Chapter 46 The Protective Alliance Takes Position "Shi Liuying! Come out and face your death..."

Filled with inexplicable frustration, Xuanji Daozun returned to the core of the sect's protective formation as if in a dream.

He unconsciously muttered the three words "Shi Liuying" under his breath, his brows furrowed.

However, he was stunned as soon as he stepped into the area of ​​the array's core.

The sect's grand formation, which was originally expected to take several more days to complete, is now nearing completion. Vast spiritual energy flows smoothly within the fully repaired formation patterns, emitting a soft light. Clearly, Jun Lintian and Rong Yan have put in tremendous effort during his absence.

Jun Lintian was sitting cross-legged beside a key point of the formation, regulating his breathing. His sword energy was contained within him, as still as a deep pool and as imposing as a mountain.

Upon sensing his master's return, he stood up and bowed, saying, "Master."

Looking at his eldest disciple, Xuanji Daozun felt an inexplicable restlessness that he couldn't shake. As if possessed, he casually asked in a tone tinged with confusion and inquiry that he himself was unaware of, "Lintian, Shi Liuying…who is this person? Why does this name…sound somewhat familiar?"

A clear look of surprise flashed across Jun Lintian's cold eyes: "Reporting to Master, Shi Liuying is the junior sister you recently took under your wing. But what did she do to displease you?"

"The junior sister whom I personally took under my wing?"

Xuanji Daozun was struck as if by lightning, his whole body frozen in place, and for the first time, a clear and violent tremor appeared in his usually calm, silver-gray eyes.

A sense of panic, a mixture of absurdity and disbelief, instantly gripped him.

He felt as if he were standing on the edge of a huge pit that he had dug himself, with the soil beneath his feet loosening.

He pressed on, unwilling to believe it, "You mean... that little disciple who, at only eighteen, fought alongside you to defeat the Demon Lord while I was in seclusion...?"

Jun Lintian nodded firmly, his tone carrying a subtle hint of protectiveness and affirmation: "Yes, it is her."

"Junior Sister is a prodigy with a resilient spirit; she is a blessing to our Myriad Manifestations Sect."

Myriad Manifestations Sect is fortunate...

Xuanji Daozun: "..."

The unwavering and clear gaze in his eyes when they sparred on the back mountain, the exquisite swordplay that amazed even him, the pure aura that stirred a subtle resonance within his spiritual energy…

A fleeting thought flashed across Xuanji Daozun's eyes.

He wondered how such a prodigy could suddenly appear out of nowhere, and that he was actually his disciple.

That's not surprising...

Xuanji Daozun snapped back to his senses, his voice rising slightly with a near-panic urgency, losing its usual composure: "Quickly, immediately send a message to her, tell her to turn back right away!"

He even subconsciously took a step forward, as if that would shorten the distance for transmitting the message.

Although Jun Lintian didn't understand why, seeing his master's unprecedentedly solemn expression, he knew there must be something fishy going on.

He immediately took out the communication jade slip, gathered spiritual energy at his fingertips, and was preparing to send an emergency recall message.

Just then—

"Master—!!!!"

A shrill, exaggerated cry came from afar, growing louder as if a demonic sound were piercing the ears.

Su Wan, full of energy, rushed in like a whirlwind.

She had clearly just finished consolidating her cultivation and discovered that Shi Liuying was missing. She searched the entire back mountain but couldn't find her, so she rushed over in a panic.

She grabbed Xuanji Daozun's arm and started shaking it, her little mouth pouting, tears welling up in her eyes:

"Master! Master! Where is my senior sister? Where did she go? I can't find her anywhere!"

"Did you hide her? Give my senior sister back to me right now!"

"Otherwise...otherwise I'll...I'll never talk to you again!"

"I'm going to smash a hole in your Silent Peak with my new hammer!"

"Waaaaah..."

While "crying and complaining," she secretly observed Xuanji Daozun's expression, using both soft and hard tactics, coquettishness and threats in turn, fully utilizing her talent honed over the past 150 years in "how to effectively entangle her master."

Xuanji Daozun was already in a state of agitation, and Su Wan's outburst only made things worse.

He tried to pull his arm away, but Su Wan held on tightly, like a koala. He sighed helplessly, "Wan'er, stop this nonsense! What kind of behavior is this!"

"I don't care! I don't care!"

Su Wan started acting like a rogue, pretending to wipe her tears and snot on his expensive silver robe: "You lost my senior sister! Tell me quickly, where did she go? If you don't tell me, I'll... I'll go to the entrance of your secluded cave and cry every day!"

Unable to resist her pestering, and also feeling annoyed at the moment for "losing" another disciple, Xuanji Daozun could only say with some irritation, "She went to the Sword Sect."

"Sword Sect?" Su Wan's crying stopped abruptly. She raised her tear-filled face, full of confusion. "What is Senior Sister doing going to that place full of brutes?"

In the short time that Xuanji Daozun was entangled by Su Wan, the sect leader's jade talisman in his hand began to vibrate violently like a death warrant. An urgent message from the Sword Sect, marked with the highest priority, was forcibly received, as if afraid that he would change his mind.

An ominous premonition rose in Xuanji Daozun's heart, and he subconsciously opened the communication.

A booming, loud voice, filled with barely suppressed elation and excitement, exploded like thunder, startling even the "crying" Su Wan for a moment:

[Xuanji!!! You old bastard, you've really done something incredible this time! Hahahaha! Heaven has eyes! You actually sent over such a precious gem?! Where did this prodigy come from?! In my nearly thousand years of life, I've never seen such a young genius with such a clear and pure sword heart!]

The messenger was the Sword Sect Master, Zhan Cangqiong.

Lingxu Sword Master's white-bearded junior brother, whose temper was hotter than gunpowder and who loved swords more than life itself.

[You can rest assured! This little disciple is practically a patriarch in our Sword Sect! We'll guarantee her the best resources and top-notch guidance! She'll eat spirit rice nurtured by the core of a spiritual vein and drink nectar brewed from thousand-year-old snow lotuses!]

[I have personally given the order: Shen Yubai, the chief disciple of our Sword Sect—yes, that ice-cold one—will be his full-time sparring partner! He must squeeze every last drop of her potential out of her!]

I owe you this favor for a lifetime! I'll treat you to my five-hundred-year-old treasured Heaven-Slaying Wine sometime!

[Enough said, this old man needs to go see that little girl again. The more I look at her, the more I like her. I wish I could tie her up right now... cough cough, please come into the Ancestral Hall!]

[Hahahaha—!]

The exhilarating laughter of the Sect Master Zhan Cangqiong, as if he had found a priceless treasure, echoed for a long time in the empty space.

Xuanji Daozun couldn't laugh.

Hearing the undisguised, arrogant laughter, he felt a sudden darkness before his eyes and stumbled. If Jun Lintian hadn't reacted quickly and steadied him, he probably would have lost his footing.

He felt that he wasn't just sending a disciple to exchange and learn, but rather that he had personally cleaned up a rare and precious pearl that had been covered in dust, and then happily sent it into the den of a group of discerning and hungry tigers.

"Master? What did the Sword Sect Master say?"

Seeing that his face had turned extremely ugly in an instant, Jun Lintian quickly asked.

Xuanji Daozun, holding his throbbing temples, said through weak gritted teeth, "I... sent her to the Sword Sect as an exchange student."

"Exchange student?"

Su Wan immediately bristled, forgetting all about pretending to cry, and even stopped calling him "Master": "You idiot! How could you send your senior sister to such a barbaric place!"

"All the people there do is fight and kill all day long. My senior sister is so innocent; they'll bully her to death!"

Jun Lintian frowned slightly. Compared to Su Wan's excitement, he appeared much calmer. He pondered and said, "The Sword Sect is a sacred place in the hearts of all sword cultivators. Its unique challenging atmosphere and combat environment can be considered a rare opportunity for Junior Sister Liuying to hone her swordsmanship."

"If we can take this opportunity to learn from others' strengths, it may not be a bad thing."

"Sharpening? This is naturally sharpening!"

Xuanji Daozun lowered his hand, a bitter expression of self-inflicted pain appearing on his cold face: "But I'm afraid that after the training, this disciple..."

He silently and painfully added the second half of his sentence in his heart: This disciple is probably not mine anymore.

That old man sounded like he wanted her to change her surname to Zhan immediately!

"What?! Master, you really sent Junior Sister Liuying to that den of brutes?!"

Rong Yan, who had just finished dealing with her business and rushed back, happened to hear this earth-shattering news. Her face was full of disbelief and anxiety.

"What's the point of training her? My junior sister just went in, she's unfamiliar with the place and the people, she hasn't even had time to drink water, and she's already being harassed and challenged by a bunch of brutes whose minds are only on muscles and swords! No way!"

The image of Shi Liuying, aloof and slender, innocent and naive, instantly flashed through her mind. She was surrounded by a group of sword cultivators who were eight feet tall, muscular, and full of fighting spirit, with challenge letters flying in like snowflakes. She was immediately anxious and a strong sense of protectiveness arose in her heart.

"I have to help my junior sister! I can't let her stand there helplessly, getting beaten and humiliated for nothing!"

Rong Yan immediately took out her communication jade slip, her fingers flying across the screen at a speed that almost sparked.

Soon, the news that Shi Liuying had been sent to the Sword Sect spread.

Jun Lintian immediately opened the communication jade slip.

He was calmer than Rong Yan.

He knew that although the Sword Sect's challenge mechanism was strict, it was actually the fastest way for a sword genius like Shi Liuying to integrate and improve.

Forced intervention is not a good thing.

What he needs is to ensure she is treated fairly within the rules, not to break them.

As is customary, exchange students are usually received and initially arranged by the sect's chief disciple.

The current leader of the Sword Sect is Shen Yubai, with whom he has a long-standing friendship.

He sent a message directly to Shen Yubai.

On the other end of the jade slip's light screen, a cold and aloof face was projected.

Shen Yubai's hair was as black as ink, and he wore a well-tailored dark blue chief's robe of the Sword Sect, which made his skin appear even paler. The bright red mole on his Adam's apple was particularly striking. His aura was chilling, like a famous sword that was always ready to strike.

“Lin Tian.” Shen Yubai’s voice, like his personality, was devoid of warmth, but when facing a friend, it lacked some of the aloofness one might show to outsiders.

"Excuse me, Yu Bai."

Jun Lintian's words were concise: "My junior sister, Shi Liuying, has arrived at your sect today as an exchange student. She is quite talented in swordsmanship, but she is still young and her nature is... pure. She may not be very adept at interpersonal relationships. I hope you can take good care of her and prevent her from being bothered by trivial matters outside the rules, so that she can concentrate on her cultivation."

He didn't ask for special treatment, but only requested "peace and quiet within the rules," which would allow Shi Liuying to learn the most and give Shen Yubai the greatest room to maneuver.

Shen Yubai's eyes flickered slightly, and he immediately understood why there was a vaguely unusual restlessness within the sect today.

He nodded, and said succinctly, "Since you've asked, I understand."

The "Junior Sister Protection Team" was in an uproar because of Rong Yan's "report".

[Fellow disciples! Urgent announcement! Our little Firefly has been relegated by our master to the Sword Sect, a sect known for its rule of might makes right!]

[Perhaps my junior sister is standing all alone right now in front of the cold gates of the Sword Sect, surrounded by sword cultivators whose muscles are more developed than their brains, all eyeing her with predatory intent! They'll definitely take advantage of her being a newcomer! They'll use a war of attrition! They'll intimidate her! They'll steal her resources! She might not even have enough to eat! (Angrily slamming her fist on the table.jpg)]

As senior brothers and sisters, we must ensure that our junior sister is not bullied in the Sword Sect! Please reply upon receipt!

Our motto is: Everything for our junior sister!

Upon receiving the highly evocative communication, Shen Hanzhou jumped up abruptly, like a busy hamster, and began rummaging through his storage treasures.

He wasn't very capable, but his family was rich, and he had no shortage of treasures.

I'm bringing all my treasured 'Nine-Turn Rejuvenation Pill,' 'Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Milk,' and 'Supreme Spirit-Replenishing Powder'! And also the 'Golden Bell Shield Talisman' and 'Swift Travel Talisman' I found on the black market last time…

[Anyone who dares to bully Liu Ying, I'll first bury them in spirit stones—no, I mean, I'll bury them in pills and talismans! I'm coming right now!]

As he replied to the message, he stuffed various bottles, jars, and glittering talismans into a storage bag that looked quite valuable, muttering to himself, "Don't be afraid, Firefly, I, Chen Hanzhou, may not have much else, but I have plenty of treasures! I guarantee you'll be able to walk sideways in the Sword Sect!"

The rat-man Chongcang was lying in bed, listening to sad background music and quietly heartbroken.

After receiving the message, my heart stopped hurting, my chest stopped feeling tight, the pain of heartbreak disappeared, and I no longer needed to tell the counselor that I was feeling unwell.

His narrow, gloomy fox-like eyes, which were originally as still as water, suddenly turned cold and fierce when he read the words "Junior Sister Liuying," "bullied," and "alone."

He sprang out of bed in a flash, so fast!

"I'd like to see which fools have stretched their claws too far."

His figure flickered and disappeared silently from the alchemy room, as if blending into the shadows.

Chi Yang had just taken a bite of squid and was chewing as he read the message.

[Don't rush, don't rush, I'm very close to the Sword Sect, let me go and support Little Firefly!]

She wasn't too worried that Shi Liuying would really suffer a loss, after all, she was a cultivation prodigy who could modify the system rules with her bare hands.

But as the senior sister, it's necessary to go and support my junior sister, and also to see how those brutes from the Sword Sect get their comeuppance.

Lingxu Sword Master, wearing an apron and holding a spatula, said, "I'll go too."

Chi Yang: "This is a small matter, there's no need to mobilize you, the ancestor of the Sword Sect."

Lingxu Sword Master looked at Chi Yang with a nervous expression: "Will you come back after you leave?"

Chi Yang said helplessly, "I'm not leaving. I'll stay in the Sword Sect."

Lingxu Sword Master pursed his lips and took a step back: "Alright, then remember to come back for dinner."

Chi Yang nodded perfunctorily, his mind preoccupied with the impending battle against Xiao Liuying.

She lightly touched the ground with her toes and floated away.

While chaos reigned at the Myriad Manifestations Sect due to Shi Liuying's "journey," a storm was brewing at the Sword Sect.

After ending his communication with Jun Lintian, Shen Yubai had only taken a few steps when he saw that a number of disciples who had come to watch the battle had already gathered around the giant arena in the sect, which was large enough to accommodate thousands of spectators.

The spirit stones embedded along the edge of the arena were flashing with a dazzling red light, and a line of large characters, condensed from spiritual energy and brimming with fighting spirit, floated above them, crystal clear:

[Inner disciple Zhao Gan challenges exchange student Shi Liuying! Shi Liuying is requested to arrive within fifteen minutes to accept the challenge, otherwise it will be considered an automatic surrender!]

The Sword Sect's internal arena challenge system is known for its harshness and inhumanity.

The outcome of the challenge is not only about honor, but also directly affects a disciple's ranking in the sect, resource allocation, and monthly spirit stone allowance.

The rules are simple and brutal—as long as you are in the sect, unless you are at a critical moment of breakthrough or carrying out a sect mission marked "urgent," you must immediately get ready to fight, no matter what you are doing, even if you are taking a dump.

A knowing glint flashed in Shen Yubai's icy blue eyes; no wonder the atmosphere in the sect was somewhat restless today.

He remained expressionless, but his pace subtly quickened.

Before they even got close to the ring, a deafening roar came crashing down on them.

In the center of the crowd, several people who were clearly Zhao Gan's friends or fellow disciples were shouting loudly, their words filled with disdain and hostility towards the exchange student who had not yet shown up.

"Why should a new exchange student take up a spot and resource allocation for an inner disciple?"

"I heard that several elders are looking at her differently and want to take her on as their personal disciple! Who would believe there's nothing fishy going on here?"

"Hmph, just a nepotism recruit sent over by the Myriad Manifestations Sect! He thinks he can climb the ranks in our Sword Sect just because he has some connections?"

"Today, Senior Brother Zhao will test her true colors for everyone! We'll peel back the layers of her connections!"

"Yes! Beat her down! Let her know that the Sword Sect is a place where words are spoken with the sword in one's hand! Go back to where you came from!"

Shouts, discussions, and jeers mingled together, creating a boiling atmosphere that heated up the scene.

Almost everyone was convinced that this exchange student named Shi Liuying either wouldn't dare to come, or if she did, she would be easily crushed by Zhao Gan.

Meanwhile, Shi Liuying, the focus of everyone's discussion, was heading to her temporary accommodations assigned to the exchange students, following the instructions of the Sword Sect's deacon disciple. She had also received the strongly worded challenge notification.

Looking at the words "within a quarter of an hour" and "automatically admit defeat" on the jade slip, there was no fear or anger in her clear eyes, only a faint doubt.

Challenge? Why?

However, since these are the rules of the Sword Sect, they must be followed.

She calmly turned around and walked towards the noisy arena.

Shi Liuying simply believed that this was just the first routine procedure that needed to be completed after entering the Sword Sect.

Meanwhile, outside the Sword Sect's mountain gate and near the teleportation array inside, several groups of "uninvited guests" were quietly gathering.

Rong Yan acted the fastest, taking advantage of her position to be the first to complete the procedures for going out on "inspection" and arrived at Yingke Town on the outskirts of the Sword Sect via the teleportation array.

She changed out of her signature Wanxiang Sect core disciple attire and into a light blue outfit that allowed for easy movement, and wore a bamboo hat to cover her face.

She planned to infiltrate the Sword Sect first, find Shen Yubai to confirm the situation, and then secretly protect her junior sister.

Jun Lintian's approach was more prudent.

He did not go directly to the Sword Sect, but entered the Sword Sect's territory through special channels under the guise of a private visit.

He also changed into ordinary clothes, his aura was restrained, like a wandering cultivator, and he planned to go to the arena area to observe the situation first, and not to make a move unless necessary.

The Shen Hanzhou fully demonstrated its extravagance.

He directly used his connections to rent an extremely luxurious flying chariot pulled by four spirit cranes, and swaggered down in front of the most expensive inn in the Sword Sect's welcoming town.

He changed into a brocade robe adorned with defensive runes and shimmering gold, and waved a jade-bone fan, looking exactly like a spoiled young master who had come out to travel and enjoy the scenery.

He planned to use spirit stones to pave the way and first find out where Liu Ying lived and what her current situation was.

Chong Cang's whereabouts are the most mysterious.

He didn't even use a teleportation array, but instead used the fox clan's innate divine power, transforming into an almost invisible gray shadow and silently infiltrating the Sword Sect's territory, his target being the bustling arena.

Chi Yang's appearance was the most high-profile. She didn't even try to conceal her identity, still dressed in a fiery red outfit with jingling bells, and rode in the iconic snow-winged carriage of the Heavenly Beast Sect. She arrived directly at the gate of the Sword Sect, presented a visiting card from the chief disciple of the Heavenly Beast Sect, and claimed that she had come for "friendly exchanges" and "to visit old friends".

Su Wan was the last to arrive.

The process of handling the fees was somewhat complicated, mainly because the elder in charge was intimidated by her "I'll smash the deacon hall if it's not done properly" attitude, which led to an unprecedented increase in efficiency.

As soon as she stepped out of the teleportation array, she couldn't wait to carry the giant hammer and rush into the Sword Sect following the guide. Her little face was full of determination: "I'll fight anyone who dares to touch my senior sister."

And so, a dramatic scene began to unfold.

Having changed her clothes and put on a bamboo hat, Rong Yan encountered Jun Lintian, who was dressed in casual clothes and exuded a calm demeanor, on a less crowded path leading to the arena area.

Their eyes met unexpectedly, and both were startled.

Although they were both disguised, they were so familiar with each other that they recognized each other almost instantly.

Rong Yan: "..."

Rong Yan: "Haha, you're here too, what a coincidence."

Jun Lintian: "..."

Jun Lintian: "It's quite a coincidence."

The atmosphere became somewhat stagnant and subtle for a moment.

On the other side, Shen Hanzhou, who was trying to bribe the Sword Sect disciples with spirit stones to get information, accidentally bumped into a gray-robed man who exuded a cold and aloof aura that kept strangers at bay.

Shen Hanzhou looked up and met Chong Cang's narrow, gloomy, and seemingly cold fox-like eyes.

The familiar face startled him, and he almost dropped the spirit stone bag in his hand.

Shen Hanzhou: "Chong, Chong Cang Chang..." Before he could finish the word "Chang," Chong Cang glared at him with a cold look.

Outside the rest area arranged by the Sword Sect for its distinguished guests, Chi Yang, dressed in red with jingling bells, bumped right into Su Wan, who was carrying a giant hammer and aggressively inquiring about the direction of the arena.

Chi Yang looked at the unfamiliar, petite girl carrying an exaggeratedly large hammer, a hint of curiosity flashing in her eyes.

Su Wan looked warily at the woman in red adorned with bells, her brows furrowed tightly.

The group looked at each other, having unexpectedly converged in this foreign land from different directions for the same purpose. The atmosphere was filled with an indescribable awkwardness and a tacit understanding of "So you're here too."

They both understood the same intention from each other's blatant pretense and their eyes—

Protect Shi Liuying, the junior sister who is surrounded by public opinion and is currently facing countless provocations and malice from those who are unaware of the truth.

At this moment, the shouts and cheers around the arena reached their peak, like a tsunami, clearly reaching the ears of everyone present:

"Shi Liuying! Come out here and face your death!"

"Coward! Too scared to come?"

"What right does a good-for-nothing who squeezed out a spot through connections have to enjoy the privileges of an inner disciple!"

"Senior Brother Zhao, teach her a lesson! Knock her off the stage!"

Amidst the noisy background, the members of the "Invisible Protector Alliance" from the Myriad Manifestations Sect exchanged glances briefly in the air. Although they did not utter a word, they seemed to have reached some kind of silent consensus and division of labor.

Whatever happens in the ring next, they are ready.

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Author's note: Red envelope [pat on the head]