Zhu Xian: They've all been reborn

There seemed to be more people around the Qian position arena than there had been around the Zhen position arena earlier.

Perhaps it's because of Lu Xueqi's reputation, perhaps it's because of the aftershocks of the explosion, or perhaps... it's because of the eye-catching trio pulling and tugging at each other right now.

Tian Ling'er gripped Jiang Xiaochuan's wrist tightly, pulling him through the crowd until she found a spot in the very front row near the arena. She stood next to Jiang Xiaochuan, forming a solid barrier between him and Lu Xueqi, who had followed a few steps behind.

She tilted her chin slightly, her gaze fixed on the arena, but out of the corner of her eye, she kept her eyes glued to Jiang Xiaochuan beside her and the pale figure behind her.

Lu Xueqi stood on the other side of Jiang Xiaochuan. She glanced at Tian Ling'er's childish "isolation" gesture, then looked back at Jiang Xiaochuan's face. Her cool eyes shone with a soft light in the sunlight.

She turned slightly to the side, leaned close to Jiang Xiaochuan's ear, and whispered something in a voice only the two of them could hear:

"Don't worry, it'll be quick."

Her breath carried a cool, refreshing fragrance, brushing against Jiang Xiaochuan's earlobe, causing his ears to heat up uncontrollably.

Before he could even process what she meant, Lu Xueqi had already straightened up, lightly touched the ground with her toes, and her moon-white figure floated up like a weightless feather, landing steadily on the arena.

The movements were clean, efficient, and devoid of any trace of fussiness.

A low murmur of admiration rose from the audience.

Looking at the aloof and ethereal figure on the stage, seemingly out of place amidst the surrounding clamor, Jiang Xiaochuan suddenly felt a sense of peace. Yes, she was Lu Xueqi.

Her competition will probably be... very soon.

On the arena, Lu Xueqi's opponent had also stepped onto the stage. He was a disciple of Dragon Head Peak named Fang Chao, who appeared to be around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old. His appearance was fairly decent, but his eyes were somewhat darting, occasionally glancing at Lu Xueqi's face. He carried a pure white, ancient-style immortal sword on his back, and his aura was not weak; he was also at the fifth level of the Jade Purity Realm, making him a formidable opponent among the younger generation of Dragon Head Peak.

The elder referee announced the start of the competition.

Fang Chao did not make a move immediately.

He cleared his throat, cupped his hands in greeting to Lu Xueqi, forced what he thought was a charming smile, and deliberately softened his voice: "Junior Sister Lu of Xiaozhu Peak, I have long admired your name. It is an honor to spar with you today. Please, Junior Sister..."

Before he could finish speaking, Lu Xueqi frowned slightly, a hint of undisguised impatience flashing in her eyes.

She didn't even look at Fang Chao, but just slightly turned her head to look at Jiang Xiaochuan below the stage, as if to make sure he was watching properly.

Fang Chao's smile froze for a moment, a little awkward, but he quickly recovered and tried to start a conversation:

"Um... Junior Sister Lu's Heavenly Jade Divine Sword truly lives up to its name. Its radiant light perfectly complements your temperament. I wonder if you have any insights into your daily cultivation, perhaps you could..."

Someone in the audience clicked their tongue impatiently and muttered, "What's Fang Chao doing? Is he competing or trying to pick someone up? He's so slow and indecisive!"

"Exactly, didn't you see Senior Sister Lu's face was practically frozen? She's just asking for trouble!"

"What a lecherous bastard! Doesn't he even know his own limitations?"

"Chattering away like a woman, hey... what are you doing, Senior Sister Xiaozhu Peak? No, I didn't mean anything by it."

Tian Ling'er, watching from below the stage, was also furious. She couldn't help but complain to Jiang Xiaochuan in a low voice, "Look at him! He's disgusting! And Lu Xueqi too, why aren't you doing anything yet? What are you waiting for!"

Jiang Xiaochuan didn't speak, he just looked at the stage.

Lu Xueqi's impatience was almost turning into a tangible chill.

She finally shifted her gaze from Jiang Xiaochuan to Fang Chao, who was still racking his brains for words, her eyes cold as if she were looking at a troublesome stone.

On the high platform, Master Shuiyue, the head of Xiaozhu Peak, also darkened his expression. He glanced unhappily at Fang Chao on the arena and then at Qi Hao, who was sitting next to him and was now temporarily acting as the head of Longshou Peak.

Qi Hao felt Shui Yue's gaze and felt a little embarrassed. He coughed and whispered something to his junior brother next to him. The junior brother quickly ran down from the platform, seemingly wanting to remind Fang Chao.

But it was too late.

Just as Fang Chao was racking his brains to come up with a third pointless remark, Lu Xueqi made her move.

There was no hand seal, no gathering of power, and not even the drawing of the sword.

She simply raised her right hand and, pointing it lightly at Fang Chao, who was still smiling obsequiously, she made a gentle tap in mid-air.

The movement was light and casual, as if brushing a speck of dust off a sleeve.

A subtle yet extremely refined azure sword aura, like a line of ice appearing out of thin air, shot out from her fingertips silently, yet so fast that it was beyond the limits of what the eye could perceive!

"call out--!"

The sound of something cutting through the air was sharp and short!

Before Fang Chao could even fully wipe the smile off his face, his pupils suddenly contracted, and he saw a flash of blue light in front of him!

He didn't even feel pain, but felt an indescribable, icy, and immense force slamming into the white immortal sword he had hastily raised and held across his chest!

"clang--!!!"

A deafening, metallic clang, completely unlike anything that could be produced by finger-sword energy, rang out!

Fang Chao's high-quality white immortal sword was struck as if by a giant hammer. The sword let out a mournful cry of being unable to bear the weight and instantly bent into an exaggerated arc. Then, the sword and Fang Chao, like a kite with a broken string or a stone thrown by a catapult, crashed off the ground and flew high and far away outside the arena!

It really "flew" out!

It traced a long, almost perfect parabola, and to everyone's astonishment, it flew directly over the arena, then over the heads of the crowded people below (causing gasps and instinctive dodges), before finally crashing with a muffled thud onto the edge of another arena dozens of feet away. It rolled several times before coming to a stop, kicking up a small cloud of dust.

The white immortal sword in his hand had long since slipped from his grasp and was now stuck askew in the ground not far away. The sword's light had dimmed, and several obvious cracks had even appeared on its surface.

Fang Chao himself lay sprawled on the ground, motionless, seemingly unconscious or dazed, with only the slight rise and fall of his chest indicating that he was still alive.

Quiet.

A deathly silence.

Around the Qianwei arena, hundreds of people, including the elders acting as referees on the stage, the chief disciples such as Shuiyue and Qihao below the stage, and the disciples from various lineages crowded together in front of the stage, all stared wide-eyed at the "figure" that had been thrown far away, and then at the stunningly beautiful woman on the stage who was still in the same pose with her fingers pointing forward, her moon-white Daoist robe spotless, and her expression calm and serene. Their minds collectively went blank.

One move?

No, that doesn't even count as a move! It was just a finger! A finger pointing in mid-air! He didn't even draw his sword!

He just swatted a skilled fighter from Dragon Head Peak, a fifth-level Jade Purity cultivator wielding a celestial sword, dozens of feet away like swatting a fly?! And he even almost destroyed the guy's sword?!

What the hell is this level of strength?! Eighth level of Jade Purity? Ninth level? Or...?

After a brief silence, like cold water being poured into boiling oil, the entire place instantly erupted in chaos!

"My God! What am I seeing?!"

"One finger! Just one finger! And Fang Chao flew away?!"

"What... what is Lu Xueqi's cultivation level?! It's terrifying!"

"That sword energy just now... I felt my soul tremble!"

"No wonder! No wonder Senior Sister Lu is usually so cold! Her strength is terrifying!"

"Fang Chao was unlucky; he ran into the line of fire. Didn't you see how impatient Senior Sister Lu was just now?"

"Serves him right! Let him dawdle!"

Exclamations, gasps, and murmurs swept out like a tsunami!

Everyone's gaze toward the pale-faced figure on the arena was filled with shock, awe, disbelief, and even deeper curiosity—just how strong was she?

On the high platform, Dao Xuan Zhenren stroked his long beard, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes before turning into approval. He nodded slightly to Master Shuiyue beside him and smiled, "Junior Sister Shuiyue, your disciple is truly remarkable. This finger-sword technique is refined and pure, controlled at will, demonstrating mastery of the sword. Given time, her future is limitless."

Master Shuiyue's face remained expressionless; he simply nodded slightly and replied, "Sect Leader, you flatter me."

Yet, a slight ripple stirred within me.

Xueqi's progress is so fast that even her master can't quite see through her.

Moreover… her gaze swept over the boy from Dazhu Peak below the arena, whose wrist was being held by Tian Ling'er and who was staring blankly at the stage, and she felt helpless.

This child has been close to Jiang Xiaochuan since he was little, and he would run to Dazhu Peak every few days. She thought it was because he was young and playful, or because they had a common language about cultivation.

Unexpectedly, this bond has lasted for nine years, and their relationship has deepened to this extent...

What a tragic fate!

Tian Buyi and Su Ru sat not far away, looking at Lu Xueqi, who was majestic on the stage (although expressionless), and then at their own silly seventh brother below the stage, their feelings were complicated.

She felt a sense of pride in Lu Xueqi's formidable strength (and in some ways, she was "one of our own"?), but she was also troubled by the tangled mess between her daughter and this silly boy.

On the arena, the referee elder was stunned for a while before the disciple responsible for treating Fang Chao rushed to check on him and indicated that he was alright. He then reacted and loudly announced, "Qian position platform, Lu Xueqi of Xiaozhu Peak wins!"

There was also a slight, almost imperceptible tremor in his voice.

Lu Xueqi seemed not to have heard the announcement, nor did she pay attention to the uproar of discussion and the countless awe-inspiring gazes from below the stage.

She slowly lowered her fingers, turned around, lightly touched the ground with her toes, and floated down from the stage like a feather, walking straight to Jiang Xiaochuan, who was still in a daze.

She looked at him, and the ice in his clear, cold eyes melted instantly, revealing a soft light that was both expectant and... barely perceptible, apprehensive.

She tilted her head slightly, her voice a thousand times softer than the cold finger she had pointed at on stage, even carrying a hint of coquetry and a plea for praise:

"How is it?"

Jiang Xiaochuan was still reeling from the shock of that one-finger kill, his mind a little foggy, and he subconsciously, blankly, replied, "Wow, so amazing..."

Lu Xueqi's lips immediately curved upwards uncontrollably. The curve was small, but it instantly illuminated her entire cool and beautiful face, as if the ice and snow had just melted and spring flowers were blooming. She was breathtakingly beautiful, and even the surrounding noise seemed to fall silent for a moment.

The apprehension in her eyes disappeared, leaving only pure, undisguised happiness and satisfaction. She looked at Jiang Xiaochuan with a smile that made her eyes crinkle.

Countless disciples below the stage, regardless of gender, who saw this smile couldn't help but gasp and their hearts skipped a beat.

Is this really the icy Lu Xueqi?

Why would she laugh like that?

And she's smiling...so beautifully?

So...sweet?

Tian Ling'er was also annoyed by Lu Xueqi's sudden smile and question. She pinched Jiang Xiaochuan's wrist hard and whispered, "What's so interesting! Let's go! Let's go see something else!"

Jiang Xiaochuan winced in pain, then came to his senses. Looking at Lu Xueqi's rare, bright smile, he felt a strange softening in his heart, and also a... odd sense of pride.

But his wrist was being pinched painfully by Tian Ling'er, and she was pulling him away, so he could only give Lu Xueqi a somewhat awkward smile.

When Lu Xueqi saw him being pulled away, the smile on her face faded a little, but she didn't stop him and just silently followed.

Dao Xuan Zhenren, standing on the high platform, took in everything. His gaze lingered on Jiang Xiaochuan for a moment, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes, but he didn't ask any further questions.

He usually turns a blind eye to the private relationships and even feelings between disciples from different lineages, as long as they don't overstep the bounds or interfere with their cultivation.

However, Lu Xueqi's attitude towards the Dazhu Peak disciple seemed to be quite different.

He then looked at Shuiyue, whose expression was calm, as if she hadn't noticed her disciple's "abnormal" behavior. She was just looking towards the back mountain in the distance, seemingly absent-minded.

Dao Xuan knew that Shui Yue was probably thinking about the ancestral shrine in the back mountain again.

After today's competition, she will probably go to "visit" again.

Tian Ling'er pulled Jiang Xiaochuan along, weaving through the crowd, wanting to watch the matches on other arenas.

Lu Xueqi followed at a distance, like a silent shadow.

The surrounding gazes and discussions almost overwhelmed Jiang Xiaochuan.

He felt his scalp tingle and his face burning, half from embarrassment and half from the sting of those gazes.

"Look! It's those three!"

"Senior Sister Lu is really with that Jiang Xiaochuan!"

"Tian Ling'er seems to be too..."

"Tsk tsk, what kind of magic does Jiang Xiaochuan possess?"

"Who knows! Maybe she's practiced some kind of evil seduction technique!"

"Shh! Keep your voice down! Senior Sister Lu is looking over here!"

Jiang Xiaochuan felt his blood boil and wanted to sew the mouths of those gossiping people shut!

What did he do to deserve this?!

He was so angry that his chest felt tight, but he couldn't break free from Tian Ling'er's hand (he wasn't actually struggling very hard), so he could only lower his head and pretend that he was deaf and blind.

Just then, a figure suddenly appeared from the side and blocked the way for the three of them.

"Hey! Junior brother, please wait!"

The newcomer was a young man, about eighteen or nineteen years old, with handsome features, a natural smile on his lips, and bright, clever eyes.

He was holding a folding fan in his hand, fanning himself idly, which gave him a rather dashing and debonair air.

He was Zeng Shushu, son of Zeng Shuchang, the head of Feng Huifeng.