Mo Lin wiped away the trace of crimson at the corner of his mouth, forcing himself to stand tall, and said with neither humility nor arrogance, “Brother Su, your swordsmanship is exquisite and profound. I… admit defeat.”
As soon as these words fell, a storm surged in the hearts of the disciples. Mo Lin was the Grand Elder’s personal disciple, his strength ranked firmly in the top ten within the Lingjian Sect, and he could even contend for the top five.
Yet now, Mo Lin had been defeated within just three moves by a demon from the Yueying Sect, and the opponent was even an androgynous figure. Such an outcome was simply too shocking for them to accept.
Seeing the opponent concede, Su Linghuang snorted coldly and said indifferently, “If we’re just talking about swordsmanship, Gu Shenzhi is probably even stronger than me. If you wish to be his opponent, I’m afraid you’re not qualified.”
With that, she sheathed her sword and returned inside the house.
Only a group of Lingjian Sect disciples remained in the courtyard, at a loss, frozen in place, unsure whether to leave or stay.
“Senior Brother Mo, I think that Su’s swordsmanship is nothing special—just all show and no substance. Why did you admit defeat so quickly?” One Lingjian Sect disciple asked in confusion. He believed that three moves were not enough to determine the victor; at least a hundred were needed to truly see who was superior.
Mo Lin shot him a cold glance and said, “Hmph, if those few moves were just for show, then I suppose we can’t even swing our swords properly. Jianyi Ninefold—you can go try it yourself.”
The disciple immediately shut his mouth, not daring to say another word.
“All dealt with, but still not as good as Mo Renxie. If it weren’t for being on their Mo Clan’s turf, I wouldn’t have bothered to make a second strike.”
Su Linghuang pouted coquettishly, her jade-like face lifting slightly, revealing a bit of pride—adorable, mischievous, with a swan-like neck fairer than snow. Yet her exquisitely beautiful collarbone remained hidden beneath her white robes.
“Mo Lin… he isn’t dead, is he?” Gu Shenzhi asked, choosing his words carefully and speaking softly.
At his words, the Honglian Saintess’s expression changed instantly. Her cheeks puffed slightly as she turned her head away, deliberately avoiding his gaze.
“Young Master Gu, though you and I are not too familiar, after thinking it over, I must be closer to you than Mo Lin. Yet instead of asking about me, you first inquire about your enemy’s condition. Are you trying to cut ties with me?”
Her words were practically dripping with jealousy. Rather than scolding him, her tone was more like she longed for Gu Shenzhi to coax her, or perhaps “bully” her in some strange way.
Naturally, a scoundrel could see right through a girl’s heart. Gu Shenzhi smiled gently and said softly, “Huang’er, in my heart you are worth a thousand times more than Mo Lin. Why lower yourself by comparing with him?”
“In that case, shouldn’t you have asked about my well-being first?” Su Linghuang narrowed her blood-red eyes, speaking with a playful tone.
“From a rational perspective, that would be the case. But how could the invincible Honglian Saintess be harmed by a mere pawn? If I were to ask, it would only seem ridiculous.”
It sounded as if Gu Shenzhi was stating a fact, but in truth, this was just another way to coax a girl—and one far more pleasant to the ear.
Su Linghuang’s luscious red lips curled up slightly, yet she insisted on pretending nothing had happened. Though her heart had already melted, she stubbornly waited for the other to make the first move.
She had always been like this, secretly yearning for someone’s affection, yet always saying otherwise.
Birds of a feather flock together. Just from this, it was no surprise she and Yuexi could become “inseparable” confidantes. Only, when it came to being tsundere, Yuexi was even more extreme.
If Su Linghuang’s mouth was hard but her body was soft, then Yuexi’s body and mouth were both hard—only deep inside did she retain a trace of a maiden’s tenderness.
Sensing the moment was right, Gu Shenzhi gently pulled the warm, fragrant beauty into his arms. Her stunning face, graceful figure, and alluring scent—she was the epitome of perfection for any man of normal taste.
“Miss Su, dressed in men’s attire, you have a charm all your own.” Gu Shenzhi brushed aside her snowy hair and whispered in her ear.
His fingertips had already touched the girl’s slender, supple waist. The fabric was thick, but it didn’t stop him from feeling the soft skin of her lower abdomen. A little more pressure, and with every inch he explored, Su Linghuang’s crystalline toes tensed even more.
“Don’t touch me,” the girl muttered softly.
“But Miss Su, you came running into my arms of your own accord. Isn’t that because you want me to touch you?”
Su Linghuang instantly resembled a cat whose tail had been stepped on. Her lovely face was stained with a charming blush, and after writhing seductively, all that remained was a series of delightful moans.
When Mo Xulin returned to the study, dusk had already fallen. Only the last rays of crimson sunlight lingered by the western hills. Simply pacifying the Four Elders had exhausted all his energy, not to mention the behind-the-scenes preparations he still needed to make for the Martial Contest for Marriage.
Though it was called a Martial Contest for Marriage, the winner had long since been decided. It was to be the new Young Master of Lingjian Sect, Lin Yongning—a legitimate son of a frontier general from Youyun Continent. Unable to find a satisfactory sword cultivator as a mentor in his homeland, and being a distant cousin to a powerful Elder of Lingjian Sect, he had finally joined the sect.
Earlier, he had ranked second within the sect, always overshadowed by another. But after certain well-known events occurred, he naturally rose to become the chief disciple of Lingjian Sect and was later promoted to Young Master.
There was even an amusing story: after becoming the new Young Master of Lingjian Sect, Lin Yongning wanted to follow tradition and become the Sect Master’s personal disciple. The swordsmanship of the Elders paled in comparison to the Sect Master—like a chasm between heaven and earth.
Would he rather train under gray-haired, aging Elders, or under the beautiful and radiant Bai Qi Fairy? The answer was obvious.
Yet when he made this request, Bai Qi Fairy rejected him on the spot, without leaving the slightest room for reconsideration.
“Since you entered the sect, you’ve trained under the Grand Elder and the Four Elders. They’re most familiar with your habits and style. Now, for me—a mere outsider—to become your master would be inappropriate. Besides, in this life, I will only take one personal disciple. Even if he doesn’t wish to acknowledge me, I am still his master.”
That was Bai Qi’s reply. Naturally, Lin Yongning bore a grudge against the Sect Master, and his resentment toward Gu Shenzhi only deepened.
In stark contrast, the two Elders of Lingjian Sect were not angered at all. Instead, they praised the Sect Master’s wise and farsighted decision.
In terms of cultivation and ability, there was probably no better ally in the entire Muyun Continent than Bai Qi. Yet her arbitrary ways and unpredictable moods left Mo Xulin deeply dissatisfied.
If it weren’t for the fact that purging the opposition required Lingjian Sect’s support, he would have turned against Bai Qi long ago.
Crack.
The crystal-clear jade cup in Mo Xulin’s hand was crushed to pieces, and the fine wine inside instantly evaporated. But he had to endure—not just for the sake of controlling the Mo Clan, but also for the Supreme-grade Huashen Pill that Bai Qi had promised him.
Mo Xulin had been stuck at the bottleneck of the Yuan Ying stage for too long. With the Snake Venom lingering in his body and about to seep into his bones, if he could not break through soon, he feared he had little time left.