Zhu Xian: They've all been reborn

It's Lu Xueqi.

She stood at the very front of the east side of the arena, her beautiful face melting away all its icy coldness to reveal a dazzling smile that could outshine the sun and moon!

She even clapped her hands vigorously, again and again, the crisp applause particularly clear in the quiet square.

Those eyes, which were always as cold as ice, were now filled with undisguised pride and joy, fixed on the disheveled boy on the stage, as if he were the only person left in the world.

That expression, that posture, that tone—it was exactly like a young girl who, upon seeing her beloved display his prowess, couldn't help but cheer and jump for joy, immersed in the happiness of being deeply in love!

She was completely different from the aloof and unapproachable Lu Xueqi of the past!

"hiss--!"

A collective gasp filled the room!

All eyes instantly shifted from Jiang Xiaochuan to Lu Xueqi! Their eyes practically popped out of their sockets!

Senior Sister Lu?!

This...this is Senior Sister Lu?!

That icy genius from Xiaozhu Peak, Lu Xueqi?!

She... she actually cheered people on so loudly?

And her smile is...so beautiful?

So...sweet?

Is it even a little silly?

Holy crap! Lu Xueqi, what are you doing?!

Jiang Xiaochuan's mind went blank for a moment, and he almost fainted!

He stared dumbfounded at Lu Xueqi, who was smiling broadly and clapping enthusiastically in the audience, and felt the swelling and pain on his cheeks, which had just subsided a little, start to burn again.

This time, I was ashamed! I was embarrassed! I wanted nothing more than to dig a hole and bury myself right then and there!

Sister! My goodness! Can't you be a little more discreet?!

Can you please stop?! I'm already conspicuous enough!

Are you trying to make me die even faster?!

He was internally screaming, but his face could only produce a stiff expression that was even uglier than crying.

The audience erupted in chaos!

"My God! Did I see that right? Was that Senior Sister Lu Xueqi?"

"She...she actually smiled? And clapped? And cheered for that Jiang Xiaochuan?"

"It's more than just cheering! Look at her eyes! My god, I've never seen Senior Sister Lu look like that before!"

"What kind of bewitching potion did Jiang Xiaochuan give her?!"

"Those two...could the rumors be true? Is Senior Sister Lu really interested in that Dazhu Peak guy...?"

"No wonder! No wonder yesterday...tsk tsk!"

The discussion surged like a tide, and countless shocked, curious, envious, jealous, and incredulous gazes swept back and forth between Jiang Xiaochuan and Lu Xueqi.

Some people also noticed Jiang Xiaochuan's Xuechuan sword, which was very similar in shape to Tianya but different in color, and whispered among themselves.

Jiang Xiaochuan felt like he was sitting on pins and needles, those gazes were like needles pricking him, especially a few particularly sharp ones—from the direction of his fellow disciples from Dazhu Peak. He Dazhi, Du Bishu and others winked at each other, their faces saying, "Seventh Brother, you're awesome."

The gaze coming from Tian Ling'er's direction almost burned him through.

There was another one... from a female disciple of Luoxia Peak in the crowd, wearing a light orange Taoist robe and with delicate features. Her gaze was deep and complex, carrying a burning urgency and a trace of barely perceptible pain. It was Biyao.

She mingled in the crowd, watching the disheveled yet dazzlingly victorious young man on the stage, the sword in his hand so similar to Lu Xueqi's Tianya, and Lu Xueqi's undisguised affectionate gaze and cheers. She felt as if an invisible hand was gripping her heart tightly, the pain almost suffocating her.

The Soul-Devouring Staff trembled slightly within his sleeve, emanating a fierce aura.

She had to do something! She had to get close to him! She had to…

Lu Xueqi seemed completely oblivious to the clamor and countless stares around her; her eyes were only on the stunned boy on the stage. Only after his joy at winning subsided did she realize that she might have been… too excited?

But so what?

Her man won, and it's only natural that she's happy.

However, the buzzing and murmuring around us were getting a bit noisy.

She frowned slightly, her cold gaze, like a tangible ice blade, slowly sweeping across the directions where the sound was loudest.

The gaze wasn't fierce, but rather indifferent, carrying a condescending detachment and a cold warning.

In an instant, as if swept by a cold front, the discussions from those directions came to an abrupt halt!

The disciples who had been talking the most enthusiastically turned pale, instinctively shrank back, shut their mouths, and dared not say another word.

As a result, the noise around the arena was instantly reduced by several levels, leaving only a few very low, cautious whispers.

Jiang Xiaochuan was speechless at the immediate results.

Well, that confirms it even more.

He struggled to stand up, but his legs felt weak.

Just then, from below the arena, towards the side platform, a fiery red figure rushed over like a whirlwind—it was Tian Ling'er.

She had just defeated her opponent Shen Tiandou (also a fifth-level Jade Purity cultivator with an earth-attribute immortal sword, but whose skills were countered by Tian Ling'er's agile Amber Crimson Silk) on her own stage, winning cleanly and decisively. This prompted Shang Zhengliang, the head of Chaoyang Peak, to remark to Tian Buyi, "Dazhu Peak truly produces many talented individuals."

But as soon as she stepped off the stage, she heard a deafening explosion and gasps from the other side of the stage, and saw the crowd surging towards her. Knowing something was wrong, she rushed over and saw Lu Xueqi cheering and applauding for Jiang Xiaochuan, as well as the "spectacle" of her dominating the entire audience with a single glance. She was furious and anxious.

"Jiang Xiaochuan!" She pushed through the crowd and rushed to the edge of the ring. Looking at Jiang Xiaochuan, who was disheveled but had clearly won the match, and then at Lu Xueqi beside him, whose face was cold but whose eyes were gentle, her chest ached with anger, and her voice trembled, "Are you... are you alright?"

"It's...it's alright..." Jiang Xiaochuan forced a smile, but the movement aggravated the injury on his face, causing him to wince in pain.

Tian Ling'er glared at Lu Xueqi, then looked at Jiang Xiaochuan. Just as she was about to say something, Lu Xueqi spoke first.

She walked to the edge of the ring, looked up at Jiang Xiaochuan, her voice regaining its usual coolness, but with a hint of expectation and... intimacy in her tone?

"Xiao Chuan, the next match is in the afternoon. I'll be facing a senior brother from Dragon Head Peak on the 'Qian' position platform."

She paused, looked into Jiang Xiaochuan's eyes, and asked very seriously, "You...want to come and see?"

Jiang Xiaochuan was taken aback.

Go watch Lu Xueqi's competition? This...

Before he could answer, Tian Ling'er jumped up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on: "What are you looking at! Xiao Chuan is injured and needs to rest! He also needs to prepare for his later matches! He doesn't have time to come see you!"

Lu Xueqi didn't even look at Tian Ling'er, but just quietly looked at Jiang Xiaochuan, waiting for his answer.

His gaze was calm, yet it carried an invisible pressure and a hint of... faint expectation.

Looking into Lu Xueqi's clear and focused eyes, Jiang Xiaochuan recalled how she had cheered and applauded for him without caring about what others thought, and a soft spot in his heart softened slightly.

The words of refusal were on the tip of my tongue, but I couldn't quite bring myself to say them.

Moreover... he really wanted to see just how strong Lu Xueqi had become.

"I..." He opened his mouth, then hesitated.

Seeing his hesitation, Tian Ling'er became even more anxious and grabbed his arm: "Xiao Chuan! Senior Brother's next match is coming up soon, on the 'Kun' platform! Let's go watch Senior Brother's match! Let's cheer him on!"

Jiang Xiaochuan's head throbbed even more.

On one hand, there's Lu Xueqi's invitation; on the other, there's Tian Ling'er's entanglement; should I go see my senior brother...? How should I choose?

Seeing that he was in a dilemma, Lu Xueqi's face remained expressionless, but her eyes seemed to dim for a moment.

Unlike Tian Ling'er, she didn't try to pull her away or use words to force her. She simply nodded gently, her tone still calm: "It's alright. You should rest well; preparing for your own competition is more important."

She paused, then added softly, "If you have time and want to come, then come. I... will wait."

After saying that, she didn't say anything more. She turned around, her pale figure parting the crowd and walking towards the Qianwei Platform. Her back was straight and aloof, yet inexplicably exuded a sense of loneliness.

As Jiang Xiaochuan watched her departing figure, the hesitation in his heart suddenly vanished.

He gently pulled away from Tian Ling'er's hand that was gripping his arm.

Tian Ling'er's heart sank; a bad premonition arose: "Xiao Chuan?"

"Senior Sister Ling'er," Jiang Xiaochuan looked at her, his tone apologetic but firm.

"You and the other senior brothers can keep an eye on things with Senior Brother. I... I want to go watch Junior Sister Lu's competition."

"You!" Tian Ling'er's eyes instantly reddened as she looked at him in disbelief, her voice trembling.

"Jiang Xiaochuan! You...you chose her? You're clearly injured! What's so interesting about her competition! You..."

"I'm sorry, Senior Sister Ling'er." Jiang Xiaochuan lowered his head, not daring to look her in the eye.

"I...I just want to go and see."

After saying that, he didn't linger. Enduring the soreness in his body, he picked up the Snow River Sword from the ground, sheathed it, and slowly walked off the stage, following Lu Xueqi step by step in the direction she had left.

The direction is clear.

Tian Ling'er stood frozen in place, watching his and Lu Xueqi's departing figures, tears welling up in her eyes.

Countless gazes fell upon her, some with sympathy, some with curiosity, and some with sighs.

"Whatever!" she shouted at Jiang Xiaochuan's back with all her might, her voice thick with sobs. Then she turned around abruptly, pushed through the crowd, and ran in the opposite direction. Her fiery red figure quickly disappeared into the crowd.

Jiang Xiaochuan paused, feeling a tightness in his chest, but did not turn around.

He knew he had hurt Tian Ling'er's feelings, but right now, he didn't seem to have a better choice.

Lu Xueqi's forlorn figure and her words "I'll wait" were like a thorn stuck in his heart.

He quickened his pace and caught up with Lu Xueqi, who was not far ahead.

Lu Xueqi seemed to hear footsteps behind her. She turned her head slightly and saw him following. A bright light flashed in her clear, cold eyes, like sunlight melting an icy lake. She stopped and waited for him to approach. Naturally, she reached out to take his hand.

Jiang Xiaochuan's face flushed, and he instinctively wanted to dodge, but seeing the undisguised joy and tenderness in her eyes, he hesitated for a second.

Just as Lu Xueqi's fingers were about to touch the back of his hand, another hand suddenly reached out and forcefully inserted itself between the two, grabbing Jiang Xiaochuan's wrist!

It's Tian Ling'er who went away and returned!

She had returned sometime earlier, her eyes still red and swollen, tears still wet on her face, but her gaze held a defiant stubbornness and anger. She glared fiercely at Lu Xueqi, then turned to Jiang Xiaochuan, her voice hoarse but clear:

"Alright! You want to go see it, right? Fine! I'll go too! I want to see just how capable Lu Xueqi is that she can make you so infatuated!"

As she spoke, she gripped Jiang Xiaochuan's wrist tightly, and without saying a word, pulled him towards the Qianwei Platform, the force of which made Jiang Xiaochuan stumble.

Lu Xueqi looked at her separated hands, then at Jiang Xiaochuan who was being forcibly dragged away by Tian Ling'er, and her eyes turned cold.

But she didn't say anything, nor did she try to snatch it again. She simply followed silently behind the two of them, her pale figure like a silent and resolute shadow.

Thus, a rather bizarre scene unfolded at the Cloud Sea Plaza of Tongtian Peak:

A pretty young girl in a bright red dress with red and swollen eyes walked ahead angrily, tightly gripping the wrist of a pale-faced, embarrassed young man in a blue robe.

A beautiful, aloof woman in a moon-white Taoist robe quietly followed a few steps behind the two, her gaze always fixed on the young man.

Wherever they went, the crowd automatically parted to make way for them, countless eyes followed them, and whispers rose and fell.

"Look! It's Tian Ling'er and Jiang Xiaochuan from Dazhu Peak! And Lu Xueqi from Xiaozhu Peak!"

"My God, what's going on here? Two women fighting over one man?"

"That Jiang Xiaochuan... what has he done to deserve this!"

"Tsk tsk, this is going to be lively at the Qian position table!"

Jiang Xiaochuan was being dragged along by Tian Ling'er, feeling the gazes from all directions that were enough to slowly torture him, and listening to the unabashed discussions. He just wanted to ascend to heaven on the spot, or to turn back time to this morning. He would have stayed in bed and refused to get up no matter what!

What kind of mess is this?!