As the hour of Mao (5-7am) approached, the disciples trickled into the great hall one after another. Today, joining the Immortal Master for morning cultivation was Jiang Qi.
Jiang Qi became a disciple much earlier than all the other disciples. He worked very hard at cultivating and spent many years gaining experience in the mortal realm. Now that he had returned, he had already broken through to the late Nascent Soul stage and successfully entered the pre-Soul Projection Stage
The sect master inspected his cultivation level and was full of praise for him.
As the senior brother, Jiang Qi hadn't returned to the sect for decades. The sect master wanted to let him get acquainted with the new disciples, so the morning cultivation session was the perfect opportunity for that.
Jiang Qi arrived early, and the other disciples also slowly gathered in the great hall.
Those disciples who recognized him respectfully greeted him as 'Senior Brother Jiang', while those who didn't know him looked at him curiously, asking around and soon approached him to make acquaintances.
Jiang Qi responded to each and everyone with a gentle smile.
Before long, Bian Qingxuan also entered the hall. She approached and greeted, "Senior Brother Jiang."
Bian Qingxuan's eyes were clear and enchanting, making it easy for others to develop a favorable impression when looking at her.
Jiang Qi raised an eyebrow in his heart but smiled on the surface, "Junior Sister."
Bian Qingxuan reminded him, "Immortal Master is already familiar with the morning cultivation class and doesn't require the roster. Since Senior Brother Jiang has just returned to the sect and is unfamiliar with the new disciples, you can ask for the roster from the Master in advance."
Jiang Qi said, "Thank you, Junior sister."
Bian Qingxuan smiled and went to sit in her usual spot.
Jiang Qi's gaze followed her, and a strong sense of fondness for her unrestrainedly surged in his heart. He didn't try to suppress these feelings, but rather pondered just what kind of being she was.
Enchantress? No, she didn't have any evil energy.
Moreover, Jiang Qi prided himself on having a strong willpower. Ordinary enchantment techniques wouldn't be able to entrance him. For his emotions to fluctuate after just a few sentences of conversation, Bian Qingxuan was the first.
Interesting, he thought. No wonder the little pitiful thing from Buye Immortal Mountain lost so miserably.
This little sister who possesses natural charm and allure is really irresistible.
However, he still hadn't seen the other main protagonist in the rumors, so when he had the chance, he planned to pay her a visit. Compared to this strange little junior sister, Jiang Qi was more curious about the poor little thing from Mount Buye."
As the disciples gradually took their seats, the hour of Mao arrived.
At the last moment, Jiang Qi took out a book and was about to begin the attendance process when a clear and crisp voice of a young girl sounded from the back row of the main hall.
"Immortal Master, Luoyi is here to listen to your teachings."
Jiang Qi paused and looked up.
Not just him, many disciples also turned their heads back. There were at least hundred to two-hundred disciples in the hall, but only around thirty to forty had actually seen Shi Luoyi in person.
Most of the disciples had only heard of her in rumors.
Just as Jiang Qi had heard, Shi Luoyi they "knew" was arrogant, willful, bullies her fellow disciples, disgraceful and ugly, far from being as beautiful as her father.
However, in the faint morning light, the girl before them wore an indigo silk dress, a pink sash accentuated her slender waist. She had a sheer veil trailing behind her and her lips were as red as vermilion. Her dark hair flowed like a waterfall, adorned with blooming apricot blossoms, and silk ribbons fluttering in the wind.
She did have an overbearing aura, like a dazzling flower, exuding the carefree and wild spirit of a cultivator, yet shining like a bright firefly in the dark night, commanding respect and admiration from people around her.
All the disciples were stunned in place.
Jiang Qi also looked at her. Separated by the seats of countless disciples, this was the first time he had met Shi Luoyi face to face. She wasn't wearing the Mingyou Mountain disciple robes, but rather the gauzy dress of Buye Mountain.
Daojun loved his daughter dearly and treasured her like a precious gem. She was the only princess of Buye Immortal Mountain, and the most beautiful dress in the world was the disciple's robe of Mount Buye, worn by her.
"Take a seat," Jiang Qi said.
The girl nodded, also sizing him up with a glance.
Jiang Qi gripped the roster tighter, consciously avoiding her gaze.
Some memories surfaced in Jiang Qi's mind.
The Jiang family was also prosperous for a time. Jiang Qi once heard his father sigh, "If not for the decline of our Jiang family, our Qi'er might have been betrothed to the Buye Immortal Mountain."
So Jiang Qi had taken note of her, even though he had never seen her before. Later, Shi Luoyi even became his junior brother's fiancée.
He actually didn't believe the rumors brought by the flying crane. When his father was alive, he had said, "The beauty of the Nanyue Princess is unforgettable. As the daughter of her and Master Shi Huan, just imagine what kind of appearance that little girl from Buye Mountain would have when she grows up!"
Now Jiang Qi had seen her, she was the true epitome of beauty, pure and stunning.
Almost all the disciples in the hall had their eyes fixed on Shi Luoyi, and even the call for attendance by Jiang Qi failed to bring them back to their senses.
Bian Qingxuan casually tapped her fingers on the table, swept a glance at Shi Luoyi, and a cold smile appeared in her eyes.
The disciples seemed to snap back to their senses and began listening to the Immortal Master's teachings on the mental cultivation techniques."
Apart from teaching mental cultivation techniques, the morning lessons also involved the disciples exchanging pointers by sparring with each other and gaining experience through actual combat.
As if heaven itself had arranged it, the opponent assigned to Shi Luoyi was still Zhang Xiangyang.
Zhang Xiangyang was filled with excitement.
He had been preparing for this day for tens of days already. If he got a chance to duel Shi Luoyi, he would definitely teach her a good lesson.
He looked back at Bian Qingxuan among the group of disciples.
The girl in the crimson robe smiled softly at him, and Zhang Xiangyang's heart pounded wildly, a surge of emotions rushed through him.
A beautiful and kind person like the junior sister is always being bullied. She never fought back or complained so, let me take revenge for her!
Zhang Xiangyang secretly consumed an elixir.
His cultivation level was originally at the late Foundation Establishment stage, and he was about to break through to the early Golden Core stage soon. However, this elixir directly boosted his cultivation level to the late Golden Core stage!
He smiled smugly. Shi Luoyi was only at the early Golden Core stage after all. Not only would he injure her, he would humiliate her too!
There were rules for sparring between fellow disciples of Mingyou Mountain, they were not allowed to harm each other. But Zhang Xiangyang was determined that today, he would make Shi Luoyi lose face. Even if he were punished afterwards, he didn't care. For the sake of the junior sister, he was willing to endure any amount of suffering!
Shi Luoyi stepped onto the arena, facing Zhang Xiangyang.
In her past life, she had been injured without noticing anything amiss. But this time, as soon as she faced Zhang Xiangyang, she could sense that something was off about his aura.
She took a glance at him, pondering just what was going on.
Spiritual artifacts? Elixirs? Fortuitous encounters? Which one is it... that would make an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator's aura so powerful?
Zhang Xiangyang was just an ordinary disciple without much background. It was impossible for him to have a spiritual artifact. But what about a stroke of fortuitous encounter? A great opportunity could transform a person's entire constitution, but Zhang Xiangyang obviously hadn't reached that level.
That left with the option of forcefully elevating cultivation for a short period of time by secretly consuming elixirs. But in the entire Mingyou Mountain, only the few elders like Han Shu in charge of the alchemy pavilions could barely refine elixirs that enhance one's cultivation. And they certainly wouldn't give them to a disciple like Zhang Xiangyang to use as he pleased.
Shi Luoyi remembered something and her gaze fell on Bian Qingxuan.
The girl in the crimson robe shyly smiled at her, "Senior sister, do your best…"
Shi Luoyi withdrew her gaze. There was nothing more to understand.
Being able to refine such elixirs, Bian Qingxuan was truly impressive. Shi Luoyi acknowledged she was not as skilled as others in her previous life. But this time, maybe it was time for a duel...
Zhang Xiangyang was a sword cultivator. He drew out his sword and a vicious look flashed through his eyes as he said, "Junior sister, please enlighten me."
He had inquired early on that Shi Luoyi's weapon was also a sword, and her sword technique was average. Zhang Xiangyang was confident in his victory and looked full of spirit.
However, under his gaze, the girl flicked her wrist. Under the sunlight, a blood-red saber appeared in her palm.
The blade was fiery red, like a blazing flame, yet it was strangely exquisite. Being steadily held in the delicate hands of the petite girl, it didn't seem out of place at all. Not only was Zhang Xiangyang stunned, even Bian Qingxuan in the distance also narrowed her eyes.
Bian Qingxuan remembered that Shi Luoyi was originally a saber cultivator.
Shi Huan Daojun was also a saber cultivator. His saber technique was so bold and unconstrained that he was capable of splitting mountains and parting seas, shaking the entire realm with just one slash of his blade.
However, when Bian Qingxuan arrived on the mountain, her beautiful and graceful sword technique pleased the sect master. He liked Bian Qingxuan and allowed her to practice swordsmanship with Wei Changyuan every day. Shi Luoyi, being naturally competitive, couldn't accept being beneath others, so she got so angry that she started practicing the sword as well.
Since then, Shi Luoyi never showed her saber again. But now...
Shi Luoyi curved her lips. "Senior brother, please impart your teachings."
Zhang Xiangyang's face sank as he charged forward, each of his sword strokes were ruthless and fierce. He was eager to defeat Shi Luoyi within a few moves, preferably inflicting heavy injuries upon her.
Bian Qingxuan thought this was bad and cursed in a low voice, "Useless thing."
At this moment, Zhang Xiangyang still had no idea that Shi Luoyi's saber was called 'Shen Yun' (Divine Cloud). Back then, Daojun had painstakingly searched for the finest mysterious iron on the ancient battlefield and spent twenty years to forge Shen Yun.
Shi Luoyi had inherited her father's constitution and was the best saber cultivator in the world.
In her previous life, even when she fell to the path of demons, she never stopped cultivating for a single moment. After she left the sect, she never made the same mistakes of her youth again, and never abandoned her saber again.
Early Golden Core Stage versus Golden Core stage? Taking pills to forcibly increase cultivation?
— Then let's test it out!
The girl slashed down the Shen Yun saber with a spin, and it came down like fiery lava falling to the mortal realm, carrying tremendous power. The saber and sword clashed, the silver sword buzzed and Zhang Xiangyang's wrist directly went numb by its vibration. The power of saber cultivators had always been direct and brutal to the point of being terrifying. Arrogant at the start, Zhang Xiangyang had tried to clash head-on with Shi Luoyi. However, under the force of her power, he couldn't block even a single strike. His knees bent uncontrollably, and he ended up kneeling down!
But before he could even stand back up, the second shadow of the saber arrived, striking once again.
Zhang Xiangyang didn't even dare try blocking again. He scrambled away in a panic, feeling as if he was surrounded by nothing but the remnants of the blood-red saber shadows. Finally frightened, he tumbled off the arena, but the saber aura didn't spare him. Zhang Xiangyang felt a sweetness in his throat, blood spilled from his mouth, and a few strands of his hair were sliced off.
Zhang Xiangyang looked up in a panic, and the girl holding the huge saber stared at him with her back to the light.
She had no expression, but Zhang Xiangyang still trembled. For a moment, he truly felt that the saber's aura would split him in two, and he wanted to beg for mercy.
It was obvious that he wanted to do such a thing to her, so why couldn't he survive three blows from her when she was only in the early Early Foundation Establishment stage?
Bian Qingxuan squeezed through the crowd and went up to help Zhang Xiangyang up, persuading, "Senior sister, we're all fellow disciples. It's just exchanging pointers, why injure others?"
Zhang Xiangyang regained his composure and immediately said indignantly, "Junior sister, I'm only at the Foundation Establishment stage while you're at Jindan stage. Isn't this going too far?"
Seeing the disciples start to whisper, Shi Luoyi glanced at them scornfully. Hoisting up her saber, she crisply and neatly said to the Immortal Master on the high platform, "Immortal Master, Senior Brother Zhang has taken some elixir!"
Zhang Xiangyang: "......"
Bian Qingxuan: "......" As expected, straightforward saber cultivators are the most annoying!
The Immortal Master came over and took Zhang Xiangyang's pulse, his expression turned strange. "Zhang Xiangyang, this was just a friendly exchange, so why did you take pills to increase your cultivation? And where did you get those pills?"
Zhang Xiangyang stammered and finally knelt down in cold sweat, "Disciple...disciple was momentarily confused."
"Absurd!" the Immortal Master said. "I will definitely report this matter to the sect and investigate it thoroughly. You have questionable intentions, go reflect on yourself under the Cliff! Wait for the sect's punishment."
Bian Qingxuan widened her eyes, looking very puzzled. "Senior Brother Zhang, it was just friendly sparring, why did you act this way towards Senior Sister Shi Luoyi?"
Zhang Xiangyang opened and closed his mouth, finally just shook his head. The little junior sister didn't know anything, he couldn't implicate her...
Zhang Xiangyang was taken away. Bian Qingxuan walked over to Shi Luoyi and tried to hug her arm, "Senior sister, I misunderstood you earlier. Qingxuan apologizes to you."
Oh, here she comes again! Shi Luoyi reacted swiftly, flipping her saber to vibrate it against Bian Qingxuan's hand. The shock made the back of Bian Qingxuan's hand hurt and she had to retreat several steps from Shi Luoyi. Bian Qingxuan looked at her, her eyes filled with tears of grievance.
"Little junior sister," Shi Luoyi raised her lips and said, "Senior sister is in a good mood today, so think of this as a small punishment. Stay farther away from me in the future. If you touch me again, I'll cut you. You can now start crying if you want."
Jiang Qi watched from afar, unable to help a smile in his eyes.
It's kinda cute.
Bian Qingxuan's face turned red, rendered speechless by her words. She didn't know whether to cry or not.
At dusk, the disciples finally finished lessons and dispersed. Ding Bai held his cheeks, looking worriedly towards the room.
At this time, the young master would usually go outside the wall to listen to the disciples talk. However, he had been bedridden for five days now. Could something have really happened?
Bian Qingxuan came over with a dark expression. Catching a whiff of the bloody scent in the air, her complexion grew even worse.
She pushed open the door and walked to the couch.
Bian Lingyu was still reading his books. She tried to snatch them away, but Bian Lingyu gave her a look and said, "Get out."
Bian Qingxuan said angrily, "She's clearly pretending to be sick, today she's lively again. Yet you eagerly rushed to bleed yourself and feed that little fool. Tsk, I don't know whether you're foolish or just pathetic!"
Bian Lingyu stared at her, silent for a long time.
Under his gaze, Bian Qingxuan lowered her voice and bit her lip, saying, "Brother, I'm also standing up for you. Even so, she still won't like you. Why don't you take a look at me instead?"
Bian Lingyu lowered his gaze, flipping through the pages of the book and said softly, "Perhaps I prefer being foolish."
Bian Qingxuan choked.
"As a useless person like me, I can't meddle in your affairs anymore. If you lose, don't come over here to vent your frustration and provoke me." he sneered. "When did I ever say that I wanted her to like me? Now, get lost and stop bothering me."
If he continued to get involved in their petty affairs, and if Shi Luoyi dared to do it again because of those reasons... he was afraid he wouldn't be able to resist the urge to strangle them all to death.