Chapter 51: The two senior brothers' battleground has begun!

Rong Yan was torn between two conflicting thoughts.

Make a move?

Shen Yubai is, after all, the chief disciple of the Sword Sect. Although I am not afraid of him, if things really escalate, it will inevitably damage the harmony between the two sects, and I am afraid it will be difficult to explain to my master.

Can't we just not make a move?

Are we just going to stand by and watch that icy-faced guy take advantage of our junior sister?

She clenched her fists so tightly that her nails dug deep into her palms. An inexplicable fire burned in her chest, yet she was also filled with a sense of frustration and reluctance to act rashly.

In that instant of hesitation, a green shadow shot out from beside her like an arrow!

It is the reign of the king!

He was usually so composed and self-possessed, but now he was so fast that he left only a blur, as if if he hesitated for even a second longer, his carefully nurtured little cabbage would be uprooted.

The concealment talisman's effect fluctuated due to this swift movement. Under the moonlight, his figure suddenly appeared, carrying an unprecedentedly chilling aura, heading straight for the two heads that were almost touching inside the cave.

"separate!"

Jun Lintian let out a low shout, but did not draw his sword. Instead, he pointed his fingers together as if they were swords, and a highly condensed spiritual energy, like an invisible blade, precisely cut between Shen Yubai and Shi Liuying.

The spiritual energy was not harmful, but it carried an undeniable gentle strength that separated the two.

Shen Yubai was completely focused on the subtle array pattern flowing on the Buling Sword when he was suddenly interrupted by an external force. He sensed the urgency and... a trace of barely perceptible killing intent hidden in that spiritual power.

His eyes narrowed, almost instinctively. Without getting up, he slammed his hand on the stone table, and his own longsword, named "Frost Silence," flew up from its sheath and blocked Jun Lintian's subsequent finger strike with a clang.

The force of their energy clashed, producing a dull thud, and the surface of the stone table was instantly covered with spiderweb-like cracks.

Shen Yubai raised his eyes, his amber pupils as cold as ice in the moonlight, clearly reflecting Jun Lintian's face, which had lost all its gentleness and elegance, leaving only tension and anger.

Sword fanatic Shen Yubai suddenly realized that it was Jun Lintian from the Myriad Manifestations Sect.

Was it because I had been admiring the sword for too long that I displeased him?

Sure enough, he also loved the sword so much that he lost his composure.

Sword cultivators are mostly pure of heart, especially when it comes to swords.

Shen Yubai instantly became certain of his judgment. He slowly stood up and gripped the Frost Silence Sword in his hand.

He glanced at Shi Liuying, then looked at Jun Lintian, and whispered coldly and firmly, "Since you are in love with her, you should know that all the rare and precious things in the world should be given to her."

"Your fighting for her like this is nothing but a desire for superficial possession; it's not that you truly care for her."

He coldly commented: "Hypocritical, sanctimonious."

These words, to Jun Lintian, were like adding oil to a raging fire.

He took in Shen Yubai's protective attitude; how could this be the attitude of an ice block towards someone he had just met?

Shen Yubai really did harbor inappropriate feelings for his junior sister!

Jun Lintian's chest heaved, and his usually clear voice became hoarse as he transmitted his voice: "I'm fighting for her? Shen Yubai, you're protecting her, but from what stand are you protecting her?"

That's his junior sister!

Shen Yubai frowned slightly, finding this person utterly unreasonable. He stood with his sword in hand, his posture as straight as a pine tree, and retorted, "Then from what stand are you speaking to me? She joined my Sword Sect as an exchange disciple, so she is half a member of the Sword Sect."

"Now she calls you senior brother, and she also calls me senior brother."

He paused, his logic so clear it was outrageous, his words piercing: "Whatever your status is in protecting her, that's the status I can use to protect her."

"Good, good senior brother!"

Jun Lintian, enraged to the point of laughter, could no longer contain himself. With a clear "clang," the sword at his waist was drawn, its light as smooth as water.

"Then I will take the opportunity, as your senior brother, to learn from your superior skills."

"That suits me perfectly."

Shen Yubai remained expressionless as the Frost Sword was drawn three-tenths of its length, instantly unleashing a chilling aura that rivaled the radiance of the Azure Sword.

In the next instant, the two figures collided violently like two bolts of lightning of different colors!

"boom!"

The sound of sword energy crisscrossing and spiritual power exploding instantly shattered the tranquility of the Sword Sect's main peak that night.

The Azure Sword's light was vast and powerful, carrying a righteous and robust aura, yet it also concealed a sharp edge due to its master's unsettled state of mind.

The Frosty Sword Light is swift and cunning, representing the purest and most refined sword cultivation style.

The two fought their way from inside the cave to outside, their figures flashing across the night sky.

The sounds of swords clashing were as dense as rain, and the bursts of spiritual light and sword energy cut down the surrounding rocks and trees.

Even passing dogs get hit a couple of times.

In the pitch-black night sky, the two swords clashed, illuminating half of the Sword Sect's mountain gate like firecrackers.

"Senior sister! They're fighting!"

Shi Liuying was extremely anxious. Seeing the two figures fighting fiercely in the sky, she instinctively wanted to rush over and break them up.

She was poised to fire like a small cannonball, but a soft yet firm hand held her shoulder firmly.

Rong Yan, however, calmed down. She held Shi Liuying tightly, her peach blossom eyes shining brightly as she stared at the two figures in the air, her voice filled with barely suppressed excitement: "Don't go, don't go! It's alright! They're evenly matched, neither of them can really do anything to the other!"

She shook Shi Liuying's shoulder hard, raising her voice: "Little Liuying, are you stupid? Look carefully! The two most outstanding sword cultivators of the younger generation in the cultivation world are exchanging blows!"

"Their swordsmanship, their understanding, their methods—all of it is displayed here without reservation!"

"This is a once-in-a-millennium opportunity! What are you waiting for? Start learning!"

"study……"

Startled by the shout, Shi Liuying looked up at the dazzling sword light trails. The worry and anxiety in her clear eyes were gradually replaced by a pure obsession and focus on the sword.

Yes, the eldest brother's swordsmanship is harmonious and balanced, with endless variations;

Senior Brother Shen's swordsmanship is sharp and decisive, directly targeting the source.

They're all amazing!

Her eyes suddenly lit up, and she instantly forgot all about trying to break up the fight.

With a flick of her wrist, the Spirit Sword was already in her hand. Right there on the open ground outside the cave, she began to practice her moves, following the trajectory of the two figures in the sky.

The bright moonlight, like mercury spilling onto the ground, cast the shadows of the two fighters locked in fierce combat in the air onto the flat open ground.

A shadowy figure moved nimbly and gracefully, his swordplay flowing like clouds and water, carrying a gentle and refined essence etched into his very bones. Even in such a fierce battle, he maintained a certain pleasing rhythm. This was Jun Lintian.

The other figure was as sturdy as ice, with movements so concise as to be almost rigid. Every sword strike seemed to be the result of the most precise calculations, without any unnecessary frills, only the ultimate speed and power, carrying a cold and aloof air that kept strangers at bay. This was Shen Yubai.

Beside these two shadows, which are so different in style and sometimes collide and sometimes separate, there is a third small, light blue shadow.

She sometimes imitated the graceful curves of the shadow on the left, and sometimes learned the sharp, piercing strikes of the shadow on the right.

More often than not, he tries to blend two completely different sword intents together, clumsily but firmly, to evolve his own new trajectory.

Her shadow closely followed Jun Lintian's shadow, yet greedily absorbed the essence of Shen Yubai's shadow, attempting to integrate the two.

Such a huge commotion immediately alerted Zhan Cangqiong.

The old man arrived at the scene like a gust of wind.

He was about to unleash a furious tirade about which brat dared to cause trouble on his main peak, but when he looked up and saw the two evenly matched figures in the air, and then looked down and saw Shi Liuying diligently "learning" from the shadows on the ground, and had already begun to combine the strengths of both schools, the angry curses that were on the tip of his tongue instantly swallowed back.

His eyes widened in surprise, then burst forth with an undisguised admiration, as if he had discovered a priceless treasure.

This little girl, she only saw the form, yet she was able to copy several of Yu Bai's rather complicated sword moves from memory!

What's even more remarkable is that she didn't simply copy it, but instead tried to combine the longevity of the Myriad Manifestations Sect with the sharpness of the Sword Sect, transforming it into something more suitable for herself!

What terrifying swordsmanship talent! What keen combat intuition!

Zhan Cangqiong looked up at the moon in the sky, which was dimmed by the sword energy, and then at the three entangled shadows on the ground. Unusually, he did not become agitated.

He reached out and tenderly stroked his precious mustache, a complex and gratified smile spreading across his face as he murmured softly:

"Truly, the younger generation surpasses the older... I'm getting old, getting old!"

he

He chuckled and shook his head, actually deciding to ignore the mess. With his hands behind his back, he swayed back to his bed for a long nap.

Children and grandchildren have their own blessings. Fighting and killing can be healthy and can even help the younger generation improve. Why should he bother with that?

At the same time, the entire Sword Sect was almost awakened by the continuous "fireworks" from the main peak.

Countless disciples poured out of their residences and gathered in the square and on the hilltop, looking up at the top-level confrontation.

"It's Senior Brother Shen! And... that's Jun Lintian from the Myriad Manifestations Sect?"

"My God, is this what a battle at the chief level is like? Seeing is believing!"

"Why did they start fighting? I hadn't heard of any prior grudges between them."

"Who knows... Judging by this, it's a fight to the death!"

The crowd discussed the matter animatedly, speculating on various possibilities.

Some say it's for revenge, some say it's for love, some say it's for treasure. Finally, someone timidly mentioned:

"My hearing is good; I vaguely heard them saying things like 'the sword,' 'not yours,' 'no grounds,' 'it's mine,' and so on..."

There was a moment of silence after he said that.

Immediately, everyone's faces showed expressions of sudden realization and deep agreement.

"I see!"

"It's for a sword!"

"It must be an unparalleled sword!"

"That makes perfect sense! Only a peerless sword could make two top geniuses fight so fiercely, disregarding their status!"

All the sword cultivators nodded vigorously, finding the explanation impeccable and perfectly fitting their simple thought process.

So, instead of dwelling on the reasons, everyone focused more on appreciating this epic duel that began with the "sword," occasionally letting out exclamations of admiration and discussing the exquisite sword techniques of both sides.

The fierce battle in the air is nearing its end.

The fierce battle in the air is nearing its end.

Jun Lintian and Shen Yubai are roughly equal in strength, but Shen Yubai is younger and his cultivation is slightly inferior.

Furthermore, Jun Lintian's attack was fueled by anger, and his sword strike carried a rare decisiveness and sharpness, pushing his gentle sword intent to its full potential.

Shen Yubai responded calmly, but gradually felt powerless.

As the tide turned, and the tide receded, finally, after the three hundredth move, Shen Yubai's fierce thrust was deflected by Jun Lintian's skillful technique.

Shen Yubai felt a numbness in his wrist and a sharp pain in his tiger's mouth; the Frost Silent Sword almost slipped from his hand.

He groaned and staggered back more than ten steps before barely managing to steady himself. His sword-wielding arm trembled slightly, and a trickle of blood seeped from between his fingers as he gripped the hilt, dripping onto the bluestone slab.

His face was paler than the moonlight, his breathing was disordered, and his chest heaved violently.

Jun Lintian stood with his sword in hand, looking calmly at Shen Yubai.

His voice was slightly hoarse from the intense battle, but it left no room for doubt: "You lost."

Jun Lintian stepped forward, his tone resolute: "Swear! Swear by your sword heart that you will never harm Shi Liuying in the slightest!"

He had to obtain this protective talisman for his junior sister; he absolutely could not allow this Sword Sect's top disciple, who had acted improperly upon their first meeting, to have any chance of harming her.

Upon hearing this, Shen Yubai became even more certain that Jun Lintian was afraid that he would seize the sword and harm its master.

Hmph, a hypocritical and despicable thief who covets other people's swords!

Without hesitation, he raised three fingers and declared loudly, "With Heaven's will as my witness, I, Shen Yubai, hereby swear that I will never harm Junior Sister Shi Liuying in the slightest. If I disobey, may my sword heart be shattered and my path to enlightenment forever severed!"

As soon as the words were spoken, it seemed as if a mysterious force of rules descended, and the oath was made.

Shen Yubai lowered his hand, looked at Jun Lintian, and said in an icy tone, "I have sworn an oath. You shall leave the Sword Sect immediately."

Stay as far away from hypocrites as possible!

Seeing that the oath had been fulfilled, Jun Lintian felt somewhat at ease.

He glanced deeply at Shi Liuying, who was looking at him with concern, and nodded, suppressing the discomfort caused by the chill running through his body: "Okay."

For his junior sister's safety, he temporarily backed down.

With the matter settled, the two fell from the sky.

Shi Liuying immediately ran over, her little face full of worry.

She first ran up to Jun Lintian, looked up and asked, "Senior Brother, are you alright?"

Looking at his reflection in his junior sister's clear eyes, Jun Lintian felt a warmth in his heart. He forced a gentle smile and shook his head lightly: "It's nothing, just a minor injury. I'll be fine after a short rest."

He deliberately straightened his body to hide his discomfort.

Shi Liuying looked at him carefully and saw that apart from his pale face, he seemed to be fine. She nodded in relief and then ran to Shen Yubai.

Shen Yubai looked more disheveled, his robes were torn in several places by the sword energy, and there was even a trace of blood on the corner of his mouth.

"Senior Brother Shen, you're bleeding!" Shi Liuying's voice was filled with obvious anxiety. "Are you badly injured?"

Shen Yubai paused slightly, then said in a low voice, "...It's nothing."

Meanwhile, Jun Lintian watched as his junior sister rushed towards another "senior brother" without hesitation, and saw her obvious concern for Shen Yubai. The warmth that had risen in his heart because she had greeted him first instantly cooled down.

The moonlight cast a long shadow of him as he stood alone, his wide sleeves concealing his slightly trembling fingers.

He still stood tall, maintaining the gentle demeanor of the chief senior disciple of the Myriad Manifestations Sect, but his pale face and drooping eyelashes gave him a subtle, fragile vulnerability.

Rong Yan walked over, looked at this one, then at that one, completely bewildered.

What's going on?

At this moment, Shen Yubai seemed to have finally made up his mind, and a faint blush appeared on the tips of his ears in the moonlight.

He looked at Shi Liuying, his amber eyes sparkling with an extremely focused, even slightly shy, light, completely different from his usual coldness.

His voice remained flat, but it had inexplicably lowered a few octaves, carrying a cautious, tentative tone:

"Junior Sister... I have a favor to ask."

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