The sky was filled with twilight, a passionate and grand spectacle. However, the vast spiritual qi and light quickly enveloped the sky above the Tian Xuan Sect. A full-power sword discussion between two cultivators at the Mahayana stage was enough to stir up celestial phenomena in the vicinity, with immense spiritual qi swirling around them, clashing as they stood their ground. Chu Xianning’s spiritual qi was a vibrant emerald green, as she possessed dual spirit roots of wood and water. The sword pressure emanating from the Suoxue Sword made many disciples looking up palpably fear.
The spiritual qi representing Luo Yueguan was a pale blue. She possessed the extremely rare Ice Spirit Root, and her Ice Soul Profound Body, now fully healed, meant she no longer had to worry about the cold energy harming her when she channeled it.
The two women exchanged blows in a flash of light, their brilliant spiritual energy illuminating the entire world, much like lightning suddenly striking on a summer day, instantly making the heavens and earth incredibly clear. Jiang Huai, upon hearing the earth-shattering clang of swords, rushed out from the kitchen almost instantly. However, Chu Xianning and Luo Yueguan were already fighting in mid-air, far, far away from him.
“You’re going to lose… Chu Xianning… you’re going to lose!” Luo Yueguan’s eyes had become somewhat frantic. Her sword strokes were erratic. Unlike the sword Dao that Chu Xianning had diligently researched, her sword techniques were mostly chaotic and disorganized, learned from killing moves that harmed the enemy a thousand times over while costing oneself eight hundred. The lessons Jiang Huai had taught her earlier that day were now completely forgotten. She attacked again and again, each sword light causing ripples in the air, and the space above was filled with bone-chilling absolute zero.
The clouds were stirred up, and Chu Xianning’s cheeks were illuminated by the lightning in the clouds, turning them snow-white. The Suoxue Sword was held tightly in her hand. Compared to Luo Yueguan’s wild sword momentum, she remained very calm, calmly dodging every blow she could, and for the sword lights she couldn’t dodge, she would raise her sword to meet them.
“Luo Yueguan,” she called out her name softly.
“I’m here!” Luo Yueguan slashed down with her sword.
“You’re not Luo Yueguan, you’re not her. The her I know isn’t like this… Luo Yueguan, wake up.” Chu Xianning’s voice was cold and distant, but clearly, the Luo Yueguan before her hadn’t heard a single word.
“I am her! Why do you only dodge? Chu Xianning… you will definitely lose this time!”
Luo Yueguan was probably right. If she had been at the fifth level of Mahayana earlier, Chu Xianning would still have had the strength to fight her. But now she was at the peak of the sixth level of Mahayana. The bone-chilling cold continuously eroded Chu Xianning’s body, seeping through her spiritual qi shield, causing a layer of white frost to form on her eyebrows and her cheeks to turn as pale as paper.
“Attack me, don’t dodge anymore! What are you afraid of?!”
Chu Xianning remained silent, only blocking Luo Yueguan’s incoming sword lights with her own sword. The two women moved rapidly in the air. However, this commotion had already alerted Li Qiushan and Real Master of Snow Spirit, who were still at the Tian Xuan Sect. The two appeared not far away, and Li Qiushan looked at Chu Xianning inquiringly.
Chu Xianning said calmly, “I am having a sword discussion with Luo Yueguan. You two do not need to interfere. Just protect the disciples at the mountain gate so they are not affected by the aftermath.”
Li Qiushan froze, then nodded gently. Together with Real Master of Snow Spirit, they released a spiritual qi shield to protect the mountain gate below, silently standing guard nearby. Gradually, Li Qiushan frowned even more deeply. With the way Luo Yueguan was attacking, it didn’t look like they were having a sword discussion at all. It was more like a fight for survival.
“Do I really not need to…?”
“No need,” Chu Xianning said coldly, turning sideways to dodge Luo Yueguan’s thrusting sword light. However, the sword light changed trajectory, and the tip of the sword finally landed on her left shoulder, piercing her spiritual qi shield from a point to a surface, leaving a bloodstain on her shoulder.
“Why aren’t you attacking? Chu Xianning!”
“Luo Yueguan is my friend,” Chu Xianning said, looking earnestly into her eyes. “Luo Yueguan, wake up.”
But the only response she received was Luo Yueguan’s fierce sword.
Luo Yueguan seemed to have fallen into a dark dream again. She didn’t understand where she had suddenly come to, but the scenes before her flashed by like a revolving lantern. These were her past, and all those past events were in shades of grey. She remembered the ferocious face of her mother in her memories, the cruel smile of that fellow disciple sister. She felt angry out of fear, but when she wanted to draw her sword, she couldn’t move. She could only watch as the scenes wrapped around her like flowing water, as if to dye her entirely in grey and white.
Until she saw that woman named Chu Xianning.
The first time she met Chu Xianning was at the Moon Wave Continent Grand Competition. At that time, she was already the most outstanding inner disciple of the Qingxuan Sect, representing the Qingxuan Sect in a battle against the Tian Xuan Sect. Chu Xianning, in a white Daoist robe, simply standing there, attracted countless gazes. She had long heard of Chu Xianning’s name. Her Master was the renowned Fairy of Twilight in the Eastern Region, and she also knew that Chu Xianning had dual spirit roots from birth and had comprehended sword intent at the age of nineteen. She was also the number one disciple of the Tian Xuan Sect, unmatched by anyone.
She had already prepared herself to compete with her, but the outcome was… Even though their cultivation levels were the same, Chu Xianning had only used her ninth sword, and she was already unable to resist. That night, she didn’t sleep at all. She had never been so jealous of anyone in her life. Chu Xianning, who had defeated her, had such a calm expression, as if victory and defeat were not important to her. She was as still as a sculpture. Later, they represented the Moon Wave Continent together in the Eastern Region Grand Competition. After standing out, they participated in the Five Regions Grand Competition together. At that time, Luo Yueguan and Chu Xianning did not have a good relationship. Unable to defeat Chu Xianning in sword techniques, she always liked to use her words to deliberately provoke Chu Xianning, but Chu Xianning would only look at her indifferently, neither angry nor displeased.
In the Five Regions Grand Competition, she was defeated by the Demon Clan Princess. That Princess was cruel by nature and severed her sword-wielding arm, burning it to ashes with a flame. She could only kneel on the ground and watch, tears not yet falling from her eyes, but the fire in her heart felt like it was burning away the blood in her body. She hated herself, and more than hating the Demon Clan Princess before her, she hated her own weakness and helplessness.
Later, she saw Chu Xianning, dressed in a white Daoist robe, walk onto the stage and stand in front of her, drawing her sword. Her match was scheduled for the next day, but she had walked up. She didn’t understand why Chu Xianning had come onto the stage. She originally thought Chu Xianning was going to take this opportunity to retaliate for all the mockery she had made earlier.
But Chu Xianning didn’t look at her, merely stating calmly, “It was a sword discussion, and she had already lost. Yet you deliberately attacked and injured her, breaking the rules.”
“So?”
“Have a sword discussion with me.”
“Restrained and uninteresting.”
“Life and death are up to fate,” Chu Xianning’s voice was cold and distant.
Thus, the Demon Clan Princess became interested. She drew her saber and fought Chu Xianning for the time it took for an incense stick to burn. Chu Xianning severed her arms and pressed the tip of her sword to her throat, not taking her life. She then walked back to Luo Yueguan’s side and carried the weakened Luo Yueguan off the stage. It wasn’t until she handed Luo Yueguan to her Master, who was waiting below the stage, that she spat out a mouthful of blood mist and fainted.
Later, Chu Xianning did not win the championship of that Five Regions Grand Competition because she had mobilized her source during the sword discussion that day, and her injuries would take a long time to heal. Chu Xianning’s Master was a renowned physician. Chu Xianning obtained a pill from her to heal her arm. When she received the pill, she looked at Chu Xianning in confusion and asked her, “Why?”
“I couldn’t stand it,” Chu Xianning replied.
Later, she tried very hard to become friends with Chu Xianning, but Chu Xianning seemed indifferent to everyone, including her. She wouldn’t get angry because of Luo Yueguan’s ridicule and mockery, but she wouldn’t be moved by her overtures either. She seemed to always be there, neither too close nor too far.
Later still, there was a competition held by a female cultivator who favored singing, dancing, and music. Chu Xianning, who had always disliked appearing in public, actually showed up and gained the recognition of that Real Master, who gave that Nirvana Pill to her. However, that Nirvana Pill was almost useless to Chu Xianning, so she gave it to Luo Yueguan. Luo Yueguan became furious, “If you don’t want it, then why did you participate?”
“My Master and her are old friends. She said I was too cold and detached, and wanted me to join in the fun too,” Chu Xianning mused, then added, “I was originally planning to give it to you. You gave me a bracelet that day, this is a return gift.”
“Didn’t you say you didn’t want that bracelet?”
“You forced it into my room and told me to throw it away if I didn’t want it. It was too much of a waste to throw away, so I kept it. I accepted it, so I’m giving this to you.”
“You are really annoying, Chu Xianning.”
Yet, Luo Yueguan still put the Nirvana Pill into her embrace, a smile forming on her lips. The two of them were Saintesses of sects from the Moon Wave Continent. Later, they entered many secret realms together, looking out for each other and cultivating together. Chu Xianning used to like to slay evil cultivators with her sword, and Luo Yueguan didn’t like it, but she enjoyed following behind Chu Xianning. Whenever Chu Xianning drew her sword, she would watch happily from the sidelines. When evil sects were wiped out, and good reputations spread, she would have a share in it.
She and Chu Xianning had descended into many secret realms together. The benefit of exploring with Chu Xianning was that she never had to worry about Chu Xianning not sharing the spoils equally, because Chu Xianning was always indifferent to everything. Many valuable treasures they obtained together, as long as she asked for them, Chu Xianning would not snatch them away. She had taken advantage of Chu Xianning so many times. Who could she blame? It was her own foolishness; fools deserved to be bullied.
Later, when they both reached the peak of the Sixth Realm and entered the Ten Thousand Calamities Forest to hunt demonic beasts for their cores to break through, they encountered a beast tide. They had nowhere to hide. Chu Xianning was severely injured, while she possessed a flying shuttle spiritual treasure. If she escaped alone, there might be a chance of survival.
But that time, she stood in front of Chu Xianning. This was the first time in decades since she knew Chu Xianning. In that instant, she suddenly felt no fear at all. She was willing to die. If she died, Chu Xianning would definitely remember her. Would she shed tears because of her death? Would she finally stop being so indifferent and cold all day long?
