Chapter 13: Pei Ruyi

Everyone turned to look in the direction of the voice, and saw a green-haired girl striding confidently towards the arena.

The disciples of Biluofeng hurriedly made way for her.

“Who is that? Is she one of our Biluofeng disciples?”

“She’s got Senior Sister Ying Qianqian following behind her, so she must be from Biluofeng.”

The red-robed young man at the front was momentarily stunned, then his eyes widened in shock.

“Senior Sister Ye! Why are you here?”

Du Ze, the Chief Disciple among the inner sect disciples, was a long-time member of Biluofeng, having joined three years before Ye Luqing.

This Senior Sister Ye was as elusive as a dragon—she spent more time at Heavenly Sword Peak than at Biluofeng, so many of the newer disciples didn’t even recognize this Second Senior Sister of Biluofeng.

Only the older disciples like them could recognize Ye Luqing, but… was this really how Senior Sister Ye acted?

In Du Ze’s memory, Senior Sister Ye always hid behind Chief Xiao at Heavenly Sword Peak.

Even when she returned to Biluofeng, she looked like a socially anxious recluse who ran away at the sight of people.

Still, he held the utmost respect for this Second Senior Sister of Biluofeng.

As a fellow Array Master, Du Ze understood very well Ye Luqing’s attainments in the Array Path.

If this Second Senior Sister took action, perhaps she really could surpass Heavenly Sword Peak’s Ruyi Pei.

Ye Luqing walked up onto the arena, with Ying Qianqian following behind her a little anxiously.

The disciples of Biluofeng still didn’t know about Ye Luqing’s memory loss, but Ying Qianqian did.

Moreover, Senior Sister Ye’s cultivation had dropped to the Golden Core Realm. Facing a Sword Cultivator who specialized in lethal attacks, it would be difficult even against opponents of the same level.

Upon seeing Ye Luqing take the stage, Ruyi Pei’s eyes grew cold from the other side of the arena.

“So, Senior Sister Ye still has some backbone.”

She stared at Ye Luqing, her tone carrying a clear edge.

Ye Luqing felt a chill under Ruyi Pei’s gaze. In the original story, she shouldn’t have had any interactions with this disciple from Heavenly Sword Peak.

What’s more, there was a strong sense of déjà vu about Ruyi Pei.

Whether it was her attire, her demeanor, or even her tone, it was as if she was deliberately imitating Xiao Qingxuan.

Could she be one of Xiao Qingxuan’s little fangirls?

“Since you’ve accepted the challenge, let me test Senior Sister Ye’s Array Arts!”

Without waiting for Ye Luqing to reply, Ruyi Pei drew her long sword and charged forward.

The overwhelming sword intent she had been storing up erupted from her body in an instant, the aftershocks of her earth-shattering sword aura sweeping out beyond the arena.

Her figure became a blur, darting nearly ten zhang in the blink of an eye.

The swift, ruthless, and fierce traits of a Sword Cultivator were displayed to the fullest in Ruyi Pei.

The crowd below broke into a cold sweat.

The male Sword Cultivator who had previously struck down Biluofeng’s disciple from the arena was already strong enough, but now that Ruyi Pei had made her move, her power was several times greater than his.

“Wait!”

Ye Luqing suddenly raised her hand, signaling Ruyi Pei to stop.

Ruyi Pei halted abruptly on one foot, her expression a little displeased but still icy.

“What is it?”

Ye Luqing looked at Ruyi Pei, somewhat speechless, and said:

“I don’t recall saying I wanted to fight you, did I?”

Ruyi Pei frowned.

“Did you not say you were accepting Heavenly Sword Peak’s challenge?”

Ye Luqing shook her head and spread her hands.

“I said that Biluofeng’s direct disciple was accepting it.”

At these words, Ruyi Pei glanced at Ying Qianqian at the edge of the arena, then glared at Ye Luqing with a dark look.

“What do you mean, are you planning to have Biluofeng’s third direct disciple take the challenge?”

She’d never liked Ye Luqing, who always clung to Senior Sister Xiao’s side and did nothing but act aggrieved whenever something happened.

Timid in character, and as stubborn as a plaster stuck to someone’s heel.

Relying on a bit of talent in Array Arts and that fox-like pretty face, she’d bewitched Senior Sister Xiao.

If not for Senior Sister Xiao’s protection, she would have kicked Ye Luqing down from Heavenly Sword Peak long ago.

Now this person was even using a younger Golden Core junior sister as a shield, making Ruyi Pei look down on her even more.

No matter what happened today, she was going to teach Ye Luqing a lesson.

She wanted Senior Sister Xiao to see Ye Luqing’s uselessness and realize that she, Ruyi Pei, was the one best suited to stay by Senior Sister Xiao’s side!

“Senior Sister Ye, I—I can do it.”

Ying Qianqian also stepped onto the arena.

Though she was trembling all over, her eyes shone with determination.

Even if she couldn’t defeat a Sword Cultivator from Heavenly Sword Peak, she would still stand by Senior Sister Ye’s side.

“What are you thinking?”

Ye Luqing curled her lips.

There was no way she’d let Little Ying take the stage.

A gentle breeze swept by, and she used an array to send Ying Qianqian back down.

“I meant I’m accepting Heavenly Sword Peak’s challenge on behalf of Senior Sister Bai He, our Biluofeng’s Personal Disciple Senior Sister.”

Ye Luqing raised her brows, looking playfully at Ruyi Pei.

Didn’t you want to challenge a direct disciple?

Come on, do you dare to face Grandmaster Sister Bai He of the Transformation God Realm?

“You…”

Ruyi Pei was momentarily stunned.

What Ye Luqing said was true—she had only mentioned a direct disciple, not which one.

The logic was solid, but wasn’t this just shameless…

“It’s only been a few days, but Senior Sister Ye has become even more glib.”

Ruyi Pei snorted coldly.

“That’s called eloquence,” Ye Luqing corrected.

“Senior Sister Bai He has already broken through to the Transformation God Realm and is now an Elder of Biluofeng. Naturally, she won’t fight us disciples.”

Ruyi Pei wasn’t buying Ye Luqing’s argument at all.

She’d come here today specifically for Ye Luqing.

“There’s no need to use Elder Bai to pressure me. This is a matter between the juniors, and today I must fight you.”

Ruyi Pei tapped the arena lightly with one foot and retreated to her original position, once again raising her three-foot-long sword.

She did want to prove herself by defeating Ye Luqing, but it had to be done in an open and aboveboard way.

Only then could she return to Senior Sister Xiao’s side.

“Watch the sword!”

Ruyi Pei drew her sword forward.

The crowd saw only a flash of cold light streak across the sky, even faster than before.

So fast!

“Hold on!”

Ruyi Pei stopped instantly, now less than three zhang from Ye Luqing.

“See, always in such a hurry,” Ye Luqing said lazily.

“What now?”

A vein throbbed at Ruyi Pei’s temple as she glared coldly at Ye Luqing.

She knew Ye Luqing’s temperament was always calm and unhurried, but she hadn’t expected her to be so troublesome today.

“You’re a Nascent Soul Sword Cultivator, picking on me, a Golden Core Array Master. Even if you win, it’s nothing to be proud of, right?”

Ye Luqing said slowly.

She really didn’t want to fight Ruyi Pei, for two reasons.

First, her cultivation had dropped, and the only offensive technique she’d learned was the Mystic Yellow Mountain-Suppressing Art.

The rest of her array techniques were mainly supportive—she was no match for Ruyi Pei.

Second, there was nothing to gain from defeating Ruyi Pei.

With how aggressive and fixated Ruyi Pei was, she’d probably end up in the infirmary.

Not only would there be no benefit, she’d just get herself hurt.

“Golden Core?”

Ruyi Pei frowned slightly, then swept Ye Luqing with her spiritual sense, discovering that Ye Luqing’s cultivation had somehow fallen to the Golden Core Realm.

Ye Luqing’s previous cultivation had been late Nascent Soul Realm, two minor realms higher than Ruyi Pei’s current level.

Sword Cultivators weren’t particularly adept at spiritual sense, and she hadn’t taken the time to probe Ye Luqing’s cultivation earlier, so Ruyi Pei had overlooked this.

Now that she realized it, her gaze turned even colder.

She had no interest in following Ye Luqing’s news, but she’d heard this afternoon that Xiao Qingxuan had hurried to the Illusory God Sect.

“So that’s how it is…”

“Senior Sister Xiao was at the crucial moment of breaking through from Half-Step Nascent Soul Realm to the Transformation God Realm, yet she went to the Illusory God Sect. It really is because of you…”

To fall from Nascent Soul Realm to Golden Core Realm likely meant damage to the soul, which was why Xiao Qingxuan had gone to the Illusory God Sect, a sect famed for its expertise with souls.

Ruyi Pei’s dislike for Ye Luqing, who had dragged Senior Sister Xiao down, only deepened. But what Ye Luqing said was indeed true.

A Nascent Soul fighting a Golden Core, a Sword Cultivator fighting an Array Master—there was nothing honorable about winning.

If defeating the strong as the weak wasn’t possible, that didn’t mean she didn’t have other tricks up her sleeve.

Today, she would make sure Ye Luqing lost face in front of everyone.