expose
At dawn, a precipice.
Yunwei stood quietly on the edge of the cliff, dressed in white like snow, her face veiled. Below her was a surging sea of clouds, occasionally punctuated by the cry of a hawk breaking through the mist, which only highlighted the desolation of this place.
Before long, Anian appeared behind her, panting. She was wrapped tightly in a thin, floral red cloth coat, her face pale from the cold, but she was clutching an oil paper package tightly in her arms.
Yun Wei spoke calmly, "You've arrived."
The girl had mediocre talent, but a stubborn streak. In the Guiyun Sect's grand competition, most of the mediocre were eliminated before the first round even began. With her meager cultivation, she couldn't even get close to the door. Why was she so persistent? Revenge? Or did she have some other motive?
Ah Nian handed the oil paper package forward and whispered, "I...I brought some hot buns..."
"No need," Yunwei interrupted her, her voice cold. "Sword practice requires an empty stomach and focused mind. Your foundation is unstable; rushing will only hurt you. I don't know your level; start by practicing the most basic thrusting techniques."
Anian bit her lower lip, took several steps back as instructed, and clumsily untied the obviously too long and heavy, rusty iron sword from her waist. She took a deep breath and assumed an extremely awkward stance.
The girl's sword-wielding gestures were completely haphazard, her five fingers loosely clenched, and her lower body was unstable and unsteady.
With a move called "White Rainbow Piercing the Sun," the longsword flew out of his hand, transforming into a streak of cold light that pierced straight toward Yun Wei's face.
"Ah!" the girl screamed, terrified. She instinctively tried to rush over to stop him, but it was too late.
"Buzz—"
Just as the sword tip was about to touch the veil, Yun Wei slightly raised her right arm, and the sword tip hovered steadily half an inch in front of her fingertips, without moving an inch.
With a flick of her wrist, she seemingly casually brushed and guided the sword along its spine, and the sword obediently fell into her palm.
A-Nian stared in disbelief, her mouth slightly agape, before finally managing to utter, "So...so amazing! I..."
"Sink your wrist three-tenths of the way, and channel your power into your arm, not your fingertips." Yunwei handed the sword back to her, her expression unchanged. "'White Rainbow Piercing the Sun' emphasizes intention over brute force. The intention is in your heart, the spirit is at the tip of the sword, and your energy follows the sword, not brute force. Power originates from your feet, flows through your waist and abdomen to your arm and wrist, and is connected to each joint. If your foundation is not stable, forcing your power will only result in the form being empty and will ultimately harm you."
The principles of swordsmanship are simple to explain, but difficult to fully comprehend.
Anian took the sword, lowered her head in shame, and said, "Sister...am I too stupid? What should I do?"
Yun Wei ignored him: "Starting today, practice this basic thrust five hundred times every day, concentrate your mind and calm your breath, and feel the flow of energy. Once your lower body is stable and your wrist strength is solid, then you can seek variations."
Although the Guiyun Sect Grand Competition recruits many talented individuals, the first round also requires an assessment of their innate talent and basic cultivation.
With the girl's current cultivation level, let alone competing for any ranking in the sect competition, she probably wouldn't even qualify for the first round.
Ah Nian herself probably realized it too, and dared not slack off in the slightest. She seriously got back into position, but her movements were still clumsy and stiff, and each thrust seemed particularly strenuous.
“Sister…” She suddenly stopped, her fingers nervously twisting the hem of her clothes, “Tonight is the ‘Cold Clothes Festival’…it’s the day to burn paper money for…for those you care about…” Her voice grew softer and softer as she secretly observed Yunwei’s expression.
The Cold Clothes Festival? A day for people to commemorate the dead. She actually wants to do this at the Guiyun Sect?
Yun Wei snapped out of her daze, her gaze returning to the girl, and gestured for her to continue.
With tacit approval, Anian mustered her courage and lowered her voice even further: "Guiyun Sect... can we burn paper money? I... I brought some paper money with me in my bag."
Burning paper money?
Guiyun Sect is a place of pure cultivation with strict rules. It explicitly prohibits such folk sacrificial activities, considering them unclean, prone to attracting evil spirits, and disturbing the spiritual energy of the place of pure cultivation.
Is her making this clearly forbidden request truly a sign of utter ignorance and recklessness, or is she deliberately testing us with ulterior motives?
Yun Wei said coldly, "The sect strictly forbids the use of fire for sacrificial rites; anyone who violates this rule will be punished."
Seeing Ah Nian's face turn deathly pale and tears quickly welling up in her eyes, her doubts did not dissipate; instead, they intensified her vigilance.
The young girl's emotions were readily apparent, and her naivety bordered on foolishness. In this dangerous place, she was easily taken advantage of.
"That's enough for today." Before she could say anything that might cause trouble, Yunwei abruptly cut her off. "Practice the basics diligently and don't entertain any unrealistic thoughts."
After saying that, she turned and left, certain that the girl would not listen to her and that she needed to keep an eye on her whereabouts in secret.
*
At 9 PM, a precipice.
Yunwei did not rest. She hid among the dense foliage of an ancient tree with gnarled branches beside the cliff, her aura almost completely concealed, blending into the heavy darkness.
Sure enough, not long after, a petite figure stealthily crept up the cliff; it was Anian.
She held a bulging little bundle in her arms, looked around warily for a moment, and then squatted down shakily, taking out several stacks of rough yellow paper and a tinderbox from the bundle.
The flames popped open with a "whoosh," flickering in the cold wind and illuminating Anian's tear-streaked face. She tossed sheets of yellow paper into the fire one by one; the flickering flames reflected her devout yet sorrowful expression.
“My benefactor… Today is the ‘Cold Clothes Festival’ in our Danxia Town… Anian… Anian will burn some for you too…” Her voice choked with sobs, breaking into broken sentences, “Anian is useless… I was too young back then… I was terrified by those water demons… the blood everywhere… all I could do was cry… I couldn’t stop crying… I didn’t… I didn’t even have a chance to properly thank you…”
She wiped away her tears forcefully and said, "My benefactor... don't worry... Anian will definitely practice her skills with all her might... and through the sect competition... let everyone know that you are a great philanthropist!"
In the shadows of the trees, Yun Wei's figure trembled almost imperceptibly.
Danxia Town…water demon…a little girl crying in fear…the scene of the water demon being slain in Danxia Town three years ago suddenly became clear. Amidst the chaos, the girl huddled in her mother's arms, wailing as she looked at her blood-stained sword, her eyes filled with terror, was actually Anian?
Did she come here to offer sacrifices to me? Or to vindicate me?
Just as the girl was devoutly bowing to the fire, Yunwei silently slid down from the ancient tree, her toes barely touching the ground, and walked to her in a few steps.
“A-Nian,” Yun Wei suddenly spoke.
The girl cannot continue like this; the firelight is too conspicuous.
"Ah!" Anian cried out in surprise, falling to the ground with a thud, staring at her in utter terror. "How could you..."
Before Yun Wei could speak, she lowered her head, her eyes brimming with tears: "I didn't mean to break the sect rules... I..."
"Enough," Yunwei interrupted her. "Considering your youth and ignorance, let this matter end here. Extinguish the fire immediately, clean up all traces, and return to the bamboo hut."
She had to be so cold-hearted.
Ah Nian had no idea what kind of trouble her actions would bring if they were discovered.
"You really are here!" a voice suddenly rang out.
Zhao Changsheng emerged from behind the rocks on the other side, a sinister grin on his face, as if he had caught them red-handed. "I knew you two had ulterior motives! One of you is of unknown origin, and the other is of low cultivation and harbors evil intentions. You've been secretly performing rituals against evil spirits here, defiling the sect! Caught red-handed, let's see how you try to deny it now!"
This person is like a persistent ghost.
Yunwei understood: when registering yesterday, Zhao Changsheng failed to cut in line and was instead reprimanded by Ning Xihe, losing face completely.
It seems he harbors a grudge and has come to retaliate by tailing him.
Zhao Changsheng felt a sudden chill run down his spine at Yun Wei's cold gaze, and then stubbornly retorted, "During the daytime, on the cliff, this little girl asked you herself if the Guiyun Sect allowed burning paper money! You didn't sternly stop her, which means you tacitly approved and encouraged it! Now that she's burning paper money here, and you're spying on her, you're clearly an accomplice! Don't try to deny it!"
Ah Nian turned pale with fright and hurriedly explained, "I wanted to burn it myself... She tried to dissuade me... It was me..."
"Shut up!" Zhao Changsheng interrupted her sharply, as if he already held the power of life and death. "Caught red-handed, still dare to argue? Come with me to the Enforcement Hall!" With that, he stepped forward to arrest her.
Yun Wei remained motionless, merely watching him coldly, as if observing a monkey leaping about. "Zhao Changsheng, you keep talking about the sect rules, but do you know that there are exceptions to them?"
Zhao Changsheng's expression froze for a moment, then he asked suspiciously, "What exception?"
It seems he has no idea that during his years at Guiyun Sect, he must have spent his days scheming, flattering, and bullying the weak, without even having read the sect rules. Yun Wei thought to herself.
Before she could speak, Zhao Changsheng suddenly raised his voice and shouted to the shadowy figure beside him, "Senior Brother Xie! This woman is sharp-tongued and disregards the sect rules! You must stand up for me!"
A very soft chuckle came from the shadows.
A young man dressed in black slowly strolled out from the depths of the shadows of the trees.
It was Xie Lanchen.
His gaze first lazily swept over Zhao Changsheng, who was beaming with self-satisfaction, his eyes filled with undisguised disgust and contempt, as if he were looking at a pile of nauseating mud. Then, his gaze shifted to Yun Wei. His eyes were deep and unfathomable, like a deep pool chilled by ice, carrying a penetrating scrutiny, as if trying to pierce through that thin veil and go straight to the depths of her soul.
Why would he appear at this moment? Is it a coincidence, or... is he also watching Anian? Yun Wei's heart tightened, but her face remained calm.
"Zhao Changsheng, you called me here just to see your petty squabbles?" Xie Lanchen finally spoke, a cold smile curving his lips as he glanced at Zhao Changsheng. "What, aren't you tired of being scolded by Senior Sister Ning during the day? Do you have to come here at night so I can scold you a few times too? Or do you think... I look too idle to bother with your trivial matters?"
Zhao Changsheng quickly put on a fawning smile: "Thank you for your understanding, Senior Brother! I know you're busy helping the elders select candidates for the first round, but these two are acting suspiciously and have violated the prohibition. The evidence is conclusive! Especially this veiled woman, relying on her mediocre skills, she's sharp-tongued and doesn't take our Guiyun Sect seriously at all!"
Busy screening initial candidates? No wonder I haven't seen him all day.
Now that the young man has arrived, how will this matter unfold? Will it be a matter of upholding the law impartially, or...?
Xie Lanchen seemed not to hear Zhao Changsheng's incessant slander at all, and walked straight to Yun Wei's side, at a distance that was neither too close nor too far.
Seeing Xie Lanchen approach Yun Wei, Zhao Changsheng was secretly delighted, thinking that his senior brother Xie was finally going to punish the woman he hated so much. He quickly pointed at Yun Wei and added fuel to the fire, accusing her: "Senior brother Xie, it's her! She's the one who instigated this girl to burn paper money as an offering..."
Yun Wei met the young man's gaze and lowered her voice: "Don't reveal that we know each other, or there will be endless trouble."
Xie Lanchen raised an eyebrow almost imperceptibly, a hint of understanding flashing in his eyes, before reverting to his lazy, detached demeanor, as if the brief exchange had been nothing more than an illusion.
Yun Wei stopped looking at him and turned to Zhao Changsheng, her voice cold: "We are indeed here to pay our respects to the deceased, but this has not violated the sect's rules."
"The ban refers to the worship of heretical gods, licentious shrines and ghosts, or the practice of witchcraft and sorcery, which are defilements of the sect and shake the foundation of the sect."
"But... if the person being mourned is a fellow disciple of the Guiyun Sect, expressing gratitude for their protection and benevolence during their lifetime, and offering a small token of grief in a secluded place to comfort their spirit in heaven, this is the duty of fellow disciples and is reasonable. How can it be considered a violation of sect rules?"
She coldly questioned, "You so indiscriminately label this place as 'defiled forbidden ground' and 'private worship of evil spirits' without even distinguishing right from wrong or investigating the identity and reasons of the person being worshipped. Are you simply ignorant and foolish, or are you deliberately framing someone, seeking personal revenge, and using the name of sect rules to settle personal scores?"
Seeing that Xie Lanchen remained silent and was rendered speechless by Yun Wei's reasoned and forceful rebuttal, Zhao Changsheng became even more furious. He pointed at Yun Wei's nose and jumped up and down, saying, "You're just spouting nonsense! Who did she mourn? Tell me! Let's see what kind of nonsense you can come up with! If you can't give a coherent explanation, your crime will be compounded!"
sucker Punch.
Yunwei stepped forward, shielding Anian behind her, and uttered a few words as she spoke:
"She was paying tribute to Yun Wei, the senior sister of Guiyun Sect and the leader of swordsmanship."
These words were like a thunderclap from a clear sky.
"Wh...what?" Zhao Changsheng stared wide-eyed at Yun Wei in disbelief, as if someone had grabbed his throat. Then he looked at the fire on the ground.
She actually dared... she actually dared to openly commemorate that 'demon'?!
A deathly silence fell suddenly upon the precipice.
Only the mountain wind howled, and the occasional faint crackling of the embers seemed particularly jarring at this moment.
Zhao Changsheng's mind was buzzing.
Yun Wei? The Yun Wei who was personally ordered to be executed by the sect leader and was despised by the entire sect as a fallen demon and traitor... How dare they offer sacrifices to her?
He instinctively looked in the direction where Xie Lanchen was hiding, wanting to find out the attitude of this adopted son of the clan.
He still vividly remembered being publicly rebuked by Xie Lanchen for taking advantage of Yun Wei's misfortune, a memory that left him with lingering fear.
He cautiously glanced at Xie Lanchen out of the corner of his eye and saw that Xie Lanchen had his arms crossed, his expression was inscrutable, and the usual sneer at the corner of his mouth seemed to have disappeared, making it impossible to tell whether he was happy or angry.
He...he didn't react? Could it be...?
That's right! Yun Wei and Xie Lanchen are mortal enemies! Back when Yun Wei was the senior disciple, she suppressed this suddenly emerging adopted son of the sect quite a bit! Xie Lanchen probably hates her to the core too!
Perhaps Xie Lanchen was only reprimanded last time because he had done something too disgraceful and embarrassed the sect leader? Or... was it because Xie Lanchen wanted to maintain a fair image in front of the sect leader? Now that these two dare to offer sacrifices to Yun Wei, Xie Lanchen is probably happy to see them suffer and won't interfere at all.
Having figured this out, Zhao Changsheng's courage surged, his face filled with undisguised contempt. He rushed to the pile of ashes, kicked it hard, scattering the burning paper money and ashes in all directions, sending sparks flying.
"Yun Wei? Bah!" His voice was shrill and full of contempt. "A traitor who fell into demonic ways and slaughtered innocent people! She deserved to die! Even having her soul scattered was too good for her! You're burning paper money for her? I think you've got your brains caught in a door! This kind of sect scum, this kind of thing that is hated by both gods and men, should never be reincarnated!"
Yun Wei looked at him coldly, her right hand quietly pressing on the hilt of her sword. The coldness in her eyes intensified, and her knuckles turned white from the force.
A murderous intent surged within him.
The next instant, she caught a glimpse of a blindingly cold light bursting forth from behind Zhao Changsheng out of the corner of her eye.
"What's going on..." The hairs on his body stood on end instantly. He turned his head and saw that the sword light was already close at hand.
He no longer cared about kicking the fire; he quickly covered his head and squatted down, looking as pathetic as a mouse.
The sharp sword energy grazed past the top of his head, emitting a piercing whistle, and the force of the wind it generated even cut off a few strands of his hair.
Yunwei saw it clearly: shaving his head in place of his head was already a warning.
The sword light continued its momentum, slashing fiercely into a dense ancient forest on the cliff behind him.
"Snap!"
Three ancient trees, each as thick as an adult's embrace and with gnarled branches, were cleanly severed by the sword energy from about a person's height above the ground.
The massive canopy lost its support and crashed down with a deafening roar that echoed through the air, startling a chorus of birdsong.
Such sharp sword energy... The young man has only been back in the sect for two days, yet his cultivation has improved so much? Could it be that his father is secretly helping him?
His father had always favored him, so it wasn't impossible that he had secretly passed on some secret techniques to him...
Yun Wei remained silent, slowly releasing his hand from the sword hilt. His gaze swept over the dark figure beside him, and his eyes darkened.
The boy remained standing in the same spot, as if he had never moved. However, he had lowered his arms, and his right hand hung casually beside his black robe, his slender fingertips still seemingly lingering with a faint, chilling glimmer of sword energy.
His handsome face was devoid of any trace of frivolous arrogance; his eyes, which always held a hint of mockery, were now churning with icy anger as he glanced sideways at Zhao Changsheng, who was crouching on the ground, trembling like a leaf, his head in his hands.
That gaze, icy and chilling, seemed to truly hold murderous intent? Why?
Zhao Changsheng turned around in a sorry state, begging Xie Lanchen for mercy repeatedly: "Senior Brother Xie, spare my life! Senior Brother Xie, spare my life! This disciple knows his mistake! This disciple will never dare to do it again! This disciple was blind!"
Xie Lanchen narrowed his eyes and slowly said, "I remember, I mentioned it last time in the back mountain."
He paused, then said, "If I ever hear the name 'Yunwei' from your mouth again, you can forget about having a tongue."
The moment the words fell, a clear, resonant dragon's roar rang out, and the boy's right hand had already grasped the hilt of the Lone Goose Sword at his waist.
The sword was not fully drawn, only three inches protruding from its sheath. The blade trembled slightly, reflecting a chilling star in the thin moonlight.
"Now, should I cut it off for you, or will you do it yourself?"
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