Chapter 296: Is She My Sister, or My Lover?
Chapter 296: Is She My Sister, or My Lover?
Today, the Outer Sect of Tai Xuan Sect saw an unusual number of Inner Sect disciples. They were all there to watch the excitement. After all, a long time in the mountains cultivating could become quite boring. This Outer Sect disciple selection held every three years was a small form of entertainment during their cultivation. Chen An was naturally one of the spectators.
The rules of the selection were simple. Any disciple eligible to participate would first register at the office, and then they would be grouped by the Outer Sect deacons. Finally, the top three victors would be promoted to the Inner Sect. Most Inner Sect disciples went through this stage. Those like Chen An, who were specially recruited, were actually in the vast minority.
On the viewing platform, the young man did not gather with others but stood alone on the side. He frowned slightly, pondering something. To be honest, even though he knew his sister would not fail, Chen An was still a little nervous at this moment. He was even a bit more nervous than when he himself was Condensing Foundation Establishment. To draw an analogy, he was like an anxious family member waiting outside a delivery room, wishing he could step in himself.
Thinking of this, Chen An’s gaze suddenly shifted to the opposite side of the competition arena. A young man in gray, about twenty years old, stood there. This person was named Wang Ye, at the peak of Qi Cultivation Level 4, and was also one of the favorites in this selection. Seeing Chen An look over, he inexplicably felt his heart skip a beat, and he quickly lowered his head, not daring to meet Chen An’s gaze.
Chen An’s eyes flickered as he rubbed his chin. He thought, “Why not help my sister deal with a couple of them first? If I tie up those favorites, I don’t think my sister will have any trouble entering the Inner Sect.” However, he soon shook his head, abandoning such an unreliable idea.
There wasn’t much waiting. Fifteen minutes later, the deacon announced Mu Sanniang’s name. Instantly, the somewhat listless crowd’s eyes lit up, and they perked up. This name was certainly not unfamiliar to those present. Whether it was her genius younger brother or her legendary feat of slaying a demonic beast three realms above her own two years ago, it was still unforgettable. Many people had been waiting for today, waiting to see if this formidable young woman was truly as powerful as she had appeared before. Or, perhaps, was there another hidden story behind what happened two years ago?
Holding the standard Outer Sect long sword in her hand, the young woman’s long legs, hidden beneath her green dress, slowly stepped forward. The countless scrutinizing gazes did not cause the slightest change in her expression. Just this aura was enough to make many secretly admire her.
The next moment, the young woman moved. In Mu Sanniang’s dictionary, there were never words of mutual concession. Therefore, the kind of thing where one first announced their name and then offered to let the other go first naturally would not happen with her. She just wanted to win. Her green dress turned into an afterimage, accompanied by the whistling sound of breaking air.
“So fast!” Before the onlookers could accuse the young woman of not fighting honorably, they subconsciously let out a cry of surprise. As for the gray-clothed youth who was the young woman’s opponent, his expression changed, and he hurriedly put himself in a defensive stance, preparing to face the enemy. But Mu Sanniang did not give him that opportunity. The long sword in her hand felt lighter than air, and its sharp edge carried a biting cold as it thrust directly at him. However, her body abruptly paused in mid-air, turning at an angle, easily bypassing the gray-clothed youth’s defense. Compared to her, who had once fought demonic beasts alone, these disciples who had spent most of their time diligently cultivating were still too naive. This was the gap in combat experience.
Then, the young woman’s gaze sharpened, and a hint of red light quietly flashed in her eyes. Her long sword continued its trajectory, and under the astonished eyes of the gray-clothed youth, it was about to slice directly across his neck. Under the gaze of all present, everyone was stunned, even unconsciously holding their breath.
On the viewing platform, Chen An was the first to react. His pupils suddenly contracted, and the spiritual energy around his body surged instantly, wanting to fly over and stop her. But his speed was ultimately a beat too slow. Just as a tragedy seemed imminent, the young woman lowered her eyes and retracted her strength at the last moment. The long sword was quietly held against the gray-clothed youth’s neck, and wisps of blood began to ooze out. The young woman’s expression was indifferent. The entire venue was silent.
…
“Hoo.” Seeing that no tragedy had occurred, Chen An breathed a sigh of relief. The young woman’s speed was indeed too fast, and when she made her moves, there was no hesitation, relying purely on combat instinct. It was estimated that even the deacons responsible for protecting the disciples would not have had time to react.
Suddenly, as Chen An was secretly congratulating himself, a somewhat solemn voice sounded in his ear, “Her killing intent is a bit too heavy.” Chen An froze, then turned around and saw his Master, Dao Xuan Zhenren, who had appeared beside him at some unknown time. He hastily wanted to greet him but was waved off by Dao Xuan Zhenren. The young man glanced around and found that no one was paying attention, realizing that his Master had likely used some subtle technique and did not want to be exposed. He lowered his voice and asked, “Master, why are you here?”
Dao Xuan Zhenren glanced at him, suppressing the bad guess in his heart, and simply said with a smile, “Why, if you can come, can’t I?” Chen An scratched his head and chuckled. He thought of the man’s words just now and tentatively asked, “Master, what do you mean by ‘killing intent is too heavy’?”
Dao Xuan Zhenren pondered for a moment, did not speak, and just shook his head. He seemed lost in thought, his expression changing unpredictably. Then, without waiting for his disciple to ask again, he simply disappeared. A Tribulation Crossing True Monarch, coming and going unseen. All that was left was the young man standing there, utterly bewildered. Chen An frowned tightly and turned his gaze back to the center of the arena. The deacon had already announced the winner of the match. The young woman sheathed her long sword and turned to leave the arena.
Only now did the onlookers seem to snap back to reality, letting out a burst of excited noise. Only Chen An furrowed his brow tightly, thinking about the young woman’s performance just now, a faint worry in his heart. Beside him, a woman’s voice came. “Junior Brother Chen, seeing your sister win, why do you look so unhappy?” Chen An turned his head and saw Su Ping, Senior Sister Su, approaching. He then smiled, “Senior Sister, you jest. Of course, I’m happy for my sister.”
Hearing this, Su Ping’s lips moved as if she wanted to say more, but she caught sight of the young woman standing silently behind Chen An out of the corner of her eye. She raised an eyebrow and gestured with her eyes. “Go on, your sister seems to be waiting for you.” Chen An was stunned and turned to look. Not far away, a young woman in a green dress stood there, her head slightly lowered, holding her long sword casually, and saying nothing. Chen An’s eyes lit up with joy, and he quickly left his Senior Sister and walked over. Su Ping watched his retreating back and cursed with a laugh. “Good boy, be honest. Is she your sister, or your lover?”
Chen An’s footsteps halted, and even the silently standing young woman looked up at that moment. The young man stopped, a smile appearing on his face. It was the first time he had responded directly, his expression very serious. “Of course…” “Both.”
(End of this chapter)
