Zhu Xian: They've all been reborn

All eyes immediately shifted from Song Daren to Jiang Xiaochuan.

Their eyes were all different: some were suddenly enlightened, some were mischievous, some had the expectant look of He Dazhi, like "It's finally your turn," some had the ambiguous wink of Du Bishu, some had the snicker of Wu Dayi, Zheng Dali, and Lü Daxin, who suddenly realized something, some had the slight surprise of Lin Jingyu, and some had the bewildered blink of Zhang Xiaofan.

Jiang Xiaochuan's smile froze.

He felt those gazes piercing him like needles, especially one of them, which came from Tian Ling'er's direction and almost burned two holes in him.

He stiffly turned his neck toward Song Daren, his eyes filled with incredulous accusation and a wail of "Senior Brother, you betrayed me?!"

Song Daren regretted his words as soon as they left his mouth, especially when he saw Tian Ling'er's face turn pale instantly and her eyes suddenly turn cold, as well as Jiang Xiaochuan's thunderstruck expression, he felt even more annoyed.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but didn't know what to say.

He Dazhi reacted the fastest, immediately taking over the conversation and breaking the eerie silence, though his teasing tone was somewhat toned down, carrying a hint of cautious probing:

"Oh? Now that you mention it, Senior Brother... that makes sense."

The relationship between Lao Qi and Lu Xueqi, junior sister Lu, is indeed extraordinary.

Junior Sister Lu is a once-in-a-century genius of Little Bamboo Peak. As for you, Seventh Brother, she's... well, let's just say she's something else.

He guides cultivation, finds materials, forges divine weapons, and often... cough cough, 'spars' with martial arts.

This bond is so deep, so very deep!

Du Bishu chuckled, but lowered his voice:

"That's right, that's right. The way Junior Sister Lu looks at Seventh Brother... is different from how she looks at others."

"Seventh Brother, don't let them down... 'fellow disciples'!" He emphasized the words "fellow disciples" with great emphasis, his eyes full of mockery.

Jiang Xiaochuan's face turned red at a visible speed, from the base of his neck all the way to his hairline.

He stood there, unsure of what to do with his hands and feet, his eyes darting around, not daring to look at anyone, especially in Tian Ling'er's direction.

My mind was buzzing, and all I wanted was to disappear on the spot, or to turn back time to before my senior brother said those words.

"That's enough!"

A sharp, angry shout rang out.

Tian Ling'er rushed over suddenly, grabbed Jiang Xiaochuan's arm, and forcefully pulled him out of the crowd.

Her pretty face was frosty, her eyes slightly red. She glared fiercely at He Dazhi and Du Bishu, then gave Song Daren, who was full of regret, a sharp look. Finally, her gaze fell on Jiang Xiaochuan, whose face was flushed and who was at a loss for what to do. She bit her lip and said in a hard voice:

"Let's go! Our parents are waiting! Don't listen to their nonsense!"

After saying that, without waiting for a reply, she pulled Jiang Xiaochuan toward Tian Buyi and Su Ru at the entrance of Shoujing Hall, her steps hurried and fast, as if she were escaping from something suffocating.

He Dazhi and Du Bishu exchanged a glance, then shrank back, realizing that the joke had gone too far.

Wu Dayi, Zheng Dali, and Lü Daxin also stopped smiling and awkwardly looked away.

Song Daren looked even more guilty. He watched Tian Ling'er pull Jiang Xiaochuan away, opened his mouth, and finally let out a helpless sigh.

Lin Jingyu frowned but remained silent. Zhang Xiaofan looked at this one, then at that one, and muttered to himself:

"Senior Sister Wenmin... Senior Sister Lu Xueqi... they both seem so amazing..."

The atmosphere became somewhat tense for a moment. It wasn't until Tian Buyi's deep voice rang out that the awkwardness was broken:

"What are you all doing gathered here? It's getting late, let's get ready to leave!"

Everyone then seemed to wake from a dream, and they all calmed down and checked their personal belongings and magical artifacts.

Of the nine people from Dazhu Peak who participated in this martial arts competition, six had cultivation levels above the fourth level of the Jade Purity Realm and were capable of flying on their own using magical artifacts: Song Daren, He Dazhi, Du Bishu, Jiang Xiaochuan, Lin Jingyu, and Tian Ling'er.

The remaining four, Wu Dayi, Zheng Dali, Lü Daxin, and Zhang Xiaofan, need to be taken care of by their senior brother.

The assignments were completed quickly.

Song Daren brought Wu Dayi with him, and his broad, thick immortal sword could easily carry the two of them.

He Dazhi brought Zheng Dali with him. His magic weapon was an ancient bamboo scroll, which was quite spacious when unfolded.

Du Bishu brought Lü Daxin with him. He stepped on his three wooden dice that had grown to the size of a futon, swaying back and forth. Lü Daxin's face turned pale as he watched, and he gripped Du Bishu's belt tightly.

Lin Jingyu naturally brought Zhang Xiaofan with him. The Dragon-Slaying Sword shone with a bright blue light, carrying the two of them steadily.

Tian Buyi and Su Ru also each summoned their immortal swords.

Surprisingly, Tian Buyi was accompanied by his large, shiny yellow dog, which he had raised for who knows how many years.

Big Yellow seemed to know it was going on a long trip. It excitedly stuck out its tongue and wagged its tail like a windmill. Seeing that everyone had stepped on the magic weapon, it barked twice, pushed off with its hind legs, and lightly jumped onto Tian Buyi's broad Crimson Flame Sword. It lay behind the tip of the sword, its front paws on the ground, its head raised, looking like it was saying, "I'm going too."

Tian Buyi's lips twitched, but he didn't shoo it away. He just snorted, "Behave yourself!"

Finally, there's Tian Ling'er and Jiang Xiaochuan.

Tian Ling'er stepped on the amber crimson silk, the red silk shimmering with light, making her even more beautiful than the flowers.

She looked at Jiang Xiaochuan, who was still standing there hesitantly, and reached out her hand. Although her voice was still firm, her eyes were filled with expectation and a hint of unyielding authority: "Xiaochuan, come on up, I'll show you."

Jiang Xiaochuan looked at the outstretched, fair and slender hand, and then at the complex expression in Tian Ling'er's eyes, a mixture of expectation, resentment, and a hint of vulnerability. His heart softened, and he almost agreed.

Just then, the Snow River Sword in his dantian seemed to sense something, emitting a clear and melodious hum, carrying a kind of eager excitement.

He suddenly remembered that he was no longer the naive boy who needed his senior sister to carry him and whose ability to control objects was shaky.

He is currently at the fifth level of Jade Purity and possesses the Snow River Sword.

This was his natal magic weapon, crafted for him by Lu Xueqi with painstaking effort, and it was the companion he would use in the Seven Sects Martial Arts Tournament. He should, and indeed must, travel there on his own sword.

He took a deep breath, suppressing the inexplicable unease in his heart and the guilt he felt under Tian Ling'er's gaze, shook his head, and forced a relaxed smile onto his face:

"No need, Senior Sister Ling'er. I have Xuechuan now, I can fly on my own. I can't... I can't let you carry me around forever."

Tian Ling'er's outstretched hand froze in mid-air.

She looked at Jiang Xiaochuan, at the effort he put into appearing calm and persistent, and at the subtle distance in his eyes. Her heart felt like it had been squeezed tightly by something, a mix of sourness and pain, along with the embarrassment and anger of being rejected.

She abruptly withdrew her hand, turned her face away, and her voice turned cold, tinged with defiance:

"Whatever! Fly if you want, don't fly if you don't!"

After saying that, she urged the Amber Crimson Silk, which shone brightly with red light, carrying her into a streak of light and soaring into the sky, speeding towards the direction of Tongtian Peak, leaving behind a faint red glow and somewhat stagnant air.

Jiang Xiaochuan watched the red figure disappear into the distance, and felt a pang of unease in his heart.

But he had no time to think. With a thought, the Snow River Sword flew from his dantian, transforming into a streak of icy blue-silver light that hovered before him. Lightning patterns flickered on the sword's surface, and a chilling aura mixed with a tingling sensation of lightning emanated from it. He took a deep breath and stepped onto the sword. The Snow River Sword dipped slightly, then steadily supported him.

"Let's go." Tian Buyi glanced over here, said nothing more, and with a burst of red light, the Crimson Flame Sword, along with Da Huang, rose up side by side with Su Ru's immortal sword.

Song Daren, He Dazhi, Du Bishu, and Lin Jingyu also activated their magical treasures, and various colored lights shone forth. Carrying their fellow disciples, streaks of sword light and magical treasure radiance soared into the sky, piercing the azure morning sky. They converged into a stream of light that, while not vast, was full of vitality and hope, and sped toward the center of the Qingyun Mountains, toward the highest and most majestic peak that seemed to connect heaven and earth—Tongtian Peak.

The mountain wind whistled in my ears, blowing my Taoist robe and hair. Below me, verdant mountains, winding rivers, and scattered villages rushed past.

As Jiang Xiaochuan wielded Xuechuan, he felt the seamless connection between man and sword, as if they were linked by blood. The turmoil in his heart seemed to be somewhat dispelled by the strong winds and vast scenery high in the sky.

He looked up at the Tongtian Peak, which seemed to reach the sky and stand taller and taller, and the glazed green tiles on the peak that shimmered with golden light in the sunlight. A sense of pride and anticipation, mixed with the tension of the unknown competition, quietly rose in his heart.

The Seven Sects Martial Arts Tournament, here I come!