Zhong Changyao suddenly felt that the gazes of the people in front of the hall looking at him became extremely strange.
The change happened in just a moment. The gazes were clearly admiring the moment before, but became strange the next moment. Even the old man with a white beard in the middle looked at him intentionally or unintentionally, and shook his head slightly with regret as he looked.
What's going on?
He inconspicuously clasped his legs together and bowed again, "Excuse me, seniors, when does the selection begin?"
"Don't worry, don't worry. You are guests, so we should treat you well." The Fifth Elder looked at him with a loving gaze, silently retracting his thoughts of recruiting him. He said, "Everyone is tired from the journey, and it's time to rest. Jiange has prepared their specialties, honey-fried goose and plum wine. Let's go and taste them."
What a pity, oh, what a pity.
Zhong Changyao was almost scared by being stared at, so he left with his legs tucked together.
Yingluo had been given such a strong dose of medicine, and her infatuation had at least faded a lot, but she was kind-hearted and still diligently thought about Zhong Changyao: "I heard there's a sect in the Southern Realm that advocates for the marriage of Long Yang. With his looks, maybe he can find new happiness there."
Yun Xian almost spit out a mouthful of water.
You've thought too much about it!
Jiang Xingyao was still insisting on asking her where she had learned the art of physiognomy, and how could she have mastered it to such a high level? Yun Xian had no idea what she was saying, thinking that she was just making it up based on the storybook.
But she has always been very good at making up stories, and her face is as thick as a city wall. She made up stories like "senior came into the dream" and "occasional encounter" and didn't care whether Jiang Xingyao understood or not. She slipped away and ran to the cafeteria.
The protagonist of the story was indeed restless no matter where he was. The young man was full of vigor and vitality. In just the short time it took to eat, that group of disciples had started a conflict with the disciples of Jiange again. Now they were confronting each other, and there was a faint trend of the two factions repelling each other.
The reason was very simple. There was a lot of food prepared in the cafeteria today, and the sword cultivators were not flexible. They naturally thought that whoever wanted to eat should line up, and first come first served. This was the rule.
But the disciples were already dissatisfied with the side door, and they also found that Jiange had not provided them with any private rooms, and even had to queue up to get food. There was no so-called hospitality at all. Such neglect, wasn't it just looking down on them?
The sword cultivators were completely baffled and irritated. "You're here for the selection, not for a ritual. You'll have to fight tomorrow after eating, so why all the fuss?" There weren't many people here, so they'd have lined up long ago. Besides, didn't they each get a crispy goose?
When Yun Xian arrived, Qiao Lingshan was trying to break up the argument. But the kid had a temper like a firecracker, and before she could even begin to talk him out of it, she flew into a rage: "Stop arguing, what are you talking about... What do you mean? Are you saying we're being narrow-minded and deliberately making things difficult for you? You're slandering me! I fell off that cliff just last month! Believe it or not!!!"
The sword cultivator next to him screamed, "Senior Sister Qiao, calm down! Put down your sword!"
Yun Xian slipped in amidst the chaos. When Qiao Lingshan saw her, she completely forgot her usual dislike for her. She tugged at her sleeve and angrily yelled, "Yun Xian! Look at them!"
Hearing the name Yun Xian, Zhong Changyao, who was leading the group in the back, suddenly raised his eyes.
Yun Xian, the only daughter of Sect Leader Yun Lang... I didn't expect that the woman in front of the hall just now was her.
The girl was tall, with eyes as bright as stars, surprisingly bright, and a black gold sword on her waist. Her calm complexion suppressed her lively aura, and she was much more beautiful than he had imagined.
But without real power, no matter how beautiful she is, she can only be placed in the room as a vase, which is of little help to her path to becoming an immortal.
No matter how much the disciples argued, it was just a minor quarrel. Her intervention made it a big deal. Zhong Changyao smiled slightly and was the first to bow to her. "I'm sorry to have embarrassed you. They have strong personalities and can't hold back, so they always make jokes."
Qiao Lingshan almost popped her eyes out. What did that mean? It sounded like Jiange had done something wrong!
"Nothing." Yun Xian was also observing Zhong Changyao. He tilted his head slightly and pointed with his thumb, signaling everyone to look over there. "We in Jiange may be poor, but we can still afford to entertain guests. It's just that everyone is dull and not very talkative. Look, even the Sect Master himself has to wait in line when he comes."
The sneaky Yun Lang was caught red-handed in front of the window: "?!"
Yun Xian said ruthlessly, "Auntie was only willing to give him two goose legs."
The aunt at the window shook the colander with a gusto, and the two goose legs became one.
Yun Lang: “…”
Everyone: “…”
The atmosphere suddenly became awkward.
The smile on Zhong Changyao's face remained unchanged, but it seemed to waver for a moment. After a long pause, he said, "I'm so sorry to have disturbed everyone's meal."
"Yeah. Nothing."
Before Yun Xian left, he looked at Zhong Changyao again, as if thinking about something.
For some reason, she felt that Zhong Changyao's current state shouldn't be like this. In the storybook, he had just been broken off from his engagement and sworn a thirty-year vow. At this point, he should still be an impulsive, cynical young man, resenting those above him, always slapping others in the face or on the verge of doing so. He was stubborn and unyielding, and it was impossible for him to be submissive.
...He is now more like Zhong Changyao in the later period, but he has not yet successfully cultivated his cunning. His mind is still shallow but he puts a lot of things in it, which is too easy for people to see through.
After leaving the cafeteria, Yun Xian was thinking about looking for the Sect Leader, but he heard footsteps following him.
Without even turning her head, she asked, "Lingshan, what are you doing?"
"Why are you calling them so intimate? It's like they know you so well." Qiao Lingshan followed behind, and although she felt very awkward, she still said, "In tomorrow's competition, you have to give them a good humiliation."
Yun Xian stopped, confused: "Did you hear what they said?"
After all, she had been against Qiao Lingshan for so long that she knew her character. She could be rude to someone in person, but she would never do anything behind someone's back, and she would never cause conflicts with others for no reason.
It would have been fine if Qiao Lingshan hadn't thought about it, but when she did, she rolled her eyes.
This group of people was truly baffling. They'd chatter at the foot of someone else's mountain, but even within the sect, they wouldn't stop. They complained about the cold, the steepness of the mountain, and that sword cultivators were only half as good as they could be. It was all fine and dandy, but Qiao Lingshan could barely hear what they were saying. These Foundation Establishment cultivators probably had no idea how good a Jindan cultivator's hearing was.
As they were talking, they unexpectedly brought up Yun Xian. The Sect Master's daughter had the audacity to fabricate this. Qiao Lingshan had originally thought, "Hmph, it's none of her business. I'll just scold Yun Xian." However, the more she listened, the angrier she became.
"They're still being picky! What a weak woman! I think they're the ones with the retards! Are they here to choose a concubine?" Qiao Lingshan said angrily, "What normal woman would be interested in that guy? You can't be human if you're not even thirty... Ugh."
Yun Xian: “?”
Qiao Lingshan: “.”
"You weren't there when I said that, were you?" Yun Xian felt a little guilty. It was obvious that only a few elders should have heard it at that time.
"Yes, he's not here." Qiao Lingshan's eyes wandered, but she spoke confidently, "But everyone knows it now."
Yun Xian: “…”
It turns out that gossip spreads so quickly in Jiange that even the five elders can clearly remember how many failed blind dates they've had. Is it because of you elders...
No wonder the sword cultivator, who has such a violent temper, was able to endure it just now. I think he also had some sympathy for the person who was about to become disabled.
Qiao Lingshan said sternly, "Whether or not I can go to the battle, I'm going to beat them to a pulp tomorrow."
"That probably won't work." Yun Xianxiao patted her head and said pragmatically, "A martial arts competition is always a stop-gap. There will definitely be elders watching from the side."
Qiao Lingshan angrily tugged at her sleeve again: "Then what do you say we should do?"
Yun Xian fell into deep thought.
No matter what, Qiao Lingshan was definitely going to go. She couldn't steal someone else's opportunity. But could stealing Zhong Changyao's business really be considered stealing?
If nothing unexpected happened, during the final selection at the Sword Pavilion, Zhong Changyao would gain a real-life understanding of swordsmanship, writing down his life insights on the path of sword cultivation with eloquent strokes. This would greatly impress the old sword spirit in the realm of swords and swords, who would ultimately decide to gift him a jade talisman. If the jade talisman was crushed in a critical moment, three sword energies of the power of the Spirit Severing Stage would emerge, which had saved his life more than once in the early stages.
Yun Xian had no intention of interfering in this matter. He just thought that after reading the whole article, Zhong Changyao's most common trick was to defeat the strong with the weak. No matter whether it was jumping levels or levels, he could always miraculously turn defeat into victory. The audience was amazed and bowed down to him. They admired him so much that he accepted wave after wave of his followers.
Facing Qiao Lingshan's piercing gaze, Yun Xian said calmly, "I understand."
The next day.
Sect competition.
There was still chilly snow on the Yanyun Terrace. The frost had accumulated over the years and had been trampled into solid ice, making it bitingly cold.
Jiange is on the top of the mountain, and it is winter all year round, but today's snow is particularly heavy and fast, falling so heavily that it is almost impossible to see the road ahead.
Everyone gathered in front of the Smoke and Cloud Platform, and there was only silence. Only the faint breathing surrounded by white smoke blocked out the human presence in this world of ice and snow.
In fact, there were only a dozen people who actually participated in the fight, but the opportunity to observe the actual combat was rare. The sword practitioners sat on the ground holding their swords, their eyes focused. Yun Lang stood on the cliff, feeling relieved but also feeling a chill on his butt.
Children, why don't you sit on a rock? No one asked you to line up!
The fifth elder probably had the same idea as him, and soon someone brought a cushion over, avoiding the unfortunate fate of everyone's buttocks being frozen on the ice and unable to get out.
The time had arrived, and a solemn bell rang from the sky. Yun Lang flew up and stood before everyone, speaking in a deep voice: "There are thirty people in total. Fifteen of the winners will draw lots and continue to pair up. Seven will be selected from among them to enter the next round of selection, and the top five will enter the realm of swords and knives. In a duel, swords are merciless, and injuries are inevitable. But please note, this is not a fight to the death. The exchange of skills comes first. Stop when you are satisfied, and show mercy."
As soon as he finished speaking, a clamor erupted. Yun Lang drew his sword and casually threw it—
The sword suddenly sank into the center of the ring, still humming. The sword wind swept down with a wild force, and the surrounding blizzard was suddenly broken up and disappeared without a trace, leaving only a vast expanse of clean white.
This is a powerful person in the Spirit Severing Stage, who can move the celestial phenomena with just a wave of his hand.
You could hear a pin drop all around. Yun Lang waved his sleeves and said, "Let's begin!"
Yun Xian, holding her small black-gold sword, faced a slick-looking young man in her first match. The man bowed to her, trying to sound refined: "My name is Zhang Tao. Seeing is believing. I didn't expect you to be Senior Yun Lang's daughter. I'm sorry for being so rude to you..."
Yun Xian was too lazy to talk nonsense with him, so he swung his sword and almost rammed the man into the ground.
In the second round, she drew another empty lot and simply sat down and observed quietly.
The fight on the stage was in full swing. The attributes of a sword cultivator's spiritual roots did indeed affect their sword energy. Qiao Lingshan's sword energy was scorching, melting ice and snow wherever the blade pointed. Zhong Changyao's sword energy, on the other hand, was... quite ordinary. Nothing special about it, just like his sword, plain and unadorned, not particularly eye-catching.
Everyone's eyes unconsciously fell on the more intense fight. Zhong Changyao passed through five levels and killed six generals in such a low-key manner, showing extraordinary stability.
Finally, fate brought them together.
Yun Xian held the wooden stick with "Zhong Changyao" written on it and met the eyes of the young man with a faint smile on the ring.
There were only eight people left, and everyone's eyes were fixed on the ring, each with an unclear meaning.
For those independent cultivators living at the foot of the mountain, they had been greatly flattered by the Sword Pavilion yesterday, and they were counting on Zhong Changyao to shine and make them proud. Furthermore, the person opposite them happened to be the daughter of the Sect Leader, which was even more of a coincidence.
The disciples of Jiange are more pure.
To be honest, the last time they saw Senior Sister Xiaoyun draw her sword was probably two years ago, and since then, they've been using it to chase geese away. It's not that they don't trust her, of course, but... will it really work? Logically, Senior Sister Yun is also in the Jindan stage, so she should... at least... not lose too badly, and not get hurt. The Sect Master is still up there, how heartbreaking it would be.
Zhong Changyao clasped his fists towards Yun Xian, his face showing embarrassment, and said gracefully: "This... unless it is absolutely necessary, Zhong Chang has never thought of taking action against the girl."
What I mean is, I won’t hit a woman easily unless there is no other way.
Yun Xian: "People are divided into male and female, but swords are not."
A faint voice came from below: "That's right!"
"That's right." Zhong Changyao smiled suddenly and signaled Yun Xian to take the first step: "My cultivation is not good, I am only at the fifth level of the Golden Core. Please show mercy, young lady."
It came as expected.
Yun Xian was not willing to give him the chance to show off, and he immediately lowered his cultivation level by two levels: "I dare not, I dare not, I am only at the third level of the Golden Core Realm. In terms of cultivation, you are still one level higher."
Zhong Changyao: “?”
Triple? Aren't you a fifth? Where did the triple come from?
The incident happened suddenly, and Zhong Changyao's smile froze. He continued, "I see. I'm the one who got the upper hand. This is also good. After all, Zhong Chang had just recovered from a serious injury a few days ago, and his true energy is still a little stagnant..."
"How could it be such a coincidence?" Yun Xian feigned amazement and said sarcastically, "Since you are so frank, I will not hide anything from you. To temper my will, my father tied a ton of soul-stabilizing stones to my hands and feet... The full strength I can exert now is only the ninth level of foundation building."
Everyone was shocked. They had never expected the Sect Master to be such a strict father! No wonder Senior Sister Xiaoyun had been walking so limply and listlessly lately. It turned out to be because of this!
Yun Lang was also shocked. How could he have that?
Zhong Changyao almost vomited blood.
He lies with his eyes open, and even dares to say that he is at the ninth level of foundation building. What will happen if he shows a little bit of difficulty later!
"Miss Yun, Miss Yun." Zhong Changyao said, "How about..."
Yun Xian said politely: "You first."
Zhong Changyao: "Miss Yun can take the initiative."
“No, no.” Yun Xian said, “You go first.”
Zhong Changyao: "No, no..."
"Are you guys done yet?" Jiang Xingyao sat in the middle, waiting until the flowers had wilted. He said expressionlessly, "How about I go get some food and come back to host?"
Zhong Changyao gritted his teeth: "...I'm sorry."
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