The Sword Meeting Platform occupies a large area with no other buildings around it. It is mainly used as a venue for the sect's major internal competitions. The disciples' previous duels were also mostly held here.
Dong Jingwei jumped onto the stage first and stood there, then raised his voice to the disciples watching: "Today, I will have a match with Shi Xuan. It will be a friendly exchange, and we will stop when we have reached our goal. I hope everyone will be a witness."
Meanwhile, Shi Xuan, who should have been on the stage, was looking around, secretly assessing whether he would be punished by being sent to the Cliff of Repentance if he blew up the sword platform.
After much deliberation, the conclusion was no. The sword-fighting platform was meant for disciples to compete in; if it were to be damaged, it would only mean that the disciples were overexerting themselves, and they would likely be punished with a monthly allowance. So, it was best to leave it at that.
"Shi Xuan!" Dong Jingwei called out to her when she did not go on stage for a long time, "If you have any intention of backing out, it is not too late to change your mind now."
His response was Shi Xuan's swift leap onto the stage.
Shi Xuan stood on the stage, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "Let's begin."
Dong Jingwei assumed a fighting stance, raised his sword, and unleashed his first move against Shi Xuan. It was indeed the sword technique he had just demonstrated in the Sword Wiping Hall. The newly initiated disciples had only learned this one sword technique and hadn't finished learning it yet.
I've already seen this routine over thirty times; it's hard not to remember it.
Shi Xuan dodged the attack the instant Dong Jingwei raised his hand, causing Dong to miss completely. Dong Jingwei continued with his second and third moves, both of which were entirely within Shi Xuan's expectations.
Shi Xuan hadn't even made a move yet, but Dong Jingwei's three moves all missed. He realized that Shi Xuan had already seen through all his movements, so when using the fourth move, he suddenly changed direction and made a temporary modification to his sword technique.
Not bad. This last-minute change is far from a threat to Shi Xuan, who has been suffering from the blows of his senior brother. However, for Dong Jingwei, a new disciple, to be able to change his moves on the spot during the competition and have them seen through by his opponent is quite bold and meticulous.
After letting him make five moves in a row, Shi Xuan suddenly turned his wrist, raised the tip of his sword, and said, "Then I'll begin."
Before he could finish speaking, Dong Jingwei's sword had already fallen to the ground. He had defeated his enemy in one move.
Dong Jingwei didn't see clearly what sword technique Shi Xuan used on him until he was defeated. At that moment, he only felt his right hand suddenly lose control. When he came to his senses, the spirit sword had already fallen to the ground.
He stood blankly on the sword-fighting platform, somewhat unable to comprehend the current outcome.
"If you're not satisfied, you can try again." Shi Xuan's expression remained unchanged, as if this competition had nothing to do with her.
Dong Jingwei felt slighted. He stood on the stage, his face flushed, without saying a word.
"One more time?" Shi Xuan asked.
"No need!" Dong Jingwei finally came to his senses. He picked up the spirit sword from the ground, lowered his head and said, "My skills are inferior, I admit defeat."
Shi Xuan looked at him and offered a half-hearted consolation: "Don't be discouraged. Your skill level is quite good among the new disciples. At least you're not required to do cleaning."
Dong Jingwei gave a perfunctory bow, turned around, and ran off the stage.
The disciples watching were dumbfounded. Dong Jingwei was already an outstanding figure among them; only a handful of people out of thirty could rival him. Yet now, he hadn't even lasted a single move against Shi Xuan!
This result was completely contrary to their expectations. What happened to her not attending a single class and knowing nothing? What happened to her being obsessed with alchemy and completely ignorant of swordsmanship? What happened to Elder Li not even calling on her during class? Could this be the power of her innate sword bone?
The last few, who had been happy for a moment, had their fleeting glimmer of hope extinguished again. Sure enough, there are very few normal people who can be taken as personal disciples.
Shi Xuan clearly entered the sect at the same time as them. Although she was born with a sword bone, her spiritual root was mixed and weak. Moreover, she had been in seclusion at Baicao Peak for more than a month refining pills. It was already incredible that she could win first place in the Six Sects Pill Dao Competition. Now she came to tell them that the first place in sword dao was also rightfully hers?
Xiang Rong was the first to react. She clapped her hands and exclaimed, "It really is Shi Xuan! He's amazing!" She walked towards Shi Xuan and helped him down from the sword-fighting platform, sighing as she went, "There's only one problem: your expression isn't quite right!"
A muffled laugh came from the surrounding area.
Shi Xuan looked at her helplessly; this was a joke she couldn't get over.
But she still had to put up a fight. She retorted, "Why are you expressionless? Can't you see I'm smiling? A smile is a powerful weapon to break down an opponent's defenses."
“Your smile isn’t fierce enough.” The one who spoke was the ice queen Cheng Rui, who remained expressionless as he said this.
The disciples burst into laughter again. In the more than ten days of classes, they had only heard Cheng Rui speak a handful of times. They never expected that this guy would hold a grudge.
Xiang Rong pulled Shi Xuan aside and said, "We've only officially met today, so why don't we go to the dining hall together for a meal to celebrate your victory in the Six Sects Alchemy Competition? What do you say?"
Shi Xuan was also heading to the dining hall, so he waved his hand and said generously, "Come on, count it all in, this meal is on me."
"OK!"
The friendship between the boys was that simple. The group of them ran noisily toward the dining hall, and even the usually aloof and icy beauty was not left behind.
*
By the time Shi Xuan finished celebrating and returned to his own courtyard, it was already late afternoon.
Chen Ji had been waiting in the courtyard for a long time.
"Master, everything you asked me to prepare has been completed." Since returning to the sect, Chen Ji and his son have been staying in Shi Xuan's side courtyard. Shi Xuan has been busy recently, so he entrusted the preparations for treating Chen Shengjun to Chen Ji, who naturally did his best without hesitation.
Shi Xuan checked them one by one: "From now on, don't call me Master anymore, just call me Boss. The shop I asked the sect leader for will be ready soon. Once the poison is cured, we'll be business partners."
Chen Ji hurriedly replied respectfully, "Your subordinate will do his utmost!" Although the boss was not arrogant, Chen Ji, who had been a manager for many years, would not lose his composure.
With preparations complete, Shi Xuan took out the prepared medicinal herbs, put them into a large vat and boiled them. Then, when the water temperature dropped, he sent Chen Shengjun into the vat for a medicinal bath.
The heat was intense, and before long, Chen Shengjun was covered in sweat. The sweat had a faint purple tinge, which looked quite abnormal.
Shi Xuan seized the opportunity and fed him the Three Poisons Pill that he had prepared in advance.
As its name suggests, the Three Poison Pill is a poison pill. Shi Xuan used the method of fighting poison with poison as his first step.
After swallowing the pill, Chen Shengjun's face turned even more ashen, a deathly gray color gradually spreading, followed by blood flowing from his seven orifices, making him look quite gruesome.
Chen Ji, standing to the side, was sweating nervously. He wanted to go forward to check on Shi Xuan but was afraid of disturbing her treatment.
Chen Shengjun looked terrible, seemingly on the verge of death. Just then, Shi Xuan fed him a Clearing Pill, then pricked his ten fingers, and dark purple blood dripped down his fingers, emitting an indescribable foul odor.
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