’s movements were so silky.
The tenth... the eleventh... the twelfth...
Yan Jue urged her true qi onward; the tail of the sword whipped suddenly, and her entire body instantly floated out ten or so steps.
Yan Jue’s figure brushed past Bai Chuli.
There was an uproar all over Five Dragons Square.
When Bai Chuli saw Yan Jue suddenly dart ahead, she nearly screamed. She hurriedly urged her true qi to catch up, but in doing so her breathing became disordered. Right ahead was a steep peak; Bai Chuli’s body swayed, nearly falling off the immortal sword.
Five Dragons Square fell silent in an instant.
Swoosh... swoosh... swoosh...
Yan Jue stepped on Drifting Ice and advanced steadily.
Bai Chuli formed hand seals with both hands and used all her strength to keep her balance, then chased after her directly.
The immortal sword Liusu came roaring along, stirring up gusts of strong wind. Yan Jue’s face was as still as water; she suddenly exerted force beneath her feet, and Drifting Ice shot forward, whipping its tail once more.
She abruptly pulled away from Bai Chuli again.
Yan Jue had practiced countless times at Qiwu Peak before.
Turns really were a very useful thing; as long as one made good use of the curves, one could immediately open up a gap from one’s opponent.
This was simply a blessing for beginners like them who flew swords!
Another turn.
Yan Jue accelerated with a whoosh; the distance widened once again.
On Five Dragons Square, everyone stared blankly at the projection in the sky.
Yan Jue soon flew out of the twenty-six peaks, and what entered her eyes was the final location of this competition: Buzhou Peak!
Above Buzhou Peak was Five Dragons Square. As long as Yan Jue completed the vertical sword-riding posture, she could reach the final destination.
Buzhou Peak was extremely steep, which meant that to rush to the finish line quickly, one’s body had to be parallel to the peak. Within Five Dragons Sect, this movement was also called vertical sword-riding.
Yan Jue charged toward Buzhou Peak; the immortal sword Drifting Ice instantly stood upright under her feet. She immediately urged her true qi and rode the wind with free ease; all the roaring air around her became her aid. Her body was parallel to the mountain peak, forming a right angle with the ground.
Drifting Ice screamed through the air.
Everyone’s eyes widened.
How much inner power did it take to perform such a difficult movement!
Yan Jue actually did it!
Behind Drifting Ice, rainbow-colored radiance began to burst forth, while frost started to rise in waves beneath Yan Jue’s feet. This was an omen that only an ice spiritual root of the highest grade could produce. At the same time, Bai Chuli also charged out of the twenty-six small peaks, rushing toward this side with all her might.
Even so, her speed was still half a beat too slow.
The projection overhead also began to shake violently; what entered everyone’s sight was a close-up of Yan Jue’s face. It was hard to imagine that such a gentle girl in ordinary moments now had her face filled with fierce aggression and excited fanaticism.
Yan Jue shot straight across the finish line. The dazzling light bursting from Drifting Ice grew even more blinding. As soon as she rushed onto Five Dragons Square, she began braking hard; her body landed lightly and stopped steadily on the stone path.
Du Ying screamed and pounced on her, hugging Yan Jue. “Ahhhhh, Yan Jue, how did you do that!”
“How did you manage to take first place the very first time you entered the sword flight competition!”
Yan Jue raised a hand to wipe the sweat from her forehead and gave a wry smile.
Maybe it was because she had practiced on Qiwu Peak so many times before.
Before the crowd had quieted down, another whooshing sound came from behind.
Riding the immortal sword Liusu, Bai Chuli also dropped onto the square. Her face was deathly pale and her legs were trembling. The moment she landed, she actually knelt down.
Everyone was in an uproar.
Yan Jue’s brilliance had been so dazzling that everyone hadn’t even noticed just how Bai Chuli, the former sword genius, had flown over.
All eyes fell on Bai Chuli. They saw her kneeling on the ground, her shoulders shaking violently.
Sword flight consumed true qi. Her qi was limited and simply couldn’t support her through so many obstacles. At first it had been fine, but in fact she had already begun to struggle when she passed the tenth small peak.
The viewing stand was silent for a time, though whispers could still be heard.
“Sigh, Bai Chuli had it really rough. She was originally good at sword flight, but she just had to run into Yan Jue.”
“Yan Jue... Senior Sister Yan... you can’t tell by looking at her. I originally thought she only won the individual match last time by luck, but I never expected her to be this strong.”
“Yan Jue’s condition isn’t that great either.”
Yan Jue’s condition really wasn’t very good. The sword flight course was too long; her true qi was also nearing exhaustion, and on top of that, after passing through Dragon Coiling Cave Heaven earlier, her face and arms had been scratched by small stones. She had also been badly injured when she passed through the Sea of Fire.
After saying a couple of words to Du Ying, she suddenly raised her head and looked in Bai Chuli’s direction.
Yan Jue supported her waist and walked over to Bai Chuli.
The viewing stand at Five Dragons Square instantly fell silent again.
Yan Jue was the champion, while Bai Chuli was merely a loser. At a time like this, Yan Jue walking over to Bai Chuli made it hard not to think too much.
Especially since Five Dragons Sect had previously had the first-place winner mock the second-place winner after a competition, and there were also rumors that Yan Jue and Bai Chuli already disliked each other...
Yan Yue watched with an unpleasant expression. “Why didn’t anyone stop her?”
Bai Chuli knelt on the ground, as if a thousand-pound weight pressed on the back of her neck, making it impossible to even lift her head.
Why... why...
Why had she lost?
It must have been because she was too proud.
She hadn’t trained properly after winning the previous competitions.
How humiliating...
A deeply gloomy feeling surged up in her heart. Bai Chuli’s heart beat very fast, and black aura gradually began to rise in her eyes, as if a ferocious beast were lurking in her heart, ready to emerge.
Suddenly, a fair hand was extended toward her.
Bai Chuli froze slightly and looked up.
Yan Jue stood before her, dressed in a black long robe, her features clean and refined.
Those clear amber eyes looked at her without the slightest deviation; Yan Jue bent down slightly, her gaze clear and friendly.
Her attitude was respectful, showing no trace of arrogance at all. “Get up, Senior Sister Bai; the award platform is over there.”
The little inner demon in her chest, on the verge of bursting forth, was suddenly shattered to pieces.
Bai Chuli was stunned for a long moment, then lightly bit her lip and hesitantly reached out to take Yan Jue’s hand.
Yan Jue pulled with force, and Bai Chuli stood up.
As the sun sank in the west, the two girls stood facing each other. Only then did the people on the viewing stand truly see Bai Chuli’s face.
Yan Jue praised sincerely, “You’re very impressive.”
Bai Chuli stared into Yan Jue’s eyes and suddenly came to herself. In such a difficult competition, whether first place or second place, anyone who could keep flying to the finish line had already surpassed the vast majority of people.
Bai Chuli looked at Yan Jue, smiled gratefully, and nodded.
-
Yan Yue nearly flipped the table. “Yun Zhen, is this what you meant by coming to watch the fun?”
Yun Zhen kept smiling and poured tea for Yan Yue in an apologetic manner. “I didn’t know that child was so capable.”
Yan Yue looked as though she might die of anger on the spot.
Yun Zhen said gently, “How about this: for the wine-tasting contest the day after tomorrow, I definitely won’t compete with you.”
“Anyway, our sect really doesn’t have any disciples who are good at drinking.”
Yes, Yan Yue knew very well that within Yun Zhen’s Thunderflame Sect, there truly were no disciples who were good at drinking.
For the final entertainment competition the day after tomorrow, the winner of the wine-tasting contest would still have to be Watercloud Sect!!