“How do you judge this? Is it a mutual defeat?”
The Lingcaifeng Master raised her hand at the final moment, blocking both Soul’s thunder and Hua Jian’s sneak attack.
The situation was clear, yet also ambiguous.
If she hadn’t intervened, Soul’s attack would definitely have struck Hua Jian, and Hua Jian’s sneak attack would have hit Soul as well.
To directly declare one side victorious was clearly not right, but since the attacks didn’t actually land, it was also hard to judge what state the two would be in after that exchange.
Fenghua and the others didn’t overthink it, simply declaring the result as mutual destruction.
Hua Jian pressing down on Soul’s thunder alone would have been a severe injury, while Soul, being struck by Hua Jian’s sneak attack, wouldn’t fare any better.
Even if Hua Jian’s sneak attack this time only used ordinary bullets, what if she used Lingqi Bullets next time?
After all, when Hua Jian fires her bullets, no one can tell what’s inside until they’re hit—only then will the enemy discover what surprise Hua Jian prepared.
Perhaps it’s demonic energy, perhaps Illusory Dream Flower mist—either way, both are terrifying forces that could incapacitate someone in an instant.
“Understood, Shijie.” Soul felt a bit embarrassed. Despite her overwhelming natural advantage, she still ended up at mutual destruction with Hua Jian.
In terms of combat skills or raw strength, she was far above Hua Jian, yet in a real fight, the result was as it was.
If others heard, they’d surely laugh at her.
Turning to look behind her, Soul saw the thing that had ambushed her.
Hua Jian had fully used her Wood Element cultivator’s advantage, using Spirit Techniques to summon vines as a second pair of hands and launching a successful sneak attack.
For most other cultivators, something like this would be nearly impossible—Hua Jian was truly one of a kind.
Wood Element powers, creative adaptation—these details were all essential to make the sneak attack work perfectly.
The main body drew attention up front, deliberately exposing a weakness, then the instant Soul unleashed her strongest attack, she was ambushed from behind.
No Spirit Master could defend against such a move.
“I clearly won! She would have been knocked out by rage, I just took a little thunder—won’t kill me.”
Hua Jian was extremely dissatisfied with the result. She felt she should have been declared the winner.
When Linglong’s thunder was about to hit her, she already knew how badly she’d be hurt, but compared to what Linglong would be facing, her own injuries were nothing.
So what if a thunder blast exploded in her face? It wouldn’t kill her!
And as long as she survived, it would be Linglong—struck by her move—who lost.
“How do you know you wouldn’t die?”
Fenghua Venerable, clearly annoyed, strode up and gave Hua Jian’s head a solid knock, making her eyes snap clear again.
“Linglong was careless. You were just reckless!”
Compared to Linglong, who lost despite every advantage, Fenghua Venerable now felt the urge to give Hua Jian a proper lesson.
Using her real body as bait to lure Linglong into a trap was indeed effective, but at what cost?
If Linglong’s thunder had actually struck Hua Jian, Hua Jian would at least be severely injured, possibly even have her core wounded and never recover!
The price was far too great. Fenghua Venerable decided to use the strictest attitude to teach Hua Jian that this is not how you fight.
“Come with me. Today, I’ll teach you a good lesson!” Fenghua Venerable said coldly to the tearful-eyed Hua Jian.
Then she turned to Linglong, “Reflect on your own actions during the match, and tell me your reflections tomorrow.”
Linglong’s mistake was smaller than Hua Jian’s—after all, that sneak attack was nearly impossible to spot, and who could have guessed Hua Jian would be bold enough to use herself as bait?
But in the end, she was defeated by a weaker opponent, so it was only natural for Fenghua Venerable to ask her to reflect.
“Mm… Master Uncle, I feel like Hua Jian just now was very different from usual.” Linglong nodded, then shared her own observations from the fight.
Hua Jian’s aggression in the fight was several levels higher than usual, like a berserker.
She’d never use such all-or-nothing moves under normal circumstances.
After being with Hua Jian for so long, Linglong knew her character well.
That girl always bullied the weak and feared the strong—she’d dodge any fight if she could, so how could she pull off such a move?
“She was probably affected by that powder. Hua Jian, how do you feel now?”
“A bit dizzy… feels like I’m dreaming. How did I even fight just now?” Hua Jian rubbed her forehead, frowning.
As the effects of the incense faded, she lost the feeling from the battle.
Instead, the fear from being grazed by thunder gradually flooded back, turning her face pale and making her legs tremble.
Thinking she nearly got struck by real lightning, she felt her earlier self had been way too brave, something she’d never usually decide to do.
“With you like this, I don’t even know how to begin.” Fenghua Venerable rubbed her brow.
She’d planned to give Hua Jian a serious talk about risking her life, but it seemed Hua Jian hadn’t even been in a normal state.
Her normal self was quite cautious.
So what now, keep using incense to put Hua Jian in a different state, then tell that version of Hua Jian not to do such things?
The logic was so abstract—if abnormal-state Hua Jian could listen, could she still be called abnormal?
Forget it. She’d just say what needed to be said.
A few minutes later, after Fenghua Venerable finished lecturing, Hua Jian meekly raised her hand and whispered her agreement.
“Venerable, believe me, I treasure my life! If I meet someone I can’t beat, I’ll run at once—I’ve always done that with Linglong, you can ask her!”
“I couldn’t control myself just now, I’m not usually like this!”
Lingcaifeng Master, who’d been watching, let out a cheerful laugh. “Fighting isn’t everything, Hua Jian. There are other paths you can choose.”
It was fine to be a peaceful flower immortal, wasn’t it? That’s how Wanling Sect had survived for years.
The Lingcaifeng Master wasn’t all that strong either, yet she lived quite well.
Times were changing; combat power wasn’t the only standard for cultivators anymore. Sometimes, the Immortal Way had little to do with fighting.
Lingcaifeng Master’s obvious attempt at recruitment made Fenghua Venerable’s liver ache again, and the two big shots headed outside, bickering all the way.
Left in the room were Hua Jian and Linglong, staring at each other, with Linglong busily working on her reflection as instructed.
A reflection should look the part—at the very least, a hand-written report.
So, right in front of Hua Jian, Linglong pulled out pen and paper and began reflecting seriously on the match.
Hua Jian wasn’t very interested in the contents; she glanced over, but what really caught her eye was Linglong’s calligraphy.
Little Dragon Girl’s writing was beautiful, strong yet graceful, entirely different from other girls’ handwriting, with its own unique charm.
In contrast, Hua Jian’s writing, when she tried hard, was barely legible. If she wrote a bit faster, only she could read it.
…Who was she kidding? After a while, even she couldn’t read her own writing.
No wonder she’s the Saintess—beautiful in every way. If anyone is the Main Character of this world, it has to be her.
Resting her chin on her hand, Hua Jian silently watched Linglong write.
If this world were a novel, Linglong would definitely be that most dazzling Main Character, right?
And the other main character would probably be herself, a Chuan Yue Zhe?
Thinking that, Hua Jian suddenly felt a little shameless—how could she so naturally place herself as the other main character?
But a Chuan Yue Zhe isn’t always the main character, right? Maybe she was just a background passerby.
Hua Jian looked at Linglong, who kept her head down, writing her reflection.
Time passed quietly, until dusk finally brought a visitor who broke the silence.
“Hua Jian Shimei, someone brought a letter for you from outside.” A Shijie from Hudaosi gently knocked on the door.
Hua Jian was stunned, then rushed over to open the door and received the letter.
The envelope was odd—it felt cool to the touch, and from certain angles, snowflake patterns shimmered across the surface.
On the front, a few large, beautiful characters: For Hua Jian.
The writing was as beautiful as Linglong’s. Hua Jian turned the envelope over several times, then looked up at the Shijie, “Who sent this?”
The Shijie didn’t keep her guessing. “It was delivered by Qian Feixue from the Beijing Church in the city.”
Qian Feixue? Hua Jian remembered—the religious scammer who tried to trick her into joining?
Why would she send a letter?
“As for the contents, I’m not sure. She just asked me to deliver it to you.” The Shijie shrugged, indicating she was just a messenger pigeon.
Still, if Qian Feixue could get her to help, it showed her reputation with Hudaosi was decent—not likely a bad person.
Hua Jian relaxed a bit at this thought, took the letter, and thanked the Shijie.
The Shijie smiled, ruffled Hua Jian’s head for good measure, and cheerfully left the room to her.
Why is everyone touching my head?
Hua Jian felt like her head had become a magnet lately—Linglong liked to bop her, Fenghua Venerable liked to knock her, even a Shijie she barely knew took the chance to pat her.
Is her head really that attractive? At this rate, would she never grow taller?
Carrying the letter back, preoccupied, Hua Jian’s expression looked a bit odd.
This, seen from Linglong’s point of view, took on a different meaning.
In her eyes, Hua Jian’s mood had soured right after receiving the letter.
Hua Jian didn’t notice Linglong’s sneaky glances.
She ripped the envelope open, finding a sheet of snowy white letter paper, with a single simple line: Tomorrow at noon, Huan Rui will wait for you in the church.
Time, place, and person—all clear. Hua Jian quickly folded up the letter.
She couldn’t let anyone else see this, or it would be easy to misunderstand.
Even though she was just a loose cultivator now, and mingling with Wanhuagu girls wasn’t exactly something that needed hiding, Wanhuagu’s reputation still wasn’t great. Best to be careful.
Still, for Huan Rui to contact her through Qian Feixue—did the Beijing Church also have ties to Wanhuagu?
Thinking this, Hua Jian couldn’t help glancing at Linglong, wondering if she knew the background of the Beijing Church.
Linglong, thinking her peeking had been discovered, guiltily ducked her head and kept writing, but her heart was no longer on the reflection.
After a few breaths, noticing Hua Jian’s gaze still hadn’t shifted, Linglong looked up in confusion, “Why do you keep staring at me?”
“Because you’re beautiful.”
Hua Jian’s words made Linglong’s face flush red—what a perfunctory reason.
Linglong puffed her cheeks a little, clearly displeased.
Seeing Linglong about to lose her temper, Hua Jian hurriedly tried to make up for it by explaining her real thoughts.
“I wanted to ask if you know anything about the Beijing Church here. I visited once when wandering around, and ran into a strange woman named Qian Feixue.”
“Beijing Church… Qian Feixue… someone from the Qian Family?” Linglong immediately formed a suspicion after hearing Hua Jian’s description.
“Does she have white hair and blue eyes?”
Hua Jian thought back—it did seem so.
“Yes, do you know her, Linglong?”
“No, I don’t know her, but I know her family, which has some ties to our Jade Pool.” Linglong gave a somewhat ambiguous answer.
“The Qian Family has been a great clan in the north for ages, rivaling even the Saint Sect. One of their ancestors once joined our Jade Pool and eventually ascended as an immortal.”
Hua Jian blinked, then gasped—so Qian Feixue had such an impressive background?
And the ancestor enshrined in the church was probably that very Qian Family immortal?
A real immortal!
“But that ascended ancestor doesn’t have much to do with today’s Qian Family. She didn’t leave descendants among mortals—the present Qian Family is another branch, so our Jade Pool doesn’t have much contact with them.”
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