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Outside the gate of Guiyun Sect, on the bluestone square.
The sun hung high in the sky, shining brightly on the bluestone plaza. The plaza was teeming with people, no fewer than four or five hundred, all cultivators from all directions, who had come to vie for the top spot in the Guiyun Sect's grand competition.
The registration area was not an open, bright space, but rather a dozen or so temporary, dark stone pavilions standing on either side of the square. The pavilion walls were neither stone nor wood, but were equipped with soundproofing devices.
Each pavilion allows only one person to enter at a time. The pavilion doors are closed, cutting off all communication between the inside and outside. Even if someone outside listens intently, they will find it difficult to glimpse anything inside.
This is a new rule established for this competition. Those entering the pavilion must place their palms on a warm and smooth "Jianzhen Jade Disc" in the center of the pavilion to discern the depth of their foundation and to verify whether they possess demonic energy or evil aura.
In addition, the disciples in charge must verify their identity jade tokens, place of origin documents, or referral tokens, and register them one by one.
If there are any doubts, the disciple in charge can activate another ritual implement in the pavilion, the "Inquiry Bell." The bell's clear and melodious sound penetrates directly into the sea of consciousness. Ask a few key questions to discern the truth from falsehood. Only after verifying that there are no errors can one pass through.
Yun Wei stood quietly at the end of a line.
She wore a pure white dress, spotless, and her face was covered by a thin white veil, revealing only her eyes, clear and bright, undisturbed.
The boy's voice seemed to echo in my ears again: "The sect competition, the quarter-finals... require pairs. I doubt you can find anyone else, so why don't you... team up with me?"
She refused decisively: "No need."
Xie Lanchen, as his father's adopted son, is the center of attention, and traveling with him would easily expose his identity.
When the boy heard the voice, his eyes turned as somber as water.
This morning, as soon as he arrived at the foot of the mountain, he got off the carriage without saying a word and left alone.
The two young cultivators in front of her were talking in hushed tones, not loudly, but loud enough for Yun Wei to hear clearly.
"Brother Li, this year's sect competition is really troublesome!" a cultivator dressed in a brown short-sleeved shirt complained. "It was never this complicated before!"
The blue-robed cultivator next to him, addressed as Brother Li, lowered his voice and said, "I heard that this was a rule change personally ordered by Sect Master Xie!"
"Huh?" The brown-robed cultivator looked surprised, his voice suddenly rising, "Could it be that you're worried that Yun Wei, who fell into demonic possession and died, might take the opportunity to infiltrate and seek revenge?"
The two were still whispering and speculating about various possibilities.
A faint, cold sneer curled at the corner of Yunwei's lips beneath her veil.
Father, are you afraid? Are you afraid that your daughter, who is "completely destroyed in body and soul," will come to take your life?
The procession moved forward slowly.
A figure forced its way in from the side, standing directly in front of Yun Wei.
This man had a face full of fleshy muscles, and his black hair was tied on top of his head with a plain-colored hairband. The end of the hairband hung loosely behind his neck. He had two strands of bangs with dragon whiskers on his forehead, but they were not well styled and were slightly curled and hung down in front of his eyebrows.
He glanced sideways at Yun Wei, noticing her simple, plain clothes, lack of ornaments, and the absence of any jade talisman or token symbolizing her status. He immediately felt contempt: "Hey! Behave yourself! Look at you, unaffiliated and without any sect, daring to come here and make a fool of yourself? Get out of my way, don't delay my business!" With that, he deliberately waved the jade talisman hanging from his waist. "See that? A genuine inner sect jade talisman! A rogue cultivator like you should just go home!"
Yun Wei's gaze sharpened slightly as she looked at the man's face.
Zhao Changsheng?
A sense of familiarity swept through her mind.
I recall that a month or so ago, behind the artificial hill, it was this very person and several of his disciples who uttered disdainful words and tarnished her reputation.
Thinking back to those days, the Huai River breached its banks, and cries of despair filled the land. A ragged couple, with their child, knelt in the wind and snow at the gate of Guiyun Sect for three days and three nights, barely clinging to life.
Just then, she returned from her sword practice and observed that his physique was acceptable, but his temperament was unsettled. Moved by compassion, she said to the disciple on duty, "This boy's physique is acceptable, but his temperament is unsettled. You may take a look at him." With this recommendation, the mountain gate was opened, allowing him to enter the sect.
Unexpectedly, they had recruited an ungrateful and treacherous wolf.
Seeing that Yun Wei's gaze was calm, and that he was only staring at him without any fear or apprehension, and without any intention of giving up his seat, Zhao Changsheng immediately became furious and embarrassed: "Are you mute? Or deaf? I told you to get out of my way!"
The moment his hand touched Yun Wei's shoulder, he felt a surge of spiritual energy rush up his wrist, like being stung by a bee. He cried out in pain and pulled his hand back, a faint red mark already appearing on his palm.
Yun Wei stood still, her plain clothes unmoved. She had merely returned the force of his push along the same path, adding a third of her internal strength to make him suffer a little.
Such people bully the weak and fear the strong. If they are not taught a lesson, they will only become more demanding. However, there are many people around and it is not safe to use any deadly moves at this moment. If we really use any means to kill them, it will only give others ammunition to criticize us.
This was a tactful approach, enough to make him back down without escalating the situation.
What I should have done was to conceal my whereabouts, not to engage in violence and fight with others here, thus becoming the focus of everyone's attention for no reason.
Zhao Changsheng's face turned from red to green, his throat bobbed a few times, he originally wanted to curse a few words, but he was intimidated by the fierce and unparalleled strength just now, and the harsh words that were about to come out of his mouth were swallowed back.
His eyes darted around, and seeing that the disciples around him were already glancing at him, he finally steeled himself, stiffened his neck, and shouted with a fierce but weak voice, "You...you dare to lay a hand on me?"
Yun Wei lowered her eyelids slightly, her fingertips brushing over the shoulder that he had just touched, but her gaze had already lightly swept over Zhao Changsheng's hair ribbon and messy bangs on his forehead. She felt that the deliberately left bangs, combined with his flushed face, only added a bit of a comical touch.
The former senior sister's imposing presence was now barely revealed, enough to make Zhao Changsheng's back stiffen and his voice fall silent.
"Junior Brother Zhao, do not be rude!" A clear shout came from afar.
Yunwei turned her head and saw that the person who came was wearing a light blue dress and had a slender figure.
Her black hair wasn't deliberately combed tightly; most of it was loosely tied into a low bun that hung down her neck, secured with a delicate white jade hairpin. A few wisps of hair fell loosely across her forehead, neither obstructing her view nor hindering her beauty, while two long strands of hair draped over her shoulders.
She walked closer, looked directly at Zhao Changsheng, and said in a clear voice, "As a disciple of the Guiyun Sect, you should conduct yourself with integrity and strictly abide by the sect's rules. This young lady has been waiting in line for a long time. How can you use your status to forcibly cut in line? What does such behavior do to the sect's reputation?"
Yun Wei's heart stirred slightly as she recognized the person.
It was Ning Xihe, the second senior sister of Guiyun Sect.
She suffered from health problems in her childhood, was frail and sickly, and spent most of her time recuperating in Jingfeng, rarely making public appearances.
I never expected to meet her here today.
"It's Senior Sister Ning!"
"Second Senior Sister!"
The surrounding disciples bowed and greeted him respectfully.
"Wasn't she sick? Why did she come down the mountain?"
"Yes, Second Senior Sister is not in good health, yet she is still so concerned about sect affairs."
Ning Xihe ignored the praise and turned to Yun Wei with concern, asking gently, "Miss, are you injured?"
Yunwei knew very little about her, only that she was gentle and kind, but she did not expect her to be so upright and only concerned with the things in front of her, regarding the praise of others as nothing.
She shook her head slightly and said coolly, "It's alright, thank you."
Seeing that she was unharmed, Ning Xihe said to Zhao Changsheng in a serious tone, "Junior Brother Zhao, quickly go to the back of the line and stop causing trouble."
Zhao Changsheng's face turned pale and then red. Under Ning Xihe's piercing gaze and the watchful eyes of the surrounding disciples, he finally dared not act rashly. He glared fiercely at Yun Wei, then reluctantly squeezed out of the crowd and disappeared into the back.
Ning Xihe then smiled at Yun Wei and said, "Miss, you are blessed with good fortune. I wish you all the best in the competition." After saying this, he turned and left without lingering, his figure in a blue robe disappearing into the crowd.
Judging from her actions, she is not attached to empty fame, but only cares about right and wrong. However, within this sect, it is often difficult to maintain good intentions.
"It's enough to remember this kindness," Yunwei thought.
There's no need for further entanglement. The road ahead is long, and ultimately, everyone should go their separate ways; that's the proper course of action.
It was finally Yunwei's turn.
Once the stone pavilion door closed, the noise vanished instantly. Inside, there was only a table and a chair, with a young disciple sitting behind it.
"Please follow the rules and examine the jade disc first." The disciple didn't even raise his head, going through the motions.
Yunwei stepped forward as instructed, gently raising her delicate hand and placing it on the jade disc.
Three years ago, when she first participated in the Grand Competition, she had not been able to conceal her spiritual power when she placed her palm on the jade disc. With a "crack", the jade disc shattered into several pieces, which led her father to scold her for "showing off her sharpness too much".
That wasn't a reprimand, but rather a sign of fear. Fear that this power, which even the jade disc couldn't withstand, would one day break free of his control.
With a slight thought, the jade disc began to glow faintly, and then a blinding blue light suddenly shot into the sky, directly pointing to Yun Wei's profound foundation, which far surpassed that of ordinary cultivators.
The disciple in charge looked up and exclaimed in surprise, "This foundation...!"
Yun Wei's expression froze slightly. This Mirror Jade Wall could actually penetrate her layers of suppression? It seems that even with the reconstructed soul, the control over spiritual power is ultimately weak; it can't even do this little bit of restraint properly.
This strange phenomenon, though vastly different from her act of destroying the jade three years ago, is still enough to attract attention.
But what she wanted was not amazement.
Yun Wei's fingers, which were covering the jade disc, trembled almost imperceptibly, and a wisp of spiritual energy wrapped around the core of the jade disc.
The towering blue beam of light suddenly dimmed, its radiance rapidly receding and sinking, its color changing from an extreme bluish-white to a slightly murky bluish-gray. Although it still surpassed ordinary people, it no longer possessed any of its astonishing or extraordinary qualities.
It's done.
The disciple rubbed his eyes, looking at the bluish-gray light on the jade wall, which, while not bad, paled in comparison to the fleeting glimpse he had just witnessed. He then glanced at Yun Wei, whose expression remained indifferent, and a sense of unease settled in his heart: Had he just imagined it? Or was the jade wall simply unstable?
Yun Wei felt a little calmer, withdrew her hand, and remained calm on the surface, as if the dazzling light just now was just the light and shadow of the stone pavilion.
Her father had laid a trap to prevent her return. If she were to show any brilliance now, wouldn't she be walking right into his trap?
The disciple sat down again, the slight panic on his face not yet gone, but replaced by a fawning smile: "Your foundation is acceptable, acceptable. May I ask your surname, young lady?"
"nameless."
The other person paused, as if sensing that the word "nameless" was deliberately provocative, and frowned slightly: "Nameless? No name? Then what about your identification? Where are you from? Who is your teacher?"
Yunwei had already prepared her explanation and was about to open her mouth to explain that she was a rogue cultivator from the mountains, without any sect or school.
Suddenly, a soft knock was heard at the pavilion gate.
When I looked up, Xie Lanchen was already standing in the pavilion. The young man still had some fallen leaves from the mountain path on his shoulders, obviously he had just come from outside, but his aura was so steady that it was as if he had never used his spiritual power, as if it was not him who broke the restriction, but the door that was always slightly ajar for him.
His gaze swept across the pavilion, lingering briefly on the light veil covering Yun Wei's face, a faint hint of understanding flashing in his eyes, before turning to the still bewildered disciple.
What's he doing here? Is he worried that her registration will be blocked?
Yun Wei's expression remained calm and indifferent as she observed the situation.
Upon seeing Xie Lanchen, the disciple in charge jumped to his feet in surprise: "Senior Brother Xie? You... how come you're here? The sect leader said yesterday that he would hold a banquet to celebrate your return from Biyue Manor. After all, it was you who helped Manor Lord Xu quell the internal strife. Who in the sect doesn't praise such a great achievement? How come..."
The young man slightly lifted his eyelids, his gaze languid: "I didn't come here to hear about some victory celebration banquet." His tone suddenly shifted, a sharp glint appearing in his previously nonchalant eyes as he glanced at Yun Wei with a half-smile, "I found her outside Biyue Manor. She hit her head and damaged it, forgetting everything from her past, so I'll call her Wuming (Nameless). You can follow the rules, but there's no need to be too rigid and make things difficult for someone with amnesia. Her abilities are sufficient to qualify her to apply."
Upon hearing this, the disciple in charge turned pale and hurriedly explained to Xie Lanchen, "Senior Brother Xie, please understand! How dare I make things difficult? It's just that the sect leader has given a strict order that anyone whose identity is unclear is not allowed to participate. He said... he said he was afraid that some wicked people might sneak in and ruin the sect's competition."
As Yunwei listened to their conversation, her eyelids lowered, concealing the cold glint that flashed in her eyes.
To guard against her, who was "already dead," her father became extremely paranoid, seeing threats everywhere.
She spoke coldly: "The sect competition tests nothing more than the depth of one's cultivation, one's ability to adapt, and one's heart toward the Dao. If you find it difficult, you may follow the rules and allow me to demonstrate on the spot. Whether it is true or false, you will immediately know."
The disciple thought to himself: This girl looks aloof and upright, with clear eyes, and doesn't seem like a wicked person. Since Senior Brother Xie has spoken up to protect her, he must be right.
He composed himself and said to Yun Wei, "Since you dared to perform in public, you must have real skills. I will make an exception for you. However... even if you make the list, you will still have to be selected by the elders in three days. Only 128 people will be selected to enter the first round. Whether you succeed or not depends entirely on your own fate."
After he finished speaking, he opened his palm, and a dull gray stone bead the size of a pigeon egg appeared out of thin air and floated to Yun Wei's neck.
She recognized it.
Three years ago, she defeated Xie Lanchen and stood on the high platform.
He was clearly unconvinced, but he had to suppress his temper, bowed according to the rules, and said softly, "Congratulations, Senior Sister."
Yun glanced at him. The boy's eyes and brows had lost the impetuousness of his youth, but his sharpness and sinister aura remained undiminished.
Those wins and losses back then weren't worth keeping in mind.
"This is the 'Cloud Trace Pearl'." The disciple in charge pointed to the stone pearl, his tone becoming more moderate. "With this pearl, one can move freely within the sect, except for the Library Pavilion, where one is not allowed to set foot even half a step."
"It is gray now because the registration has just been completed and the competition has not yet started. When the competition begins in three days, the color of this bead will change according to the rank of the girl as she wins each round! First it turns green, then it turns reddish-brown, then it turns bright yellow, and when it turns purple... that means she has won the championship."
The disciple in charge added, "Your residence is in Room C of Tingzhu Pavilion in the East Garden. Simply touch the Cloud Trace Pearl around your neck, and it will guide you there."
“I’ll take her,” the boy said decisively.
The disciple in charge dared not object and nodded repeatedly, "Thank you for your trouble, Senior Brother!"
Xie Lanchen chose a secluded mountain path and led her along it slowly.
It was late autumn, and the trees along the mountain road were covered in golden leaves. After turning a bend in the mountain valley, several tall old lilac trees came into view.
The peak blooming season has long passed, with only a few scattered clusters of pale purple flowers stubbornly clinging to the withered branches.
This was where she used to rest against a tree when she was tired from practicing swordsmanship.
The boy walked quickly to a branch with a few withered buds still hanging on it. He paused on the branch for a moment, as if hesitating, before finally breaking off a small branch.
He turned back to her, handed her the slender branch adorned with withered petals, but his gaze was elsewhere, and his tone was curt: "Take it. Flowers that can still bloom in autumn are rare."
Yunwei was slightly taken aback when she saw the flower branch that was suddenly handed to her.
What did he mean by this? Did he sense her emotional turmoil and want to show his goodwill? Or was it just a youthful impulse?
After thinking about it, she accepted.
The boy's shoulder line seemed to loosen for a moment, then tightened again.
Yunwei twirled a flower branch between her fingertips and tucked it behind her ear. Dressed in plain white gauze with a touch of faded purple, she exuded a breathtaking beauty.
The boy's gaze fell on the flower by her ear, and he seemed momentarily dazzled by its color. He blurted out instinctively, "...Beautiful." As soon as the words left his mouth, he froze, a faint blush of annoyance crossing his face. He quickly corrected himself, "I meant...check if you've put it on properly! It's crooked! You're so clumsy..."
Yunwei raised her hand slightly, her fingertips gently brushing the flower branch that was slightly askew by her temple, and said in a flat tone, "It's correct."
His fickle nature... Oh well, the boy is her adopted son and nominally her younger brother, so it's normal for him to say and do silly things.
Moreover, he had indeed helped me a lot during this period. Although our positions were opposed, the favor was genuine.
We will need his cooperation to investigate many things using his identity, so we shouldn't make things too tense.
Thinking of this, she explained, "My refusal to team up with you last night was not because I doubted your skills."
The boy was taken aback at first, as if he hadn't expected her to bring this up, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.
He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. He stood there motionless for a long time, his slightly furrowed brows revealing that he didn't know how to respond.
Yunwei continued, “As the adopted son of the sect, your every move is under the watchful eyes of everyone. If I were to travel with you, it would easily attract criticism for you, and increase the risk of exposure for me.”
Xie Lanchen remained silent for a long while before speaking in a low voice: "Regarding the fact that the sect leader wants to hold a banquet to reward me... I didn't mention it to you, not because I intended to hide it. It's just... I was afraid you would feel uncomfortable if you heard it."
Upon hearing this, Yunwei's expression remained unchanged.
Xie Qingfeng valued him, promoted him, and even favored him more unscrupulously after her "death"... She had seen all of this clearly long ago.
She never cared before, but now that she bears a deep-seated hatred, how could she be moved by this little bit of "favor"?
She answered truthfully, "You deserve your father's favor. It has nothing to do with me."
Upon hearing this, the boy's face darkened, and he stopped talking, continuing on his way.
Before long, a cluster of bamboo houses built against the mountain came into view.
Yunwei stopped in her tracks: "We've arrived at your lodgings. You should go back now. There are too many people around. If someone sees you traveling with someone like me, who is of 'unknown origin,' it will damage your reputation."
Xie Lanchen looked at her, his lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he just stood there with a straight face and no words, looking at her with complicated eyes.
Yunwei waited quietly for a moment, and seeing that he had no intention of leaving, she assumed that he had tacitly agreed, so she said no more and turned to walk straight to the "Listening Bamboo Pavilion" room C.
She walked with ease, but when she was about three feet from the door, she paused almost imperceptibly.
There seems to be a very faint fishy smell of tung oil in the air.
Sure enough, the moment she reached out and pushed open the door, a wooden bucket filled with sewage and coated with tung oil crashed down from the lintel.
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