Liu Qingyang dashed to the window in a single bound, looking back nervously. "I have to go. It'll be a disaster if I'm caught!"
In a frantic rush, he pulled a communication jade talisman from his robes and shoved it into Li Nanzhu's hand. "The previous communication jade slip isn't reliable anymore; use this instead! Contact me anytime if anything happens!"
Before his voice had even faded, he had already vaulted out the window. With a few leaps, he vanished into the thick forest. His bright red robes were incredibly conspicuous among the green leaves, but in the blink of an eye, he was gone without a trace.
Almost at the same moment, there was a knock at the courtyard gate.
Feng Weilan went to open the door with a cold expression. A few Water Moon Sect disciples stood outside, led by a deacon elder who bowed respectfully. "Fellow Daoist, have you seen our young master?"
Feng Weilan shook his head expressionlessly. "I have not."
The elder looked suspiciously at the open window and caught sight of the tea cup still steaming on the table. Ultimately, however, he did not dare to ask more and could only leave dejectedly.
Once the footsteps had faded into the distance, Duan Xianxing finally couldn't help but laugh out loud. "Qingyang's escape skills have certainly improved!"
Li Nanzhu picked up the jade slip Liu Qingyang had left and began to examine it carefully. Suisui also leaned in, its soul fire flickering with curious light.
"This intelligence is indeed detailed." Mu Wenyan tapped the jade slip with his fingertip, projecting the contents into mid-air. "The cultivation technique characteristics and common moves of the participating disciples from each sect are all recorded. It's even more complete than what the Hehuan Sect gave us before."
"In that case, either the Hehuan Sect was holding back before, or..."
"Or the Hehuan Sect has been completely sidelined by the others."
The previously cheerful atmosphere turned solemn once more.
"All right," Mu Wenyan interjected to break the silence. "Since we have this intelligence, we no longer need to spend so much effort investigating."
"That's true," Li Nanzhu said with a smile.
Zhu Yinxi pointed to one of the entries. "Let's focus on these opponents who are likely to advance to the next round."
The group gathered around to analyze the potential threats.
"First is Zhou Ziling of the Flying Star Sect." Feng Qingping pointed at the projection. "This person is highly skilled in hidden weapons and can strike seven vital points simultaneously."
In the image, a young man in blue robes moved his hands like lightning, and seven cold glints struck seven targets in the distance at once.
"His weakness is..." Jiang Yifan narrowed his eyes. "Every time he uses his ultimate move, he subconsciously shifts half a step toward the southeast."
"Next is Leng Ruxiang of the Mysterious Ice Valley." Duan Xianxing frowned. "Her Ice Palm can freeze the flow of spiritual energy, which strongly counters those with multiple spiritual roots."
In the projection, a woman in blue struck out with a palm, and her opponent's spiritual energy flow immediately stagnated, slowing their movements by thirty percent.
"But she has a habit," Zhu Yinxi pointed out. "She inhales before striking, so there's a slight rise and fall in her chest."
"Then there's Wu Feng of the Heavenly Blade Sect." Feng Weilan spoke up rarely. "His blade techniques are incredibly fierce, but he leaves his right side open when he sheathes his blade."
In the image, a burly man wielded a blade like the wind, but in the moment he sheathed it, his right ribs were indeed briefly undefended.
Li Nanzhu carefully noted down every detail while thinking of countermeasures.
The advantage of her triple-attribute spiritual energy lay in its versatility, which was perfect for adopting different strategies against different opponents.
"Don't forget Mu Qingwan of the Hundred Herbs Sect," Mu Wenyan reminded them. "Her Poison Vine Technique requires extra caution."
Duan Xianxing immediately pulled up Mu Qingwan's combat footage. The vines flying out of her sleeves shimmered with an eerie purple light, clearly coated in poison.
"However..." Mu Wenyan smiled slightly. "Every time before she uses her Poison Vine Technique, she touches the Glazed Bracelet on her left wrist."
Everyone looked closely and saw it was true. This subtle movement had become her fatal flaw.
...
In the dead of night, Li Nanzhu was still training extra hard in the courtyard.
She constantly switched between her three types of spiritual energy, simulating scenarios against different opponents—sometimes using fire spiritual energy to break ice-based techniques, other times using water spiritual energy to interfere with the trajectories of hidden weapons.
"Junior Sister, not asleep yet?" Duan Xianxing let out a yawn.
"I still want to practice for a bit."
Duan Xianxing rubbed his bleary eyes and walked into the courtyard. "Aren't you pushing yourself a bit too hard?"
Li Nanzhu's sword momentum did not stop as the three spiritual energies flowed around her. "Because I want to catch up to all of you."
She paused before continuing, "Sixth Senior Brother's blade, combined with his concealment ability, makes him almost peerless among those in the Foundation Establishment stage. Your unique thunder spiritual root is inherently powerful, and combined with your swordplay... if I want to win, I have to practice more clever tricks."
"Hey!" Duan Xianxing sat down on a stone bench. "What are you talking about? Which of us didn't start with clever tricks?" He picked up a random branch and gestured with it. "I remember when I first learned swordplay, I couldn't even hit an ant. It was all thanks to my wits that I didn't get scolded by Eldest Senior Brother."
Li Nanzhu's sword moves faltered slightly, and she turned to look at Duan Xianxing.
Under the moonlight, this usually jovial Seventh Senior Brother wore a rare expression of seriousness.
"Besides," Duan Xianxing jumped up, a purple bolt of electricity suddenly coursing through the branch, "look at my Purple Lightning Blue Frost. Wasn't that also forged through countless instances of using my wits?"
Li Nanzhu couldn't help but laugh. "Seventh Senior Brother, that's not being clever, that's clearly..."
"It's what?" Duan Xianxing leaned in, the electricity on the branch crackling.
"It's being exceptionally talented and incredibly hardworking." Li Nanzhu winked.
Duan Xianxing burst into laughter and tossed the branch aside. "Come, come, come! Senior Brother will train with you! What do you want to practice? Hidden weapons? Ice Palm? Or Poison Vine Technique?"
"All of them!" Li Nanzhu's eyes lit up. "Let's start with the Flying Star Sect's hidden weapons!"
"You got it!" Duan Xianxing flipped his hands, seven purple electrical sparks condensing at his fingertips. "Watch my Seven-Star Continuous Beads!"
The electrical sparks tore through the air. Li Nanzhu immediately raised her hand to form a seal, and a water curtain unfurled before her. The sparks hit the water curtain with a sizzling sound.
"Not fast enough!" Duan Xianxing shook his head. "The real Zhou Ziling is much faster than this! Again!"
That night, the spiritual energy fluctuations in the courtyard didn't cease until the eastern sky began to pale.
...
Two days later, the martial arts arena was teeming with people.
"Arena number eight: Li Nanzhu of the Five Elements Dao Sect versus Sun Hao of the Qingshan Sect!"
When Li Nanzhu heard her opponent's name, her brow furrowed slightly.
The Qingshan Sect again? This was far too much of a coincidence.
Duan Xianxing whispered in her ear, "Careful. This Sun Hao is Zhao Yan's senior brother. He must have studied your moves."
Li Nanzhu nodded and slowly stepped onto the arena.
Opposite her, a lean young man stood with his hands behind his back. A pair of bronze maces hung at his waist—identical to Zhao Yan's weapons, but with several eerie patterns etched onto them.
"I have long heard of the Five Elements Dao Sect's great reputation." Sun Hao cupped his hands, though his eyes flashed with a cold light. "Thank you for taking care of my useless junior brother."
Li Nanzhu did not reply. She only slowly drew her sword. The blade reflected the morning sun, shimmering with a faint blue light.
"Let the match begin!"
Sun Hao moved instantly, the angles of his twin maces even more cunning than Zhao Yan's.
More frighteningly, he had clearly researched Li Nanzhu's moves. Every time he attacked, he deliberately avoided the counter-angles she was best at.
Clang!
Li Nanzhu barely blocked a strike, her arm numbed by the impact!
This Sun Hao's strength was more than a level above Zhao Yan's, and every move aimed directly at her vitals.
At the edge of the arena, Duan Xianxing was so anxious he was stomping his feet. "He's specifically targeting the Junior Sister's weaknesses!"
Feng Qingping narrowed her eyes. "He has researched Junior Sister's sword paths."
On the stage, Li Nanzhu was forced back repeatedly. Sun Hao's bronze maces followed her like a shadow. Every time she tried to change her move, he would block her path in advance.
"Just surrender." Sun Hao sneered. "I've seen right through all your moves."
Hearing this, Li Nanzhu couldn't help but look anxious, and even her sword moves became erratic. Just as she was in the middle of a transition, Sun Hao spotted a flaw exposed under her ribs!
Rate on N.U.
