“Alright, as you wish.”
Ruyi Pei pointed at the two Golden Core Realm sword cultivators behind her and said, “These two are also at the Golden Core Realm, and they’re only Inner Sect Disciples. The cultivation resources they receive are far less than what you, as a Peak Master’s Personal Disciple, enjoy.”
“If you don’t even dare to accept the challenge like this, Senior Sister Ye, then you shouldn’t bother coming to Heavenly Sword Peak in the future.”
She stared coldly at Ye Luqing.
These two sword cultivators weren’t here just for show; she’d brought them today precisely for a situation like this.
Within the Inner Sect Disciples of Heavenly Sword Peak, these two were considered outstanding.
Among peers of the same realm, their combat strength wouldn’t lose to an Array Master.
Today, Ye Luqing would either make a fool of herself or never set foot on Heavenly Sword Peak again—let alone get close to Senior Sister Xiao.
“Senior Sister…”
Ying Qianqian looked at Ye Luqing with some worry.
She knew this Senior Sister’s situation well—her drop in cultivation was just one part; the more important issue was her memory loss.
As a genius in Array Arts, she’d witnessed Senior Sister Ye display her skills before.
That usually silent and gentle Ye Luqing, once she entered the world of arrays, became dazzling and powerful.
Every strand of True Qi was used to its fullest, always constructing the array in the shortest time possible.
Those disciples who didn’t understand Array Arts all thought Ye Luqing was just an ornament attached to Destined Female Lead Xiao Qingxuan, but only she believed it was Xiao Qingxuan who overshadowed Ye Luqing’s brilliance.
As an Array Master herself, Ying Qianqian was keenly aware of the gap between her and Senior Sister Ye.
But now that Ye Luqing had lost her memories, could she still be as calm and unrestrained as before?
“Sigh…”
Ye Luqing let out a sigh.
Things had already been said to this point—she couldn’t refuse the challenge now.
Although she really wanted to keep lying low, not going to Heavenly Sword Peak was impossible.
She still had to get close and provoke the Destined Female Lead.
“Fine, let’s fight.”
If words wouldn’t do, then only martial arts would settle it.
“If your Heavenly Sword Peak people lose, remember to apologize to the disciples of Biluofeng.”
Though this sect was just a cheap bonus she got after transmigrating, it didn’t stop her from earning some goodwill.
Establishing a good image in front of her junior brothers and sisters would make things more convenient for her at Biluofeng in the future.
“No problem.”
Ruyi Pei nodded. In her eyes, Ye Luqing couldn’t possibly defeat an Inner Sect sword cultivator of the same realm.
She was just an Array Master who could only provide support; without Senior Sister Xiao, she was nothing.
She looked down off the stage.
“Huasheng, Tao Xiaoxian, which of you will go?”
The female sword cultivator called Tao Xiaoxian sheathed her sword and looked at Ruyi Pei with a bit of embarrassment.
“Senior Sister Pei, I’ll sit this one out. I even ate Senior Sister Ye’s osmanthus cake before…”
She tapped her finger and gave a sly smile.
“But, if it’s a bout with Little Qian, I’d be more than happy.”
She shot a provocative look at Ying Qianqian behind Ye Luqing.
“Tao Xiaoxian…”
Ying Qianqian clenched her palm and met her gaze, neither servile nor overbearing.
Now that Senior Sister Ye had stepped forward, as her junior sister, she needed to be her support and not show any weakness before others.
She and Tao Xiaoxian had entered Xuanxiao Supreme Sect at the same time and were considered the most talented of their cohort.
Both had originally joined Heavenly Sword Peak, but she ultimately chose Biluofeng.
Now, both were at the peak of the Golden Core Realm—one an Inner Sect Disciple, the other a Personal Disciple.
Ruyi Pei waved her hand. The most important thing right now was to defeat Ye Luqing.
The grievances between Tao Xiaoxian and Ying Qianqian could be settled at the Sect-wide Tournament.
“Huasheng, you go.”
Both Tao Xiaoxian and Huasheng were at the peak of the Golden Core Realm, but Huasheng had cultivated for three more years and was more solid in his foundation, making his combat strength stronger.
The male sword cultivator called Huasheng tugged at the corner of his mouth and stepped forward with a wry smile.
“Alright, alright, who told you to be the Inner Sect Chief, Senior Sister Pei?” he joked.
Ruyi Pei was infatuated with Chief Xiao Qingxuan—even if punished by her, she accepted it willingly, so she wasn’t afraid to offend Ye Luqing.
But he was.
Huasheng had entered the sect six years ago, in the same cohort as Xiao Qingxuan, Ye Luqing, and Ruyi Pei.
He’d seen clearly how, over the past six years, Xiao Qingxuan and Ye Luqing had become so close.
The relationship between those two wasn’t something that could be shaken by defeating one or the other just once.
“Senior Sister Ye, blades and swords are blind. There’s still time to step down now.”
Huasheng advanced with his sword, inwardly calculating how to accomplish Ruyi Pei’s task without harming Ye Luqing.
If he so much as scratched Ye Luqing, Senior Sister Xiao would probably skin him alive.
As for Ye Luqing winning?
He hadn’t even considered it.
Let alone Ye Luqing, whose cultivation had now fallen to the Golden Core Realm—even if he faced a Nascent Soul Realm Array Master, he would still have the strength to fight.
“Enough with the mumbling. Let’s get started,” Ye Luqing arched her brow.
“Then… forgive me!”
A gleam flashed in Huasheng’s eyes as he made up his mind.
He would first use his sword to break Ye Luqing’s defensive and restraining arrays, and when she was caught off guard, he’d switch to the back of his sword to knock her out of the ring, preventing any injury.
Of course, if Ye Luqing could see the gap in their strength and withdrew midway, that would be even better.
To achieve this effect… he would have to go all out right from the start!
A clear and resonant sword cry instantly echoed through the arena, and a majestic surge of sword energy burst forth.
The faces of the crowd below changed at once—this strike from Huasheng was even fiercer than the one he’d used earlier to knock the Biluofeng Inner Sect Disciple off the stage!
Huasheng was ranked second among the Inner Sect Disciples.
Other than Ruyi Pei, who had recently broken through to the Nascent Soul Realm, he was the strongest in Heavenly Sword Peak’s Inner Sect.
He had entered the sect in the same year as Ruyi Pei; the two had traded victories over the years, and it was only his slower breakthrough that had put him a step behind now.
With his cultivation and foundation in swordsmanship, he wouldn’t lose even against a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator.
At that moment, golden light surged in Ye Luqing’s eyes, and the aura around her was like thick earth enveloping her. Just standing there, she gave the impression of a towering mountain.
She made no extra movements, only pointed with one hand at Huasheng on the other side of the stage.
“Suppress.”
Buzz—
A heavy surge of Xuanhuang Qi burst forth from the ground, drawing endless Disha Power and sweeping toward Huasheng on the other side of the arena.
While the three from Heavenly Sword Peak were busy bickering, she’d already started secretly preparing her array.
Supreme Array Subduing Art, six strands of Xuanhuang Qi version.
A high-level Earth-grade technique, used at full power, could deal with even a cultivator at the Soul Formation Realm; for Huasheng, who was only at the Golden Core Realm, just a few strands were enough.
Boom!!
Huasheng’s sword intent was instantly crushed by the Disha Power, as if a tremendous force had split a tidal wave in two.
On the other side of the ring, Huasheng’s face changed, and he hurriedly tried to dodge.
However, an immense gravity seemed to lock him in place, making him unable to move at all.
In the next instant, the force like a mountain smashed Huasheng heavily into the stage, even sending his sword flying far away.
Bang!
Clang—
The sword fell. Silence descended on all sides.
Many disciples from Biluofeng had their fists clenched so tightly their hands had gone stiff.
Since Ye Luqing rarely returned to Biluofeng, most of them hadn’t seen her much—only knowing that there was a second Senior Sister who was a Personal Disciple.
Most of what they knew about Ye Luqing came from the doubles matches at the Sect-wide Tournament, where this second Senior Sister supported Xiao Qingxuan in sweeping all opponents.
But Ye Luqing’s brilliance was often overshadowed by Xiao Qingxuan. For a Chief as overwhelmingly strong as the Heavenly Sword Peak’s, even bringing a dog would be enough to take first place in the tournament.
Now, they were witnessing their second Senior Sister’s individual strength—crushing a sword cultivator of the same realm.
It was terrifying.
Ye Luqing walked slowly up to Huasheng, who could no longer move, and said with a bright smile:
“This Junior Brother from Heavenly Sword Peak, whose name I don’t know—do you yield?”