“Xiao Lin!”
Shen Yuer’s heart tightened the moment she saw the situation on Lin Nan’s side turn grim.
Gritting her teeth, she instantly threw one talisman after another from her sleeve without hesitation.
The water needles formed by her water technique were torn apart by the howling Ling Wolf with Blood Eyes, and even when Shen Qingmei took control, the summoned wind blades from the talismans were forcefully absorbed by the wolf’s body.
After all, that was still a seventh-grade spirit beast. If it weren’t for Lin Nan’s bloodline suppression, she wouldn’t be afraid of anyone at all.
“Senior Brother Chang, is this where you stop?”
Zhang Qiming squinted his eyes with a faint smile but sat calmly in his seat without any intention of stepping in to help.
He was already itching to kill Lin Nan with his own hands as soon as possible; how could he truly come to her aid?
It was nothing more than holding back the few members of Qingyun Sect so that Cao Xingzhi’s blade could land a real, piercing strike on her neck.
He wanted to see if Lin Nan could still be mouthy with a hole in her throat.
Senior Brother’s eyes sharpened, and his body leaned forward slightly. If he were even a bit careless, he wouldn’t hesitate to flash over to Lin Nan’s side to block that blade for her.
“Hoo…”
Senior Brother furrowed his brows, suddenly noticing something. He relaxed against the chair back and spread his hands. “Qiming, if I step in to save Brother Cao, it would be overstepping. Aren’t you going to save him?”
“Hm?”
Zhang Qiming’s face filled with questions. He turned back, eyes wide.
Cao Xingzhi’s eyes were just as wide.
He stared blankly at Lin Nan’s gaze full of anger.
Vertical pupils? Or demon eyes?
“I’m very unhappy,” the girl’s voice was unusually cold, “I really love using swords.”
Anyone could tell that even if she had to climb on stage holding an old, battered Iron Sword, if anyone doubted Lin Nan’s passion for the sword, Cao Xingzhi would be the first to object.
But so what if you really love swords? What does that have to do with you being angry?
Does not using a sword suddenly make you a master?
As far as he knew, the Qingyun Heart Sutra was a sword manual, right? Without a sword, what do you fight with?
The next second, Lin Nan gave him the answer.
Miss Lin truly loved the sword, but she was not limited to just swordsmanship.
The girl discarded the sword hilt, clenched her right fist, and dark green Qi coiled around her wrist. With a sharp shout, she swung her fist without hesitation.
That punch was so fast that before Cao Xingzhi’s dagger could land, it had already struck his waist.
At that very moment, Cao Xingzhi deeply felt as if his liver was about to explode.
A brutal, fierce True Qi surged into his body like a tiger descending the mountain. The huge tiger claws nearly pierced his internal organs.
The tiger’s head opened its blood-red jaws, ready to shred his heart.
Death’s shadow descended on his mind. Cao Xingzhi panicked instantly, begging for mercy with his mouth, but what came out was an uncontrollable scream of agony.
Cao Xingzhi curled up like a shrimp. The girl stepped forward, turning her body sideways, and with all her strength, completed the punch.
Boom—
With a thunderous explosion, Cao Xingzhi was blasted backward.
…
…
The mountain ghost’s lamp went out, and the fool muttered into the late night.
In the end, Zhang Qiming stepped in.
He stood behind Cao Xingzhi, supporting him. Blood trickled from the corner of Cao’s mouth, staining Zhang Qiming’s hand.
His face was grim as he took out a Great Restoration Pill and forced it into Cao Xingzhi’s mouth.
The Great Restoration Pill was a fifth-grade spirit pill, much stronger and faster-acting than the pills commonly used by Danxia Sect disciples in sparring. They were usually reserved for crises.
“Brother Cao, don’t fall asleep. Keep your eyes open.”
Zhang Qiming’s voice was heavy. Cao Xingzhi knew he must not close his eyes. He forced himself to stare, coughing up blood while saying, “Senior… Brother…”
“Don’t speak. You’ve done well. You haven’t disgraced the Danxia Sect.”
Zhang Qiming handed Cao Xingzhi over to other rushing disciples, stood up, and silently evaporated the blood on his hand with True Qi.
He watched Lin Nan from afar, his gaze growing complicated.
The moment Lin Nan freed her hand to deal with the Ling Wolf with Blood Eyes, Shen Qingmei’s defeat was inevitable.
She even took a moment to jog over to the nearby grass, fumbling to find a hairpin. Clumsily, she re-tied her hair and stuck in the hairpin.
She cupped her hands and called out, “Yuer, pull her hair! Make her look like a nun!”
The little girl had long since been relieved seeing Lin Nan was fine. She tilted her waist, joined her small hands in a salute near her brow, stuck out her tongue, and playfully winked. “Mission guaranteed!”
She flicked out three yellow talismans with the back of her hand. Water needles and wind blades interlaced to form a net, forcing the Ling Wolf with Blood Eyes to retreat again and again.
Though it was a seventh-grade spirit beast, the wolf was intimidated by Lin Nan’s demonic aura and now showed some fear under Shen Yuer’s fierce assault. The growls from its throat sounded more like a bluff.
“Shen Qingmei, even your dog is scared. Why are you still holding on?” Shen Yuer condensed fine water at her fingertips, letting it flow over the wolf’s fur, instantly forming icy chains that bound its limbs in place.
Shen Qingmei’s face turned pale. She hadn’t expected Shen Yuer’s water technique to have advanced so much.
Gritting her teeth, she formed hand seals. Suddenly, the Gray-Furred Spirit Mouse that had been hiding underground darted out. Its sharp teeth glistened coldly as it lunged straight for Shen Yuer’s nape.
This was her last trump card her poisoned mouse, nurtured with her own blood. Anyone bitten would have their True Qi disrupted within half an hour.
If it bit down, it would cripple Shen Yuer, causing Old Fifth Shen to lose all value.
“Is that all you’ve got?”
Shen Yuer seemed to have eyes in her back. As she dodged aside, her wrist flipped, and the water chains suddenly tightened, slamming the spirit mouse onto the ground.
Ice spikes shot out from the earth, precisely pinning the mouse’s limbs. The beast let out a wailing scream but could no longer move.
“You!” Shen Qingmei trembled with anger. She hadn’t expected even her last kill move to be countered. “You clearly only have the incomplete version of the Shen Family’s Long Breath Song. How could you possibly be…”
“Stronger than your stolen authentic technique?” Shen Yuer stepped forward slowly, water patterns flowing in her palm, reflecting the light in her eyes. “Because I practice my own path. And you? You’re just a fake living in my shadow.”
She suddenly raised her hand. “The ‘pierce’ and ‘bind’ moves are my own creations, modified from the Long Breath Song and combined with the Water Classics Supplementary Notes. And you? You guard the Long Breath Song but refuse to train it, only waiting for the Shen Family to gift you high-quality spirit beasts.”
“This Ling Wolf with Blood Eyes is a seventh-grade spirit beast, yet under your control, it’s not even as good as a ninth-grade. You really… disgrace the Shen Family’s kindness.”
Shen Yuer’s voice echoed across the Transmission Martial Platform. “Today’s weather is nice, so I’ll also take this chance to reveal a fact everyone’s been curious about for a long time.”
“Why both this sectmate and I are called Shen Yuer, why we both use the Shen Family’s Long Breath Song, why she secretly calls me ‘younger sister,’ while I call her…”
“…Shen Qingmei.”
Shen Yuer’s voice rang clear and strong. The more she spoke, the paler Shen Qingmei’s face became.
The entire hall erupted in shock.
The disciples of Beast-Taming Peak turned pale. They had long found “Shen Yuer’s” beast control technique odd. Though she was from the Shen Family, her talent was not as exceptional as rumored. She even seemed especially immature.
Only now did they realize the truth.
The Danxia Sect members exchanged glances. Zhang Qiming’s face darkened to the point of dripping water. Shen Qingmei was not a key player in the Prime Minister’s plan, but if her identity was exposed, it would still affect the plan.
“Enough! I told you to stop talking!”
“Stealing my name, copying my calligraphy, seizing my qualifications—Shen Qingmei, are you living for yourself or… living for me?”
Shen Qingmei’s pupils constricted. She seemed drained of all strength and collapsed to the ground.
Suddenly, she laughed wildly, hair disheveled like a ghost. “So what? I stole your identity, lived in your courtyard, enjoyed your blessings! Even if you expose me now, what can you change? The Shen Family has already abandoned you!”
“But I no longer care about the Shen Family,” Shen Yuer’s water patterns surged violently, transforming into several whips of water. “Slap!” The whips cracked against Shen Qingmei’s side, scattering stones.
Just as the water whips were about to strike Shen Qingmei, a stern shout rang out: “Stop!”
The Peak Master of Beast-Taming Peak landed on a flying sword, his blue-gray robe fluttering.
He glared at Shen Yuer, voice strict: “This exchange is a sparring match. Stop at once! Don’t let outsiders make a fool of us in the Transmission Martial Platform.”
“Is the Peak Master protecting a scoundrel?” Lin Nan, who had somehow arrived beside Shen Yuer, played with the crooked hairpin in her hand. Her long hair was tied behind her head, looking very pure.
“She impersonated a sectmate. According to sect rules, her cultivation should be revoked. Is the Peak Master going to show favoritism?”
The Peak Master was at a loss for words, his face shifting between pale and flushed.
He knew that if this matter leaked, the reputation of Beast-Taming Peak would be utterly ruined.
“‘Not letting outsiders see our shame’ is just an excuse.”
“This matter…” The Peak Master forced out, “Beast-Taming Peak will conduct a thorough investigation. No one is allowed to make a move!”
He waved his hand. “Take Shen Qingmei back and place her under house arrest. No leaving without my order!”
“Wait. According to sect rules, Beast-Taming Peak has no right to handle this privately. Let the Disciplinary Hall deal with it.”
A cold voice echoed faintly. The Peak Master froze, then gave a bitter smile.
As expected, Xun Lin was here.
He sighed and could only watch two Disciplinary Hall officers walk past the crowd to take Shen Qingmei away.
When Shen Qingmei was dragged off, she stared fiercely at Shen Yuer, hatred in her eyes almost tangible.
Shen Yuer ignored her and turned to Lin Nan, the sharpness in her eyes fading to a smile. “You said just now you wanted to pull her hair. I didn’t do it.”
“Save it,” Lin Nan reached out and brushed the grass off Shen Yuer’s shoulder. Her emerald eyes curved like a crescent moon. “Later, we’ll make her bald in front of the entire sect.”
Below the Transmission Martial Platform, Senior Sister Qiao covered her mouth to laugh, and even Senior Brother rarely showed a smile.
Zhang Qiming looked at the two standing side by side on the platform. His fingers crushed the teacup in his hand; the tea mixed with blood dripped onto the ground.
To him, this exchange meeting was a complete loss for the Danxia Sect.
From the direction leading down the mountain came Shen Qingmei’s hysterical screams, quickly carried away by the wind.
Lin Nan patted Shen Yuer’s shoulder. “Want to eat some osmanthus cake?”
Shen Yuer nodded vigorously. “I love sweets~”