The next day, early in the morning.
Jiang Huai got up very early and cooked three baskets of steaming crystal shrimp dumplings by himself in the courtyard. When he went to the main hall of Qingmu Immortal Palace, he magically took out the shrimp dumplings and presented them to Wen Wanwan and Luo Qingyu.
Of course, he also prepared them for Chu Xianning and Luo Yueguan. Luo Yueguan’s eyes were languid, she picked up a dumpling with her chopsticks and brought it to her lips. Chu Xianning, with her usual cold demeanor, glanced at Jiang Huai and also picked up a chopstick to taste one, the rest went into Luo Yueguan’s stomach.
Today, their Master was dressed in a gray daoist robe, her features as cold and clear as a sculpture.
Jiang Huai saved one basket for himself. For them, it was just a matter of satisfying their appetite, but for him, not eating meant going hungry. He held the steamer basket and chopsticks, stuffing the dumplings into his mouth one by one. Suddenly, Mu Yao, dressed in a white dress, leaped in front of him.
She didn’t say anything, just looked at Jiang Huai with wide, expectant eyes.
Yesterday, Jiang Huai might have unceremoniously told her to get lost. But today, due to a little intimacy with his Master last night, his mood was excellent. He decided to be magnanimous and used his chopsticks to pick up a dumpling and offer it to Mu Yao’s lips. Mu Yao didn’t hesitate to lean in and bite into it. Just a moment later, she suddenly felt several chilling gazes fall upon her. However, when she looked around, she couldn’t pinpoint their source.
“Delicious,” Mu Yao said, her cheeks puffed out, her eyes bright and clear. She looked at the remaining shrimp dumplings in Jiang Huai’s steamer.
“Just one taste is enough,” Jiang Huai quickly stuffed the rest into his mouth, then took out a handkerchief to wipe his lips. He looked at True Person Qingmu on the stage. Today was the match between the winners of the winners’ group and the winners of the losers’ group, and it was time for another draw.
The first draw was between Wen Wanwan and Xu Qing.
Jiang Huai couldn’t predict the outcome of this match. Wanwan’s sword techniques were more formidable, at the Second Level Transc of the Five-Pattern Heavenly Way Spirit Pill. As for Xu Qing, her cultivation level was already at the Third Level Transc, also with a Five-Pattern Heavenly Way Spirit Pill. Jiang Huai had offered her suggestions for improving her sword techniques. Both of them had cultivated the Qing, and Xu Qing possessed the natural Grand Xuan Sacred Body with a stable soul. Xu Qing, on the other hand, had the Qingyue Sacred Body and a pair of Qingyue pupils.
The two women stepped onto the platform one after another. Wen Wanwan’s expression softened slightly, and Xu Qing’s did as well.
In fact, Xu Qing still owed Wen Wanwan a favor. It was Wen Wanwan who had shared a wisp of Heavenly Way spiritual energy with her, allowing her to successfully form the Five-Pattern Heavenly Way Spirit Pill.
The two women drew their swords. Wen Wanwan wielded Qing, while Xu Qing held her mother’s sword, Tan Nian. Sword light surged, and the young woman’s posture was graceful, her sleeves fluttering like wings.
It was a refined sword discussion, without any one-sided dominance. The two women parried each other’s moves, exchanging blows, showcasing their purest sword techniques. When they were nearing exhaustion, both paused for a moment, as if sharing a tacit understanding, and began to prepare their final moves.
Wen Wanwan chose Silver Ray, while Xu Qing chose “Moonlight,” inherited from her mother’s sword techniques.
Two cold points of light shone brilliantly. When the light and shadow faded, Wen Wanwan lowered her head and gently touched her neck with her finger. She felt a cold sword qi graze her neck moments before, but it had been deliberately restrained, thus not touching her skin.
“Wanwan lost,” she conceded softly. Xu Qing stood on the stage, a few beads of sweat on her forehead, also at her limit. She walked off the Sword Discussion Platform with Wen Wanwan.
…
The second match was between Mu Jiaoyang and Ying Wuhao.
Mu Jiaoyang had a cultivation level of Spirit Transformation tenth layer, while Ying Wuhao was at the Fifth Level Transc. There was no suspense in this match from the start. However, Ying Wuhao did not surrender immediately. He stood firm, holding his sword resolutely, his eyes sharp.
Mu Jiaoyang appeared very casual, even his sword swings were relaxed. Both in speed and power, Ying Wuhao was far inferior to him. However, Ying Wuhao employed many peculiar moves, such as the soul-shattering roar, the snake venom that sprayed from the mechanism of his sword as he swung it, and the hidden weapons he threw with his free left hand when Mu Jiaoyang wasn’t paying attention. All of these were within the rules, though not particularly honorable.
Even so, he still didn’t put any pressure on Mu Jiaoyang. Among everyone present, only Ying Wuhao had come alone. Perhaps annoyed by Ying Wuhao’s petty tricks, Mu Jiaoyang narrowed his eyes. In an instant, the edge of his sword flashed across Ying Wuhao’s chest at an incredibly high speed. This strike almost tore him in half.
Mu Jiaoyang didn’t look back. He turned and walked off the stage. Ying Wuhao’s body collapsed on the stage. Fang Qingmu appeared at just the right moment, gently supporting Ying Wuhao’s body and giving him two Healing Pills.
Ying Wuhao’s face was pale, and a layer of cold sweat covered him.
Fang Qingmu watched Mu Jiaoyang walk off stage. After a moment of hesitation, he suddenly spoke, “Mu Jiaoyang.”
Mu Jiaoyang paused and turned back.
“That strike nearly ruined his Qi Sea. It was just a competition. Unless there’s a deep-seated hatred, there’s no need for such severity.” Fang Qingmu’s tone wasn’t accusatory, more of a gentle admonishment.
Mu Jiaoyang nodded slightly. “I’ll be more careful next time.”
On the stage, Ying Wuhao looked at Fang Qingmu beside him, his voice trembling slightly, “Thank you, True Person.”
“Rest well and recover,” Fang Qingmu said softly. Ying Wuhao slowly walked off the stage without saying much more. There was one last match left, between Jiang Huai and Feng Chulan.
As Jiang Huai passed by Ying Wuhao, Ying Wuhao suddenly called out to him, “Brother Jiang.”
“Hmm?” Jiang Huai turned to look at him.
“I’m rooting for you. Be very careful.” Ying Wuhao’s face was slightly pale, but he smiled at Jiang Huai.
Jiang Huai smiled back. “Okay.”
He walked onto the stage. Feng Chulan, who stood before him, also ascended the stage. Feng Chulan was clad in red, with surging flames behind him. Spiritual Qi flowed around the long saber in his hand. After exchanging names, Jiang Huai took out the Yening Sword.
Sparks flew as the saber and sword collided. Jiang Huai’s blade blocked every strike from Feng Chulan with unhurried precision. Not only did he not retreat a single step, but he even had surplus energy. Even though there was no visible spiritual Qi on his body, his speed and strength were no less than Feng Chulan’s.
When Feng Chulan reignited his wings, a sky full of fire feathers floated in the air. Jiang Huai stood his ground and shattered all the fire feathers shot at him with his sword. He advanced step by step. Feng Chulan swung his saber to block, but Jiang Huai’s blade seemed to carry immense force, weighing down his spine. His shoulder blades were almost broken. With a furious roar, he extracted a sliver of strength from his body and slashed his saber upwards towards Jiang Huai. But Jiang Huai was no longer there.
He turned, and the tip of his sword rested on Feng Chulan’s nape.
Jiang Huai retracted his blade. The victor had been decided.
…
“Come with me,” Mu Yao approached Jiang Huai. Her white dress swayed gently in the wind. Today, she had a very cute hair accessory, and as she walked, the anklets on her slender ankles jingled. Jiang Huai walked to her side, his expression calm and indifferent.
After walking a short distance, Mu Yao suddenly spoke, “Aren’t you afraid your Dao Companion will be jealous if you follow me like this?”
“I’ve told them about cultivating Soul Secret Techniques with you.”
“And they’re not jealous?”
“They won’t be if I told them,” Jiang Huai replied innocently.
Wanwan and Qingyu were not fools. He didn’t worry too much. As long as he kept his priorities in mind, everything would be fine.
Mu Yao’s steps were bouncy. “I heard you have a past grudge with Mu Jiaoyang?”
“You could say that.”
“Then what will you do when you encounter him?”
“Cut him.”
“He’s at the Spirit Transformation tenth layer. Even if you cultivate the Overlord Art, you might not win, right?” A look of feigned worry appeared in Mu Yao’s eyes. Her slender hand gently clutched his sleeve, and deep concern flickered across her fair, tender face.
But Jiang Huai simply replied calmly, “You don’t need to worry about it.”
“Hey, hey, you’re so cold. I’m teaching you Soul Secret Techniques, so I’m practically half your Master, right?”
“I’m treating the evil spirits in your body, so I’m practically your benefactor,” Jiang Huai looked at her helplessly.
In fact, he wasn’t without a “tea-detecting radar.” He had long trained to analyze Chu Xianning’s fleeting micro-expressions, making him a master of micro-expressions. A person’s thoughts could never completely hide from their own eyes. If it were an ancient fox of a thousand years, Jiang Huai might not be able to see through them, but Mu Yao, at the end of the day, was just an eighteen-year-old girl.
“Can’t you have a better attitude? If I teach you Soul Secret Techniques, your chances of winning against Mu Jiaoyang will increase by at least thirty percent.”
“Even without learning, it’s still one hundred percent. I’ve never considered him my opponent.”
“Tsk, keep boasting. If you’re so powerful, why were your cultivation levels crippled?”
Jiang Huai did not get angry at her words. He just looked at her innocently. “It’s none of your business.”
Mu Yao looked up at him. “You’re not even angry when I say that?”
“Why should I be angry?”
“Like a block of wood.” Mu Yao continued bouncing along. She followed Jiang Huai into her courtyard and then went back to the bed. She knelt on the bed, her eyes looking at Jiang Huai beside her. Jiang Huai came to her side and sat down, gently touching her forehead.
He entered Mu Yao’s Soul World once again. Mu Yao handed him the jade bead used for cultivation.
Jiang Huai began to cultivate earnestly. Behind him, Mu Yao started to cause trouble again. Her soft body first embraced him from behind, then she moved closer to his neck. Her delicate pink lips touched him first, and then her snow-white teeth nipped down. She expected Jiang Huai to show his usual flustered, helpless expression, but this time, Jiang Huai was focused on cultivating the Soul Secret Technique and showed no reaction.
“Jiang Huai?” she couldn’t help but call out his name.
“Hmm?” Jiang Huai spared her a moment and answered her.
But suddenly, Mu Yao didn’t know what to say. What should she say? Should she ask why he was acting like a block of wood today? Damn… At this moment, she suddenly felt incredibly foolish.
Last night, she had tossed and turned in bed, thinking of many ways to tease him. She had been looking forward to everything that would happen this evening. But suddenly, Jiang Huai seemed like a completely different person. Once he started to ignore her, she suddenly realized she had no way to handle him.
It was like punching cotton, a vague sense of disappointment quietly spread from the bottom of her heart.
